Quick note – some mild smut ahead, since its Diwali, ArShi romance was mandatory. :P kids below 13(if we have any around), just read first half and scroll to A/N's ok?
--*--
Place: Happy-Souls Animal Shelter, Delhi
He looked at his new family with twinkling eyes. They were looking at him with mixed emotions. But one emotion was common that was being radiated from his new family. It was warmth! He saw 4 adults and 4 little kids, little 'hoomans' (humans). Little humans were his favorite!
That's when he heard some voices
"Khushi, are you sure you all want him? He is only 1 month old" Arnav asked, holding Aru in his arms. He noticed she was surprisingly quite today, looking with a scared sort of expressions around. That was a new..
"Ji Arnav ji. See he is already happy to come to us. But what should we name him?" Khushi asked, pointing at him while Pari was already wiggling in her arms so she stepped near him and sitting on the floor
"Nemo! My favorite movie" Piya said;
"Jumpy! See he is jumping a lot" Kavish pointed out;
"How's Choco? Since he is chocolaty in color" Akash added
"Careful Khushi!" Arnav said as Pari almost jumped from her arms, eager to go to the cute puppy
Khushi rolled her eyes saying, "Don't worry, aapki beti ko girne nahi denge hum (I wont let your daughter fall off my arms)" as if it wasn't her who carried her for 9 months and went through labor to bring her to him!
But that's when the usual calmest kid, Pari spoke, reaching close to the puppy, patting his head
"Teddy!"
Pari probably thought he was a new 'teddy bear' albeit a 'moving' one and already liked him. He too snuggled against her small palm, liking the affectionate caress.
And that is how 'Teddy' decided he liked his new family! And just like that little Teddy became a newest member of Raizada family!
It was decided that he will still stay at animal shelter for a week more, as they needed to take care of his vaccines and other necessary formalities before bringing him home. Nonetheless they all liked their Diwali surprise..
--*--
After they all returned home, they informed Nani and mama-mami about their new 'family member' and all were looking forward to welcome 'Teddy'!
But this week was Diwali, the festival of lights, joy and happiness! Khushi and Payal had already selected the choicest clothes for themselves, the kids and their hubby-dearests! The mansion was decorated with fairy lights and Khushi had managed to get the Rangoli done, with a generous help from Chiku and Piya and not-so generous disturbances from Arnav and Aru!
Kavish and Piya were already excited about the firecrackers although it was decided they will have to only watch from a distance, as Akash and other elders burst them. That didn't stop them from sitting on the porch and watch the skies where already colorful fireworks burst by the neighbors made it look beautiful. Khushi's amma-babuji and buaji were expected to join them too, a car was sent to fetch them. Anjali and her family were going to come on 'Bhai-dooj'.
Khushi was busy with her favorite part of Diwali nights, Diyas (oil-lamps)! She was most happy lighting the lamps in an intrinsic design, although she had to be content with having it in only a corner where her very active toddler daughter wont reach! (pc: uploader and Google)
Arnav had already fed both the girls, though Aru made a fuss about eating Aloo-puri (like her dada, she didn't like oily stuff, except if it was Mathura aloo which it wasn't today). Since this was the festival menu, there weren't many less-oily options. Sighing, Arnav had to think about some ways to feed her and thankfully he came up with an idea. He started narrating her a made-up story about how lions don't make a fuss about eating and grab their food with force. That seemed to work like magic, as Aru was already amused about lions! she started taking a bite much enthusiastically, almost jumping to eat it from Arnav's hand. On second bite though she bit his finger and Arnav shrieked feeling the sting of bite by her little teeth.
Aru looked apologetic for a second but seeing her frown wasn't something Arnav would ever have so he instead laughed it off and that seemed to encourage her. From the next bite till she finished her dinner, she kept lightly biting her dad's fingers as fed her.
Khushi saw this and rolled her eyes at her laad governor husband finding new habit to spoil their already almost-spoilt kid!
She was carrying a box of motichur laddu when Chiku and Piya ran to her. Khushi lovingly fed them a laddu each and when Kavish still stood there with a laddu stuffed in his mouth, Khushi laughed giving him another, knowing why he hadn't left. He jumped with joy, kissed her on her cheek and ran off to the front yard where crackers were being burst under supervision of Akash, mamaji and Prakash brothers.
