(Abhay's POV)
(3 months later...)
Today was the day, the day where my daughter would come into this world. Diana and mom both saw this full moon night as the night of her birth. Piya was sleeping peacefully in bed. She didn't get much sleep the night before, and I wanted her to get ample rest before the delivery.
She was glowing while she slept, a small smile adorning her delicate features. I leaned over her and kissed her lightly on her full pink lips. She woke up on her own. I watched her from a corner. She threw her hair back and looked outside the window. The sun was shining bright inside the room. She tried to get up from bed, struggling just a little from the weight of the baby, but she managed to do so. I surprised her from behind and joining our hands at her sides. I rocked her back and forth on my feet.
"Excited jaan?" I asked.
"Very." She said. She turned and pecked a kiss on my nose. "I will finally get to hold my angel in my arms."
"She will be just like you. Beautiful and wonderful." I said. She blushed.
"And she'll be naughty and intelligent like you." She told me.
"Naughty? That's a new one." I smirked and lifted an eyebrow.
I spent the entire day looking after her and spending time with her. Once the moon rose tonight, our baby would be joining us. We sat in the swing out in the garden. Piya was kicking her legs back and forth like a child. I was heavily amused by this. She talked about all the things we would do with angel once she was born. We even had to decide on a proper name for her. I had one in mine, but I kept mum about it. Piya was eager to know.
Night fell soon before we knew it, and that's when the contractions began. I rushed Piya to our room, and luckily Diana and mom were already prepared. Piya grasped my hand while panting for breaths. She wanted me to stay with her, for which mom granted permission. Everyone else was waiting outside closed doors. I rested my hand on her forehead and grasped her hand with the other, kneeling on the floor.
"Just look at me jaan." I coaxed her. She turned to stare at me with her baby brown eyes. "You're doing fine."
Diana signaled Piya to start chanting a spell that would help get angel out safely, without her resorting to chewing out of Piya and maybe harming herself. She gasped for breaths, but she kept chanting it. After just moments of doing this, Piya finally relaxed and took deep breaths. A shrill cry was the only sound in the room. Piya and I smiled wide at the beautiful sound. I kissed her on the forehead.
"She's so beautiful." Mom said. I turned around to see her holding angel in a fluffy white blanket. She was playing with the fabric in her small hands. I got up and approached them.
"Take her carefully." Mom smiled, handing her off to me. She looked a lot like Piya, her cheeks, forehead, and nose. She had my lips and eyes. She gazed around the room in curiosity, then kicked around in the blanket for a while. I placed the lightest kiss on her forehead, hearing her coo in response. I looked at her and found her smiling at me. She reached out for my finger and grasped it in her tiny fist.
*Papa.* She said in my head. I gave her another kiss on her hand that was so tightly grasping my finger.
Piya was waiting eagerly to see her. Diana helped her sit up, and I sat down next to her. She cried tears of joy as she took angel into her arms, immediately showering her with lovable kisses. Angel snuggled closer to Piya, recognizing her as her mother immediately. The moonlight shine through the curtains and hit angel's arm, unmasking a small mark on her left arm, a small crescent moon and small patterns branching from it.
"You had those too Piya, when you were a baby." Diana said. "They are the first kind of runes a moonlight witch could have. Her powers will emerge when she becomes about the same age that you gained your powers Piya. Oh and by the way, I brought angel her present." She pulled out the teddy bear that she showed us when we found out about the pregnancy. She handed it to me, and I showed it to angel, who was now putting up a fight to grasp the bear by its ears. She started crying due to a quick failure. I placed the bear in her grasp, which managed to pacify her.
"She's so cute Abhay."
"Just like her mother." I said, nuzzling her cheek. She blushed.
Everyone else came in and saw angel. Bhabhi was the most excited. She loved kids, and saw angel as her own daughter. Sid was happy on seeing her like this, it had been a while since she was this happy. Angel captured everyone's heart, even Dad's.
"What will you name her?" Sid asked. "Angel is only her nickname, right?"
"Right." I said. "I have thought of a name."
"What is it Abhay?!" Piya said, excitedly.
"Come here." I whispered it into her ear. She gasped in joy.
"That's a beautiful name." She said.
"What's is it?" Bhabhi asked. I signaled Piya to tell them.
"Aashna." She said. Everyone smiled in response. They had liked the name. "We can call her Aashi for short."
"Perfect for this little bundle of joy." Bhabhi came to her and kissed her small cheeks. She giggled. It was a wonderful sound.
"Do you like that Aashi?" Piya asked her. She touched Piya's arm and smiled.
"She told me she likes it." Piya said happily.
"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful baby." Mom said. She caressed Aashi gently, who was now looking at mom curiously.
The three of us were soon left alone, as Aashi was feeling hungry and Piya had to feed her.
"Can I watch jaan?" I smirked. She gasped in shame.
"No at all." She stuck her tongue out at me mockingly, then shut the door in my face.
(Piya's POV)
Aashi was playing with the blanket as I took her to the rocking chair. She gazed curiously around the room, and at one point reaching out for the stuffed animals in the corner.
