Finally... here we are, the final chapter of Heartstrings.

HEARTSTRINGS::Jitu/Ayushmann

Jitu wasn't expecting anyone at this late hour, wondering who it could be he goes to the door, opening it he finds Ayushmann leaning against his door step. Their gaze meet and suddenly world seems to have come to a halt. The surprise on Jitu's face does not stop the smile to spread across his face to match Ayushmann's. This time Ayushmann does not need permission as Jitu allows him to come in once again, in his home, in his life. As Ayushmann takes steps to enter the home, Jitu is hit with the flashback to their meeting last meeting, three months ago, in that hotel room where their lives completely changed.

Tears have dried up yet they are still clinging onto each other just soaking in each other's warmth and attention. When Jitu lifts his head to meet with Ayushmann's gaze and he finds nothing but sincerity in it. Ayushmann moves one of his hand to gently place it on Jitu's face who instantly melts against his touch placing a soft kiss on his palm causing Ayushmann to smile, finally, smile openly for the first time in a while. They don't break their gaze as their eyes silently communicate with each other, it is such a soft moment where they don't use words but just small touches and eyes shining with pure love for each other, they are afraid if they make any sound this might vanish.

Ayushmann let's his head fall slightly and their foreheads touch, Jitu closes his eyes and just enjoys the moment. This is what is more than he could ever hope for, asked for and now that they are here, he cannot believe this. He feels Ayushmann nuzzling against his cheek before placing soft kiss there and slowly moving towards his lips, Jitu's heart is thumping against his chest loudly. He feels Ayushmann's breathe against his lips taking his breathe away, he can feel the gap closing but he turns his face away in last moment and Ayushmann ends up placing a kiss on corner of his lips. Jitu doesn't turn his face and Ayushmann looks at him curiously, when he finally opens his eyes to meet with a questioning gaze.

"Tahira." One name is enough to burst their tiny bubble which hadn't even fully formed yet, Ayushmann looks away and Jitu moves away from his arms to create distance between them followed by an uncomfortable silence which Ayushmann decides to break with another truth.

"Woh sab jaanti hai." This shocks Jitu to his core who looks at Ayushmann in disbelief. (She knows everything.)

"What do you mean ke woh sab jaanti hai?" Ayushmann doesn't answer him just sighs. (What do you mean she knows everything?)

"Woh shuru se jaanti hai, in fact mujhse pehle se usay andaza tha meri feelings ka." (She has known since the beginning, in fact she caught onto my feelings even more me.)

"What the hell?" Jitu swears angrily and then remembers the phone call when Tahira invited him to the party and suddenly it all clicks.

"Esi liye mujhe party par..." (That's why she invited me to that party...)

"Haan." Ayushmann then proceeds to tell Jitu everything that happened in past few months between him and Tahira which led up to the night of the party where Ayushmann had a breakdown. Jitu just sits there listen to all of it in shock and disbelief, unable to imagine what Tahira must have gone through and everything she did, once Ayushmann finishes his sits on edge of bed with his head in his hands. (Yes.)

"Toh phir tum kyun aye yahan? Kyun bataya mujhe yeh sab? Kyun mujhe ummi..." (Then why did you come here? Why did you tell me everything? Why gave me this hop...)

"Jitu... main... I can't lose you, like this." Jitu scoffs at this.

"Main bas apna dost aise nahi khona chahta tha." (I did not want to lose my friend.)

"Aur ab? Yeh sab sach janne ke baad ab kya karein?" Jitu feels so conflicted and helpless right now not knowing what to do, he goes and sit with Ayushmann on the edge of bed, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ayushmann lifts his head from his hands with fresh tears brimming in his eyes. (Now what? What can we do with this truth between us?)

"Meri family..." (My family...)

"Tujhe kya lagta hai ke main tujhe kabhi bhi teri family se door kar sakta hon? Agar asa hota toh itne waqt tak andar hi andar na ghut'ta rehta." (What did you think that I would take you away from your family? If thi was the case I wouldn't have suffered in silence for all this time.)

"Jitu... I am so sorry." Jitu shakes his head as he smiles sadly.

