ShraMan SS: Meant to Be [AU][Complete] - Page 26

Looking forward to it😳

Sara

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GUYS GOT ENGAGED TWICE AND THIS IS THE FIRST I AM HEARING OF IT YOU BITCHES." Riya yelled dramatically as she paced in the living room of Shravan and Sumo's house. The two of them were sitting on the sectional sofa, Sumo in Shravan's lap, their legs stretched out in front of them, Shravan's chin resting her her head, his arms wrapped around her. Rishi was sitting on the other side of the couch rolling his eyes at Riya's theatrics, while Amelia and Eric sat in the middle of the couch, Sumo's MacBook in their hand as they went through engagement pictures.

Sumo and Shravan had invited them over to break the news of their engagement, they were amidst watching the soccer game when Riya noticed the ring on Sumo's finger. They were planning to tell everyone at the dinner table, after the game, but decided to pause it and break the news since the cat was out of the bag. Everyone else took it like a sport, and gushed over how Shravan proposed and the ring but Riya felt "robbed".

"Well, I wasn't exactly expecting it the first time around, and you were on vacation." Sumo pointed out.

"You should have called me!"

"I tried, but your phone wasn't reachable. I texted you didn't I? Plus, we wanted to do this in person." Sumo defended.

"Ugh, I can't believe I missed it." She sighed flopping on the sofa by Rishi with a pout. "I better be invited to the wedding."

"Of course you will be." Sumo smiled.

"You two looked absolutely stunning in the pictures." Amelia smiled as she finished scrolling through the engagement pictures.

"Thank you." Sumo and Shravan both said together.

"Now can we get back to the game?" Shravan asked looking at Riya who glared at him.

"You could have at least asked me for advice on the ring, when it's little things he asks, but when it's something this big he doesn't even mention it." Riya murmured glaring at Shravan, who smiled and winked at her cheekily.

"Sumo, please, it'll help you in the long run!" Shravan shouted from behind her as she stomped down the stairs.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD EVEN SUGGEST THAT SHRAVAN!" She yelled as he bounded down the stairs after her.

"Sumo, please." He said following her into the living room, and coming to stand right in front of her and grabbing her hands in his.

"You've known me for so long, we're engaged for goodness' sake, how could you even think that I would be okay with this?" She asked trying to wiggle out of his grasp.

"Sumooo." He whined.

"I don't want to talk about it Shravan." She said glaring at him causing him to sigh. "Let me go, I need to make dinner." She said and he let go of her hands but followed her into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter as she filled a large pot with water and set it to boil on the stove.

"Sumo." He mumbled wrapping his arms around her from behind and leaning down to rest his chin on her shoulder. "Please." He said placing a kiss on her cheek.

"No Shravan."

"Sumooo, pleaseee." He said wrapping his arms around her even tighter and placing a kiss on her shoulder now. "Please." He whispered kissing his way up her neck.

"No."

"Sumo."

"Shravan."

"Arghhh!" Shravan let out a groan before turning her around and picking her up and seating her on the counter before stepping in between her legs. They were at face-level now, and he placed his hands on either side of her body so she wouldn't be able to move as he leaned it and spoke with a clear, confident, affirmative tone. "Suman Tiwari, we are going to the doctor tomorrow morning, and you are getting your flu-shot, it's for your benefit, you get sick like three times during winter and it's not just sniffles."

"But I don't want to get a shot." She whined.

"It's just one shot baby, and you won't get sick all winter, you'll be able to focus on school like you want. And you won't get me sick either." He said holding her face between his hands, she was pouting at him and trying to shake her head no.

"Shravan nooo, please."

"I'll be right there with you, you won't even know when you get the shot, like always." Shravan promised. "Remember when you got sick during midterms last year, and then when all the assignments were due, you don't want that to happen again, right?" He asked.

She sighed knowing that there was no way she would win this argument. "I hate you." She mumbled and he smiled knowing she had given in. He pecked her lips with a smile, but she just glared.

"I love you." He said giving her an eskimo kiss.

"I am mad at you, I can't believe you weren't going to tell me, I wouldn't have known if the clinic hadn't called to confirm our appointments."

