cross my heart | ONGOING

sixteen | what are the odds?

(a/n: play the song above as you read for ✨vibes ✨)

15 hours before the transformation

Riyaz had just awoke from a dreamless slumber in cold sweat. From the day he had gotten aware of his transformation, his sleep had been infested with nightmares of the beast that lay under his skin. Today was the day, that the beast finally revealed itself. His thoughts drifted to Anushka, the miracle he called his. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she had chosen to stay with him. Had chosen to be the ray of light that illuminated his darkness.

He didn't know what he had done to deserve her. To be able to see her smile that had warmed his heart everyday. To be able to hold her hand in his and get a glimpse of heaven. To be able see her eyes twinkle when she talked about something she liked. To be able to call her his. To have a beast within him and call an angel his.

After he had his breakfast, he went to Arishfa's room to find her reading a book and reciting something. As he knocked on the door, her head snapped towards him and she shut the book, which was very unlike her but Riyaz shrugged it off. He went in and sat in front of Arishfa who sat on her work desk. Riyaz said,“Ari I wanted to um make a request for um today.” Arishfa said softly,“Whatever you want bhai.” Riyaz asked,“Would it be fine for you to not be there, during my transformation?” Arishfa answered it with a question,“Why?” Riyaz said, his voice lowering,“I don't want you to see me like that. I don't know what I will become, what I might do. I asked Mom and Dad they refused, even Nushki refused.”

Arishfa went up to him and hugged him. She said,“I want you to know that you will never scare me. You will always be my big brother who loves me and would do anything for me. Still if you want me to not be there I won't. Just know that I will always be there for you and nothing will change the way I see you.” Riyaz was too overwhelmed to speak. His baby sister had understood all his fears and removed them from him. He knew that her not being there would take an incredible amount of self restraint but he was so happy that she'd do that for him. And because his wasn't sure that he wouldn't hurt them. What were the odds that he would have his beast under control.

He pulled out of the hug and said,“Thank you Ari.” Then he left for his room. It wasn't long before he was staring at the beige walls of his room. He sat on his bed and observed the little patterns on the bedsheet, how someone had laid it out in the morning. He then looked at the designs on a wall on his room, how the circles wrapped around the intricate vines over and over. His eyes then flew to the paintings Arishfa had put on on the wall, the amazing colours she had blended together to create the masterpieces. What were the odds that he would be able to admire them the same way after the transformation? That the beast in him wouldn't feed on the things he found beautiful about his life?

He was about to go in that loop again when he heard his phone ring. This whole transformation thing had taken a huge toll on his mental health and he couldn't even do anything about it. Not like he could go to a therapist and say that he was going to transition into a djinn right? He pulled himself from his thoughts and checked his phone. A smile appeared on his face seeing the caller's name.

He sat up straight, leaning on the headrest and quickly fixed his hair. As soon as he picked up the call, Anushka said,“How much time do you take to fix your hair?” Riyaz replied,“How did you-” Anushka said,“I know your obsession with your hair Khanbaba.” Riyaz simply smiled at that. Anushka said,“Are you excited about the gift? If you aren't, you should be because-” Riyaz said in between,“Trust me when I say I've never been this excited for anything in my life, ma chérie.” A faint shade of red coated Anushka's cheeks as she replied,“I have made sure your excitement is justified with my gift, mon amour.” “As much as I'd like to say this is cute, my sister is involved so I won't. And Anu, mom is calling you for some work,” Jaijeet said from behind Anushka. “Stop sneaking up on me J. And I'll call you back Khanbaba. Je vous aime.” Riyaz was quick to reply, before hanging up,“Je t'aime aussi.”

The walls were a shade brighter, and the patterns in his room were more intricate and the sunlight that poured into the room was more golden, when he had looked at his room at again. That was her effect on his life. She was the rose tinted glass that he saw life through after he met her. Life was better through it, and it would always seem dull without it. Life was always better with her. If he was a need, she was his luxury. One he'd give up anything for.

And what were the odds that the beast would take that away from him? He hoped it wasn't worse than it crushing his life into pieces and forcing him to look at them.

//

That's it for the chapter! I hope you liked it. This was a kinda filler chapter with soft Rinushka. Also I took a flu shot yesterday and my arm is sore as fuck, I don't know how I'm functioning with it. This chapter has taken me longer than I expected, so yeah.

Also, next chapter will be the transformation, so get ready for that.

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