"Main murg mussallam aur biryani manoonga."

"Nhi hum banayenge."
"Tum kuch aur banao na."

"Humein yeh banana hai toh hum yehi banayenge."

"Maine socha hai main yeh banoonaga toh main yehi banoonaga. Tumhe nhi pasand toh kisi aur ke saath compete kar lo. Tum pasta ya aisa kuch bana lo na."

"Pasta aur biryani koi combination hota hai kya?"

"Toh mughlai cuisine mein sirf biryani hai kya. Recipe book kholo aur kuch aur bana lo."

"Aap jaisa badtameez aadmi humne nhi dekha. Hum dua karte hai ki aapki biryani jal jaaye."

"Tumhe jo karna hai karo main toh biryani hi bannoga."

"Tum log aaj dinner toh doge na humein." said Harsh and Mri from the other side of the room with a amused expression on their face.

"Hum aapko best dinner denge Papa , inka humein pata nhi." said Zoya

"Main hi dinner banata tha itne saal toh aapko bhi pata hai ki dinner toh aayega." said Aditya smirking.

Aditya and Zoya stood at the opposite ends of the kitchen and started cooking dinner with full zeal and enthusiasm. Soon the kitchen was filled with steam and a variety of fragrances. Zoya had set up the tandoori and was setting the skewers with spiced mutton to make kakori kebabs and on the stove she was frying pieces of bread and making rabdi for shahi tukda. Aditya on the other hand was busy garnishing the biryani and was then onto making the  murg mussallam and rotis. After an hour or so Zoya's kebabs were ready and so were Aditya's dishes. Zoya was taking out the kebabs from the skewers when she suddenly shrieked in pain and Aditya turned to see Zoya standing with a burnt finger. Aditya rushed to her and said "Zoya, theek ho tum?"

Zoya whimpered  and said "Humara haath jal gya. Bohot dukh rha hai."
Aditya looked at her fingers and sais "Ruko do minute."
He bought a bowl full of ice cold water and dipped her fingers in it.
He then said "Hilna mat yahan se."
Zoya did as she was told and Aditya cane with a gauze strip and ointment. He wiped her fingers dry and then carefully wrapped her finger with the gauze and said "Itna uchla mat karo na. Kya ho jata agar do minute baad tum seekh se nikalti kebab toh?  Khud ka dhyaan khud nhi rakhogi toh kaun rakhega."

Zoya stood silently and looked at Aditya with puppy eyes and Aditya looked away and said "Ab shaanti se udhar baitho, main khana parosta hoon."
Zoya said "Are hum theek hai. Hum kar lenge."
Aditya said "Haan zaroor . Aur phir poora haath jala logi."

Zoya watched him arrange everything and thought how much their relation had changed in the past 2 months. From leaving for work together  everyday to having cups of coffee during the lunch hours together. They got to know so much about each other. Not everything but quite a lot.

Aditya was still very serious but he had opened up a lot. He used to laugh and sometimes share some jokes too. Zoya genuinely liked his company and the more she got to know him she used to get awestruck by the amount of knowledge he carried.

And Zoya had
found an amazing companion in him. He cared for her though he didn't show it but Zoya knew and she was happy.  But that didn't mean that they had stopped bickering. It was something they loved doing because both were highly opinionated and had found finally found someone who challenged them.

Aditya served the dinner and Mri looked at all the food gleefully while Harsh could hardly stop himself from salivating. Aditya said "Ab bataiye aap log kaisa bana hum dono ka khana aur hum mein se kaun better khana banata hai."
He whispered to Zoya "An dekhna kaise haarti ho tum.".

Zoya whispered back "You wish."
As Harsh and Mri dug in , Aditya and Zoya looked on waiting for their reactions. Harsh said finally "I am sorry but I can't decide who is better. I mean I have had Aditya's food for so long but it still tastes fresh and as for you Zoya honestly I have never tasted anything so delicious. I relished every bite of that Shahi tukda. Main toh keh rha hoon tum dono baitho aur khud chakh ke dekho."
Aditya and Zoya sat down and had what they had made. Zoya immediately let out a moan after having the first bite of Aditya's biryani and mussallam and Aditya smirked but soon stopped smiling as he was taken aback with the intricate flavours of the kebabs.

Both of them looked at each other and realised that both of them were very good in their craft. Hesitantly both of them said "Acha hi hai. I mean.. kharab nhi hai."
Harsh and Mri burst out laughing. They said "At least we are set, we have two amazing chefs here."

