8. Your Daughter

The next morning, Aryaman was the first one to wake up. Pushing the blanket away from his body, he stood up with closed eyes to stretch his neck as it was paining from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

He slowly opened his eye lids to find a small delicate figure sleeping right opposite to him. Confused as to why she wasn't sleeping in the room, he walked inside the room to check whether there was something that made her uncomfortable in there, forcing her to sleep outside. He checked the washrooms and the closet but found nothing out of the place.

Sighing he walked out and bent towards her sleeping form. His heart melted seeing her puffed cheeks on the fluffy blanket held to her cheeks.

"You look cuter while sleeping firecracker" He smiled to himself. Noticing the time, he thought to wake her up.

"Maitrii" He stood up to fold his blanket while calling out her name. He kept calling her whilst doing the blankets, but she didn't stir even once in her sleep. He huffed out in tiredness and walked to her and was to shake her up so she could wake up but found it rather awkward to touch her in that manner.

Instead, he played the song he heard her singing last night on full volume on his phone. Maitri slowly stretched her body on the seat and woke up with a smile when the song was half wa though.

"Good morning Mayu" She wished herself and smiled to herself.

"Good morning Mayu" Aryaman repeated her words trying to hold back his laughter when she looked at him as if he grew two horns on his head.

"Woooo" She stood up at the speed of light and held the blanket in an attacking pose.

"Relax tiger relax" Aryaman said pushing the blanket on the seat.

"You scared me" She looked at him accusingly, stretching her neck.

"Well, its not my fault. It was my first time seeing someone wish themselves good morning" He stood up to go for a bath when she also stood up.

"I want to go first" She stood right opposite him, stopping him from going.

"I woke up first so its only fair I bath first."

"Have I told you how much I hate you recently?" She scoffed and sat on the seat with an angry pout.

"You shouldn't start your day scowling small girl" He teased her before entering the room and locking it from inside.

"Couldn't he have bathed and then woken me up?" She muttered to herself before sleeping back into the blanket for a nap.

Aryaman quickly took a bath and walked out dressed in navy blue shirt paired with grey pants. He gelled his hair back and rolled his sleeves up.

"Maitri, go bath" He said opening the door holding the papers in his hands.

"She again slept" He saw her sleeping again and hit his head with his hand.

"MAITRI!" He yelled her name to wake her up.

"EARHTQUAKE EARTHQUAKE!" She woke up with a jolt, tangling her feet in the blanket, she fell onto the floor.

"Ouch!" She rubbed her elbow scrunching her nose in pain. Aryaman shook his head and held out his hand for her.

"You seriously need to stop obsessing over the jet's floor. I promise you its not worth it" He said pulling her straight, pushing away the blanket.

"You are starting to sound like my mum. And its no fun" She yawned and placed the blanket on her shoulder and walked into the room.

After bathing she changed into white t-shirt and black denim jumpsuit. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, giving her the cute look.

TIME SKIP

Aryaman and Maitri had landed a few hours back and were now in a cafe to grab some food.

"What will you have?" Aryaman said looking down at her small figure.

"I don't know" She looked at the menu board behind the counter excitedly. She gave him a cute smile that twinkled with happiness. Rolling his eyes at her childish happiness he pocketed his phone and waited for the cue to move ahead.

"Uh we are confused so if you can suggest" Aryaman said looking at the menu to choose something.

"You should try the kids combo. We have both the veg and non-veg combo. Your daughter would love it. It has fries, subway and cola" The man behind the counter said smiling politely making Maitri and Aryaman snap their heads at him.

"Huh?" Maitri looked at him asking him to repeat to check whether she heard him right or her ears were ringing.

"You'll like the kids combo, am sure" He said smiling.

"I'll like the veg combo" Maitri said trying to hold back the full blown laughter whereas Aryaman looked at the man with hatred.

"And sir you?" He looked at Aryaman politely.

"One veg burger" Aryaman replied with pure hatred lacing his voice. The man took their order and passed them the food. Billing them out. Maitri was constantly clearing her throat to avoid laughing but she couldn't help but laugh at him. Taking the order, Aryaman stormed out of the cafe and sat inside the car raging like an angry bull.

Maitri quickly followed him inside the car and kept the order on the seat.

"Oops sorry my dad, ish, I mean my bad" She deliberately teased him to get a reaction. Aryaman glared at her hard. She kept a finger on her lips holding onto her laughter.

"FINE laugh all you want to" Aryaman said annoyed at the soft snickers he heard from her. Upon his words, Maitri burst out laughing and laughed until tears poured out of her eyes while Aryaman maintained a stoic face.

"Your daughter" She clapped her hands laughing hard. He handed her a water bottle and looked outside of the window.

"Come on Maan, smile a little. It was funny" She bent towards him, trying to catch a glimpse of his face.

"Its not funny" He roared at her, making her stop laughing instantly. She pulled back onto her side silently. It slowly settled in her that he might have felt bad.

"He might have got confused because of my height?" She felt guilty seeing him so silent. She looked at him apologetically.

"Jaane do na" She scooted slightly towards his side. He looked at her hearing her words.

"It was funny" He said seeing her sad face. He didn't like one ounce of it on her bright and glowy face, dull with sadness.

"Pakka na? You didn't take it to the heart right?" She said gulping down her saliva. He nodded his head and smiled.

"See, here is the smile. Smile more, people will stop calling you my dad then. You look 10 years older. You look like an uncle when you scowl like that" She joked.

"Miss Maitri...if that man called me your dad, he called you a kid" He reminded her of the situation making it about her now.

"So? You think I have a problem? Nope, I have no problem. Due to my height, many people still think am a kid and you know it has so many advantages. Aunties back home get me chocolates thinking am a small child. There are so many advantages of being short. One night isn't long enough to list them" She turned her body towards him to look at him properly.

"You make me wonder things at times" He said shaking his head.

"Such as?"

"Until yesterday morning, I wasn't sure whether I really felt for you..." He looked outside the window unsure of what words to say.

"Felt..." She looked at him confused.

"Hamari jamegi (We will work)" He smiled at her widely.

"Kya?" She asked lost.

"Marriage, from one night I spent with you, we can't start as friends, that's for sure" He took her hands in hers making her look at him.

"So?" She asked him to continue.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked holding her hands in a firm grip, not to tight to hurt and not to lose that she doesn't feel his touch.

"I will" She nodded her head blushing like a deep bride.

"Good, let's go to the penthouse. Its quite late, I'll drop you to your apartment later tomorrow after we sort out the crisis" He entwined her fingers with hers and sat properly, looking outside the window with a genuine smile.

Maitri on the other hand, couldn't help but keep smiling at the way he held her hand in a possessive grip.

Her heart fluttered when he said 'we' instead of him alone. She felt respected by his words. It was as if she had started making space for herself in his life and she was glad about it.

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I was in mood of writing something cute and fluffy so I hope this one was like that.