raghavxarora

[raghavxarora]

This moment beat any award he could have ever won in the past or yet to come. This meant more to him than any movie or blockbuster hit. Right now as he held Zaara in his arms, he felt like he was living a dream. How was it that his soulmate was so close by, but it took them having to work together to figure out they were each other's perfect missing piece? He smiled at her words that were only meant for his ears, the actor not able to stop himself from getting overwhelmed as he began to get choked up. He nuzzled her neck and hid his face away from all others, letting her feel the depth of his love for her as they were surrounded by all their loved ones.

It was the cutest thing to see the way he murmured those words as if they truly were the only ones here. He always made her feel like she was the only person around and that was one of Raghav's best qualities. When their ceremony finally finished, she felt him pull her close and quickly hugged him tightly before smiling at that soft kiss to her forehead. "Love you," she whispered quietly before smiling widely at everyone around them, all their friends and family. "We're married--officially in every way that matters," she whispered up to him still amongst the crowd cheering and celebrating.

[raghavxarora]

He followed along, letting others guide him so he could get his first glace at his wife. She looked beautiful and he grinned because they were married and she was his. Whatever plan the universe had for him led him to this point and Raghav didn't know if he'd ever been this happy before in his life. "Hello, my wife..." he murmured back, knowing that there were eyes on them, but not caring one bit. This was their moment. The groom did as he was told, making sure to carry out every last tradition as best as possible before the nikaah ceremony finally concluded. He pulled her in for that hug, holding her tight as he pressed a chaste kiss against the veil that covered her head.

Zaara loved how he was watching her, that gorgeous smile on his face. It meant everything to her to see him beaming like that. She watched as the mirror was brought forward but still covered with the beautiful kashmiri shawl that would placed over them to give them their privacy as they looked at one another through the reflection. Zaara took her first few steps towards him, watching as he did the same before she felt the shawl being moved to cover her head, over her delicate dupatta as she lowered her gaze to look at him through the reflection, unable to keep from winking again. "Hi husband," she whispered--knowing they were supposed to be repeating some verses in a second but needing to feel like just them for a moment.

[raghavxarora]

He was ready to hear her say the magic words and almost grew impatient until she finally greed, repeated them three times and settling his uneasy emotions. Instead, they were replaced with excitement and joy now that they'd made this official twice over that they were husband and wife. He smiled brightly at his wife and the way she flirted so cutely with him from the opposite side of the curtain of blossoms. Raghav wished they could speed things up so he could break through the metaphorical wall between them and hug her tight, but there were still some traditions they had to follow through with, namely his first sight of her in the mirror.

She heard his strong voice saying those words that meant so much to her and felt that familiar reassurance seeping in, reminding her that this was real--they were actually getting married once again. As the Qazi turned to her and asked for her agreement, she thought about doing it in a filmy manner and asking Ria to come closer to tell her--but she didn't want to give Raghav any reason to fret. "Qubool hai," she repeated three times as per the norm before her gaze returned back to him--eager to see his reaction. While she knew it was a struggle for them both to be away from each other this way, she knew it would make their union that much more special. After all--now they were married in the truest way possible in both their faiths and that was incredibly important to both of them. With a smile, she gave him a discreet wink, eager to make her man laugh and smile that gorgeous smile of his.

[raghavxarora]

Zaara had walked him through every step of the ceremony previously, but he paid attention like it was his first time hearing any of it. He was anxiously waiting for the big moment when they'd finally get to say their I do's. When the time finally came, he didn't hesitate, responding with confidence, "Qubool hai." Now he waited for his bride to do the same, Raghav practically zoning everything out once again as he sat there eagerly. He knew everyone could tell he was being impatient, but he couldn't help himself. Two words separated them from making things truly official. Technically, she was already his wife, but this ceremony made it official in both of their faiths and he knew that was important to her just as it was to him.

She could feel the nerves start to settle once she caught sight of him looking at her through the flowers, not missing the way his eyes had that familiar sheen of wetness. It was heartwarming to be with someone who wasn't afraid to show emotion and Zaara would forever thank her lucky stars for getting the chance to know him and fall in love with the best man for her. She could hear the bustle all around her and yet her eyes remained glued to the man across. She heard the Qazi declare their union, before turning to ask him if he accepted the nikaah and with bated breath, Zaara along with everyone else, waited to hear him say that one statement three times--eager for her own turn to come soon as well.

