Shehnaaz always took his calls. Always. There are no exceptions to that rule. They fought, they annoyed each other, they were annoyed at each other, they had spent hours in the same room, pissed at each-other and not saying a word but they had never ignored calls. Sidharth didn’t need to think much to figure out that something was wrong when Shehnaaz’s texts stopped coming, abruptly a few hours ago. He grew even more worried when he found out that none of the people in his or her family had heard from her in the last few hours either, when she ignored his calls, he knew that was the very last straw. 

Sidharth stepped into his apartment, slightly breathless and worried. The apartment was unusually silent. Sidharth’s eyes furrowed as he made his way towards the room. It was safe to say that the room was an absolute mess, in the middle of everything, Shehnaaz lay on the bed, curled up and covered in a thin blanket. She was shivering slightly, causing Sidharth to rush up to her, and pull her into his arms.

She was practically burning up. 

“Shehnaaz..” He gasped, shaking her slightly. “Baby.. tu theek hai?”

Shehnaaz moved, a small, pained groan escaped her lips as she tried to peel her eyes open. “Sidharth..” 

Sidharth rubbed her back, soothingly. “Idhar hi hoon mera baccha, bilkul tere paas.”

Shehnaaz’s face contorted, a soft mewl escaped her lips, “Pukish lag raha hai.” Her voice sounded whimperish, her eyes watered. 

“Mmm..” Sidharth pressed her knuckles gently. “Medicine liya?”

She shook her head, “Sar ghum raha hai.” She pouted. “Bahot dard ho raha hai.”

Sidharth gasped, “Aw. I’ll get a doctor for my sweetheart. Kabse tabiyat down hai teri?”

“Subah tu early morning nikal gaya, uth-te se hi nausea ho raha tha. Neembu Pani piya, thoda kucch khaaya aur ek medicine liya tha. Thoda theek ho gayi thi, toh breakfast mein lagg gayi.”

“Genius.” He mumbled sarcastically.

Shehnaaz sighed, closing her eyes and leaned heavily against him. “Bhookh lagi thi.” She explained cutely. “Poha banana tha.”

“Maa ko phone kar leti.”

“Maa Preeti Di ke saath pune gayi hai, do dinn ke liye. Bhool gaya?” Shehnaaz chuckled weakly. 

Sidharth glared at her. Shehnaaz hid her face in his chest, hiding from the man’s wrath “I’m sorry.”

Sidharth chuckled, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Tu kinni buddhu hai baby.”

***

“Ay moti, mood kyon off hai tera?” Sidharth asked, sitting next to his baby girl and raising his eyebrow at her, curious and confused. The object of his affection glared at him. 

Quite literally, shooting daggers.

Slowly, very carefully, he moved closer to her and cupped her face “Kya ho gaya chote bacche? Ghoor kyu rahi hai mujhe?” He asked innocently. Shehnaaz scoffed, shoving his hand away.

“Kahan gaya tha?” She asked, sounding more pissed than she looked. To be fair she could never look pissed. She just looked hotter when she was mad at him.

Sidharth pouted, looking at her bewildered. “Doctor ko chodne gaya tha.” He explained. “Tujhe kuch chahiye?”

Shehnaaz nodded her head, brooding and absolutely adorable. Sidharth's heartbeat quickened, just enough so he'd miss a beat. 

He reached over to cup her face again and kissed her cheek. "You're such a cute little  baby."

*~*

She’s still very mad at you Shukla, Just a reminder. Tareefo se nahi maan-ne waali. 

Sidharth rolled his eyes at the author who grinned right back, an evil mischievous glint in her eyes. 

This is your fault. He scoffed.

Plot demand, sweetheart. Besides this is obviously shaping into a mushy scenario. I love both of you far too much to take any other road.

You better.

Accha bacchu?! Mujhe dhamki! Vinny raises her eyebrow at Sidharth.

Time pass mat kar baby, story pe waapis ja. Sidharth says sweetly. 

Badi jaldi hai shuklain se rainbow banwaane ki. Vinny teases.

Paka kyon rahi hai, ja yaar!! Sidharth whines. 

Sahi bolti hai meri baby girl. Kutta hai tu.

