Work Text:
“Kartik! Mera hoodie dekha kya?”
Aman screamed from the bedroom, after searching his entire closet.
“Gudgudi? Bhala koi gudgudi kaise dekh sakta hain Aman?”
Kartik shouted from the living room.
“Uff! Is ladke ka main kya karun?”
Aman said gritting his teeth.
“Bohot kuch kar sakta hain. Abhi karne ki list mujhe tereko dena hain, yahin baat mujhe hazam nahin ho rahi!”
Kartik said, leaning at the door of their bedroom.
“Haan, yeh barabar sunai diya na tujhe?”
“Ab itne hot banke, daant ghiske kahega toh sunai toh dega hi na.”
“Hot banke?”
And almost immediately Aman realised what grave mistake he had done! He had taken a bath and had come out of the washroom wearing only his pair of jeans. He was running late for his college and couldn’t find his hoodie in such a situation. Both these factors together caused his brain to go haywire and he forgot to wear a t-shirt.
Infact, not even a vest.
Kartik wouldn’t leave him if he caught him once now.
“Ab tu mujhe taakna chhodega? Meri hoodie nahin mil rahi yaar!”
“Tujhe taakna is duniya main koi chhod sakta hain? Fevicol ki tarah hain tu, ekbar tujhpe nazre atak jaaye na, koi chhura nahin payega! Main toh katai nahin!”
“Kartik main....”
Aman had been searching his hoodie in the closet and was replying to Kartik. He didn’t notice when Kartik had changed his position from the door of the bedroom to right behind him. Aman paused as he saw Kartik standing right behind him.
“Kartik main.... main...main.....”
“Main main kya Aman?”
“Main...woh....mujhe der ho rahi hain college ke liye!”
“Toh ja na. Kisne tujhe roka?”
Kartik said taking a step forward towards Aman.
Aman knew situations would go out of hand any moment, as Kartik was standing dangerously close to him.
“Kartik....dekh, abhi nahin! Abhi mujhe jaana hain, bohot der ho rahi hain!”
“Toh kisne tumhe roka hain? Jaao na baby!”
And boom!
No, it wasn’t Kartik.
It was Aman himself!
Kartik deliberately added the ‘baby’ in the end. He knew Aman would never be able to deny after that and now, they were kissing, almost inside the closet! Kartik loved it when Aman, his small baby, started a kiss. He had to first pull Kartik’s lips towards his, either by holding his cheeks or by sliding his fingers behind his ears. Aman was a perfect kisser! He might be an introvert to the world, but Kartik knew how lovely and desperate a person he was when matters came to their bedroom. Or rather, home itself!
Okay! Ahem!
Aman suddenly realised again that he was running late.
“Chalta hoon! Late pahuncha na, toh principal kiss nahin karega, seedha gardan pakad ke nikal dega!”
“Kiss kare toh bolna, main use hi gardan pakad ke bahar phek doonga! Mere Aman ko kiss bass......”
“.....Kartik Singh hi kar sakta hain! Pata hain! Ek dialogue kitni baar marega tu?....hoodie nahin mil rahi yaar!”
“Tu chal breakfast kar, main dekhta hoon!”
“Nahin abhi yeh sab ke liye time nahin hain. Main ek normal sweater pehn ke nikal loonga, baad mein aake dekhta hoon!”
“Khana toh khaake ja!”
“Tujhe bhook lagi hain tu kha! Itna lamba kiss karke mera pet toh bhar gaya!”
Aman said while wearing his socks.
“Lamba matlab?”
“Poore paanch minute ka tha kiss! What more do you want?”
“And how do you know paanch minute ka tha?”
“Kaisa sawaal hain Kartik yeh? Ofcourse maine ghadi dekhi na!”
“Iska matlab is ghar mein bass main hi ek passionate insaan hoon! Kisiko kiss karte waqt aankhe bandh bass meri hi hoti hain! Huh! Kya zamana hain!”
“Achha? Baat toh aise kar raha hain jaise tu zamane ke bahar ka insaan hain?”
“Haan mere saath jhagra karne ke time pe der nahin hoti, hoodie dhoondhte waqt der nahin hoti, time limit toh bass kiss ke liye hoti hain nahin?”
“Kyun itna senti maar raha hain tu?”
Aman came up and kissed Kartik on his cheeks. Kartik becomes sad whenever Aman scolds him. Though it happens very rarely, it does happen. Cause....why not? If Aman has to handle his work and then an equally lovable and annoying ‘boyfriend and baby in one man’ at home, any living person would be angry and would require to scold. Aman was still better as he needed to do this occasionally. Cause he let Kartik win most of the times.