They bid goodnight and went to their respective rooms . As Zoya came out after changing her clothes Aditya said "Khana sach mein bohot acha banaya tha tumne."
Zoya said "Aap bhi kuch kam nhi the. Maan gye janab, aapka khana kisi nawab ko dene ke layak tha."
Aditya laughed and then said "Acha suno..."
"Hmmmm..." said Zoya as she combed her hair.

"Voh kal mere ek senior ki anniversary party hai toh unhone mujhe aur meri family ko bulaya hai. Toh tum chalogi? I mean agar nhi jana chahti toh koi compulsion nhi hai..." said Aditya in a very hesitant manner.

"Hum zaroor aayenge. Lekin humein thodi der ho jayegi , clinic mein aapne zyada kaam de diya." said Zoya.
"Haan toh voh karke aa jana. Vaise bhi last mein jaake aa jayenge taaki zyada der rukna na pade." said Aditya .

"Aapko socialise karna acha nhi lagta kya?" said Zoya

"Bilkul nhi. Mujhe bheed aur group's mein bohot awkward lagta hai. Tumhe?"

"Humein parties , events ke liye tyaar hona acha lagta hai aur vahan khana khana lekin hum logon se baat karne mein hichkichate hai. I seem very outgoing but inside I die whenever I have to start a conversation." said Zoya

"At least tum approachable toh lagti ho. Mujhe toh log dekhkar hi chale jaate hai." said Aditya

"Aapne khud hi apne aas paas ek deewaar bana ke rakhi hai. Isliye aapse koi baat nhi karta. Ab sabko thodi pata hai ki jinse voh itna baat karne ke liye darte hai voh khud andhere aur chuhoon jaise choti cheezon se darte hai." laughed Zoya.

A very embarrassed Aditya said "Jab tumhe chuha kaatega tab dekhna."

With that he fluffed up his pillow and went to sleep with a smile on his face.

The next night , Zoya came back from the clinic and said "Aap humein 15 minute dijiye.  Hum abhi ready hokar aate hai. Vaise aap yehi pehen ke jayenge?"

Aditya looked at his black  formal suit and said "Ismein kya kharabi hai?"

Zoya said "Nhi kuch kharabi nhi hai lekin yeh toh aap roz hi pehente hai. Kuch colourful sa pehiniye na."

Aditya thought and said "Colourful mein mere paas peach colour ka ek suit hai."
Zoya said "That's perfect. Aapke skin tone ke saath peach bohot ache se jaayega. Jaiye aap bhi ready ho jaiye."

Aditya went to the other room to change.  That was the first time in ages that he had wore a colourful suit and that too after someone had asked him too. Within five minutes he was ready and as he looked in the mirror he thought "Wow. Zoya was right. This colour does suit me and I had forgotten what  any shade other than black looks like."

He straightened up his hair and grinned at himself. Thats when the door opened and Aditya turned around. He was enthralled with what he saw . Zoya was standing there in a white chiffon saree with a silver border. Little stars adorned the whole saree. Her saree complimented her petite figure which had curves at all the right places. Her usually tied up bronde hair  was let down. Her eyelashes looked longer than usual and the kohl around her eyes enhanced those expressive eyes of hers. Her soft plump lips had the very lightest of the pink colour and her cheekbones looked prominent and regal with a hint of gold on them.

That was first time Aditya saw her all dressed up. He had only seen her in regular and pale clothes till now and without a trace of make-up. And although he found her attractive as she was (though he never mentioned to himself), he was amazed and awestruck with the way she  looked that night. He finally had to admit to himself that his  heart did skip a beat as he admired her beauty. He thought "Indeed God is a woman."
Zoya said "Kaise lag rhe hai hum?"

Aditya wanted to say a lot of adjectives but him being the one who was verbally challenged said "Nice. Ab chale."
Zoya smiled and said "Aap bohot cute lag rhe hai vaise."
Aditya blushed and said "Der ho rhi hai. Chalo."
That whole night as Aditya drove he couldn't stop stealing glances at his wife.

Precap:
Z- Iqbaal humare ghar mein best singer tha.
A- Iqbaal?
Z-Uh.... Humare Bhai
A-Tumhara Bhai bhi hai?
Z-Tha.
Aditya looks on, shocked.

Hey readers. Hope you guys are doing well. As I had said I was going through a major writers block and I had rewritten at least 3 drafts. I found this one the most presentable one hence I published this one. Let me know your views on how you are finding the story. Just like in every relation , after friendship or in some cases before that people get attracted to their partners because of their personality and their looks. So I was trying to show that. The different phases of AdiYa's relations will be showed. So drop your comments and your honest reviews. I love reading them. And do vote .
Next update will be sooner.
Lots of love
Cold Dragon