Chapter 11: Unspoken

"Khushi..." Arnav began. "You know I'm not usually fond of your taste, but I'm pleasantly surprised." He found Khushi looking at him confused. "Shiv is a good name." He said.

Khushi watched in awe as the signature smirk of Arnav Singh Raizada formed on his face. Teasing her was something he'd never put behind him she realized and let a small of her own form on her lips.

And as Arnav's smirk widened on his face, Khushi saw the first hint of the man she had fallen in love with a long time ago. 
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Payal stopped in her tracks. She had seen Arnav head to poolside after Khushi and the scene she had expected to see was something totally different. Considering how Arnav and Khushi usually worked out their problems, Payal had expected to see one of them in the pool after having been pushed in there by the other.

Instead there they were, a small family. Any outsider looking at the trio by the poolside would only see a lovely family. Small but perfect. But Payal saw what others wouldn't see. She could see the waves of tension between Arnav and Khushi. She could see it in the way her sister held herself. She could tell that Khushi and Arnav had a long way to go.

Payal looked at the bottle of milk she had prepared for Shiv. Shiv didn't seem so hungry anymore, as he was busy tugging on all parts of Arnav's face. She walked back to the dining room. She would wait for them to work things out. They all would.
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"Very funny, Mr.Raizada. And I know Shiv is a good name. I didn't need your approval." Arnav half expected Khushi to stick her tongue out at him after the way she responded.

"Yup. ASR's little SSR." Arnav replied and stopped. Khushi was covering her mouth and stifling a laugh.

Hai Devi Maiya! Khushi's thoughts began to race. Why didn't I see that before? SSR? Another laugh busted through her lips before she could swallow it. Arnav was looking at her with a confused expression now. His head was tilted and he raised an eyebrow.

"What the-? Why are you laughing?" Arnav questioned.

"Nothing. I'm just- I don't know."

"What?"

"Nevermind! Let's go to dinner. Shiv needs to be put to sleep. Come on!" Khushi got up and headed to the door.

Arnav let a small smile appear on his face. Khushi hadn't changed. She was still her hare brained, jabbering self. Arnav got up and followed Khushi. They were off to a good start he decided. However, he had so much more to make up for, so much lost time. He would do it, he then promised. He would never give up.
---
Anjali's breath caught as she saw the trio emerge towards the dining room table. From outside Chote, Khushi-ji, and Shiv looked every bit the perfect family. Chote's face looked a lot less tense than the last time she had seen it. It was not only Anjali that noticed this, as the entire family smiled seeing Shiv in Arnav's hands.

"Arreh, looks like daddy and son have already bonded!" Nani spoke and the her smile could be heard in her voice.The family smiled approvingly.

Like they had before the ultimate fallout, Khushi took her seat beside Arnav. She looked at Payal questioningly and Payal brought her the bottle of milk for Shiv. Khushi smiled and acknowledged a thanks before turning to Arnav.

"Give Shiv to me, or he will fall asleep." Arnav complied instantly, understanding that he didn't know how things worked for his son. He would learn soon, he promised. Arnav extended Shiv into Khushi's waiting hands.

---

Arnav and Khushi didn't know what struck them. They froze as their bodies came into contact for the first time in a long time. Arnav's fingertips brushed against Khushi's and they froze as an electric current moved through them. Unspoken desires, regretful mistakes, unsaid forgiveness, and a hidden love all exchanged between them. Silently. Slowly. Simply unspoken. Only through their eyes.

Khushi stared into his eyes so longingly, yet lessons from the past held her back. It would be more than easy to forgive him right then and there and to move on, but that should not happen. She knew how she lost her judgement around Arnav. She knew the consequences of having once blindly forgiven him. His chocolate eyes were hard to hurt. It was the only window in which any of emotion Arnav rarely had showed through. She tried desperately to read them. She saw pain and something else she couldn't quite understand.

Arnav was trapped in the gaze of Khushi's hazel eyes. He saw the wanting in her, her ever forgiving nature slowly creep into her eyes. Yet suddenly it was gone. Replaced with the pain of what experience had taught her. Her eyes now showed pain as they frantically searched his own eyes. Their eyes were a reflection of each others'. There was guilt, sorrow, and regret in his and there was fear, love, and sorry in her's. Yet they both only showed pain. Because that's what they had caused each other. That was time and time again their only gifts to each other.

---

Khushi dropped her gaze first as a rich color filled her cheeks. She quickly diverted her attention to Shiv and Arnav suddenly became overly interested in his food. Their exchange hadn't gone unnoticed by the family members, but they left it unspoken.

Khushi watched Shiv as he gulped his milk and slowly traveled to his world of dreams. She smiled with a tinge of jealousy. Shiv was lucky. Shiv had only gotten love from Arnav.

Arnav watched Shiv too, as he fell into slumber in his mother's arms. Arnav's face softened and a little envy crept into him. Shiv was so lucky. Shiv had only given his mom happiness.