"Just wait Aashi. You can play with them soon." She looked at me and then continued to play with the blanket. I handled her carefully as I let her suckle at my nipple. It was an odd but enjoyable feeling. She sucked quickly in hunger but gently. Once she was finished, she snuggled deep into the blanket and slowly fell asleep. I rocked her in the chair, in a soothing rhythm. She tightly grasped my finger.
Abhay was sitting on the bed, working. Right when he saw us, he left everything he was doing and focused his attention on us. I gave Aashi to him.
"She's so beautiful." He whispered. I leaned against his shoulder.
"And I'm not?" I raised an eyebrow, teasing him.
"Of course you are jaan. I'm lucky to have the two most beautiful girls in the universe." He gave me a kiss.
Our lives were complete. Aashi had completed it. Days passed slowly, and our bond grew stronger. Especially Abhay's and her's. I watched in hiding whenever Abhay fed her blood, which was every three days. He watched her lovingly as she held and sucked at the bottle. He always managed to pacify her more quickly than I could, and took care of her every want. He was the best father to her.
She was 3 months old today. Misha had invited us for her engagement ceremony with Kabir. Abhay had bought her a pink frock and a headband with a pick flower on it. She looked so adorable in it. And she liked it too. Right from the time I had dressed her, she was giggling and kicking around on the bed. Abhay was lying next to her, highly amused by her antics. I was watching her through the mirror as I got ready myself. She grabbed her favorite stuffed tiger and cuddled with it. I had found that while shopping for clothes for her. She wanted it at first sight. It was like her best friend now.
"Look how brave my daughter is. Tigers over bunnies." Abhay said, chuckling. I laughed.
She then grabbed her teething ring on her side and began to gnaw on it. It was most of the time a signal that she wanted blood today, and she knew she had to wait for it. I went and cradled her in my arms.
"Is my angel hungry?" I asked. She kicked harder and faster. Then she grabbed my finger and spoke to me.
*Yes.* She looked at me with pleading eyes. Abhay was already on it. I handed her back to him once he had the blood with him. He cradled her gently and watched as she reached out for the bottle. He sat on the chair near the fireplace and fed her while I finished up my work.
(Abhay's POV)
I only fed her one bottle of blood every three days, to make sure that she would satisfy her hunger in other ways. I didn't want to make her like me, who was completely dependent on blood. She drank all of it within 10 minutes. I took the bottle from her mouth and set it aside. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and watched her fidget around and then relax. She always fell asleep after she was fed.
I cradled her in my arms and went to see Piya. I was mesmerized by her. She was wearing a light blue anarkali, which was covered in sparkly sequins. She had worn matching earrings and a diamond pendant. She took sleeping Aashi from me and smiled.
"Where are you lost Abhay?" She asked curiously. I caressed her cheek.
"I'm captured in my Piya's beauty." I said. She blushed. "Shall we?" I said.
"Let's go." She said.
Aashi woke up during the car ride. She rubbed her face a little and crumpled the blanket in her palm.
"Awake, angel?" Aashi cooed. She giggled.
Piya stood her up against the window. She touched the reflection of the moon with her palm. She cooed and began to smack the window in that area and also kicked her feet against Piya's thigh.
"Excited, are you?" She said. Aashi let out a small giggle.
We reached shortly. I took the gift for Misha and Kabir and we went up to the front steps. Misha opened the door, fully dressed in a golden lehenga. She gasped in surprise.
"Hey you two! Glad you could make it!" She hugged us both and took Aashi in her arms.
"Hey Aashi....looking absolutely adorable today!" She said. Aashi clapped her hands and giggled. "Come on in." She invited us in. I dropped the gift off at the designated table and joined Piya, who was talking to Kabir and Misha.
"Congrats Kabir." I hugged him.
"Thanks dude." He said. "Glad to see you three here." He took Aashi from Misha and tossed her in the air. She was highly amused.
"How's my baby doll?" He asked her. She smiled. "Good."
Piya took her back, and she buried her face in the crook of her neck. She loved attention, but at the same time she was also shy. It was an odd but adorable nature.
The engagement went along smoothly. Misha and Kabir put on the rings on each other's fingers. The ceremony ended shortly, and we soon broke off into socializing. Some went into dancing in the center of the hall. I asked Misha on the side to watch Aashi for us. I wanted to dance with Piya today. Misha gladly took Aashi with her, and I went to Piya. She was fixing her hair in the mirror. I wrapped my arms around her waist and offered my hand.
"May I have this dance?" I asked. I saw her smile through the mirror.
"You may." She took my waiting hand.
I took her to the dance floor and we swayed to each and every note. We were in our own little world once again. I held her gently by the waist and swayed her slowly. I knew that tomorrow was a special day for the both of us. I wanted to spend every moment of it with her. The spotlight shifted onto us, while everyone clapped around us. Even Aashi was clapping playfully. I went for the twirl and dip, then pulled her close to me for the finale.
"I love you Piya."
"I love you too Abhay." Then I placed a slow, passionate kiss on her lips. And the incarnation of our eternal love was complete.