4.
PAST
Aarav suddenly lifted himself off Shaurya's lap, brushing away the tears like they were some interruption to his real mission.
"Enough with the tears, Mr. Crybaby," he declared dramatically, hands on his hips. "It's our suhagraat, dear husband. Pants off, Shekhawat — let's make some babies."
Shaurya blinked, amused, leaning back slightly as Aarav already started fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.
"Seriously?" Shaurya raised an eyebrow. "You've been running around all day — puja prep, yelling at people for nothing and now this?"
Aarav waved a hand. "Ofc Mr. Crybaby. Aapko hi jaldi thi, mujhse shaadi krne ki. We don't wanna upset our ancestors but not following the ritual do we?"
Shaurya stared at him flatly. "That's not a real thing."
"It is now," Aarav said, deadpan. "The first night must be passionate. The louder the moans, the stronger the marriage. It's science."
Shaurya couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. "You're unbelievable."
"And yet you married me." Aarav winked and ran his hand down Shaurya's chest, now exposed as the shirt hung open. "Come on. Don't you wanna hear me scream 'Daddy' tonight while you—"
Shaurya didn't let him finish.
He smirked — the kind of slow, devastating smirk that always made Aarav's sass short-circuit — and without a word, unbuckled his belt, letting his trousers drop. Just in his boxers now, Shaurya stepped forward, his calm gaze never leaving Aarav's.
Aarav blinked, his throat suddenly dry. "Wait, wait. I was being theatrical—you're actually—?"
Too late.
Shaurya had already pulled him into a kiss, deep and disarming. Before Aarav could find his footing (or his dignity), Shaurya lifted him effortlessly into his arms — bridal-style, no less — and carried him toward the bed.
"I swear to god if you drop me—"
He didn't.
Instead, Shaurya threw him onto the mattress like a sack of royal sass, landing beside him with a thud.
"Oh my—" Aarav barely had time to process before Shaurya rolled over and kissed him again, more intense now. Buttons flew, mouths collided, and at some point, Shaurya tore open Aarav's shirt like he was unwrapping a long-awaited gift.
"You're—oh my god—you're getting hot," Aarav whispered, cheeks flushed, voice cracking under the weight of anticipation.
Shaurya didn't speak.
He didn't need to.
He flipped Aarav gently, pressing soft kisses to his shoulder, his back, his nape — the warmth of his breath contrasting with the scrape of his moustache, sending shivers across Aarav's skin.
Aarav melted.
Until, suddenly... it stopped.
The kisses. The warmth. The weight of Shaurya.
Aarav turned, confused — and found Shaurya lying flat on his back, arms behind his head, eyes closed... asleep.
Aarav blinked. "Are. You. Kidding. Me."
No response.
"Shaurya Shekhawat!" he hissed, crawling over to him. "You got me shirtless, breathless—and you SLEEP?"
Shaurya gave a half-smile, eyes still shut. "Goodnight, baby."
"I hate you," Aarav muttered, retreating to the other side of the bed like a sulking cat. He yanked a pillow over his face. "You broke me, and not in the way I was hoping."
Minutes passed. Then a warm hand slipped around his waist.
"Don't touch me, traitor," Aarav mumbled into the pillow. "You seduced and abandoned me. You don't love me anymore. I should've married Yug instead."
Shaurya didn't reply. Instead, he pulled Aarav in closer, resting his chin on his shoulder.
"You talk a lot sometimes. But I'd have killed him."
Aarav tried to push him off. Failed.
"Ugh. Vedansh Uncle ne kya khilaya tha aapko? Rakshas kahike. You're strong."
Shaurya nuzzled closer. "And you're mine".
Aarav smiled into the dark.
"Okay... maybe I don't hate you."
Shaurya kissed the back of his neck softly. "Good."
They lay like that in silence for a while, the faint scent of roses lingering in the room, their heartbeats falling in sync.
Then Aarav whispered, barely audible, "You're lucky that you're cute".
Shaurya chuckled against his skin.
Aarav smirked sleepily.
And in the quiet glow of their first night as husbands, love lingered—unspoken, unshaken, undeniable.
"Shaurya".
"I love you baby".
"I was waiting to hear that".