You love me far too much to care about that. 

Vinny smiles, Yeah. Far too much.

Sidharth grinned. Oh his grin, his adorable grin would one day win the world for him. 
  
Chal ab, futt idhar se. Story pe focus kar.

Vinny made a face, Tu na bhot bekaar hai. Mai terese baat hi nahi karni.

Sidharth frowned. Oye. Meri moti ka mood theek karde. Merko juloos nahi nikalwaana. 

Vinny huffed, Why would I listen to you? 

Sidharth sighed. Accha uss dinn ki tarah sapne mein aaunga teri baby girl ko leke. Shikaayat kar lio meri aur hug bhi dunga. 

Vinny's eyes widened. Promise kar.

Promise baba. Ab waapis ja, nahi toh utha ke phek dunga.

*~*

Shehnaaz shook her head, pushing him away. "Ja tu.. door ho."

Sidharth sighed. "Meri jaan, mene kya kiya?" 

"Tu mujhe chodke chala gaya.. akele. Mai gussa hoon." Shehnaaz huffed and looked away.

Sidharth smiled. "Mene tujhe akela nahi choda tha baby. Bas bahar tak chodne gaya tha doctor ko." He explained himself. "Mein tere paas hi toh hoon na."

Shehnaaz shook her head, still pouting. Sidharth clicked his tongue, "Accha sorry. Nahi jaunga ab chodke, kabhi nahi jaunga."

"Pomish?" She asked, looking at him with her best puppy eyed look. Sidharth nodded, kissed her nose and nuzzled her cheek affectionately. "Pakka."

Shehnaaz giggled and grabbed onto the front of his favorite T-Shirt, pulling herself into his lap. Sidharth supported her. "Bimaar hai na tu. Spiderwoman ban-ne ka bhot shaunk hai tujhe?"

Shehnaaz ignored him and snuggled into his chest. "I'm sleepy. No talking." She mumbled.

Sidharth scoffed playfully, pulling the blanket on her and began to pat her back rhythmically. "Medicine li?"

"Konsi?"

"Jo doctor deke gaye.. nausea waali." 

Shehnaaz didn't respond and so, Sidharth reached for the bedside table to check for himself. 0f course the medicine was untouched. What was I thinking?

Sidharth looked down at his chest. His baby was close to sleeping, but not quite there yet. "Uth, dawai le." 

She whined, snuggling closer. Sidharth bent over to press a kiss on her cheek. "Shabash mera sher. Uth ja fatafat!" He said, pushing her away from himself as gently as possible and popped a pill into his own hand. He grabbed the half filled bottle of water from the bedside and held both the things in front of her. 

Once she had taken the medicine, Sidharth kissed her forehead. "Chal ab so ja." 

***

Sidharth shoved the last bite of food into her mouth and smiled at her. "Finish."

"Ganda tha.." She cribbed. Sidharth sighed, feeling bad for her. The medicines that she had been taking were unusually bitter and somehow, that taste translated itself into everything she ate after or before she took the medicines. 

"I know.." Sidharth said quietly. Shehnaaz frowned, nuzzling him gently. "Teri galati thodi hai. Mood kyon sada raha hai apna?" 

Sidharth smiled. "Upar dekh.." 

Shehnaaz obeyed, not really understanding why. Sidharth blinked his eyes,  an unspoken gesture for her to close hers and pressed his lips on her closed eyelids. The gesture made Shehnaaz smile. 

"Medicine?"

Shehnaaz shook her head, almost too quickly. Sidharth clicked his tongue, "Baby.." 

"Mai theek hu ab." Shehnaaz said in a small voice. "Bahot bekaar dawai hai yaar." 

Sidharth wanted to scold her, like really scold her but he couldn't. Not now, not today. She was sick and she was cranky and stubborn, yes. But for a good reason. The medicine even smelled like hell so of course it would taste at least half as bad.  He took the sheet of medicine from the bedside and plopped the pills that she was required to take, not saying a word. 

Shehnaaz's face was contorted in absolute disgust, her nose crinkled up as the strong smell of the tablet hit her nostrils. "Mooh khol." Sidharth said quietly. 

