1. He was so jumpy like he was skipping around on his heels happy, throwing his head back when laughing, walking backward so he could look at Bheem, like walking on cloud nines almost floating, happy.
2. Twirling hair batting eyelashes, smiling so widely all teeth showing laughing, tilting his head in endearment. Like he couldn’t believe what he saw, and everyone around him noticed how he’s around Bheem, the energy shifted and he’s a different man.
3. Playing with his hands, finger nails, rocking back and forth all around, tilting his head, batting eyelashes yet again, basically only high schoolers in love behave this way 😂
4. Flirting unconsciously at any given chance (tell me a good solid reason why he wanted to carry him around I swear unless he just wanted to be so close to him feeling his warm on his back), making jokes because he wanted to see Bheem’s smile and so foolishly in love that every time he talked to Bheem there’s smile on his face, without fail! Every single time, the kind of smile that reaches the eyes, pouring and shining with love.
There were immense happiness Bheem brought into his life and Bheem shined every corner of his soul with his light and Ram didn't even realize how Bheem has changed him as a person. He experienced true joy when he was with Bheem. And this is what we call star crossed lovers. They’re destined for each other.
*.✧ SYNOPSIS : Sneha Acharya lost her parents at a young age. Her father's friend, Arjun decided to adopt and take her to Hyderabad. There she grew up to be a beautiful woman. Then came her doom. She arranged to marry Ram, the traitor. Where will this go now?
*.✧ WARNINGS & TAGS : cursing, arranged marriage, fluff, romance, cliche, reblong if you like it, 2k words.
*.✧ — NAVIGATION // RRR MASTERLIST // SERIES MASTERLIST
Murmurs howled through the diner, mostly filled with men who got off from work. Ram sat at one of the tables along with some of his co-workers. They all planned to go out for dinner together, when they invited Ram, he agreed too.
"Ram, you are such a boring man." Akhil laughed off, shoving a morsel in his mouth.
Another one spoke up, "Really Ram. You are only married for a few days and instead of spending time with bhabi, you are working all day?"
Ram answered nonchalantly, "Work is important."
"Aree, of course work is important but this is your honeymoon phase. You are supposed to be together all the time. Think how lonely bhabi must be feeling?"
Lonely? Sure.
Ram thought sarcastically, remembering when walking in on her reading books so focused that she didn't even notice him. Even after days of living together they still fight like cats and dogs.
God knows what she is doing right now. Probably finding new ways to kill me. O God!
Ram cried inside. What has his life come to?
Here back home Sneha felt a shiver down her spine, she mumbled under breath, "Who is thinking about me? Better not be that Shishupal."
The moon was hovering over in the sky, accompanied by millions of stars. Sneha was roaming around the house. She was feeling bored to death. She had nothing to read, or any motivation to write and no household work to do. So, she thought might as well explore the house as she had not gotten the chance before.
Sneha halted her steps in front of a wooden door, it was Ram's office. She had never been there before. Ram is way too secretive and reserved. A voice at the back of her mind told her going through someone else's possession is not okay but if the rumors were true then this was a great chance to know his plan.
Sneha hesitated for a second but then she opened the door and entered the room. There was a mahogany table crowded with files. But that's not what had her attention, her attention was on the shelf filled with books on the left wall.
Her feet lead her up to the bookshelf on their own. Her fingers brushed over the spines, feeling the curves. She randomly picked one up and read the title, 'Malavikagnimitram'. Sneha had heard about this one from one of her friends. It is a story of the love of Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor at Vidisha, for the beautiful handmaiden of his chief queen.
Sneha never perceived Ram to be kind to read romance novels. She could not imagine his always so broody and cold personality to read romance novels.
Ram, you sneaky little swine.
Sneha opened the book, running her eyes over the black ink as she sat on one of the chairs. The story fascinated her, every character had so much depth that she could picture the story playing out in front of her eyes. She was so engrossed in the book that she failed to notice when the front door slammed shut, followed by heavy footsteps.
The office door opened and Ram walked in, only to stop, "What are you doing here?"
She flinched at his cold tone. She had not noticed when he came in. His eyes fell on the book in her hand and his body tensed up.
Ram advanced towards Sneha and snatched the book right out of her hands, "Don't you know that you should not touch others' possessions without their permission?"
"What the hell you Shishupal. It's just a book. I'm not going to eat it or something." Sneha tried to take the book back, "Now give it to me, I'm not finished yet."
Ram held it over his head, out of her reach, his expression morphed into a mischievous one, "You want the book back?"
Sneha nodded eagerly. The story was just spicing up, she was dying to know what happened next. Ram leaned forward, bringing his face down to her level.
"Then ask nicely. Then I might let you borrow it."
Ask nicely? To this Shishupal? No way in hell!
Sneha could just go to the library tomorrow and get the book but tomorrow is Sunday so the library will be closed and she will have to go Monday. Sneha doesn't think she could last that long. The curiosity and suspense will eat her from inside.
Sneha glanced at him briefly. His eyes were daring her to do it, he was hundred percent sure that she would never do that, she was too prideful.
Fuck my pride.
Sneha looked at him, eyes softening and eyebrows relaxing, with a sweet smile she asked, "Shisu— I mean, Ram, can I please borrow 'Malavikagnimitram'? Please?"
