Truce?

It has been a few weeks since Mehr and Kshitij last had a fight. Richa by now has become used to of the fights and unceremonious truces which are drawn without her knowledge. She has practically decided not to bother herself with their fights any more. Work life has been pretty hectic and she has enough personal issues of her own to pay heed to.

It is another dull and gloomy winter day.

Kshitij trudges along, counting days since he and Mehr last spoke amicably. Word has been formal and interactions crisp as Mehr seems rather shut out. No matter what he does, his thoughts circle back to Mehr, but his ego won't let him speak up his mind. Kshitij is scrolling through the annual reports, as the financial year is coming to an end, cross checking each and every detail. Focusing hard or atleast trying to.

"Buddy, your forehead is covered in lines. The balance sheet can't be that tough to crack, especially for you. What's troubling you?" Shubham enquired with a overtly made coy smile, trying to lighten up Kshitij.

"Nothing, I'm good" Khsitij said without even looking up. He was obviously lying and Shubham would know if he looked him in his eyes. Khisitj knew things, that should not be shared with Shubham. The thought of Mehr entering room 913 and speaking with some THING which doesn't exist, chilled him to the bones. Telling anyone would mean opening a can of worms, and risking Mehr finding out the truth about 913. It was too risky. Kshitij realized, Shubham's gaze was still on him and he needed to lighten the
"Buddy, I'm good. I just made a few errors, thanks to misinterpreted data. Got the revised reports today morning and therefore trying to rectify those." He smiled at Shubham reassuringly. They both nod and get back to their workstations. Shubham is a jolly fellow and loves to mind his own business most of the time.

Mehr has been a lot more calm than usual and keeping to herself. Richa likes the peace and quite now that she does not have to be the referee between Kshitij and Mehr over silly banter. It is fun while it lasts but she can do without a bit of drama for now. Rajshree, their boss is having her plan way too many things and management of large teams is a fun project for her. There is travel on the cards, and Richa likes it. Going places is fun, especially with her new found friends at work, for Mehr and Kshitij are at their best behavior when put in work situations, they work well as a team. Be it productive or destructive, and Richa was looking forward to it.

Days passed, and Richa was travelling for work, with Kshitij and Mehr in tow. Work had brought travel in her life and she loved the occasional change of scene. They go out for a casual dine out and and head to the club afterwards to let lose. Kshitij convinces Richa to try out all the drinks of her choice, on the condition of taking good care of her even if she's totally sloshed. They get a little tipsy, and decide to call it a night. Back at their hotel, lying in the empty courtyard in front of the giant dining hall, they look up at the starlit sky. A rare siting in their busy city lives, Mehr is simply in awe of the full moon shining above them, while Richa traces constellations absent mindedly. As a child she used to love reading about stars and mythological stories behind constellations. She spoke a little about that before trailing off in her line of thoughts. Kshitij is bored with the girls ogling at the sky in perfect silence and tries to start a conversation.

"You know as a child, the only books I read were those record books about the most bizzare world records ever made. It used to be fun."
"Ever thought about un aliving yourself? In the most elaborate ways and then think, like nah, the headlines to announce this would be so mediocre, I can't die like that" Mehr rumbled absent mindedly gazing at the sky. Death to her was a rather curious topic and she often read about it without flinching. Even as a child, she would be awed by the bizarre graphics of horror movies, scared for sure, but equally intrigued.
By now, both Kshitij and Richa were staring at Mehr with disbelief and concern alike. Realizing the gaze, Mehr changed her angle of sight from the sky, now to Kshitij and Mehr. In her opinion, this was a normal question to pop up and she had friends who would talk of such things in a casual stance, this was the first time she had received such a reaction.

"What? You guys never gave a thought to something like this? Of being your own god and deciding when you leave the stage?" Mehr saw the poetic artistry of her thoughts were making little to no sense to her new friends and decided not to discuss the idea further. If a meagre mention could instil such a reaction, discussing the idea of book based around the topic might actually raise alarm, she did not want them to think she belonged at the psyche ward. That was for sure.
By now Kshitij had fear creeping up his heart. Richa was slightly thrown off, but she had heard Mehr talk about horror movies so much, that she knew this too was the alcohol speaking in her.

