43 | happy holi
Avantika: "I want to put colors on everyone."
Avyukt: "Line up."
"My wife wants to play Holi."
"Everyone gets double pocket money today... but only after she colors you."
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
The soft winter sunlight was slowly slipping through the curtains when the entire house was still wrapped in silence.
Except one room.
Avyukt was still asleep.
Peacefully.
Or at least he thought he was going to be allowed to stay asleep.
---
Avantika quietly entered the room.
Barefoot.
Holding a small bowl of gulal in her hand. A mischievous smile played on her lips.
She leaned closer and in one swift moment- she gently applied colors on his face.
Then his hand.
Then a little more.
---
Avyukt's eyes opened slowly.
"...Avantika."
She froze for half a second.
Then immediately turned and ran.
---
But he caught her wrist in one smooth pull.
"Where are you going?"
She tried to hide her laugh, struggling a little. "I was just... celebrating Holi."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Without waking me?"
She tilted her chin proudly.
"Yes."
Avyukt leaned closer.
"You're in trouble."
Avantika instantly pointed at him.
"If you put color on me, I will complain to our children."
He paused.
"...Our children?"
"Yes."
"They aren't even here yet."
She smiled sweetly.
"I'll tell them later that their father troubled me on Holi."
Silence.
Avyukt stared at her.
Then exhaled.
"That is emotional blackmail."
Avantika shrugged.
"It's called strategy."
He shook his head slightly.
"You're unfair."
"And you're already colored," she said softly, touching his cheek.
Then she turned her face away with a small satisfied smile.
---
Meanwhile... Downstairs
Krish was already in full planning mode.
"Siya... this year I am definitely getting you first."
"Ohh"
She smirked.
Krish walked into the room confidently.
Big mistake.
Because- Siya wasn't there.
Or rather, she was, but not where he expected.
From behind the door-
SPLASH.
A full bucket of colored water fell directly over him.
---
Krish stood frozen.
Completely drenched.
Silence.
Then slowly- he turned his head.
Siya was standing behind the curtain, trying not to laugh.
"...You planned this?"
She nodded innocently.
"Yes."
Krish wiped his face.
Then smiled.
"Oh it's war now."
Within seconds, he grabbed a handful of color and ran after her.
Siya screamed, laughing as she ran through the corridor.
And just like that- the house turned into chaos.
---
Ruhi's Turn
Somewhere near the staircase, Ruhi was calmly arranging colors.
"Finally peace-"
SPLASH.
Both Krish and Siya attacked her from behind.
"HEY!"
"Happy Holi!" Krish shouted.
Ruhi gasped.
"Oh you both are DONE."
And within seconds, she grabbed colors too.
---
Vardhan House = War Zone
By the time laughter filled every corner of the house- Three people were completely covered in colors.
Hair messy.
Faces unrecognizable.
And happiness everywhere.
---
Parents Enter.
When Avyukt's parents came downstairs- they stopped at the door.
"...What happened here?"
His mother blinked.
His father stared.
Then slowly- burst out laughing.
"They look like ghosts."
"Three ghosts," she added.
Krish shouted, "It's Holi!"
---
But then- everyone suddenly froze.
Because one person was missing from the chaos.
Avantika.
---
Three pairs of eyes turned slowly.
Then-
"AVANTIKA!"
She squeaked and hid behind Avyukt instantly.
He didn't move.
Just stood like a wall.
"No one is putting color on her."
Ruhi crossed her arms.
"Not fair!"
Krish nodded.
"She's the only clean one!"
Avyukt calmly replied.
"That's the point."
---
Avantika peeked from behind him.
Then leaned close to his ear.
"I want to put color on them."
He glanced at her.
"...All three?"
She nodded like a child.
"Yes."
A small smile formed on his face.
---
He turned slightly.
"Line up."
Everyone blinked.
"What?"
Avyukt: "My wife wants to color you. Line up."
Ruhi gasped.
"This is cheating."
Krish pointed.
"Bribery!"
Siya added, "Emotional manipulation!"
Avyukt calmly replied:
"You get double pocket money today."
Silence.
"...Deal," Krish said instantly.
