Ranveer lay on the couch in his shirt with the vibrator in his hand, his jacket sprawling over the carpet. He switched the vibrator on and placed it on his shoulder for a gentle massage turning the power up to the maximum, though to not much effect as the head wobbled so much that he felt nothing much on his hard muscles.

Deepika appeared at her bedroom door, her clothes changed to bedtime pajamas and a tank top. She observed Ranveer's disheveled hair, the ripped chest that flexed every time he made the slightest movements, his shirt unbuttoned flying out of his trousers that themselves had so turned around at the waist the zipper was over his right thigh. He was playing clueless with the vibrator; he just might have been the cutest thing she had ever seen.

He looked up and smiled shyly. "That was some brave shit out there."

Deepika smiled. Both had forgotten they were in an awkward fight just twenty minutes ago.

"You know what, I went a little soft on your neighbor, I guess."

"Really?" Deepika said coyly.

"Yeah, we could have let her have it," he slams grasped the vibrator with a slap.

"Have what?" Deepika said suppressing her laughter.

"This," he turned the wobbling head of the vibrator towards her. Gnnnnnn...

"Ah, yes right, why stop at that, why not stick it in her pants. And the next thing you know you are arrested for sexual harassment."

"Hmm. It couldn't have been that extreme, it was supposed to be a gift for her right."

"Are you mad? It has your name over it, in your hand. She would have taken it to the extreme, she would have had no choice. Otherwise how else would she explain to her husband why a stranger is gifting her a vibrator?"

"Yeah," Ranveer said slowly like a child understanding a new game, "that we certainly don't want."

"Yes. Sometimes people have to behave like assholes because they have no other choice." she smiled at her wisdom settling into a couch beside him.

Something popped up in Ranveer's head which he knew if he said would again spoil this emotional roller coaster of an evening. But the thought was so pressing he had to share it with Deepika.

"Well, then, you know, I mean," Ranveer fumbled, "what compulsions do you have?"

"Huh?"

Ranveer laughed nervously at the joke, then remembered there was no joke and his laughter died. He felt like poking the dragon but somewhere also hated the fact he was scared to say something to her. This was Deepika, he has never thought even twice before blurting the crassest degraded joke in front of her, she had even agreed to accompany him on a notorious comedy roast show that broke the internet for all the wrong reasons and there was never an issue between them. What exactly had changed?

"Deepika," he spoke with a sigh, "you know, right from the time I found out about relationships, I was just goofing around, you know finding the best fish, leave a talon mark and move on, sounds like something an asshole would do but.. never forced anyone.. never regretted breakups.. and cheating was no big deal, I mean whoever did it, me or the..," he waved his hand in circles to complete the thought.

Deepika suspected if Ranveer was drunk. The sudden highway their conversation had suddenly had taken threw her off her waters. She decided to make his point.

".. but I feel.. a little responsible now," Ranveer continued as Deepika's left eyebrow shot up, "I know you can sample numerous instances to prove otherwise, but... I mean in a relationship. Look, I love you," he said heavily which instantly brought a broad smile on Deepika's face that died instantly. Ranveer looked away in embarrassment.

"I truly do," he brought himself back from the sweet smile, "but... it's just that sometimes, you are... I mean of course there must be good reasons for it, but sometimes you are such..such a bitch," a weight was lifted off Ranveer's shoulder. "Such a bitch, you are such a bitch, you are wonderful and everything but sometimes...."

"I'm such a bitch, yes, you said that thrice. You know what, I'm bitch 'cause you're an arsehole."

"This is what I'm talking about. You are the best person I've ever met in my whole life but you carry so much baggage all the fucking time. And you bully me with it like I'm responsible for all that. And I don't know what to fucking do about it, 'cause apparently, I'm close to you to see your wrath but not close enough to know what exactly is eating you."

Ranveer waited for her to say anything. An angry rant, a tearful denial, anything would have done.

"Say something. I know I'm being an asshole right now but I have to 'cause I have no other choice," he said.

She pursed her lips at Ranveer's cheeky maneuver to throw her phrase back at her. After a long pause, she said, "I'm too broken to be mended."

"Huh?"

"That's what he had said."

"Who?"

She hid her face in her hands.

"Who?"

She didn't reply.

"Whoever he was, he was wrong. I know it. A broken person can't do what you did today-"

Her face rose up from as the hands subsided and Ranveer saw watering eyes. But that wasn't all, there were immense colors in those cheeks, the mouth was wide open showing a fine set of teeth, and then she snorted. She was laughing hysterically.