[raghavxarora]

Raghav heard the music start up and could feel the anticipatory energy around him increase tenfold as his gaze trained on the entrance. It wasn't long before Zaara made her big entrance and walked toward him. It was just like the other day. Once again, he felt everyone else fade away as he looked at her and focused all his attentions on her. She looked as radiant as ever and he wished he could reached for her and take her hand, but they would be divided by this curtain of petals for the remainder of the ceremony until they gave their approval for this union. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears, but he didn't let them fall today. Instead his eyes glistened as he smiled wide for her while he watched her join him at the altar.

It was good having her family and Raghav's family all by her side right now because after all--they were one family now and she honestly hadn't felt as happy as she was in that moment. It was adorable to watch Gurnaz through the mirror reflection as she hurried to give her employees her final directions before coming up to her. She hadn't called her over for the compliment, instead wanting to make sure the youngest Arora sibling too was having a good time. She looked up at her and smiled before nodding, "I think I'm ready." This was the big one for her parents, and in some ways--for her also. She'd dreamt of her nikaah for a long time and after a point, she'd also pushed those dreams back but then entered the hero of her life; Raghav Arora, a man who'd given a new life to those dreams.

Now she was getting ready to embark on the adventure she'd been wishing for and was doing it with her best friend. "Chalo," she said softly to her mother, not missing the way the older woman was trying to hide her tears before she cupped her mother's cheeks and smiled. "Main aapki beti hamesha rahoongi, meri ruksati ke baad bhi aap hi ki beti rahoongi. Maloom hai na aapko?" Her mother merely nodded as she took hold of her daughter's hand and began leading her to where the ceremony would take place. Zaara's heart was quickly beating, her excitement to see her Raghav across the curtain of flowers growing rapidly.

[raghavxarora]

Gurnaz had an amazing team of employees who knew she wanted to be present for her brother's wedding and not just run around while it happened. She was in charge until the ceremony's start which was any minute now, getting ready to hand off the torch to her associate just as Zaara called out to her. "Haan, bhabi main abhi aayi!" she gave off final orders and did away with the headset, putting her trust in the other capable employees to do their job and make sure the wedding went off without a hitch. "Haye, kya lag rahi ho aap bhabi. Raghav is going to faint when he sees you." He'd already seen her as a bride once already and the man broke down into tears. Today, Gurnaz was sure he'd pass out at the mere sight of her. She glided her finger along her water line and pressed the black dot behind Zaara's ear. It was customary after all. "Whenever you're ready, we're ready," she finally said, giving her sister-in-law the go ahead to make her way towards the main venue for the nikaah.

She had been so sure that Gurnaz would've heard the amount of ceremonies she wanted and refused to help them plan the whole thing but she was Raghav's sister after all--how was it possible that she wouldn't do everything she could for Zaara's dreams to come true? They had been having the best week celebrating them so far and honestly she couldn't wait for it to continue. As she put the final touches in her hair and adjusted her jewelery one more time, she glanced over at Ria and her mother, both of whom had been adjusting the dupatta over her head before she glanced back at where Gurnaz seemed to be speaking on her little headset. "Excuse me Miss. Wedding Planner? Can I have my nanad for this moment now?" She waited for Gurnaz to respond before looking back at the other women in the room who were there, ready to lead Zaara down to the ceremony space where she and her man would be momentarily separated by a curtain of the most amazing smelling jasmine flowers.

[raghavxarora]

Raghav didn't care how many times he was marrying the brilliant woman that was Zaara Siddiqui. She could have demanded they have five different ceremonies and he would have happily shown up to every single one to say, "I do." Truthfully though, there was a part of him that was glad that their nikaah was only one of two because it just meant that it was official. They had made it to the finish line and the only thing left to do was to celebrate with their close family and friends before they all flew back out to Mumbai for the star-studded reception that Gurnaz had skillfully organized for them. Their wedding up to this point had been perfect and he knew that a lot of the credit had to go to both his bride and his little sister for the flawless execution. It meant a lot to him that they got to have both their respective faiths and backgrounds reflected and respected over the course of this wedding and today's ceremony was a testament to that as well. "Itni dher kyun laga rahi hai woh?" he muttered impatiently to Vicky, wondering where his dulhan was.

