Under The Starry Night

It was that look in his eyes that warned Khalid that something was wrong; the sadness lurking around his eyes almost ready to come out. Every inch of his body was barely holding together, Kabir knew in that moment that Khalid should not be alone tonight. This is why he walks on Khalid with blood dripping from his hand, shaking his head, Kabir rushes to get medical kit and sits on floor while Khalid sits on his bed with same sadness in his eyes and not uttering a single word.

Kabir slowly cleans the wound in his hand, it's a cut, slightly deep and Kabir knows exactly what caused it but he does not ask Khalid about the blade, not right now. Khalid feels the soft touch of Kabir's fingers as they clean up and bandage his hand. Kabir being so close to him, being here right now is not helping Khalid, especially when he is an emotional mess.

"Main theek hon, thanks, aap ja..." The words get stuck in his throat not wanting to escape his lips, every particle of his body wants Kabir with him right here, all he wants to do is fall apart in his arms but this is not something he can afford. Kabir notices the dilemma and it gives him an idea. Once he is assured that Khalid's hand is neatly bandaged, he puts away the medical box and walks up to Khalid.

"Let's go." Khalid looks at him with wide eyes.

"Kahan?"

"Main tumhe kisi achi jagah hi lekar jaonga, itna toh bharosa karte ho na mujhpe?" Khalid looks at him in surprise before nodding.

"Meet me outside in 10 minutes and don't forget to wear a jacket." With this Kabir leaves and Khalid stands there in shock, debating whether to go or not. In the end, grabbing his jacket Khalid goes outside to meet Kabir and finds him by his bike. Khalid raises an eyebrow at him with question and Kabir just winks at him before gesturing the sit.

"Main apni bike..." Kabir just shakes his head and gestures him to sit behind Kabir, reluctantly he sits down but then confused where to hold and Kabir just sighing, holds both of Khalid's hands gently and place around his waist. Blushing, Khalid holds onto Kabir, before latter literally flies them through the empty roads in the middle of night. Khalid does not know where they are headed but airing hitting his face hard and watching the world around him blur, Khalid's thoughts disappear as he just enjoys life just passing through them.

It doesn't take long but they finally reach at the spot, Khalid looks around and sees nothing special but Kabir points towards a small hill.

"Wahan upar." He says and they both climb the hill, once there, both settle down on a spot.

"Hum yahan kyun ayein hain?" Kabir looks at him and smiles before lying down on a clean cut grass and Khalid looks at him in surprise. Kabir has been full of surprises tonight, he indicates with his eyes for Khalid to do same on his left side. Khalid sits there with knees to his chest and arms folded around as he looks on, the view is beautiful from up here. He sits like that for a while and Kabir let's him, after a while, giving in, he lies down next to Kabir, so close their their bodies are perfectly in touch with each other.

Now Khalid understands what Kabir was trying to show him, the sky is filled with stars and looking absolutely beautiful, leaving him in awe. Kabir enjoys the awe look on Khalid's face as he enjoys the sky, smiling softly to himself. Khalid looks at Kabir who is openly enjoying Khalid's lit up face, looking at that Khalid blushes and turns his gaze towards stars. Suddenly, he feels his emotions surging up again, all his hidden feelings for Kabir surfacing and Khalid feels anxious.

"Kya howa?" Kabir notices his anxious, of course he would notice. Kabir decides to distract him once again.

"En stars mein puray 26 alphabets hain. Dhoondo. Jab sab dhoond logay toh hi hum waapis chaleinge." Khalid should not be surprised of course because it's Kabir.

"Saare alphabets?" Kabir nods and goes back to staring at the sky. From corner of his eye, he keeps looking at Khalid who is finally busy with trying to find alphabets in stars and Kabir finally relaxes. Khalid really scared him tonight and he wants to have discussion with him about this but of course, tonight is not the night to do that. Kabir knows he is in too deep when it comes to Khalid and he came to this realisation recently as well. Since that realisation nothing has been same for him and since then he is unable to look away from Khalid, always noticing, sometimes noticing too much; which is why he realised Khalid's internal battle with depression and those unexplained lines deep in his arms, usually tugged away carefully hidden. They really need to have discussion on this but he lets it go for tonight.

Every time Khalid would find an alphabet, he'll make sure to point out to Kabir, at beginning he was trying to rush but by the time he reached to 'D', Khalid had slowed down and was enjoying the little game. At some point, between 'K' and 'L', Khalid was lying on Kabir's shoulder with Kabir's arm resting around Khalid; the subtle shift they don't point out but thoroughly enjoying the closeness. It's the 'S' that is taking Khalid most of time to find, he gets stuck there, impatient eyes roaming all around looking for 'S' in the sky, meanwhile, not noticing the subtle game of Kabir's fingers on his arm, too lost in the sky.

When anxiety starts to radiate from Khalid's body, Kabir gently takes his hand into his, lifting it up to the sky, wrapping their hands together, he makes the 'S' in the sky. Khalid almost loses himself in the touch, wanting to forget the game and just enjoy Kabir's touch. This is the second time he held Khalid's hand causing, not that Khalid is counting, he is not.

"Now find, T." Kabir whispers to him with stars dancing in his eyes, bringing their hands down he rests them on his chest not letting go of Khalid's hand who is suddenly feeling too warm all over.

It takes him almost 2 more hours to find remaining alphabets but it's not they are keeping tabs on time anyway. Once they reach 'Z', Khalid is a whole different person than he was earlier that night; smiling, laughing and so relaxed. 'Mission accomplished,' Kabir thinks to himself smiling. They stay like that for another half an hour before getting up to leave as he watches Khalid getting sleepy. It would seem romantic to sleep under the starry night but not tonight.

On their way back, Khalid has plastered himself to Kabir, holding onto him tightly, tugged his face safely into Kabir's neck as he sleeps peacefully. That really takes Kabir by shock, how Khalid can fall asleep during this bike ride but he doesn't complain as he enjoys the warmth and Khalid's face nuzzling his neck. When they are finally outside the safe house, the darkest hour of night has past and dawn is making its way. Looking to his side, Kabir finds the most adorable sight of Khalid sleeping and for sometime he stays like that letting Khalid sleep but it's getting cold and Kabir knows they'll catch cold if they don't go in now.

"Khalid."

"Hmm."

"Khalid, utho." He whispers but Khalid tucks himself more closer to Kabir as if it was possible.

"Ghar agaye hain." He gently wakes him up.

"Hmm.. okay." But he still doesn't move and Kabir laughs.

"Khud uth kar chaloge? Warna main utha longa." Kabir warns him while gently creasing Khalid's hair.

"Theek hai." Is the gentle reply and Kabir's fingers stop in his hair.

"Okay, you asked for it." With the same intent Kabir starts to get off bike but the lose of Kabir finally wakes up Khalid who holds his hands up in air.

"I'm up. I'm up." He replies as he gets off the bike and Kabir laughs.

"Go, get some sleep." Kabir tells him and Khalid nods. Before they can go back in, Khalid wraps his arms around Kabir and whispers a 'thank you' to which Kabir replies with a sweet smile and a 'good night' as they part ways.