Hi everyone!
I'm back with a new 5S! Below is the prologue, and while this is all Mallika and Sidhaarth, I assure you that this is just the introduction to the scenario. The rest of the story is completely ShivIka and RumYa, along with my two OCs, Samarth Azaad Rana and Sanaya Azaad Rana. These two are adorable four-year-olds that will help bring our two favourite pairings together! Please comment below if you guys want PMs for this fic!
Hope you guys enjoy this one!
Cheers,
Innika
Domesticated
In which Shivaay, Annika, Rudra and Saumya have to play happy families.
Genre: Family/Humour/Romance
Pairing: ShivIka, RumYa
Prologue | Paths and Ploys
It was nearly two in the morning, and yet Sidhaarth Vikram Rana and his beloved fiance, Mallika Kabir Chaudhary were still wide awake.
They were alone in the Rana Manor tonight, and while Sidhaarth had desperately hoped that he would be able to use this to his advantage and spend some quality time with Mallika, they had bigger matters at hand.
Sidhaarth rubbed Mallika's shoulders warily as she furiously typed away on her laptop. He was stretched up against the headboard of the bed, and she was leaning against his chest, engrossed in writing a long pros and cons list of different babysitters.
They had been in the same position for five hours.
As much as he loved her, Sidhaarth had been resolute that this was an absolutely fruitless venture. Knowing his to-be wife, she had the the annoying tendency to be obsessive at times, and right now, Mallika was on the warpath.
She had been searching long and hard for the perfect babysitter for their niece and nephew, and so far, the search had come of useless. She had a problem with something or another with each of them.
No, they're too popular. What if they don't give our babies enough attention?
No, Sanaya will be scared of him. You know she doesn't like men with beards!
No, they won't be able to handle Samarth. He's too jumpy, and plus they don't look very interesting!
No, you know Samarth and Sanaya don't like normal food that kids eat. They need artisan meals, otherwise they'll throw an absolute fit!
She had continued like this for what had seemed like eternity, and while he was trying really hard to be supportive, he had an important acquisition tomorrow, and he needed all the rest he could get.
As a last desperate attempt to salvage some sleep, he braced himself before speaking.
"Hey, Mallika, don't worry. Let's get some sleep and we'll - "
"Seriously, Sidhaarth! Is sleep more important than Samarth and Sanaya? Where are we going to keep them for the week?"
He sighed, as he repeated what he had been saying all day.
"I don't know why you and Ma are so worried. We'll hire a sitter from a top-tier agency, and the Rana security team will be there as well! Hell, if you want, we can ask your parents to send their bodyguards over as well!"
His fiance stopped typing, and Sidhaarth murmured a quiet prayer as she shuffled away from him in annoyance. He had managed to push her buttons for the day (something he tried so hard to avoid), and Sidhaarth studied Mallika's face, anticipating the moment for her outburst. He didn't have to wait long.
"Sidhaarth Vikram Rana, do you watch the news? Have you not seen the child abduction rates these days? Not to mention that we're Rana's, and we all know that anyone remotely high-profile will get targeted first!"
He attempted to avoid the question, instead remarking snidely about something, or rather, someone, quite unrelated.
"I daresay that we Rana's will be okay, the media's too busy with the Oberoi drama. The media is having a field day, what with their deal with the Kapoor's being broken and all."
Mallika narrowed her eyes at him.
"I thought you and Shivaay agreed to be nice to each other?"
"Oh, we are! But if we're talking business, he is still an Oberoi and we - "But he trailed off awkwardly, as the woman next to him gaped at him in amazement.
"Oh my mata, that's brilliant!"
"Oh my mata?"
He raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst of crass language, not to mention the fact that she was currently bouncing in her place in sheer excitement.
"Oh, just something that Shivaay's mum says." She brushed his query away offhandedly and continued. "How could I forget about Shivaay? We all trust him, and the Oberoi's have plenty of security, and if Annika's with him, then she can help look after the kids! Yes, of course, we can leave Samarth and Sanaya with him for the week!"
While Sidhaarth absorbed this newfound knowledge confusedly, Mallika finally shut off her laptop and slid down under the covers. She found Sidhaarth's hand and absent-mindedly started tracing patterns into the rough skin, thinking about the situation that they had successfully just closed.
They had planned a pre-wedding vacation in Corsica for next week, and for once, Sidhaarth and Mallika had cancelled all their other commitments to make time for each other. All was well and go\od until they were told that the US stocks were dropping dramatically so they would have to cancel the trip. Surprisingly enough though, Sidhaarth had put his foot down and had insisted that his parents and his cousin go see to the business in America. His cousin's twin children, Samarth and Sanaya would be staying with their mother in the Rana Manor while everyone else was away.
Last night had been exceptionally upsetting however, because Sidhaarth's sister-in-law had called to tell them that she had to make an impromptu trip to Australia to tie up loose ends for a multi-million-dollar takeover, leaving her 4-year-old twins in their care. Mallika had nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to find a last minute babysitter that she trusted, and after rejecting forty or so candidates, she realised that she didn't trust anyone with her beloved niece and nephew.
But leaving the two in Shivaay's care was intelligent and convenient. The Oberoi security was exceptionally strong, and from what she knew of Shivaay, he himself would protect the children with all his might. And really, if Annika was with him, then Mallika knew that she would be even more satisfied with this plan.
In the few short weeks that they had known each other, Annika and Mallika had taken to each other like long-lost sisters. They both shared the same mindset, both independent and powerful in their own way. While Annika was impressed with how down-to-earth she was, Mallika, herself, had been thoroughly stunned by the self-respect that the younger woman radiated.
Indeed, she had liked her even more when she noticed the change that Annika had brought about in Shivaay. He was happier now, less uptight, more open-minded. This woman, that Shivaay so passionately claimed to not be affected by, had changed Shivaay Singh Oberoi into a better person, and Mallika wondered if her annoyingly unaware ex-boyfriend had any idea how and why. While she loved both of them, Shivaay and Annika were so extremely clueless about their feelings towards each other that it made her want to bang her head against a wall. If only she could do something for them.
And then it struck her.
Of all her talent in matchmaking, only two people were supportive of Mallika's crazy but successful plans.
Samarth and Sanaya.
Right now, she herself was overwhelmed by her own intelligence. With the brewing ploy in her mind, she could successfully kill two birds with one stone.
Leaving Samarth and Sanaya under Shivaay and Annika's watch would mean that she would be assured that they were safe, and her miniature matchmaking counterparts could finally get Shivaay and Annika to finally confess to being in love with each other.
Mallika made a mental note to talk to her four-year-old niece and nephew about her genius idea, and she had faith that they would play along exactly like she told them to.
After all, they had taken after their aunt.
She finally snapped out of her passionate scheming when Sidhaarth cleared his throat patiently.
"Honey, that's quite an idea. But is Shivaay going to agree?"
"Oh, he will. I'll just call Annika in the morning and ask her to talk to him!" She beamed, and Sidhaarth nodded, finally content.
He, himself, had a soft spot for Annika, or as he still called her, SSOO. He trusted her more than Shivaay, so leaving his niece and nephew with her seemed to be comforting enough.
"Well, that's settled then! Guess we'll just owe him one!"
Mallika smirked mischievously, because from where she stood, Shivaay was going to owe her one.
That is, if her plan worked.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
