Aurous Charms

19| New Beginnings

Published on 15th September 2024.
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The chapter is unedited.
Have a happy read!

♡⁠ Dehleez pe, mere dil ki
Jo rakhe hai tune kadam
Tere naam pe, meri zindagi
Likh di mere humdum ♡

This chapter is in past.

The soft sound of the baby's cry pierced through the early morning quiet. Akriti stirred first, her eyes heavy with exhaustion as she gently nudged Yash. "Your turn." She mumbled sleepily.

Yash groaned but rolled out of bed without complaint. The past month had been a blur of sleepless nights, diaper changes, and moments of tenderness. Their son, Aditya, was the center of their world now, his presence shifting the entire dynamic of their relationship.

As Yash lifted the tiny bundle, his movements were careful, but less hesitant than before. He had become more confident in handling their newborn, though the occasional moments of doubt still plagued him.

"Shhh, buddy." He whispered, rocking their son in his arms. "It's okay. Daddy's here."

Akriti lay back down, listening to the quiet hum of Yash's voice as he soothed their baby. It had been weeks since they'd had a proper conversation about anything outside of Aditya, but in the silence of these moments, she felt something shift.

Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe it was seeing Yash so devoted to their child, but her walls were beginning to crack.

She watched Yash from the bed, feeling a warmth that had been absent for so long. The way he held Aditya, the gentleness in his voice - it reminded her of the man she'd fallen in love with years ago.

A few minutes later, Yash brought Aditya back to her, his eyes heavy with fatigue but full of affection. "He's all set." He whispered, as he carefully handed the baby over to Akriti. She cradled him close, feeling his small body relax against her chest. The baby's tiny fingers curled around a strand of her hair, and she smiled softly.

Yash sat on the edge of the bed, watching them, a look of quiet contentment on his face. "You're really good at this." He said, his voice low and sincere.

"So are you." She replied, meeting his gaze for a brief moment before looking back at their son. "We're learning."

It was a small step, just a quiet exchange, but it felt monumental. Neither of them had talked about the past, about what had happened between them, but the shared responsibility of raising Aditya had brought them closer in unexpected ways.

Akriti had been hesitant to let Yash in again, to fully trust him, but seeing him as a father was doing something to her heart. Every time he took the night shift or changed a diaper without complaint, she felt a little more of her guard slip away.

Later that morning, they stood together in the nursery, changing Aditya's clothes after his bath. Yash fumbled with the tiny snaps on his onesie, and Akriti laughed for the first time in what felt like forever.

"You'd think after a month you'd have figured this out." She teased gently, her tone lighter than usual.

Yash grinned sheepishly. "It's not as easy as it looks."

Akriti stepped closer, her hands brushing against his as she helped him. For a moment, their fingers lingered, and she didn't pull away. She could feel the familiar tension between them, but this time it was different - less about the hurt and more about something new, something fragile and hopeful.