Work Text:
“Kya yeh sahi hain Karthik? Mera birthday hain aur tu nahin aayega?”
14th November. 10pm.
Just two hours before Aman’s birthday.
Aman should have been happy, quite obviously yes, but he wasn’t.
Cause Karthik was not in town.
How could he do this to him? It’s his birthday, a day which comes only once a year and Karthik will not be here. He was at Kolkata currently due to some office work and then had to travel to Punjab, which meant, he couldn’t make it home until the 25th of November!
“Dus din beet chuke honge birthday ke baad jab tu aayega. Kya maza reh jayega Karthik?”
Aman yelled at him over the phone.
“Baby, kya karun, ab kaam toh karna padega na. Tu chinta mat kar, main koshish karta hoon jaldi waapis aane ki.”
“Rehn de yaar! Tu Kolkata main baitth ke mithai kha! Tujhe main ghar ke andar nahin aane doonga jab tu waapis aayega!”
“Koi na, main tujhe hi baahar khich loonga!”
“KARTHIK yaar!”
Aman wanted to laugh at it, but his anger poked him from within and controlled his laughter. Ofcourse, his laughter would bring him out of his character!
“Tu kal Delhi waapis aa raha hain, bass! Main aur kuch nahin sunoonga!”
“Abhi Kolkata mein hoon, kaise waapis aa jaaun kal?”
“Mujhe nahin pata, agar tu waapis nahin aaya toh....”
“Toh?”
“Tu waapis nahin aaya na, toh tu dekh...”.
“Kya dekhun?”
“Main bol deta hoon Karthik main....”
“Tu kya Aman?”
“Main ghar chhodke chala jaaunga!”
“Haan! Sahi idea hain! Tu ek kaam kar, tu agli flight pakadke Kolkata aa jaa! Tera birthday yahan manayenge.”
“KARTHIK!!!!!!!”
Aman said gritting his teeth.
“Samajh na baby! Kaam hain. Kya karun?”
“Yeh kya baat huyi? Poori zindagi bass main hi samajhta rahun?”
“Aisa nahin hain Aman!”
“Aisa hi hain Karthik. Tu aisa kaise kar sakta hain? Main apne birthday pe, poora akela hoon!”
“Kyun, Devi, Ravi, Keshav, Goggle, koi nahin aayenge? Ruk, main sabko phone karta hoon!”
“Tu nahin rahega toh main akela hi hounga na! Unko phone karne ki zaroorat nahin hain. Woh log aane waale hain.”
“Awww baby! I miss you so much!”
“And I hate you Karthik Fucking Singh!”
“But I love you Aman Smol Tripathi!”
This ‘smol’ that Karthik told him at times melted Aman’s heart at the very moment. In his childhood, when others used to tease him for his short height, Aman felt sad, and cried at night pushing his face into the pillow. He prayed to God that may he give him a really tall height and that his friends would no longer tease or taunt him.
Aman didn’t get a tall height for sure, but he got a tall boyfriend.
He clearly remembered the first time when he met Karthik during his first year in college.
Way down the memory lane, Aman recalled their first meeting.
“You’re so short and....”
Aman punched Karthik right in his nose when he spoke to him for the first time.
“Short and ugly right? I know! Stay away from an ugly person!”
Aman replied angrily to Karthik and walked away.
He didn’t even care to turn and look back to check out what had happened to Karthik.
The next day when he was at the cafeteria reading a book and silently eating, he saw a person through the corner of his eye who had a huge white thing over his face. The face looked weird ofcourse, and Aman wondered why would someone put something so weird over their face.
But before he could turn and find out who the person was, he heard a huge chaos as one of the girls suddenly fainted at the place and Aman saw that same white faced, weird looking person run out of the cafeteria.
He went up to the crowd which gathered around the girl and asked a guy what happened.
“Arrey tujhe pata nahin hain? Kal kisi ladke ne Karthik ka naak todd diya. Aaj subah woh ek bandage lagwake aaya tha college. Toh abhi kuch der pehle woh sabse baat kar raha tha aur achanak hi uske naak se khoon behne laga. Aur Reshma ko khoon se phobia hain. Isi liye woh behosh ho gayi.”
