This oneshot was requested by @khwaishfan. I hope you enjoy it, dear! To all my lovely readers, if you have any concepts in mind for Maan and Geet or your favorite couple, feel free to share your requests here -- Index & Requests
I'll do my best to write them, though I can't make any promises - writing can be quite a challenge. Happy reading!
The Ties That Bind
The house was buzzing with an undercurrent of excitement that tossed around like confetti in a lively celebration. The faint aroma of freshly fried samosas and brewing chai wafted through the cozy rooms, wrapping around each person like a warm hug. Geet Handa sat cross-legged on her bed, a diary perched precariously on her lap. Her room, adorned with soft pastel walls and twinkling fairy lights, had always been her sanctuary. Yet today, that familiar refuge felt like a cage, its solitude an uncomfortable reminder of the momentous decision looming over her.
“Didi, you’re going to say yes, right?” Pinky exclaimed, her eyes shimmering with mischief as she burst into the room without waiting for an answer.
“Say yes to what? I haven’t even met the guy yet,” Geet grumbled, closing her diary with a snap that echoed her irritation.
Pinky rolled her eyes dramatically, plopping down beside her. “Come on! Everyone knows he’s the perfect catch. Maan Singh Khurana, the most eligible bachelor in Delhi! Business tycoon, handsome, rich… need I say more?” She leaned in as if revealing the secrets of the universe.
Geet sighed, flipping the pages of her diary absentmindedly. “Pinky, marriage isn't some checklist of attributes. It’s about… compatibility, trust, understanding. And how can I decide all that in one meeting?” A pang of anxiety twisted in her stomach at the thought of being tied to someone she barely knew.
“But you have to meet him first! Besides, Dad seems convinced he’s the one,” Pinky pointed out with a teasing grin. “I’d say you’re in a pretty good place.”
~~
The living room was a picture of traditional elegance when Geet reluctantly stepped in, dressed in a soft lavender salwar kameez that had been meticulously chosen for her first meeting with Maan. Her parents were already seated, their smiles plastered in a way that screamed Don’t mess this up.
Across the room stood Maan Singh Khurana, tall and poised, his sharp features almost too perfect to be real. His presence dominated the space effortlessly, and it both intimidated and intrigued Geet.
He turned, and their gazes locked in an instant. For a brief moment, the ambient noise melted away. Geet felt a flicker of something she couldn’t quite identify....not love, not attraction....but definitely intrigue. There was an air of undeniable certainty about him, as if he had already mapped out his existence, and she was merely an object on his agenda. Their parents suggested to have a talk in private to "get to know each other"
“Shall we?” he asked, his voice deep and steady. It wasn’t a question; it was a command wrapped in politeness.
Geet nodded, following him into the garden. The evening air was cool, and the faint chirping of crickets filled the silence that hung between them. They walked side by side through the lush greenery, and Geet glanced at Maan out of the corner of her eye. He was handsome, undeniably so - yet there was an impenetrable facade around him, a wall that seemed built to keep emotions at bay.
“I don’t believe in sugarcoating things, Geet,” he began, his tone completely neutral, as if delivering a business proposal. “This is as much a business arrangement as it is a personal one. My family wants me to settle down, and I’ve spent enough time trying to delay the inevitable. You seem… sensible.” 
Geet blinked, taken aback. “Sensible? That’s it?”
Maan’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile, one that might disarm a lesser woman but only fueled Geet's determination. “I don’t mean it as an insult. I’ve seen my fair share of pretentious people. You… seem genuine.”
She crossed her arms defensively, pushing herself further away from the warmth of their conversation. “And what if I say no? What if I want something more than just… sensible?”
For a brief moment, Maan looked taken aback. His gaze softened, ever so slightly, revealing a crack in his stoic armor. “Then I’ll respect that. But let’s not pretend this is some fairy tale. Life rarely is.”
