Chapter 56: Slaying the Demons (Mature)

Warning:  Mature content.  Read at your own digression.  And all you Bacchi's and Baccha's who snuck out here...go back to IF and read the decent version! :P

“Anything for you, my love.”  Arnav pulled her flush against himself and pressed his lips to her urgently.

The kiss started off tender and slow, expressing all the love they both held for each other better than words ever could.  Khushi felt a buzz fill her mind as small flames erupted deep within.  His hand seared through the thin fabric of her robe while she moved her hands onto his chest, sliding over the shirt, feeling the hard planes of his chest underneath her delicate hands.  As her hand stopped over his erratically beating heart, she couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. 

This is what she did to him…

The knowledge fuelled the boldness and she parted his lips, deepening the kiss.  In a daring move, she nudged his tongue with hers, demanding him to join the heady duel.  He responded right away and soon their tongues fought for dominance as the kiss raised their desires even more.

She gently sunk her teeth into his bottom lip and felt triumphant soar through her as a throaty groan escaped him.  In dire need of air, the lovers broke their kiss, all the while remaining in the sensual embrace. 

He left a scorching kiss on top of her right shoulder.  Khushi ‘s hand fisted in his hair as he began the trail of kisses moving towards her neck, up the column, and then across the jaw line while his feet took steps backwards, making her take automatic steps forward in equal measures.  His hands travelled around her waist to the front and then up until his hand cupped her breast.  While he continued the trail, Khushi’s hands worked to get rid of the shirt that barred his body from her touch. 

As he passed them, he left a tantalizingly quick but breathtaking kiss on her lips before continuing his trail of hot kisses across the jaw line on the other side of her face, down the column of her neck until it ended with a searing kiss on her left shoulder.  At that very moment, his legs bumped into the edge of the bed and Khushi slid the shirt off of his shoulders.

He pulled apart from her and his eyes met hers.  Neither looked away as he let go of her momentarily to let her discard the shirt completely.  He watched her flushed face closely as her hands ran down the length of his torso feverishly before coming to a stop at the waistband of his trousers.  Both her hands moved inwards in synch until they met at the centre, at the button of his trousers.

He saw the hesitation in her eyes and a small smile crept to his face.  The way she skipped back and forth between bold and shy would always remain endearing to him.  She wasn’t so bold that she was downright brazen, nor was she so shy that she seemed reserved.  Arnav realized, yet again, how much joy it brought him just to see that blush rise to her cheeks and knowing that he was the reason for it.

He cupped her face and captured her mouth in an all consuming kiss.   They’d been through this enough times for him to know that his kisses somehow fuelled the bravery in her--each kiss of his acting like a packet of boldness and encouragement.  His theory only solidified as he felt her undo the button even as she surrendered her senses to their kiss.  With a gentle tug on the sides, the trousers slid down the length of his legs and pooled at his feet.

As her trembling hands held his shoulders for support, he stepped out of his trousers and kicked them away.  He felt her sway on her feet and impulsively, he lifted her off her feet.  Almost immediately, she wrapped her legs around his hips and he lowered himself onto the bed so that she sat in his lap.

The desires were awake and in flames within both hearts while their minds whirled with the drugging passion.  The only few seconds they broke their kisses was because their lungs could no longer tolerate the deficit of air.  His hands were everywhere, feeling her softness, leaving fire in their wake.  A fire that threatened to devour her.  She was at the edge of her control as the liquid fire at her core became unbearable.

 When Khushi finally managed to open her eyes, Arnav was bringing his breathing back to normal while caressing her cheeks delicately.  She had no idea when or how she had ended up lying on the bed, with her head on the pillow, and her husband laying on her side, slightly hovering over her protectively.  Nor did she know how or when or who had discarded the last piece of clothing that was covering him.

He had no apprehensions, laying next to her in all his naked glory while she was still safely covered in her robe.

“You’re too far.”  Her voice was a husky whisper and she saw its effect in the form of the doubled passion in his eyes.

Giving in to her unstated demand, he hid his face in the hollow of her neck and left an open mouthed kiss.  His hand, that was earlier caressing her cheeks travelled south along the side of her neck to the base of her throat down the valley between her breasts until it stopped at the knot of the sash which was barely holding her robe together.