“Karthik kahan hain?”
“Woh abhi washroom gaya bhag ke, khoon saaf karne.”
Aman realised that he was behind all this and that guy who he had punched in the face yesterday was Karthik.
Aman rushed towards the nearest washroom and found Karthik struggling to wash away blood from his nose. All his t-shirt and jacket were getting wet in the process
“Main help karun?”
Aman offered.
Karthik looked up at him and immediately took two steps back. He was scared af to see Aman again.
“Darro mat! Nahin maroonga!”
Aman took a step forward to help him wash the blood.
“Nahin...aap kyun.....takleef loge? Main...main main...main khud kar loonga!”
“Kya yeh aap aap kar rahe ho? I don’t think I’m older to you. I’m eighteen, and you?”
“N...n...nineteen!”
“Toh main aapko aap kahun?”
“Nah...like...aap....tum rehn do na! I’ll wash it.”
Karthik started to wash the blood faster and as a result, his t-shirt got more wet.
“Poora nahane ka iraada hain?”
Aman asked and Karthik managed a smile in response. He was still scared of Aman.
“Tum laao main saaf kar deta hoon!”
Aman forcefully moved away Karthik’s hand, drenched his handkerchief in water and slowly pressed over his nose.
“Dard ho raha hain?”
“Haan, thoda bohot.”
“I’m sorry for yesterday yaar. I was actually worried for a cause and you just came and....”
“And you couldn’t control aur nikal diye gussa mere cute si naak pe?”
Aman was surprised. The guy who was scared of him a moment ago, is now smiling and complimenting himself!
“Look, I’m really sorry....”
“Arrey, koi na. I’m just joking. I didn’t mind! Karthik Singh!”
Karthik said extending his hand towards Aman.
“Aman Tripathi. Can we be friends?”
“If you promise you won’t break my nose again!”
Aman laughed and that was the beginning of their love story.
A year passed after they had become friends when Karthik proposed him in a drunken state.
“Aman Tripathi, you don’t know sweetheart how much I love you! Dost toh bacche rehte hain. Par mujhe toh tumse pyaar ho gaya hain baby! Will you be mera.... humesha?”
And he dropped down there itself at the bar.
With great difficulty, Aman brought Karthik to his home and made him lie on the bed. As he was about to leave, Karthik held his hand.
“Banoge mere boyfriend? Rahoge mere saath humesha?”
Aman realised Karthik was still dizzy and this was the alcohol in his brain which brought out the truth.
“Tujhe kya pata Karthik, pehle din hi tujhse pyaar ho gaya tha. Lekin, tu bhi waise mujhe chhota kehke chirane laga, isi liye mujhe gussa aa gaya. Varna itne din nahin lagte dosti ko pyaar mein badalne ke liye. I’m already your boyfriend, bass tujhe pata nahin hain.”
The next morning when Karthik realised what grave mistake he had done the last night by confessing to Aman, he slapped himself for drinking so much. He immediately called Aman up and asked him to meet outside the college gate in the evening.
“Kya baat hain Karthik? Tabiyat theek hain teri?”
Aman asked concerned when they met.
“Woh.... Aman....mujhe kal woh sab nahin batana chahiye tha. Tujhe awkward.....laga hoga...like.... pata hain, that’s obvious.... par....Tu chinta mat kar. It....my feelings won’t affect our friendship.”
“Friends rehna hi kyun hain? Kal raat toh baat ho gayi na?”
Karthik thought what else must have happened last night to ruin everything this way.
“K...kya baat huyi?”
“Yahin, ki we are in a relationship now!”
“Matlab tujhe iss baat se koi aitraz nahin hain?”
Karthik asked surprised.
“Nahin koi aitraz nahin hain. Aitraz kyun hoga?”
Karthik jumped in joy.
“Waise ek baat kahun?”
Karthik asked after he had finished celebrating his joy by jumping, smiling and facepalming himself.
“Haan bol na.”
“You’re short and...”
“Karthik! Phirse yaar?”
“...and handsome!”
“Kya?”
Aman couldn’t believe what he heard.