"I figured there wasn't much you could do once we got there." He said sheepishly. "I do it because I love you."

"The grass is wet." Shravan whined turning his head towards Sumo who was laying beside him on the thick blanket, staring up at the sky. They were wearing multiple layers to save themselves from the chilly air, thankfully, it wasn't too cold.

"That is why I brought blankets, stop complaining." She said pulling the second blanket over them and wiggling closer to Shravan and waiting for the meteor shower to start.

"They said 10:30ish, so you still have a while." Shravan said as she wiggled around.

"Arm." She murmured lifting her head up, Shravan laughed and stretched his arm out to the side so she could use his bicep as a pillow. She let out a happy hum finally feeling comfortable before turning and placing her hand on his chest under the blanket.

"I thought there would be more people here." Shravan murmured. They were at Christ Church Meadows, laying near a tree in the large field, there were a few people around but not as many as they had expected.

"Probably because it's cold." Sumo murmured looking at him, she couldn't help but place a kiss on his cheek.

"Someone's really touchy-feely today." Shravan smiled turning towards her and arching his eyebrow. She had ambushed him with hugs and kisses when he came home from work, and she kept kissing him over and over again - not that he minded, at all.

"I missed you." She shrugged. He smiled and pulled her closer.

"Shravan." Sumo said sitting beside him and poking his arm lightly but he didn't budge, his eyes on the TV, his arms crossed across his chest and his feet resting on the coffee table in front of him. "Shravannn." Sumo whined. But Shravan didn't even budge, almost as if he couldn't hear her despite the fact that she was right next to him.

Sumo sighed and cuddled closer to him but he didn't budge, his eyes glued onto the soccer match on the TV, but she knew he wasn't really watching because he had yet to react to what was going on like he usually did. "You're acting like a four-year-old." Sumo said. She expected him to turn towards her and give her the exasperated annoyed look that he gave her sometimes. But nothing, he didn't even squint.

Sumo let out a groan and got on her knees before turning and straddling him. He didn't react, he just leaned up so he could see the TV. "Shravan." She said grabbing his face between her hands and forcing him to look at her. He just arched his eyebrow at her, an annoyed look on his face.

"I am sorry." She said kissing his lips, but he didn't react, even when she took his bottom lip between hers and bit it lightly which always made him react. "I love you." She said kissing his left cheek and then right. She placed a kiss on his nose and then on his lips again, lightly. "I am sorry." She whispered against his lips. She smiled against his lips when he uncrossed his arms and they went to her sides. She kissed him again, and this time he reciprocated, their lips moved together seamlessly, and he let out a deep groan when she pulled his lower lip into her mouth and bit down on it, like usual. His hands moved around her waist and found their way up her back under her shirt, rubbing circles into the sides of her back, making shivers run through her. Her hands found their way into his hair, pulling him closer as their tongues moving together, fighting for dominance.

She wiggled in closer to him and placed kisses along his stubbly jaw and then down his neck making him groan. "I am sorry." She whispered against his neck. "Am I forgiven?"

"This seems more like seduction than an apology." He murmured as she backed away and looked at him in the eyes.

"I am sorry though."

"It's okay." Shravan sighed. "But don't eat my kulfi again, they are so rare to find." He pouted.

"I couldn't help myself." She mumbled. They had found authentic pistachio kulfis in Oxford, totally unexpected, they were sitting in the freezer and Sumo couldn't help herself from having more and more, dipping into his share of it by a few. "I can't believe you didn't talk to me for two hours because of a kulfi though."

"It was fun." He laughed causing her to whack him. "You're so cute sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"All the time." He corrected.

"Let's elope." She murmured as they lay on the bed, he was staring up at the ceiling, his fingers were drumming her back absentmindedly, her head was resting comfortably on the bicep and shoulder of the arm he had wrapped under her and her own hand rested on his chest, right over his heart. She occasionally placed a kiss on his cheek, because it was right there and staring at the side of his face tempted her too much.