Geet studied him for a long moment. He was blunt, perhaps even a little cold, but beneath his unwavering gaze, there resided a kind of honesty that struck a chord deep within her. All her life, Geet had been surrounded by people who presented a front, cloaked in expectations, allowing only glimpses of their true selves.
“Thik hai,” she said finally, a mixture of resignation and bravery flooding her decision. “Let’s give this a try.”
~~
The ensuing weeks were a whirlwind of activity leading up to their wedding. Geet felt as though she were lost in the chaos of fittings, ceremonies, and endless relatives. Maan, true to his nature, remained composed amidst the storm, handling everything with a clinical efficiency that both impressed and irritated her.
Their conversations remained polite but distant. Maan would ask about her day, she would inquire about his meetings, and they would part ways with a polite nod. It wasn’t hostile, but neither was it warm. Geet often wondered if this was what her life would be like...a series of surface-level interactions, devoid of depth or genuine connection.
The day of the wedding arrived, drenched in all its pomp and splendor, every detail pointing to an age-old tradition. As Geet sat in front of the mirror, her lehenga heavy with intricate embroidery....each thread a testament to her family’s legacy....she felt a pang of doubt deep in her gut.
Was she making a grave mistake? Was this truly what she wanted? Shouldn’t her heart be soaring on her wedding day?
But she paused, suddenly aware of a tall figure standing at the mandap, waiting for her. Maan was there, backlit by the radiance of the setting sun, his features sharp and defined. As their eyes met, the intensity with which he looked at her made her heart skip a beat. For the first time, she saw beyond the stoic exterior - the flicker of vulnerability, the silent promise that perhaps all was not lost.
Married life was… complicated.
~~
Maan’s sprawling mansion was a vivid contrast to the warmth of her family home. It seemed grand yet entirely impractical to Geet, each pristine hallway echoing with an emptiness that was suffocating. Maan, forever the workaholic, spent most of his time at the office, leaving Geet to navigate this new life on her own.
Initially, loneliness seeped into her veins like cold winter air. As the weeks turned into months, she struggled to reconcile the image of her married life with the reality she confronted daily. She threw herself into transforming the house into a home, filling it with familiar scents and colors. She tackled the daunting task of redecorating each room, hoping to add personal touches that reflected her personality. Even cooking, a skill she had never been particularly adept at, became an avenue through which she could try to stake her claim in this new space.
One evening, as she was arranging flowers in the living room, Maan walked in earlier than usual. He paused, taking in the changes she had made....the vibrant blooms, the new colors splashed across the walls.
“You’ve been busy,” he remarked, his tone unreadable as he surveyed her handiwork.
Geet straightened, brushing her hands on her kurta in an effort to mask her anxiety. “I thought the place could use some warmth,” she replied, her heart racing under his scrutiny.
Maan nodded, and for a moment, his gaze lingered on her longer than necessary. “It suits you.”
The simple comment sent warmth spreading across her cheeks, as if he had just bestowed a rare compliment. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, things began to shift in their relationship.
Maan started coming home earlier, sometimes joining Geet for dinner. Their polite exchanges began to morph into larger conversations, filled with laughter and shared stories. Geet discovered that beneath his aloof exterior, Maan was fiercely loyal, surprisingly witty, and even a little romantic in his own understated way
One particularly rainy evening, as they sat on the terrace sharing chai, Geet could no longer hold back the question that had been swirling in her mind since their marriage began.
“Maan, why did you agree to this marriage?” she ventured hesitantly, her curiosity outweighing her fear of an unfavorable answer.
He glanced at her, his expression thoughtful. “Because I was tired of running. And because… I thought you deserved a chance. I had seen my parents struggle to form a connection grounded in fantasy rather than reality. I didn’t want that for myself.”
Her heart swelled at his words. It wasn’t a grand declaration of love, but it was rooted in a truth she could understand, a vulnerability that buoyed the hope in her heart that perhaps she was not completely alone in this journey.