“You’re short and handsome! Yahin baat tujhe main pehle din bolna chahata tha. Par tu hain ki bina baat sune hi mere naak ki bridge todd diya.”
Aman couldn’t believe that all his childhood, he was mocked and taunted for his height. This was the first time someone complimented him for the same height and he, instead of hugging that person tight, broke the bridge of his nose? Such a rude guy he was!
Aman cried thinking this.
“Aman? Kya hua ro kyun raha hain?”
“Poora bachpan mujhe saare dost chhote karke chiraate aaye hain aur uss din jab tune mujhe short kaha toh mujhe laga ki tu bhi chiraayega! Isi liye maine tujhe, tere jaise insaan ko maar diya! I’m so bad a person Karthik!”
Karthik hugged him.
“Jinhone tujhe chiraaya hain, unhone tujhe andar se dekha nahin hoga. Tere jaisa insaan nahin hain Aman. Tu laakhon ya karodon mein ek nahin, tu ek hi ek piece bana hain. Aur jaisa bhi hain mera hain. You’re only my Aman ‘Smol’ Tripathi!”
“O Aman! Kahan kho gaye? Hello?”
Karthik’s voice brought Aman back to reality.
“Haan, kho hi chuka hoon. Kho hi jaunga agar tu waapis nahin aaya toh!”
“Baby, kaam ho jaata toh zaroor aata na main? Tujhe lagta hain tere birthday pe tujhse door rehke mujhe achha lag raha hain?”
“Haan, lagta hain aisa!”
“Haww! Ab main rone lagun?”
“Kab kis cheez ke liye mera permission liya hain tune jo ab rone ke liye le raha hain?”
“Aise mat kaho na baby! Mann kar raha hain bhag ke chala jaaun tumhare paas abhi!”
“Tu bhaag ke aa ya udke aa, mujhe koi phark nahin padta! Tujhe main andar aane hi nahin doonga! Bye!”
Aman hung up the call.
This, probably was his worst birthday ever! Aman Tripathi’s birthday without Karthik Singh? God! He couldn’t even think about it. The last ten years that they have spent together, never had this happened that one was not present at the other’s special day. This was the first time.
Being the kind of emotional fellow he was, Aman lifted up his mug of coffee, which had now turned cold and went towards the balcony with tears in his eyes. Though their other friends would come, Karthik was always special. No one could take Karthik’s place in his life. But why didn’t Karthik understand that? Why was work so important to Karthik more than him? Why and when did Karthik turn so apathetic towards him?
There were many whys but none of them had any answer.
Aman sat down on the floor of the balcony and recalled some nights when Karthik and he would not sleep till late and sing songs. Karthik would play the guitar and Aman would sing softly, careful enough to not disturb their neighbours. He recalled one such night.
“Mera mann, kehne laga,
Paas aake na tu door jaa.
Chhune de, hoth tere,
Zara saanso mein apni basa....”
Aman sang.
“Chhun lo na baby, mana kisne kiya?”
Karthik spoke, instead of singing in queue.
“Kya matlab?”
“Abhi toh tune kaha ‘chhune de, hoth tere' toh wahi main keh raha tha ki....mana kisne kiya? Aur jab kisine kiya hi nahin, toh jhijhak kis baat ki? Waise how do you wanna touch my lips? Haathon se ya apne hothon se?”
Karthik smirked.
“Yaar, kitna bolta hain tu? Bass topic chahiye hota hain, aur mahashay shuru!”
Aman slapped his forehead as he said this.
“Ab tu hi kehta hain ki main baat nahin karta hoon toh tujhe boring lagta hain, main, main nahin lagta hoon. Ab baat kar raha hoon toh tujhe aitraaz hain. Ab main...”
“Arrey chup! Kitna bakoge? Ab ‘sa’ se gaao!”
“Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa!”
“Main nahin khel raha! Jaa raha hoon main!”
“Accha sunn. Gaata hoon!”
Karthik called out to Aman as he left.
“Khud ke liye gaa. Main chala sone!”
Aman crawled up the bed and turned his back towards Karthik’s side. He missed the warm man beside him before sleeping, but he had to show he was angry.
He heard a sound.
Karthik shut the door of the balcony.
