Wherever You Stray, I Follow (Kunwar Pratap/Ajabde [PrAja])

12//~sunshine (pt.2)~

(RECAP)

Ajabde decided not to push it when he held out a daisy for her as an apology gift. Her heart leaped with joy. She could tell he had put a lot of thought into it, the petals were nearly symmetrical and had the perfect leaves-to-stem ratio.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

BOTH POV

He held out the flower but as seconds passed and she hadn't accepted it, he began to worry. She was looking at him so intensely, that he felt the need to further explain why he thought of bringing a flower.

"Mere liye phool laye aap?" she asked him sincerely and Kunwar Pratap didn't know whether she was mad, happy, or sad so he further explained.

"Woh tumhe phool pasand hain aur sare phoolo mein yeh hume sabse sundar lugga. Eski sugandh bhi sabse sundar aur-" he stopped talking as she started laughing.

"Kunwar Pratap Singh jispe thodi panktiya gir jaiye to veh aisa dikhate ho ki saap kaat ne dod rahe hain, voh, mere liye phool laiye?"

Her teasing grin further embarrassed the already flustered Kunwar Pratap. why would he ever think she was being sincere for one? She was a complete clown, that's what she was. He narrowed his eyes at her in an attempt to hide his sentiments.

"Uphaar swikarna hain to swikaro. Hume aur bhi kariye hain," he replied acting as if he didn't care.

"Achha, achha. Aap swayam hi lugga dijiye," she said removing the veil from over her head.

As the dupatta covering her head was removed, he realized she was wearing a heavy necklace and earrings. The same jewelry he had seen Kartikey buy for his wife-to-be. He put two and two together and realized it meant Ajabde was already betrothed to Kartikey. He didn't have any theories as to why this new revelation made his heart sink to rock bottom. He looked at his own gift, a flower so simple that it paled in comparison to what Kartikey had given her and for the first time, he felt inferior. Karitkey had been able to do more than he had and that was the blatant truth.

But why did it matter that Kartikey had done more for Ajabde? It shouldn't really, at least not to him. They weren't even friends (but a part of him wished they were).

She snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Achha, ek kshan rukiye. Mein yeh sab nikal deti hoo," she said. The weight of the jewelry was becoming more of a burden on her and she didn't see why she needed to have it on. Despite her being completely oblivious to his thoughts, his inferiority complex made him believe she was doing this to pity him.

She tugged at the necklace until it loosened and did the same with the choker. She took a deep breath as she was released from the burden of Kartikey's gift. She also relieved her ears from the heavy jhumkas and put everything away safely and gently.

"Kartikey kitne prem se laiye the tumhare liye," he said just barely concealing the bitterness in his voice.

"Aapko kaise pata veh laiye humare liye?" Ajabde asked looking at him through the mirror while tying her long hair in a loose braid.

Pratap was about to answer when his eyes landed on...her open back with all her hair in the front. He shook his head and fixed his thoughts. It was wrong to stare. Wrong to stare. Wrong to stare. She was already Kartikey's. Wrong to Stare. He recited over and over again until Ajabde repeated her question.

"Voh severe swarnkar ke pass mile the," he said.

"Oh," Ajabde said.

"Badhai ho. Voh Maine sunna ki tumhara vivah hone wala hain Karikey se, usne aisa kaha to nahi par maina bus aisa soch liya." he said hoping she would deny all his thoughts and let him know he was just mistaken and she was not getting married-