"Me too." Jitu whispers these words feeling the burden of them in his heart. What kind of situation they are in now, where he has finally the love he wanted, they are so close yet they have never been further. There were no more words, nothing else to be left to do or say. It was unspoken decision yet neither of them wanting to admit to it. Jitu cannot be the one to break their family, he cannot do that and Ayushmann, he cannot leave his family but now after knowing the truth he doesn't want to leave Jitu either but of course he cannot have it all.

"Tum yahan? Kaise?" Jitu asks Ayushmann when they are inside. There is a certain emotion in his eyes and a secretive smile on his lips that is making Jitu curious and a bit afraid as well. (You came tonight? How come?)

"Kyun? Milne nahi aa sakta kya?" He asks in mischievous tone and Jitu just shakes his head. (Why? I can't come to see you?)

"Toh kya ab dosti bhi nahi rahi kya?" Ayushmann asks Jitu as he watches Jitu intensively who feels flustered under that gaze. (So now we are not even friends anymore?)

These last 3 months have been longer than 3 years for Ayushmann, finally knowing that he wasn't insane but he fell in love with this amazing man and to find out his feelings are reciprocated yet they are unable to do anything about it is nothing less than being in a hell. Jitu had unblocked him once again allowing him in his life once again but it hasn't been easy to try and be just friend with the person knowing the depth of your feelings. Yet, something did shift between them, there has been easiness in their communication, a certain closeness that had been missing for sometime. Their chats begun again between their works, they did take out take for each other, messages here and there, phone calls were less frequent but still happened.

Ayushmann spent many nights thinking over and over about their unspoken decision now that pandora box has been opened he does not know how to close it anymore. There had been moments where he almost asked Jitu does he regret it, does he think about this as much as he does. He keeps dwelling on all the what ifs and some nights they drive him absolutely crazy, it was such one night when he picked up the phone called Jitu and just asked him.

"Do you regret it?" Ayushmann had asked in desperation and Jitu had gone still.

"Ayush... agar maine answer kar diya toh tum regret karoge. Please ab yeh mat karo. Soh jao." With this Jitu had hung up with all the strength he had leaving Ayushmann's stomach in more knots. That was first and last time they spoke about it yet it still hangs between them. (Ayush... if I answer this then you will regret this. Please don't do this now. Go to sleep.)

"Aisa nahi hai yeh tum bhi jaante ho." Jitu replies breaking Ayushmann out of his thoughts. (It's not like that and you know that.)

"Tum aaj achanak kaise?" Jitu asks Ayushmann once again. It's not he is not happy to see him, he really is but also seeing him here is making his emotions to surface once again. It is taking Jitu's all strength to not just hold him and kiss him insanely. These last few months his life has turned so much that he does not even had the time to fully grasp everything. This push and pull happening between him and Ayushmann has driven Jitu to the edge of insanity, it has taken everything in him to let him go but does not mean that has hasn't thought about all the what ifs. No matter how many what ifs you can imagine, this is reality and him not liking it will not change the reality. (How come you dropped in tonight so suddenly?)

"Tumhare liye aik bohut hi bada surprise hai." Ayushmann just casually replies as he comes to stand face to face with Jitu. (I have a huge surprise for you.)

"Kaisa surprise?" Unzipping his jacket Ayushmann pulls out a bundle of papers with one hand and with other hand he holds onto Jitu's hand, causing electric current to follow through his body. He takes out the papers and puts them in Jitu's hand who had been looking at Ayushmann. (What surprise?)

"Kya hai yeh?" (What is this?)

"Khud hi dekh lo." Ayushmann replies grinning. (See for yourself.)

Jitu looks down at the papers in his hand and his eyes go wide in shock as he reads the front page -

'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan Prequel (Unnamed)

FIRST DRAFT

Written by: Hitesh Kewalya

Starring: Ayushmann Khuranna & Jitendra Kumar'

Jitu looks at Ayushmann in shock then back at the papers and then back to Ayushmann who is grinning.

"Is this..."

"Yes."

"It's..."

"Yep, it's happening." Ayushmann nods at Jitu who is finally realising that what he is holding in his hand is in fact the script for SMZS 2.