“Itni akad? Main chala aaya gussa karke aur woh mujhe manane tak nahin aaya?”
Aman thought.
He heard another sound.
Karthik kept the guitar in its place.
“Guitar bhi rakh diya! Bhaar mein jaao!”
“Salamen ishq meri jaan,
Zara qubool kar lo,
Tum humse pyaar karne ki,
Zara si bhool kar lo!”
Aman turned towards Karthik’s side and saw him singing. He half sat up on his bed.
“Mera dil bechain hain,
Humsafar ke liye!
Mera dil bechain hain,
Humsafar ke liye!
Salamen ishq meri jaan,
Zara qubool kar lo!”
Aman smiled at Karthik as he sang and danced. He had forgotten that he was angry on him.
“Itna drama kaise Karthik?”
“Saada saara drama tuhadde lai hain!”
“Achha? Tussi mainu vadhiya laage! Sahi kaha kya?”
“Haaye, tussi mainu dil de hamla kitta! Tujhe pata hain, tu jab punjabi bolta hain na, kitna cute lagta hain tu!!!!!! My baby cutest!”
“Ab aaja, so le. Is drama ke liye koi Oscar nahin milne waala tujhe!”
“Arrey mera Oscar toh main khud hi le loonga! Tum uski fikar mat karo!”
“Achha? Aur lega kahan se?”
And almost immediately, Aman saw Karthik jump over the bed, shift closer to him and closed the distance between both their lips and their bodies.
“Mil gaya Oscar!”
Karthik said after they completed exploring each other’s mouths.
“Tujh se kuch kehne se pehle hazar baar sochke bol na padega! Kis baat ka kya matlab nikaal ke kya karega, bhagwan jaane! Chal good night!”
But he heard no response. Aman turned back to see Karthik peacefully snoring, already. He laughed at his cute boyfriend and kissed him on his head before going to sleep.
Aman wiped his cheeks which had tears and realised that his phone had been ringing for long. He came up to the living area and picked up his phone.
75 missed calls, 150 messages and twenty of them had songs sung by Karthik.
“Manane ki koshish kar raha hain ab! Nahin manunga main. Seen zone karke rakh doonga!”
Aman did open the chat, saw the messages and then switched off his phone before going to bed.
“Kisi ka birthday wish nahin sununga aj raat! Itne saare dost, bhai, behen, koi bhi Karthik ko mana nahin paaya waapas aane ke liye! Mujhe kya? Main bhi nahin sunne waala kisi ki baat!”
Aman kept his switched off phone aside and went to sleep, ten minutes before 12am. What he didn’t realise was that, read receipts on his WhatsApp was turned off.
Aman’s morning started in a very bad way. It had been this way since the past five days. Every morning Karthik would wake him up with coffee in his hands, but these days, he had to wake up on his own and make himself a cup of coffee.
“Hadd hain yaar! Birthday waali feels hi nahin aa rahi!”
Aman came out to the balcony with his coffee mug in hand.
It was a Sunday. Hence, everyone was spending time with their families. Mr. Mehra, who was Aman and Karthik’s neighbour, was spending time with his family at his balcony. On seeing Aman, he wished him a very happy birthday with his signature wide smile. Aman smiled in return, spoke to him for a while and went inside his house. Cause he received his first wish, but that was not from Karthik! This thought itself made him sad.
Karthik!
Karthik Singh!
Aman burned in rage.
“Baat hi nahin karunga usse! Chahe jo kar le!”
Burning with anger, Aman went to take a bath and spent the rest of his day sitting idle. He watched several movies and quite forgot that he had switched off his phone the previous night.
Five in the evening.
Aman was lying on the bed reading a book when suddenly he heard the doorbell ring.
Not just ring, it rang in a continuous and weird manner.
“Iss waqt kaun aayega? Goggle aur baaki saare toh saat baje aane waale hain!”
The doorbell continued to ring and Aman understood that if he didn’t make it fast, the visitor would certainly break the bell.
Aman almost ran up to the door.
And as soon as he opened it, his heart skipped a beat.
Karthik was standing there with his trolley and a huge packet in his hand.
But before Aman could react, Karthik acted in an unexpected way.
