"Adya!" He yelled. "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago." He spoke taking her wheeled suitcase in his charge. His other hand holding her hand.

"Oh, I was well before time." She gasped, catching her breath. "Billing took time!" She added scuttling to keep up with his long strides.

Liar. Before time and her? No way!

"Billing what?" He asked as they stood on a step of the escalator. His eyes gleaming in mirth, they both still were so synchronized to take the damn step at the same moment.

"Burgers." 

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I didn't eat anything before leaving home as I had to be on time."

Lie. Again.  She had eaten a full plate and she certainly hadn't left home on time. He looked at the sign board.

"Adya, that way." He instructed pointing at the women's security check.

"I know," she snapped flicking her hair. 

"Wonderful!" He smiled rolling his eyes.

 Together again, he stared at her in exasperation. She hadn't even combed her hair properly. There was nothing that could change this lady. "Adya, walk fast."

"Women don't fly. And I am a woman."

He made a half baked annoying face. "Men don't fly either!"

"No. They fly with wings made of ego and pride."

"Over-feminist!" He accused.

She glared at him, chewing the bubblegum in her mouth. That was it. "Adya, spit that out." He said stopping midway momentarily.

"Shut up!" She said annoyed pulling him to the boarding gate. He smiled as she held his arm above the elbow. Such a possessive hold. He cleared his mind as he found it going to places it shouldn't. 

"Adya. You know.. I hate the smell."

"Not my problem. Gentle reminder of our deal here." She spoke smirking.

"Whatever!" He said handing their boarding passes to the security. He smiled giving it back.

* * *

"Woosh.!" He said settling in the seat towards the aisle. She had made it to the window seat like a stubborn ten year old girl. Much to his annoyance, the seat before his seemed to have been reserved for the kid who was looking at him. His eyes were green. Dhruv narrowed his eyes an attempt to simply scare him and make him turn to the front. The kid chuckled. He tried again. But the kid continued chuckling.

"Quit it!" She remarked, she had been noting the scene.

"Mind your business." He mumbled.

She sighed. "He's cute. He has pretty eyes." She said smiling at the boy who seemed very happy to have her attention.

He blinked, monetarily lost in thoughts. "Are you talking to him about me?" He smirked .

She sat up, the corners of her lips lifting up slightly. "Nope. Talking to you about him."

"I thought you loved the color of my eyes."

"I love his better!" She spoke, lightly pulling the boy's cheeks.

"I thought you preferred cheeks with light stubble." He tilted his head toward her seat but continued to look at the boy. Adya switched her gaze to him, a small smile making it to her face and quickly disappearing. "Jealous are we ?"

"Very!" He replied immediately, out of habit more.

Their eyes locked. She tore her gaze away fishing out her earphones from her bag. Spotting her McD burgers she got them out. 

"At least wait until take off." His voice made her smiled sheepishly.

 "Whatever!" She said with attitude.

* * *

As she munched on her potato fingers he looked at her with disapproval. "If you eat all that, you'll become fat. Already are!"

She made a grumpy face staring at him, then suddenly leaned closer. He couldn't help but want to kiss her slightly ketchup marked lips. She smelt of McD Burger and cheese. Weirdly, it heightened his desire to kiss. "You can have if you want to. Don't comment on my figure." She whisper yelled.

He grinned biting the inside of his lips. Her annoyance amused him at times. Keeping the urge of kissing her at bay he looked ahead to find the kid again looking at them. She continued eating. Seeing her eat burger he was tempted. He could have a bite as well. Okay, a few bites. He looked at her through the corner of his eyes. Yikes, she caught him looking.  He pretended to be casually jerking his neck. Burger came before his eyes. She had extended the burger that she had been eating from. "I am not mean. "

He smiled inwardly but made a face. "If you're insisting... " he said holding her wrist from his right and the burger's wrapper from the other. He leaned and took a bite. Adya smiled adorably as he chewed. "This is yummy." He exclaimed immediately after.

"I know. My choice." She said proudly taking back the burger and biting into it. He was her choice as well. He smirked and then slapping his pervert mind, grabbed her wrist leaning and taking another bite. 

Adya smiled slightly, then looked away the other side pretending to have a fascination for the clouds. God. Why did she have to feel this way right now? Her heart rate gradually fastened, his grip on her wrist driving her crazy. She had glimpses of the past – of them kissing and doing all sort of things to the other that earned moans and pleasure.

Once the burger was over, Adya had a filled stomach and a satisfied appetite for food. But the other kind of appetite was only coming to existence.

"Excuse me." She said turning in her seat.

He stared at her startled then simply leaned back. She stared at him in disbelief. "Move," she ordered.

"I have." He said leaning back, his lips twitching at the corner to form a smooth smirk.

"Dhruv, I can't slip out in this much," she spoke.

"Exactly. Cause you've become fat!" He remarked, cockiness coloring his face.

Adya glared at him. "Shut up," More determined than ever, she squeezed herself between the seat and his sitting figure. Her eyes challenging-ly looking down at him. His enjoying the upward look. Once she disappeared down the aisle he chuckled. Stupid her! He always knew his way to get what he wanted from her.

When she came back, he pretended to have not seen her coming. She slipped inside leaning on him slightly, placing her hands on his shoulders for support. "Pervert!" She whispered into his ears, and then settled on her seat like no exchange happened between them. He grinned amused. 

