You sat on top of the kitchen island, trying your best to eat the second set of sweets being fed to you.

Sweet moments were taken to another level.

Shubman sat on a chair on the other side, watching with his arm propped up on the marble countertop.

A smile played on his lips at the interaction, filling his heart with warmth.

"Sweetheart, just one more," his mother said as she held another spoon of gulab jamun in front of your mouth. "And then we can move on to the milk burfi."

You swallowed the delicacy just as his father walked in with a huge basket of sour mangoes. You'd discovered your love for them yesterday.

"Lakhi, get another bowl of churi," she told him.

"Ma, I'm sleepy," Shubman said and didn't even earn a glance.

"Okay," his mother replied shortly, still hell-bent on making sure you ate everything from the recipes of Shub's grandmother.

Nothing else? He pouted a little before simply adding.

"We're leaving tomorrow," he said again, though it was not true.

It's been just three days and the plan was to stay here for at least a week.

Shahneel and Ishan were joining in a few days. The latter was staying behind with Brownie to make sure all went well at work.

But you and Shubman will have to leave shortly after they arrive.

Guess how happy his parents were to know their kids have finally found their better halves.

"You can leave, Shubi," his mother replied without looking, in the middle of feeding you yet another gulab jamun. "But my daughter is staying here."

"Papa," he looked to his side but was just handed another basket.

"Get more mangoes," his father said as he passed the bowl of churi and started slicing the sour ones for you.

You smiled a little at that, chewing the gulab jamun in your mouth as you looked at Shubman.

But if you love sour mangoes, he was going out to the backyard and getting them all by himself.

He watched the scene fondly, as you and his parents interacting gave him all the happiness no one else ever could.

When they weren't looking, he locked eyes with you, his lips making the movement of a quick kiss.

You just stared at him like 'shut up' and turned away, trying to control your smile.

-

It was only half past ten when you'd finished taste testing.

Shubman's mother stood with you at the end of the hallway, reluctant to lose any amount of time with you.

"Are you sure, sweetie?" She asked again. "I can drop you at his room and- Actually, it's your room after this."

"Of course, aunty," you reassured her. "I'll be fine."

"I've told you, call me 'ma,'" she said with a smile that glowed. Shahneel is definitely like her mother.

You nodded, a small smile on your face as you mumbled, "Ma."

Finally, you bidded her a goodnight and started walking away to your bedroom.

As you turned to another hallway, however, a hand wrapped around your wrist, pulling you to a familiar chest.

"Well, hello," you said with a smile as Shubman kissed the side of your neck.

"I missed you," he spoke against your skin, nipping at it before raising his head up.

"It was five minutes," you reminded him, looking back into his eyes.

"Still too long to be away from you," he leaned back against the wall, holding you close in his arms.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and then his lips.

Shubman smiled in the kiss, his arms around your waist pulling you closer, probably trying to make your bodies into one.

You both would've kissed forever, if not for his mother's voice calling for you again.

As her footsteps sounded closer, you pulled away from his lips with a soft 'chu' sound.

He practically whined, but you shushed him with another peck before wriggling out of his arms and walking away.

Apparently, his mother forgot to give the midnight snacks she'd prepared specially for you.

You returned after a conversation about more of your preferences that she wanted to know, one that lasted five minutes.

Shubman wasn't in the same place when you returned.

Instead, you could see him, speaking on his phone, through the door to the backyard that was left open.

You'd faintly heard his phone ringing in the middle of your conversation.

First, you walked upstairs to your room and made sure the midnight snacks were safe there.

Then, thinking that Shubman was probably going to be taking more time, though he wouldn't want to when he would rather spend time with you, you made your way downstairs again and to him.

He was sitting on the couch outside, still on his phone, the look on his face, monotonous until he saw you.

His lips tugged up in a smile as you opened your arms for a wide hug.

He stretched his free arm towards you in return, and you sat beside him.

Throwing your legs over his lap, you laid your head on his shoulder.

Shubman kissed your forehead, caressing your ankle before resting one hand on your knee.

"Call me only when it's done," he told Robin through the call. Previously, he worded it as, 'bring me the head.'

You stared at the vast scenery in front of you.

The moon was full, lighting the fields within the palace.

It was built during the monarchical era, in a fusion of baroque as well as Mughal architecture. Arches were common in both.

Intricate floral and geometric patterns were carved into stone, incorporating Indian elements with Persian elements.

There were ornate decorations, ceiling frescoes, a dramatic use of lighting, towering structures, gardens of grandeur and fields spread across the acres.

When Shubman ended the call shortly after, placing his phone aside, you raised your head up and kissed his jawline.

"Not feeling sleepy?" He mumbled against your hair while cradling you.

You nodded in response and he rested his head against the top of yours.

Silence followed for a while, a comfortable one, and your heart was filled to the brim just with it.

"Baby," he spoke first. "In another week, it'll be a year since we met."

"It will be," you mumbled, head laid back on his shoulder again.

Shubman's heart soared as he revisited the memories. He remembered all the dates, and so did you.

You make him forget and remember how to breathe at the same time.

A year back, he never realized how much he was missing, until he found you.

That day, you stopped his world and instead became the same.

Now you look at each other and think, 'I'm lucky that I have you in my life, blessed with your love.'

You stared at Shubman's eyes that always seem to be on you.

Every memory you had with him played in your head.

The first time you met, your first conversation, his confession.

When you hugged him for the first time.

The first date at the beach, your first kiss.

When you moved in with him, when he cuddled you to sleep for the first time.

Every time he cooks something for you in the middle of the night.

And all the other memories that were just him.

"Will you marry me?" You asked while still looking into his eyes.

Shubman blinked, his lips parting just a little to say something, but no words came out.

You see his eyes turn glossy.

His heart tells him that he's loved so much by you.

That he loves you so much.

So much that he'll wait forever to get just a single glance of you.

Then Shubman hugged you, so tight that he almost knocked the air out of your lungs.

He pulled back immediately, and captured your lips in a passionate kiss.

You don't need to always have a ring. You don't have to do any grand gestures to show someone how much you love them.

When there's love, when the heart is full, the moment shines brighter than any diamond on a ring.

The moon shone brighter than any light in the world.

"Yes," Shubman whispered against your lips, looking into your eyes which shined brighter than any moon for him.

A thousand times, a million lives, for an infinity. It's always yes.

It's always you.