#ipkknd: madaari

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

IPKKND SS: Madaari

Madaari - Puppeteer. Trickster. Magician. Conjurer. A street performer who entertains the public by training (torturing) animals to dance. 

Trigger Warning: none | Word Count: 2400+

Read Chapter 1

#Chapter 2

Shyam watched the Gupta family fret over Khushi. It was Devi Maiyya’s sign, he had to do away with Khushi Gupta and her family as soon as possible. The strings were too messy, and what if her memory recovered? 

He smiled at the paralyzed Shashi Gupta - so much for playing hero for his daughter. Shashi grumbled, tears and rage filling the old eyes but Shyam could only hide a laugh as Garima had to tend to wipe the drool away from Shashi’s face. 

That man was never going to be fine, Shyam made sure of it. 

The medicines they diligently fed Shashi were his path to a slow, natural, death.

After all he was Khushi’s father, he couldn’t condemn him to a painful death. 

Khushi’s heart hurt more than her head. A sharp pain. Arnav was here.

She woke up, looking around, barely remembering the ride to her home. Shyam had assisted her to her room, tucking her neatly and explaining the situation to her family. 

She slept even before she knew it. 

“He’s not here.” Khushi stiffened as Payal sat next to her, a fresh bandaid and antiseptic bottle in her hand. 

“Woh Jiji, I was looking for-” Payal shot Khushi a look, and for the grace of her sister she did not mention the name of the man Khushi was clearly looking for.

For someone who had read Khushi since childhood, Payal Gupta found it no mystery who was the love of her darling sister’s life.

It was definitely not Khushi’s fiancé. 

How had Khushi fallen for Arnav, it was beyond her. But Payal had said nothing, fearing that speaking about Khushi’s infatuation with Arnav would flame the fire Khushi’s heart.

So she feigned ignorance. 

The rest of the family barely paid heed to Khushi anyway, they never saw her spending hours learning sugar free sweets in the kitchen. They never heard her whisper words in English to herself.  They never realized how Khushi inserted Arnav Singh Raizada in every conversation. 

“If he cared, he would’ve been here,” Payal emphasized, blowing at the injury on Khushi’s head. Khushi turned away in shame, her secret caught in the open.

She flinched at the sting of the antiseptic.

“He’s engaged.” Payal now whispered, afraid that the Goddess might punish her sister for a mistake her young heart made. 

“It’s nothing like that,” Khushi denied the unsaid accusation. Payal could only smile sadly. 

“You will be perceived as the other woman, regardless of context,” Payal advised, fixing the bandaid on Khushi's forehead. 

“It’s nothing like that,” Khushi repeated, clenching her blanket.

“Khushi, one mistake cannot fix another.” Payal sighed. Her sister truly had the worst luck. Her options were either a doomed romance or a doomed marriage. 

A tear rolled down Khushi’s cheek. She loved Arnav. It was a fact that she understood at her worst. He, his feelings, meant the world for her. She had to tell everything to Payal.

For once, Khushi did not want to hold all the burdens in her heart. God knows Khushi needed Payal’s guidance and help now more than ever. 

“Jiji” Khushi froze as she saw the reflection on the window in front of her. 

Payal didn’t have to look up to know who had been standing all along.

Arnav Singh Raizada

— — —

Lavanya watched Arnav return home, face crumpled in anguish. When she had returned from visiting Khushi earlier in the day, she thought the anguish on her face was a result of the accident. 

But with the similar pain on Arnav’s face, she realized physical pain had little strength to heartache. 

Her engagement was over before it even began. 

It’s ironic that the closer she got to Arnav in societal recognition, the farther away he grew from her. 

“Everything will be fine,” Arnav stopped short in his tracks, staring at Lavanya intertwine her hand with his, compassion on her face. 

Will everything ever be fine? His world fell beneath his feet when he learned from Akash that Khushi was involved in an accident, and from the conversation between Payal and Khushi, his worst and best dreams came true. 

He must be sadistic to feel relief that Khushi was just as miserable in her engagement as he. 

The relief was just as strong as finding her safe and healthy. 

And to be honest, he was glad her fiancé was not around when he stopped by. He could hardly be trusted these days. 

Arnav looked at his own fiancee, and guilt settled in his heart. It was never about Lavanya, was it? 