He kept the packet down on the ground and hugged Aman while he cried.
“Aman! Aman, tu theek hain na? Tujhe kuch nahin hua na?”
Aman didn’t expect this at the least. Why would Karthik feel something happened to him?
“Haan main theek hoon Karthik. Kya hoga mujhe?”
Aman replied, while patting Karthik’s back to calm him down. Why was Karthik so worried?
“Tujhe kuch nahin hoga. Sach mein! Tujhe kuch hone hi nahin doonga main! Main aa gaya na! Bass! Ab jaunga hi nahin!”
“Ab yeh kaunsa naya drama hain? Ghar aate hi shuru ho gaya tu!”
Aman asked, pulling away from the hug.
“Drama? Aman jaan nikal gayi thi meri! Yeh Kolkata se Delhi tak ka safar kaise kiya maine, bass main hi jaanta hoon!”
“Arrey par hua kya?”
Aman asked as Karthik entered the house with his luggage. Aman picked up the packet, closed the door and kept the packet on the dining table.
“Kal raat se phone kar raha hoon tujhe. Pehle missed calls ho rahe the, phir achanak hi switched off ho gaya. Tu toh kabhi phone switch off nahin karta, time pe phone charge pe bhi daalta hain. Tera phone switched off sunke phat gayi meri. Message bhi kiya tha, tune dekha tak nahin. Mujhe aur darr lag gaya ki pata nahin kya ho gaya tujhe!”
“Haan, tujhpar gussa karke maine phone switch off kar diya tha, lekin messages toh maine dekhi thi.”
“Kahan?”
Karthik took out his phone and showed Aman that indeed the messages showed unseen.
Aman went to the bedroom and reached out to his phone. He switched it on, only to see that there were 500 missed calls and innumerable text and WhatsApp messages.
“Poori raat call karta raha tujhe. Har aadhe ghante baad, yeh sochke ki tu phone uthayega. Par nahin. And then to make matters worse, Kolkata mein dense fog ki wajah se meri flight bhi delay ho gayi. Phat ke chaar ho gayi thi meri Aman, aur yeh sab tujhe drama laga?”
“Awww baby! I’m sorry!”
“Sorry? Itna laparwah kaise ho sakta hain tu Aman?”
Karthik asked angrily.
“Gussa mat karo na baby. Yeh socho, ki agar main phone off nahin karta, toh kya tum aise jaldi chale aate? Ab birthday saath mein manane ko milega!”
“Woh toh main waise bhi aata! Tujhe bass chira raha tha...”
“Kya?”
Aman asked surprised.
“Haan!”
Karthik bit his tongue when he realised that he slipped it.
“Matlab woh sab....jo tu kal bol raha tha, woh....woh sab mazak tha?”
“Haan? Woh....nahin! Mazak kahan? Woh....main....sorry!”
“Sorry? KARTHIK!!!!!!!!!”
Aman gritted his teeth in anger as he spoke.
“Woh....tujhe surpri....”
“Surprise????? Aise????”
“Agar bol deta toh surprise thodi hoti baby?”
“Don’t baby me Karthik! Itna bada jhoot?”
“Tu khush nahin hain kya jo main ghar waapas aaya? Tujhe bass jhoot hi dikh raha hain?”
“Tu jaanta hain mujhe jhoot se sakht nafrat hain!”
“Yeh jhoot toh surprise waala tha Aman!”
“Mujhe koi baat nahin karni tujhse!”
Aman went into the bedroom and closed the door.
“Yeh expected nahin tha Aman. Main Kolkata se itni door flight pakad ke aaya, sirf tere liye, tujhe surprise dene ke liye. Aur tu hain ki.....bass jhoot ko hi dekh raha hain? Raho tum apne jhooth ke saath. Main jaa raha hoon!”
Aman heard Karthik speak before he banged close the door of their house.
Aman, who was not that angry on Karthik, didn’t expect Karthik to leave at this much. But when he left, it made Aman more angry.
“Itni akad? Pehle toh khud jhoot bolta hain, phir khud hi ghar chhor ke jaata hain? Jahan khushi jaao! As if I care!”
Aman sat on his bed scrolling through his phone.
