10-03-2026, 03:55 PM
The regional train back to Munich was nearly empty, the rhythmic clack-clack of the wheels against the tracks the only sound in the dim carriage. Outside, the Bavarian twilight was turning the mountains into jagged shadows.
Inside, the tension was thick enough to choke.
Vicky sat with his legs angled into the aisle, his 6-foot athletic frame taking up more than his fair share of space. Shreya was tucked into the window seat beside him, her sprained ankle propped up on her backpack. She felt the heat radiating from his thigh against hers—a steady, grounding presence after the adrenaline of the fall.
Arjun, however, wasn't looking at the scenery. He was sitting across from them, his GoPro turned off, his arms folded over his chest. He looked between Vicky’s stony expression and Shreya’s flushed face.
"Okay, cut the crap," Arjun said, his voice dropping the usual "joker" persona. "I’ve been watching you two since the flight. The 'accidental' touches, the silent glances... and that stunt on the mountain today? Vicky, you didn't just save a classmate. You looked like you were losing your entire world."
Shreya’s heart did a slow, painful roll in her chest. She looked at Vicky, her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater.
Vicky didn't flinch. He leaned back, his broad shoulders expanding as he took a slow, measured breath. He looked Arjun straight in the eye—the calm, corporate gaze of a man who had spent two years negotiating high-stakes tech deals in Bangalore.
"You're overthinking it, Arjun," Vicky said, his voice a cool, steady melody. "I’m an athlete. My reflexes are trained for high-speed swimming and sports. If I see someone—anyone—falling off a cliff, I’m going to move fast. It’s biology, not a Bollywood movie."
"Biology doesn't explain why you're carrying her bag, her water bottle, and basically hovering over her like a bodyguard," Arjun countered, his eyes flickering to Shreya. "And Shreya, you haven't looked him in the eye once since we left the hut. You're blushing so hard I can see it in the dark."
Shreya forced a tired, scoffing laugh. She leaned into her "failed candidate" persona—the vulnerable girl who was just trying to survive.
"Arjun, I’m exhausted," she said, her Telugu accent thickening with fatigue. "I almost died today. If I’m blushing, it’s because I’m embarrassed that I slipped on a pine needle like a total amateur. And Vicky? He’s just being... well, a typical Malayali 'big brother' type. Protective and bossy."
She saw Vicky’s jaw tighten at the "big brother" comment, but he played along flawlessly.
"Exactly," Vicky added, his voice dripping with mock annoyance. "If she breaks a leg, who’s going to help her with the Thermodynamics problem set? I’m protecting my study partner, Arjun. Don't turn a mountain hike into a soap opera. It's exhausting."
Arjun stared at them for a long minute. The silence stretched, heavy and expectant. Finally, he let out a long sigh and threw his hands up.
"Fine. Whatever. Maybe the mountain air made me paranoid," Arjun muttered, though the suspicion didn't entirely leave his eyes. "But if I find out you two are sneaking around, I’m never letting you live it down."
As Arjun drifted off into a restless sleep ten minutes later, his head bobbing against the window, the atmosphere in the 4-seater nook shifted instantly.
Vicky didn't move his head, but his hand slid down the side of the seat, finding Shreya’s hand hidden under the fold of her coat. He gripped it hard—a possessive, grounding squeeze.
"He's getting too close," Shreya whispered, her lips barely moving.
"He's curious, but he doesn't know," Vicky breathed, his eyes fixed on the dark forest rushing past. "But today scared me, Shreya. Seeing you slip..."
He turned his head then, his dark, intense eyes locking onto hers. The 6-foot athlete was gone; in his place was a man who was starving for the one thing he had to keep hidden.
"I need you tonight," he murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rasp that sent a shiver straight down her spine. "I don't care about the risk. I don't care about the 9 AM lecture. Once we get back to the Studentenstadt, give it thirty minutes. Then come to 912."
Shreya looked at his large, dark hand covering hers—the contrast of his hard knuckles against her soft, dusky skin. She thought of her throbbing ankle, the cold mountain wind, and the way he had caught her.
"I'll bring the bandages," she whispered, a small, daring smile playing on her lips. "You can play nurse."