As their lips and tongue entwined again, his hands worked to remove the sheer satin that acted as an unwanted barrier between them.  With a tug here and a pull there, the knot gave way and the soft material slid off her abdomen.  A half gasp-half moan escaped her the moment his warm hand fanned out over her stomach and then moved around to squeeze her petite waist.

In a quick movement, he was hovering over her completely, propping himself on his elbows.  Just as his eyes moved appreciatively down the length of her bared body and then up to her face again, Khushi felt the blood in her veins catch fire.

He lowered himself to leave feathery, soothing kisses around the slowly forming love bite that he’d left moments ago.  As he did so, his chiseled bare chest came into contact with her softness while his hardness pressed against the apex of her thighs.  His arousal was intimately in contact with her core which was aching equally with want.

That was when the vision attacked her senses yet again.  Unwanted images and unwanted sounds filled her mind and she fought to hold onto the beautiful reality. 

Tears.  Pain.  Screams.  Pleas.  Pain.  Blood.  Pain.  Tears. 

He felt her shudder, heard her whimper and then go still beneath him.  He recognized this change well.  Too well.  His hands eased up and he began moving away from her when he felt her grab onto his shoulders to stop him.

“No!”  She opened her eyes and looked at him.  “Don’t pull away...Not tonight...”  She said as her grip tightened on his shoulders.

He looked at her with his eyebrows knit together.  When the meaning of her statement dawned upon him he winced slightly.

“No, Khushi...” he began but she shook her head and cupped his face in her hands.

“No Arnav...the only way to deal with these memories is to replace them...it’s been weeks...this happens every time...sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s you....sometimes both of us...it’s not healthy.  We can’t go on like this.”

“But Khushi...”  Arnav began again just to be interrupted by her again.

“I’m sure about this...” she whispered, yet, her words hit the spot.  “Make love to me…”

Arnav was still apprehensive about the idea of making love to her when she had just clearly had visions from the past.  Khushi pulled him closer and pressed her lips to his, conveying her consent.  She placed a number of butterfly kisses along his lips until she felt him respond.  A smile crept onto her lips as she felt him deepen the kiss.  Her hands clutched at his soft hair while one of his hands cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking gently along her crimson skin.

He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.  “Promise you’ll tell me to stop if it becomes too much...or if I hurt you at all.”

“I promise” She whispered against his lips.

He swept her off into another breathtaking kiss and broke away when his lungs screamed in protest, in desperate need of oxygen.

He didn’t give in to her demands right away.  He decided to let her experience this more so that she could truly decide that this is what she wanted.  After a scorching kiss, he let his mouth travel south, down the slope of her neck, leaving open mouthed kisses all the way until the valley between her breasts.  A surprised, pleasured gasp escaped her when his mouth closed around one aching peak without warning.  His other hand moulded the other mound while his tongue and lips worked mercilessly.

The demons reared their heads and roared when his teeth sunk into her soft skin but the wave of utter pleasure that followed pushed them back.  After treating her other breast with the same tender love, he travelled further south, kissing and nipping every inch of her abdomen.  She could no longer recognize the moans and gasps that escaped her as her own.

A loud cry escaped her as he kissed her intimately.  One of her hands reached up to clutch the pillow while the other hand clutched a fistful of the bed sheets.  Her back arched off the bed and another cry escaped her when he kissed her again.  One of his hands steadied her hip while the other caressed her thigh as his lips and tongue showed absolutely no mercy.  Just when she thought she would combust, he stopped and towered over her again.

Without a word, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her slowly, letting her taste herself on his lips.  Her body writhed beneath his, looking for that ultimate intimate connection and in that moment, Arnav was sure that no amount of the past’s memories would stop her today.  He decided to stop testing her and broke the kiss.

“Khushi look at me.”  He kissed the tip of her nose while she tried to regulate her breathing.

She opened her eyes to be immediately caught in the depth of his.  She was slightly surprised as she saw the tears brimming along his lower eyelids.  She felt him shift above her and then understood his request. 