“Aata hoon! Aj last day hain college ka, phir chutti! Uske baad maze karenge!”
Saying this Aman left.
It was the 20th of December. Winter holidays were about to begin at Aman’s college and Kartik had taken leave from his office till the first. His boss was a really nice person who pampered Kartik as his own brother. He therefore granted him the leave when Kartik submitted his emergency leave application.
“Teri emergency main samajhta hoon!”
Gautam, Kartik’s boss told him.
“Ab kya batayen Sir? Woh itni badi musibat aa gayi hain na.....”
Kartik had just started his story when Gautam stopped him.
“Kaunse club mein jaane waala hain?”
Kartik understood his lie was caught. He therefore put his head down.
“Keya!”
“Thank God tera taste ab achha hua! Pichhli bar kya bhadda club mein le gaya tha Aman ko! Kaise tolerate kar leta hain woh tujhe, hain? Abhi bhi tere saath hain! Utna bhadda club mein le gaya tha, mujhe hi ulti aa rahi thi. Bechara Aman! Ja, leave granted. Aur agle baar se na jhoot thoda maska marke bola kar! Yeh kya har baar, mausa, foofa, tau ko maarta rehta hain? Kab naam repeat ho jayega, ek insaan ko do baar maar dega, tab problem ho jayegi! Chal ja ab! Mujhe kaam hain!”
Kartik left silently and then smiled. He prayed that may God gift such a boss to every employee!
Not that Kartik did it quite often. One long holiday only once as year, during Christmas and two one day leaves, during his birthday and during Aman’s birthday! But his leave applications often contained that one of his relatives died and he needed to attend the funeral, or he was severely ill.
Five more days until Christmas. Eleven more days until 31st night!
Excitement had reached Kartik’s top chamber as he couldn’t decide what he should do during this one week.
“First rule! Most important one! Aman busy hona chahega but that’s the first and foremost thing I can’t allow him to be. Not for this week at least.”
“Two. Only Kartik Singh dominates in everything; except for the kisses, at which Aman is the best.”
“Three. Beers are a must!”
“Four. Keya on 31st night.”
“And five. Keya ke baad.....”
Kartik smirked. So when Kartik has that cute smirk on, we know something is going on in his mind, knowing which Aman might feel embarrassed, as was his nature.
25th of December now.
All went well. The duo spent the evening with their friends by cutting plum cakes and drinking beer or wine. Dance, music, antakshari, everything went well. Except for Aman, who though enjoyed the party was partly sad as he couldn’t find his favourite hoodie for five days now.
Every year, Aman waits for the winters to come so that he could wear his favourite mustard hoodie. He would wear it almost everyday and seldom washed it. Even on Christmas parties and 31st nights, Aman used to wear it everywhere. Kartik somehow didn’t like that colour on him, but didn’t question either as he always respected Aman’s choice.
But that wasn’t the point! The whole point was that his favourite hoodie has been missing for five long days now and he still couldn’t find it.
“Kahan ja sakta hain yaar?”
Aman asked as he searched under the bed once they came back home after the party.
“Kya baby? Kya dhoondh rahe ho? I thought things were gonna happen on 31st night. But no problem! You want it tonight, who am I to deny?”
“Kartik chup rahega tu? Bilkul chup! Mujhe apni hoodie nahin mil rahi paanch din se pata nahin kahan hain woh aur tu yahan baitthe baitthe fizul ki baatein kar raha hain! Tu jaanta hain na kyun favourite hain mujhe woh hoodie? Goggle ki pehli salary se usne pehli gift kharidi thi mere liye! How can I be so irresponsible so as to lose it?”
“Aman kuch zyada nahin soch raha tu?”
Kartik stood up from the bed, went up to Aman and lifted him up in his arms.
“Kartik kya pagalpan hain yeh sab? Niche utaro mujhe.....mujhe darr lagta hain!”
“Darr toh mujhe bhi lagta hain, ki kahi tumhari hoodie dhoondhne ke chakkar mein humari chutti na bigad jaye.”
He placed a protesting Aman on the bed and tucked him inside the blanket just as a baby!
“Now you gotta sleep!”
“No I won’t sleep! I want my hoodie!”
“Kabhi tujhe mere liye itna desperate nahin dekha jitna tu us hoodie ke liye ho raha hain!”
“Phirse senti? Tu ek hoodie se competition ladega ab?”
