Landing on the airport of the city he called home felt different. It had only been a couple of months since he had last been here but it felt like forever. It was raining in this part of the world, in stark contrast to the dry brazen country he was coming from. Cleaning up the mess that civilization was leaving behind was his job. The power to recreate came with a whole lot of travel to inhabitable places.

He couldn’t wait to get home.

Waiting for his bags to come he caught the eye of a lady who had been sneakily staring for a while. He smiled. Shook his head as she walked up to him. He knew what was coming

“Arn’t you that writer Naina’s muse?” she chirped

“Boyfriend” He managed.

No matter what he did to save the world, he would always be known as  “That guy she writes about” he thought and smiled at how much he enjoyed it.

“Oh I knew it. Have seen you in the pictures and read all about you in her stories .You are so handsome, no doubt but she writes so well. Will you tell Naina, I loved her last story about Longing and Belonging. I am sure you loved it too!” She wouldn’t stop
“I haven’t read it” he interrupted
She gave him a very disapproving look.
“When a writer falls in love with you, you become immortal” the lady sighed “that’s what she wrote about you”

He smiled. Picked his bag and walked out.

“I just got to know I am immortal” he typed into a window named Chashmish
“Don’t tell me you read it” She replied
“I read the first one you wrote” He said
“That was five years ago M” She went on
“But I did, didn’t I?!” he defended
“I missed you” came the reply
“I missed u too” he said
“There is a world of a difference between “missed you” and “missed u”” she sent with an emoticon that stuck its tongue out
“You can tell me all about it when my tongue is in that smart mouth of yours” he replied
“Drive safe” ended the conversation

He could see his driver standing alert in all his whites and behind him the love of his life. A black beast.
The driver saluted, handed him the keys and left.
“Shadow my love” he said as he fastened the seat belt and started the ignition “We meet again”
“Welcome back Mr. M” the AI of the car replied “Do I set the co ordinates of the destination on the GPS?”
“I know my way home” he smiled

Driving on the dark winding roads as he left the concrete behind was therapeutic. The rain was cleansing his soul of everything the world had left on him.

It was well into the dark of the night as he pulled up into the parking of the house, far away from the city, in the middle of nowhere. A warm glow from the windows reflected on the wet walk way. He opened the door with his keys, stepped inside. He could smell her perfume in the air he breathed. And then he saw her.

She was sitting with her legs folded on a chair, peering into her laptop on the desk, writing with earphones in her ears. Her hair was rolled up, with a pencil in it. She was wearing just a white shirt. HIS white shirt

He walked up to her and pulled the pencil out of the bun. Her hair fell to her shoulders as she turned around standing up, looking straight into the eyes that were burning through her. He tucked her hair behind her ear, held the collar, kissed her neck and whispered “Mine”
“Talking about the shirt” he giggled as she stood there frozen
“You are such a ruiner M, you kill all my moments” she grumbled and moved away
“You ARE all my moments baby girl” he smiled
“Come here” he pulled her in.

Taking a long look at her he knew he was back into his happy place. While he saved the world, she would save him.