[raghavxarora]

Raghav ate quietly, letting everyone else catch Rahul up to speed. He was really angry at one point and they would obviously touch on that at some point, but for now he was okay with letting Viraj and Gurnaz take some of the heat. Ria made sure to keep an eye out in case Raghav tried to stir the pot. She wouldn't put it past him since the approval he gave for the couple was still very tentative. Thankfully, he was keeping his mouth shut and wasn't egging Rahul on too much.

Gurnaz didn't think they were in trouble though. It was obvious that he was confused and a little pissy, just like they all pointed out, that he was the last to know about this. "I promise we'll explain everything after you've had something to eat. Here." She helped serve him which seemed to soften his hotheaded exterior. "Okay, tum apne khaane pe dhyaan do. I'll do it."

When Sahej piped up, Rahul seemed to soften completely. "Of course I remember you. Are you kidding me?" If there was something he was up to speed about, it was the fact that Raghav's brother's best friend was still missing somewhere on the other side of the border and there was still no news. Gurnaz relaxed, glad that her other brother joined in on the conversation, if only so Rahul could sober up to the fact that there were worse things that could happen. "How is everything with your friend? How is life? Raghav says you've got yourself an adorable little girlfriend?"

Gurnaz smiled at Viraj, hopeful now that news of their relationship was out. This was so stressful that she was glad that the whole telling them part was over. Sure, they'd have to notify the parents, but that was a conversation for another day and she knew there wouldn't be any outrage or upset feelings there.

Viraj was clearly feeling that stress from being the one in the hotseat with Rahul, but he still clutched Gurnaz's hand as a safety net--which was interesting seeing as he had more experience with the man in question. "I think you should be impressed," he pointed out with a grin before glancing around at the other's hoping they all could agree. Luckily Gurnaz spoke up then about keeping things private and he found it reassuring before he glanced at the man who was watching them with a narrowed gaze.

"You're lucky I adore the rest of you so much that it won't bother me...too much," he gave them both a smirk before continuing. "Alright what's there to eat? I need something tasty to distract me from whatever complications Gurnaz just mentioned--but let me remind you, I will ask about it once I've had some food." He told her with a wink before looking back at Ria and Vicky. "So--is anyone going to serve me...?"

Zaara let out a sigh before handing him the dishes one after the other before looking at Ria and telling her to relax and have a seat--Rahul was just being his normal diva self. Sahej though was quite amused seeing as he hadn't interacted with the man who'd made his big brother such a big star very often. "Uh--hello Rahul, sir--I'm Sahej, we've met a few times, but I don't know if you remember me?"

[raghavxarora]

Ria shrugged because Rahul couldn't possibly be mad at them for real, but he could be incredibly petty if he wanted to. There was no doubt that he wouldn't let any of them forget about the fact that they kept this from him.

Gurnaz swallowed that small bite she took, the food having a hard time going down as she heard the impending footsteps clicking against the tile floor. When he did appear in the dining room, she wondered if maybe she should stand up to greet him, but everyone else seemed comfortable enough where they were in their seats.

"Hi Rahul," Raghav greeted with ease, knowing that he wasn't the one in the hotseat. "Have a seat na? Join us. There's plenty for everyone." Rahul huffed and plopped himself down across from the main couple in question. "I don't know if I should be impressed or disappointed that you all hid this from me."

"It's not their fault..." Gurnaz finally piped up, "We wanted to keep things private. And then there was..." She didn't want to mention all the drama again for fear it might stir up those old hostilities. "We just didn't want to complicate things..."

The groan that fell from Viraj's lips wasn't surprising to anyone since he'd heard Rahul's loud call of his name. It was clear that Vicky and Ria had tried to calm him down but that wasn't the case and really...he didn't even understand why the famous director and producer was upset. After all--he would've sided with his favourite Raghav and Vicky, wouldn't he have? Still he had a bright smile on his face as the other man stepped into the dining room, reaching quickly for Gurnaz's hand to grasp tightly.

"Hey Rahul--how's it going?"

