Shubman's POV

I was lounging on Shobhana's couch, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, when it hit me—her birthday. Her birthday. It was about 3 months ago, and I had completely forgotten to get her anything. 

The guilt washed over me like a tidal wave. I couldn't believe I'd let that slip. Not with how much she meant to me. I need to fix this, I thought.

I jumped up, grabbing my keys in a hurry. It didn't matter how much time I had left—I was getting her a gift. Something thoughtful. I already knew exactly what I wanted.

As I hopped onto my bike and zoomed through the busy streets, my mind flashed back to a conversation we had months ago. 

Shobhana had been gushing about Polaroid cameras—how they were aesthetic and how she loved the vintage feel of them. 

She always talked about how cool it would be to have a collection of Polaroid memories. I knew I had to get her one.

I finally found a small camera shop tucked in between two buildings. After quickly browsing through the rows of cameras, I settled on a black Polaroid. It was sleek, simple, and screamed Shobhana. 

After buying it and getting it gift-wrapped, I was on my way to the next mission: planning a small surprise party, just for the two of us.

I spent the next hour running around picking up candles, balloons, some cute decorations, and her favourite snacks. It wasn't much, but it felt right. I knew she'd love it.

As I was finishing up in the kitchen, I heard the familiar sound of the door unlocking. My heart gave a little flutter. 

Home. It felt good to say that. To hear it. To have her back in my life.

The door creaked open, and I heard her sweet voice float through the air. "Hey, babe, I'm home," she called out before seeing me.

I stepped out of the kitchen, and before I could even say a word, she wrapped her arms around me and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I could feel my heart skip a beat. God, I missed her.

She pulled away, smiling, and placed her hands over my shoulder, tilting her head to the right in that adorable way she did. 

"What have you been up to today?" she asked, her voice warm and inviting.

I smiled, unable to stop staring at her. My gorgeous girl. 

"Nothing much," I said. "Just cooked us dinner... something I can actually manage."

Her eyes lit up. "I do love a man who cooks," she teased, planting a kiss on my cheek.

I chuckled, feeling myself melt under her gaze. 

"How was your shoot with Taylor today?" I asked, leading her into the kitchen as I stirred the pot on the stove.

"It was honestly so fun!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. 

"We were just messing around for two hours, taking funny snaps together. I can't believe we did that."

I raised an eyebrow. "You and Taylor Swift? Taking funny snaps?"

She laughed, hopping up onto the kitchen counter. "Yeah, it was hilarious. Then after lunch, we finally started the actual shoot. It was amazing though, Shubi. I can't believe I was so close to her, you know?" Her smile grew even brighter. 

"And I actually got to take photos with her! That's, like, the most important thing, right?"

I raised an eyebrow, teasing her. "Yes, that too. But you just casually called her 'Mother.' I think she might be a little too cool for you."

She laughed and playfully swatted at me. "Shut up, Shubi, she's an icon."

"Okay, okay. You're right," I said, laughing too. "Let me feed you some of this, then you can tell me all about your iconic moment."

I grabbed a spoonful of the food I had made and fed it to her. She slowly tasted it, her eyes going wide with surprise.

"Holy shit, Shubman, this is delicious!" she exclaimed, and then before I could say anything, she kissed me. It was so sudden but so sweet. I was caught off guard, but I kissed her back with the same intensity.

"You really like it that much?" I asked, grinning.

"God, I love this... and you so much," she murmured against my lips.

I couldn't help but smile like an idiot. "So, I planned a small party for us. You know, since I missed your birthday."

She looked at me with that soft, endearing smile. "Oh, you didn't have to do that, Shubi," she said, her voice full of affection.

"I had to," I replied softly, gazing at her. "You deserve it."

Her palm rested gently on my cheek as she looked into my eyes. "What did I do to deserve you?" she whispered, her voice full of wonder.

I smirked. "I feel like that's a question I should be asking you, baby." Before she could respond, I swooped her off the floor, laughing at the way her surprise turned into a peal of laughter.