---
And just like that- Avantika stepped forward.
Happily.
Excited like a child.
She applied colors on all three of them one by one.
Laughing.
Teasing.
Enjoying every second.
---
Then suddenly- she turned around and ran straight back to Avyukt.
Still smiling.
Still colorful.
Completely happy.
---
She hid behind him again and whispered softly,
"I did it."
Avyukt looked down at her.
Then gently smiled.
"...Good."
And in that moment- the chaos, the laughter, the colors, the family- everything felt exactly how Holi was meant to feel.
Alive.
Warm.
And beautifully theirs.
____
The sun was now a little higher.
The house, which earlier looked like a full battlefield, had finally started to quiet down.
Music had slowed.
Buckets were empty.
And everyone was tired... but smiling.
---
Avantika was sitting on the swing in the courtyard.
Still covered in soft pastel shades of pink, yellow, and blue.
Her hair slightly messy.
Her feet tucked under her dupatta.
And since the morning this time - she was just quietly breathing.
Enjoying.
---
Avyukt walked over slowly.
Holding a glass of water.
And a towel.
Of course.
Always prepared.
---
He sat beside her.
Didn't say anything for a moment.
Just looked at her.
Then softly- "You had fun?"
Avantika smiled without looking at him.
"Yes."
He nodded.
L"...Good."
A pause.
Then he added,
"You almost gave me a heart attack earlier."
She turned slightly.
"Because I ran behind you?"
"No."
"Then?"
"Because you disappeared for two minutes."
She blinked.
"I was just hiding behind the curtain."
"That is how kidnappings start."
She laughed.
"You're impossible."
"And you're reckless," he replied calmly.
---
Avantika leaned her head slightly on his shoulder.
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
Then he relaxed.
---
Krish was lying on a bench.
Half asleep.
Siya was sitting beside him, laughing at something on her phone.
Ruhi was arguing with him about "who started what."
The parents were sitting together, enjoying tea and watching all of them like it was a movie.
---
His mother smiled softly.
"This house needed this happiness."
His father nodded.
"It's been too long."
---
Avyukt gently took a cloth and started wiping a bit of color from her cheek.
Slow.
Careful.
Almost absentmindedly.
Avantika looked at him.
"You know..."
He hummed.
She smiled.
"I think the babies felt Holi too."
He looked at her instantly.
"...They did?"
She nodded.
"They were very active today."
A small soft smile appeared on his face.
His hand slowly moved to her stomach.
Careful.
Protective.
Soft.
---
"I think they liked it," he said quietly.
Avantika teased,
"Or they didn't like you overreacting all morning."
He looked at her.
"...Traitors."
She burst out laughing.
---
Slowly, the sky started turning orange.
The colors on everyone's faces had faded a little. But the energy... still remained.
---
Krish suddenly stood up.
"I'm hungry."
Siya rolled her eyes.
"You are always hungry."
Ruhi added, "He only runs on chaos and food."
From behind, Avyukt spoke calmly.
"Food is ready."
Everyone paused.
"...You cooked?" Krish asked suspiciously.
Avyukt: "No."
Everyone relaxed instantly.
Then- he added, "Mom did."
---
And everyone rushed inside.
The dining table was full again.
But this time-
no waiting.
No silence.
No tension.
Only laughter.
Food.
And stories from the day.
Avantika was sitting beside Avyukt.
Still slightly leaning into him.
Tired.
Happy.
Safe.
---
Ruhi suddenly raised her glass.
"To Holi!"
Everyone echoed,
"To Holi!"
Krish added,
"To surviving Avyukt's security system."
Avyukt looked at him.
Krish immediately sat down.
Siya laughed.
"To chaos!"
And Avantika softly said,
"To family."
For a moment- everything went quiet.
Then smiles spread across the table.
Avyukt looked at her.
Then at everyone.
Then finally said,
"...Next year will be worse."
Krish groaned.
"Please no."
Avantika smiled.
"I'm looking forward to it."
---
And that was it.
A house that once felt heavy with silence... now overflowed with life.
With love.
With colors that didn't wash off easily.
And with a future that was already smiling at them... quietly growing inside Avantika's world.