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The night wrapped itself around the village in a deep, gentle cold.

Outside, the sky had turned a rich shade of blue, scattered with quiet, twinkling stars.

The courtyard that had been filled with laughter and voices all morning slowly settled into silence.

Inside piyali's home. Piyali and Kittu had finished their dinner. Now waiting for samar to come back soon so they could go and sleep.

Kittu sat lazily against the wall, while Piyali's mother continued feeding her lovingly.

"Bas, aunty... aur nahi" Kittu protested with a tired smile.

(Enough, aunty... I can't eat more.)

Piyali had already finished. She sat quietly beside them, fingers playing with the edge of her dupatta, her mind far away. Pateintly Waiting for him.

A few moments later, The voice of the vehicle came. Samar entered his house, carrying a couple of cloth bags. He placed them on the khaat with a soft thud.

Kittu immediately jumped up, her sleepy face lighting with excitement as she quickly ran towards her house in quick steps and began digging through the bags.

Piyali walked behind her. She only glanced at Samar for a second, her eyes meeting his briefly before lowering them again.

Removing his shawl, Samar asked in his calm voice

"Khana khaya tum dono ne?"

(Did you both eat?)

"Haan bhaiii," Kittu replied cheerfully.

(Yes, brother.)

"Jii" Piyali answered softly.

(Yes.)

"Chalo, kal dekhna sab. Kamre me jao aur sojao."

(Alright, check everything tomorrow. Go to your room and sleep now.)

They nodded and went toward their room, Kittu rushing in first.

Samar turned toward his own room, then paused.

"Piu..." he called gently.

She stopped at the doorway and looked back at him.

"Darwaza band mat karna. Main karunga."

(Don't lock the door. I will.)

She simply nodded and stepped inside.

Later that night, after washing up, Samar changed into comfortable clothes. The house had grown quiet by then the kind of silence that only late nights in villages had.

He called Baba quickly, asked if everything was fine and then stepped out of his room.

The hallway was dim. After locking the main door He walked to the girl's room and knocked softly.

"Kittu?" he whispered.

No answer.

He pushed the door open slightly.

Kittu was sprawled across the bed, fast asleep, her breathing deep and peaceful. Smiling faintly, Samar pulled the blanket over her carefully as he gently placed a quick kiss her forehead.

Then his eyes shifted to Piyali.

She was curled beside Kittu, her face calm in sleep. Moonlight slipped through the window and rested gently on her features, the loose strands of hair, the softness of her cheek. The cheeks he could die for and at the same time wanted to bite and eat.

He stood there for a long moment, just looking at her.

Carefully, he pulled the blanket over her too. As he adjusted it.

He leaned down and placed a soft, longer kiss on her cheek before He stepped back... but his heart wasn't ready to leave when his real heart was here. In his room.

After a brief discussion in his head, he returned and lifted her gently in his arms, careful not to wake Kittu.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Shh... awaaz mat karo" he whispered.

(Shh... don't make a sound.)

She nodded sleepily and, holding onto him, quietly closed the door behind them when gestured towards it.

In the stillness of that midnight corridor, Samar carried her toward his room. Slowly, naturally as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

They had always shared this comfort. There was never an awkward phase between them, they had grown up side by side, long before they ever understood what love was.

Inside his room, it felt warmer.

He sat back against the headboard and settled her on his lap. One arm wrapped around her waist, the other resting gently across her back.

Piyali leaned into him without thinking, her cheek resting against his shoulder, her breath slow and steady.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

"Thand lag rahi hai?" he asked softly near her ear.

(Are you feeling cold?)

She shook her head against him.

Still, he wrapped his blanket around her carefully, making sure she felt safe and warm.

She snuggled closer, letting out a small, content sigh like she had finally found the place she belonged. Well she waited for it the whole day.

Samar held her tighter, one arm around her shoulders and the other around her legs, gently caressing her thighs as he watched her.

After a quiet moment, she murmured, half-asleep,

"Itna time kyu lag gaya aapko... kokhon theke boshe achhi..."

(Why did you take so long... I've been waiting for you.)

"Saman zyada tha na... thoda samay lag gaya," he replied softly, smiling.

(There was a lot of work... it took a little longer.)

She gave a tiny pout and rubbed her cheek against his chest.

"Kal mat jana... ghar pe raho."

(Don't go tomorrow... stay at home.)

"Ghar pe reh kar kya karun?" he asked playfully, their foreheads touching.

(And what should I do at home?)

She giggled lightly as he rubbed his nose against hers.

"Aaram karo."

(Rest.)

"Hmm... aur?"

(Hmm... and?)

"Pariwar ke saath samay bitaiye."

(Spend time with the family.)

"Achha... aur?"

(Okay... and?)

"Dher saara khana khaiye."

(Eat lots of food.)

"Bas?" he teased softly, his hold around her tightening a little.

(That's all?)

She paused for a moment, then whispered shyly,

"Aur... hamare saath rahiye."

(And... stay with me.)

Her words made him smile warmly. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her comforting scent.

"Thik hai... jaisa hamari madam kahe."

(Alright... as my madam wishes.)

And neither of them realised when they drifted off like that.