The clock struck six.
One hour passed since Karthik left the house.
“Jo bhi ho, jahan bhi jaay, as if I care!”
Aman told looking at the clock!
Six thirty.
“Abhi tak waapas nahin aaya. Let him do whatever he wants to do, as if I care!”
Seven.
“I do care! Karthik toh surprise dene hi aaya tha mujhe. Kyun itna gussa ho jaata hoon main? Karthik!!!!”
Aman came out to the living area and called out to Karthik.
The house was all empty again. Empty and quiet.
“Kyun kyun main itna gussa karta hoon...”
Aman asked himself in anger when suddenly his eyes caught the huge packet in the table.
Aman went and took out a huge box from the packet. It had a huge cake in it. A Nutella Cake with various pictures of Aman and Karthik together on it!
Aman cried and realised how big a mistake he did. There was nothing wrong that Karthik did. He only wanted to surprise him on his birthday.
Aman knew where Karthik could go. He therefore changed his clothes, picked the packet of cake and left the house.
“Delhi mein agar woh mujhe chhor kar kahi jaa sakta hain, toh woh ek hi jagah hain.”
Aman thought while travelling to Devika’s house.
“Devika?”
Aman was confused when he saw Devika’s house dark on reaching there. He could see nothing inside.
“Koi hain ghar pe?”
There was no response.
“Hello? Devi?”
“Tarrraaaaa!!!!”
All of a sudden the lights went on and too many people jumped out from behind the sofa.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMAN!!!!!!”
Aman saw Devika, Ravi, Goggle, Keshav and also Karthik from behind the sofa!
“Kya yaar? Tum sab ne dara hi diya tha mujhe.”
Aman came forward and hugged Devika.
“Waah bhai! Cake main laya aur hug Devika ko mila?”
“Tu toh chup hi reh jaa! Aise kyun ghar se chala aaya tu?”
“Arrey bhai, yeh hum sabka plan tha!”
Goggle said.
“Plan?”
“Haan. Karthik ka tujhse jhoot bolna, phir ek dum se ghar waapas aa jaana tujhe surprise dene ke liye, yeh sab plan mein tha. Karthik ka slip of tongue bhi slip nahin tha, woh plan mein tha, ta ki tu uspe gussa ho jaaye aur woh yahan aa sake. Nutella Cake ko wahi chhor ne ka plan isi liye banaya ta ki use dekh ke tujhe apne pyare boyfriend ki yaad aa jaay, tu use dekhne ke liye tadap uthe, teri saanse atak jaaye use dekhe bina, aur tu daure yahan chala aaye! Kyunki Delhi mein Karthik tujhe chhor ke ek Devika ke paas hi aa sakta hain, aur yeh baat tu achhe se jaanta hain!”
Goggle said being overly dramatic.
“Achha bass, samajh gaya main! Itna sab kuch? Par yeh toh tum log humare ghar pe bhi kar sakte the.”
“Kar sakte the, par wahan tu hota na. Surprise darwaza khatkhata ke nahin aata! Par ek baat humare plan mein nahin thi. Tera phone switch off kar lena. Woh kyun kiya?”
Goggle asked.
“Main bataun?”
Karthik interjected, turning Aman red in embarrassment.
“Mere baby ko pehla birthday wish mujhse sunna tha. Isi liye usne phone off kar diya. Kyun baby?”
Aman put his head down in embarrassment as everyone cooed and cheered.
“Koi na baby! Happy Birthday!”
Karthik came up and hugged Aman who only grew shy at it. Aman wasn’t a very open person around everyone.
The remaining evening, everyone enjoyed, cut the cake and danced to various tunes along with drinks. Karthik was the one to drink the most.
“Iska main kya karun Devi?”
Aman asked helplessly to Devika.
“Amaannnnnn!!!!! Amaaannnn tu mera hain!!!!! Happy bwirthday baby!!!! Am...amaaaannnn!”
Karthik held Aman’s hand and swayed it from side to side.
“Karthik, tujhe nasha ho chuka hain! Sambhalo apne aap ko!”
“Haan, mujhe toh tera nasha kabse chadha hua hain! Lekin...”
Karthik stood up straight as he spoke.