Zaara for her part was quite amused at the sight unfolding in front of her, mostly just glad that it wasn't her and Raghav who were having to bare the brunt of Rahul's annoyance. They'd been quite open with the man regarding their relationship and so they'd been exempt from this behaviour. She looked at Raghav and watched him calmly eating his meal which had her hiding her smile behind her hand while she waited to see how this all went down.

Vicky followed in with Ria after Rahul and resumed their seats before passing on some of the food to his beautiful girl before leaning in for a quick whisper. "Do you reckon we're going to have to step in at any point--or will he be civilized?"

[raghavxarora]

Gurnaz wasn't entirely sure what she was in for right now, but she'd known Rahul through her brother for some time now. She wasn't sure what exactly a pissy Rahul looked like. He was always so sweet to her. Instead, she focused on the sweet conversation her brother and sister-in-law were having about their future and the fact that they were both intent on giving her a baby niece to dote on.

The bellowing voice of the director echoed down the halls. "No no no! Don't try to distract me. Mujhe pata hai tum dono kya kar rahe ho. Where are they?! Where are those two?!" Raghav was glad to see that at least he wasn't the only one outraged when they heard the news. He returned to his meal, feeling more relaxed than he had all night. Let Rahul do all the yelling. Perfect.

Ria tsked, "Rahul relax. Bechari darr ke bhag jayegi. Do you really want a depressed Viraj on your hands?" Rahul narrowed his eyes at her, "I don't pay you all to get depressed. Viraj!"

“You weren’t bad,” Sahej murmured with a grin at his big brother, “you were just—protective?” He grinned at Viraj and Gurnaz while Viraj had a chuckle before shaking his head. “Rahul’s probably not going to give me any work now—my career is going to be in jeopardy, but luckily you're worth it,” he said as he kept his gaze on Gurnaz before she sat down with him. 

“Acha? Mujhe bhi ladki hi chaiye, but there’s no harm in trying to tell him that and see if it helps lessen his anger. After all—mujhe toh kaam karna hai Dharma ke saath,” Zaara grinned as she reached for the sushi platter and took a piece before handing it to Ria. 

“What other shiny thing can we give him?” Vicky chuckled before looking around the table. “Maybe I’ll tell him I’m having a career crisis, I'm not—but he likes to swoop in and help with those things.” As soon as Vicky said those words—the doorbell rang and he sighed glancing back at Ria, “acha—chalo, let’s bring him in. Everyone on high alert,” he chuckled before taking Ria with him towards the entrance. 

[raghavxarora]

Raghav watched the couple trail in behind Ria and wondered who had left them alone. He had to stop himself from getting annoyed. That's not what tonight was about. He himself had given them the green light. There was no reason to act out now. "Oh you thought I was bad? Just wait." It was true. If Rahul wasn't let in on the gossip and what was happening with them, he was thoroughly offended which meant if anything, he would be an asshole on Raghav's behalf. At the same time, he also knew that he would be facing the producer's wrath as well. "Beta? Beta kisko chahiye. Mujhe toh beti chahiye," he added with a wink to his fiancée.

Gurnaz sat next to Viraj and began piling some noodles onto her own plate as she listened. "Is he really going to be mad?" Ria shook her head, "No no... He's going to be pissy. There's a difference, but Zaara's right. Give him something shiny and special to focus on and he'll be distracted enough with it... But he probably will be at the ready with uncomfortable questions so... just be prepared for anything really."

"Stubborn...is an understatement," Viraj managed to say with a quick laugh before he nodded at her words. She was right. This was the biggest hurdle in their way and now that they had technically passed it--it meant only good things from this moment on. He did quickly peek around them to ensure no one was there when he kissed her back, loving just how he could feel the extent of her love in that one action, truly just pouring in his own love for her and relishing that moment.

The sound came suddenly and he pulled away, almost ready to be throttled when he caught sight of Ria with an amused look on her face. That was much better than the alternative. They stood along with her and walked into the kitchen, Viraj only chuckling at her declaration before shaking his head. "Mildly? That means he's going to be very whiny tonight," Viraj sighed before taking a seat next to Sahej and hoping Gurnaz sat with him.

