Tags: Rio/Sanjay, Rachel/Sanjay, Tina, hurt/comfort, fluff
Notes: A Tumblr meme prompt request with Rio/Sanjay for "accidentally witnessed kiss." (Revised 8/20/2020.)
Accidentally Interrupted
Her heart racing and her cheeks flushed, Rio wound her way through the crowd of festivalgoers, offering a friendly hello or a quick chat as she went. At the edge of the clearing, where the long, untended grass gave way to thicker forest, she paused beside a maple tree and glanced back, making sure of no onlookers.
Then she slipped past the broad leaves and out of sight.
Once safely ensconced within the woods, some of the fluster left her, but butterflies continued to whirl in her stomach as she walked. Birds chirped high above in the trees, and sunlight broke through the canopy in dappled stretches of yellow warmth. Here, it was serene, private, as though it were a passageway to a sanctuary. She could even nearly forget the bustling festival she'd just slunk away from.
Like some shameful secret, a part of her whispered.
Rio irritably brushed the thought away. True, the two of them were guarded about their relationship, but he'd never hesitated to show her affection. To hold her hand; to lean down and whisper sweet nothings into her ear; to ask if he could kiss her before embracing her and making good on her "yes."
Just… not in front of others.
But before she could think further on it, she broke through to the other side of the forest, and her troubles scattered at the sight of the man in question.
Sanjay. He stood beside a flowering tree near the river, studying a low-hanging blossom of white and gold, a gentle smile upon his lips and his hair shining in the sun like a river of starlight over his shoulder. In that moment he was a painting come to life, all handsomeness and serene grace, and she couldn't help staring transfixed, in awe of him as though seeing him for the first time again. She sighed aloud, rosy and in love all over.
He looked up at the sound, then smiled wider upon seeing her. "Rio, my dear!" he called, waving her closer. "I'm sorry I didn't see you. I was just so captivated by the nature here."
"I-It's all right, Sanjay," she stammered. "I just got here."
Well, sort of, but he didn't need to know that.
He only smiled – that soft smile which had soothed and undone her all too many times before – and beckoned her once more. "Come here, my dear. It's quite pleasant in the shade."
She stepped through the field to him and, after a second's pause, laced her fingers with his. He smelled faintly still of cooking breakfast, of fresh bread and simmered herbs, and she smiled against his sleeve. A rush of warmth bloomed across her cheeks and through her chest when he squeezed her hand.
"It's beautiful here," he continued, studying the tree's flowers again. "The vegetation here is so verdant and lush, it's nearly overwhelming. Take this tree, for instance. We have a sort that looks similar in my homeland – though I forget the name, my apologies, I'll have to look it up later – but it only grows naturally in oases, and even then it blooms but once a decade. But here—" He swept his free hand around the riverside crowded with leafing trees and brush. "—you can hardly walk ten steps without finding another, and blooming every spring no less! It's incredible to see such, um…" He cleared his throat, looking back at her rather shamefaced. "My apologies again, my dear. I'm afraid I got rather caught up and rambled on for a while."
"It's all right; I didn't mind," Rio said, pressing his hand reassuringly. Her face burned ever more as she added, "Actually, I… I like hearing you talk. You have a lovely voice, and you know so much. Your homeland sounds so different yet fascinating. I'd love to see it."
"A-Ah. Thank you, my dear." He ducked his head a little, and she got an inkling he was blushing as well. "It is a beautiful place. Perhaps… we could go together someday? Only if you'd like to, of course."
"Oh, Sanjay," she sighed, "that sounds wonderful."
It was simply one of those perfect moments, their eyes softened and fixed upon each other, their breaths quietly mingled, their fingers entwined, so close yet suddenly not close enough.
Rather than speak, she drew a hand up and over his jaw to gently cup his cheek, a movement so tender, so familiar between them now, that he needed no words to know her mind when she encouraged him down. He eagerly met her with his own embrace and, then, his lips against hers.
He enveloped her senses, and she shut her eyes to lose herself all the better. How warm he was, how silken and soft his clothes, the weight of his arms around her middle, the comforting press of his hands against her back, and still the faint aroma of bread and herbs but more so now of simply himself. And around them there was nothing but the rustling grass in the meadow, the burbling river, and the calls of birds in the forest beyond. They were entirely alone. Here all was private and perfect and entirely theirs. Nothing could—
Click!
They broke with a jolt and whirled about. The source of the noise peeked out from a bush, staring at them with wide green eyes for a long second. Then it gave a small, sheepish wave.
