Shared Food And Stolen Kisses
RIVAL HEARTS
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Aashna was the first to arrive at Dhruvinâs place that afternoon. As soon as she rang the doorbell, she was greeted by his Aaji, who gave her a warm smile before pulling her into a tight hug.
"Arey, Aashna beta, tu aaj achanak?" (Oh, Aashna dear, you came suddenly today?) Aaji asked, stepping aside to let her in.
Aashna grinned, stepping inside. "Bas aise hi, socha mil loon." (Just like that, thought I'd drop by.)
Before she could say anything else, she heard Aajobaâs voice from the dining table. "Come, sit! We were just having lunch, you should join us!"
Aashna tried to protest. "No, no, Aajoba, I already ate at home."
But before she could finish her sentence, Aaji had already started serving her a plate full of food. "Aree, ghar ka khaana dobara khane ka alag hi mazza hai! Chup-chaap baith aur kha!" (Eating homemade food twice is an entirely different joy! Sit quietly and eat!)
Dhruvin, sitting across from her, chuckled as he watched her struggle with the enormous portion. He casually reached over and took some food from her plate, as had become their ritual whenever she couldnât finish.
She shot him a glare but didnât stop him. Instead, she whispered, "Canât you ever eat from your own plate?"
He smirked, taking another bite. "Mera khaana zyada jaldi khatam hota hai, aur tujhe waise bhi zyada nahi khaana hota, toh balance ho jata hai." (My food gets over quickly, and you never eat much anyway, so it balances out.)
Aaji and Aajoba watched their little exchange with amused expressions, exchanging a knowing glance.
After lunch, Aashna insisted on helping Aaji clean up, despite the older womanâs protests. Dhruvin leaned against the counter, watching the two most important women in his life bicker about chores with a soft smile.
Once everything was done, both Aashna and Dhruvin sprawled across the couch in the living room. He pulled her close, making her rest against him as he played with a strand of her hair absentmindedly.
"Toh, achanak yaha aane ka reason? Sab theek hai na?" he asked, voice low, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.
She turned to face him, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, just thought you werenât giving me time, so Iâd come myself."
Guilt immediately flashed across his face, and he straightened up. "Aashna, mainâ"
She cut him off, placing a finger against his lips. "I was joking, Dhruvin. I know youâre busy, and it's okay. I'm always here, tu tension mat le."
He sighed in relief before she leaned in and kissed him quickly, her lips barely brushing his. Caught off guard, he blinked at her, only to see her already nestled back beside him, scrolling through reels on his phone like nothing happened. Shaking his head with a small smirk, he wrapped an arm around her and let sleep take over.
Their peaceful moment was short-lived as they were rudely awakened by two loud voices screaming in their ears.
"UTHO MERA PYAARA COUPLE!!" (WAKE UP, MY DEAR COUPLE!!)
Dhruvin groaned as he opened his eyes to see Manan and Raj standing way too close, laughing like idiots. Aashna shrieked in surprise, clutching Dhruvinâs hoodie as she sat up.
"TUM DONO KO MAARNA HI PADEGA AB!" Dhruvin growled, immediately launching towards them. The two managed to dodge his initial attack, but within seconds, the chase began inside the house. Aaji and Aajoba simply shook their heads in amusement at the sheer chaos unfolding before them.
After much running, screaming, and threats from Aaji about breaking things, they all settled back into the hall, panting.
"Ab batao, sab yaha kyun aaye hain?" Dhruvin finally asked, still catching his breath.
Manan and Raj exchanged evil grins before pulling out a puzzle from behind their backs. "Solve this."
Dhruvin frowned. "Nahi, tum dono ke puzzles pe bharosa nahi hai mujhe. Last time bhi mujhe ullu banaya tha." (No, I donât trust your puzzles. Last time you guys fooled me.)
Aashna leaned in, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Arey, kar na, please?"
Sighing dramatically, he gave in. As he started solving the puzzle, he noticed the pieces forming letters. His brows furrowed in concentration until he finally pieced it together.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRIP!!"
He blinked, looking at all of them in disbelief. "Kya?"
Aashna smiled brightly. "Surprise! Your birthday trip is planned, and you canât say no!!"
For a moment, Dhruvin just stared at them, overwhelmed. He glanced at Aashna, who was grinning ear to ear. His heart swelled. Without thinking twice, he pulled her into a tight hug, whispering, "Thank you."
She hugged him back just as tightly. "Always."
Manan, never one to let an emotional moment go uninterrupted, wiped a fake tear. "If this hug lasts any longer, we might also get emotional. Let go of each other before this scene makes it to the Filmfare nominations."
Aashna rolled her eyes while Dhruvin simply flipped them off, a rare, genuine smile gracing his lips. He looked at his friends, his people, and he realizedâthis was all he needed. This love, this warmth, this chaos.
His birthday was already perfect.
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Authorâs Note
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