"You're crazy!" she gasped, but she didn't protest, just wrapped her arms around my neck.

The sound of her laughter was like music to my ears as I carried her to the living room, her giggles echoing through the house. 

I gently set her down on the couch before heading back to grab the rest of the things.

Dinner was quiet, just the two of us sharing simple, comforting food. There was a certain calmness in the air, but it was laced with that charged unspoken tension. 

I was so happy she was here. And I was so happy I could finally show her how much she meant to me.

After dinner, I handed her the gift I had wrapped. I could already see the excitement on her face.

She slowly opened it, and when her eyes landed on the Polaroid camera, they lit up. "You remembered!" she gasped, pulling me into a tight hug. 

I felt all the weight I had carried in my chest over the past month lift.

"I could never forget something that important," I whispered into her ear, feeling a warmth flood through me.

And then, just like that, she kissed me again. This time, it was soft and slow, almost sensual. I gasped, taken off guard, but I didn't hesitate. 

I kissed her back with the same intensity, my hands running through her hair as she deepened the kiss. The feel of her lips on mine—god, it made me feel like I was on fire.

When we pulled away, I was breathless, and so was she. Her eyes met mine with that familiar look of love—and something else. It was desire. I could feel the heat between us, crackling in the air.

"I'm glad I got you back," I said, my voice husky with emotion. "You mean everything to me."

She smiled, her hand trailing down to rest on my chest. "You have me, Shubman. Always."

Her words sent a shiver through me. The way she looked at me, the way she said my name—god, I could never get enough of her.

I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear as I spoke in a low, seductive voice, just for her: "You're so fucking perfect, you know that? I want to love every inch of you. Tonight, baby, it's just us."

She shivered in my arms, her breath hitching. "You make it so hard to resist you," she whispered, and I could hear the hunger in her voice.

"Good," I smirked. "Because I'm not going to let you resist."

The night was far from over, and it was going to be ours.

Shobhana's hug was like a lifeline, and for a second, I thought I might just melt into her. The Polaroid camera was simple, yeah, but it was our thing. 

I wanted her to have something she could cherish—something that wasn't just another gift. This was about memories. 

About us. About not being a terrible boyfriend.

"You like it?" I asked, trying to sound casual, though the nervous edge in my voice betrayed me.

"Like it? Nah, I love it, Shub!" Shobhana beamed, pulling away from me to admire the camera. 

She turned it over in her hands like it was a tiny treasure, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "This is perfect, babe. Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels.

"You're welcome, love," I said, my grin widening. Her happiness made everything worth it. But then... she got that glint in her eye. That mischievous glint.

"You know what this means, right?" she asked, arching an eyebrow like she was plotting something devious.

I furrowed my brow, completely unsure. "What?"

"We have to test it out, of course!" she declared, already jumping up from the couch and heading toward the door. 

"Grab your jacket, hot stuff, we're going on an adventure."

"Wait, what? Where are we going?" I called after her, laughing at her uncontainable energy.

Shobhana spun around, camera in hand, holding it triumphantly. "Anywhere and everywhere, my dear. The city's ours to explore, and I'm making memories tonight!"

I shook my head in amusement. "Of course, only you would turn a birthday gift into an impromptu adventure." But I couldn't say no. 

Not to her. Never to her.

We both threw on our jackets. Mine was a simple jacket—nothing too special—but Shobhana, in her usual effortlessly stylish way, was wearing a freaking leather jacket that hugged her body like it was made for her. 

And don't even get me started on the boots—tall, sleek, with a little heel that made my brain short-circuit.

"Ready to make memories?" she asked, her voice suddenly lower, sultrier as she shot me that trademark you're-so-into-me look.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Lead the way, babe," I murmured, my voice tinged with something much darker than I meant it to be.

The night air was cool, but our excitement kept us warm as we wandered through the lively streets. Neon signs flashed in the background, reflecting off puddles on the sidewalk, adding a dreamy, surreal quality to everything. 

