||. The Second Chance .||

✨Moments of Peace✨

The next day dawned quietly, a soft mist hanging over the gardens as the mansion slowly came to life. Rahul woke first, blinking against the early light streaming through the curtains. He turned, feeling the comforting warmth of Hardik beside him, his breathing deep and steady. For a moment, Rahul allowed himself to enjoy the rare stillness, listening to the distant sounds of the world waking up outside.

Rahul smiled before he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Hardik. As much as Hardik liked to put on a strong front, Rahul knew how little sleep he truly got when "business" kept him busy.

Making his way to Agastya's room, Rahul found him standing in his bed, gripping his favourite blanket and bouncing slightly on his little legs, his eyes bright with excitement. "Good morning, baby," Rahul cooed, scooping him up into his arms.

Agastya giggled, his tiny hands reaching up to touch Rahul's face, patting his cheeks with a sleepy kind of curiosity. "Da-da!" he babbled.

"Da-da's still sleeping," Rahul whispered, pressing a kiss to Agastya's forehead. "Let's let him rest for a bit, okay?"

They wandered down to the kitchen together, Rahul balancing Agastya on one hip while starting the coffee machine. As he moved around the kitchen, humming softly to keep Agastya entertained, the sound of footsteps approaching caught his attention. He turned to see Shubman walking in, looking surprisingly awake for someone who'd stayed up chatting with Ishan late into the night.

"Morning rah," Shubman said with a smile, his hair still slightly messy but his expression calm and rested.

"Morning shubi," Rahul replied, handing Shubman a mug of coffee. "How was your sleep?"

"Good," Shubman said, taking a sip of the coffee. "Ishan, of course, is still dead to the world. But it was a good night. Peaceful."

Rahul chuckled, bouncing Agastya gently in his arms. "Yeah, he's not exactly a morning person, is he?"

"Not at all," Shubman replied with a grin, leaning against the counter. "What about you guys? How's Hardik bhaiya doing?"

Rahul's smile faltered slightly, though he quickly masked it. "He's fine. Yesterday was... rough, but he's handling it. He always does."

Shubman's sharp eyes caught the brief flicker of concern, but he didn't push. "Yeah, he's good at that. Must be exhausting, though."

Rahul nodded, his gaze drifting toward the kitchen window where the morning mist was slowly burning away. "It is. But we've gotten used to it, in a way. We just... take it as it comes."

Shubman took another sip of his coffee, letting the comfortable silence settle between them for a moment. "You know," he said quietly after a beat, "you guys are stronger than most people would be in your shoes. A lot of people wouldn't be able to handle the kind of life you have."

Rahul glanced at Shubman, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. "Thanks," he said softly. "But it's not just me. It's Hardik. He's the one who makes sure we're all okay, no matter what."

Shubman nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah. I can see that."

Before Rahul could respond, a sudden loud yawn echoed from the hallway, and both of them turned to see Ishan stumble into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and dragging his feet dramatically.

"Ugh, why is it morning already?" Ishan grumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

Shubman chuckled, handing Ishan a fresh mug of coffee. "You stayed up too late, that's why."

Ishan shot Shubman a sleepy glare but accepted the coffee with a grateful hum. "Worth it," he mumbled, taking a long sip. "But why are you two so awake? Especially you, Rah. I expected you to still be in bed, wrapped around your mafia kingpin."