Samar was still sitting against the headboard, and Piyali was curled up on his lap, her head resting against his chest.

A few times in her half-sleep, Piyali's eyes fluttered open. But before she could say anything, Samar would just pull her a little closer and continue sleeping.

She didn't resist. Moments like these, so peaceful and close were rare.

So she let herself sleep too.

If his back hurts in the morning, that's his own fault, she thought faintly before slipping back into deep sleep.

Samar woke up in the middle of the night.

For a second, he didn't move. He just looked at them still in the same position.

Piyali was fast asleep, her dupatta long gone from her shoulders and now mostly wrapped around him instead. Her kurta had shifted a little, and her loose palazzo had ridden up as she slept.

Without disturbing her, he gently fixed her clothes and slowly lowered her onto the bed.

But even in her sleep, she refused to let go.

Her arms tightened around his neck, clinging to him.

His neck had begun to ache a bit, but he stayed close so she doesnt gets disturbed.

He carefully adjusted the blanket over her so she wouldn't feel cold, and then lay down beside her.

She immediately turned toward him.

He pulled her head softly to his chest, wrapping her snugly in the blanket, trying to keep her comfortable.

As he created a barrier between them by the thickness of the blanket he wrapped around her.

He didn't want her to wake up and found them in a position she won't be comfortable with.

But Piyali had other plans.

She kept moving closer, slowly pushing the blanket away in her sleep.

"Piu... kya kar rahi ho?" Samar murmured, glancing down.

(Piu... what are you doing?)

Half-asleep, she grabbed the blanket, threw it over him instead and then slipped under it too, right against him.

Then, without a care, she settled herself comfortably close and went back to sleep.

Samar just looked at her, eyes heavy with sleep, and let out a quiet sigh. Giving up, he wrapped one arm around her waist and held her close, finally closing his eyes again.

The morning arrived quietly in the village.

Soft sunlight entered through the thin cotton curtains, casting a pale golden glow across the whole room.

Outside, the distant sounds of birds chirping and the sound of cows mooing filled the peaceful air.

Kittu lay curled up in her bed, wrapped tightly in her blanket like a lazy cat who didn't want to leave her warm nest.

For a few moments, she only shifted slightly, adjusting her pillow and sighing in sleep.

After a while, she stirred awake.

Stretching her arms across the entire bed, she let out a long yawn, her hair all messy and her eyes still heavy with sleep. She turned to the side instinctively - expecting to find Piyali there like always.

But the bed was empty.

She blinked, glancing around.

"Kya ladki hai... itna jaldi kaun uthta hai yaarr..."

(What a girl... who wakes up this early...)

Then she remembered something and laughed softly to herself.

"Arey haan, bhool gayi thi... Piyu toh hamare ghar ki Gopi Bahu hai."

(Oh right, I forgot... Piyu is the perfect daughter-in-law of this house.)

She shook her head with a small smile.

Still half sleepy, she pushed her blanket aside and slowly got out of bed, dragging her feet toward the washroom.

Standing outside the door with her hands on her hips and her eyes barely open, she shouted lazily,

"Oyeee Piyuu, jaldi kar!"

(Hey Piyu, hurry up!)

No response came.

She frowned, now a little more awake, and knocked on the door.

Before she could knock again, the door suddenly opened - making her stumble forward.

"Piyy-aaahhh!"

(Piy-aaahhh!)

She almost fell flat on the ground but caught her balance at the last second. Her eyes widened, now fully awake.

She looked around.

The washroom was empty.

"Arey ye kahaan gayi?"

(Where did she go?)

"Ghar chali gayi kya?"

(Did she go back home?)

Still confused, she stepped out and walked toward Samar's room.

She tried opening the handle.

Locked.

She paused.

"Bhai kab se darwaza lock karne lage?...shaadi ke baad ke tewar abhi se dikha rahe hai..hmmmmm"

(Since when did bhai start locking his door? already behaving like a married man...hmmm)

She knocked lightly first.

"Bhai?"

Silence.

Then louder. "Bhaiii?"

Still nothing.

Finally, she leaned closer and yelled "Bhaiiiii!"

Inside the room, Piyali, who had been sleeping peacefully, jolted awake and instinctively answered

"Haa!"

(Yes!)

Her eyes widened immediately.

She slapped her palm on her forehead.

Beside her, Samar also woke up, his hands wrapped around her waist, totally confused and mumbled "Hmm?"

Piyali quickly covered his mouth with her hand and whispered "Chup rahiye!"

(Stay Quiet!)

Outside, Kittu stepped back slowly, now suspicious.

Her brows narrowed.

"Ye kya locha hai... Bhai ko bulao toh Piyali bolti hai..."

(What's this confusion... when I call bhai, Piyali answers...)

Slowly a playful grin spread across her face.

She called out dramatically

"Bhaiyaaa... Bhabhiii!"

From inside, two voices replied together "Haaa!"

(Yess!)

For a second, Kittu stared at the door.

Then she burst out laughing.

"Subah-subah shuru ho jate hai ye."

(Looks like morning romance is going on!)

Inside, Samar and Piyali both froze, then looked at each other in embarrassment - before slapping their foreheads at the same time.

"Ufff..." they sighed.

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