Two masculine arms wrapped around her as she was admiring herself in the mirror. "Morning, beautiful!", He said in an early morning husky voice. Well yes, they had been living in together since their engagement, and her family was reluctant about it too. Manik had bought this house with his own savings and Nandini bought the furniture, not all, as Manik wanted to buy everything on his own, but all of their choice. The house wasn't one of the posh ones, but definitely, an apartment that felt like home with each corner having their own touch.

"Why did you wake up so soon?", She asked sweetly looking at his reflection as she placed her palms on his that rested on her tummy.

"Why? You had to admire yourself more in my tee?", He asked resting his chin on her shoulder.

The closeness, his husk dripping tone, ruffled hair, droopy eyes, and shirtless body made blood rush to her cheeks. But she covered it up soon. "That's MY tee.", She snapped. Here you go, her mood swings. Manik sighed planting a butterfly kiss behind her ear.

"Yeah. Yours.", Manik said letting out a momentary chuckle as he stepped back making his way to the washroom.

"Why are you even laughing, Malhotra?"

"Nothing! You continue your self-admiration in 'your' tee, soon-to-be Malhotra.", He laughed doing that two fingers movement entering the toilet, leaving her huffing in anger along with a tinge of blush playing on her cheeks for his endearment.

Manik never understood what fun she got in roaming around in his shirts or tees. She looked like a kid who wears large clothes to grow up faster lol. She looked hella sexy in them, no doubt. She was like she'd even wear the old, worn-out tees of his as if it was some branded or designer clothes. 

But she was quite possessive about those pieces of clothes. And the possessiveness intensifies to multiple folds when she was on her days. 

Manik remembered her saying that,

"Your clothes are comfier okay. And these make me feel better during my cramps. And also, these give me a feel of your presence around me all the time.", She said taking the hot water bag that Manik prepared for her. He found the theory way too cute and adorable as he smiled at her.

"Even if you aren't around to hold me.", She ended with a hint of sorrow. Manik felt bad too.

But he could do nothing... He had his own share of duties too. He sighed softly wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her hair. She snuggled more into his chest and he subtly moved his palm on her back.

Later that day, like forever, Manik was busy cooking lunch. It was their routine for holidays that he'd cook the lunch, she'll prepare the breakfast even if it was simple Nutella sandwiches and then they'd prepare the dinner together.

While he was busy making her favorite, there she sat on the slab, knees folded up as she scrolled down her music player to play a song sung by her very own fiance.

"You know I'm here only, and you can order me to sing for you, right?", he chuckled feeding her a spoonful of Mac and cheese.

Well, she had this tendency of recording all his songs even if it was his bathroom singing or the songs he hummed while working or the songs he sang for her sitting on the swing in their balcony gazing at the twinkling stars. And these recordings were her stress buster slash mood lifter if she was having a bad day and needed some peace. 

"Don't pamper me so much. I'm already spoilt.", she cutely complained wrapping her legs around his waist as he stood between her legs.

"What if I say, that's what I want? That, I want to pamper you so much that you don't have to do anything yourself?", he said rubbing his nose with hers.

___________

"Maaniiiik hand me a pad pleaseeee.", she sang from the washroom. Manik rolled his eyes making his way to the cupboard. She willingly acted like she forgot taking a sanitary pad every time just to annoy him about the first day he went to the mall to buy the necessities for their home.

"Hey, hello Nandini, I've got everything you wanted. But I'm confused which pad do you want?", asked Manik as he was done with getting everything but was stuck in one.

"Thin pads, regular flow, and overnight ones with flexi wings. But not the ultra-heavy. Okay now bye." and she hung up. What all she said, literally went over his head. He called her up again. "What again, Manik?"

"Whatever you told me a while back, can you repeat that to the salesperson?"

"Manik, take anyone you want okay. There's a lot of customers lined up. Talk to you later!"

A few hours later, the sound of hilarious laughter echoed from MaNan's room. "Ahaha what is this, Manik? Oh God hahaha." 

"A pad?", Manik replied staring at her not understanding what exactly made her laugh like a maniac.

"Correction, a 'note' pad.", and started laughing again. "Seriously? A note pad? I asked you to buy sanitary pads, Malhotra." Manik's eyes popped out of sockets and he stood dumbfounded there. She was almost rolling on the bed laughing.

Well, there's no age limit to learning new things, right?

And anyway, Manik was a pro at it now. He understood every sick term she used to describe them. He mentally smirked handing her the packet.

After cooking and having dinner together, Manik made his way to the balcony with the tub of Chocolate chip ice cream and the hot water bag after doing the dishes. 

She was sitting on the swing, dangling her legs down, staring at nowhere particular. "Maaniiii, where are youuu?", she called him lazily from the balcony.

"Nanduuu, I'm hereeee.", he too sang just like she did making her giggle.

He handed her the tub mouthing a 'one-forth'. She made a puppy face to melt him and multiply the quantity of ice cream to some folds more maybe? But he was surely a hard nut to crack when the question came to her health.

He sat down on the space beside her and inserted the water bag inside her/his t-shirt. She moaned as a spoon of yummylicious chocolate chip ice cream melted in her mouth or maybe cause the relief she got with that water bag or maybe cause of his warmth and the comfy blanket scattered over them. Or maybe all three of them together.

Manik wrapped his arm around her waist and the other one played with her hair. She shifted closer to him.

She closed the lid of the tub when she was done and looked up at him just to find him already staring at her adoringly, humming some unknown tune. He raised his brows finding her still staring at him. She nodded in the negative and placed her head just over his heart.

"I love the music of your heartbeat.", she whispered. Manik caressed her cheeks kissing the top of her head.

Manik had caught her for an umpteenth time staring at him without throwing a tantrum or demanding something. Simply staring at him and then whispering how much she loved hearing his heartbeat. She said it made her feel that he was there... he was there with her and that heart beated just for her.

He loved being loved by someone so much though. He felt blessed to have the person who was sitting by his side right now. He couldn't thank the Almighty enough to have sent this angel to him and turning his life to a 180°. He couldn't thank his stars enough to have sent her back in his life after 6 years. He no longer felt lonely. He knew there was someone who'd be by his side no matter what. She was just too precious for him.

His sleep got disturbed as she shifted in her sleep. He didn't know when sleep took over him. It was almost 12 at night and the weather was getting chilled. He picked her up caring not to disturb her sleep and covered her with the comforter. She immediately snuggled into it.

In a cue, Manik's phone pinged indicating the arrival of a new message. It was an official email. He read that piece of message for a couple of times and locked his phone sighing.

~•~
A/N: Sorry for being late.
Sorry for the cliffhanger.
Sorry for the cringy chapter.
Sorry for writing a 'bloody' chapter filled with periods. Lol.