A/N : I know I know this update took me time but I have a lot of things going on in my personal life rn, with all upcoming festivities and other stuff, and let's just say, things aren't going exactly good and they don't seem to be getting any better either, to make things worse my mental peace is holidaying away, leaving me in a mess.
The updates in August and first two weeks of September would be a bit slow so please bear with me, tysm for being patient!

" I need space." Sara said as Shubman shot her a horrified look.

" Are you breaking up with me before even agreeing to date me?" He let out a dramatized gasp, placing a hand on his chest.

" Shubman...I need space to sit, I need you to move a little." She looked at him, absolutely done and he gave her a sheepish look, scooting to the side.

" Oh! Hehe, I'll move." He nodded, scooting to the side.

Yawning his eyes closed and then he shook his head, opening them, trying his best to stay awake.

Sara smiled, finding him adorable.

" You should go to your room and sleep."

" No no I can stay awake I'm fine."

" Shubman-"

" I can stay awake!" He stubbornly insisted and she sighed.

" Alright. But go to sleep soon okay?"

Nodding he took the book on the side table in hand, trying to stay awake.

Immersed in her work, Sara did not notice him doze off.

And when she did, she sighed.

" I told him to go to sleep." She mumbled as she turned off the macbook and placed it away.

She carefully took the book away from him, put a bookmark between the pages he was reading, and put it away.

" Shub?" She murmured, her soft voice a soothing echo.

But he didn't respond, let alone bat an eyelash.

He was fast asleep, looking ever so calm.

She smiled.

" Shub?" She repeated but he barely stirred with a groan.

Sighing, she lightly tapped his cheek.
" Shubman, get up."

Groaning, he pulled her in, and put his arms around her.

" Sleep." He muttered groggily, his voice husky, his eyes still shut.

She tried pulling away but in vain.

He just wouldn't let her go and held onto her like dear life, as if someone was about to physically rip her away from him.

Sighing, she gave up and pulled the duvet and shut her eyes, the exhaustion from the day kicking in and sleep crept in like a thief.

♡•♡

When Shubman was half awake, confusion took over him.

How had his pillow turned into life-size overnight?

And why was it even more comfortable than usual?

And why was it...moving?

His half shut eyes now opened up wide, and he realised, his pillow wasn't a pillow, but Sara Tendulkar.

She stirred and pulled him closer, looking ever so peaceful.

Groaning, she tugged at his t-shirt again, probably mistaking him for a pillow and he let out a chuckle.

" Relax Princess, I'm not going anywhere."

Sara's brows furrowed when she heard a husky voice, seemingly having woken up just before she did, and she wondered, how did her pillow have such a good voice?

Her eyes fluttered open only to find Shubman Gill smile down at her as he tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

" Good morning!"

" Good..good morning." She mumbled, pulling away from him.

" What happened last night?" He asked.

" You fell asleep here, I tried waking you up but you pulled me in for an embrace instead and we fell asleep like this."

" Oh." Was all he could say, growing red.

" Let's freshen up? I'll make breakfast."

" No, let me cook today."

" I'll cook today-"

" No. I want to."

" Shub-"

" You have work. You focus on your work, I'll cook."

" But-"

" I'm going to the other room to freshen up!" He walked out of the room causing her to sigh.

♡•♡

" She loves Dosa-"

" I don't even know how to make the batter." Shubman cried, hitting his head on the platform.

He'd talked Sara into letting him cook, only to realise, he was about to shoot himself in the foot.

Breakfast had been an easy getaway, he'd make salad, coffee and french toast.

But for lunch, when he decided to ring everyone he thought would be aware of Sara's likes and dislikes, he realised they'd had half of the things she liked, and the rest were recipes he'd never ever tried.

" You can make pav bhaji? I'm sure you know how to make that?"

" We had that for dinner last night." He whined in frustration, nearing tears.

" Shubman, Dosa's very easy to make and so is the batter. Does she have rice flour at home?"

" She does."

" Good, so I'll instruct you okay? Either write it down, or start everything and go step by step. You'll be able to do it well. Just calm down first, stop panicking."

It took everyone a good while to calm him down first, and once he was, he started preparing.

The chutney was something he made quite easily, the sambhar wasn't as easy, but he did it quite well.

What was the hardest, was the Dosa.

The first Dosa did not come out perfectly clean, it stuck to the pan and Shubman was already unhappy with himself.

" It's okay! It's your first time! It happened to me too when I made Dosa for the first time!" Ishan comforted him after a good lot of sniggering.

Shubman turned towards the iPad, his gaze suspicious as it flickered towards Ishan.

" Who did you make Dosa for?"

" Aditi? She was on her periods, wanted to eat something South Indian and the rains were pretty heavy so I learnt how to make it."

" Mere liye toh kabhi kuch nahi banaya!" His voice and face gave away the betrayal he felt.

" Shubi, focus!" Everyone else chided and he sighed.

Seb, who stood next to him in the kitchen eyed the pan and shook his head.

" You applied less oil to the pan before putting the batter idiot! Stick nahi hoga toh kya hoga phir?"

" Toh pehle kyun nahi bataya?"

" Because you kicked me out of the kitchen? Accha khasa madat karne aaya tha, dhakke maar ke bahar nikal diya." He grumbled.

" I did not push you!" Shubman retorted and Seb shot him a glare.

" Seriously? You kicked me out anyway didn't you?"

" Wait...you know how to make Dosa?"

" I do."

" Help karde. Please." He mumbled.

" I did not hear you." Seb shook his head.

" Please help karde yaar." He mumbled again.

" I also want a raise of salary." Seb nodded his head.

" I'll give you whatever you want! Help me now!"

Everyone chuckled at his plight as Seb gave him further instructions.

When he was finally satisfied with himself, he did the plating, and as he turned to walk towards Sara's room, she came walking out.

" I smell something delicious? The aroma of the sambhar is already making mice run in my stomach. And the dosa looks good!"

" How...how did you know I'm making Dosa?"

She chuckled.
" Shubman, Dosa itself is such a thing that you cannot hide the fact that you're making it. The aroma gives it away. Can I please have that?"

Nodding, he placed the plate on the table.

Seb excused himself as he got a call, and as Sara tried getting him to sit down for lunch, he denied saying he was meeting an old friend, giving them the privacy they needed.

" How is it? Did you like it?" He peered eagerly and she nodded her head vigorously.

" I loved it!"

" It's really good na?"

" It is Shub, it is! Why don't you have a try?"

Tearing a piece of the Dosa, she dipped it in the chutney and lifted her hand upto his mouth, feeding him.

He nodded his head,
" Not...bad? But not the way I wanted it to turn out."

" Well I loved it!"

" Excuse me? If you're forgetting, we singles are still there online?" Yashasvi, Abhay and Jugnu's voice rang and his eyes widened, his head snapping towards the iPad placed on the counter.

" I forgot." He said rushing over to the screen.

" Thank you for your help guys....I'll talk to you later?" He chuckled nervously as they glared at him and hung up.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he walked back to the table.

" One more please?"

" Yes Ma'am! Chef Shubman at your service!" He bowed down elicting a giggle from her and a wide smile spread across his lips.