~~
With time, their bond deepened as they learned to navigate each other’s quirks and passions. Small arguments would arise, as they do in any relationship, but they were often followed by compromises and understanding. Geet’s vivaciousness balanced Maan’s seriousness, while his steadfastness anchored her dreams. They weren’t perfect but were growing to be perfect for each other.
One night, as they lay side by side on a soft Sunday evening, when the world outside was dimly lit and drowsy, Geet turned to him, her voice softer than the whispers of the night. “Maan, do you believe in love?”
His response was a moment’s pause, during which his eyes glimmered with a tenderness that took her breath away. “I didn’t. But then I met you,” he confessed softly.
In that moment, Geet realized that she had found her fairy tale - not in grand gestures or sweeping romances, but in the quiet and steady love of a man who had become her everything. There was more than a deep connection growing; there was a sense of companionship that felt right, a feeling that something significant was unfurling between them.
The chaos of life continued to spin around them - social gatherings that tested the boundaries of patience and humor, relatives who teased them during the gasping pauses of small talk, business trips that left Geet sitting at home wondering about her partner, and yet, Maan’s devotion resonated through every interaction when he returned home.
~~
One day, as weeks turned into delightful months, Maan surprised Geet with a weekend getaway. He whisked her away to the serene hills on the outskirts of Delhi, where the air was filled with the crisp scent of pines and a gentle serenity wrapped around them like a warm embrace.
As they strolled through the narrow paths adorned with flowers in bloom, Maan opened up to her. “When I was younger, I believed love was merely an obligation. In this marriage, more than anything, I’ve discovered joy - joy that I didn’t know I could feel.”
Geet’s heart raced; she could hardly contain her emotions. “You know, sometimes I think you’re the most enigmatic part of my life. You, who once seemed so distant, now feel like my closest friend,” she admitted, looking at him expectantly.
“I never wanted to build a relationship based on theatrics. My intention was always to present a sense of honesty. I appreciate how you’ve coaxed out the best in me,” he confessed, as they paused to take in the mesmerizing sunset painted across the horizon.
From that moment forward, they both endeavored to forge a life based on nuances....the simple delights of shared smiles, the spontaneous cooking experiments that usually ended messily, and evenings spent laughing over stories that turned into whispers that washed away their worries.
~~
One winter evening, wrapped in thick blankets, with a fire crackling nearby, Geet found herself dreaming aloud about a future she hadn’t dared to envision before. “Maan, what if we were to explore having children someday?”
Maan turned serious for a moment, contemplating her words. “That scares me,” he admitted, “but I think if we decide together, it could be magical.”
It was then they realized that love....real love....was not a solitary adventure; it was a joint endeavor, a living, breathing entity that needed tending. Together, they decided to create a future that was both expansive and grounded, stitched together by a bond that they had cultivated hand in hand.
The seasons passed, bringing with them unforeseen hurdles, joys, and even heartbreaks. But no matter the storm, their resolve to weather it together only grew stronger. They could construct dreams that felt tangible, something they believed they could build together.
As Geet stood in front of the mirror one year after their wedding, she felt like she had entered a new chapter of her life, one that was filled with the colors of joy and solidity. "Who knew my fairytale would be such hard work?" she mused, but the memory of Maan’s laughter brought a smile to her lips.
When he returned home that evening, full of stories from his day, there was an electricity in the air. Each whispered word was an echo of everything they had built....an entwining of their lives.
“Maan?” she called softly.
“Yes?” he answered, leaning back against their shared life.
“I love you.”
Maan turned towards her, his eyes ablaze with a warmth that enveloped her. “I know. And I love you too, more each day.”
In that moment, as they stood surrounded by the mundane joys of life, Geet realized that love was never about spectacular declarations but rather those quiet, ever-present moments that knit their lives together into a tapestry of shared dreams and mutual respect.
And so, through laughter and tears, through celebrations and challenges, Geet and Maan continued to discover not just love but friendship; a bond forged in life’s intricate dance, revealing a fairy tale that would last a lifetime - one heart, one soul, a promise fulfilled beneath their shared sky.
Cricket
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