Amartya glanced at the clock, realizing it was time to wake Maya up. She looked so peaceful, sprawled across the desk, her head resting on a pile of fabric swatches. He sighed, a soft smile tugging at his lips. She had worked so hard, and it was clear she needed rest, but the show was coming up fast.
He leaned closer, gently shaking her shoulder. "Maya," he said softly. "Time to wake up. You've got a show to prepare for."
Maya stirred slightly but didn't wake up. She mumbled incoherently, her hand swatting at the air as if to fend off an invisible annoyance. Amartya tried again, a little firmer this time. "Maya, come on. You've got to wake up."
She tossed and turned, her movements becoming more frantic as she tried to fight off the wake-up call. Amartya couldn't help but find the sight amusing. There was something endearing about her half-asleep struggles, her expressions shifting from annoyance to confusion.
As she flailed about, her watch—still clasped around her wrist—caught on one of the buttons on Amartya's shirt. She pulled hard enough that Amartya stumbled, his balance wavering. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, he was inches away from falling on top of her.
He caught himself, bracing his weight with his arms so he wouldn't completely collapse on her. His face was now so close to hers that he could feel her breath against his cheek. Her eyes fluttered open, but she was still deep in sleep, oblivious to the closeness.
Amartya felt a shiver of awkwardness mixed with an odd sense of exhilaration. Her face was mere inches from his, and he could see the soft, fluttering lashes of her closed eyes. It was a strange, intimate moment, and he found himself lingering there longer than he intended.
"Maya," he whispered gently, his breath warm against her ear. The sensation seemed to tickle her, and she twitched, her eyes snapping open as if jolted awake by his touch.
Startled, she turned her head slightly, her face now directly facing his. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the proximity. "Amartya?" she murmured, blinking rapidly.
She froze, staring at him with a mix of confusion and surprise, her cheeks flushing a bright shade of pink. Amartya gave her a sheepish grin, trying to maintain his composure despite the embarrassing situation.
"Good morning," he said, his voice laced with an awkward but genuine smile. "I think it's time you got up."
Maya's gaze locked onto his, and for a few seconds, the air between them crackled with an unspoken tension. Her eyes softened as she slowly became more aware of her surroundings. She let out a small, nervous laugh, trying to cover her blush with a shaky smile.
"Sorry," she said, her voice still a little groggy. "I didn't mean to—"
"No worries," Amartya interrupted, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "You've got enough on your plate without worrying about my unintended nap attack."
Maya's blush deepened, and she quickly pulled away, her watch finally releasing from the grip of his shirt button. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to regain her bearings.
"Thanks for waking me up," she said, her voice more awake now, though still tinged with embarrassment. "I guess I really needed it."
Amartya chuckled, easing back into his chair. "Anytime. And if you need more help, you know where to find me."
As Maya stood and stretched, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, Amartya couldn't help but feel a small but significant shift in their dynamic. The moment had been oddly intimate, and though neither of them said it outright, there was an undeniable spark lingering in the air.
Maya quickly composed herself, smoothing out her hair and adjusting her watch, all while avoiding Amartya's gaze. Her heart was still racing, and she wasn't quite sure if it was because of how close their faces had been or the fact that she was, once again, behind on work.
"Right," she muttered, grabbing the nearest sketchpad and flipping through designs, anything to break the awkward tension. "Back to work."
Amartya leaned back in his chair, watching her fidget with her tools, her face still slightly flushed. He couldn't help but smirk. "You sure you're good? You looked like you were about to punch me in your sleep."
Maya shot him a sharp look, but the corners of her mouth twitched. "You woke me up after three hours of sleep in like, five days. Count yourself lucky I didn't."
Amartya held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I come in peace. McD in hand, no less."
Maya rolled her eyes but finally allowed herself a small smile as she sat down, opening her laptop to review the final design mockups. "Okay, well, thanks for that. And for the nap. I feel a little more human now."
"A little?" he teased, resting his chin on his hand. "You look like you're about to turn into a zombie designer if you don't take a real break soon."
She shot him a sarcastic grin. "I'll sleep when I'm dead. We all can't live that amazing kind of bachelor life like you, okay? Some of us have brands to run."
Amartya laughed, but there was a softness in his eyes. "Alright, but seriously, when this is all over, we're getting you a proper meal that doesn't come in a cardboard box. Deal?"
Maya glanced at him, her defenses lowering for just a moment. "Deal."
Just then, his phone buzzed. He glanced down at it and smirked before answering.
"Yo, Yatharth," he greeted, his tone casual. "What's up?"
On the other end, Yatharth's voice came through with a chuckle. "Where are you, man? Aarohi said you went to check on Maya or something."
Amartya glanced at Maya, who was hunched over her laptop, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "Yeah, just brought her some food. She's been working herself to the bone, so I figured I'd stop by."
There was a pause before Yatharth's teasing tone returned. "McD delivery to Maya? That sounds suspiciously like you're trying to earn some brownie points, man."
Amartya rolled his eyes, even though a grin tugged at his lips. "Dude, relax. It's called being a good friend."
Yatharth wasn't buying it. "Sure, sure. A 'good friend' who randomly shows up at work with food and stays to keep her company? You sure it's not a bit more than that?"
Amartya's grin faltered for a second. "Nah, man. She's been killing it with the work, so I'm just making sure she doesn't pass out before the big show. That's it."
"Uh-huh." Yatharth's voice oozed sarcasm. "Just admit it. You've got a soft spot for her."