Aman laughed.
“Oh munda! Tussi mainu mazak na urayeen! Saada punjabiyan da munda hoon. Main humesha sach hi kehda!”
“Achha? Tera sach pata hain mujhe! Pata nahin mera favourite hoodie kahan gaya yaar!”
Aman turned to the other side of the bed, facing his back towards Kartik.
Now, Kartik Singh is not that kind that he will give up so easily. He stepped down from the bed.
“Kartik?”
Aman called him as he felt the place behind him empty after sometime. He turned back to see that the place was empty indeed.
“Kartik kahan gaya tu?”
No answer.
“Bathroom mein hain kya? Nahin light toh bandh hain, light bandh karke toh kabhi nahin jaata! Kartik!”
Aman sat up on the bed.
Okay, now for the arrangements, Aman slept on the right side of the bed beside the wall while Kartik slept on the left side, which faced the door of the bedroom. Aman sat up on his place and turned his face towards the door of the room.
“Kartik! Had hain yaar! Raat ke barah baje bhi isko mazak soojhta hain! Kya karun main iska? Kar....”
Aman couldn’t complete. He felt a huge but skinny palm touch him on his scruff. Aman received a shot of dopamine in his body and before he could turn back and see the person who owned that hand, he felt a force pull his head in the same direction and almost immediately a pair of thin lips touched his.
Aman lost control over his thoughts. Of course it was Kartik! He could perceive him and every part of his body even if his eyes were closed. He knew every fold of Kartik’s mouth, every movement by his lips, every second when he would turn his head.
Kartik was standing in his knees beside the bed and pulled Aman even closer, though not detaching the lips. He then slid his fingers behind Aman’s ears and began to play with it by folding it every time the ear stood up straight.
“Achha, ab bohot hua! Kya tha yeh? Kahan chala gaya tha tu?”
Aman asked once they broke off.
“Yahin tha! Tune dekha nahin iska matlab yeh thodi hain ki main gayab ho gaya tha!”
“Mujhe tu dikha nahin, aur ab mujhe jaan na hain ki tu kahan hain! Aur tu mujhe batayega! Bass ho gayi baat khatam!”
Aman spoke as he watched Kartik stand up, walk to the other side of the bed and lie down calmly, tucking himself inside the blanket.
“Kuch poochh raha hoon main!”
Aman asked seriously.
“Oh! Achha! Mujhe laga tune kaha ho gayi baat khatam!”
“Kartik yaar!”
Kartik laughed.
“Achha batata hoon. Tu us side mudke so gaya! Toh main bed se utar gaya aur aise ghutno pe crawl karke, I reached the other side in the space between the wall and the bed. Phir jaise hi tum seedha baitth gaye, maine bhi mauka dekh ke....”
Kartik pushed himself up from the bed to kiss Aman again.
“Haan theek hain, theek hain, samajh gaya!”
Aman turned his back towards Kartik again and almost immediately felt Kartik dragging his fingers down his back. He knew he needed to stop it here, or the night will be memorable but tiring. He needed sleep more than memories now.
“Good night! Ab aur tang mat kar mujhe!”
Aman smiled as he closed his eyes. He heard Kartik mumble an angry 'good night' before he fell asleep.
31st December.
In the evening, at the Karman household in Delhi.
Same topic. Aman’s hoodie was still not found. After searching for almost an hour, Aman sat down on the bed and began to cry.
Kartik came running from the other room.
“Kya baat hain baby? Ro kyun rahe ho? Kya hua?”
“Mera hoodie nahin mil raha Kartik. Pichhle dus din se dhoondh raha hoon, kahi nahin mil rahi! Woh Goggle ka gift tha. Main itna laparwah kaise ho sakta hoon, ki maine use kho diya???”
Seeing Aman cry for it, Kartik could hold no longer. He ran to the other room and brought the hoodie back!
Aman was surprised to see this! He stopped crying and looked at the hoodie and Kartik, simultaneously as his mouth remained wide open.
“Tu....tujhe.....tere paas kaise aayi yeh hoodie?”
“Pehle bata tu mujhe marega nahin!”
“Mann toh kar raha hain tujhe abhi balcony se niche phek doon! Par mujhe jaan na hain ki yeh tere paas kaise aaya!”
