Near the outskirts, Devashree sat alone, her gaze lost upon the reflective surface of the water.

This secluded spot, away from the bustling heart of Vrindavan, had always been a haven for her-a place where the cacophony of daily life gave way to the quiet contemplation of nature's beauty. 

But tonight, it was not just the allure of tranquility that brought her here; it was the need to grapple with the looming change, the end of her cherished days in Vrindavan, and the departure from a community that had become her family.

Lost in thought, Devashree barely noticed the approach of soft footsteps until a familiar voice gently broke the silence. 

"I thought I might find you here," said Krishna, his tone carrying the weight of unspoken emotions.

Startled, Devashree looked up to see Krishna standing at the edge of the pond.

"Krishna," she replied, her voice tinged with both happiness and sorrow. "I needed to feel the peace of this place one last time. But I did not expect company, especially not yours."

Krishna moved to sit beside her, their shoulders barely touching. "Vrindavan has many secret nooks that offer solace," he said, staring out over the water. "But tonight, I find the burden of leaving to weigh heavily on my heart.

Their eyes met, and silence fell between them, the stillness of the evening broken only by the gentle lapping of water against the shore.

"I leave at dawn," Krishna said at last, his voice tinged with resignation. "The path before me is uncertain, probably filled with challenges and trials that I cannot foresee. And yet, I am bound by duty to follow it, to fulfill the destiny that awaits me beyond the boundaries of Vrindavan."

Devashree listened in silence, her heart aching for the burden that Krishna bore upon his shoulders. Though she could not fathom the trials that awaited him, she knew that his departure would leave a void in the hearts of all who loved him, herself included.

Devashree gazed at him as he sat. There was a gentle smile playing on his lips. A totally fake smile, she thought. Those deep, insightful eyes, usually brimming with a playful light, now carried a hint of sorrow.

She scooted closer to him and grabbed his hand, which was resting on his thigh, enclosing it in her warm ones.

"Krishna," she spoke softly, her voice a tender whisper, "do you think you can hide your pain from me?"

Krishna turned his gaze towards her, a soft sigh escaping him as he was met with her earnest, understanding look. He tightened his hold on her hand.

She turned sideways to look at him, and his dark eyes focused on her, they were so deep and beautiful. He smiled at her and laid his forehead against her, as a feeling of completeness washed over him.

"This is my last night here, Shree. I will never come here again." He whispered, as his eyes filled with tears, in a rare moment of vulnerability, that can only happen in the presence of his other half.

Her heart thundered in her chest, clenching at the pain in his voice, as she looked deep into his eyes and saw an ocean of pain. Her own eyes filled with tears as he wrapped his arms around her, buried his face in her neck, and let the tears loose.

Tears just trickled down from his eyes, as years of sweet memories of the place flashed before his eyes.

Fingers ran through his curls seeking his protection."Of course, you can come back here, Shyam, you would dare to stop you?" This was his home. His parents were here. He would of course come to them again.

Krishna could only shake his head.

She let him release all the pain in his heart, absorbing it in herself, praying for him to be free of it.

When he calmed down, she decided they couldn't spend such a beautiful night tinged with sorrow.

"Krishn?" she started in a low voice, her tone a little teasing.

"Hmm?"

With a spark of inspiration, she took Krishna's other hand, her touch gentle yet filled with purpose. "Come, Krishna," she urged, a playful gleam in her eyes.

Leading him through the familiar, winding paths of Vrindavan, they arrived at the doorstep of a house renowned throughout the village for its store of the creamiest, most delectable butter, a house that had often been the target of Krishna's mischievous raids.

Krishna allowed himself to be guided, curious yet uncertain. It was only when they stood before the storeroom, the rich aroma of freshly churned butter teasing his senses, that a spark of realization dawned upon him.

"I heard Sulabha kaki today saying she had prepared ten pots of makhan today. She has hung them in the storeroom. What do you say?" Devashree whispered with a wink.

The corners of Krishna's lips began to curve upwards in a hesitant smile, the first glimmer of his usual mirth returning to his eyes. "Fine! Today I shall teach you the intricate act of stealing makhan, tum bhi kya yaad rakhogi priye."

