Karan's POV

Airports are strange places. Everyone’s either rushing like their life depends on it or sitting around pretending they’re not bored out of their minds.

Me? I was somewhere in the middle, leaning against a pillar with two cups of coffee, waiting for Tejasswi.

When I finally spotted her walking through the sliding doors, suitcase rolling behind her and a ridiculously heavy-looking handbag slung on one shoulder, I could tell she wasn’t in her best mood.

Her brows were knitted together, her lips pressed in a thin line. She looked uncomfortable, irritated, like the world had collectively conspired to annoy her today.

“You look like you’re carrying half your house in there” I said, looking at her handbag.

She shot me a sharp look. “Very funny. Want to try carrying it?”

“Not particularly,” I grinned, but took it from her anyway. The thing nearly pulled my arm down. “What did you pack in here, dumbbells?”

“Essentials,” she muttered, brushing past me.

I offered her the coffee I’d picked up while waiting. “Here. Maybe this will make the world less horrible.”

Her expression softened instantly, and for a second, the Tejasswi I was used to, the one who smiled with her whole face...peeked through.

She accepted the cup with both hands, as if it were the most thoughtful thing I’d ever done. “Thanks, I needed this” she murmured, and took a long sip. I tried not to stare at how her lashes fluttered shut as she did.

We made it through security and to our gate, and soon enough, we were boarding. Fate (or maybe Tanya) had placed us side by side on the flight. She slumped into the window seat, looking like she wanted to melt into it.

“You okay?” I asked, buckling my belt.

“I’m fine,” she said too quickly. “Just tired.”

Her tone was sharper than usual, but I let it slide. Instead, I pulled out my phone to distract myself.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shifting uncomfortably in her seat, tugging at the blanket, then crossing and uncrossing her legs like she couldn’t sit still.

Without thinking, I leaned over and adjusted the air vent above her, letting a cool breeze fall directly onto her face. She blinked at me, a little surprised.

Half an hour into the flight, she rested her head against the window, clearly exhausted. I pretended to scroll, but honestly, my attention kept drifting back to her.

She had pulled the blanket up to her chin. Her hair had slipped out of her clip, a few strands brushing against her cheek. She tried blowing them away with little puffs of air, and I had to bite back a laugh.

She noticed me watching eventually. “What?” she snapped, though her voice was drowsy.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, looking back at my phone. “Just… you look like the meme of a cat wrapped in a blanket resembling a burrito.”

Her glare was half-hearted, and she turned away, muttering something under her breath.

A little while later, I saw her fidget again, pressing her hand subtly against her stomach. It was such a small gesture I might’ve missed it, but I didn’t. She shifted in her seat like she couldn’t get comfortable, her jaw clenched tightly.

“You want my neck pillow?” I offered quietly.

She hesitated, then nodded. I handed it over, and she slipped it behind her head with a sigh of relief.

“Better?” I asked.

“Very Much. Thanks,” she said softly.

And there it was again....that glimpse of her guard slipping. Every time it did, I couldn’t help but notice how different she seemed from the fiery, stubborn girl who could argue with you for hours and hours.

She looked like a sulky child being forced on a trip to the realtives.

“Still not happy?” I asked, leaning back in my seat.

She rolled her eyes at me. “Look at my face. Do I look happy?”

“Fair enough,” I shrugged, trying to think of something to distract her. Then an idea struck me. I pulled out my iPad, unlocked it, and held it in front of her. “Movie?”

Her face changed instantly, a little light peeking through all that sulkiness. “Movie?” she repeated.

“Yes, movie. I have a bunch of them downloaded,” I said, scrolling through the list. “Pick one.”

She leaned closer, scanning the titles, her hair brushing against my arm. For a moment, I completely forgot to breathe. I was supposed to be showing her options, but my eyes were stuck on the strands of hair falling loose from her messy bun.

I forced myself to focus on the screen again before I got caught.

“Hmm… this one!” she said, pointing.

