Dinner at the Malhotra household had become a daily affair full of chaos and chuckles ever since Diana had entered it. That evening was no different. The table was set, the food was steaming, and Aryan was trying to disappear into his chair while his family buzzed around, talking and laughing.

"Beta," his mother began casually, "honeymoon ka kya socha hai?"

Aryan choked on his daal.

Diana, with her eyes sparkling and a spoon half-lifted to her lips, smirked. "Haan Aryan, honeymoon ka kya socha hai?" she asked in the most innocent voice, batting her lashes at him like she wasn't the devil in disguise.

Arya giggled, already enjoying the unfolding drama.

"I—I was going to talk to her about it... we're still... uh... looking," Aryan mumbled, reaching for his water glass like it was his only defense.

"Oh really?" Diana raised her eyebrows. "Funny, kyunki ab tak toh you didn't even ask me." She turned to his mother dramatically. "Mummyji, aap hi batao, shaadi ke baad honeymoon ladke ka idea hota hai ya ladki ka?"

His mother turned to glare at him with raised brows, and Arya practically exploded in laughter, barely managing to keep her roti from tearing apart in the process.

"Main toh soch rahi thi Maldives ya Turkey," Diana added thoughtfully, as if she hadn't just thrown her husband under a bus. "Someplace romantic, jahan beach ho, cocktails ho... aur Aryan ho... bina mom ke." She ended it with a wink.

Aryan dropped his spoon.

"I—I'll look tonight," Aryan said, red-faced and awkward. His ears were glowing pink.

"Good," Diana replied, popping a piece of paneer into her mouth. "Make it hot, handsome."

Later that night, Aryan was lying on his side of the bed, his laptop open and travel tabs on the screen. Maldives, Bali, Santorini... each place looked peaceful, beautiful, and ironically nothing like his current chaotic reality.

He closed the laptop and glanced at the other side of the bed.

Diana was already asleep.

Correction: Diana looked asleep. But she was sprawled like a starfish, right in the middle of the bed.

He sighed. "Yeh meri side hai..."

As if on cue, she rolled over.

Onto him.

Aryan froze.

Her head landed on his chest, one arm flung across his waist like she owned him—like he was her personal pillow. Her leg, dangerously close to his, followed suit.

His breath hitched. Yeh kya ho raha hai?

He gently nudged her. "Diana... Diana?"

She mumbled something in her sleep.

"Diana, tum meri side mein ho... please—" He tried to push her back to her side.

She groaned, eyes still closed, and muttered, "Mujhe thand lag rahi hai..."

Aryan blinked at the ceiling. This is Gurgaon in May. THAND?!

"Okay okay..." he whispered like he was taming a wild lioness. Carefully, he shifted her back to her side of the bed, tucked the blanket around her and lay back down, wide awake.

Five minutes later... THUMP—her arm landed across his chest again.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Yeh ladki meri jaan leke hi chhodegi..."

Again, he moved her gently.

Again, she returned like a boomerang.

On the third attempt, Aryan just lay there, stiff as a statue, her head once again nestled against his shoulder, her breathing slow and peaceful.

It was torture.

She smelled like jasmine and a hint of trouble.

He closed his eyes. Control Aryan. Bas kuch din ki baat hai. Shaadi ke baad sab adjust karna padta hai.

As if his suffering wasn't enough, Diana muttered in her sleep, "You're warm... mujhe aise hi rehna hai..."

Aryan died a little inside.

Next morning, he was still awake when sunlight peeked through the curtains.

Diana yawned and stretched like a cat. "Hmm... kya time hua?"

Aryan sat on the edge of the bed, zombie-eyed. "Six."

She grinned. "Good morning pati dev."

He looked at her. "Tumhe pata hai kal raat kya hua?"

"Hmm?" she tilted her head, brushing her messy curls back.

"You kept rolling over to my side... and cuddling me."

"Ohh..." she smirked, "Toh honeymoon ka trailer pasand aaya?"

He looked at her, scandalized. "You were asleep! That wasn't a trailer. That was harassment."

She laughed out loud. "Aww, poor baby. Next time, main pillow rakh ke roll karungi."

"No next time," he replied, standing. "Main aaj se sofa pe so raha hoon."

She pouted. "Kitna boring ho yaar. Husband ho ya monk?"

Aryan grabbed his towel and headed to the bathroom muttering, "Iss ladki se toh honeymoon se pehle hi heart attack aayega."

Behind him, Diana laughed, loud and wicked. "Better start planning honeymoon then, before you die of cuddles!"

That night, Aryan slept on the couch.

But not before Diana shouted from the bedroom, "Couch mein jaake bhi mujhe miss karoge, baby!"

And unfortunately... she wasn't wrong.