Theme - SKINNY LOVE ( one where two people are in love with each other, but too shy to admit it. Yet, they show it anyway).

Suman smiled at the gatekeeper, who helped her unload the tiffin boxes from her beloved ambassador, like everyday, taking up his part time duty of delivering them safe very seriously, while she entered Malhotra Corporates, adorning her classic smile and vibrant demeanor. Looking at her nobody could tell that her insides were in splits and her heart was hammering too hard inside her chest - just at the prospect of seeing him.

Maybe the tiffin in her hand could tell - after all it knew how bad it was trembling because of the shiver in her hands.

Suman breathed in deep as she knocked on the cabin door, hearing an expectedly frustrated "come in" after a few seconds. Sporting her best smile, she peeked in, and cleared her throat.

"Would your royal highness, The Qutub Minar, be free for a while?", she watched Shravan's head jerk up at her voice before his face broke into a tiny but genuine smile.

"Sumo", he called her name, not an invitation, not a surprise - just an obvious undertone in it. That only melted her heart some more, as she walked inside and sat on the couch kept in one side, patting the seat beside her for him.

"Pretty sure you skipped breakfast, so I brought you extra lunch", she grinned, taking the lead and unpacking the tiffin as she plated it out for him, on the coffee table kept in front of the couch.

Shravan took his time, watching her intently first for few seconds, and then shaking his head to clear the thoughts. If there was anything the last few days had taught him - the fights since he came back, the Khosla drama, him wanting to leave again and then the wretched news of his dad's flight accident last week -
it was the fact that he was insanely stupid to think he had been able to put his feelings for her behind him.

It was humanly impossible for him, even the idea of not being in maddening love with Suman Tiwari, Shravan had realized and accepted to himself.

"Shravan!", Suman called him again, her face flushed with the way he had zoned out with his eyes fixed at her face, making blood rush up her cheeks, "It would all go cold".

Shravan nodded, and stood up, making his way to her and sitting down. But one look at the plate, and he could feel a huge lump in his throat.

"Sumo", he sighed, tilting his face to look at her, "You didn't have to do this", a sad smile lingering on his face. His eyes were slightly widened, he clearly hadn't expected her to do this for him.

Picking up the bowl of his favorite Moong daal ka halwa, she spooned a bite and forwarded it to him, grinning, "Ofcourse I did. Your best friend is the best chef of this city. She owns a whole tiffin service, and you think something as small as customizing it according to your preferences is something she can't do? You underestimate me, Mr. Malhotra", Suman smirked, raising a brow as if challenging him. Shravan ended up chuckling.

"Walking Talking Drama Queen", he happily gulped another bite she forwarded, and before he was aware, Suman had already picked up the entire plate, and making him eat while simultaneously ranting about some grocery shop owner she had successfully made a huge bargain with.

Shravan continued to eat, like a child engrossed in a fairy tale, and Suman continued to add spicy details, making up more than half of it just to keep him busy and not let him be conscious about the situation.

A week before, when Shravan had sat her down, trying to explain why he was so persistent to leave - Suman would lie if she didn't accept that his reasoning was anything short of a heart break. She could feel his longing for a family, of wanting to belong, craving for unconditional love and care. She could emphasize because she felt the same most days. Yet, he was still going away so that Pushkar had a complete family, so that Kamini Chachi wasn't insecure of him.

And now, though he had stayed back, Suman knew he was working on a plan to open his own firm and transfer his shares at Malhotra Corporates to Pushkar. It was a tough decision, but she was proud of him, and she had also told him that - repeatedly.

Alongside which, she had decided to fill in his life with the warmth and love he needed, as much as she could. She loved him anyway, even if she couldn't tell him, even if he didn't love her back.

Which was precisely why, when she finally left the office, she could feel joy in her bones deep down, simply because the frown on his face had been temporarily smoothened - and that's all she was aiming to do every single day.

-------

Shravan brought a bouquet of yellow carnations and carefully placed it in the back of his car, before resuming his drive. It was almost evening when he parked it outside PCT, sighing. He had been wanting to come up much earlier, but last minute meetings had kept him too occupied to move.

Entering inside, his eyes met Preeta who answered his unasked questions with a gesture - Suman was standing on one of the counters and peeling potatoes - her hands, working perfectly out of habit, and her mind, clearly elsewhere.

