Nandini and Daadu stood at bus stand waiting for last bus coming from Shimla. Daadu tapped his club continuously in anticipation while Nandini gazed around. It was cold. Aparna was supposed to come by that bus. Daadu insisted so many times how he would send a car but she didn't listen. Nandini heard screech of brakes and nudged Daadu. Daadu smiled in glee as headlights of bus hit his eyes. He walked towards it and Nandini rubbed her palms to cop up with bone-crackling dry cold.

Trying to peek inside the bus, Daadu obstructed way of every passenger as they got off the bus. Nandini smiled at her impatient young man who couldn't be asked to tame his excitement today. Nandini too walked towards bus as she saw glimpse of her aunt through window. She looked the same as she did four years back. Same lean appearance with a lovely smile who never left her lips.

"Aparna," Daadu called in glee as she got off the bus.

Before she could even gather her greets, Daadu hugged her with all his affection.

"Dad," She murmured as she felt his trembling figure.

Nandini bit her lip seeing his happy go lucky grandpa so vulnerable, she hated that sight but then today it betokened happiness.

"Dad," Aparna again called, her own eyes going moist as she heard Daadu's faint sobs. She looked at Nandini who was standing at few steps and smiled. Nandini walked to her waving a hello and planted a soft kiss on her Daadu's cheek. He seemed to collect himself as he parted looking as cheerful as he always was.

"How are you?" Aparna asked him and he sighed in satisfaction.

"I am more than fine," He replied enthusiastically. Aparna looked at all grown up lady and walked to her to engulf her in a side hug. Nandini did return it honestly, though she sucked at meet and greet all the time.

"I am so happy," Daadu exclaimed and Nandini giggled.

"Happy man, save the drama till we reach home," Nandini said and Daadu glared her.

Three of them walked towards Nandini's jeep.

______________

Manik neatly arranged his bed and then looked at it satisfied. Walking to book rack, he picked up a book and smiled at it. Harshad shook his head looking at the drama-king. He was one uptight jerk who read romantic novels in nights.

Harshad threw a pillow at him showing his irritation over Manik's ignorance. It passed Manik messing his oiled head, well hair were there for sake of it after he had to take infamous military fade haircut. Manik hissed like a proper cribber. Harshad grinned as Manik scowled at him.

"Look at that greasy wolverine," Harshad mocked just to gain another death-glare from Manik.

"Do not test my patient, Harshad," Manik warned as he hurled the pillow back at him.

"Is there any time you are not snarling?" Harshad asked just to get the right kick before he could sleep after another survived day at academy.

"Yes, there is," Manik replied mocking his tone as he tucked himself up in his bed.

"It's when I don't have to bear this monkey face of yours," He added and Harshad loured. Manik pretended to get busy in his book while Harshad glared him to his heart's content before he decided to call it a day. Manik couldn't be fun when he was sane. Harshad was missing the heart-broken Manik who was just like one sweet puppy. Sighing, he called out for sleep.

Manik sighed in content as He heard Harshad snoring. Now he could read this new novel in peace. Well, it was a love story. He bought it just like that. No, it hadn't anything to do with his love life which was in pink of its health these days. Okay, he wanted to believe it that way.

Adjusting the table lamp, he started reading it.

Looks interesting.

Wow.

Hmmmm....

Yawn.

It's boring.

Wait...this is shit.

No, no, they seem to do it wrong.

Well...

It's nothing like ours.

Ours...

A blush crept in.

Nobody smacked no one.

Some heartfelt frowns...

Manik closed the book and stretched his eyes just to push the excess out. It was a mistake to buy a romantic novel he guessed. Girl seemed so sweet and boy was control freak. He fretted doing the basic mistake of relating it with his reality. It was hard for him not to mess his brain enough before he sleeps. Sliding in his bed, he switched off the lamp just to think more in dark.

It was better.

His encounter with Nandini this afternoon played in his mind and all the butterflies did pirouettes and world seemed alright again. He snuggled into his quilt and angled his thoughts better. It felt better to close eyes and think about her. He didn't need romantic books, he had an entire universe.

Sighing, he smiled in content waiting for her dreams to engulf him.

_____________

"Still in that military town?" Asked Mr Murthy as everyone settled for dinner in Murthy mansion.

Aparna smiled and said, "That's where home is."

Daadu smiled in awe and gestured Nandini's mother to serve food to Aparna.

"I am glad you came, Aparna," Mrs Murthy said serving her dinner.

"I am happy to see you all as well, Di," She replied and got busy in her food.

