Mayura hummed a song while combing her son's hair.

He watched her movements in mirror, swinging his legs in excitement. He was wearing a red shirt and black shorts with matching sneakers. Placing the comb on the table, she cupped his face and pressed a loving kiss to his forehead.

Kiyansh giggled, comforted by the motherly scent emanating from her. He could barely contain his happiness as Mayura stepped back to retrieve a case from the shelf. Opening it, she took out the round rimmed grey spectacles.

His eyes followed her movements as she placed them on his nose, adjusting it on his face. "My cutie pie." She praised, a bright smile on her lips.

Kiyansh looked at himself. The sight of his big round glasses and the scar on his cheek reminded him of his biological mother - the woman who scarred and tortured his little heart. He clenched his shirt around his chest region, feeling his heart race. His palms were sweaty, his lips parting as he struggled to breath.

Useless! You deserve to be abandoned.

Her voice echoed in his brain and he gulped her, gritting his teeth hard. He tried hard to stay conscious, to remain aware of Mayura's concerned voice. Slowly, he held out his hand and held her large palm with his entire palm. Tightening his hold on her palm, he slowly looked up at himself in the mirror. He stared at his reflection, carefully, fighting against his fear.

My Kiyu baby is the best in the whole world!

Mumma will always protect you, my little prince.

Mayura's promises rang in his ear, helping him exhale with ease. It was her promises that encouraged him to go back to wearing his favourite glasses, and now he wasn't going to disappoint her.

"It's okay, baccha. I'll take them off."

She assured him, reaching for the spectacles when he held her wrists. His eyes open wide in astonishment when he notices something — the blue frame of his glasses with golden stars.

Kiyansh remembered wearing grey frames in his early childhood, not blue. The change in color made him feel relieved, making his heart drop to his chest. He hiccuped, urging Mayura to come closer and embraced her with his arms around her torso.

"Thank you, mumma." He whispered, his tremors calming down in her warmth. "I love you."

"I love you too, baccha." She whispered, caressing his hair. "I will always love you."

The mother-son duo stood rooted in their spots, holding each other tightly, as if they would be pulled apart any second.

"And what about me?"

Vihaan, joining in the hug, asked with a sad face. "No one loves me?" His palm covered Kiyansh's, while his thumb stroked Mayura's bare back who was wearing a saree.

"Offo, papa!" Kiyansh sighed dramatically and hit his head with his palm. Climbing on the seat, he kissed his cheek. "Kitna drama karte ho aap. Abh khush?"

Vihaan wiped away the tears on his son's face and gave him a warm smile before kissing his forehead, making him giggle.

"Thoda bahut," he mused, glancing at Mayura who shuddered under his touch. "Mere baby ki mummy bhi kiss dede toh shayad..."

"Mumma, jaldi se papa ko kiss dedo. Phir abh sab saath mein nasta karenge. Mujhe bahut tez bhookh lagi hai." Kiyansh insisted, holding his tummy.

Mayura blushed furiously, the hair on her arms raising from the warmth and sensuality of his touch. She looked up at Vihaan, who wore his signature smirk, through her lashes and felt her heart jump.

"Mein breakfast karne jaa raha hoon. Aap dono jaldi se kissi karke aajana. Aapke bina mein nahi khaunga."

Kiyansh grabbed his Lion toy and scampered out of the room, leaving the couple alone. Vihaan's hand shifted to cup his cheek, his left hand snaking around her waist.

"You look very pretty, Mrs. Rai Singhania." He praised, his eyes locked on her face. Mayura felt butterflies in her stomach. "You too, Mr. Rai Singhania."

She whispered, trying to create some distance. Vihaan gripped her chin softly. They locked eyes as he tilted her head back and pulled her close to him. "May I?" He smirked, looking at her lips.

"May I... what?" She stammered, placing her hands on his muscular chest to push him away.

"Steal your breath away, my love." He whispered huskily, his warm breath fanning her neck. Mayura gulped, feeling a tickle in her stomach.

"Okay," she breathed, her eyes closing slowly. Her palms slid over from his chest to his shoulder. Her heart pounded in anticipation, blood rushing to her cheeks.

Vihaan's lips were warm. They were soft and moist, gliding over her lips. She moved a step back, her heel aligning with the wall. Vihaan's hand moved from her waist to the back of her head, protecting her from the impact.

She reached for his neck, her arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer. Their chests pressed together, his manly scent soothing her.