She knew that he wanted to look into her eyes because even if she didn’t say anything, her eyes would tell him her inner thoughts.  And right now, she hoped that he saw nothing but trust and love in them because she knew the second his saw the slightest trace of uncertainty, this moment would end just like all the previous ones. 

His eyes were tearful and questioning.  She kissed his lips lightly before nodding in affirmative to his unasked question.

 “I love you.”  He whispered against her lips and then he entered her in one swift thrust.

He caught the cry that escaped her in a kiss while her back arched into him.  He stilled, letting her become used to his presence while his lips continued to play with hers, in an attempt to soothe her.  She moaned into the tantalizing kiss once the shock of the intrusion ebbed away.  She felt her insides stretch to accommodate him even as he kissed her senseless. 

Once again, aching for oxygen, Arnav pulled away.  When he opened his eyes, one tear escaped the confines of his eye and landed on her cheek.  His sole tear mingled with one of hers and together, the united tear drop rolled down the side of her face. 

He pulled out almost completely before burying himself to the hilt again.  He paused again for a couple of seconds before repeating; slowly at first and then picking up pace.

As he made love to her, the demons at the periphery of her bubble of ecstasy retreated in defeat.  The closer they got to the zenith of passions and desires, the further they pulled themselves away from the claws of the past.  When they reached that unknown peak, both splintered and came apart in each other’s arms.  Arnav confessed his love for her for the nth time that night and Khushi, too overwhelmed to speak, found herself swept away by a tsunami-like wave of emotions and all she could do was burst into tears.

He was alarmed instantly and he reared his head to look at her.  “Khushi?”

She began sobbing then, unable to control any part of her body or mind at the moment.  His heart skipped a painful beat at the sight and he immediately rolled onto his back, pulling her with him so that she lay on top of him.  She clutched onto his shoulders and hid her face in the crook of his neck as the tears continued to flow and the sobs continued to rack her body.  His arms went around her protectively, one of his hands caressing her bare back soothingly.

“Khushi, what happened?”  Arnav whispered into her ears.

Even as she continued to sob, she hugged him closer and Arnav dropped all his guards.  He took solace in the fact that, though she was crying, she was hugging him closer...not pushing him away.  He continued to caress her back gently and waited for her sobs to subside.

Long minutes after when they did subside...she had fallen asleep.

_____

Khushi heard the loud rhythmic thumping and opened her eyes slowly.  She registered the envelope of warmth she was encased in as she woke up slowly.  She felt the strength of the two arms wound around her, the comfortable weight of a leg on her thigh.  His fingers were drawing intricate patterns on her bare back.  She felt his heartbeat change under her ear and she smiled to herself.  The man knew she was awake.

Khushi lifted and turned her head to place a kiss on his chest, right over his heart, as if trying to calm down the suddenly frantic heartbeats.  She looked at him, placing her chin on his chest.  He was looking at her as if trying to assess something.  He brushed her hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ear with one hand, while the other continued drawing circles on her back.

“D-did I hurt you?”  The words tumbled out of his mouth; his eyes gave away the worried state he was in.

Khushi smiled at him lovingly, pulled herself up to kiss his lips, and then looked at him strongly.  “No.”

He caressed her cheeks with one hand and bore his eyes into hers.  “You were crying for so long...”

“I know...I’m sorry if that freaked you out...”  Khushi leaned her head into his hand and closed her eyes.  “I can’t tell you why I was crying...because I don’t know myself...I was just so...overwhelmed...”  She took a deep breath, revelling in the feeling of utmost contentedness in her heart.

“Why were you so adamant about this yesterday?”  Arnav questioned.  All morning as he’d watched her sleep peacefully in his arms, he had wondered why she was more adamant—than ever before-- about taking the next step. 

“Do you remember what date it was yesterday?”  Khushi stroked the hard planes of his bare chest, soothingly.

He watched her with a frown for a couple of seconds and Khushi could pin point the exact moment when it registered in his mind.

“No...”  He whispered, the surprise evident in his tone.