“Queen? You sure?” I asked. “You must've already seen this movie, no?.”

“Who said you can watch a movie only once” she replied confidently, taking the iPad from me like it belonged to her. “And anyway, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep the whole flight.”

“Okay then, your wish,” I said, setting it up between us with one earbud in her ear and one in mine.

A few minutes into the movie, I noticed her shifting again. Not her usual fidgeting though, this time her shoulders slumped, her fingers tightened around the blanket, and her eyes glistened.

She sniffed. Once. Twice. Then she lifted her hand quickly to wipe her face.

“Wait, what? Are you crying?” I blurted out, staring at her in disbelief.

She turned her face away from me like a guilty kid. “No! I’m not… crying. It’s just so heartwarming” Her voice cracked mid-sentence, completely giving her away.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or comfort her. Emotional? It was just a scene where Rani learns Vijaylakshmi has a child? That was enough to make her teary-eyed? “Are you serious?” I asked, trying not to chuckle.

“Yes!” she said stubbornly, sniffling again. “You would understand too if you had a heart.”

I shook my head in disbelief, but my lips curved into a smile anyway. This girl was something else.

I turned back to the movie, but my brain refused to focus. Instead, I kept stealing glances at her. She was biting her lip to stop herself from crying more, her lashes clumped with moisture, her brows furrowed like the world was ending onscreen. It should’ve been funny, but somehow it was… adorable.

And then, just when I was about to whisper some sarcastic comment, it happened.

Her head slowly tilted sideways. Before I could move, it landed softly on my shoulder.

I froze.

Every muscle in my body tensed. She was… sleeping?

I tilted my head slightly to check, and sure enough, her eyes were closed, her breathing had evened out, and her lips had parted just a little.

And oh man… she looked so peaceful.

Her face, which had been stormy and cranky all day, was now calm, almost angelic. A few strands of hair fell across her cheek, and I had this insane urge to brush them away. But I didn’t. I just sat there, staring like some idiot caught in a spell.

Carefully, I reached for the blanket. She’d pulled it halfway, but most of it was bunched near her lap.

Slowly, so I wouldn’t wake her, I tugged it higher and tucked it around her shoulders. She stirred for a second, making me hold my breath, but then snuggled closer into the warmth and.....closer to me.

My heart did a somersault.

What was I supposed to do now? Move her head away? Wake her up? Or just… sit here and let this be?

I chose the last option.

I leaned back in my seat, letting her rest against me, and whispered so quietly even I barely heard it, “Sleep well, Teju.”

As the movie played forgotten in front of us, my eyes stayed on her. On the way her lips curved faintly in her sleep. On the soft rise and fall of her chest. On the innocence she didn’t even know she carried.

Tejasswi's POV

When my eyes fluttered open, the first thing I felt was warmth. My cheek was resting against something solid yet comfortable, and my hand… oh God, my hand was curled tightly around someone’s arm like a koala refusing to let go.

Blinking rapidly, my gaze traveled upward, and that’s when I realised.

Karan.

His head tilted ever so slightly towards mine, lashes brushing against his cheek as he dozed off, the faintest trace of a frown line on his forehead.

I must have fallen asleep on his shoulder. And worse, I was holding onto him like he was my own, personal pillow.

Heat rushed to my face instantly. I began peeling myself away, trying not to wake him, but of course my luck wasn’t on my side.

His eyes fluttered open lazily, adjusting to the light, and in that groggy, husky voice of his, he murmured, “Hmm? Tum uth gayi?”

My panic mode activated immediately. “Yeah, and you – wow, you really dozed off in the middle of the movie, huh?” I blurted, sitting straighter than necessary. “I was awake the entire time, by the way. Someone clearly can’t handle late-night flights.”

For a moment, he looked confused, as if trying to remember whether he actually slept. Then the corner of his lips twitched.

