The cold winter air slipped through the slightly ajar window of the room, carrying a crisp chill that seeped into every corner. The silence was broken only by the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the distant chirping of early birds. The clock on the wall struck 4:59 AM, the faint glow of dawn still hesitant to emerge.

Sara shivered as the cold air touched her skin, her body instinctively curling beneath the duvet. With a groggy frown, she pulled the thick fabric over her head, hoping to block out the discomfort. But guess what? Now she wasn't able to sleep.

She sat up on the bed, herr braid lay over her shoulder, a few strands of hair escaping to frame her sleepy face. The soft amber light of the night lamp cast a warm hue across the room. The open window allowed a gentle stream of moonlight to spill in, adding to the tranquil ambiance.

As her gaze moved across the room, her eyes landed on him. Shubman was sprawled on the couch, his long legs uncomfortably bent to fit the narrow furniture. His brow furrowed in his sleep, his face wearing an expression of mild discomfort.

She sighed, her expression softening. He really isn’t comfortable there, she thought, but the sight of his ruffled hair and relaxed features made her lips twitch into a small smile. Cute, her mind whispered before she smacked herself mentally. What are you even thinking, Sara?

Shaking her head, she got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

After something like an hour, she hurriedly came out of the bathroom wearing a soft red saree, managing it actually.

She came to the dressing table and starting drying her hairs with the help of the towel, in while the droplets of her wet hairs landed on his face.

His eyes scrunched and he opened his eyes half, his groggy voice came as he groaned, hearing his voice she turned to him and gasp seeing,"sorry, I was..-",she mumbled.

His eyes shot up hearing her, his eyes squinting and his brow furrowing, he stared at her for a good minutes, processing all like the "wth what's she's doing in my room.", and after reminding himself everything he sighed and sat up on the couch rubbing his eyes.

"Mujhe pareshan karne ke alawa koi kaam nahi hai kya?,he said while rubbing his eyes, yawning.She glared at him, making his yawning stop.

"Isse bhi bahut behtar kaam hai mere paas.",she said rolling her eyes as she continues to push the towel in her hair in order to dry them.

He rolled his eyes listening her, she glanced at him, her face soften as she saw his hairs messed up and sleep in his eyes. She sighed and turned to the mirror continuing her work.

"Go get some sleep, you look tired, vaise bhi that couch is half of your body, go, go to the bed, I'll wake you up at seven.", she peek her little to take a look of the clock. "It's six now, you can have a nice sleep."

The concern which was dripping from her words was making Shubman shocked/confused to the life. He looked at her incredulously, then nodded in no, while getting up.

"No, it's fine, it's a usual time for me, for waking up, vaise bhi I am not the one, who gets up eight in the morning.", he said showing his sarcastic smile which irked Sara to hell.

He tched shaking his head looking at her, and turned for the washroom taking slow steps and as he heard some noise like someone's taking something, he rushed to the washroom as she throwed a plastic comb at him, which wasn't able to hit him as he closed the door, his victory laugh mixing in the silence.

Sara glared at the close door angrily and muttered some  lovely lines for him something like, "kutta kahi ka."

After a sometime like an half-hour, he camed back to the room wearing a crisp white kurta, while adjusting it's sleeves, as focus was on it.

He was walking towards the dressing table, immersed in adjusting the sleeves he bumped into her. She was  falling backward, his hand instinctively went to her back as he pull her towards him, her hands went to his chest, as she clutched his kurta for saving herself.

Their eyes met, her chest tighten in the intimacy. And she was sure he could able to hear her heart racing

The time felt still, but he broked the spell first as he made her stand properly, and took his hands off from her.

There was awkward silence in the room, their cheeks heating up slightly.

He composed himself and cleared his throat,"why are you running in the room?",he tried his best to sound casual

She turned her face towards him and said,"vo, I was thinking how should we go outside.",she said without meeting his eyes.

His brows furred in confusion. Before he could ask something she replied,"Matlab, I thought it will be awkward if  I will go alone downstairs, so...I thought we should go together."

His brows raised in surprise and his hand went to his chest, beginning his drama but he stopped as she glared at him.

He nodded in fear and then they both went outside of the room. As they were walking to the downstairs through the stairs. They saw everyone were already present in the hall, all were laughing, chit chatting.

Everybody stopped as they saw them, they gave them a awkward smile as the came and stood near the centre.

