It was Friday morning. Sharp 10:30 am. The month of September. Sun still shining bright, the heat doing it's best to melt the people. Vikram was sitting in his cabin, under the fan. He grabbed his handkerchief and wiped off the sweat that trickled down his hair.
A knock was heard on his door. He grumbled a come in.
"Sir! Chai piyenge?" Shinde asked, peeking his head through the door. Vikram looked up and glared at him dangerously.
"I am fucking burning here. Dimag mat kha mera" and that was the only cue, he needed. Because the next moment Shinde sprinted out.
Vikram sighed and flipped the next page of his file. Keshav Rao. The uprising criminal. His case has been passed to Vikram, after the SSP couldn't solve it. And this case wasn't normal. It came with a promotion as a prize. Interesting.
Keshav Rao. He wasn't a normal criminal. His mind was sharp, fast and really cunning. He knew tricks. He was an experienced one. He knew how to play well. And Vikram? He loves playing dangerous games.
10 murders, 7 kidnapping, 2 rape cases, and organ trafficking. Vikram tsked while reading the file.
"At this point bande ko jeena hi nahi chahiye" he casually muttered to himself while reading the contents.
Whereas outside his cabin, the police constables and inspectors were doing their respective works. Interrogating people, taking their complaints and writing down the FIR.
Just then Thabal entered in. A tote bag on her right shoulder. She hesitated before entering in. A constable was sitting, writing down something on a file. She stood infront of him. Not knowing how to ask.
The constable looked up sensing a figure infront of him. He looked at her with a questioning look.
"Ji? Kya huwa aapko?" He asked. Thabal gulped before answering.
"Umm. Woh. SP Vikram kaha hai? Unse milna tha" she managed to answer, while awkwardly fiddling with her pants.
" Rana! Yeh madam ko SP sahab ka cabin dikhade" he called another constable. The constable came and guided the way towards Vikram's cabin.
Thabal followed the constable, looking around the police station. The constable suddenly stopped in front of a door and knocked on it.
"Sir, koi aaya hai aapse milne" he informed.
"Bhejdo" Thabal heard a deep, cold voice back. She internally smiled. Akdhu kahika. She thought before entering in.
And as soon as she did, she saw him sitting. Nonchalant and uncaring. A small smile played on her lips. He looks so handsome, even without any efforts. She stared at him intently, absorbing all his features
"Bas dekhti hi rahogi ya pass bhi aawogi" he suddenly said making her surprise. Her eyes widened in amusement. Vikram was still sitting, eyeing his file. A small smirk playing over his lips.
"Aapko kaise pata mein hoon?" She asked, amazed by the fact that he knew about her presence without even looking.
Vikram finally looked up then. His eyes met hers. His smirk softened, turning into a small smile. He closed the file, stood up, and walked towards her with unhurried steps. Pulling out the visitor's chair, he gestured for her to sit on it. Thabal approached towards it and sat down, keeping her bag on his table. He took a seat in front of her, really closed.
"Tum aayi ho, iska pata chalne ke liye dekhna nahi parta. Bas pata chal jata hai" he answered to her asked question. A smile tugging on his lips.
Thabal blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then she smiled, a shy and embarrassed one. Damn him and his lines.
"Aane mein dikkat huwi?" He asked, care dripping from his words. Thabal shook her head at it.
"Koi tang toh nahi kiya?" He asked again, leaning a bit forward. Thabal sighed and smiled, and again shook her head.
"Kuch nahi huwa. Aap meri choriye. Khana khaya aapne?" She asked, to which now he shook his head.
"Laga hi tha. Isliye, i brought you tiffin. Meine banaya hai" she grinned and revealed the tiffin from her bag. Vikram smiled, he just looked at her. A look which only a lover gives to his partner. She had put so much effort in a small tiffin wrapped it properly, and came all the way till here. Just to make sure he ate.
Something warm settled in his chest. Something unfamiliar. He liked this feeling. The feeling of being cared for, being taken care of. It did something to him.
Just as she lifted the lid, her eyes fell on another neatly packed tiffin already sitting on the corner of his table. She frowned looking at it.
"Vikram? Yeh kiska tiffin hai?" She asked. And Vikram froze. He didn't even need to turn around to see what she was indicating. Damn to Kavita and her tiffin. He cussed internally for the bad timing.
"Aare woh? Uh, woh toh Shinde ka hai. Bhool gaya tha mere idhar" he immediately came up with the nearest excuse, almost closed to stumbling on his own words.
Thabal frowned at him. Feeling weird about this. But shrugged it off. Because who cares whose it is, the only thing she wants is his stomach to be full. She opened the tiffin, revealing a roti with chicken curry.