"feed her too Khushi bitiya" dadi said, who was having Pari with her
"But dadi, is it ok to feed her laddu? I mean its oily and-" this was said by Arnav
"Bilkul thik hai Arnav, its pure ghee(clarified butter) ke laddu, it will do no harm to her" Dadi said as Khushi lovingly fed Pari a bite too and she took it happily.
Unknown to them 'junior ASR' was watching her mamma feed sweets to her bhaiyya, piya didi and pari, basically everyone except her! That was it. She wiggled in Arnav's lap so he would put her down and when he did, she went to her mamma,
"Mamma, I want it too" Arohi demanded making khushi surprised and Arnav chuckle
"Aap kabse laddu khane lagi shona?" Khushi was surprised at Aru's demand since she wasn't much fond of sweets like Chiku. (btw khushi calls her shona sometimes :D)
"But I want laddoo" Aru said pouting her pretty, sweet mouth and that melted her mother
"of course, baccha, here" Khushi fed her a tiny bite of motichur laddu but along with laddu, Aru nipped at Khushi's thumb and finger too, imitating what she did with her dad just now
"ouch, Aru, kya kar rahe ho?" Khushi took her fingers out from Aru's mouth and blew air on it
But the little girl seemed to enjoy her predicament and clapped her hands.
--*--
It was sometime later when Khushi went to their bedroom to fetch something from their room when Arnav too followed her. Well, in his defense it had been too long since he had a moment (or a few) with her alone. 11 hours to be precise! Khushi saw him approaching her and said in a mock anger,
"aapko aur aapki shehzadi ko aise kyun lagta hain ki hum koi khane ki cheez hain? (Why do you and your princess think I am some edible stuff)?" she said as Arnav pulled her in his arms
"You still love us" he said shrugging his shoulders and added, "Waise khane ki nahi but taste karne ki zarur ho (not edible but definitely something to 'taste'). Aru's and my context might be different though, for me the tastiest part is-!" but she didn't let him complete
"Haww besharam(shameless) Laad governor!" she admonished him, keeping her palm on his mouth to stop him from saying anything further. But Arnav is the one to seize the opportunity, right? Kissing her fingers that were pressed against his lips and licking them dramatically, he slowly removed her palm,
"besharmi toh maine abhi shuru bhi nahi ki Khushi kumari gupta singh Raizada(I haven't even started being shameless yet) and I meant tasting you here, what did you think?" Arnav said pecking Khushi on her cherry lips very lightly, but she blushed a pretty shade of pink
"Hatiye, humein jane dijiye (let me go)" Khushi made a futile attempt to get out of his iron hold
"No, I want more of-"
"Urghh Arnavji hatiye na, please. Chiku aa jaygea" she started her list of excuses, a refined one though :P A few new names were added there you see.
"Aane do(let him come), waise bhi mera beta samajhdar hain(my son is very considerate)"
"Toh aapki betiyan jayengi(your daughters might come)" she pulled another recent excuse
"Khushi jabse bacche paida hue hain, you have got new reasons to spoil romance. But I am not having any of it. Now come on, be a good girl and let me have a taste" saying so he leaned close to her and her eyes automatically closed, already giving in to his demand...
--*--
It was past midnight when the Raizada house finally went to sleep on Diwali night, what with all the festival mood that surrounded the house, the guests, oil-lamps(diya's) still lighting, fairy lights adorning the mansion and sweet aroma of the confections surrounding the air. They all had most peaceful sleeps (and some had eventful ones like Arnav and Khushi :P)
And now they all waited for next week to welcome a new family member, their new pet, Teddy!
--*--
A/N – Wish you all a Happy and prosperous Diwali folks and please extend warm welcome to 'Teddy'! he is here to win hearts 😊 I chose a German Shepherd btw, thinking with that ridiculously big house of theirs, it's like an ideal one for them. I had done some basic reading before writing about German Shepherd here but if any of you have them, do share experience
originally posted: nov 3, 2021