Zaara had taken a seat near Raghav as she continued to serve some of the food around the table before shaking her head. "It's fine--we'll tell him that we'll name our first born after him or something, phir theek ho jayega," she rolled her eyes before looking back at the man she'd have those kids with. "It's a decent enough name at least...Raghav ka beta Rahul, it's cute no?"

[raghavxarora]

Gurnaz shook her head and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Bilkul nahin. In fact, it made me proud to see you sticking up for me. Bhaiya is great and all, but he can be stubborn at times. Main bahot khush hoon. The way everything turned out... I just know things can only get better from here." She had to hope that there would be no more hurdles or obstacles for them to get over. Convincing her eldest brother that Viraj was worthy of a second chance was nothing short of a miracle. She had high hopes for their future now that this was over and done with. Gurnaz made sure her brother wasn't close enough to stumble upon them engaging in PDA before leaning in for a kiss and making sure she took her time with it.

A clearing of a throat made her jump if only because she wasn't used to other people being in such close proximity when they were together like this. Thankfully, it wasn't either of her brothers, but a very amused looking Ria. "Agar tum dono ka ho gaya ho toh... Dinner kare?" The petite woman looked at her boyfriend and then at Ria before nodding, her ears burning up as let them lead the way into the kitchen. "I've invited Rahul, by the way," Ria announced upon her entrance. "Needless to say, he's on his way. Fair warning though. He did say he was mildly pissed that he wasn't really let in on all the juicy drama."

Sahej clearly got the message that the couple in question were trying to send and if he was in a more teasing mood—he’d have argued and tried to make them come out and say it but right now he just stood and rolled his eyes before asking the ladies in the kitchen loudly if they needed any help. Which left Viraj alone with Gurnaz and while he was very aware of Raghav being in the same house, he still took her hand and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I'm so glad that went well...tum...naraaz nahi ho na? With anything I said?” He knew he hadn't spoken anything too crazy but the main person he wanted to ensure was alright would always be Gurnaz Arora.

“That’s true—you're not the greatest at that, weren't you the one that wanted to tell everyone you and Zaara were dating too? You'd blurt it out in a heartbeat,” he chuckled before taking a sip from the drink before nodding and getting up to lead Raghav towards the kitchen. “Nah we wanted to do it, and it's more just--we knew how important this was for the family and so we figured if it went well--it'd be a nice dinner together and if not--then it would be food we'd send home with everyone. Either way, waste nahi hota.” 

[raghavxarora]

Gurnaz was just happy that it was all working out for the better. She was well aware that her brother hadn't completely let go of his hang ups, but this was still a huge step forward. Ria's voice brought her out of her reverie as she led Zaara towards the kitchen. "We ordered dinner, but if you want to help me heat it up that'd be amazing." She let the two actresses disappear into the kitchen before turning back to her other brother that was still very much with them. "Don't you think you should go help them?" she suggested pointedly, hoping Sahej understood that she just needed a moment alone with her man before they returned to the loud boisterous group.

Raghav sighed, "I'll have to think about it. I just want to be married so bad, but I don't know that I'd do a good job of keeping that a secret. It's only six months. The wait will just make that day that much more special." The eldest Arora sibling nodded in agreement to his best friend's words. Viraj knew what he was up against and now everyone knew and was involved in this. If he fucked up, there was frankly no going back. "You're right. Let's go see if the girl's need any help with food. You guys really didn't have to organize a whole thing for tonight. It kind of scares me how important tonight felt... like a lot was at stake for a lot of people."

Zaara couldn’t help the slight eyeroll at Ria’s agreement to what Gurnaz had said. Both of these lovely ladies were just saying these things but a small part of her certainly hoped that was exactly what happened. She wanted him to see her and just—be absolutely mesmerized because she knew for a fact that as soon as she saw him there—she’d completely forget about everyone else. “Alright well there’s still a while to see who ends up being right…Ria, can we help with anything for dinner?” Viraj for his part was more focused on Gurnaz and just staring at her. Only a fool wouldn’t see how happy she was amidst these people and he wanted nothing more than to ensure that smile remained on her face for all of eternity—something he’d absolutely strive for every single day he was able to.

