Crossroads of hearts | completed

Dhruvanshi's POV:-

Waking up next to Vivaan still felt like a dream, even though it had been months since we started living together. The golden morning light seeped through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow on our room. His arm was draped lazily over my waist, his face buried in the crook of my neck, breathing evenly in his sleep. I smiled to myself, running my fingers gently through his hair. But the moment was short-lived.
Because as I tried to slip out of bed, Vivaan tightened his grip around me, pulling me back into his warmth.
"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was husky from sleep, sending shivers down my spine.
I huffed. "To make coffee." He groaned, burying his face deeper into my neck. "No. Stay." I chuckled. "Vivaan, let me go!"
"Not happening," he mumbled, his lips brushing against my skin. "Mornings are for cuddles. You know the rule."
I sighed dramatically. "Fine. Five more minutes." He smirked, pulling me even closer. "I love how you think you have a choice."
Eventually, after a lot of struggling (and bribing him with extra sugar in his coffee), I managed to escape his grasp and head to the kitchen. The penthouse was cozy, filled with little reminders of us—photo frames on the walls, fairy lights strung across the balcony, and a bookshelf stacked with both our favorites.
As I prepared coffee, I felt two strong arms snake around my waist from behind.
"Vivaan," I sighed, knowing exactly what was coming.
"Yes, love?" he asked innocently, his chin resting on my shoulder.
I turned to glare at him. "Let me make coffee in peace."
He grinned, placing a kiss on my cheek before stepping back. "Fine, but only because I'm hungry."
I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Go sit. I'll make breakfast."
Our mornings were a perfect mix of love and chaos. While I made breakfast, Vivaan would either annoy me, steal bites from my plate, or wrap me in random hugs.
"Did you put extra sugar in mine?" he asked as we finally sat down to eat.
I smirked. "Nope."
He gasped dramatically. "You betray me like this?" I laughed, shaking my head. "It's just a little less. You'll survive." Vivaan groaned but still took a sip, narrowing his eyes at me. "You're lucky I love you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Lucky? If anything, you should be lucky that I haven't kicked you out for your annoying habits yet!"
He smirked, leaning forward with that devilish look in his eyes. "Admit it. You love my annoying habits." I scoffed. "In your dreams, Vivaan." But before I could react, he reached out and smudged a bit of butter on my nose. "Vivaan!" I shrieked, standing up instantly.
He laughed, dodging as I tried to wipe it back on him. "Catch me if you can, sweetheart!" And just like that, our morning turned into a full-fledged chase around the apartment, filled with laughter, stolen kisses, and playful arguments.

Later that night, as we lay on the couch watching a movie, my head resting on his chest, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. "This feels perfect," I murmured, tracing small circles on his hand. Vivaan kissed the top of my head. "It is perfect. Because it's us." I smiled, feeling his heartbeat under my cheek.
Maybe we weren't married yet, maybe we still had a long way to go—but in this moment, in this little home we built together, we already felt like forever.

A few weeks later...

A few weeks after Krisha and Abhimanyu's wedding, Vivaan and I planned a double date with the newlyweds. It was long overdue, considering how busy they had been with post-wedding rituals and family gatherings. We decided on a cozy rooftop restaurant that had dim fairy lights, soft music playing in the background, and a breathtaking view of the city skyline. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of fresh flowers, making the atmosphere nothing short of magical. As Vivaan and I arrived, I spotted Krisha and Abhimanyu already seated at our table, engaged in what looked like a playful argument.
"Are they fighting already?" Vivaan murmured beside me, smirking. I chuckled. "Newlywed problems, I guess."
"Look who finally decided to show up!" Krisha teased as we reached the table.
"We're only five minutes late," I defended, taking a seat beside Vivaan.
"Five minutes late is still late," Abhimanyu said, shaking his head dramatically. "But it's okay, we understand. You two must've been—"
"Don't complete that sentence," I warned, narrowing my eyes.
Krisha burst into laughter while Vivaan very casually put his arm around my shoulder, smirking. "What? We were just... making sure we looked our best."
Abhimanyu raised an eyebrow. "Sure, let's go with that."
The waiter arrived just in time, handing us menus. As we skimmed through the options, Krisha suddenly gasped.
"Let's play a game!" she said excitedly.
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game?"
"A couples' challenge!" she grinned. "Let's see which couple knows each other better."
Vivaan smirked. "Oh, this should be fun." Krisha went first. "Alright, Abhimanyu. What's my favorite color?" Abhimanyu smirked confidently. "Peacock blue." Krisha beamed. "Correct!"
Then it was our turn. "Vivaan," Krisha asked, smirking, "what's Dhruvanshi's biggest pet peeve?" Vivaan leaned back, pretending to think. "Hmm... people interrupting her when she's reading or stealing bites of her food." I gasped. "That's—how do you know that?! He grinned, pulling me closer. "Sweetheart, I live with you. I know everything." Krisha clapped. "Okay, okay, that was impressive."
The game went on with silly and sweet questions, filled with laughter, teasing, and some shocking revelations.
"Dhruvanshi, what's Vivaan's guilty pleasure?" Abhimanyu asked. I smirked. "Watching cheesy romantic movies when he thinks no one's around."
Vivaan nearly choked on his drink. "Excuse me? That's a false accusation!" Krisha gasped dramatically. "No way! Vivaan, do you really watch romance movies?"
"She's lying," Vivaan tried to defend himself, but the blush creeping up his neck gave him away. I smirked. "Caught you."
Krisha and Abhimanyu burst into laughter while Vivaan groaned, shaking his head.
"Okay, I admit it," he mumbled. "But only because she forces me to watch them with her!" I leaned into him, whispering. "And yet, you never complain." He smirked, whispering back, "Only because I get to cuddle you while watching." I smiled and kiss the back of his hand which was intertwined with mine.
After the meal, we took a stroll on the rooftop, the city lights twinkling below us. Krisha held Abhimanyu's hand, leaning her head on his shoulder. "This was fun. We should do this more often."
"Agreed," I said, tightening my grip around Vivaan's hand. Abhimanyu smirked. "Next time, let's add a bet. Losing couple pays for dinner." Vivaan raised an eyebrow. "You're so losing, then."
Krisha rolled her eyes. "We'll see about that." As we laughed and walked under the stars, I realized how lucky we were—to have love, to have friendship, and to have moments like these.
Vivaan leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You're happy?"
I smiled up at him. "More than happy."
And as we stood there, under the twinkling city lights, I knew this night would be one of those memories we'd cherish forever.