“Tu winter aate hi bass ise pehnta hain! Kuch aur pehnta hi nahin! Main tere liye do naye sweaters laya, abhi tak price tags bhi nahin phade tune uske. Bass isi ek hoodie ke liye. Teen saal se har 31st ko tu yahin pehen ke clubs jaata hain, mere laaye blazers ya sweaters nahin pehnta tu. Isi liye is saal maine chhupa diya hoodie!”
Aman just looked at him in surprise. This child in Kartik won his heart for the umpteenth time.
“Chhupaya kahan tha?”
“Woh.....kitchen ke ek cabinet ke bohot andar, jahan normally plastic ke packets rehte hain aur tu unhen zyada nahin kholta! Toh mujhe laga wahan chhipaungi toh tujhe milegi nahin!”
Aman broke into a laughter. Now it was Kartik’s turn to be surprised!
“Tujhe gussa nahin aaya?”
Aman stood up and wrapped his arms around Kartik’s neck.
“Kabhi kabhi lagta hain tu bada hi nahin hua! Maine ek bachche se pyaar kiya hain!”
Aman giggled and put his head on Kartik’s chest.
Kartik took a moment to register that he was not into any danger.
“Bachcha hi toh hoon, baby!”
“Baby mujhe bulate ho aur bachcha khudko bulate ho?”
“Tu mera baby, main tera bachcha! See, I call you daddy too!”
Kartik smirked.
“Ufff shuru ho gaya! Chal ab! Der ho rahi hain!”
“Toh, kya pehn raha hain?”
“Hoodie pehnu? Kyunki dekh kal 1st Jan hain, kal naye saal ka shuruat naye sweaters ke saath karunga! Theek hain?”
Kartik seemed to like the idea. He agreed.
The duo reached Keya on their bike, where Devika and Ravi were waiting for them.
“Aman aj bhi mustard hoodie pehn ke aaya? Tune toh kaha tha tune chhipa diya hoodie?”
Devika asked as soon as they reached the club.
“Achhaa mere sivaay hoodie chhipane ka plan sabko pata hain, nahin Kartik?”
Aman asked.
“Woh main....bass aise hi....”
“Achha chal, kitni der laga dee tum logone!”
Ravi told who was getting restless.
The four of them entered the club. There were a lot of people dancing on the floor. Aman feared so many people together, but still accompanied Kartik on the grounds, that he will not be pulled into the dance floor. Kartik had agreed to it. And thus, Aman came to the club.
Aman had beer, Kartik ordered a peg of whiskey while Devika and Ravi took two tequila shots each!
“Devi, Ravi, woohoo! Aa ja! Nachle mere saath!”
Kartik called them.
“Aur Aman?”
“Nahin nahin, main yahin pe theek hoon!”
Aman replied.
Kartik pulled the two to the dance floor to groove on to tracks like ‘Let’s nacho!’, 'Kala Chashma' and a lot more. The next track which played was ‘Don’t be shy!’
“Aman! Yeh gaana specially tere liye!”
Kartik shouted from the dance floor to Aman, who put his head down in embarrassment as everyone looked at him.
“Don’t be shy my honey,
Touch my body!”
“Aa na, Aman!”
“Kartik, Maine tujhe mana kiya tha, ki mujhe nahin nachna! Phir bhi.....”
“Main hoon na tere saath! Kass ke pakad ke rakhunga tujhe! Aa ja!”
“Ghar chalte hain na Kartik! Tabiyat theek nahin lag rahi meri!”
“Kya hua? Tu theek hain?”
“Haan, theek hoon, par kaisa like suffocating feel ho raha hain mujhe!”
“Main Devi aur Ravi ko bolkar aata hoon. Ek minute ruk!”
Five minutes later, Kartik and Aman were out on the streets on their bike. Kartik drove it while Aman sat behind him as he hugged Kartik closely. It was really chilly out here in Delhi and Aman shivered. He therefore pulled up the cap of his hoodie and rested his head on Kartik’s back. Kartik looked at Aman through the rear view mirror. Aman had closed his eyes and seeing that Kartik smiled. He looked just as a baby who felt safe when he was with his loved one.
They reached home within some time and Kartik had no will to wake Aman up who was peacefully sleeping behind him. He therefore parked the bike at their parking lot and waited.
Aman woke up after thirty minutes.
“Pahunch gaye Kartik?”
“Aadha ghanta pehle hi!”
“Toh hum aadhe ghante se kya kar rahe hain yahan?”
“Wait kar rahe the, ki kab tu utthega! Tu itne sukoon se so raha tha, ki mujhe mann nahin hua ki tujhe utha doon. Isi liye wait kiya.”
