The following day began as uneventfully as any other. Rudran, as always, immersed himself in his government exam preparation, his desk littered with open books, highlighted notes and papers he is yet to grade. Aarna, on the other hand, found herself battling an onslaught of emails and the occasional glitch in her online workspace. Her previous project was a success and she therefore was being put up with another bigger and important one than the previous.

That was how software field was, before you relax as your task is over there will a pile of the next. But luckily Aarna loved what she does.

Though monsoon was yet to come, but there is a serious storm outside due to depression of some sort and the roads are flooded explaining why Rudran is in home in the middle of the week while Aarna was still in her work from home period which will soon end. Roopa on the other hand who went to meet a friend, few streets away stuck there until the storm suppresses. 

They hadn't exchanged messages since their playful conversation the night before, but the thought of it lingered in their minds like an unspoken promise, a thread of connection waiting to be tugged again.

The late afternoon brought with it an unexpected power cut, plunging the building into a humid stillness. Aarna groaned as her work has halted, taking her unsaved progress with it. Frustrated, she grabbed her phone to text Rudran.

Aarna: "Power cut! I think I'm losing my mind. Can I come over and use your backup Wi-Fi?"

The response was almost immediate.

Rudran: "Of course. But fair warning—I might put you to work helping me grade papers. 😜"

She smiled at the message and gathered her things.

When Aarna arrived at Rudran's apartment, she found him sprawled on the living room floor with a pile of papers and red pens. The soft hum of the inverter-powered fan provided some relief from the heat, and the sight of him—disheveled yet focused—made her heart do a little flip.

"Why do I feel like I just walked into a teacher's war zone?" she teased, setting her laptop and notebook on the dining table.

Rudran looked up, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Welcome to my life. You want to join the fun?"

"I think I'll pass," she said, rolling her eyes as she connected to the Wi-Fi.

They worked side by side, the silence between them comfortable and punctuated only by the occasional click of Aarna's keyboard or the scratching of Rudran's pen. But as the minutes turned into hours, the temperature in the room seemed to rise, the humid air wrapping around them like an invisible thread pulling them closer.

Aarna stretched, her back aching from hunching over her laptop. "I need a break," she said, standing up and heading toward the kitchen. "Do you want tea?"

"Always," Rudran replied, watching her as she moved with a familiarity that felt both comforting and dangerous.

In the kitchen, Aarna fumbled to get the tea packet which was on the top shelf, the usual small container kept in the front shelf was empty, muttering to herself about her height. Rudran appeared behind her, his presence warm and steady.

"Here, let me help," he said, his voice low.

She stepped aside, their arms brushing briefly, and her breath hitched. Rudran picked up the packet with ease, but his proximity sent a shiver down her spine.

"Got it," he said, turning to face her, his hand still resting on the counter beside hers.

"Thanks," she said, her voice softer than she intended.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air between them crackled with an unspoken tension, and when Aarna looked up, she found Rudran's gaze fixed on her, his eyes dark and searching.

"You've got something..." he said, his voice trailing off as he reached out to brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

Her heart thundered in her chest as his fingers lingered for a moment longer than necessary. "Rudra..." she began, but her words faltered as his hand dropped to his side.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping back slightly. "I didn't mean to—"

But before he could finish, a loud clap of thunder shook the building, startling them both. The rain outside brought with it a cool breeze, but the storm brewing between them was far from over.

"I should get back to work," Aarna said hurriedly, brushing past him.

She barely made it to the living room before Rudran's voice stopped her. "Aarna, wait."

She turned to face him, her pulse racing. He took a step closer, his expression unreadable but his eyes filled with something she couldn't name.

"I don't want to pretend anymore," he said, his voice steady. "This... whatever it is between us... I feel it too."

Her heart felt like it might burst as he closed the distance between them. "Rudra, I—"

But before she could finish, his lips were on hers, soft yet insistent, as if he had been holding back for far too long. Aarna froze for a moment, her mind reeling, but then she melted into him, her hands finding their way to his shoulders as the world seemed to fade away.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads resting against each other, the only sound in the room was the soft patter of rain against the windows.

"I'm sorry," Rudran said again, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't be," Aarna replied, her voice trembling but firm. "I've been waiting for this."

Saying this Aarna found herself initiating another mind-blowing kiss that Rudran could not stop from reciprocating almost immediately.

The kiss felt deep this time. Lips moving on each other and nose rubbing against one another,  the storm outside now feeling like a gentle backdrop to the one that had finally settled within their hearts.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE :

Hey Readers! What do you think about the story so far?