Khushi gave him a small smile and leaned up to kiss his forehead.  “It was just a coincidence...but it was perfect...I wanted to replace the memories and what day better to achieve that than the very day when it had all fallen apart years ago?”

“It was worse than all other times for you, wasn’t it?”  Arnav glared at her disdainfully.  “It must’ve been...considering that exactly six years ago from yesterday...”

Khushi watched him warily, worrying his reaction as she answered.  “It was.  My hypothetical demons were fighting way more than they had ever before and that’s why it was perfect last night, Arnav.  We’ve defeated them at their strongest....”

“You have to stop doing that to yourself.”  Arnav scolded.  “You need to stop that.  I hate it when you do that and you know it.  Stop putting yourself through these tortures.”

“But it was worth it, don’t you think, baby?”  Khushi pressed her lips together to keep from laughing when she saw his eyes widen at the endearment.

“What did you just call me?”  He narrowed his eyes, challenging her to take her words back.

“Baby.”  Khushi whispered, her lips curving into a mesmerizing smile.

Arnav felt all of his disapproval fade away as unbound love rushed into his veins.  He smiled down at her and bit his bottom lip as a thought ran across his mind.

“If I’m your baby...do I get to throw tantrums like one?”  He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Khushi rolled her eyes.  “You mean more tantrums than the ones you already throw?  No...I think not.”

“Well...I might as well act like a baby since you’re going to call me one...so why don’t you give me my morning kiss, before I throw a tantrum.”  The humour of the statement was lost the moment his hand traveled down her spine until coming to a rest on the small of her back, his voice turning husky suddenly.

Khushi glared at him cutely even as colour rushed to her cheeks.  “Not before I brush my teeth...”

Arnav rolled his eyes.  “I can’t believe you’re still going to follow that ridiculous rule of yours after last night.”

The blush on her cheeks deepened as she recalled the events of last night and she lowered her eyes shyly.  His fingers reached up to caress her soft, plump cheeks.

“You look even more beautiful when you blush.”  His voice remained husky and low.

All his words did was deepen the blush further.  She smiled wide and hid her face in his chest again while he snuggled her closer to himself, chuckling at her shyness.  She whined in protest when he moved to get off the bed while he chuckled some more at her response.

“Let go have you brush your teeth so that I can steal my morning kiss.”  Arnav untangled himself from her and the sheets.  He hopped off the bed and heard her gasp as he stretched lazily.

“Arnav!”  She reprimanded, looking at him as if he had done something blasphemous.

“What?”  Arnav shrugged boyishly, trying to seem innocent.  “Nothing you haven’t seen before.”

Khushi closed her eyes, willing herself to stop blushing and willing her body to stop trembling at the mere sight of him...completely bare.  Her arms instinctively clutched the sheets tighter around herself when she felt the bed depress under his weight.  A yelp escaped her and her eyes flew open when she felt him lift her off the bed.  Her arms automatically wound around his neck while he carried her towards the washroom effortlessly.

Khushi adjusted and knotted the bed sheet around her before picking up her toothbrush from the side of the sink.  Much to Arnav’s annoyance, she took her sweet time brushing her teeth, looking at him slyly through the mirror.  He had finished brushing his teeth and washing his face long before her, so her stunt right now wasn’t helping any.

“You are mean.”  Arnav narrowed his eyes at her through the mirror.  “Enjoy brushing your teeth while I make plans to go back to my angel kids...”

Khushi shook her head at his uncharacteristically childish antics as he left the washroom with a few more grumblings of annoyance.

“You need breakfast!  You’re becoming grumpy without food...”  Khushi mumbled, her words sounding almost gibberish with the toothbrush in her mouth.  “Such a typical man...” she muttered to herself.

“I heard that!”  He responded without a missed beat.

By the time Khushi stepped out of the washroom, Arnav lay on the bed, arms crossed, lips set in a thin line, and eyes closed as if he were sleeping.  Smirking as an idea popped into her head, she walked noiselessly to his side and then without warning, attacked directly at his ticklish spots.  His laughter boomed unbound in the hotel suite, mingling with her giggles, as she continued to tickle him while he tried to ward her off but failing because he could barely stop laughing.