Vicky’s grip tightened, his thumb tracing the sensitive skin of her wrist. "I have much better plans for you than bandages, Shreya. It's going to be a very long night."
Inside, the tension was thick enough to choke.
Vicky sat with his legs angled into the aisle, his 6-foot athletic frame taking up more than his fair share of space. Shreya was tucked into the window seat beside him, her sprained ankle propped up on her backpack. She felt the heat radiating from his thigh against hers—a steady, grounding presence after the adrenaline of the fall.
Arjun, however, wasn't looking at the scenery. He was sitting across from them, his GoPro turned off, his arms folded over his chest. He looked between Vicky’s stony expression and Shreya’s flushed face.
"Okay, cut the crap," Arjun said, his voice dropping the usual "joker" persona. "I’ve been watching you two since the flight. The 'accidental' touches, the silent glances... and that stunt on the mountain today? Vicky, you didn't just save a classmate. You looked like you were losing your entire world."
Shreya’s heart did a slow, painful roll in her chest. She looked at Vicky, her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater.
Vicky didn't flinch. He leaned back, his broad shoulders expanding as he took a slow, measured breath. He looked Arjun straight in the eye—the calm, corporate gaze of a man who had spent two years negotiating high-stakes tech deals in Bangalore.
"You're overthinking it, Arjun," Vicky said, his voice a cool, steady melody. "I’m an athlete. My reflexes are trained for high-speed swimming and sports. If I see someone—anyone—falling off a cliff, I’m going to move fast. It’s biology, not a Bollywood movie."
"Biology doesn't explain why you're carrying her bag, her water bottle, and basically hovering over her like a bodyguard," Arjun countered, his eyes flickering to Shreya. "And Shreya, you haven't looked him in the eye once since we left the hut. You're blushing so hard I can see it in the dark."
Shreya forced a tired, scoffing laugh. She leaned into her "failed candidate" persona—the vulnerable girl who was just trying to survive.
"Arjun, I’m exhausted," she said, her Telugu accent thickening with fatigue. "I almost died today. If I’m blushing, it’s because I’m embarrassed that I slipped on a pine needle like a total amateur. And Vicky? He’s just being... well, a typical Malayali 'big brother' type. Protective and bossy."
She saw Vicky’s jaw tighten at the "big brother" comment, but he played along flawlessly.
"Exactly," Vicky added, his voice dripping with mock annoyance. "If she breaks a leg, who’s going to help her with the Thermodynamics problem set? I’m protecting my study partner, Arjun. Don't turn a mountain hike into a soap opera. It's exhausting."
Arjun stared at them for a long minute. The silence stretched, heavy and expectant. Finally, he let out a long sigh and threw his hands up.
"Fine. Whatever. Maybe the mountain air made me paranoid," Arjun muttered, though the suspicion didn't entirely leave his eyes. "But if I find out you two are sneaking around, I’m never letting you live it down."
As Arjun drifted off into a restless sleep ten minutes later, his head bobbing against the window, the atmosphere in the 4-seater nook shifted instantly.
Vicky didn't move his head, but his hand slid down the side of the seat, finding Shreya’s hand hidden under the fold of her coat. He gripped it hard—a possessive, grounding squeeze.
"He's getting too close," Shreya whispered, her lips barely moving.
"He's curious, but he doesn't know," Vicky breathed, his eyes fixed on the dark forest rushing past. "But today scared me, Shreya. Seeing you slip..."
He turned his head then, his dark, intense eyes locking onto hers. The 6-foot athlete was gone; in his place was a man who was starving for the one thing he had to keep hidden.
"I need you tonight," he murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rasp that sent a shiver straight down her spine. "I don't care about the risk. I don't care about the 9 AM lecture. Once we get back to the Studentenstadt, give it thirty minutes. Then come to 912."
Shreya looked at his large, dark hand covering hers—the contrast of his hard knuckles against her soft, dusky skin. She thought of her throbbing ankle, the cold mountain wind, and the way he had caught her.
"I'll bring the bandages," she whispered, a small, daring smile playing on her lips. "You can play nurse."
Vicky’s grip tightened, his thumb tracing the sensitive skin of her wrist. "I have much better plans for you than bandages, Shreya. It's going to be a very long night."
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)