"What do you want?" I asked her, who was sitting on the counter like she owned the place with the ridiculously looking ice cream patterned blanket around her body.
"uhm... Biryani!" she exclaimed.
I stared at her for a moment before speaking again, "We had it yesterday."
"Guess I need to look for another husband," she whined.
I sighed, "Fine."
Her face lit up like a kid who got money from the guest, "You're the best!"
"I know." I smirked.
By the time I finished, it was already past lunchtime and I already felt the fatigue creeping in.
"Kruti?" I called out.
No answer.
Frowning, I headed toward the balcony, the place she seemed to love the most these days. And there she wasâwrapped in her ridiculous ice cream blanket, sitting cross-legged on the floor, feeding that stray cat she had apparently adopted without my permission.
The cat meowed softly as Kruti stroked its head, smiling to herself like she had achieved some great feat.
I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe. "What are you doing?"
She didn't even bother looking at me. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm teaching the cat quantum physics."
"Very funny," I replied dryly. "You're supposed to be eating your lunch, not sitting out here catching a cold and feeding a stray."
"Are you blind?" she shot back, turning her head to finally look at me. "I'm clearly busy right now."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, willing myself not to lose my patience. "Kruti, this is the third time this week. You're skipping meals, and I'm not going to let youâ"
"Oh, stop acting like my dad," she interrupted, rolling her eyes.
I sighed. "I'm not acting like your dad. I'm acting like someone who doesn't want to deal with you when you inevitably get sick because you don't take care of yourself."
She ignored me again, turning her attention back to the cat, who purred loudly as she scratched behind its ears.
That was it.
Without a word, I walked over to her, bent down, and scooped her up in my arms in one swift motion.
"Devansh!" she yelped, clutching the blanket around her. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Carrying you to the table," I said simply, already walking back inside.
"Put me down!" she protested, squirming in my arms.
"Stop moving, or I'll drop you," I warned, my tone calm but firm.
Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare."
I glanced down at her. "Try me."
That shut her up.
When we reached the dining table, I set her down on itânot on a chair, but directly on the table itself. She gasped in indignation, her eyes widening as she stared up at me.
"Are you crazy?" she demanded. "This is where we eat, Dev!"
I placed my hands on either side of her, leaning in slightly so she couldn't escape. "Exactly. This is where we eat. Not on the balcony. Not wrapped in a blanket. And definitely not while feeding a stray cat."
She looked a bit... scared.
Her bravado faltered for a moment, and I noticed the way her breathing hitched. "Y-you're being ridiculous," she muttered, looking away.
I smirked, just a little. "Am I?"
She didn't answer, her gaze fixed on the floor.
After a moment, I sighed and leaned back, straightening up. Before she could say anything else, I reached out and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Her head shot up, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Stay here," I said softly. "I'll get your lunch."
Without waiting for her response, I walked into the kitchen, shaking my head at her antics. She could be so stubborn sometimes, but I knew her well enough to know that if she didn't eat now, she'd get hungry later and create a scene about it.
By the time I returned with her plate, she had crossed her arms and was glaring at me.
"You can't just do whatever you want, you know," she huffed.
I set the plate down beside her and raised an eyebrow. "Says the person who thinks it's okay to skip meals for a cat."
"Don't bring Muffin into this," she said defensively.
I couldn't help itâI laughed.
"You're impossible," I said, shaking my head.
"And you're insufferable," she shot back, though there was no real heat in her voice.
"Eat," I said, pushing the plate toward her.
She sighed dramatically but picked up the fork anyway. "You're lucky I'm hungry."
"Lucky me," I muttered, leaning against the table as I watched her take a bite.
For a moment, neither of us said anything. She ate in silence, and I found myself watching her, a strange sense of contentment settling over me.
"Why are you staring at me?" she asked suddenly, her tone suspicious.
"Because I'm waiting to see if you'll finish the whole plate," I said.
She narrowed her eyes at me but didn't say anything, focusing on her food instead.
By the time she was done, I had to admit I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Happy now?" she asked, setting her fork down.
"Ecstatic," I replied dryly.
She rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she slid off the table and grabbed her blanket, wrapping it around herself like a cocoon.