One look at Khushi in her bed, wounded, and he realized that this was the only woman he’d ever feel so intensely for, regardless of the context. So what was he promising Lavanya? 

The life his mother lived? 

“La,” Lavanya teared up as Arnav took her name far more affectionately than he had over the past few months. She savored and feared as he gently cupped her face, a flicker of tears in his own eyes as well. 

Arnav felt a lump in his throat. It was a pity to realize he had been surrounded by the best of women despite being a terrible man. 

There was a time where if asked who he could’ve spent a lifetime with, it would be Lavanya Kashyap. 

“Arnav, please don’t,” Lavanya whispered. Let Arnav be guilty enough to at least give her a few days of affection before the doom she anticipated. For once he became the ASR she knew.

The one who took her to dates to the fanciest of restaurants, booking the cozy booths where he’d hear her endless frustrations of the press and terrible fashion trends with a barely there smile. 

The one who grumbled at every gift she gave him, but had them delicately stored in some corner of his office - be it a paper weight or a Mont Blanc pen. The one who’d often stop by her place for a cup of coffee and an hour of silence as they heard Jazz. The one who’d indulge her when she’d drag to him to dance with her in her quiet apartment, the radio fading as she’d undo his tie while he pulled down the zipper of her dress. 

“I am so sorry La,” He whispered, touching his forehead to hers. 

“Fuck, they were right.” Lavanya whispered, glad to finally utter an expletive in this house. No one thought they’d last. Most viewed her as Arnav’s latest arm candy - but hell he barely had the time to date and she had believed, so strongly, that what she and Arnav shared was beyond the rumors. 

Arnav looked at her in confusion, Lavanya smiled as a tear slipped through.

“The papers. They were right. Everyone was. And the problem is, I won’t be able to justify to anyone that I wasn’t a ‘phase’” Lavanya chuckled, being able to imagine the headlines. How wouldn’t she - marketing and PR was her speciality. 

“Fuck the papers. You were a lot more. You are a lot more. It’s precisely why I can’t do this anymore.” Arnav said, wishing for once that he could’ve loved her for her sake. 

“You love me La, you always have. I don’t know why, I don’t deserve it. You deserve far more, far better. And don’t mistake this as me making a choice for you. I’m just stating facts. And the thing is the only people who were right about this is, unfortunately, my family. Di knew I was doing this to prove Nani a point. I… fuck… La you can’t be a collateral damage to my feelings.” Arnav confessed, feeling the most defeated in his life. 

He had never wanted to be like his father. He had never wanted to hurt another woman.

But just like his father he hurt the first woman who had loved him. 

“I know. I know the minute you announced our engagement that you’re going to break up with me. I know you were proving a point” Arnav was surprised, just how much had Lavanya understood? 

“The only thing I didn’t realize is who you were proving it to,” Lavanya concluded, stepping away from him. 

“La,” Arnav sighed, “I never wanted to,”

“When are you going to tell her?” Lavanya cut him off, alarming him with her question,

Arnav closed his eyes in resignation, “there’s no her,”

“ASR, I’ve always respected you for being an honest man. Don’t change that.” Lavanya’s voice held rage for the first time. 

She understood breakups, she did not understand stupidity. Just how many people was Arnav willing to sacrifice as collateral damage just because he could not understand his feelings? Hell, in no universe would Lavanya want Khushi to become the next victim. 

“La, this is not the time. I cannot take you fixing my stuff when I’ve barely apologized.” Arnav stated, and he meant it. Khushi was not important right now. 

“Oh I’ll make you apologize, don’t worry about it. After all you broke Lavanya Kashyap’s heart and more than that, your family made me wear terrible clothes ninety percent of the time,” Lavanya cracked a pained smile.

Arnav let out a hollow laugh, and held her hand. 

“No, ASR, I am serious.” Lavanya pushed his hand aside, “You can’t keep sacrificing people left right and center because you can’t figure things out. You’re an adult, act like one. And don’t think about me because I will hold you accountable for how much you’ve hurt me. But right now, you’re against time. Because as far as I know her you can chase her after she’s married but she won’t break her marriage for you. She’s a good person ASR, a bit too good.” Lavanya said, fixing her face as the rest of the family set into the dining table. 

Lavanya was right, no matter what he and Khushi were at this point, he had to be honest to both women.

