2 years later

Two years passed by in a blink of an eye. A lot had changed. Ishika and Eshaan were not dating now. They were married.

Ishika stood in the middle of her new living room. Her hands were on her hips as she took in her surroundings.

There were boxes lying all around. Some packed, some unpacked. It was a chaos. But it felt surreal. Their own home.

It wasn't too big, but it was perfect. A cozy nest just for the two of them. 

She felt a gentle vibration from the wall. She turned to see the doorbell indicator, a sleek, modern light panel, flashing a warm amber colour. It was their first home adjustment.

Eshaan had spent the previous weekend wiring the house so that every room had a soft light that pulsed when someone was at the door.

She walked to the door and opened. Eshaan was standing there, balancing three heavy grocery bags and a small, potted plant. 

His hair was messy and he looked slightly out of breath, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw her.

Ishika took two bags from him and made way for him to enter. He stepped inside, set the bags down on the floor right beside she did, and pulled her into a tight, wandering hug.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her vanilla shampoo. Ishika giggled against his chest.

"Bhut saara saaman le aaye. Hum do hi log hai yaha, Eshaan."

(You brought so many things. We are only two people here, Eshaan.)

Eshaan pulled back, grinning. His hands moved rapidly as he explained what all he got.

I brought some groceries, since I'm cooking tonight. Mai tumhare wo blue curtains bhi le aaya. The ones you selected. And jalebis! Because itni mehnat krne ke baad reward toh banta hai na!

(I got your blue curtains too….Because we deserve a reward after so much hard work!)

Ishika clapped her hands together, her eyes dancing. She looked at him with sparkling eyes and gushed happily.

"You are the bestttttt husband in the world. Lekin agar curtains ka shade galat hua na, toh yaha boxes ke saath sona tum. Samjhe?"

(But if the shade of curtains is wrong, you sleep here with the boxes. Got it?)

She mock threatened and he feigned being scared, gulping very visibly. He then grinned suddenly and leaned in to give her a quick, playful kiss on the tip of her nose.

They spent the next few hours turning the apartment into a home. Eshaan handled the heavy lifting, while Ishika organized the shelves.

Every few minutes, he would find an excuse to touch her. A hand grazing a shoulder, a lingering look across the room, or a quick peck on the cheek as he passed her with an armful of stuff.

By evening, the house was mostly settled. The blue curtains, which were, thankfully, the perfect shade, stood beautifully at their room's window.

Eshaan walked into the kitchen where Ishika was trying to organize the spice jars. He stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her body through her cotton kurta.

Ishika leaned back into him, closing her eyes. She felt so safe here. His arms. Her safe space.

She turned around in his arms, her hands coming up to rest on his chest. She looked into his eyes, her expression becoming soft and serious.

"Hamara apna ghar, Eshaan. I can't believe this is real."

(Our own home, Eshaan.)

He took her right hand and placed it over his heart, just like he had done on the night of their first "I love you."

He then took her left hand and began to trace on her palm.

H-O-M-E 

He then leaned in and took her lips in a lingering, deep kiss that made Ishika's toes curl against the cool marble floor. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless, their faces flushed with a beautiful, giddy heat.

Ishika blushed. Just like she did when they first kissed. 

"Bahar baithe?"

(Shall we sit outside?)

Ishika whispered shyly, pointing towards the balcony. Eshaan nodded and motioned for her to lead the way. She did, while still blushing and he sauntered behind her with a goofy grin.

They headed to their small balcony. They had set up two cozy chairs and a small table.

Eshaan sat down and pulled Ishika onto his lap. She tucked her head under his chin, watching the starry sky.

Eshaan took her hand again. This was their ritual, their way of ending every day. He traced on her skin.

H-A-P-P-Y?

Ishika smiled, a tear of pure joy sparkling in her eye.

"Bhut jyada! I love you so much, Eshaan."

(Very happy!)

Eshaan squeezed her hand, his thumb stroking her wedding ring. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, before taking her hand and keeping it against his heart. His way of saying "I love you".

Ishika felt the warmth of his action against her skin. She looked up at him, her eyes bright with understanding. She didn't need to hear the sentence to know exactly what he had said.

She reached up, brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead, and kissed him, a soft, slow, and perfect kiss.

As the night grew darker, they stayed there on the balcony, two souls who had found their perfect rhythm in the stillness. The citylights twinkled like a thousand candles, celebrating the two people who didn't need spoken words to tell the world's most beautiful story.

They were finally home.