He reached out blindly and curved his arm around her.  Rolling into the middle of the bed, he pinned her beneath him, with her hands held down on either side of her head.  Just like she had attacked him without warning, he leaned down and crushed his lips to hers, taking her by surprise.

The couple spent majority of their late morning sharing sweet nothings and leisurely lazy kisses.  Their easy conversations about world affairs, their children, and their family continued throughout their long, relaxing bath.  The fact that Arnav had barely heard half of what she was saying was a different matter altogether. 

Khushi was well aware of his heated gaze on her through all these hours; his suggestive caresses were more than hint enough of what was going on in his mind.  She decided to play aloof and continue chattering about everything and anything.  She had made a new resolve this morning...she won’t initiate any intimate activity...she will only follow when he takes the initiative.  She had fought her demons with his help last night and now, it was high time that he stopped worrying that he would upset her.  She understood his cautious nature when it came to initiating anything past a certain level of proximity but after last night, he should have no excuses.

Despite her decision, she chose to be evil and tempted him more...Whether it was wearing his white shirt-and nothing else-after their shower or reacting with vigour to his kisses and then pulling away. ..She was teasing him relentlessly.

By the time they finished their lunch, well into the afternoon, Arnav had had enough of her teasing.  Although confused at first, her smug smirks every now and then had indicated that she was up to something.  As the day had gone by, he had connected the dots at last.

Whatever concerns or inhibitions he may have had before were somewhat curbed after they’d united last night.  He loved her like he had loved no other, of that he was sure...he always had been; but to see that she knew that and that she trusted him was all the encouragement he needed.  He knew now that her trust in him wasn’t just word-deep.  She meant what she said otherwise they wouldn’t be where they were today.

And with time, there would come a day where she wouldn’t need to do things to hint to him.  There would, eventually, come a day when he will take the lead without any prompts or teasing from her.

With that optimistic thought in mind, he circled his arm a little tighter around her waist, while she sat snuggling into his side with her head resting on his shoulder.  She’d been completely engrossed in some weepy movie on the TV to which Arnav hadn’t played an iota of attention.  Then, without warning, his arms lifted and turned her in a quick maneuver so that she was sitting in his lap, straddling him.  A gasp of surprise escaped her at the sudden action and her arms instinctively clutched his shoulders for support.

He grinned boyishly and wrapped his arms around her a little more, pulling her closer.  “Don’t worry...I won’t let go.”

She smiled at him and moved one of her hands to brush back a few strands of hair that were falling over his forehead.  “I know you won’t let go...”

“But I think you should let go.”  Arnav answered seriously.

A frown knit her brows together instantly.  “Excuse me?”

“Let go of this little plan that you’ve been following all day....”  He smirked.  “I know exactly what you’re up to, Khushi.”

Her lips curved up in a shy smile.  “You caught me I guess...what are you going to do about it?”

“That depends...”  Arnav trailed the fingertips of one hand up her spine until her neck and then back down to her waist again making Goosebumps erupt on her skin.  The fire deep within which had been reduced to harmless embers flamed awake again.

“On what?”  She breathed, her voice laced with a hint of desire.

“How tired are you?”

“That depends...”  She copied his earlier statement.

“On what?” he countered.

“What do you have in mind?”

He looked at her smiling, blushing face for a couple of seconds.  He decided, based on no reason, to answer her with actions rather than words.

He trailed his hand up her spine again but rather than running down from the neck, his fingers curved around her nape gently.  Her eyes closed before he even brought her face closer.  He paused for two torturously long seconds before claiming her lips in a slow tender kiss.

Time and place was lost into oblivion for those few minutes of the sweet exchange.  Khushi was intoxicated from the happiness that he was finally take initiative, from the love he showered her with, and from the fiery sensations his kisses awoke within her. 

The guilt monster within glared at him, prompting him to ask her for permission...pushing him towards pulling away from her.  Like he had been doing for the past few days, he veered his thoughts away from that corner of his mind and focused on the affectionate moment he was having with Khushi.