It was when Shravan moved the bowl to him side that Suman registered his presence, clearly astonished.

"Shravan?", she held his gaze and forced a smile, "Hi".

"Hello to you too, Ms. Tiwari. Now if you would permit, I want to take my best friend out while her staff will make sure the dinner is perfect in her absence too. May I?", he asked, sounding so charming that Suman giggled, nodding. Quickly letting her wash her hands, Shravan drove her away, stopping only near India Gate, letting a complete shock sink in her features.

"But how -?", Suman stuttered, feeling too emotional, "I didn't tell you".

"You did, years ago, when we were in school. We came here to celebrate her birthday that year, remember?", Shravan smiled, gently cupping her cheeks as he turned to face her in the car, and wiping the traitor tears off.

Suman leaned into the touch, closing her eyes, "and you remembered my mother's birthday even after a decade".

"Ofcourse I did", Shravan grinned, "I never forget anything you share with me. Not then, not now", Shravan helped her out of the car and gave her the bouquet. This time, she wasn't even surprised.

They walked together to her mother's favorite corner and lay the bouquet there, before spending some more moments in silence.

Later, Suman chuckled when Shravan treated her with their favorite Kulfis.

Small details, and small efforts, made the larger part of their relationship.

--------

The night moon was beautiful, Suman acknowledged with a sigh, and then leaned into Shravan's shoulder, resting her head. They were sitting on the swing outside her house.

"You shouldn't have spoken like that to Mamiji Shravan", Suman muttered, in an almost whisper.

"She shouldn't have insulted you like that either. And about what? Loan your mother had taken? More than half of which you have already paid back?", Shravan scoffed.

"But she is elder to us. And she already had done so much for me, it's okay for her to be a little harsh, especially when it's about her son she wants to go visit", Suman defended, even though every part of her had ached to jump into his arms and cry her heart out for being so fiercely protective of her.

No she didn't need him to fight for her, or protect her per se, but for someone who never had anybody standing up for her like that, especially since her parents and occasionally Nanu, Shravan holding her self respect like that, not letting even family step on it, was a huge thing.

"You are one to say. Kamini Chachi isn't elder to us? Your sharp answers everytime she takes a dig at me, or our friendship, isn't rude?", Shravan chuckled, watching her freeze.

"How did you know?", she inquired, straightening up to look at him.

He shrugged, not bothering to answer.

Sighing yet again, Suman went back to her earlier position. This time, Shravan was quick to drape an arm around her and tuck her to his side, before leaning to rest his head on hers.

"Shravan", Suman spoke after a while, "I promise I will never ever abandon you again, and you don't abandon me either, okay?", her voice trembled, as she stated, feeling too vulnerable.

She felt his lips curve up in a smile.

"Never ever", he was happy to intertwine his free hand with hers, "Besides no body will marry you with that constant frown and huge ass attitude, and no body will marry a Qutub Minar, like you say, so we have to stick up with each other", Shravan laughed, making her chuckle too.

She was too red in the face to look up, but he was aware of the way her lips curved up against his shirt where she was hiding her face, all curled up.

Past midnight, she finally stood up, aware that it was too late already. Her family might throw another fit if she wasn't inside.

Sharavan understood. He nodded, before she could even speak.

But something fluttered inside Suman's chest as she paused in her steps, looking straight into his eyes. A sudden intense feeling engulfed her and she found herself standing between his legs, a subtle but happy shock on his otherwise handsome features when she leaned in and dropped a chaste kiss on his forehead.

An assurance.

A confession.

A love mark.

Or just, skinny love.

Suman was about to leave when a familiar grasp on her wrist pulled her back into his chest. Before she could comprehend, his lips had found the crown of her head.

And their faces both mirrored each other's smile.

When, how, why weren't the questions they ever asked, or the answers they ever seeked.

Because what they felt for each other, with each other - they knew no words would be able to define their emotions at its best.

Probably that why they say, the best things in life are just felt, and they both knew their hearts beat in sync since forever, until forever.

Note : This one shot was written for Likhavat 2021 hosted by RohinaSharma on her account, and this ended up being the first runner up for the event.

- Thank you to each and every reader who read and voted for this story during Likhavat.

- If you are stumbling across this post Likhavat, I hope you enjoyed reading. Thank you 💫