Blackeye And Vegan Cupcakes- Part 2 [Rohan]

Dumb that he was, the guy did not even realize what happened or that he had lost a tooth until he saw the blood streaks on his white stringer tank. Suddenly, his face twisted hideously, and he lunged at Ru like an angered lion. Ru stumbled back but not before the man had his hands on his shirt. Both came tumbling down. Aarav and the other dudes tried to get the man off Ru, but he had a vice like grip on Ru's shoulder. He straddled across Ru, and an angry fist came flying at him.

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"Ouch, ouch, ouch,"

"If you move so much, it will hurt more. You need to stay still."

"And you need to be gentle. You are pressing too hard."

"Because you keep pulling back. Just stay still. Let me take care of this." Aarav gave Ru one stern command, and Ru complied.

If his left brow and cheek were not hurting so much, Ru would have found the exchange quite sexy. But now, there was this terrible throbbing on the left side of his face, and he wished Aarav would be quicker with his first aid.

Aarav pressed a Dettol soaked sterile cotton pad onto Ru's left cheekbone. The guy was still in his gym outfit, a grey tank top that showed his beefy biceps. His brown, teakwood eyes were focused on where he was cleaning up Ru's wound. Over the cool medicinal scent of Dettol, Ru could smell the sweat and musk from the man who was sitting so close to him that Ru could feel his warm breath on his face.

After the row in the gym, they were back in the apartment. The pretend alpha male had sustained a broken tooth or two, and Ru had a cut on the brow and a bruise on his left cheek. The guy seemed ready to beat Ru to a pulp, but Ru was more than prepared. He had his fair share of bullies throughout his life, and Yoga was not the only class he had taken. If the guy tried anything, Ru was more than happy to show him his karate and kickboxing chops. But before any more punches were traded, Aarav and another guy pulled the idiot off Ru. And so, here he was on the sofa, getting tended by his roommate.

Ru would admit he was surprised that Aarav offered to give him the first aid himself. But that might have been because of how Ru was moaning and yelping the whole time in the elevator.

Once more, the cool burn of the Dettol touched Ru's left brow.

"Hold it there," Aarav instructed. He then turned, squeezed out some ointment, removed the cotton pad, and rubbed it on the cut.

"Ouuuuuuuch!" Ru shrieked. The ointment stung like a b-tch.

"What are you, a five-year old?!"

"What is in it? Like poison?"

"Maybe if you didn't act so dramatic back there, you wouldn't be in so much pain now," Aarav told him while applying the medicine.

Ru flew to his feet. "Oh, so you are saying I am in the wrong here?" Aarav started to speak but Ru continued, paying no notice, "Is it my fault that the guy is a f cking homophobe and has jelly for a brain or that his d ck is too small that he needs to bully people to feel like a man?" Ru felt a fire burning in his chest.

"No, but you did hit first," Aarav said coolly that made Ru even more mad.

"Yeah, because, unlike you, I am not a coward. I don't like to hide, and neither do I like to be pushed around," Ru's voice was trembling, "I am proud of what I am, and I will stand up for myself, no matter what."

Ru then hurried out of the living area, ran into his room, and slammed the door close. He slumped to the floor right there, his back against the door, and broke down. All the horrible memories of his childhood came flooding back, the bullying, fights in the playground, name calling, and heckling. He felt like that twelve year old boy again in his fifth grade who was locked in his classroom after school by his bullies because he acted different. They snatched away his bag, his phone, everything, and locked the door from outside, leaving him there in the empty classroom all by himself. He remembered how scared and lonely he felt for those four hours, when he kept banging and screaming at the door, but no one answered.

Ru did not know how long he remained like that, sobbing on the floor, but the knock on the floor brought him back to the present.

"What is it?"

"Will you open the door for a second?" It was Aarav's voice from the other side.

"No," Ru said simply.

For a long time, there was nothing but silence.

Ru, finally, stood up, wiped off his tears on his long sleeves, fixed his hair a little, and opened the door. Aarav was standing there. In his hand was a box of six cupcakes, three strawberry, and three chocolate. Ru was speechless. He glanced at the box and then at Aarav with eyes full of questions.

"Don't worry, it is vegan," Aarav assured, "it is from the bakery you were telling me about."

Ru flashed Aarav a thin smile. He did not even recall when he was rambling to Aarav about the bakery, but he was glad the man remembered. "Thanks."

The cupcakes reminded Ru that he hadn't had breakfast yet and was absolutely famished. He picked up a chocolate one and took a bite. It was soft and scrumptious.

Chocolates are supposed to make people happy, but all of a sudden, Ru's eyes welled over with tears, and he lowered his face to hide them.

"Hey." Aarav brushed off the tears with his thumb. He pulled Ru close and wrapped his arms around him. "It is okay. And I am sorry."

"I am sorry, too," Ru mumbled around his mouthful of cupcake, "for what I said. I was angry."

Aarav didn't reply, only stroked his hair. Ru sniffled twice against Aarav's chest. He just needed to stay in that warmth for now.