The alarm in his mind buzzed rudely when he moved his hand around her neck and let it drop until the first button of the shirt.  He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers while their lungs sucked in the much needed air supply.  He listened hard for any sings as he expertly popped the first button open.  The alarms in his mind were now louder, warning him that he was crossing a line...that he was going to end up hurting her. 

The saner part of him reminded that after last night, those arbitrary lines were insignificant.  Holding on to that thought, he continued his journey down the shirt until he had undone every single button.

Khushi’s hands clutched at his shoulders tighter as her head spun when his fingers caressed her from her belly button to the base of neck, where his hand paused over the throbbing pulse.  The breath she hadn’t realized she was holding escaped shakily through her trembling lips. 

“Khushi, look at me.”  He whispered the request.

Without a second’s delay, Khushi eyes opened slowly.  She pulled her gaze up from his chiseled chest to his softened face.  The sings of his inner battle were somewhat evident in his eyes and the realization that he was fighting against the guilt for her made her heart swell.  Holding his gaze and with the confidence that seemed to have overcome her out of now where, she let go of his shoulders to take a hold of her shirt just below the collar.

His eyes didn’t stray from her face even as she shrugged out of the shirt, letting it fall to the floor with a silent ruffle.  Turning her face to the side, she left an open mouthed kiss on the palm of the hand that was cupping her face delicately.  Wrapping her arms around his neck again, she leaned her forehead onto his.

“Are you okay?”  She questioned, concerned for him just as he was about her.

He responded, once again, with a swift kiss rather than words.

“Don’t do anything you truly don’t want to...” she offered him the same option he had offered her last night.  She knew that she may have been the victim of an unfortunate event years ago but it had left a bigger hole in his heart.  She wasn’t unaware of the fact that persistent guilt had only contributed towards keeping the pain fresh.  He had made her promise that she would stop him if he hurt her and she wanted him to have the option to stop when paranoia got the better of him.

Getting a whiff of his worries, Khushi’s demons reared their heads and watched, anticipating a crack in her armour through which they could invade and take over.

They kissed passionately once more, adding fuel to the dormant fire, making the blaze wild and consuming.  Their hands explored each other restlessly as if it were the end of the world tomorrow and the only way to survive was to memorize every inch of the other’s body.

His lips left torturous, teasing kissed across her shoulders, on her neck and face, issuing pleasured moans and gasps from her.  His arms supported all of her weight as he twisted and turned until they both lay on the couch, with her pinned beneath him. 

He left a few more kisses on her chest while his hands moulded her soft skin.  Meanwhile Khushi freed him of the boxer shorts feverishly.  Her skin tingled in anticipation as the liquid heat in her abdomen became unbearable.  He sunk into her then, alleviating the void feeling deep within.  On a purely carnal instinct, Khushi bit the skin of his shoulder, making him hiss more from the pleasure than the pain.

Just like last night, the alarms in his mind became significantly quieter and her demons retreated back into the shadows when they united physically.  As they began moving to the age old rhythm, Khushi took the liberty to express and voice how much she loved him.  Wrapped in a colossal wave of care, affection, and understanding, the couple made love again, giving a silencing answer to their inner battles.

Khushi saw stars explode behind her eyelids as he carried them closer to the unknown peak.  He slowed down then, drawing out the sweet painful wait a little longer.  They clung to each other even as they both felt as if they would fall apart at the seams.  They splintered and shattered in each other’s arms simultaneously.

Much like last night, tears ran down the side of her face from the corners of her closed eyes.  Arnav shifted in the limited space so that she was snuggled into his side rather than beneath him.  There were no sobs like last night, but the tears continued to fall from her eyes steadily for a long minute before she whispered the three magical words to him for the hundredth time that day.

“I love you...”

Arnav smiled and kissed her temple.  “I love you more.”

Written by: Katie & Naina

"Decided to give you guys a break from Katie's innocent mind so I meddled with the chapter and made it more 'mature' (with Katie's permission of course!).  Hope you all enjoyed that!  Cheers!  See you all soon (hopefully)!" - Naina

"Judge her, not me!!  this was her idea....you guys know I don't write these scenes in so much detail!  any tomatoes or rotten eggs or what have you, please throw them at her!!!"  - Katie <3

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