Whenever Kundavai was with Shubman, something about him made her drop all the walls she usually kept up. The competitive, sharp, and tough persona she wore around everyone else disappeared, and in his presence, she became soft—affectionate, playful, and almost too easy to love.

It was a weekend evening, and they were sitting on his couch. She had curled up beside him, her head resting on his shoulder as they watched a movie, but it wasn't really about the movie. It was the way he kept one arm around her, absentmindedly brushing his fingers through her hair, while she snuggled deeper into him, basking in the comfort of his presence. Her hand rested lightly on his chest, and every so often, she would glance up at him with a soft smile. She wasn't the type to show affection like this to just anyone, but with Shubman, it was different.

"You're quiet," he commented, his voice low and teasing as he looked down at her, his eyes gentle.

She sighed contently, feeling his warmth seep into her skin. "Just enjoying this," she murmured, pressing her cheek into his side. "I can't do this with anyone else. Just... sit here and not talk for hours."

Shubman chuckled, his thumb tracing circles on her arm. "You're a talker. You'll probably talk my ear off again in a bit."

Kundavai grinned mischievously, then shifted slightly, her head now on his lap, looking up at him with a relaxed smile. "We both know you secretly enjoy it. Besides, you're the one who listens to my endless rants about the most random things."

He leaned down, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "I like listening to you. I always will."

Her heart skipped, her breath catching in her throat as she gazed up at him, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away. "You're the best," she whispered, her voice soft, affectionate.

Shubman smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead, a small gesture that made her smile even more. "I know."

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Kundavai pulled herself up a little and reached into her bag, fishing around for something. Shubman raised an eyebrow, but she didn't explain herself, just handing him a small wrapped package with a wink.

He blinked, clearly surprised. "What's this?"

"Open it," she said, her voice soft, but there was an obvious excitement in her eyes.

Shubman raised an eyebrow, tearing off the wrapping paper, revealing a new watch. It was sleek and elegant, but with a touch of sportiness—just like him. His eyes widened, his lips parting in surprise.

"I—I don't know what to say," he stammered, looking up at her, clearly taken aback. "You bought me this?"

She just smiled and shrugged, snuggling back into his side. "Yeah, but I didn't want you to know. I wanted you to find it on your own."

He laughed softly, his heart swelling. "You're crazy, you know that?" But his voice was full of affection.

She shot him a teasing look. "Crazy in love with you, obviously. What can I say? You're the only one who tolerates my endless talking and random rants. You deserve a good gift."

Shubman leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment longer than necessary. "You spoil me, Kundavai."

"And you love it," she teased, snuggling into his chest.

"You're not wrong," he whispered, holding her a little tighter. She looked up at him, her eyes soft, and began to share her latest gossip—something about a teammate who had gotten into a hilarious situation with a coffee machine.

As she talked, Shubman listened with a patience only he could offer, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on her skin. She had a way of sharing every little detail, and he never once got bored. He'd smile and laugh at the right moments, nodding along, genuinely interested in every single word.

When she finally stopped talking, there was a comfortable pause. He kissed the top of her head, his hand gently caressing her back. "I love you, you know that?"

Kundavai tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes warm with affection. "I know," she whispered softly, "I love you too."

It was one of those cozy afternoons where the sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the living room. Kundavai had just finished a long, exhausting training session and was now lounging on the couch with her phone, catching up with one of her friends. She had her earbuds in, talking animatedly about the latest gossip—what her teammates had been up to, the latest drama in the field, and even some funny anecdotes about her family.

But as she sat there, half listening, her attention kept wandering to Shubman. He was in the kitchen, casually making lunch, his movements smooth and effortless. She could hear him humming softly to himself, and every now and then, he would glance over at her with a small smile.

Kundavai smiled to herself, her friend's voice barely registering in her ears. She shifted on the couch, slipping her legs up beneath her, but then she heard the clink of the plates and knew that Shubman had something ready.

"Hold on, let me call you back," she said into the phone, the sudden shift in her focus obvious. She disconnected the call with a grin, tossing her phone onto the table as she stood up.

Shubman looked over with a raised eyebrow, his grin playful. "You're ditching your friend for me?" he teased, setting the plate of food down on the coffee table in front of her.

Kundavai rolled her eyes, giving him a look that was a mix of affection and amusement. "I can talk to her anytime. You're more interesting."

He smirked, clearly pleased by her response, and sat down next to her. He took a bite of his sandwich before gently nudging her, offering her the plate. "Here, eat. You barely touched lunch earlier."

She shot him a mock glare. "I was talking to my friend," she said, but she didn't hesitate to take a bite when he offered it to her.

It was one of those normal moments that felt effortless, like they had their own little world, just the two of them. He fed her, and she took the bites as if it was the most natural thing. She didn't even mind the crumbs that fell onto her shirt because she was too busy laughing at something he had said. She'd always been independent, always busy with her own life, but with Shubman, everything seemed more relaxed. It was simple and sweet, and that was all she needed.