Everyone reciprocated but their smile was real, genuine unlike them.

His mother came front with their gathbandhan and put it on his shoulder and tied it with Sara's saree, and told them they have to do pooja and some rasam. They both nodded.

They both stood in their home mandir, Sara lit the mandir's diya, she stood up joining her hands beside her was Shubman.

Anushka came behind from her and handed the pooja thal, saying he needs to apply sindur again in her hairline.

He nodded as he took, little amount of the sindur and applied in her hairline, and same as yesterday some amount of sindur fell on her nose.

Their eyes met and he opened his mouth to say something but he wasn't able to say, sighing she turned front and seeing her he also turned front.

As they did this rasam, every married couples did the same, but the trio Ishan, Abhay and Yash stood silently looking at the couples. Ishan tilted his head in sadness as he was missing Aditi.

Anushka smiled and applied the tika on Virat's forehead, and he also took the sindur in very less amount and applied in her hairline. They both share a warm smile and turned to the mandir.

Seeing all couples Yasha and Abhay turned to each other, mischief shining in their eyes, as Abhay did the same thing the married mens did, mimicking he took the imaginary sindur and fill Yasha's hairline, Yasha did his part doing the over drama by acting like blushing he turned to another side where Ishan was standing and held his kurta while acting.

Ishan furrowed his brows in confusion at first, then realized what was happening. His expression turned deadpan. Without a word, he smacked both of them on the head, earning a loud yelp from Abhay.

“Tum dono kabhi nahi sudhroge,” Ishan muttered, shaking his head.
•
At the newly married couple, as everyone were done doing the ritual, Sara started the aarti and Shubman held the thali with on hand, as she was holding it with both of her hands, like the married couple.

Once the aarti was complete, Anushka appeared, holding a small bowl filled with water mixed with aalta.
"According to tradition," she explained, "the newly wedded bahu must imprint her aalta-stained hands on the auspicious places in the home—like the mandir, the entrance, and near the Tulsi."

Sara nodded, dipping her palms into the crimson water. Carefully, she pressed her hands against the walls of the mandir, leaving vivid red imprints. Shubman followed closely behind, tied to her by the gathbandhan.

•
After the Pooja and their breakfast, it was time for the a new ritual, "Muh dikhayi."

Sara sat on the couch her face veiled with the saree ka pallu. The gathbandhan was with her, as Shubman was outside sitting with his gang.

They were sitting at the veranda outside, they were able to see the rasam happening over the hall.

Shubman was grabbing Abhay with his collar of the kurta shaking him, as Abhay was teasing him, but as his father turned to look at him, he left him.
His father was glaring him, so he did the natak like he was dusting Abhay's kurta.

Virat just sighed looking at them while shaking his head.

Trying to light his father's mood Shubman joked saying,"papa agar mein bhi waha jaake muh dikhayi karu toh mujhe bhi paise milenge?",he asked cheekily but no one laughed or replied him.

His father looked at him incredulously, gulping in fear he said sorry, his father turned his head away from him.

Abhay snorted seeing him and he glared at him making him shut.

And as with that day spent, with the stupid jokes of Ishu, Abhay laughing in the most inappropriate time getting glares from literally everyone. Yash being lost in his world only. The bhabhi and bhaiya busy teasing their devar and devrani.

With this they called it a day, after having a lot of fun rasams and all, after the dinner, everyone were retreating to their respective rooms.

Sara sat on the bed applying the moisturizer on her hands, she changed up in a comfortable clothes, her head shot up slowly as she heard a click of a door opening, as she looked she saw him entering the room from as he came back from the washroom after changing in comfortable clothes.

He looked at her and saw her siting on the bed, he sighed and went to the balcony of his room, Sara's brows furred up in confusion, but nevertheless she sighed shaking her head.

At the balcony Shubman stood nearing the railing, his mind immersed in some thoughts, he came out of his thoughts and turned his head slightly as he hear footsteps approaching him.

He saw her helding two cups of chai, offering one cup to him, he arched a brow at her. She took back the cup frowning.

"Arey,sorry...I was just little surprise how come, you me brought a chai.",he said while taking the different cup, not that which she offered.

She glared at him and smiled sheepishly. They both sat on the chairs opposite to each other.

Sara leaned back to chair as she took a sip of her chai, she breathed in relief,"Thank God, everything went smoothly, nahi toh I have imagined the worst already."