But above all, he needed to have a serious chat with his family not just about his breakup but about how they’ve been grooming La all along. Yes, he enabled them, but he had to ensure that this could not happen again. 

Wasn’t Payal having similar reservations to joining the Raizada family? Mami would give her worse than what Nani handed to Lavanya. 

Granted, Akash was going to have a tougher time convincing his mother for a wedding now that Arnav was not getting married - but it was high time his younger cousin fought his own battles as well. 

— — — 

The family looked at Arnav as he sat at the first table, his face reserve. Devyani rejoiced at Arnav pulling the chair for Lavanya, passing her a smile. Manorama clapped as she watched Lavanya, in her older clothes, settle at the table. Finally, modern clothes were back at Shantivan. 

Anjali, though, closed her eyes even before Arnav opened his mouth. 

This was not going to be good. 

— — — 

This was not good, Garima concluded. This had to be Devi Maiyya’s signal that this relationship was not meant to be. First Shashi had a paralytic stroke, now Khushi was nearly saved from the jaws of death, and all these happened right around the corner of Khushi and Shyam’s engagement.

As a mother her heart trembled. She could feel her dead sister bore holes into her back every time Madhumati forced Khushi to accept Shyam as a suitor. 

Garima had promised Khushi’s happiness to her dead sister. 

Why was Khushi’s happiness not aligning to the one man who could bring stability to her life? 

“Amma,” Garima broke from her chain of thoughts and assisted Khushi to the dining table. 

“Arrey, you should’ve just called for me!” Garima admonished Khushi, fixing a warm shawl around Khushi’s shoulders. Was it just her or had Khushi grown older over the past few days?

Shyam wheeled Shashi to the dining table and sat next to Madhumati. Payal sat by Khushi’s side, nodding gently to her. What were the sisters thinking? 

“I have something to tell you all.” Khushi said.

— — —

“What? Why?” Devyani cried, she had grown to love Miss Kashyap! Yes it took her time to understand that beneath the modernity she despised, was a heart of gold she had grown to love!

“Nani, I will say this for once and only once. Lavanya deserves a lot more than what I can give. I cannot subject her to what,” maa went though. Arnav broke off, the questions over the past half hour hitting his head. Anjali was hugging Lavanya, an angry ‘I told you so’ in her eyes. 

For the first time Anjali acknowledged she failed as a sister, that she had not stepped into her mother’s shoes at all. And she made no lack in conveying so to her brother. 

Arnav accepted all the blame. 

Perhaps Nani was right that day, he was closer to his father than he thought. 

— — — 

“Jiji told me something that has just set itself in my heart.” Khushi began, her eyes misting. 

“It is so important to look at who is with us when we’re going through our worst times. And with us, actively doing things to help us. That, is an indicator of a companion far more than any fantasy.” Khushi continued, her reality becoming clear as Shyam wiped the drool from Shashi’s mouth with the gentleness of a son. 

He was unfazed when Shashi spit up the food onto Shyam’s sleeve. There was not a single trace of disgust on his handsome face. How did she never see this? 

“Shyam ji,” Shyam looked at Khushi, stunned at the beauty of her soft smile, “I am so sorry.”

“Haye re Nandkisore!” Madhumati interrupted, fearing the worst. The girl couldn’t be thinking of breaking her engagement could she? 

“I am so sorry for not seeing you,” Khushi apologized, tears flowing as her smile grew wider, “you have been there. Always. When I needed rescuing from the goons, when I needed a job, when Buaji needed help in this house, when Babuji faced a stroke. Devi Maiyya has been constantly showing me the truth but I was just unable to see it.” Khushi wiped her tears and shot him the biggest smile she had.

“So yes, to answer the question you had posed on the night you decorated my house as if the stars had been here." Khushi reminisced the day he gave her jalebis and promised her companionship. How could she have been so blind?

"Yes, I will marry you. Not for the sake of my father. Not for the sake of the society. Not for the sake of Buaji. But for myself.” 