As she finished the bite, she looked up at him, smiling warmly. "Thanks," she murmured.

"No problem, baby," he replied, brushing his fingers through her hair, then wiping a crumb from her cheek. His tone was soft, affectionate. "You can always count on me."

She grinned, leaning into him as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know," she whispered, almost to herself, but he heard her anyway.

The quiet, comforting routine of their time together was something that had started to feel more and more natural, and as she lay back into him, she felt a warm rush of happiness she hadn't expected.

And it wasn't just about the kisses or the flirting, it was moments like this—simple, unspoken, where she could be herself. And he just knew how to make her feel seen and heard, like she was the most important person in the room, even when the world around them was so chaotic.

Shubman gently lifted her chin to look at him, his smile soft and genuine. "So, do I get to keep you all to myself for the rest of the day?" he asked, his voice teasing but with an undertone of longing.

Kundavai chuckled, her heart fluttering in a way that she hadn't expected. "We'll see. Maybe later. I still have a ton of gossip to spill," she replied, her playful tone matching his.

"Well, I'm always ready for a good story," he said, his voice low as he leaned in to kiss her forehead, lingering there for a moment before he pulled away. "But for now, let's just enjoy this."

She nodded, settling back against him, and with that, they both fell into a comfortable silence, letting the peacefulness of the moment wrap around them like a blanket.

Kundavai lay there, her head resting on Shubman's shoulder, as the sound of the clock ticking in the background seemed to amplify the quiet of the room. She could hear his steady heartbeat, feel the warmth of his body next to hers, and for a brief moment, it felt like time had slowed down just for them. It was strange, how easy it was to just be with him like this—no drama, no worries, just the two of them in their little bubble.

She sighed contentedly, reaching for the plate on the coffee table, taking another bite of food, her eyes closing for a second as she savored the taste. Shubman's hand, casually resting on her arm, moved to lightly brush through her hair again, the touch sending a warm shiver down her spine.

"You're so quiet today," Shubman said after a moment, breaking the silence in his usual teasing way. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

She lifted her head, turning to look at him with a raised brow. "Me? I'm always quiet," she joked, trying to play it off, but he could see through her. The way her eyes lingered on him, the slight soft smile on her lips—it was hard to hide anything from him these days.

He chuckled, his fingers still tracing patterns on her arm. "Something tells me you're not thinking about gossip for once."

Kundavai hesitated, her lips curling into a small, shy smile. "I was just thinking... about us. How weird it is, this whole thing," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

Shubman's smile softened, his gaze never leaving hers. "Weird in a good way, I hope?"

"Yeah, in a good way," she replied quickly, her heart fluttering again at the simple sincerity in his voice. She had never been this open with anyone before—especially not like this. But with him, it felt... right. "It just feels... easy with you. Like we've always known how to be together, you know?"

He nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I feel the same way," he murmured, and before she could say anything else, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "We've always been on the same team, haven't we? Just took us a little while to figure it out."

Kundavai's heart skipped a beat. She smiled softly, her eyes glimmering. "Yeah, maybe."

She leaned back against him, her eyes fluttering closed again as she let herself relax into his warmth. In this moment, she didn't have to be the fierce, competitive hockey player, the one who could take on anything and anyone. She could just be herself—the girl who was lucky enough to be loved by him.

A soft chuckle left her lips as her phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting the moment. She sighed and reached for it, knowing who it was before she even looked.

Akshara's name blinked on the screen, the message already popping up: "I swear, you better not be making out with him again!"

Kundavai laughed, shaking her head as she typed back: *You know nothing about me! Go back to Abhi!"

She could hear Shubman's soft laugh as he watched her, his arms still wrapped around her. "I'm guessing she's spying on you again?"

"Always," she replied with a playful roll of her eyes. "I swear, she's a professional stalker."

Shubman snorted, clearly amused by the antics of her friends. "You can never get a moment's peace with them around, huh?"

"Not even a second," Kundavai said, dropping her phone back onto the table. She settled back into his arms, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But it doesn't matter, because I've got you here."

He smirked, looking down at her with that familiar glint in his eyes. "You always have me."

Her smile widened as she snuggled deeper into his chest, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the fabric of his shirt. "I'm starting to think I'm going to get spoiled by this. You're making me soft, Shubman."

"I don't mind spoiling you," he said, his voice low and teasing. "You deserve it."

For the rest of the afternoon, they stayed like that, lost in their own little world. There were no grand gestures, no need for constant words. Just two people who didn't need anything more than each other in that moment. She felt his fingers run lightly through her hair, his presence grounding her in a way that made everything else feel insignificant.

In the distance, she could hear the sound of the clock ticking again. And for once, she didn't mind. Time could move as slowly as it wanted, as long as she was with him.