"Vegas?" He said with a laugh knowing she was not serious; she was just done with the planning, and it hadn't even really started yet. But the Skype calls lasted for hours, and usually still didn't result in a concrete decision.

"It's tempting. I am sick of all these little details." She whined.

"Big fat Indian weddings are a must, you always wanted one." He pointed out, he knew that Sumo loved weddings, the customs, the atmosphere and the feelings involved.

"I regret it now. I just want to get married to you already." She whispered.

"It'll be August before we know it."

"6 more months." She sighed.

"5 months and 27 days." He corrected with a sigh.

"Wait, so how many anniversaries are we going to celebrate?" Sumo asked confused, they were sitting on the sectional sofa, Sumo in Shravan's lap, his back against the back of the sofa and her back against the arm of the sofa as she peered up at him with a smile. They had just gotten home from dinner and were lounging cuddling on the sofa, still dressed to the nines. She was wearing a black-velvet dress and he had lost the coat he was wearing leaving him in a plain white shirt and black slacks.

"I don't know." He murmured trailing kisses up the side of her neck.

"So we started dating on February 14^th." She murmured.

"Hmmm." Shravan mumbled trailing his kisses up towards her ears but she wasn't reacting so he moved away to listen to her spiel.

"And we got engaged on June -uh."

"9^th." Shravan reminded her and she gave him a sheepish look but he just shook his head with a smile.

"I lose track of time when we're away." She mumbled and he laughed. "Anyways, and we're getting married on August 14^th."

"I thought it was the 15^th."

"No, the pandit said 14^th was more auspicious."

"Hm."

"So that's three separate things, dating, engagement, and wedding."

"We could do all three?" Shravan laughed wondering if this was a normal conversation between couples.

"That's a lot to remember, and then if one of us forgets we'd get mad for no reason." Sumo speculated.

"I like it when you get mad, it's fun making up." Shravan murmured kissing her nose causing her to glare at him. "But you're not going to forget today, it's on Valentine's Day and then it's just June 9^th and August 14^th. We won't forget."

"Remember than one time you forgot my birthday..." She reminded him.

"Yeah, you didn't talk to me for days."

"See, you do forget." She said tapping his nose. "Nothing is more important than the day I was born."

"I am not going to forget." He said.

"But if you forget I am going to be mad like a typical wife."

"Typical wife?" He laughed.

"Yep, the whole silent treatment and nakhre." She smiled.

"I hope the silent treatment is short, Mrs. Malhotra." He teased.

"THAT MEANS YOU ARE GOING TO FORGET." She yelled with a gasp.

"Can we argue about this tomorrow morning?" He asked getting up and bringing her with him, holding her in his arms and trekking upstairs.

"This is important!" Sumo yelled.

"So I am the maid of honour!" Riya said laughing and clapping happily as she sat across Sumo in a caf.

"Well, I guess, even though there aren't really maid of honours or bridesmaids in traditional Indian weddings, it's just something diaspora kids have adapted and has spread to India as well, it serves no religious purpose or anything."

"I always forget about that." Riya sighed. "But it'll be fun to have colour coordinated bridesmaids walking around, and the dances at the reception!"

"More people to weigh in their opinions." Sumo murmured, she was already tired of differing opinions coming towards her about how her wedding should be. Destination wedding, beach wedding, a wedding in a garden overlooking the sea, a farmhouse wedding - the suggestions were making her head hurt.

"I am surprised you haven't turned into bridezilla." Riya said. "I thought you would...but maybe that'll change when the wedding gets closer."

"I just want to get married already." Sumo sighed stirring the ice in her iced-coffee.

"I can tell." Riya laughed. "Oooh, how was Shravan's birthday?! You two went missing, did you go somewhere?"

"Great, we were at home, just busy." Sumo said sipping on her iced-coffee and not looking at Riya.

"Why are you blushing?" Riya laughed.

"I am not." Sumo murmured.

"Yes you are. Oh my god, wait, you've been missing since the day of his birthday, you look so happy and calm and you won't look at me. Sumo!" Riya said, her eyes growing wide. "OMG! OMG! OMG!" She squealed causing a bunch of people from the other tables to look towards them and Sumo to glare at her. She smiled sheepishly and toned it down a lot. "You guys finally hit a home run?" She whispered and Sumo's eyes grew wide.