"Er, hey, guys!" Tina said. "Don't mind me. I was just following my reporter instincts – and you – and here I happened upon my next scoop for the paper!"
"Tina!" Rio scolded.
"Oh, come on, Rio!" Tina said, waving off her protests before she could even begin. "It'll look great in the news! Practically magical! In fact, I could make a copy for you if you'd like when I—"
All the while she spoke, Sanjay simply straightened, his shoulders stiff and expression unreadable, as he quickly and efficiently smoothed away any stray hairs and wrinkles of clothing as easily as though preparing to meet a dignitary. It was as if the conversation, the confession, the kiss had never been.
Like we had never been, that traitorous voice in Rio's mind rose again.
And yet again Rio batted it aside. She was simply being paranoid, insecure—
"Miss Tina," Sanjay interrupted, "I must ask you to destroy that photo at once, please."
Rio's mouth dropped open. Surely she couldn't have heard right. A picture of them kissing in the newspaper would be a little uncomfortable, certainly, but had he truly just told her to—
"Destroy it?" Tina cried. "What? Why? It's a really nice photo, though!"
"Miss Tina, please," Sanjay said, his hands out beseechingly. "Consider it for a moment. What would everyone think? It isn't proper. It's—"
"Too embarrassing for him!" Rio blurted out.
She slapped her hands over mouth.
She hadn't meant to say it, and she regretted it the instant the words slipped out and for more than just revealing her fears. It'd all been a silly concern before, but now, out in the air, it congealed into an ugly truth. In all the times she could recall, when around others, he had never held her hand, embraced her, kissed her, or even leaned closer than necessary, nor had he ever introduced her as his girlfriend or lover. To anyone else, they were merely good friends. Such secrecy she could've accepted with a new relationship, with doubt and anxiety still too thick to bear, but theirs had begun months ago. Not it simply felt… shameful.
Perhaps her worries were more than just that.
Sanjay and Tina both stared at her, shock plain on their faces.
"My dear?" Sanjay spoke, uncertainly, at last. "I'm sorry. I… I don't understand."
Rio squared her shoulders, letting her hands drop away. She couldn't run and hide anymore, not from this. "Sanjay," she said, slowly, focusing on her breathing so as not to cry, "I feel… I feel as if I don't understand. You never want to be seen with me. But why? I know I'm just a farmer and I'm not very refined—"
"Oh, Rio, no!" Heedless of their audience, he turned and took her hands, squeezing them to keep her from going further. His violet eyes searched her, imploring for her gaze. But when she looked away once more – had to look away, as tears began to escape – he gathered her in his arms and pressed her to his chest, murmuring soft words into her hair. "Rio, my dear Rio," he said, "I'm so sorry. You are wonderful as you are. I never meant to make you feel so horribly. I assumed…" He let out a heavy sigh. "I assumed wrongly, evidently."
She sniffled. "A-Assumed?"
He took a step back to look at her proper, and this time she was able to look back. He pressed her hands again and explained, "I know I have often spoken of stages to our relationship, how everything has its own time. In my homeland, dating can be a very secretive matter, even up till marriage. I didn't know you would want to be seen with me." His cheeks flushed a darker shade, and he bowed his head. "I deeply apologize, my dear," he said, his voice soft yet earnest. "I hadn't thought to consider the customs of my new home here. You embarrassing me couldn't be further from the truth. I am always happy to be with you. I love you, Rio."
"Oh, Sanjay," Rio breathed, her tears drying as her worries lightened and floated away with each word. Now she could see how uncertain he must've been of their own boundaries, how unknowing of her mind. "I understand now. I should have asked sooner. I love you, too."
And again she reached for him, to cup his face and bring him down to kiss her as they had before. He responded in kind, taking her in his arms and holding her close, as though it were as natural as breathing, as living itself, and in that moment she could hardly remember why they had parted at all.
Until the bush rustled again.
Tina waved them on. "Please, continue!"
Rio shot a sharp look at the reporter, but Sanjay only smiled and took her by the hand once more. Then her eyes quickly grew round as he led her away, back to the forest, to where the festival grounds lay beyond. And they were still together – not separate, as they'd done so many times before.
"What are you doing, Sanjay?" she gasped. "They'll know for sure if we come back like this!"
"I know," he replied, his cheeks dark and his eyes bright. "In fact, I think it's past time."
"Wha—Really?" She could hardly speak, too elated.
He only laughed, smiling wider, and joyously led her further on.
Tina scrambled out of the shrub after them. "Wait!" she cried. "At least wait for me to publish it in the paper first! Come on! I swear it's a really great photo!"