Kartik, a man who was always ready to surprise Aman at any given moment. Aman felt it was he himself who wasn’t prepared for this. He knew how loving and caring Kartik was. He smiled and then got down from the bike.
“Aman, idhar aa!”
Kartik called Aman as soon as they entered the house. Aman was heading towards the bedroom with a tired body when Kartik called him.
“Kya baat hain?”
Kartik pulled him closer with the two adjusting ropes of his hoodie.
“Kartik it’s three o’clock! Neend aa rahi hain, sone jaana mujhe!”
“Well, it’s a big big city and its always the same,
Can never be too pretty tell me your name.
Is it out of line, if I was to be bold and say, ‘Would you be mine?’”
Kartik sang and pulled up Aman’s hoodie over his head. The cap was so big that it covered Aman’s eyes when Kartik tied a knot near his neck.
“Kuch dikh nahin raha Kartik! Kya kiya yeh?”
“Shhhh!”
Kartik pressed a finger over Aman’s lips to stop him from talking.
“Because I maybe a beggar and you may be the king,
I know, I maybe on a downer I’m still ready to dream,
And it’s three o’clock, the time it’s just the time it takes for you to talk.”
“Queen ko king kar diya? Lyrics badal diye?”
Aman giggled, his eyes still closed by the hoodie.
“Tere liye sab changed!”
Kartik replied and continued with the song.
“So if you’re lonely, why’d you say you’re not lonely?
Ah! You’re a silly boy, I know, I hurt it so,
It’s just like you to come and go.
And know me, no you don’t even know me.
You’re so sweet to try, oh my!
You caught my eye,
A boy like you is just irresistible!”
And Kartik kisses Aman as he completed the lines. Aman had no idea about the kiss as his eyes were closed. All he could do was hear Kartik and then suddenly he felt Kartik open the knot near his neck and pull him closer by the two ropes. But it didn’t end at the proximity as Aman had expected. It ended in a kiss, a rather passionate kiss.
When after a long time the kiss broke, Aman dragged down the cap of the hoodie from his head and found they were in the bedroom now.
Oh yes! He did remember Kartik lifting him up and walk, but he didn’t know that they came up to the bedroom.
“Well, it’s a big big city and the lights are all out,”
Kartik sang as he switched the main lights off and turned on only the night lamp in the room.
“But it’s as much as I can do you know to figure you out,
And I must confess, my heart’s in broken pieces,
And my head’s a mess.”
Kartik came forward and pushed Aman down to the bed.
“And it’s four in the morning and I’m walking along,
Beside the ghost of every drinker here who’s ever done wrong.
And it’s you, woo hoo!
Who’s got me going crazy by the things you do!”
Kartik too jumped upon the bed and slowly climbed up on Aman. He then skipped a few line of the song and directly went to sing the chorus once again!
“So if you’re lonely, why’d you say you’re not lonely?
Ah! You’re a silly boy, I know, I hurt it so,
It’s just like you to come and go!
And know me, no you don’t even know me!
You’re so sweet to try, oh my!
You caught my eye!
A boy like you is just irresistible!”
Kartik smiled as he finished the song. Though Aman couldn’t understand if that was a smile or a smirk. He now was experiencing a heady high with all the alcohol and oxytocin in his brain. Kartik, first kissing him by pulling the hoodie over his eyes, then lifting him up to bring him to the bedroom, singing a song that is just so appropriate at the moment, that too in his perfect voice, made Aman to stop thinking everything else. Even the time was four in the morning. Yes, he did feel lonely at the club, and wanted to spend 31st night with Kartik alone. But he knew Kartik loved socialising and hence he always agreed to go with Kartik. It melted his heart to see Kartik feel his heart too! He always did, but this time Aman loved it the most!
“May I?”
Kartik asked all of a sudden, which brought Aman back to realising that they were too closely lying on the bed.
“You may what?”
“I just sang! ‘You’re so sweet to try oh my! You caught my eye,
A boy like you is just irresistible!’”
“Achha!”
“Kya achha? May I?”
“What?”
“Try?”
“Achha!”
“Kya achha achha laga rakha hain yeh? Haan ya na?”
Aman secretly loved it when Kartik grew impatient and loved to tease him at that exact moment.
“Arrey, achha means okay!”
“Oukay baby! Get ready!”
And Kartik switched the night lamp off as he got to work!
Just a hoodie, which could get lost and then be used to close Aman’s eyes to kiss him and create mood for the both of them, wasn’t something surprising. Practically everything was possible in the Karman household!