As Devashree saw the same playful smile enter his eyes, the return of his innate lightness and mirth, Devashree felt a warmth spread through her own heart.

She looked up at the rows of pots. "But Krishna, how do we reach them? They're so high up."

"That's where our quest begins," Krishna replied, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. He unrolled a thick, cushiony mat on the floor beneath the pots. "This mat will ensure you land safely if you fall."

With a determined nod, Devashree positioned herself, ready to ascend. Krishna lowered himself to make it easier for her to climb. "Remember, balance is key," he advised as she carefully climbed onto his shoulders.

Balanced precariously, Devashree reached out toward the closest pot. "I've got it!" she exclaimed, her fingers brushing against the cool clay.

"Just be careful," Krishna cautioned "Those pots are trickier than they appear."

In her zeal, Devashree stretched further, her movements causing the pots to wobble ominously. Suddenly all ten pots teetered and toppled, showering Krishna and Devashree  with creamy makhan, covering them from head to toe.

For a moment, silence enveloped them, punctuated only by the sound of dripping butter. 

"Krishna!" Devashree gasped, her laughter making her words stumble. "We're absolutely drenched in makhan!"

"Well, Shree, it seems we've discovered a new look. Who knew makhan could also be used for dressing up?"

Devashree looked down at Krishna wiping makhan from her eyes, " You look like a ghost." She burst into giggles.

Krishna chuckled "Shhh!! It's a wonder no one has come here yet with all the noise we made. Come, let us get out before we are caught."

He took her to the banks of Yamuna once more. 

With the butter dripping off them, they looked no less than ghosts, as if they had wrapped themselves in a sheet of white cloth from head to toe.

It was then, in that moment of distraction, that Krishna saw his chance. 

With a swift movement, Krishna gently nudged Devashree, sending her tumbling into the water of the river.

Cool water enveloping her, took Devashree a moment to process. As she surfaced, spluttering and laughing, she saw Krishna standing at the water's edge, his laughter ringing out, clear and joyful.

"Krishna!" Devashree exclaimed, half-exasperated, half-amused, as she waded back to the shore. "You trickster! Was that truly necessary?"

"Forgive me, Shree," he said, his voice rich with laughter. "But I couldn't resist. You were looking too delicious," he said, smirking as a crimson hue covered her neck to the tip of her ears.

"Oh, Krishna," Devashree called out"You think yourself quite the trickster, don't you? But perhaps you've forgotten whom you're dealing with."

"And what might that mean, Priyadarshini?" he inquired, his smile widening in anticipation of her retort.

With a swift, decisive movement Devashree reached out for Krishna and one fluid motion pulled Krishna into the water, the cool embrace of the Yamuna closing around them both.

The world seemed to pause, the only sounds were the splash of their entry and the sudden, surprised exhalation from Krishna as he found himself submerged alongside Devashree. Then, as they resurfaced, the air around them erupted into laughter once more, this time a chorus of joy shared between two hearts, unbound and resonant.

"Well played, Shree," he conceded, "It seems I have indeed underestimated you."

"Let this be a lesson, Krishna," she teased, splashing water in his direction with a playful flick of her hand. "In Vrindavan, even the most skilled trickster must stay on his toes."

Krishna chuckled. He could hardly win from his Chanchala.

He gazed at her deep orbs, which were shining with joy. If his defeat in the waters could bring her such joy, he could take it a million times. Because it was in her that he found himself, and in the dance of life with his beloved, every step, every path, every moment was a victory.

He looked up at the twinkling stars of the midnight sky, looked at the trees surrounding them, felt the breeze of air that caressed him, and splashed the water around him, thanking them deeply for this moment with his beloved.

Devashree also paused as she simply watched Krishna. He was totally focused on splashing the cool waters of the river. His dark kohl lotus eyes were alight and sparkling with unbridled pure joy.

Standing there, watching him play in the water, a sense of longing washed over Devashree-a longing not just for his closeness as she thought of countless moments they have shared, for conversations that lingered into the night, for laughter shared over simple joys, and for silent companionship that spoke volumes.

