A Flight of Love

Chapter 23 - Breathe In, Breathe Out

Abhimanyu reeled in the tsunami of emotions that had come crackling down on him when he saw Akshara lying on the ground withering in pain. Just the thought of seeing her in that condition pained him.

For a moment, all he had wanted to was hold her frail, shaky body to his and provide her with comfort —and himself knowing that she was fine. That she was alright. Never again. He never wanted to see her hurt ever again. Not even over a stupid cricket match. He knew it wasn't Neil's fault and that it was just an accident but he was going to kick Neil's ass anyway for hurting his Akshara.

Akshara took a deep breath trying to calm herself down as she watched Abhimanyu walk over to her, slowly, step by step. No. Not because she was in pain. No, the pain had started to subsidize. But because she was in a locked room with Abhimanyu —her kryptonite, her Pandora's box —once again. Because as she remembered the last time they had been together in a locked room, alone, many things...many inappropriate things had taken place.

Abhimanyu stood beside the bed and leaned down to gently lift her foot so he could feel around her ankle for any signs of bruising or fractures. As his fingers brushed the insides of her foot, visual images of their night together where he had taken the time to explore each and every part of her body, including placing soft kisses to her ankles flashed before her eyes.

Abhimanyu stroked the inside of her ankles, mindlessly when he felt Akshara suddenly kick his hand away and pull her ankle back from his touch.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that." She apologized. Your touch reminded me of our night in Dubai was what she actually wanted to say.

"It's okay. I know it tickles there, sometimes." He replied, giving her a small smile. I should know because I was the one who kissed you there last time.

She nodded her head in understanding and pushed her foot back out so Abhimanyu could continue to tend to it. As Abhimanyu touched her foot, she sucked in a few short breaths in order to wallow through the pain —or what was left of the pain that was.

"Thank you." She said, softly, her voice nothing more than a quiet whisper.

"For?" Abhimanyu's eyebrows furrowed as he looked up at Akshara for answers to her sudden burst of gratitude.

"For getting everyone to leave."

I didn't do it for you. I did it for me. Because I am selfish and wanted you all to myself. "Oh, no problem. I thought you could use the rest."

Abhimanyu opened the first aid box and grabbed an ointment from it before sitting down on the bed beside Akshara and began to rub the ointment over her swollen ankle.

"Okay. So the good news is that it doesn't look like anything is fractured or broken. And I don't think you twisted your ankle either. You just had a nasty fall and that caused you to slightly hurt your ankle causing for the slight swelling you see here. This is an anti-inflammatory ointment and you should apply it twice a day until the swelling starts to go down. No excessive walking or running until your foot is completely healed. Got it?"

"Yes, doctor." Akshara replied, mischievously.

"Good." Abhimanyu reached out placed the tube of ointment on her beside table.

It felt refreshing to see Abhimanyu in his element, the serious, preoccupied doctor that she had always heard of but never bared wItness to.