Boys are super strong and they feel no pain. That's the silly idealogy Natasha has ever had until she heard Farhan's loud shriek from the other room. It sounded so loud and painful that it felt as though she was in pain herself. And then she couldn't stay wrapped inside her blankets anymore. Worryingly, she threw the blanket away and marched off from her room and stood in front of his bedroom door, debating whether or not to get in.
They've always had a silent agreement upon not stepping in each other's space right from the start, which he broke that morning by stepping into her room and Natasha was somehow glad that he did come. But, she hadn't stepped into his room ever since their wedding night and memories of those pictures comes back flooding to her mind. And she no longer wished to go in, but his painful whine made her stop and the next second she was in his bedroom already.
Farhan looked at her, half surprised and half curious. His back hurt like a bitch. He had made a fool out of himself, trying to stand on the stool and get that suitcase down from that cupboard but fell on his back instead. How did that happen? He had no idea. It hurt a lot and he wasn't sure if he can go to work tomorrow. Maybe that was an exaggeration.
"What the hell?" Natasha shrieked as she held her hands for him, which he caught swiftly and stood up. Her face looked so worried and he was not sure but it looked like she was going to cry. Realization strikes upon him; after his mother, she was probably the only one who genuinely cared about him.
"Thanks," Farhan mumbled gratefully whilst sitting on the bed.
"How did you fall like that? Are you blind?" Natasha scolded him with concern and worry, but he felt himself smiling even in pain. For she looked so cute whilst scolding him. He wanted to go and pinch those cheeks of hers like he always did. But stopped as he saw her glaring at him.
"I'm fine, really," he said with a chuckle but stopped when her glare intensified.
"You could have broken a bone or something. Stop being so careless, Farhan. Why did you climb that stupid stool in the first place and what if something happened to you? Ugh, you're so..." her words further became muffled as he placed his palm over her lips, shocking himself and her, as he stood up to her level.
Natasha froze as his soft yet rough manly palms came in contact with her delicate lips.
I'm never washing it again.
He looked at her wide eyes with a small smile, happy at the fact that he was successful in making her quiet. But that touch of her soft lips on his palms made him feel things he has never felt before. He was not sure what it was. It sure was something else, something he could never explain. But he didn't feel like taking it off her lips, it felt oddly good. Although he had to take it off eventually. From the corner of his eyes, he saw her lip balm's imprint on his right palm.
Woah!
"I'm fine. Look." to prove to her that he was really fine, Farhan walked for her. He was actually fine, the pain was still there. Maybe a tiny bit but he will live. He has survived worse.
Natasha nodded her head in a daze; still not over the feel of his palm on her lips.
She freaking kissed him indirectly and no, she was not doing fine at all.
"Be careful, don't pull such stunts again." she eyed the fallen stool and her eyes couldn't help but trail towards those walls. Stupid thing to do, she knew yet she couldn't help it. What she saw next has surprised her very much.
Because there were no pictures at all. Her mind went blank. She couldn't think anything else anymore.
"I-I removed them the next day." Farhan scratched the corner of his neck, nervously.
She still couldn't believe her eyes.
Did he really do that? Looked like he did.
"Stop eyeing the wall like that, no it won't reappear if you look at it like that." he joked to ease up the atmosphere. She eyed him now, with her quizzical expression.
"I'm trying to move on and also, now that I'm married. It's unfair to my wife. So I did what I thought was right." Farhan mumbled and Natasha couldn't help that small smile etching on her lips. Her crazy heart fluttered in happiness. But the memories of that night came back to her making it fade away in a jiffy.
"You said you wouldn't remove them?" and his face paled with her question which made Natasha regret asking him that. But she couldn't stop herself. Yes, she was guarding her heart against not breaking again. She has had too much now.
"I did." he nodded with a sad smile. She raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"But then changed my mind after coming back from your home." Right after he realized that he was getting attracted to her. He took it as a sign of moving on and having those pictures seemed like a hurdle which he got rid of quickly. His heart ached but it is what it is. He had to move on one day and to top of it all, he's married now. That too with his other best friend. His life has always been complicated. He wanted to be a good husband to her even though he wasn't interested before.
"You never told me." Natasha was still in shock. She needed time to recover from this. She surely did.
"I don't know. I couldn't get myself to tell that to you."
There was this uncomfortable silence again, which Farhan broke with the clearing of his throat, "how're your cramps?"
It was a Sunday, two days after that bedroom incident.
"It's fine. I'm not cranky now." he did notice that.
"I have a plan, why don't we go and have some fun, like the old times?" he asked with that charming smile of his and she couldn't get herself to say no.
"Fun as in?"
"I don't know?" he replied her question with another question, with his smile which was now wide and bright, showing his cute little dimple on the display. She had to make sure not to drool. Why was he so insanely handsome?
"I have a little somewhere to take you to, which I hope you'll like. If you are okay, then we can leave in five." he shrugs casually making her jump in surprise.
"Wait, you're really serious?"
"Dead serious." he fought a smile at how cute she looked right now, whilst asking him that. And his hands automatically went on to pinch her cheeks, like he does every time he found her cute. He couldn't stop himself this time.
"Ah. Stop pinching me." she slapped his hands whilst walking out of his room hurriedly. Going out with her stupid husband was like a once in a blue moon thing, so she might as well dress up for that.
Farhan had this smile plastered on his lips which wasn't leaving him as he watched her leave his room. He didn't want it to leave either. It felt good to smile and laugh whole heartily after so long.
He missed being like that.
***
The place where they lived was far too away from the city and it takes an hour and a half just to get on the main road. Throughout their way, Farhan and Natasha talked about anything and everything. It was more like a catching up on everything that has happened in between the months in which they haven't talked. It felt good. The tension was slowly fading away which is great too.
Somewhere in between Haya's name came in and there was this awkward silence.
"She's just a sleeping partner for two-three years. Her husband wants her to stop stressing out too much and take care of herself and the baby." and much to his surprise it didn't sting like it did every other time. Farhan didn't feel anything at all.
Natasha just nodded her head. She was happy for her best friend, she really was. But she couldn't act straight after knowing the fact that her husband was once crazily in love with that woman. He still was in love with her. And it hurt her a lot.
"So tell me about your mystery lover?" Farhan raised his eyebrows as he looked at her through the corner of his eyes. She looked quite taken aback by his question.
"Why?" she deadpanned.
"Oh, come on. I'm your best friend. How could you hide such a thing? Tell me."
Natasha looked at him as if he has lost his mind. She had no escape now. But soon a sly smile appears on her lips as she looked at his eager looking face.
"He is the most handsome guy with the kindest heart ever. It wasn't my intention to fall in love with him. But he stole my heart before I could even protect it. I'm crazily and insanely in love with him."
"You still lov-love him?" Farhan asked, shocked at her revelation. He didn't expect her to be so blunt about her lover, whoever he was. He couldn't care less. That's what he told himself.
"Just like how you still love Haya. Yes."