"Neend aati hai us se."

"Rest karna important hai. Dengue hua hai na. Isiliye diya hai sabkuch. Theek nahi hona hai tujhe? Mooh khol na baby. Jaldi kha medicine." Sidharth said calmly. Shehnaaz wanted to protest, but that needed serious amounts of energy which she had an acute shortage of at the moment, so she had to agree.

Sidharth cooed at her, putting the medicine on the end of her tongue. Quickly he pressed the bottle of water to her lips. "Gulp it down."

She did and gagged, a tear slipped down her cheek as she coughed to get rid of the horrible taste sitting on her tongue. Sidharth rubbed her back, mumbling sweet nothings against her ear. "It's okay. Bas hogaya. Mera sher baccha.. ho gaya.."

Shehnaaz wrapped her arms around him and Sidharth pulled her into his lap. "Sidharth.." 

"Haan mera baccha."

"Tu mere paas hi rahega na?" 

Sidharth chuckled, "Mai kahan jaunga apni jaan ko chodke? Idhar hi hoon."

"Tera task ab start ho raha hai. Tareef kar meri." Shehnaaz demanded. Sidharth's face brightened up with a smile. "Kidhar se start karoon?"

"Meri nose se.." 

***

Shehnaaz sat in the hall, tucked in a blanket on the couch. Sidharth was in the kitchen, stirring something in the pot and watching his little munchkin time and again. 

"Kitna time?" She whined, nth time in the last hour. Sidharth sighed, looking at her. 

"Aa raha hoon baby." He responded. "Do minute."

Shehnaaz huffed and threw the blanket away in favor of tip-toeing into the kitchen and hopping on the slab. Sidharth rolled his eyes, slowing the flame and rushed into the living area to retrieve the blanket that Shehnaaz had thrown away. He returned to the kitchen, the blanket tucked safely under his arm and stood right in front of her. 

"Thand lag rahi hai?" Sidharth asked, wrapping the blanket around her once again. Shehnaaz shook her head, but otherwise didn't stop him. 

Sidharth raised his eyebrow at her in an  Oh, really gesture, pulling the blanket tightly around her. "Thodi si." Shehnaaz confessed in a small voice. 

Sidharth smirked. "Body pain hoga." 

"Jaldi kar na phir." Shehnaaz whined, pointing towards the food simmering in the pot. Sidharth gave up and kissed her forehead. "Ek minute." 

He turned towards the stove and gave the soup a gentle stir. Once he was sure it was perfect, Sidharth poured the thick, aromatic liquid into the bowls and carried them out of the kitchen and into the living room. Then, he returned to the kitchen and scooped the woman bundled up in a blanket into his arms and carried her towards the couch she was originally sprawled across. "Thank you." Shehnaaz said cutely.

"Thappad khaayegi." He said, taking the bowl from the table to feed her. 

"Report aayi?" Shehnaaz asked. Sidharth nodded. "Platelet stable hai. No change." 

She pouted. Sidharth cooed at her softly. "It's okay baby. At least it didn't deteriorate. We can win this."

"Dawai leni padegi.." She whined.

Sidharth sighed, "Woh toh sweetheart tujhe 2 week leni hi padegi. Course complete karna hai." 

Shehnaaz scoffed. Her man smiled and rubbed her arm assuringly. "Tu toh sher hai mera,  mooh mat sadaa!"

Shehnaaz shoved her face into Sidharth's neck, whining. Sidharth ran his fingers through her hair. 

"Champi karu?" Sidharth asked quietly. 

Shehnaaz nodded, sinking into sleep, minute by minute. "Door mat ja.."

Sidharth chuckled, pressing a sweet kiss on the side of her head. "Yahan hi hoon." 

"Promise?" 

"Tujhse jhoot bola hai mene kabhi?"

Shehnaaz giggled softly, closing her eyes. "Paas hi rehna." She mumbled through a sleepy haze. 

I was going to make this two part but then I changed my mind. If this feels incomplete or anything just say so and I'll try to write something more

I used the fourth wall in this chapter (where I can self insert myself into the story) plan to do more of that whenever and wherever I want. Would you be okay with that? Do let me know.

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