Keerthi winced as she tried to sit in a comfortable position, as she typed an e-mail to apply for her transfer.
Her back hurt a lot.
She rubbed a hand on her back, trying to get some relief, as she shut her laptop, ready to go home, wincing when she moved her elbows while driving.
Vikram came home to see his wife doing their laundry. He gave her a quick kiss, before he went to freshen up.
Keerthi smiled, continuing her work.
Vikram wrapped his hands around his wife’s waist, kissing the base of her neck, freshly showered.
“I am working Vikram”, Keerthi said quietly, angling herself so her back didn’t hurt, when her husband’s hand disappeared inside her top.
Vikram turned his wife around, so they were facing each other. He placed a kiss on her jaw,”This one’s more important.”
“You just came home.”
“So?”, Vikram slipped his wife’s bra down, pinching her nipple lightly.
Keerthi moaned, her hands going around her husband’s neck.
She winced when her husband held her waist.
“Let’s go have dinner”, she could take some pain reliever then.
“Yes. I want to have mine”, Vikram smirked.
Keerthi gave her husband a flat look,”I am hungry.”
“You can have yours too.”
“Stop talking in innuendoes.”
“I was talking about food”, Vikram said with a straight face, innocent, though his lips fought to stretch.
“Sure”, Keerthi rolled her eyes, walking towards the door.
Vikram pulled his wife by her waist, frowning when she winced, quickly assessing her,”Is something wrong?”
“My back hurts a bit.”
“Oh”, Vikram frowned, worried when his wife jumped when he touched her hip.
“We should go to the hospital.”
“Not really.”
Vikram eyed his wife, narrowing his eyes when he saw her flinch when he held her arm.
“What are you doing?”, Keerthi jerked away.
Vikram rolled his eyes,”Sit down”, he ordered.
“I am hungry.”
“Shut up. Just sit.”
Keerthi squeezed her eyes shut when her husband pulled her sleeves up.
“Why do you have scratches on your arms?”Vikram examined his wife’s arm. He walked to the door, bolting it, ignoring his wife’s protests when he pulled her top up.
Keerthi winced when her husband ran a hand on her bruised hips and back.
“What happened?”
“I fell down.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“Keerthi”, Vikram was getting worried. He made his wife lean on the bed, pulling her top back in place.
“I fell from my bike”, Keerthi mumbled.
“When did you even ride your bike?”
“I gave my car for servicing.”
Vikram counted from one to ten.”Alright. Are you hurt elsewhere?”
“Not really.”
“Do you want me strip you and check your wounds now?”
Keerthi blushed unexpectedly,”Just some scrapes on my knees.”
“Who the fuck asked you to take your bike?”, Vikram barked.
Keerthi flinched, wincing when she leaned back.
Vikram glared at his wife,”I’m going to throw the damn keys away. You could have asked me to drop you.”
“Stop shouting”, Keerthi hissed. They were not alone in the house,”You were busy the last few days. So, I didn’t want to ask you.”
“There’s something called priorities. I prefer you being healthy over my work”, Vikram snapped.
Keerthi’s heart warmed at her husband’s statement, though he was screaming at her,”I know, but-”
“Look at your condition. You aren’t even able to sit properly”, Vikram scolded mildly, setting a cushion behind his wife’s back.
“Vikram, I already have a headache. Stop shouting so much.”
“Did you hurt your head too?”, Vikram paled, palpating his wife’s head.
Keerthi winced when her husband pressed too hard, slapping his hand away,”Normal people have headache too.”
“Get ready. We’ll go to the hospital.”
“I literally only have scratches. I’ll take a pain killer. It’s fine.”
Vikram glared at his wife, helpless.
“Chill Vikram. It’s Okay. I’ll be fine in no time.”
Vikram rolled his eyes, picking his wife in his arms as he sat her up on the bed,”I’ll bring your dinner”, he kissed her forehead.
“I can walk. It doesn’t hurt when I walk.”
“Keerthi”, Vikram was getting a headache too,”Just.. don’t talk so much. Sit here.”
Keerthi frowned at her husband, giving him a questioning look when she relaxed in bed, post dinner.
“What?”, she took her mobile her husband gave.
“Send an email applying for a leave.”
“That’s not necessary”, Keerthi waved him away.
“You are not able to sit properly Keerthi.”
“No. I managed just fine in the mor-“, she froze before she could complete her sentence.
“What?”
Keerthi laughed nervously.
“When did you fall down?”
“Um..”
“I’m asking you something”, Vikram snapped.
“Vikram?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
Vikram’s lips twitched,”I love you too. When did you fall?”
“On the way to office”, Keerthi mumbled, shrinking under her husband’s gaze.
“What?”, Vikram ran a hand through his hair.
Don’t shout at her.
Don’t shout at her.
Don’t shout at her.
“Are you stupid enough to go to office just like that? Where the fuck is your brain? What if you fractured something?”, Vikram barked.
Keerthi blinked.
Divert attention. Now.
She shifted in bed, wincing when it hurt, relieved when Vikram looked at her more worried than angry.
“Can you get me a hot bag?”
“Yeah. Wait a moment.”
Keerthi sighed when her husband went out. Though she liked it that he cared, his continuous fussing was getting on her nerves.
“Here. Where does it hurt? Dammit. Don’t move around so much.”
Keerthi scowled at her husband, placing the hot bag on her hips, sighing in content.
She pulled her husband’s shirt.
“You are not exactly in a position to have sex now”, Vikram raised a brow at his wife.
Keerthi flushed,”I love you.”
“You still didn’t send that mail?”
“Vikram.”
“Don’t move so much”, Vikram scolded his wife, typing away a sick leave mail on her phone.
“No way I’m taking a leave. I’ll get bored at home.”
“Just for tomorrow.”
Keerthi shook her head.
“I’ll stay back too”, Vikram offered.
Keerthi was touched,”There’s really no need for that.”
“I have to help you shower”, Vikram teased.
Keerthi raised a brow,”You have ‘helped’ me shower a lot of times before. You don’t have to stay home for that.”
Vikram laughed,”Go to sleep, baby.”
Keerthi was getting suspicious,”What are you not telling me?”
Vikram shook his head, amused,”Should I have an ultimatum to take care of you?”
“No”, Keerthi mumbled,”But-“, she sized her husband up,”Okay.”
Oh. He remembered it was her birthday tomorrow.
She grinned.
“I love you.”
“Okay. What do you want now?”
Keerthi smiled slyly,”Can’t I say that I love you without an ultimatum?”