Changing topic to something that would irk Mehr out, Kshitij started discussing the concept of live sea creatures in cuisine and as expected, both the girls were grossed out enough to call it a night. Back in the room, Richa put on her night mask and lay in bed, to catch up on some sleep while Mehr sat on her bed, making mental notes of the many reactions she had received on her random musing. People were many layers deep and her friends were no exception. Just as Mehr was about to sleep, she got a text from Kshitij
"Can't sleep, wanna stroll around a bit more?"
"Sure, be there in 2"
Mehr walked out of the room, leaving behind Richa.

Walking around, on the cold hard concrete of the parking lot, Mehr could feel the coarseness of the ground through her disposable hotel slippers. The air was filled with a nightly calm, and a light breeze was brushing pat her face every now and then. Kshitij walked parallel to Mehr, shifting his gaze uneasily.
"Are you mad or what? Why would you say something like that"
"Like what?"
"Like un aliving and playing god? If you're suicidal, there is help, there is always help."
"Calm down will you? It is only a thought just like buying a million dollar worth wristwatch. I am not buying even if I do have the money"

"Do not, and shush, do not" Kshitij swatted Mehrs hand aside as she raised it in a gesture for him to shut up, "Do not argue with me when I am telling you something important"
"You are way to precious to even think of something like that. You hear me?" Kshitij looked genuinely concerned and Mehr did not know what to say but stare back in silence as he took a step closer.
"May I" he asked in an earnest voice. Mehr could see his arms raised in offer of a hug.
She shifted her gaze from left to right, equally confused, in Richa's words, she was a terrible hugger.
"I have often thought about hugging you" Kshitij said, admittingly.
"I know, but it is the first time you said that to my face" Mehr looked at him matter of factly.
"Wait when?" Kshitij was puzzled.
"Drunk texts, sober admissions, usually after I have left."
"Okay then stop embaressing me and come here. Kshitij held Mehr in a trembling embrace. His hands practically shaking as he put them on her shoulders.
"Are you trembling? I've been told I am terrible with hugs, Mehr shrugged.

"Well I am no different, but today I just felt like speaking up on time. Let me give you a hug you silly goose. And I am not trembling, just scared to hurt you."
"What’s with this shaky grip, calm down sweety. Mamma is strong." Mehr chuckled as Kshitij tightened his embrace, he was still shaking a bit and Mehr could feel that. But she chose to keep her critique to herself.
Ruffling her hair a little, Kshitij muttered again, "You're too precious, okay". Mehr simply nodded before he let go. She could not understand why someone who had her convinced that they are annoyed to the core with her, would be so scared by such a trivial thought. At least to her this was just a trivial thought, much like everything else she read about for leisure.

Kshitij let go of the embrace and headed back to the hotel, when Mehr decided to stay back a bit longer. She was on a private property under the watchful eyes of the staff, so he knew she was safe to stroll around here, and let her be. Mehr walked to the green lawns where the soft grass would be under her feet and sat down to stare at the moon, her mind running in circles. For the first time, she had let Kshitij close to her, and her personal space, but the tremble of his hands and the shift of stance, almost like a child's made her feel concerned. Almost like what the lady at work had said, when she first held Mehr's hand and talked about energy fields of a person. After she had met that terminally ill lady. Kshitij had a strong persona and an aggressive stance, but his energy, his aura, it all felt so weak. It felt like although he was giving her a hug, Mehr felt that he was the one who needed it more. Something was wrong, and terribly so.

Next day, Mehr woke up feeling more considerate of Kshitij and his weak aura than ever. She did not talk back nor bicker at his usual taunts even, while Richa eyed the two for possible mischief. What is an alcohol induced truce of two days? Was Mehr really in a dark space with her dark humor? And why was she letting Kshitij have the benefit of doubt with his constant nagging as if leaving a child on a leash monkey around ? Richa being Richa, let the clouds of these questions form in her head and then blew them away like a puff from a cigarette.

Mehr on the other hand was wondering if Richa had read through Kshitij already and therefore gave him the usual benefit of doubt for all his silly banter? While Kshitij sat across the table looking at the two, wondering if Richa was upset with him? And if Mehr was acting up because of her encounter with whatever it was at room 913 and thus turning darker by the day.
All in all it seemed like the calm before storm for all three of them, as there seemed to have been a short truce drawn between the arch enemies.