You, Me & the Alter(cations) - Farmeed AU

10.

"Good morning, aaj aap yahan?" Yusuf furrowed his eyebrows, stepping aside to let his friend in, who seemed to sit have his hair wet under his hood. Farjaad walked in with a hoodie, both hands in his pockets with a classic frown on his face.

"Yaar pata nahi Wapda waale kya kar rahe hain. Subha se tamasha lagaya hua hai. Upar se building ke generators bhi nahi kaam kar rahe, it was so sudden." He shook his head, walking to the dining table and sitting on the chair, Yusuf at a distance standing in front of his stove.

"Yahan tou sab theek hai." He waved his hands around, referring to their being electricity as well as gas in his apartment.

"Building ke electrician ne bataya hai ke load shedding by area ho raha hai. Coco ko tou khila aaya hun." Farjaad removed the hood and rain his fingers through his cold hair. The weather was getting colder and he could not bear staying in his apartment for longer.

He was tolerant on many things, but his comfort was not one of them. If it was too warm, he needed air conditioning. If it was too cold, Farjaad needed to be within arm's distance to a heater. Otherwise he loses it.

"Aaj kaam hai?" Yusuf asked as he stirred the oats boiling in the saucepan. To his luck, he made double the amount today to refrigerate for the next day. It was better than having to make it every day.

"Yeah but, kahin jaane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Parson ko zyada aane jaane waala kaam ho gaya tha" Farjaad recalled the hassle he witnessed, Umeed's lack of teamwork and her taking over the decisions.

To be fair to her, it was her job, and Farjaad knew that. But some things were very questionable, and he had the right to question what was being done since he was also responsible for it. And half of the things were uncustomary to him. Yet he had no say, she did not let him.

"Hmm." Yusuf got out two bowls from his cupboard. "Umeed ke saat thay na?"

"Aur kon ho sakta hai?" Yusuf was used to his friend being snappy, but the snappiness invoked more when a certain person was mentioned. It felt temporary at first, but Yusuf wondered if it was so deep that it would possibly affect what he was building with Saveria.

"Was just asking."

"Meri kismat mein wohi thi." This intrigued Yusuf. For Farjaad to sound so defeated, very unlike his usual stance of arguing to prove points. It was like he was adjusted to the fact that Umeed was interfering with his work. Yusuf was hesitant.

"Ab kya ho gaya?"

"Yusuf she is so stubborn. So goddamn stubborn. Us larki mein ye cheez hai hi nahi ke wo kisi aur ki baat sunnay. Rang barange dance stages, ajeeb plants aur pata nahi kya kya. Majaal hoye ke usne meri aik baat sunni hoye." Farjaad vented on, his hands drawing the situation, moving as he spoke and describe her style and taste. It was bothering him, but it was not the sore reason for his irritation. That was something even he was struggling with.

"I mean she is the wedding planner. Uska profession hai, she surely knows more. Tumhe kya pata hai shaadiyon ka? Tumne aakhri shaadi kis ki attend ki thi?" Yusuf snorted, bringing the bowl of oats and placing it in front of Farjaad. "Oats."

"Thanks. Yaar choro is baat ko, I don't wanna talk about her right now." Farjaad shook his head, focusing on the nice warm breakfast in front of him. Yusuf walked back and came with his own, along with a tray of honey, cut bananas and strawberries.

"Okay fine." He placed the tray in front of both of them and sat down, reaching for the strawberries. "Now I know you like plain oats, but yaar I tried this new thing and it literally changes the whole meal. Add chopped strawberries, maza hi aur hai. I'm telling you it's a game changer."