Don't forget to read the author note at the end.

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Arnav stealthily walked inside kitchen where Khushi is doing something on the kitchen cabinet. Tiptoeing, he throw his arms around her waist from behind startling her for once.

“Ahhh…”

He took a step back shocked by her shriek. “Hey Khushi. It's me, Arnav.”

Khushi inhaled a deep breath and rubbed her chest in an attempt to calm her sprinting nerves.

“I got scared. You should've given a cue.” She spoke in between her rasping heart.

“Come on Jaan. Who else can hug you like this?” He shrugged casually with a tinge of irritation.

She gulped her nervousness and her eyelids flickered repeatedly. “Give me few minutes, I'll get your breakfast.” She mumbled hurriedly turning other side. Her understanding on his small gesture surprised her to the core. How does she easily guess his irritation behind the mask of his smiling face which he put up for her?

Few seconds, arnav happily enjoyed her nervousness ignited by him, before initiating a conversation “Did you had yours?”

“How can I, without you?” The latter part on her statement came out in low decibel yet he heard her and that simple statement had a great impact on him. He felt, he need nothing more than her presence beside him and everything will fall in place. He can very well grasp the growing affection between them as well as their need of being together. The depleting distance is also not oblivious to him.

“Make it as two then. Wait… I'll help you.” Saying this he folded his T-sleeves making her astounded.

“You know to cook?” Her question reflected her shock. Never had she seen any man helping their partner at kitchen lest they knew cooking.

Arnav shook his head in denial and in microsecond he flipped her around so that she can face the kitchen counter now. Wounding his heavy arms around her petite waist, he stood behind her caging her between the kitchen slab and his arms. The warmness of his skin transmitted it’s heat to her small uncovered waist making all her hairs to stand straight.

“Whaaat areee yoou doingg?” She stuttered at the sudden proximity.

“Shh… Shh… I am helping you.”

Her brows twisted up in no time “What? How?”

Closing the remaining distance between their frames, he inched forward with his pouted lips and blew air on her lateritious cheeks.

“It's hot here. Let me cool you.”

Her heart leaped forward to her mouth. A strange mix of excitement, nervousness, fear and zeal striked her frame. She felt her knees giving up at the intensity as he blew again. She couldn't conclude, whether the warmness is due to the temperature on kitchen or due to his proximity?  Grasping her state he tightened his hold on her. Her head automatically leaned back to his chest and now it’s arnav time to feel a flip on his pit of stomach as he was bestowed with her closeness like never before. Unlike her, he’s attuned to the growing tension between them. Their togetherness felt missing parts of his sorted life. Quickly brushing his lips against her heated cheek, he withdrew himself, partly owing to his grumbling stomach and partly to her sweaty frame emitted from both the flame of passion and flame of gas stove.

“Mm.. khushi, I am waiting there. Come with our plates.” He dashed out giving time to compose herself. True to his thoughts, she needed some alone time badly. Her erratic heart tried to convey something but her mind failed to grasp it as it was still processing over the new feelings.

Arnav quietly took his place and fixed his eyes on kitchen. His lips involuntary broke into a smile seeing her hands doing everything with ease. Her attitude conveyed her waning nervousness. He wondered how she might feel around him? Like, already he has that feeling of belonged to her and this house. Does she feels the same? Has she started to feel home around him? He thought elbowing his cheeks on dining table.

“Ji… Your breakfast.” Arnav snapped out from his thoughts and frowned seeing single plate.

Khushi bit her lips, suddenly feeling anxious to answer his question. She feels awkward to share the same space of dining with him. She was used to eat alone in the corner of the kitchen. After shifting with him in this new house she has always succeeded in following her earlier routine. But now he raised his suspicion. What should she tell?

Arnav noticed her lost frame and his frown replaced with a naughty smirk “I thought you're shy but woah… you're so romantic Khushi. You want us to share a single plate.”

He pulls her in his lap in no time before she could comprehend his words.

“J..i.. Le..ave.. me…” She stammered, wiggling on his lap. His earlier statement long forgotten.

