ArShi One Shots [compiled]

OS | Shaam se Pehle!

"Come on Khushi! Aaj toh Diwali hai! Kya ghussa karna!"

"Sorry, Amma!" Tara said more quietly while still clinging to her father.

Khushi looked at the two before giving up on the anger, "Acha theek hai koi baat nahi! Kamazkam yeh bhoog ke ladoo toh nahi the na!" She said recalling Arnav letting Aarav sneak ladies from the bhoog the first two Diwalis after their marriage. Arnav bit back his smile before moving towards Khushi.

He peeked around to see everyone busy with their chores and placed a kiss on Khushi's cheek. She finally smiled and gave a playful glare to him, asking to be left with the chores so she's not too distracted..

"No, we'll help out! Right, Tara?!" Arnav replied firmly.

"Nahi bilkhul nahi!" Khushi panicked remembering the last time Arnav, Aarav and Tara tried to help out! It had taken poor Hari Prakash ji about three hours to clean up the mess created by the family. She ended up pushing the two away and after some exaggerated sighing and dramatic frowns, the father and daughter ended up leaving her to the chores at hand.

—

Arnav looked at the clock to see the hands turn to three. Khushi was nowhere to be seen, and he was sure she had ended up skipping out on lunch by excusing it with 'I ate while I was making as a reason. He walked out from his study to see the house ready for the evening's party. His eyes searched for the one person he had been dying to pull into his arms since he had woken up but instead saw his sister walking in alongside his former assistant, Aman sitting in the bethak with Manorama.

"Khushi kahan hai?" He inquired walking up to the lot

"Bahar dekha tha!—" Aman replied.

"Okay!" Arnav nodded before Aman could complete his sentence and walked out towards the gardens to see Khushi and Aarav pouring oil into the diye.

"Khushiiii!!" He called her out. She took a second as she finished pouring the oil into one of the diya pots.

"Hmm?" She looked up absently

"Ghar mein itne sare log hain koi aur kar lega! Chalo khanna kah ne!"

"Arre thore aur toh rehtein hain!" She said while continuing to fill the remaining empty pots.

Aarav smiled watching his father stand with an indignant look on his face. He was glad to be home for the holiday this year because it was moments like these that made him more homesick than he ever imagined while being away at college.

"Maa aap jao, mein kardoon ga!" He said to Khushi whose eyes were shining with pride as she looked up at her son. She had been missing Aarav since the day he had left for the semester but when he called to let her know he can come for a week during Diwali, she was beyond ecstatic. Her son was all grown up and all she could do was look at him with joy!

She smiled at Aarav and finally agreed to come along with her husband who was quick to hold onto her hand in case she remembered something else to do.

—

Khushi stepped out of the bathroom, showered, and dressed in the sari gifted to her by her husband in the same color as the one she would wear every year for Diwali. She headed towards the vanity table to pick up the jewels he had given this year when he, himself walked into their room.

"Hey, you!" He smiled at her as he walked up towards her, snaked his arms around her waist, and kissed her shoulder.

"Arnav ji, I have half an hour to get ready! Don't distract me yet!"

"Acha baba!!" He sat on the recliner observing her put on the jewels, refill her part, and pin-up half of her hair. She saw his eyes on hers from the mirror and smiled. At times it didn't feel like they had nine years in between them and then at times, it felt as if nothing had changed since the first day.

Festivities would often be hectic and instead of disciplining their children, Arnav let them get carried away with anything they want. She had slowly come to understand that he simply wanted both their children to feel that he was able to fulfill anything they desired and wanted. He had also come around to the prospect of having the children learn the value of presents and rewards at the right time however he couldn't help but spoil the children to the best of his abilities. He wanted them to know that they are loved and wanted, something that remained missing from his childhood.

"Aap Tara ki har baat pe bohot asani se man jatein hai!" She said while putting the jhumkas in her ear, "Abhi woh sirf into si hai aur abhi se usse aisa lagta hai ke woh jo karma chahe wo woh kar sakti hai!"

Arnav was not in a mood for a parental argument but after multiple discussions, he knew that Khushi wasn't wrong.

"You know I'm trying Khushi!" He said softly.

She looked to meet his eyes and nodded. "Dono tayaar hain na?" She asked referring to the children knowing that these conversations not going to go forward at least for now.

"Haan, I think so!"

She put the finishing touches of makeup on her face before turning around to face her husband who had been dutifully observing her. "Theek hai na?" She inquired nervously

"Beautiful! Hamesha ki tarha!" He got up to pull her towards him.

He had just brushed her tendrils away from her eyes when the knock on the door interrupted them. Khushi giggled at the scowl on Arnav's face as he went to open the door. Tara in Aman's arms alongside Aarav was standing at their door.

"Bulva aya hai aap dono ke leye!" Aman added with a little chip to his tone.

Khushi rolled her eyes as she followed her husband and their kids downstairs. She had grown fond of Aman since his marriage with Anjali but it had grown increasingly hard to forgive him for his interruptions since their first Diwali to date. She was perhaps lost in the recollections of their first Diwali because it took Arnav to nudge her shoulder for her to pay attention that she was walking away from the temple in the house instead of standing still.

"Kya hua?"

"Kuch nahi!"

"Khushi!"

"Bas pehli diwali yaad aa gai!" She whispered to him as they stood behind the children, and the remaining family members.

He looked at her with a questioning look until the thaal for the pooja was handed to them. At times being able to understand Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada astounded Arnav but he shrugged and tabled the conversation for later in the evening.

Once the respects were paid, the temple was cleared from the house's residents and Anjali ushered everyone towards the flower wall decorated around the beginning halls of the house to take photos and exchange presents before the arrival of guests for the evening.

As the two stood next to one another, they couldn't help but wish each other a Happy Diwali with sparkling eyes at each other. The children busied themselves with their siblings with the new presents, while the adults slowly scattered to greet the incoming guests.

As the evening progressed, their eyes failed to leave each other's until Arnav had successfully gotten both of them to escape to their poolside. They chuckled at their reality before letting it sink in, that their world was complete in the most serene ways possible.