“Right,” he said slowly, suppressing a chuckle. “Sorry for… abandoning you during such a crucial time, I'm sure you must've enjoyed the ending.”

I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed, though inside, I was mortified. “Exactly. Kaise movie partner ho tum.”

The plane began its descent soon after, and before I knew it, we were at New Delhi airport. My feet ached, my head felt heavy, and honestly, I just wanted to reach the hotel and collapse.

We walked side by side through the bustling crowd, dragging our suitcases behind us. I was too focused on navigating my way through people when suddenly, Karan’s hand slipped into mine. Not gently either, he just held and tugged, pulling me to the side with surprising urgency.

I stumbled after him, utterly shocked. “What the hell, Karan? Where are you dragging me?!” I tried to tug my hand back, but he kept walking, eyes scanning ahead like he knew exactly where he was going.

Panic pricked at me. Why was he holding my hand like this? People could see us.

He didn’t answer immediately, weaving us quickly through the crowd until we stopped near a corner. I yanked my hand away from his grip, glaring. “Have you lost it? You can’t just-”

“Tejasswi,” he interrupted firmly, his tone calm but his eyes soft. He gestured downward. “Look.”

Confused, I followed his gaze… and my world stopped.

There. A small, unmistakable stain on my pants.

Blood.

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. In an instant, my face turned hot, shame prickling over my skin. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

“Oh God…” I whispered, frozen in horror. “No...”

I couldn’t even look at him. Couldn’t bear to see his expression. The embarrassment was overwhelming.

Karan must have noticed the panic on my face because he quickly shook his head. “Relax. No one else saw,” he said softly, almost like he was reading my thoughts. “I noticed because… I was walking behind you.”

This was the nightmare every woman dreaded; public stain, people noticing, judgmental stares....and here I was, caught in the middle of an airport with him of all people.

But Karan… he didn’t flinch. He didn’t smirk, didn’t make it awkward. Instead, his voice lowered, gentle but steady. “Hey. Don’t panic.”

“I...this is...oh God, this is so embarrassing,” I stammered, my eyes stinging.

“Teja,” he said again, firm enough to pull me out of my spiral. When I finally glanced up, his expression wasn’t disgusted. It wasn’t mocking. It was kind. Concerned.

“Look,” he continued softly, holding out the handbag he’d been carrying for me all this while. “There’s the ladies’ restroom right there. Go freshen up. Change if you need to. I’ll wait right here, okay?”

My throat tightened. He was so matter-of-fact about it, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. No awkwardness. No judgment.

Just… care?

I nodded quickly, clutching my bag like a shield and hurrying inside the restroom.

Inside, I locked myself in a stall and took a shaky breath. My reflection in the small mirror above the sink looked flustered, cheeks still crimson. But gradually, I calmed down. He hadn’t made me feel worse. If anything, he’d diffused the panic before it could spiral.

When I finally walked out, fresh pants on and hair fixed, I spotted him waiting by the wall, phone in one hand, suitcase by his side.

The second he noticed me, he slipped his phone into his pocket and straightened.

I avoided his eyes, still mortified, and muttered, “Let’s go.”

“Sure,” he said casually, as if nothing had happened. Then, without giving me a chance to argue, he took the heavy handbag right out of my hands.

“Karan-” I began.

“I’ll carry it,” he interrupted smoothly, slinging it over his shoulder. “Give me a chance to be stylish. Don’t argue.”

I shut my mouth, partly because I didn’t want to attract more attention in the middle of the airport, but mostly because… I couldn’t. I couldn’t push him away after everything he just did.

As we walked towards the exit, his calm presence beside me kept echoing in my mind.

The way he handled it, with so much maturity, without making me feel small; left a mark I couldn’t ignore.

For the first time that day, I realized something: Karan wasn’t just a tolerable company. He wasn’t just playful banter and humorous guy. He was someone who could be steady when I least expected it. Someone who, without even trying, made me feel… safe.

And as much as I hated to admit it, a part of me softened right then.