———————————————————

A/N: Yes, I am very evil. Enjoy :D

tagging: @shaonsim @zaphbeeblebrox @shiyaravi @chutkiandchotte @featheredclover @goals1024 @honeybellexox @darkchocolatestuff @charucoal @thedupattaknowswhatsup @bigfatreader @lostafpanda @exosexosekai @hi-this-is-permabanned @scorpio-smiles @noor1025 @minpdnim @laad-governess @barshifan @whateverworks21 @maansiloves @samuraisamsworld @dropsofserenity @myloveforstuff @leila1 @onadaanparindey @urwatueat @dimaagkadahi @ijustchangedmyname @australian-desi @muttonthings @eunoiabeyours @aye-masakalii  (updating this list - lemme know who wants to be added/deleted)

#jalebi writes #ipkknd #ipkknd ff #ipkknd: madaari #yes I am very evil #count this as what if everything went wrong

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

IPKKND SS: Madaari

Madaari - Puppeteer. Trickster. Magician. Conjurer. A street performer who entertains the public by training (torturing) animals to dance. 

Warning: none | Word Count: 1316

#Chapter 1

When Shyam Manohar Jha had walked into her life, his kindness was beyond any she had ever faced. Strength, courage, wit and decency. These were the pillars of his character.

She was going to marry the man who saved her and perhaps stepped into the role of her provider long before any relationship was formalized between them. Any woman would be blessed to be engaged to the man whose personality bore striking resemblance to his namesake God. 

Except Khushi was far from happy. Everything was right,  but it was not.

“Jalebi?” Shyam asked, breaking Khushi’s chain of thoughts as he passed her a plate of sweets from a sweetshop on their walk back to Buaji’s house. His gifted bracelet and engagement ring sat heavy on her hand. Could she have developed an allergy to metal? When Rahul had put bangles on Anjali’s hands in her favorite movie, butterflies had blossomed in a young Khushi Kumari Gupta’s stomach. 

Yet Khushi did not feel any butterfly, except dread, settle in the pit of her stomach as their wedding approached.

But she did feel it once, when her anklet was returned, but her heart was not. 

“Ah!” Khushi shrieked, the hot syrup of the store bought jalebi burning her mouth. Shyam rushed to bring her a bottle of water. Oh, this burn was nothing compared to her wounds from Diwali. Khushi threw away the jalebi, the fake food coloring staining her hands, the chemical sweetner leaving a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

If her father was not paralyzed, he would have a fit over people selling cheaply made sweets by presenting it as authentic Lucknowi jalebis in Delhi!

Even the ‘a’ of authenticity was not there in this terrible jalebi! How someone could pull wool over anyone else’s eyes was always beyond Khushi. 

“Here,” Shyam passed her the bottle of water, a sweet smile plastered on his face. Except this time his smile reminded her of chemical sweetners, his gaze just drifting to the skin between her dupatta and the neckline of her kurti. 

Shyam checked himself, offering his hand to walk the rest of the way back to Buaji’s. 

Khushi kept her hands to herself. 

— — — — —

Instinct must never be forgotten. Questioned, yes, challenged, yes, but forgotten? Never. Khushi never revealed her doubts to any of her family members - how did Shyamji know that Akash and Payal were engaged even before anyone had told anything to Shyam? Why was he suddenly so hostile against the Raizadas? He was a stranger to them, was he not? He vowed to dissolve the talks of marriage between them, then how were they in a situation where the marriage was being rushed, instead? Did she actually hear Shyamji’s voice on Khushi’s chat with Anjali? 

“Hey Devi Maiyya,” Khushi whispered to her angel faced Goddess lying on her study desk, “guide me.”

And she did. 

Clues fell across Khushi’s face like an unexpected shower in Delhi. Suspicion and fear squeezed the breath of out Khushi’s lungs.

She did not pray, nor hope. 

She did not know what she was expecting at all. 

By the time Khushi reached the terrace to call the ever elusive jija-ji, she reached the conclusion she tried to deny for days. There was no way she, and her family, could’ve been blinded so easily. But her hands shook as she watched the familiar form, the sweet voice and common laugh. With a soft turn in the blinding sun, the truth couldn’t have been more stark. 

Her fiancé, was the very married Shyam Manohar Jha.

— — — — 

Khushi’s body shook in rage and disbelief. Her mind scrambled to find logic. Who in their right mind would play such a twisted game to go after a nobody despite being married to one of the most wonderful woman from an illustrious family? Her palm still stung from the slap she had delivered moments ago. 

Her hand though, felt relieved without the ring and bracelet. 