Amartya scoffed, shaking his head. "Look, just because you're planning some big proposal doesn't mean the rest of us are in love with someone."
"Who said anything about being in love?" Yatharth fired back. "I'm just saying, you spend a lot of time together, and you did bring her McD… which, let's be real, is a love language."
Amartya chuckled, glancing at Maya who was too busy with her work to pay attention. "Love language, huh? Pretty sure it's just keeping her from losing it before the show."
Yatharth laughed. "Keep telling yourself that, man. Anyway, good luck. Try not to 'accidentally' trip and fall into a rom-com situation with her, okay?"
Amartya hung up, shaking his head with a grin, though Yatharth's words lingered. He glanced at Maya, still oblivious to the conversation, and something flickered in his chest, but he quickly shoved it aside.
"Everything good?" Maya asked, glancing up from her sketchpad, a raised eyebrow in question.
"Yeah, just Yatharth being his usual annoying self," Amartya said, trying to play it cool. "Thinks I'm trying to score points with you or something."
Maya snorted, rolling her eyes. "Please. I'm sure you've got better things to do than babysit me."
"Not really," he replied, leaning back with a shrug. "Besides, someone's gotta keep you in check, or you'll work yourself into the ground."
Maya flashed a smirk, her eyes still glued to the screen. "I don't need a babysitter, but thanks for the food."
"Anytime," Amartya said softly, watching her for a moment longer before returning his focus to his phone, though his mind was still on the words Yatharth had said.
Love language, huh?
He wasn't sure what that feeling was, but he wasn't about to dwell on it. Not yet.
As the night continued, the two settled back into their usual routine, Amartya scrolling through his phone while Maya worked with laser focus on her designs. The room was quiet, save for the hum of the air conditioner and the soft tapping of Maya's stylus against her tablet.
Amartya glanced up now and then, watching as Maya's eyes darted between fabric swatches and the glowing screen, her mind clearly juggling a million things at once. He could tell she was still tired despite the nap, but there was no stopping her when she was in the zone. That much, he knew.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Maya let out a deep sigh and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head. She rolled her neck, wincing slightly as a few cracks sounded. "Alright, I think I'm done... for tonight at least."
Amartya glanced at the clock on the wall. It was well past midnight. "You sure? You could keep going for another hour, maybe two, if you really wanna hit zombie mode."
Maya gave him a look. "Don't tempt me. The designs are pretty much there, just need a few tweaks, but I'm not frying my brain any further tonight."
"Good. Because I'm not carrying your unconscious body out of here when you finally crash," he teased, standing up and stretching too. "Plus, I promised Aarohi I wouldn't let you pull an all-nighter."
Maya snorted, grabbing her sketchpad and tossing it on the pile with the others. "Aarohi's such a mom sometimes. I'm fine. It's just the last stretch before the launch, you know how it is."
"Yeah, but this last stretch could literally kill you if you're not careful," Amartya countered. "You're running on fumes."
Maya rolled her eyes, grabbing her things. "Drama queen."
"You know I'm right." Amartya smirked, grabbing his jacket and walking with her toward the door. "Just promise me you'll actually sleep when you get home."
"Sure, Dad," she shot back sarcastically, but there was a small smile on her lips as they walked out into the quiet hallway.
As they reached the elevator, Amartya shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced over at her. "You're really killing it, though. Seriously. I don't know how you do it all."
Maya blinked, surprised by the sudden sincerity in his tone. She looked up at him, her usual defenses down for a moment. "Thanks. I don't know how I'm doing it either, to be honest."
"You'll be fine," he said, his voice soft but steady. "You always are."
The elevator doors dinged open, and they stepped inside. For a moment, there was a quiet, almost heavy silence between them. Amartya shifted slightly, the words from Yatharth's teasing earlier still playing in his head, but he didn't say anything more.
As the elevator descended, Maya leaned back against the wall, her eyes fluttering closed for a second. She was clearly exhausted, but her determination was something else entirely. He admired that about her.
When they reached the ground floor, they walked out into the cool night air. Amartya opened the door for her, and she gave him a small nod of thanks as they stepped outside. The city lights flickered around them, the streets mostly empty at this late hour.
"I'll walk you to your car," Amartya offered, keeping his tone light.
Maya raised an eyebrow. "What, so you can tell Yatharth I was escorted home like a princess?"
He chuckled. "Nah, just making sure you actually leave and don't sneak back inside to work more."
Maya laughed softly, shaking her head as they walked. "I'm not that bad."
"Uh-huh," Amartya replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Sure. You'd totally pull an all-nighter just to fix some invisible detail no one else will notice."
Maya opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, realizing he wasn't entirely wrong. "Fine, maybe. But not tonight."
They reached her car, and she turned to face him, a tired smile on her face. "Thanks for stopping by with the McD and for... keeping me sane."
"Anytime," Amartya said with a grin. "Just don't tell Yatharth I'm doing his job for him."
Maya smirked, getting into her car. "Your secret's safe with me."
As she drove off, Amartya stood there for a moment, watching her taillights disappear into the night. That feeling stirred in his chest again, the one he'd been ignoring for a while now.
Shaking his head, he started walking to his own car, telling himself it was just the late-night air messing with him. No way there was anything more to this. They were just friends —closest of friends, even.
But as he drove home, Yatharth's words echoed in his mind.
Love language, idiot?
"Damn you Yatharth and your love language"