"All in your thoughts!" He said challenging-ly looking at her. She simply ignored him.

If there was anything that Dhruv wanted, was a room with his wife sans her sanity. It was weird how, until he had met her, he was perfectly sane with no dirty thoughts. But just her sight made his mind run in the other directions. God, the few days ahead were going to be super frustrating. But he knew if there was any woman in the world who could give his mom a stiff competition– it was her. 

Sheila, his mom was a very calculative business mind. He was similar to her in may ways in the context. However, Sheila's never satisfying greed for money was something Dhruv was luckily, very away from. He preferred staying in Mumbai with his cousins while his mother owned half of Goa. One reason why he didn't like Goa was because his mother was the boss. 

Adya and Dhruv had met through their parents, coincidentally it had happened in Goa. In the seven star hotel his mother owned. Adya's parents, the Jaisinghanias owned a popular Hotel Group in Canada. That's how the entire arranged marriage set up had been done. Her parents and his mother brought up the proposal of marriage. The attraction between them was instant. The fact that Adya loved staying in India was a plus. Thus the proposal became a hit, and transformed into a marriage. The waters were always unpredictable. Fast forward one and a half year, both of them were done. They needed a break from each other. Their frustration took them to the court. A quick divorce and they happily parted ways. 

But now two years down to that parting of ways, their opinions had changed. Not drastically, but somewhere down both knew there was a hollow. A hollowness that became evident with time. But neither wished for someone else to fill it. 

* * *

Dhruv made a face having a heavy feeling over his shoulder. He parted his eye lids slightly to see her head over his shoulder. An immediate curve climbed up his cheeks.  He moved his palm over hers and placed their hands together. After a long time the feeling of having a responsibility filled his heart. Feeling the need to be protective had never been so strong. 

* * *

Adya woke up to a caressing hand. She looked up at him smilingly. Hugging his arm she placed her head against his closing her eyes. He grinned. "Darling we are almost there."

She threw open her eyes sitting up straight as realisation dawned. She looked around. The seat belt signal flashing. She quickly fastened her seat belt. Knowing well that his eyes were noticing every moving inch of hers. "Don't you Darling me!"

He chuckled. "Okay Hitler."

"Shut up. Save that for your mom." Adya muttered looking ahead.

He laughed. "True that!"

As the flight landed, Adya waited for him to get up. He brought her other bag down and then his. He stepped out giving her passage. Ahaann, gentleman! She stepped forward ruffling the little boy's hair. The sight was cute, but somehow Dhruv didn't like the adorable attention the kid got. 

Adya extended her hands as though asking the boy if he wanted to be carried. 

"Adya, move." Dhruv said tapping her shoulders. At the same time the boy hugged her. Dhruv was sure the boy would grow up to be a flirt like his cousin Rudra. Adya quickly handed him the bag in her hand and took the boy in his arms walking forward. Dhruv rolled his eyes following her. She smiled at the air hostess and walked ahead. The air hostess gave Dhruv a flirtatious smile. Truth to be told, the woman was pretty. Dhruv had been noting how she kept glancing at him during the flight time.

"Thank you for traveling with us. I hope you had a wonderful time."

"Indeed." He smiled formally.

"May I help you with the bags?" She stepped closer. 

Dhruv was amused but kept his amusement to himself. "If you could please help me carry this down." He requested as an idea popped up in his mind.

"Sure Sir." She a said taking the bags, her fingers brushing his hand. Dhruv walked after her, and looked at Adya watching the entire scene. 

"Shall we?" He asked giving her the cue to walk. His gaze was fixed on Adya with the boy in her arms. The boy seemed to be enjoying her hold. How he envied the little boy! 

Adya began walking down the stairs. The boy's mother was walking behind them. Honestly, the boy was all chubby and healthy. Adya wasn't used to carrying kids. She placed her foot carefully and took a step down. The small metallic steps didn't help. Dhruv knew she was stubborn enough to not put the boy down. He quickly got to her side and took the boy in his arms. Her eyes met his.  He extended his hand.  Since when did she start wearing heels? He wondered. She placed her palm on his arm, to piss off the air hostess more than anything else.

The boy and his mother greeted Adya and Dhruv. The boy waved at her after she kissed his cheek. The boy gave her a lollipop which had a nice teddy bear made out of candy over its stem. Adya waved at him as they decided to take the next shuttle. 

"So cute!" She commented turning to him.

"Whatever." He said glancing at the air hostess who stood a little distance away now, still gazing at him. Adya was jealous. Smiling she walked closer to him. Her motive was to let the air hostess know – he was taken even if he wasn't technically. She simply caught his palm and brought it up. He stared at her, wondering when had she come so close. "Happy Teddy Day!" She said placing the teddy shaped, lollipop in his palm.

He bit his lower lip smiling. Knowing exactly why this was happening. "God, someone's on fire." 

"Are you talking about yourself?" She asked in a strikingly amusing tone, taking her bag from his hand an walking over to the shuttle that had just arrived. He chuckled and bit his lower lip. Had he ever told her? He loved her sass. 

Any ideas? Thoughts?😂

Happy Teddy Day 🐻 (not a lover of teddy bears, they give me the horror vibes). Any Teddy Stories to share? 

Do vote, comment and share!

– Anami!