"No."

"Third base? Second base?" Riya asked her eyes wide.

"Why are you so obsessed with us?" Sumo murmured.

"SUMOOO! Third or second? Or both?" She asked her eyes growing wide with excitement.

"Both?"

"Ahhh!" Riya squealed. "Sooo?"

"So?"

"Details!"

"This is so weird." Sumo groaned.

Shravan Malhotra was a man of surprises, a man that felt like his fiancee was currently outdoing him in the surprising business, heavily. So he decided that he would surprise her, and it would be totally unexpected because her birthday was four months ago, the day they first started dating was two months ago and their engagement anniversary was in two months. April was a month of no big events, unless finals counted, of course.

With his last year coming to a close, and her MBA nearing completion along with their impending wedding they had a lot on their plates, a lot. And it caused them both a lot of stress and long nights, that involved working rather than cuddling. So, today was their day off, and he was going to make sure it was amazing. This was the reason that Shravan Malhotra was sneaking out of his house like a burglar after a robbery at 6am. Getting out of bed was a mission with the way Sumo was wrapped around him, but he managed...it only took him 23 minutes to get out of bed.

He walked to the closest Tesco and picked up the snacks he needed before walking to the bakery near their house to grab Sumo's favourite cake and croissants. Then he walked to the cafe across the bakery and got her a hazelnut latte, her absolute favourite along with a black coffee for himself.

He walked back home with a satisfied smile and slowly opened the door hoping that she was still asleep, he breathed a sigh of relief when no sounds met his ears. He walked to the kitchen and placed everything on the counter before heading over to the living room and quietly pushing the coffee table out of the way and throwing all the cushions of the sofa and the extra pillows and sheets he had stowed away to make the perfect pillow fort in the middle of the living room.

Sheets hung off every surface of the living room, secluding the fort from the rest of the house, he moved the TV around so it was part of the fort before grabbing the snacks he had bought and throwing them into the fort. He smiled happily at his work before venturing back into the kitchen and grabbing the croissants and drinks and heading upstairs. She was still fast asleep on his bed with a small smile on her face. He sighed looking at her, her head was fanned out on her pillow and she lay among the rumpled white sheets in his shirt. He placed the food on his night table and crawled back into bed, wrapping himself around her again.

"Good morning." He whispered into her ear, but she let out a groan and buried her face into his chest. "Wake up."

"Go back to sleep Shravan." She mumbled.

"Sumo."

"Shravannn, lemme sleep." She said and he sighed before rolling over so he was on top of her, he watched amused as her eyes shot open.

"Hi." He murmured leaning down and pecking her lips.

"Sleep." She mumbled looking up at him with a pout.

"No."

"Pleaseee."

"I got you a hazelnut latte." He bribed kissing her nose.

She closed her eyes. "Latte good, shirtless sleeping cuddle-buddy fiancee in bed better." She mumbled pulling him down.

"How about shirtless fiancee in bed with a hazelnut latte and croissants?" He asked. He watched amused as she opened one eye to peek at him.

"Chocolate-almond croissants?" She asked.

"What else." He answered.

"Mhmmm." She smiled leaning up and pecking his lips.

"Alas, she awakens." He laughed rolling off her so he could sit up. He handed her her latte and she smiled at him thankfully before taking a sip and moaning.

"Sometimes I wonder if shirtless fiancee in bed is indeed better than that latte." He mumbled at the content look on her face.

"Even clothed fiancee in bed...or anywhere wins over the latte." She reassured him, placing a kiss on his cheek as he grabbed his own coffee and put the croissants between the two of them. She smiled happily and dug in. He watched amused as she ate the croissant animatedly, groaning and smiling at the taste. "I love youuu." She purred.

"Was that for the croissant or for me?" He asked.

"I love how you're jealous of food." She giggled. "It was for you though."

"Just wanted to make sure." He laughed. "I have a surprise for you."

"Surprise?" She asked her eyes growing wide in excitement. "You're not going to make me wait all day are you?"