Should she tell the truth to Anjali? What about Payal’s marriage? How dare he deceive her family! 

“Watch it!” Khushi stumbled into Arnav and collapsed on the floor. She tried to put together the pieces of his broken cup but her mind could not function. What could she tell him? That her fiancé was a married man? It is his beloved sister’s husband? 

Would he trust her? 

Had he ever trusted her? 

What about his heartbreak? 

Arnav had never recovered from becoming an orphan. He would not survive this heartbreak. 

Despite a maddening urge to throw herself into his arms and have his strong shoulders lift the burden hers, she left the safety of his embrace and ran as far away as her feet could take her. 

— — — — —

How would Payal take the news? What would happen to her impeding marriage? Mami ji would rejoice at the first step to break this alliance! What about Babuji? How would he bear this heartache-

“Khushi ji!” Shyam cried, pulling Khushi away from an oncoming car. 

“Please, what if something happened!” Shyam attempted to hug her but Khushi shoved him away, adjusting her dupatta further around her body. He disgusted her. 

Shyam’s face crumpled at her reaction, he tried to reach out and hold her hand, but she swiftly turned around and ran down the street.

“Khushi, please listen to me!” Shyam huffed, chasing Khushi. The audacity of that man! But what if his intentions wee further malicious? Just how could Khushi protect her and her family?

“Khushi ji if you don’t stop I’ll kill myself!” Shyam threatened, stepping in the middle of the busy road, waiting for one of the oncoming cars to hit him. 

For half a second Khushi wished one car would run over him… but she couldn’t take it anymore. 

Shyam never saw the car coming in his direction, because Khushi jumped in and pulled him out of danger. 

He did not get to thank her as well as the car pushed its breaks a little too late - throwing Khushi headfirst on the ground. 

— — — — —

Shyam waited in anxiety as the doctors checked on Khushi. He had taken Khushi into a private clinic, a couple of kilometers away. As much as he loved her, he could not afford the accident to gain attention nor any of their familiar hospitals recognize Shyam.

Goddamn Arnav and his charities. 

There were already too many loose strings. 

Shyam stepped by Khushi’s side, watching her pale face in morbid fascination. She looked beautiful even when she was nearly dead. For a moment Shyam was tempted to inject a painless lethal chemical into her saline. 

She deserved to die in peace, after all she still loved him enough to save his life at the cost of hers. 

And unfortunately, his one and only true love had become a hindrance and distraction in his plans. She knew too much, far too much. 

Shyam caressed her cheek and slid his hand to her throat. This was the most difficult decision in his life. She was so delicate, that he knew one strong squeeze would give him the desirable outcome. 

His gaze settled on her soft lips. 

A parting kiss was in due. 

Farewell, my dear, Shyam whispered, leaning down to kiss and choke her to death when her eyes fluttered open. He froze. The doctor too stepped in at the exact moment, forcing Shyam to retreat his hand. 

Khushi sat up on the creaky hospital bed. She held her head, wincing at the pain.

“Careful, you’re recovering from a head injury.” The doctor gently warned Khushi, checking her blood pressure before writing prescriptions and handing it to Shyam. 

“Doctor sahab, when can I go home?” Khushi whispered, still holding her head in her hands.

“Don’t worry, you can leave today itself but for that,” the doctor turned to Shyam, “please call a family member to sign her discharge papers.”

“Oh he can do it,” Khushi interjected, “he is my fiancé.” 

---------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Yes, I am evil. Enjoy :D

tagging: @shaonsim @zaphbeeblebrox @shiyaravi @chutkiandchotte @featheredclover @goals1024 @honeybellexox @darkchocolatestuff @charucoal @thedupattaknowswhatsup @bigfatreader @lostafpanda @exosexosekai @hi-this-is-permabanned @scorpio-smiles @noor1025 @minpdnim @laad-governess @barshifan @whateverworks21 @maansiloves @samuraisamsworld @dropsofserenity @myloveforstuff @leila1 @onadaanparindey @urwatueat @dimaagkadahi @ijustchangedmyname @australian-desi @muttonthings (updating this list - lemme know who wants to be added/deleted)

#ipkknd #jalebi writes #haan main evil #hear it as 'haan main galat' #fanfiction #ipkknd ff #ipkknd fanfiction