“Rahi baat alcohol ki, toh nahin mujhe nahin chadhi hain! Kaun bolta hain Karthik Singh is drunk? Mujhe chadhti hi nahin!”
Karthik said, making Aman even more embarrassed.
“It’s okay Aman! Ise main jaanti hoon! Aisa hi hain yeh. Tu chal, main tum donon ko ghar chhor deti hoon!”
Devika drove the two back home. Karthik slept on Aman’s shoulder as Aman gently brushed his hands through his hair. It had been five long days since Karthik was out of town and what all happened today, was more of a dream to Aman. He smiled recalling the evening and Devika smiled too, seeing the two lovebirds through her rear view mirror.
“Pahunch gaye?”
Karthik asked as the car stopped after an hour.
“Tujhe kaise pata chala? Tu toh so raha tha na?”
Devika asked.
“Nahin woh jaag gaya tha. Kuch zyada hi daaru pee lee maine aj!”
“Nayi baat kaunsi hain Karthik? Humesha hi peeta hain, aur ab ghar jaake ulti karega! Chal!”
Aman almost pulled him out of the car.
“Thanks Devi!”
“Chal bey! Doston ko thanks bolta hain? Abhi tak utra nahin tera nasha! Chal goodbye!”
Devika left and Karthik ran up the staircase to their house. He indeed needed to puke!
When Karthik came out of the washroom he saw Aman standing infront of him in a pair of shorts and cotton vest.
And quite naturally, Karthik lost it. He immediately left his clothes and came out in his shorts too, but, with a bare top.
Aman smirked. He knew what was about to happen.
“Raat baki, baat baki,
Hona hain jo, ho jane do...”
Karthik sang and almost immediately, took a huge stride, closed the gap between themselves and lifted Aman up in the air. Aman laughed as Karthik swayed him from side to side.
“Karthik, baby thand bohot hain. Kuch pehen le upar!”
Aman told him as Karthik held Aman in his arms, in the air.
“Don’t worry baby! I’ll wrap you around myself! Indeed bohot thand hain!”
Karthik replied as he headed towards the bedroom with Aman in his arms.
“Cake kaisa laga aj? Tere liye teri favourite Nutella Cake laya tha main!”
Karthik asked as he laid Aman down on the bed.
“Mera birthday cake toh tu hain, mera Karthik Singh!”
Aman replied as he caressed Karthik’s cheeks with his hands.
“Awww baby!”
Karthik bent down and kissed Aman on his cheeks. He then again held up his body over Aman’s and looked into his eyes.
“Happy Birthday Baby!”
Karthik whispered.
“Thank you babu!”
Aman smiled.
And Karthik’s roaming eyes came to a stop at Aman’s lips. And so did Aman’s.
“Socho na dekho to, dekho haan
Jaan-e-jaan mujhe pyar se.
Socho na dekho to, dekho haan
Jaan-e-jaan mujhe pyar se.”
And almost immediately after Karthik finished singing the lines did he catch Aman’s lips with his own. A deep and passionate kiss was something both of them needed at this very moment after being separated for so long. Karthik was kind of tired and ‘needed human touch’ whereas Aman considered this as the best birthday gift he ever received.
Karthik nibbled on Aman’s lower lips as Aman moaned. Feeling a bit cold, Aman realised that Karthik at some point had opened his vest too. Both of them now lay on the bed with bare tops.
Karthik slowly moved downwards as he continued kissing Aman. From his lips, to his neck and then on his bare chest. Aman moaned as he felt Karthik’s lips all over his body. From his chest Karthik further moved down his belly and waited there for a while before moving further down.
After he completed kissing every part of Aman’s body, he came up again to face Aman. Aman smiled as both looked into each other’s eyes. It seemed that they lost themselves in the depth of the other’s eyes.
Karthik kissed Aman back again before pulling the blanket over themselves.
15th November. Aman’s birthday. A day, neither of the two of them would forget. A day, that was always special to the both of them, and now would be even more special after what happened this night. Aman had later told Karthik that the night was the best birthday gift he ever received in his entire life. Karthik in return just hugged him real tight and promised to bring this night back to his life, every year.