He nodded agreeing to her words, surprising both of them, "he didn't gave any remark? Suprising enough!"

They both settled in the silence, it was not awkward,, it was...nice.., soothing. They both needed some time for relax, and it was the time.

The cold air, the shining moon, it was making everything peacefull, but not for Shubman, there was a storm in his mind, which he was not bringing in his face.

His mind was filled with numerous questions,
How's it going to be?
How will they handle all the responsibilities?
How will they make this work out?
And many more....

He was irritate, very irritate, the first reason were this questions and the second reason was because... because of this questions he wasn't able to enjoy the taste of his chai.

"Sara",he called her when wasn't able to take this. She looked up to him. He took a deep breath before saying "ab...ab aage kya?"

She was little taken back from the question, this which was she avoiding from the start. She gulped the lump which was stuck in her throat.

"Vahi toh..main bhi soch rahi hu.",she said mostly inaudibly looking lost, as if she was talking to herself.

He looked at her, she wasn't looking at him, suddenly his mind went to his conversation with Virat.

She needs more support than you.

Take things slow.

Be friends first.

He nodded slightly, then composed himself forwarding his hand toward her, she came back from her trance and looked at him being confused.

He clears his throats,"we'll be friends from now.",he said calmly and very calmly, she was shocked to her life.

Him being mature?!! Yeh Shubman hi hai naaa!!??

Her eyes went widen, she was still not able to comprehend if she heard right or not, she opened her mouth for the nth time, but wasn't able to say a thing.

He rolled his eyes on her behaviour,"atleast kise toh mature hona padega na."

"Pata hai per tumse yeh expect nahi kiya tha."

He took his hand back, irritated.

"I am serious, Sara!"

"Even I am.",she said again losing in her world. He sighed closing his eyes in irritation, leaning back to his chair.

"Okay then.",now she forwarded the hand,"be my friend then."

He was taken back at her suddenness, but still nevertheless he nodded forwarding his hand too.

As they shook the hands he said,"let's know each other.",she smiled a little and said,"let's give this a try."

The cold air, the shining moon, now it was finally making it peacefull for Shubman also.

The night saw a beginning, a beginning of something beautiful. I hope the night will also remember this.

•

As they walked back to the room, Shubman halted in the middle and said sheepishly, "But one condition—or should I say, a promise—is needed."

"And what's that?" Sara asked, folding her hands and raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled, "Promise me you won't mix rat killer in my chai if I do something stupid. Well, not stupid-stupid, but something you think is stupid."

She closed her eyes, chuckling softly. "Okay, okay, I promise. But even I need a promise from you."

"And... what's thattt?" he asked, mimicking her tone while stepping a little closer.

She didn’t move but smirked. "That... you'll not try to take revenge for any of our previous fights."

Shubman arched a brow, now stepping back as she moved closer. His back hit the wall, and he realized he was cornered.

She stopped at the same distance he did, her smirk growing wider.

"That wouldn’t be possible."

"Then..." Sara leaned in slightly, her voice dropping, "don’t forget, rat killer isn’t all that expensive."

His heart thudded in his chest. Before she could come any closer, he raised his hands in defeat.

"Okay! Okay... I accept!" he blurted out, and she smiled victoriously.

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"Alright, then mera bhi promise," she said, stepping back while clasping her hands.

Shubman nodded, smiling as he walked over to the couch. Sara frowned, watching him settle there.

"There’s no need to sleep on the couch. The bed is big enough for three people."

"I know," he replied.
"But I don’t want to sleep there."

"Why?"

"Meri marzi."

"Stop acting foolish, Shubman," she said, crossing her arms in frustration.

"I’m not being foolish. But is my wife being desperate?" he teased, slipping back into his original cheeky self.

Her face flushed in embarrassment as she grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him.

"Talking to you is pointless!" she muttered angrily, pulling her blanket over herself. "And now you’re never getting back on this bed again!"

Her reaction only made him laugh harder. Hearing his laughter, she turned off the lights in annoyance.

"Good night!" she yelled, her tone still tinged with irritation.

"Good night!" he called back, still laughing.

Little did they know, this was the beginning of a story neither of them had expected.

Yo I know I am late, sorry sorry (joining hands)

Well I was asking if I did justice to their feelings or not?

Also yaar, please drop some comments I would love to read your response.

Target :
(this time I'll post on the time, pakka)

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