Gently placing her head against the wall, he held her waist with both palms. Mayura felt her stomach burn, a tingle forming in her core. She moaned in his mouth as her lips parted to give access to his tongue.

Vansh's tongue explored her mouth, leaving no corner untouched. They parted. Vihaan smirked, his breathing slightly uneven while Mayura gasped for air.

"I love you, Mrs. Vihaan Rai Singhania." He professed. Holding her palms, he took it closer to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Thank you, for making my son smile again."

"He's our son, Mr. Rai Singhania. I am responsible for him, as much as you are."

They entwined hands and slowly walked out of the room. "And, am I holding my responsibility well, my dearest?" Vihaan's voice dropped an octave, a mischievousness in his tone.

"Unfortunately, no," she sighed, her reply hitting him like an arrow to his heart. His grip on her hand loosened but she tightened hers. They descended the staircase, the air pregnant with doubts.

"You, still don't spend enough time with him." Stopping at the base, she clasped his hands, looking at him in the eye. "He needs you, Vihaan. Don't be scared of embracing your boy."

Vihaan gulped, the mistakes of his past flooding in his eyes. "But I failed him, Mayura. I failed him." His voice cracked, the tremble in his voice evident. "I couldn't save him, when Ragini was... abusing him. She scarred him so badly, killing his... baby sister right in front of his eyes."

"I'm not worthy of being his father, Mayura. I'm not." He confessed his vulnerabilities, his tears running freely down his cheeks. "Let me run away from him all my life. Coward, spineless, cheat, failure - I'll take all those labels, but I'll never be able to look at him in the eye. Not after neglecting him."

"No, Vihaan." She cupped his face, wiping away his tears. "You were wrong then, but also ignorant. You had no idea that Ragini was abusing your children. But now, you are doing your worst, by intentionally neglecting your child.

Kiyansh loves you, Vihaan. You're not a failure in his eyes. You know, everytime Kiyu and I are doing something together he always, and I repeat, always wishes that you were also there to join them."

"He needs you, Vihaan. Kiyansh needs you the most right now. Don't give up on him." She pleaded, her voice a mere whisper, full of hope.

"I'll try," Vihaan spoke after a few moments of contemplation. A small smile appeared on his lips.

"I won't give up on our son." He vowed.

• • •

Approaching the dining table, the young couple found Kiyansh pacing about. His hands were tucked behind his back, his eyes on the floor, and his lower lip jutting out as he paced across the length of the table.

The servants watched in admiration, not getting enough of their young master's cuteness.

Vihaan cleared his throat, gaining his son's attention who immediately hugged Mayura. "Mumma," he grinned. "Kitna time? Dekho, mein bhookh se ekdum lakdi ban gaya." He complained dramatically, making them all giggle.

The trio continued to banter through breakfast. Vihaan sat on the head of the table with Kiyansh and Mayura sitting on his left. He noticed how relaxed and carefree his son had become in Mayura's presence.

"Mumma, aa!" Kiyansh opened his mouth, his hand folded on his lap, as he waited for her to feed him a piece of the paneer parantha with his favourite mango achaar.

Breakfast was a peaceful affair — the father-son duo eating calmly with bright smiles on their faces, and occasionally fighting for Mayura's attention. Mayura took turns feeding both of them, and so did they feed her.

Vihaan's heart swelled in happiness on seeing Kiyansh smiling and laughing so freely. A lump formed in his throat and he gulped it down with a glass of water.

"I won't fail my son," he mumbled.

• • •

Post breakfast, the couple drove to a mall to carry their desired plan — purchasing shoes and clothes for the two men.

Kiyansh could barely contain his excitement, tightening his hold on his parents hand every-now-and-then. Getting off in the basement of the mall, the rode the elevator to the seventh floor. It had been booked completely out by Vihaan for five hours, rendering it empty of customers.

Little Kiyansh's eyes wandered all over — from the gaming zone in a corner to the inviting food court, from the luxurious watch store to the comfortable clothes shop, from the peaceful shoe store to the colorful spectacles shop.

"Where to first, my love?" Vihaan raised a brow, the amusement on his lips clearly visible.

"Shoes," she smiled, letting go of Kiyansh's hand to let him run freely. He pout, his eyebrows furrowing deeply. He held her hand tightly. "Aisa nahi karte, mumma. Aap kho jaoge. Mera haath pakdo, mein aapko protect karunga."

"Bad mumma," Vihaan teased, their feet leading them to the shoe store. Kiyansh was quick to defend his favourite woman in the whole wide world. "Papa, aap mumma ko aise nahi keh sakte. Sorry, bolo."

