The laughter and teasing from their friends hadn't fazed Shubman completely—if anything, it only made him hold onto Thalia's hand tighter as they rejoined the crowd. The warmth of their love was undeniable, and the way he looked at her made it clear to everyone that no amount of joking could break their bubble.

As they approached the towering, multi-tiered wedding cake, adorned with intricate floral designs matching the theme, the DJ called everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, gather around! It's time for the bride and groom to cut their cake!"

Shubman looked down at Thalia, a wide grin on his face. "Ready to tackle this thing, Mrs. Gill?"

Thalia gave him a playful nudge. "You're the one who insisted on this giant monstrosity, Mr. Gill. I hope you're ready."

They both laughed as they grabbed the ornate silver knife together. Shubman's hand covered hers, and they cut into the cake as their guests erupted in cheers. 

The photographer caught every moment—the two of them laughing, Shubman sneakily smearing a tiny bit of frosting on Thalia's cheek, and her mock glare before she retaliated by dabbing some on his nose.

"Okay, okay!" Shubman chuckled, stepping back to avoid further retaliation. "Let's not turn this into a food fight, baby."

"I make no promises," Thalia teased, but she wiped his nose gently with her thumb, her touch lingering.

The night carried on in a blur of dancing, hugs, and endless congratulations. At one point, Virat approached Shubman with two glasses of champagne, nudging his shoulder.

"How does it feel, champ?" Virat asked, handing him a glass.

Shubman took a sip, glancing across the room where Thalia was talking animatedly with Anushka and Ritika. 

She looked radiant, her laugh lighting up the space. "Feels surreal, bhai," Shubman admitted. "I look at her and think, how the hell did I get so lucky?"

Virat clinked his glass against Shubman's. "Because you're a good guy, Gill. And because she loves you like crazy. But hey, if you ever mess up..." He leaned in, lowering his voice with mock seriousness. "You've got a whole squad here ready to kick your ass."

Shubman laughed, shaking his head. "Noted, Captain."

Meanwhile, Thalia was being similarly grilled by Ritika and Anushka. "So," Ritika began, a mischievous smile on her face. 

"How's it feel to officially be Mrs. Shubman Gill?"

"Honestly?" Thalia said, glancing toward Shubman, who was laughing with Virat. "It feels like... everything finally makes sense. Like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

"Aww," Anushka cooed. "You two are disgustingly cute. But seriously, how are you handling the cricket madness? It's not an easy world to step into."

Thalia shrugged with a smile. "It's hectic, but Shubs makes it worth it. He's always so present when he's with me, no matter how busy he gets. I just want to support him as much as I can."

Natasa walked up then, overhearing the conversation. "Trust me, it gets easier. Just keep being his rock. And also..." She smirked. "Get ready for the constant teasing from the boys. That never stops."

Back on the dance floor, Shubman finally pulled Thalia into his arms as a slow Punjabi song began to play. He held her close, his hands resting firmly on her waist as they swayed to the rhythm.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" he murmured, his voice low and filled with emotion. "I still can't believe you're mine."

Thalia smiled up at him, her eyes shining. "I've always been yours, Shubs. You just took your sweet time figuring it out."

He chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'm glad I did. Because now I get to love you forever."

The night wore on, and as the celebrations finally began to wind down, the two of them found a quiet moment under the stars. Shubman pulled her close, wrapping his sherwani jacket around her shoulders to ward off the chill.

"You okay, baby?" he asked softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I'm more than okay," she replied, resting her head on his chest. "This was perfect, Shubs. I couldn't have asked for a better day."

He kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her. "You're perfect, Thalia. And this is just the beginning."

As the last of their guests departed and the garden fell silent, Shubman and Thalia stood there, lost in their own world. The chaos, the laughter, and the love of the day all blended into one beautiful memory—the start of their forever.

As the final lanterns dimmed, casting the garden in a soft glow of moonlight, Shubman and Thalia lingered hand in hand, reluctant to let go of the magic of the day. 

Their feet crunched on the petals strewn across the pathway as they walked slowly back toward their bedroom, the faint hum of music still echoing in the distance.

Shubman glanced at Thalia, the ivory lehenga catching the moonlight and making her look ethereal. 

Her intricate mehendi still dark on her hands, her bangles chiming softly with each step. She looked up at him, catching his gaze, and smiled.

"You've been staring at me all day, Mr. Gill," she teased, her voice soft but playful.

"And I plan to do it every day for the rest of my life, Mrs Gill," he replied, pulling her closer by the waist, his hand skimming the delicate fabric of her dupatta.

As they reached their room, he opened the door and gestured for her to enter first. She stepped inside, gasping softly as she saw the surprise he had arranged. 

The room was filled with fairy lights, casting a warm glow, and the bed was covered in scattered rose petals. On the bedside table sat a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket of ice.

"Shubman..." she whispered, turning back to him, her eyes wide with emotion.

He grinned, shrugging off his sherwani jacket and closing the door behind him. "I wanted to end our wedding day with something special. You deserve it, baby."

She crossed the room, her heels clicking softly against the floor, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You've already made today the most perfect day of my life."

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Good. But you know me—I'm not done spoiling you yet."

Thalia rolled her eyes with a smile. "You're insufferable, Gill."

"And you love me for it," he shot back, his grin mischievous.

They settled onto the couch in the corner of the room, the champagne between them. As they clinked glasses, Shubman caught her hand, tracing the mehendi design on her fingers.

"You know," he murmured, his voice dropping lower, "seeing my name in your mehendi almost made me lose it earlier."

Thalia laughed, her cheeks flushing. "You're so dramatic."

"I'm serious," he said, pulling her closer so their noses brushed. "When I saw you walking down that aisle, I almost cried, Thalia. You looked... god, you looked like an angel."

Her expression softened, and she cupped his cheek with her free hand. "And I thought you'd never cry, Mr. 'Tough Cricketer' Gill."

He chuckled, leaning into her touch. "You make me soft, baby. I don't even care. You're worth it."

She tilted her head, brushing her lips lightly against his. "You're pretty soft for someone who threatened to chase off every guy who looked at me during the wedding."

"They deserved it," he shot back, pulling her fully into his lap now, his hands resting on her waist. "You're mine, Mrs. Gill. Only mine."

Her laugh turned into a soft gasp as he kissed her deeply, his hands tangling in her hair, careful not to mess up her dupatta. 

When they finally broke apart, their foreheads pressed together, Thalia whispered, "I still can't believe we're married."

"Believe it, baby," Shubman said, his voice rough with emotion. "You're stuck with me now."

She smiled, her fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. "Forever doesn't seem so bad with you."

The night passed in a haze of laughter, stolen kisses, and whispered promises. When they finally lay in bed, her head resting on his chest and his arm draped protectively around her, they both felt a sense of peace unlike anything they'd ever known.

Shubman kissed the top of her head, his voice soft as he whispered, "Goodnight, my love."

Thalia smiled, her eyes closing. "Goodnight, Shubs. I love you."

And as the first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, they slept soundly, wrapped in the warmth of their love and the promise of a lifetime together.

soup rants!

- hello everyone!

- I hope you guys are having a great day so far, and I also hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

- i'm crying

- also comments on the chapter?

- I hope you guys liked this one!

- with lots of love, supraja 🫶