Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 134

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the floor. Meera was already at the dining table, her laptop open, reports sprawled in front of her. A cup of coffee sat untouched beside her as she flipped through pages, occasionally making notes.

Luna, ever the queen of comfort, was stretched out near the balcony door, basking in the sunlight, her fur warm and gleaming.

The apartment was quiet-Rahul and Athiya were still asleep, exhaustion finally catching up with them after the whirlwind of the last few days. It wasn't unusual; Meera had always been the first to wake up. Years of discipline at the academy had made sure of that.

She turned another page, mind deep in her work-until the door swung open with an ease that was too casual, too practiced.

Hardik.

She didn't even look up. "I know you have a key. But, you could at least knock."

Hardik chuckled, shutting the door behind him. "Where's the fun in that?"

Meera exhaled, shaking her head as she finally looked up at him. He stood there, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips, dressed in his usual easy-going way-ripped jeans, a loose t-shirt, but there was always something grounded about him, something that made people take him seriously even when he wasn't trying.

"Breakfast?" he asked, glancing at the neatly set table.

"Made some," Meera said, already looking back at her reports. "Help yourself."

Hardik stepped forward, but instead of heading for the food, he leaned over the table, placing a hand on the edge and glancing at the files. "How are you even awake?"

Meera rolled her eyes. "Some of us actually function in the mornings."

Hardik smirked. "Correction-some of you overwork in the mornings."

She ignored him, flipping to another page, but Hardik wasn't done messing with her yet. He reached out, plucked the pen from her fingers, and spun it between his own.

Meera narrowed her eyes. "Hardik."

Hardik grinned. "Meera."

A stand-off.

Meera sighed, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed. "Do you ever get intimidated?"

Hardik raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. "By you?" He smirked. "All the time."

Meera wasn't buying it. "Sure."

Hardik leaned in just a fraction, enough for her to feel his presence, his voice dropping just slightly. "You're terrifying, Meeru. Absolutely intimidating."

Meera held his gaze, but the warmth in his eyes, the way his smirk softened at the edges-it was always impossible to tell whether he was teasing or being completely serious.

She grabbed her pen back, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

Hardik grinned, finally stepping back. "And you love it."

Meera didn't dignify that with a response. Instead, she pushed a plate toward him. "Eat."

Hardik took it with a dramatic sigh. "Yes, ma'am."

And as he settled onto the couch, stealing a bite of toast and nudging Luna with his foot, the morning settled into an easy rhythm-the kind that made Meera almost forget how fast life had been moving.

Hardik had barely taken a bite of his toast before his gaze flickered back to Meera, who was already buried in her reports again.

He sighed dramatically, setting his plate down and leaning forward. "You do realize breakfast is meant to be eaten, right? Not just made for others?"