Vicky chuckled at the other’s words before nodding. “I can’t even imagine how heartbroken they’ll be if you do it, but you could just—do it for yourselves and not even tell anyone. That’s some new fad—isn’t it with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry did? Get married for themselves and then did it for everyone else?” He took another sip form his drink before nodding at his friend’s agreement to stay for dinner. “Yes exactly, I think—that’s what won everyone over. The way she is with him, and even how she talks about him…clearly she knows him in a way that the rest of us don’t,” he mused before giving his friend a smile. “I think we just have to remember that he knows he’s got a lot of people to watch out for if he does anything to hurt her in any way,” Vicky said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone.

[raghavxarora]

Ria sighed happily, loving to see Gurnaz so happy with the man she loved. Looking back now, she was glad that she and Viraj got stranded in the car that night and that she was forced to hear him out. She didn't make it all happen on her own nor was she looking for such credit, but she was happy to know that she played whatever little part in bringing them back together. "No, she's right," Ria laughed, "Raghav's going to be so mesmerized by you the entire time that he won't know what to do with himself."

Raghav set his glass back down on the bar counter and shrugged at the thought of eloping. "It's not the worst idea in the world, but my parents would kill me." His mother spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with either him or Zaara discussing some aspect of the wedding planning on the daily. If she missed out on any part of it, she would get on the first flight to Mumbai to beat her son with her jutti. "We'll stay. I think at this point there's no avoiding him. I just have to get used to seeing them together. She looks happy though... I would have been able to tell if it was something she was forcing or if it was a pretense, but she looks genuinely over the moon. I wish it was literally anyone else, but there's nothing much I can do about that at this point."

For a second Viraj had definitely froze up at the thought of Gurnaz doing that while Raghav was around but luckily the other man wasn't around yet. And Sahej for his part--only laughed at the way his younger sister reacted which was reassuring for sure. “Now that I know I'm invited, we're definitely going to have the best time,” he grinned at her, unable to hide the look of pure love in his gaze. He was so thankful to have found someone like Gurnaz who truly just changed the way he was living life as a whole. He couldn't help the chuckle that fell from his lips when Zaara playfully smacked her sister-in-law. “Stop it you, he focuses just fine--but haan uss time pe agar woh kisi aur ke baare mein soch raha hoga na...toh uski khari nahi," she said with a grin until their conversation shifted at the mention of Vaibhav. 

It was nice to hear those words from Gurnaz and Sahej nodded a long with his sister, praying that she was right and that sooner or later his best friend would be back. Life just wasn't the same without him around. “Thank Gurnaz," he gave her a small smile before nodding along with her words yet again. “We've just got to remain positive. That's the main thing.”

Vicky gasped out loud at the way his friend told him to stop. “Kya rehen doon? Line toh achi thi," he grinned as they clinked their glasses together before he mentioned what he'd been thinking the last time they'd been in this very house. A chuckle left the other man's lips before he shook his head. “You're so eager…tera bas chale toh tu abhi ke abhi vyaah kar lega uske naal." He took another sip of his drink before glancing back at Raghav. “Toh—ab kya? Ria and I were thinking of hosting a dinner tonight here, you’ll stick around right? We're going to have to get used to him around sooner or later."

[raghavxarora]

Gurnaz let out the tiniest of squeals and turned to give her boyfriend a quick peck. She made sure that Raghav wasn't around to spot them because she knew he'd have a hard time seeing their PDA so quickly after he decided to give them this chance to prove that this was real. "I was already excited for this wedding, but now I can't wait." All those cheesy, romantic moments that couples shared at weddings would be something she'd finally get to experience with a man she loved. "Oh uska tum fikar mat karo. I'll be sure to keep him preoccupied. Though I have a feeling Zaara bhabi's going to be taking care of that just fine. Raghav bhaiya has a hard time focusing on anything or anyone else when he's around her, but this is especially true when she looks drop dead gorgeous."

The melancholy shadow fell over their conversation at the mention of Vaibhav. This wasn't the first they were hearing of the soldier's disappearance. Gurnaz made sure to mention his safe return in her prayers whenever she could. He might have been her brother's best friend, but he was practically family for them. "It's okay bhaiya... He'll be okay. I'm sure of it. He's not one to give up so easily and wherever he is, I know he's staying safe." If only she knew how right she was. Vaibhav was toiling day and night to get back to his country safely.

