One shots ( Ashaangi )

Say you won't let go!! - 2

Part 2 is here.... Read part 1 before reading it.

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Adi stumbled into the dimly lit room, catching himself just before he bumped into the bed. His gaze softened as he looked at their two-year-old daughter, Aaradhya lying peacefully under a warm blanket. Her little hand rested near her face, her breaths soft and even, a small hint of a smile lingering as if she were dreaming sweet dreams.

At the doorway, Sitara leaned against the frame, quietly wiping away the last of her tears. She took a shaky breath, steadying herself before stepping inside her room.

She stopped just behind him, her eyes drifting from his profile to their sleeping daughter.

Adi didn't turn around but sensed her presence, a silent understanding passing between them. After a moment, he whispered,

Adithya: "She looks so much like you when she sleeps."

Sitara swallowed the lump in her throat, whispering back,

Sitara: "She has your stubbornness, though." A faint smile tugged at her lips, but it was tinged with sadness.

The weight of their unspoken emotions lingered in the air as they stood there, watching over the one they both loved most, bound together yet feeling worlds apart.

Adi's gaze softened as he looked down at their little girl, Aaradhya, lying peacefully on the bed.

His usually guarded expression melted, showing a rare tenderness that reminded Sitara of the man he used to be—the man who once wore his heart on his sleeve, especially around her.

He sat beside Aaradhya, moving carefully, as if afraid a single wrong move might wake her. Slowly, he reached out, his fingers brushing lightly over her tiny hand, then tracing her soft cheek. His touch was feather-light, filled with a gentleness that Sitara hadn't seen in him for so long. Her heart ached, watching him so quietly vulnerable.

Sitting on the couch across the room, Sitara tried to stay guarded, to keep her emotions at bay, knowing how fleeting these moments could be—knowing they would likely vanish by morning.

After a few silent moments, he whispered almost to himself, his voice soft and full of wonder,

Adithya: "How did we make something so perfect?"

Sitara, seated on the couch, tried not to let her heart get carried away. But hearing his voice, so unguarded, made it difficult to keep her distance.

Adi continued, gently brushing a stray hair off the baby's forehead.

Adithya: "She has your eyes," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Thank God for that. Otherwise, she'd be stuck with my stubborn face."

Sitara couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face. She could almost see a glimpse of the old Adi, the one who used to make her laugh with ease.

As Aaradhya stirred in her sleep, Adi instinctively began to pat her back.

Adithya: "Shh, baby... Daddy's here," he whispered soothingly. She relaxed, her tiny hand curling around his finger, and he let out a soft chuckle. "Guess I'm still useful for something, huh?"

Sitara's chest tightened at his words. She wanted to believe that this moment was real, that maybe the Adi she knew was still there somewhere.

She finally spoke up, her voice just above a whisper.

Sitara: "She always sleeps better when you're around."

Adi glanced up, meeting her gaze across the room. For a second, his eyes held a warmth and gentleness she hadn't seen in years.