Nandini silently had her food being extra cautious not to spoil this peaceful meal of her family. It was after ages where everyone smiled at that table without hurling insults at each other.

"So what Nandini is doing these days?' Aparna asked and Nandini smiled totally cursing herself for jinxing the moment.

"Nothing much, Aunty. Usual college stuff," She replied lowly not wanting to attract two cents of his father at the wrong timing.

"She is doing a volunteer job as well," Daadu added enthusiastically.

"You know where?" He asked Aparna. Nandini stole a glance of her father who seemed to take it all with a blank face. Daadu was ruining it in over-excitement.

"At military academy," Daadu divulged and Aparna looked happy.

"That's good, Nandini," Aparna said and Nandini forced a smile. She hated family dinner, it was confirmed now.

"I am glad Dad has got someone who can be associated with army in some way," Aparna added and Nandini returned a genuine smile.

"She is having a workshop with a delegation from London business school next week as well," Mr Murthy too joined the bandwagon. Nandini could see a tug of war shaping up at grand dining table.

Perfect.

"That's good," Aparna said looking at Nandini. Nandini didn't feel like returning a smile. Her jaws refused to deliver this time.

"She has a legacy to follow," Mrs Murthy spoke this time and Nandini couldn't eat any further. Her family was mad and there were no two thoughts about it. They loved to prove it every time. They never sat on that table to have food, they needed some alien diet as well. They couldn't do it without serving some bog egos.

"Of course, she has," Aparna replied and this time she didn't look at Nandini. She could sense the tussle there. Daadu glared his son and daughter in law before he looked at Nandini sheepishly for starting the topic.

"Even Rishi is returning tomorrow night," Mrs Murthy said excitedly.

"He is making us so proud," She added and Aparna smiled. The amount of tension this family had was contagious.

"I'll be needing Cadet dose tonight," Nandini murmured and Daadu giggled.

"I wonder what that naive solider does to calm your crazy horses down," Daadu wondered. Nandini gave him a look before she leaned in to close the session.

"He has some deadly skills, Daadu," She murmured in his ear. Daadu pressed his lips not wanting to laugh out loud.

"Sure," He teased the new lover girl.

"Don't make fun of my soldier," She growled in low tone.

"I dare not to," Daadu surrendered letting out a teasing chuckle.

Nandini looked at her parents who looked bothered about their little whisper-session. Nandini pitied their over-dramatic minds who seemed to process everything with a suspicion these days. She put the spoon down and left for her room.

___________

"Nandini"

Turning on his stomach, he kicked the quilt away. Snoring a little, he let the sleep sink in.

"Puppies...feed them please"

Blabbering further, he snorted just to close his mouth with a gasp as next thing. Gulping the few words, he continued having his sweet dream.

"No."

"Don't close it."

His brows furrowed at something before they eased out.

"Don't tickle na.."

He chuckled a bit shifting in his sleep.

"Move it, soldier"

"Move what..."

"Your fat ass"

"I don't have a fat ass"

"Yes you do"

"Shift now"

Manik shifted in his sleep and next he felt her warmth on his back. He opened his eyes as he felt some weight on his beck.

Was it some voodoo shit happening or what?

He turned around quickly and next he felt her nails on his shirt clutching it hard to find a balance.

"Manik," She whisper- yelled and he worked his hands frantically on side table to find the switch of lamp.

"What are you doing?" She hissed as he crushed her beneath. As dim light of lamp spread across his bed, he saw her annoyed face.

"Nandini," He said in questioning tone even though that's not how he wished to say it.

"I can't breathe, Malhotra," She said wincing and he lifted himself.

"You are for real," Horror struck him and he jumped on his bed.

"What are you doing here, Nandini?" He was panicked. He looked around to see everyone sleeping before he switched off the lamp.

"What are you doing here in dorm, Nandini?"

"You literally crushed me, Manik"

"I thought you were some ghost."

"Who crushes ghosts beneath them?"

"Do you have any idea what would happen if someone finds out you are here in dorm?"

"You think I care"

Someone's bed churned far away and they both held their breaths so that calamity could pass.

"You are crazy, Nandini," Manik declared gathering her warm figure in his arm as he got up. She couldn't care less what he was doing while fumbling with things. She wrapped her legs around his torso as he searched for his jacket.

Taking his jacket in one hand and holding her adhered figure with other, he tiptoed out of dorm.

_____________________

Manik sat there wrapped up in his jacket while she gazed the starry nowhere. They were sitting on edge of cliff where galaxies were a gateway. He yawned as warmth of cloth sank in. He had wrapped the same piece of cloth around her nth times but she threw it on his face every time. Well, cat lady was grumpy for some unknown reason.