Time seemed to have stopped for Ram. His heart skipped a beat. She always called him Shishupal or Ravan. Hearing her say his name with that much sweetness awakened an emotion in his heart that he could not pinpoint. He just wanted to mess with her a bit but the plan seemed to have backfired.
Sneha grew nervous under his intense gaze. Why was he standing there like a statue? She fiddled with her fingers, calling his name but he remained still.
"So can I take the book?" As the nervousness grew, Sneha hasistately said, "I'll take that as a yes then."
She brought his hand down and took the book out of his hand and rushed out of the office before she could die of embarrassment.
As the door shut behind her with a bang, Ram snapped out. His mind still dazed. He put a hand over his chest, feeling his heart beating at the speed of a horse.
"What is happening to me?" He whispered under his breath.
Still feeling haxed, Ram sat on the main chair. Why is he feeling so wired? Is he dying? Everything is her fault. Ram jerked his head. No time for mending over these things he had more important work to do. Ram took out a file from the table's drawer and got back to work.
But why did he feel like he forgot something?
Sneha's room was dark, only the side lamp providing some golden light. She read the latter in her hand with horror. While reading the book a piece of paper fell off but she never expected it to shake her to the core.
It was from someone named Sita.
*.✧ *.✧ *.✧
Dawn came and roosters called for everyone to wake up and start their day. It was a new morning, new day and new changes.
Sneha sat in front of the dressing table, combing her damp hair with a wooden comb. She was still processing what she read in the letter last night. She had many questions she wanted answers to but asking Ram probably would not be a good choice.
There is little to no chance he would tell her the truth. She needed to take things into her own hands. Putting the comb on the table, Sneha applied sindoor on her mang.
She gave herself one last look over in the mirror before blowing herself a kiss, "How can someone be so pretty."
Sneha walked out of the room. She got down the stairs, when passing through the living room she noticed Ram was nowhere to be seen. Wired, he does not get up till seven. After that chai incident Ram had stopped sneaking out before Sneha woke up.
Even through the bickering and fighting, they have come to a middle ground. Sneha did the household works alongside her writing like the woman of the house while Ram whenever he could, he would help with her chores.
Sneha got to make breakfast for them. Today was a great day, she wanted to finish all the chores done and then get back to writing.
Dosa and sambar would be good.
Ram stood by the kitchen door, staring at her like you are an unsolved mystery. He didn't get a wink of sleep last night, nor could he do any work. Sneha dominated in his mind the whole time. When she looked up at him with her kajal smeared eyes, Ram felt like he was looking into the eyes of Mohini. Ram didn't know what to do with his heart. It has been restless since the previous day.
His eyes widened like a basketball when he saw Sneha getting up on a stool, trying to reach the container sitting over the cabinet.
Has she lost her mind?
Sneha balanced over the small stool on her toes. Who on earth put the rice powder there? Probably that Shishupal. Her fingers brushed against the steel, trying to grab it. Just as she did, her balance wavered and before she knew, she was falling backwards and the container was flying in the air.
"OH MY GOD!" She yelled, closing her eyes.
She waited to hit the ground and for pain to take over her body but that never happened. Her back hit a hard chest and two strong arms wrapped around her middle. She looked up, Ram holding her close to him. Time stopped. Their faces were so close that their breath interwinted.
Ram didn't release her but neither did Sneha try to free herself. The moment looked straight out of a romance novel. But the moment was short lived because the next moment rice powder rained on Sneha followed by two clanks of objects hitting the floor.
Ram's lips twitched, trying to surpass laughing but he could not. He released her, leaning over the kitchen island as loud laughter erupted from him. Sneha scowled at him, lips curling into a pout.
"Y-you look like, like a joker." Ram choked on his words.
Sneha gasped, "What? A joker? Come here you Shishupal."
Sneha grabbed a handful of rice powder and smeared it all over his face. This time Ram glared at her. Ram and Sneha faught like children playing holi and soon the whole kitchen was covered in rice powder.
"What did you say again, you Shishupal?" Sneha greeted through her teeth as she covered him in more white.
Again that Shishupal?
"First of all." Ram wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you in his chest, "I'm Ram, not Shishupal."
He didn't say anything further. Sneha's palms rested on his firm chest. What is happening to her? Is it because of that letter that she felt a weird sense of possession over him? Yes, they did get married in a wrong circumstance but he was still her husband. Who's this Sita?
Her hand fisted his white shirt and spoke softly, too softly, "And?"
His lips curled into a smile, not a smirk or a mischievous one, but an innocent smile. He removed strands of hair front her face, "And—"
Chough. Chough.
You two jerked away from each other like the other one was on fire and looked at the interrupter. Ram's face lit up like the night of deepavali.
"Ramesh kaka, Mala kaki." Ram called out but the name he said sobered you up, ".....and Sita."
Sneha's eyes fell on the beauty hiding behind the elderly woman. The blissful moment broke as you came face to face with the mysterious woman of that letter.
Apologies for the hastily thrown together lineart, I did this in between classes. Just some more fanart I spired by @pinkpersonsblog 's new fic called Waking Up To You.
While peering at Ram's diary I got distracted by the newspaper clippings to the side. Turns out it's a little easter egg, a clipping of the Times of India's headline page the day of India's independence on Friday August 15, 1947. Needless to say, it's an anachronism in a movie set in 1920, but a delightful one.
India throws off British rule, attains independence and takes control of its own destiny.