Every glance from him, every smile, felt like a spark that fueled the flames of her love. Her heart yearned to be closer to him

"Krishn" The tenderness in her voice had him pause in his movements.

Krishna looked at her, his dark gaze boring into her deep ones. 

There was a tenderness in her look, a softness that seemed to pierce through him, reaching into the very core of his being. It was a look filled with love, unspoken yet palpable.

Krishna moved towards her, still submerged in the gentle embrace of the river. 

A moment later he stood before her, the water swirling around them both and reached out, his hand extending through the moonlit waters to gently grasp hers. 

The contact, though simple, was electric, a spark that ignited a warmth that spread through Devashree's veins, filling her with a light that seemed to rival the very moon above.

"Shree," Krishna's voice broke the silence

He wound his arm around her waist and brought her closer. 

A gasp left her lips as her heated wet skin made contact with his bare upper body as she collided with him, her arms coming to rest on his shoulders.

Their eyes locked with each other, and everything else faded into insignificance, the rustle of leaves in the gentle evening breeze, even the steady rhythm of their own breathing. There was only the overwhelming presence of the other, felt not just visually but with every fiber of their being. The coolness of the water evaporated into mist as heated gazes were exchanged.

In the depths of his eyes, she saw the galaxies swirl, stars were born, and the moon found its orbit. Time lost its linearity, becoming instead a loop where past, present, and future merged.

Devashree had never felt so right. 

She wanted to utterly surrender herself to him. In his all-consuming love, she wanted to burn. She desired to completely give herself to him, engulfed in his all-encompassing affection, longing to be consumed.

The feeling of his arms gently pressing around hers and his intense gaze  was making her soul sing in harmony.

"Krishn," she whispered, her voice a soft melody, trembling from the sheer intensity of emotion. His name unfurled from her lips like a sacred vow, her honeyed voice enveloping him in a storm of love.

"Yes, my love?" His voice was tender, as if an intimate brush of his soul with hers.

"I give my soul to you tonight as the moon bears witness to this, for I love you. Completely, perfectly, and incandescently," she whispered, "you have bewitched my heart, body, mind, and soul." She gently caressed his cheeks with her delicate palm. " and hereby I give myself to you oh Shyam because in the vastness of this universe, my heart and my soul whisper only your name."

A single tear escaped the bounds of Krishna's lotus eyes tracing a luminescent path down his cheek.

He joined his forehead to that of his beloved's, cocooning her in his love which was overflowing after her heartfelt confession.

"O Priye, your love is what makes the essence of my existence and in your heart, I have found my home once again. You love are my greatest treasure, I love you and give myself to you in return." Krishna whispered as their breaths mingled with each other.

Not expecting a confession in return, Devashree's revere broke. Her heart filled with joy and peace. 

But as she registered his words, her brows furrowed. "What do you mean by again?"

Krishna looked at her, her neck tilted like a confused puppy and her eyes wide in curiosity.

 His Chanchale. He hasn't even recovered from her loving words and she had already asked him a question.

But this is what he loved so much about her. Her ever-changing, dynamic playful mind.

Krishna cupped her crimson cheeks as he looked down on her as he answered her.

"Yes again, because I fall for you every time I see you."

Her cheeks deepened their color to a tender pink that mirrored the blooming of a lotus.

"But are you sure?" Her voice had suddenly taken on a hesitant, vulnarable tone.

"Why, are you questioning my love for you, Priye?" Krishna pouted.

"No, Its just, we might never meet again, Krishna."

Krishna chuckled again at her innocence. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering a little more

"Believe me, our destiny meets at the same end."

Here, she had just told him a grave point, and he was talking in riddles. "You talk as if you can see the future," she grumbled.

Krishna laughed out loud "Don't worry, just remember, the souls that are bound by love can never be separated. Now come, you are utterly drenched. You don't want to return to your home like this, right?"

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A/N

How was the confession?

Tell me in the comments and vote if you enjoyed the chapter

ME: O HO HO HO , BLUSHING KRISHNA!!!

KRISHNA: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

ALSO KRISHNA:

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