"Nopeee. It's downstairs."

"Do I have to get dressed for it?" She asked. "Because I'd rather not go down in just your t-shirt and find our family there or something."

"You're not wearing anything underneath that?" He asked arching his eyebrows, she rolled her eyes and whacked him. "This abuse needs to stop, we're getting married in a few months."

"Now I do it because I want to, whacking you becomes a part of the job description of a wife."

"Really?" He said rolling his eyes and she nodded with a smile. "Wifey, would you like to be carried to your surprise or would you like to walk down yourself?"

"Carried please, hubby, UGH, WHY DOESN'T IT SOUND AS CUTE AS WIFEY?!" She asked with a groan causing him to laugh as he got off the bed and picked her up, she was expecting the cute little thing he did when he picked her up bridal style, but he threw her over his shoulder causing her to scream. "I am going to throw up!" She yelled as her head hung down behind him, he didn't say anything but placed his other hand on her thighs by his chest and bounded down the stairs laughing.

She whacked him yet again when he put her down, she was about to yell at him but her eyes went to the state of the living room and her eyes grew wide. "YOU BUILT US A PILLOW FORT?!" She yelled happily and he nodded with a smile.

"You said pillow forts are the best thing ever, so." He said shrugging.

She turned towards him and leapt at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him like a koala bear. "You're the best hubby ever." She said as his arms went around her. She moved back a little so she could see his face. "I love you so so so so sooo much." She said pecking his lips.

"I love you too." He smiled carrying her towards the fort, she untangled herself from around him and ducked in between the sheets.

"OH MY GOD YOU BOUGHT US CHOCOLATE!" She exclaimed as he climbed in behind her. "OMG ARE THOSE SPICY PRETZELS!"

Shravan Malhotra and soon-to-be Suman Malhotra spent the rest of the Sunday tucked away from the world inside a pillow fort, cuddling, eating, laughing, kissing and watching cheesy movies.

"I think we should stick with red and beige." Sumo said and Shravan nodded, they were sitting in the middle of the Tiwari living room surrounded by wedding cards, their mothers on either side of them.

"Everyone does that." Nirmala pointed out and Priya nodded.

"Something different." Priya agreed.

Sumo and Shravan sighed and looked through more designs. Shravan's eyes caught the box that was laying at the side of the table. "What is this?" He asked as he grabbed it.

"Oh that's one of my favourites!" Priya smiled.

Sumo watched as Shravn pulled the lid off the box with a maroon and beige design, there were red tabs and a string, Shravan untied the tabs and pulled on the string, Sumo's mouth fell open in a gasp as he pulled the strings, it revealed a mandap.

"Too much." Shravan and Sumo both said at the same time. It was really cute but just not them.

"I like the idea of a box though, it's cute." Sumo said and Shravan nodded.

"Oooh! Priya where did you put that chest invite?"

"I think it's in Manju's room!" Priya said walking towards her sister-in-laws' room.

"This one is nice." Shravan said handing Sumo a white and gold invite. She nodded, it was elegant and simple.

"I think you're going to love this!" Priya said putting a brown chest in front of Sumo and Shravan. "Open it!"

Shravan opened the chest and Sumo smiled, the inside was lined with gold and the invites were laying on a stage with little knick-knacks on the bottom.

"You can add whatever you want it it. I really liked it." Nirmala smiled. Shravan looked at Sumo, she had a smile on her face as she looked at it.

"I think this is going to be it." Shravan said and Sumo nodded.

"It is so cute!"

"Okay, invites chosen, we can alter the colours as you see fit." Priya exclaimed.

"What's next?" Shravan mumbled, it had taken them three hours to just choose invites, and they hadn't even decided on a "theme" yet.

"I told you we should elope." Sumo murmured as their mothers started going on about how many invites they needed and what to fill the boxes with.

X-X-X-X

"He's coming." Sumo laughed as she saw the characteristic pointy black shoes marching towards Shravan's cabin at work. Shravan was sitting in the arm chair in his office, and Sumo was on his lap sideways, this had become a custom of sorts, she spent lunch time with him when he was at work.