"Hitesh mujhe milne aye script ke saath aur maine kaha ke yeh sabse pehle main tujhe bataonga." (Hitesh came to see me with the script and I wanted to show you this myself.)

"Kartik & Aman..."

"Are back." Ayushmann confirms to Jitu who is grinning at Ayushmann with tears in his eyes. Ayushmann moves forward and hugs Jitu tightly. Jitu hugs him back with one arm going around him and one hand on Ayushmann's heart clinging to script tightly.

"Yaqeen nahi araha." Jitu's muffled words are heard by Ayushmann who smiles. (I cannot believe this.)

"Mujhe bhi nahi aya tha par ab araha hai." Ayushmann drops a kiss on Jitu's head who is still trying to wrap his head around it. He much he wished for this to happen but when they spoke last time about this possibility it didn't seem like it'll be possible and now here they are, is it even real? (I couldn't believe it either but now I am beginning to believe it.)

"It's real." Ayushmann answers as if reading his thoughts. Jitu breaks the hug to face Ayushmann who is matching his expressions. Their eyes meet and suddenly it clicks and everything feels so right. They don't know who moves first and then the gap closes between them as their lips meet into a soft kiss. It was so soft that Jitu's heart breaks at this, a sigh escapes Ayushmann's lips and taking his chance Jitu deepens the kiss, suddenly it's not soft kiss anymore but passionate and pure hunger is in this kiss. They stand there, kissing each other, with script trapped between them, for moments or hours they don't know because time has come to a still here. Finally, this feels right.

[FIN. Heartstrings]

[INTERLUDE: Matters of Heart]

SNEAK PEAK:

FLASH FORWARD - 18 months later

"You are running. After all that I have done for you. You run." Ayushmann accuses Jitu.

[Jitu and Ayushmann snuggling on sofa together.]

"After everything I've been through. After everything you've put me through, tell me, who wouldn't run." Jitu is tired of this, tired of being accused when he is the one who has been wronged.

[Ayushmann and Jitu dancing in their apartment, smiling and laughing.]

"You know who wouldn't run? Someone capable of being in a relationship." Ayushmann says without any warmth in his words.

[Jitu and Ayushmann in bed together sharing passionate kisses.]

"Someone capable of being normal." Ayushmann looks at Jitu as if he is seeing him for the first time.

[Jitu surprising Ayushmann at his birthday with a slightly burnt cake.]

"If you are someone capable of being alone." Jitu screams back, having enough of this.

[Ayushmann hugging Jitu tightly, resting his head on his stomach, while sinking into his knees.]

"Someone capable of not suffocating me." Jitu accuses Ayushmann who is taken aback.

[Ayushmann and Jitu enjoying star gazing in middle of nowhere.]

"I was doing all this for us." Ayushmann desperately tries to tell Jitu.

[Jitu placing a soft kiss on sleeping Ayushmann's forehead.]

"There is no US!" Jitu screams back as he turns around and walks away and Ayushmann looks at him walking away, defeated. After everything they went through this is what it has come to. He was warned but he didn't listen, after all, these violent delights have violent ends.

SEQUEL:

Now before you all go, this is the sneak peak into the sequel of this story. Heartstrings might be over but their story is certainly not, it is just a beginning. I'll be bringing a sequel to Heartstrings, hopefully in next few months. Because, this story has just reached it's midpoint, an interlude, the second half is still needs to be told.

Sequel Synopsis:

Ayushmann starts an extra marital affair with Jitu as they begin to shoot for SMZS 2. For a while it seems like world could not be more perfect or generous on Ayushmann and Jitu. Until, it turns out that you cannot have best of both worlds indeed. For how long Ayushmann can string along Jitu and Tahira without bearing any consequences for his actions. The sequel will be very dark, intense and twisted; with themes including: extra marital affair, internalised homophobia, closet relationships and dark side of their world.

Lastly, I will like to thank every single one of you who read, liked, commented on this story and appreciated so much. When I begun, I did not realise how big it will become and how close to me heart it will be. Thank you all so much for your kindness and the support you all gave to this story and to me. I love you all of you and thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.