Raghav sighed, feeling relieved that Vicky wasn't angry with him for the way he acted. That feeling of relief was quickly replaced with a look of cringe laughter at his friend's attempt at the famous movie line. "Oye, tu rehen de..." he chuckled, but still, he clinked his glass against the other's and took the first sip of the expensive liquor. "It's going to be okay now. Nothing's getting postponed. I refuse to let anyone postpone or delay this wedding any longer."

“Oh no, I absolutely do need to thank you guys. Tum log agar humara saath nahi dete, toh shayad Raghav kabhi meri side sun ne ke liye raazi nahi hota," he said with a smile before looking back at Gurnaz, still hardly able to believe this was real and they were amongst friends and family together like this. But most importantly, it had been thanks to Ria who had been willing to listen. If she hadn't, then Zaara wouldn't have been able to hear him out and then neither would Vicky have either. 

The topic of the wedding came up, one that he knew had been postponed almost due to the tensions between Raghav and the rest of his crew but it was nice to hear it being back on. "Of course I want to be your plus one, in fact--I can't think of a better way to announce to the world that you're taken. Plus--I have a sneaking suspicion your brother will be too busy to pay attention to that stuff so it's a win win situation," he chuckled with a quick glance at the rest of the people sitting around.

Sahej smiled at both Viraj and Gurnaz before nodding, "haan woh bilkul theek hai, bas unke family wale shayad itni asaani se usse doosri Mumbai trip ke liye aane na de. We'll try to plan something to get her here for the wedding though for sure. Plus uh—wahaan pe thoda tanaav hai, woh mera dost hai na? Vabhav? Woh—he's missing right now aur woh sab it’s a lot to take so…while I obviously want to be here celebrating with you guys, it’s hard not to think about him.” Sahej didn't mean to bring the mood down and was thankful when he felt Zaara’s hand on his own, squeezing it gently before smiling at him. "I'm sure ke woh theek honge,” she nodded at him with a reassuring look on her face.

“I doubt anything here is going to calm you down, but let’s start with some whiskey—sound good?" He didn’t wait for the other's agreement as he poured out two glasses for the two of them and pushed one of them over to Raghav before lifting his own. He'd been ready to chug it down when the other spoke up and he grinned at his best friend. “Pata hai yaar, koi gal nahi—woh kya line thi—bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai—senor,” he laughed at his own improvised line before grinning at his friend. “I was just trying to help but—I also didn’t understand why you guys postponed the wedding, aur woh bhi uski wajah se…but kher--woh sab purani baatein hain, now we have a lot to look forward to.” He held his glass and waited for his friend to do the same. 

[raghavxarora]

"You don't have to thank us," Ria said, "I'm just glad to see he came to his senses." Ria wasn't expecting this to go as quickly and smoothly as it did and had it been someone less trustworthy, she would have wondered it there was some ulterior motive behind the move. This was Raghav they were talking about though. There was no way he had anything else up his sleeve. If he said he was going to give Viraj a shot at proving him wrong then he meant it. "I guess this means he's going to be your plus one, huh?" Gurnaz smiled brightly at the comment and nodded. They didn't have to hide nor did she have to sit through her brother's wedding alone and missing Viraj. "That is... if he wants to be my plus one," she followed up, knowing that it all hinged on whether or not Viraj was okay with their relationship (or "alleged" relationship) being public news.

"Arre haan," Gurnaz looked at her brother at the realization that Simmi wasn't here. "Woh theek hai? Aayi nahin iss baar tumhare saath?" As far as she knew, things were still going okay between the pair. She hoped that was still the case.

Raghav looked around at the collection of bottles and shrugged, "Kuch bhi deh... As long as it'll calm me down." The man may have seemed like he had things under control back there, but the whole thing still left him rattled. It was surreal to think he was breathing the same air as Viraj and was somehow not at the ready to throw punches. "Listen... Whatever happens with him... I'm sorry for snapping at you and for ditching you the way I did the other day. It wasn't cool. You were just trying to help." It took Raghav spending a couple days away and his anger fading to realize he was the one ruining things with the people he cared about.