Shobhana, with her camera in hand, was a vision—her eyes dancing with the light from the streetlamps, her lips curled into that smile that made my heart race. 

She was beautiful, but more than that, she was alive. And it was contagious.

Shobhana was in her element, snapping pictures like a pro. She'd pause at random spots—graffiti-covered walls, a stray cat, the moon rising over a coffee shop—capturing moments that no one else would think twice about. 

"Look at this, Shubi," she said, handing me the camera, her fingers brushing mine. "Isn't it magical?"

I could've kissed her right there. "Yeah. You are," I muttered under my breath, but she didn't hear me—her attention was already diverted to the next shot.

I followed her, watching as she posed in the middle of a rainy street with the same ease she did everything else. 

The rain soaked her hair, making the strands stick to her face in that effortlessly sexy way that made me want to drag her back to the apartment and kiss every inch of her.

God, she's dangerous.

She caught me staring at her, grinning. "What?" she asked, her voice full of playful mischief.

I shook my head, pulling myself together. "Nothing," I said quickly, though my pulse was still racing. 

"Just thinking about how lucky I am to be with you."

She smirked, clearly not buying my sudden "innocence." "Well, aren't you sweet?" she teased, leaning into me and brushing her lips across my cheek. 

"But I'm the lucky one, Shubi. Trust me."

My heart did a stupid flip-flop in my chest, but I ignored it. She was driving me crazy, and I loved it.

We ended up at the top of a hill overlooking the city. The skyline stretched out before us, all the lights flickering like stars. I pulled her into my arms, savouring the way she fit against me. 

The warmth of her body was a sharp contrast to the crisp night air, and I couldn't resist the urge to press my lips to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.

The click of the Polaroid camera captured the moment, but I didn't need a picture to remember it. 

This was one of those moments I'd keep locked in my heart forever.

"You make everything better," I whispered, my lips grazing her ear, the words barely audible. "God, I love you."

Her hands slid up to my chest, her fingertips grazing the fabric of my shirt. "I think I love you too, Shubi," she replied softly. 

"But you're making me want to get back home... real quick."

I laughed, completely out of breath. "I'm always up for an adventure with you."

When we finally made it back to the apartment, I couldn't shake the buzz from the night. It wasn't just the adventure. It was her. 

The way she made even the simplest moments feel like magic.

Shobhana flopped onto the couch with a sigh of satisfaction, her boots kicked off and her hair a wild mess from the rain. 

"That was the best night ever," she said, stretching out. "You're seriously the best, Shubi."

I joined her on the couch, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. I was high on the excitement, and on her—especially on her. "I try to be," I said, the cheeky grin back on my face.

She tilted her head back, her eyes meeting mine with a depth that made my heart stutter. "You really are. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but... I'm never letting you go." She leaned into me, her lips brushing my neck. 

"You mean everything to me, Shubi."

I swallowed hard, that lump in my throat making it impossible to say anything for a moment. I could feel my heart pounding, and I realized in that moment just how much she had become a part of me. 

"I'm right here, baby," I said softly. "And I'm never going anywhere."

She shifted so she was facing me, her eyes soft but filled with something more. "You know, I've been thinking..." she trailed off, the words hanging in the air.

"What's on your mind, love?" I asked, my voice low, knowing the look she was giving me wasn't about thinking. 

It was about something else. Something dangerously close to the fire we had between us.

"I think..." She paused, biting her lip before continuing with a wicked grin. "I think you owe me a little something for being such a great boyfriend."

My breath hitched. "Like what, sweetheart?" I said, my voice dripping with desire, the heat between us rising again.

Without a word, she pulled me closer, her lips brushing mine in a kiss that burned. "You know exactly what I mean," she whispered against my lips. And that was all it took.

It didn't take long before our chaos turned into something much more intimate. And let me tell you, it was a night I would never forget.

She was mine—and I was never letting her go.