"Stop laughing. Be firm." Shravan smiled and then quickly masked it when Pushkar opened the door.

"Sumo, actually bhabhi, we have other sofas." Pushkar teased taking a seat across from them, but he wasn't taken aback by how they were sitting at all, it was a usual occurrence. "What's up Bhaiyaa?" He asked looking at his brother.

"Pushkar, I am very disappointed in you." Shravan said with a disappointed sigh.

"Me too." Sumo nodded. "I didn't think that you would do this."

"What did I do?" Pushkar asked confused, looking between the two of them.

"You know exactly what you've done." Shravan sighed.

"And we know the who as well." Sumo said.

"Oh - oh! You guys know?" Pushkar sighed running his hands through his hair nervously, messing it up. "Uh...actually...bhaiyaa...I was going to tell you-"

"And me?"

"You too Sumo. I- I didn't know how to tell you guys. Sumo don't be mad, I am serious about Preeti. I know Sumo probably saw me sneaking around her house at night, but I swear I just wanted to talk to her. And I am really serious about her - I just didn't know how- why are you guys laughing?"

"Preeti?!" Sumo laughed. "You like Preeti?!"

"Wait, you guys didn't know?" Pushkar said turning pale.

Shravan laughed and shook his head no. "We knew there was someone but we didn't know it was Preeti."

They knew Pushkar was seeing someone, he was glued to his phone and he always had a smitten smile on his face - Sumo and Shravan figured as much. And Sumo intended to find out who it was, hence her plan of pretending to know and getting Pushkar to confess to his crime.

"You'd make a great lawyer." Shravan said to Sumo who beamed.

"He's so gullible, how is he a lawyer?" Sumo laughed "I might need to consider this relationship now, just to make sure he's okay for Preety=i."

"You guys were just playing?" Pushkar asked with a sigh and Sumo nodded. "I hate you, watch me tell embarrassing stories at your wedding reception." He smiled cheekily.

"Sumo will kill you." Shravan said to Pushkar and kissed his fiancee's cheek.

"You don't know much anyways." Sumo said sticking her tongue out at Pushkar.

"Riya does." Pushkar smiled deviously before jumping off the couch and running out of Shravan's office.

"How is he old enough to be a lawyer?" Sumo laughed as he ran out of the room.

"You're the same age as him."

"I am so much more mature." Sumo said.

"No you're not." Shravan laughed.

"I am too!"

"Sumo, you laughed for five straight minutes when the announcer said he needs to work on his ball handling during the game the other day." Shravan pointed out and Sumo burst into giggles.

"It was funny and it sounds so wrong." She got out between giggles.

"Wait, why can't I see it?" Shravan whined as they stood in the middle of yet another store. His mother was running around finding sherwanis and kurtas and Sumo was there to make sure everything matched with her own outfits.

"It's considered bad luck."

"Okay, if not the wedding dress, then what about the things you're wearing for the rest of the functions?" He smiled.

"It's a surprise Shravan."

"That's unfair, how come you can see everything?"

Sumo just shrugged with a smile before looking around the store and then getting up on her tippy-toes and kissing his cheek when she was sure that no one was looking. "You're so adorable." She smiled. "And very sexy in these kurtas." She added, there was just something about the way they fit his frame, and his arms, dear lord, his arms looked amazing in the kurtas.

"Control your hormones Miss Tiwari." He smiled using her own line on her.

"I can't help it, my hubby-to-be is really sexy." She sighed leaning up and pecking his lips again.

"Yaar, you two need to get a room." Pushkar mumbled as he walked by with a giggling Preeti behind him. Sumo rolled her eyes but blushed.

"Have you noticed that Pushkar and Preeti seem to be spending a lot of time together and the family is not catching on?" Sumo asked Shravan.

"Yeah, but they have a reason to be around each other so..." Shravan shrugged.

"I can't believe we figured it out." Sumo murmured.

"Because we're horrible good at judging people's feelings?" He asked arching his eyebrow.

"It was different with us because there was a fear of rejection!" Sumo pointed out.