It was enough for Viraj now to know that the other shook his hand at least was able to accept their relationship, at least as much as he would be willing to. He knew it wasn’t the best outcome but it certainly wasn't the worst either with all things considered. He could visibly feel his shoulders drop as Raghav headed towards the bar with Vicky while he remained there with Gurnaz, Sahej, Zaara and Ria.

“Tum jao, I’ll join you guys in a few minutes," she told him with a proud smile. Because honestly she was extremely proud of how well he'd handled this given how angry he was at pretty much all of them. But as soon as Vicky and him were out of earshot, she chuckled at Ria's words before shaking her head. “I can't believe it either.”

Viraj however was still a bit subdued and glanced at Sahej with a grin, “I’m glad you’re here as well bhai, knowing that at least one of her brother’s doesn’t despise me…helps a lot. And hey how's Simrat? Iss baar usse nahi laaya?” He frowned before glancing between them all unsure of why the other’s girlfriend wasn't there with him. “And you girls too—thank you for everything you've done for us--it means so much.”

On the other hand, Vicky had given Ria a quick kiss as well before moving behind Raghav towards the bar. As soon as they were there, he slapped one arm around the other's shoulders and drew him in. “You did great, all things considered…” he grinned at him before moving behind the bar and looking up at Raghav. “So tell me, what are you in the mood for tonight?” Of course there was a part of Vicky that felt almost...hurt at how things had been between the two of them the last time they'd been in this very house but he wasn't going to hold grudges anymore, especially not with the man who was the closest thing to a brother he had.

[raghavxarora]

He hated admitting it, but maybe he was a tad bit relieved to hear the finality in Viraj's voice and the way he was so sure that this was it for him. It would become apparent with time how truthful he was being, but they would cross that bridge when they got to it. Right now, Raghav was okay with offering the most tentative of olive branches for his sister's sake. She seemed to trust Viraj and right now that was all he had to go on. That and the goo-goo ga-ga eyes the couple made toward one another near constantly.

Raghav shook his hand rather firmly and sighed as he looked at the others. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I need a fucking drink." He nodded toward Vicky and headed in the direction of the immaculate bar that housed some of the best liquor he'd ever had. "Babe?" he asked, giving his attention to Zaara if she was going to join him or if he should proceed without her. That was about as much cordial behavior as he could stomach for one evening. They would just have to take it one day at a time.

Ria gave Vicky a kiss on the cheek and nudged him forward, not wanting to chance it that Raghav might hulk out if he didn't get a drink in him. That was one of the most awkward and tense meetings she'd ever sat in on. "Oh my god, did that actually just happen?" she joked once Raghav was well out of earshot.

“You're right, I'm sorry,” he said softly as the other defended his behaviour. He knew they had a close relationship and so he needed to technically know his limits but he didn't like the way the other had almost…quieted her. It didn't seem right and so he had to say something. But Viraj knew at the same time he was on paper-thin ice here and if he said anything wrong, his chance to live a happy life with the greatest woman in the world would be gone. It was reassuring that Gurnaz hadn’t been upset with his confession and instead agreed with him. Yet another reason they were both made for one another because they both just understood the other and their point of views so easily. 

“I love her more than I can say Raghav," he admitted with a small smile before looking back at Gurnaz. “I never thought I’d fall in love like this, it feels like…the movie type of love but I just can't imagine my life without her and I really hope you don’t make us go through that again because we both might’ve tried it once but I don't think either of us can do it again,” he admitted as he glanced back at the other man. He didn't miss the way Raghav clutched Zaara’s hand and wondered if mentioning their relationship would help but decided against it for now. 

Zaara for her part was glad to hear Raghav’s words because honestly she knew with time the other actor would reassure Raghav that he was in this for life and when that day came—they'd all be rather relieved. Viraj though could almost feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears as the other said he would try not to be an asshole. That was honestly enough for him. “I can take that," he said with a grin before nodding before he was about to take the other's hand. The warning wasn't unexpected and he knew very well that Raghav meant each and every word he was saying. “I promise you—all of you,” he glanced around at everyone in the room, "she will never be crying because of me." Of course his mind did go to other situations where she might be crying from extreme pleasure because of him but he didn't think saying that would help right now….at all.