The first light of dawn crept through the blinds, casting thin lines across Rudra's apartment. The city outside stirred slowly, but inside, Rudra Malhotra was still wide awake.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, heart still racing. His mind replayed last night—every brush of lips, every shared glance, every flustered laugh.
Rudra had told himself, Control yourself. But control had been the first casualty the moment Ayaan had pressed that soft, trembling kiss to his cheek.
He could still feel the warmth of Ayaan's body nearby, the ghost of his presence, the faint scent of his shampoo lingering in the apartment.
And then, the memory hit hardest—how Ayaan had gotten home around 10:30 PM, despite Rudra's silent protest. Rudra could practically see it: the blush on Ayaan's cheeks, the tiny, nervous smiles, the way he had hesitated at the door, caught between leaving and staying.
He knew Ayaan had felt the same hesitation, Rudra realized, stomach twisting. But… neither of us could stop ourselves.
A quiet groan escaped him. He sat up, tugging the blanket tighter around his shoulders, face burning even now. A year, Technically, eight months of careful, secret dating, and only last night had they crossed that line.
Rudra had kissed him. Ayaan had kissed him. And now… now everything felt impossibly real.
He buried his face in the pillow, trying to hide the blush that refused to leave.
Meanwhile, across the city, Ayaan sat on the edge of his own bed, cheeks hot, heart racing, staring at his phone. The memory of Rudra's soft, trembling kiss on his lips replayed on loop. His lips tingled, his pulse hammering.
Why does he make me feel like this? Ayaan thought, biting his lower lip. And why am I still thinking about it?
Neither of them spoke, neither of them texted… yet both of them were acutely aware that last night had changed something fundamental.
Rudra eventually shoved off the blanket and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to look collected. The thought of seeing Ayaan at the café later, looking normal, calm, completely unaware of the chaos he had stirred… made his stomach twist again.
He sighed, muttering under his breath, "…ridiculous…"
But even in the quiet embarrassment of his own thoughts, a small, secret smile tugged at his lips.
Ridiculous… but I don't regret it.
And somewhere, unknowingly, Ayaan did the exact same thing.
To be continued...