"Hmmm." Shravan nodded pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Suman! Priya wants you to go up to the floor with the jewelry." Nirmala said as she handed a heap of sherwanis to Shravan and disappeared back in the direction she came from.

"Leave your window unlocked." Shravan said before Sumo walked away.

------

"Come inside!"

"Come up to the terrace!" Shravan said over the phone, he was already on the terrace of the Tiwari Villa.

"Ugh, okay, wait!" She said hanging up.

Sumo sighed and took her slippers off, holding them in her hands, she quietly snuck out of her room and up the stairs to the terrace.

"You're going to get caught one day." Sumo mumbled when he came into sight, he was lounging around like he had no care in the world, like it didn't matter that her whole family was downstairs.

"I missed you." He shrugged as she walked towards him. She let out a little giggle before running into his arms and wrapping her arms and legs around him.

"One more month." She murmured against his neck and he sighed contentedly.

"And then I don't have to sneak around to see my wifey." He smiled and carried her towards the cots on the terrace, she didn't unwrap herself from around him so it was a bit difficult to sit down, but he managed. He sat in the middle of the cot because her legs were wrapped around his torso and crossed at the back. She moved away from him and rested her forehead against his, being in his lap made her the perfect height to be able to do that.

His fingers found their way into her hair, playing with the strands. "I miss this." She sighed caressing his face with her hands. Even though they were spending more time together this summer than they did in previous summers, it wasn't enough, they couldn't be like this in front of everyone. She had to sit beside him when all she wanted to do was sit in his lap and bury her face into his neck. He had to settle for grabbing and squeezing her hand when all he wanted to do was pick her up and kiss the living daylights out of her. Life had been different back in Oxford, and adjusting back was proving difficult.

"I miss you." He murmured. "Your kisses, cuddling with you, being kissed awake, dancing in the kitchen with you- just being with you like this."

Sumo sighed with a smile on her face. "One more month." She reminded him.

If someone had told Shravan Malhotra that he would be sitting at a mandap waiting for Suman Tiwari fourteen years ago, he would have laughed. If someone told him the exact same thing a few years ago, he would have smiled like a madman, because it was what he wanted and wished for. For a while, he was unsure if his dream would come true, but whenever he thought about a wedding, this was what he imagined - waiting for her. Marrying her.

His family surrounded him, all of them had smiles on their faces which somehow seemed bigger than they had been through the the long week of wedding functions, this was it. There was a huge smile on his face as well, he'd been smiling so much the whole week that his face hurt, but the smile refused to waiver. He knew she was going to come and that the wedding was going to happen, but his heart beat erratically in his chest, his stomach felt like it was sinking, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

He heard and felt his breath get stuck in his throat, as if he forgot how to breathe all of a sudden - he could feel his eyes water and he tried to hold the tears back when he saw her, dressed in an intricate red and gold lehenga, adorned in jewelry. She took his breath away, and he felt a lone tear slide down his right cheek as he let out a staggered breath. And then she looked up at him and smiled, all his nerves disappeared along with everyone else in the room as she walked towards him, their eyes locked on each other and their smiles were huge. He let out another breath, his brain screamed that he was one lucky guy, that was his best friend, the love of his life, walking towards him, dressed liked the prettiest bride in the world, willingly getting married to him. He could feel his mother squeeze his hand reassuringly as Sumo came to stand beside him with a smile of her own, her eyes were watery.

She didn't know how she got from the door to the mandap, she didn't think about walking, or the people around her once she saw him, her body seemed to just know. She saw his smile, his tears and her heart hammered again, like it had been all week. He looked so handsome, albeit he was dressed in sherwanis and kurtas all week, there was something about him right then that made it all different.

Years later, she would tell her children that she didn't remember much of the ceremony, she wouldn't have known who was around, what was said and how the ceremony was if it wasn't for the pictures and the videos that she saw later. At that moment, it was just the two of them - together. And it was perfect.

Thanks a lot for giving us a Shravan and Suman who find their way to each other and cross all the hurdles. It'd be lovely if the canon couple could emulate somethings from them.

Loved d ss damn so much.

Waiting fr d epilogue..