“Still Ji? It's so wrong.” He whined tightening his hold.

“Jjii…”

He pursed his lips, lost in a deep thought.

“Ji… please.”

“Gotcha. You're pleading so much. So I am leaving you under one condition.”

“Wh..at condition?” She asked hesitantly, squirming on his lap.

His lips curled up into a smirk as she  looked at him in apprehension “You've to call me with my name. Simple as it is.”

“WHAT???”

She jumped up on terror scaring him once for all.

‘Did I asked anything wrong?’ He doubted himself and recalled the moment again.

“Eat your breakfast before it turns cold Ji..”

She was about to run and hide herself in kitchen, when Arnav caught her wrist snapping out from his reverie. Something forced him to stop his teasing. He noticed her faint nervousness showing up again.

“Eat now. I'll not ask anything. Promise.” He spoke in a convincing way and made her sit beside his chair.

“But…”

“Shh… I'll come in a while.”

Khushi watched him sprinting towards kitchen and came back in a blink with a plate on his hand. She writhed on her place as he passed the filled plate. Feeling agitated at the moment she dare not to lift her eyes and to her surprise he didn't utter a single word and continue to eat silently from his plate.

But his silence didn't go well with her that she hunched over the table “Ji…”

He carried on with his eating, noticing all her emotions from the corner of his eye.

“Ji…”

“Are you angry with me?” The way she raised this question with sad pouty lips in a dubious voice brought a smile to his face. His silence affects her. He bit his inner cheeks to stop himself from smiling so that the show doesn't end soon.

“Ji…”

“Ji…”

“Ji…”

As the time passes, her nervousness turned into anger. She sat straight from her hunched form and banged the table with her fist with an angry call “ARNAVJI…”

“What Khushi? Do you need anything?” He asked with a frown trying hard to portray an innocent face but failed miserably as his lips stretched wide on it's own. She looks cute in her angry avatar and it was the first time he's witnessing something on her face other than her fearful and hesitating nature and of course her crying frame too.

“Don't put this innocent face arnavji. I am hell angry with you. How many times have I called you? You're sitting like a rock. I… leave it.” She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes to calm her blazing anger.

He chuckled again earning a slap on his arm.

“Ouch… Are you the same Khushi I married yesterday or some ghost entered into your system?” He commented playfully, astounded by her sudden change of course in her nature. Till now, she looked like an innocent doll who doesn't even knew the spelling of anger. But… doesn't we all live the way we're with our closed ones without having the pressure to maintain decorum?

“Arnavji…” She whined.

“What khushiji?” He cackled mimicking her whining.

“Shut up arnavji. I am going. It seems your brain is more hungry than your stomach. Spare me.” She throws a stern glare and got up only to rooted on her spot as her brain grasped her earlier words.

'Hey Devimaiyya, Did I said shut up to my husband?’ Immediately her eyes rounded in shock and left palm cupped her hollow mouth as if she did a sin.

“okey enough of masti. Eat now. We're going out today.” He pulled her gently and made her sit again. Purposely he changed the topic to ease her anxiety.

“Where?” She asked instantly like he wished.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Tell na arnavji.” She asked with  childlike enthusiasm. Afterall, it's first time someone is giving her a surprise.

“No. First eat then we can go for your surprise.”

She pouted but nonetheless attacked her plate in an anticipation of getting her very first surprise. Her mind already swivelling around the possibilities. What will he give her? Will it be a new dress? Or Jewellery? Or Flowers?

‘Your surprise is going to yield you a lifetime happiness and much more Khushi. I'll ensure that.’ He mused enjoying his breakfast with perfect view of his wife. Who knows what destiny stored for both?

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-A/N-

Hiiii guys,

I know you all must be very angry with me for delaying updates. I don't have any particular reason for that. My writer block has been taking a toll on me for almost a month. I forced myself to write this part. So I am planning to take a short break. Will come back by end of December or start of Jan. Until then don't forget me and my stories ❣️