"Something happened?" He asked yet again.

"Shhhh" She put a full stop without fail.

He shook his head not knowing what to do with stubborn her. She had hardly worn anything decent to tackle the cold and she was being frosty quiet on top of that.

"Nandini," He called yet again. She hummed in response.

"Am I not your favorite personal heater anymore?" He asked meaning the humor. She looked at him sternly before her lips curved into a smile.

"I am not feeling cold, cadet," She finally spoke, her eyes still gazing the null horizon.

He sighed failing at amusing her.

"What did you decide about it, Manik?" She asked out of nowhere.

"About what?" He asked straightening himself. Serious Nandini was out of syllabus topic and he needed to be on toes.

"Me..shifting in your dorm," She replied as if it was one grave topic.

Manik gaped her and then burst into laughter. He laughed and rolled down on cold rock. She stared at him, maybe mapping his grave for feeling funny at wrong timing. He glanced her and that was the cue. Yes, it was time to come back on earth where she was still the cat woman and he the kitten. He stopped laughing and got back on his spine.

Before he could come up with one calculated answer, she said, "Let's run away."

He gaped her trying not to take it as a joke when it sounded like one.

"What?" He asked and she didn't stop looking at him. Her eyes had this sincerity about the idea that he had to gulp.

Pushing him on cold rock, she straddled him just to sit on his stomach. Manik could feel his heart beating in his mouth.

"Let's make a house up hill and never come back," She said and he gazed her. Thought in itself was so heartwarming that he forgot the mechanics of it for few seconds.

"Just you and me," She added pressing his broad chest with her palms.

"...and the puppies you were talking about in your sleep," She added leaning in. Manik was feeling so much at a time. It was hard to be embarrassed when you already are so flustered.

"Were you dreaming about me, soldier?" She asked, her eyes fixed on him.

"Yes," He answered, her spell always worked.

"Let's run away, Manik," She was damn serious about her little plan.

"Huh?" He questioned and she frowned.

"There are two more terms of my training left," He was being genuine putting his concerns, what if his army training could come handy in mountains where she planned to start a kitty-tale. Sigh!

He knew now why romantic novels were boring, she had ruined him for everything.

She just kept looking at him, her expressions faded into a frown and she dropped herself on his solid torso. He gasped feeling her adjusting on his torso. She exactly knew how to leave him dysfunctional.

"Aparna aunt is here and my family is turning into a bigger circus," She divulged.

"Wife of your late uncle?" He asked in a whisper and she nodded in his chest. He could not forget that name, that's where he had imagined Nandini owing to that stupid fear his mind had caught.

"Look at me," He held her from elbows just to lift her a bit so that he could see her face.

"I promise I won't chicken out again," He assumed how she was afraid about him freaking out again.

"I know you have become a big kitty now," She said nodding in understanding. Manik didn't know whether to be happy about promotion or frown at such names.

He again raised his head and cupped her face.

"Once I get the commission, I'll get you out of that circus," He promised and she giggled.

He was made for books.

He had tested methods for everything while she couldn't follow a single step.

"What's so funny?" He asked withdrawing his hands. She shook her head shrugging off the topic.

It was time for some kitty-kat dose. She had enough of his purrs and it was time for some cozy fur.

"I am feeling cold," She nagged and he frowned. Wasn't she loving the flurries few minutes back?

"Love me," She demanded and he gaped her. He closed his mouth and tried to look very prepared for pleasing the huntress.

Gathering her cheeks in his palms, he raised his upper body to kiss her eyes tenderly. His breaths warmed her face inch by inch.

"You are so stupid, Manik," She murmured as he kissed her cheeks and looked at her in glee.

"When would my kitty grow into a big cat?," She whined pushing him on rock. Working her fingers in his almost gone hair, she met his forehead with hers.

Well, Manik waited.

But she didn't move any further.

He opened his eyes feeling aggrieved and found her smiling with her eyes closed. She looked so...content. He lifted his head from cold surface and tentatively pecked her lips. She opened her eyes almost shocked.

Manik looked here and there, totally not knowing what he was doing and why. No matter, how many times he revises this topic, he would still fumble. He pursed his lips being flustered.

"It's almost 3," He informed and she giggled.

Her giggles turned into heartily laughter and he whined. Nandini got off him and laid on rock beside him still trying not to laugh at his reaction after he dared to reach for her lips.

Her soldier deserved a medal already.

___________

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Unedited*