Vikram smiled seeing it.
"Looks tasty. Smell bhi aachi aa rahi hai" he took a deep breath in, inhaling the smell of the curry.
"Lo, khalo aap" she forwarded the tiffin to him but he pushed it back to her.
"Tum khilado" he said with a sly smile on his lips. Thabal blushed slightly hearing him. It's not like she never fed him, but here in his cabin. She felt really conscious and embarrassed.
"Nahi, idhar nahi. Koi aajayega toh" she scolded him softly, narrowing her eyes cutely at him.
"Koi nahi aayega. Yeh mera cabin hai. No one dares to enter without my permission. Tum khilado" he said. Thabal looked at him with a hesitant expression. She clenched around the tiffin tightly, as if thinking deeply about this.
Vikram leaned more towards her, their faces almost touching each other. And whispered.
"Please"
And Thabal looked down and tore a piece of roti, wrapped it around a piece of chicken with the gravy and lifted it up for him to eat. Vikram looked her in the eye and ate from her hand, his lips grazing her fingers in a teasing manner.
She immediately pulled back her hand, moving away her eyes from the eye contact. By now her cheeks were already warm, they were coated in a shade of pink.
"Aacha hai. Tumne banaya?" He asked which she shook her head slowly. And then lift her head up to look at him.
"Banaya toh tha. Par..... Woh kya haina chicken khane layak nahi bana. Matlab khane layak tha par kuch khash nahi tha. Ab woh aapko thodi khilati, toh bas roti meine banayi hai. Baki yeh chicken toh dukan se layi thi" she smiled at him sheepishly.
"Pehli baar banaya tha isliye. Judge mat karna" she quickly added after it. Vikram sighed and placed his palm on her jaw. Looking at her intently, with those eyes of his. His eyes, they could literally see her soul.
"Chand, tumhare yeh dukan se laya huwa se jyada. I would have loved it if you brought the one you cooked. Tumne itni mehnat se banaya, woh bhi mere liye. How could that go waste without me tasting it? " He voiced his feelings. Thabal sighed and shook her head.
"Samaj nahi rahe aap. Ek din aache se banake khila dungi. Woh utna khane layak nahi tha. Isliye-"
"Shh" Vikram placed his finger on her lips. Shushing her up. Thabal gulped. Her heart thudding hard against her chest. Oh God! She is gone now.
"Next time se lawogi thik hai? Aacha ho ya bura" he demanded simply. Not hearing her further. Thabal huffed but eventually hummed in response.
"Kitne jiddi hai aap" she scowled at him and slapped his finger away in annoyance. Vikram chuckled at it.
"Gussa hogayi kya?" He asked gently to which she shook her head and looked away.
"Idhar dekho" with that he touched her chin and softly made her turn to him. Thabal slowly looked at him, meeting his deep eyes.
They both didn't said anything. Just stared at each other. Holding the eye contact. And getting lost in each other. Until Vikram suddenly broke it.
"Chand, date pe chalogi mere saath?" Thabal sat up straight immediately after hearing it. Her eyes were wide in shock and amusement. Did she hear him correctly?
"Huh? Yeh kaha se aagaya? Woh bhi all of a sudden" she asked stunned by his sudden question. Vikram chuckled at her reaction. He held her hand in his. Slowly caressing it and then kissing it few times.
"I want to take you out on a date. Just us. No interruptions. Nothing" he whispered to her. Looking in her eye. His eyes speaking more than his lips. Thabal gulped, her cheeks warming up. She was suddenly nervous, anxious and what not.
"Th-thik hai" she muttered in shyness. Her hands already turning cold in nervousness. Vikram smiled at it.
"I will come to pick you up at 6" he informed, dropping another bomb.
"AAJ!!?" She shrieked in shock. Vikram chuckled hearing her.
"Shubh kam pe deri nahi karni chahiye" he winked earning a giggle from her. This man. He is just so different. She looked at him with a smile, a smile so different.
Just then, a sharp knock suddenly. Breaking their moment.
"Sir?" a constable called from outside. Vikram didn't look away from her.
"Bolo" he answered in his stoic voice.
"Meeting hai, SSP ke saath" the constable informed. He sighed, reluctantly leaning back.
"Hmm" he just hummed, signalling him to go. Thabal was about to pack the tiffin when Vikram held her hand, refraining her from doing so. She looked at him with a questioning look.
"Kya?" She frowned.
"Khana khatam nahi huwa hai" with that, he opened his mouth slightly. Signalling her to feed him. Thabal watched him, a smile slipping on her lips without her permission. This man. He was hers. In every way.
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Hope you like it
Stay safe sweeties🍒🦋
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