Vihaan giggled, muttering a sorry.

Stepping past the glass doors, the scent of leather and air conditioning hit them home. "Wow!" Kiyansh exclaimed, his eyes wide open. "So many shoes."

"Welcome, sirs and madam." The store manager greeted them with a smile, ushering them to a comfortable seating. "I want this!" The boys demanded, holding up a pair of identical sneakers of their sizes.

"I want to match Papa."

"I want to match Kiyu."

They chorused, holding it out for Mayura to accept. "Please," they gave her puppy eyes, batting their long lashes at her. Mayura chuckled, melting at their dramatics. "Alright, alright." She placed it in their shopping cart.

"Mumma, aap idhar baitho. Mene udhar bahut acche sports shoes dekhe hai. Papa chalo." Holding his father's hand, Kiyansh dragged him through the aisles.

The store reverberated with their giggles and laughs, cheers and squeals, bonds and loves, as they picked out a few more pairs — sports, formals, casuals — for themselves, all identical.

Mayura sat on the couch, her eyes following them, her smile never leaving her lips as she watched their antics.

Once done with the shoes, they dashed into the clothes store with Mayura at their heel. After causing another storm in the store, they arrived at the watch store.

Finding the best watches for each other, they jumped into the spectacles shop.

Kiyansh picked up the round rimmed glasses of all shades, trying them on in front of the mirror. Mayura picked up a pair of frameless glasses for Vihaan.

Her heart skipped a beat as she admired him in his new glasses, paired with his messy hair and charming smile. "It's a crime to look this hot, Mr. Rai Singhania." She complained.

"Papa, aap toh ekdum hero lag rahe ho. Hero." Kiyansh cheered from behind, making his blush deepen.

"Bas karo tum dono. Kuch bhi bolte ho." He stammered, placing their choices of spectacles on the table for the cashier to ring it up.

Finally, they stopped at the food court to have their meal. Kiyansh opted for a loaded vegetable Pizza and garlic bread while Vihaan and Mayura decided to get a plate of Pav Bhaji and Aloo Tikki Chaat, all to share.

The food was fresh and hot, making their mouth water. Kiyansh to quick to share, and even more quicker to take his share. He finished the pizza and garlic bread in a matter of seconds, his hands covered in crumbs and cheese. Next, he attacked his share of Pav Bhaji, leaving a mess around his lips.

"It's spicy, Kiyu. Be careful." She warned him as he pulled his plate of the chaat. Taking a bite, his eyes began to water. "Mirchi hai," he repeated, sipping his water to cool his tongue.

"Rehne do, beta. Mein yeh kha lunga. Tum apne liye ice cream lelo."

Vihaan offered, pulling the plate towards himself. Though Kiyaan was tempted by the prospect of getting a triple-scoop ice cream, he rejected it for the bursting flavours and spices of the chaat.

"Papa, mein aapka beta hoon. Aisi choti-moti mirchi se mein nahi darta."

He boasted, lifting his collars in pride. Vihaan passed him back his plate while Mayura came back with another plate of chaat — this time a sweeter one, Dahi Puri.

"Kiyu, kya tum apni mumma ke saath exchange karoge?" Mayura asked with a smile. "Woh, mujhe na aloo tikki bahut pasand hai. Aap uske badle mein yeh wala lelo."

"Dedo, mumma." He responded simply, taking the plate from her.

"Accha, tum toh mere bete the na."

"Aapka hi beta hoon. Issiliye mein apni mumma ki saari baatein maanta hoon." He retorted with a smirk, having a bite of the Dahi Puri. Vihaan took a share from either plate.

• • •

The sun began to disappear behind the horizon, shades of dark blue engulfing the sky. The tiny stars twinkled rhythmically, and a family of three walked back to the parking.

Kiyansh yawned, making his parents smile. "Lagta hai kisine bahut zyada masti karliya aaj."

Vihaan remarked, lifting him up in his arms. His body no longer trembled, his heart didn't race, and he didn't break out into cold sweats when he was with his son anymore. He was done running away, now, he would run towards his son.

Run towards his son and embrace him with all his heart and happiness.

"Yes, papa." He kissed his father's cheek. "Aaj na, meri life ka sabse accha din tha. The best day ever. Thank you, mumma and papa. I love you both."

"We also love you, Kiyu." They replied, kissing his cheeks together.

• TO BE CONTINUED •