ABHISAR

The first rays of dawn filtered through the window, casting a soft, golden glow across the room.

I stirred slowly, the gentle warmth of the morning sun drawing me from the depths of sleep.

When I blinked my eyes open, the coolness of the night air replaced by the warmth of the woman in my arms, I found her there—Nupur, sleeping peacefully against my chest.

Her features were serene, her face relaxed in a way that made her look almost ethereal. Her dark hair, spread across the pillow, framed her face like a halo.

Each strand seemed to shimmer in the morning light, and I found myself tracing the soft lines of her features with my eyes. Her lips, slightly parted, held the faintest curve of a smile, as if even in sleep, she was content.

Her beauty was the kind that took my breath away.

Her lashes rested delicately against her cheeks, her skin glowing in the dawn’s light, and I could see the soft rise and fall of her chest, her breathing deep and steady.

The fight from the night before seemed like a distant memory now, washed away by the tenderness of the night we had shared.

We had made love, yes, but it wasn’t just the physical intimacy that had brought us together—it was the unspoken forgiveness, the way our hearts had found their way back to each other without needing words.

I pulled her closer, careful not to wake her, and when I held her, I felt the depth of my love for her in a way I couldn’t fully express.

She was my everything—my solace, my strength, my companion in this life.

And lying here, with her in my arms, her body pressed against mine, I realized how much I hated the moments when we fought. The distance, even when it was only emotional, was unbearable. I never wanted to be apart from her again.

Her skin, soft and warm, glowed in the morning light.

I ran my fingers gently over her arm, the curve of her waist, savoring the quiet intimacy of this moment. I wanted to protect her, to love her, to make sure she never doubted how much she meant to me. The night had reminded me of that—how fragile and precious love truly is.

I watched her for a while longer, memorizing the peaceful expression on her face, the way her brows didn’t furrow, the way her lips seemed to radiate warmth. She looked so peaceful, so perfect, as though nothing in the world could disturb her.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. My wife.

As the warmth of the morning sun grew, I felt her shift slightly in my arms. Her eyelashes fluttered, and slowly, her eyes opened, hazy with sleep.

Our gazes met, and for a moment, neither of us spoke.

There was no need for words. Her dark eyes, still soft with the remnants of dreams, locked with mine, and I could see the quiet love there, the same love that had carried us through the night.

A faint smile curved on her lips as she stretched slightly, pressing her body closer to mine.

“Abhisar,” her voice was barely a whisper, husky with sleep, as though she had just been pulled from the comfort of her dreams.

Her eyes still held that sleepy warmth.

“Uth gayi, meri jaan.”

I murmured, my voice low and rough, still coated with the softness of sleep. I ran my fingers through her hair, gently pushing the loose strands away from her face.

She smiled wider now, her lips parting slightly as she let out a soft sigh.

“Aap itni jaldi kyu jaag Gaye?”

"Why are you awake so early?" she asked, her voice still drowsy, as though the world beyond us didn’t exist just yet.

“Aapko dekhne se jee nahi bhar Raha tha humara,”

"I couldn’t stop looking at you," I admitted quietly, leaning in to brush my lips against her forehead.

“Aur aap itni pyari aur shaant lag rahi thi...aapko uthaane ka dil nahi hua humara.”

"You looked so peaceful… I didn’t want to wake you."

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she buried her face in the crook of my neck, her breath warm against my skin.

“Aap utha dete na Hume.”

"You should have woken me," she murmured playfully, her voice muffled against me.

“Aapki baahon me aur ache se uth jate hum.”

"I would have liked to wake up in your arms properly."

I chuckled softly, tightening my arms around her.

“Itni khubsurti se toh uthi hain, ab kitne ache se uth jati aap?”

She tilted her head back slightly to look up at me, her eyes twinkling with love and mischief.

“Aap subhe subhe aisi hi baatein karte hai humesha humare saath, meethi - meethi.”

"You always say the sweetest things in the morning," she teased, her fingers trailing lazily across my chest, sending little sparks through me.

“Shayad isliye kyuki humari subah duniya ki sabse khubsurat aur pyari ladki ke saath hoti hai?”

"Maybe it's because I wake up next to the most beautiful and sweetest woman,"

I whispered, leaning down to capture her lips in a gentle kiss. It was soft, unhurried, like the first light of dawn spilling into the room—warm, comforting, and full of love.

When we pulled apart, she rested her head back on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy circles over my skin.

The quiet between us was filled with a peaceful contentment, the kind that came after a storm had passed.

“Uthiye.. taiyyar nahi hona hai aapko, apne mayeke jaane ke liye?”

["Get up... Aren't you supposed to get ready to go to your maternal home?"]

She nodded her head silently.

“Kab aayengi wapas?”

["When will you come back?"]

I asked, intertwining our fingers together.

She closed her eyes, sighing,

“Abhi toh hum Gaye bhi nahi, aap lautne ki baat karne lage?”

["I haven't even left yet, and you're already talking about coming back?"]

I gulped, although she was trying to make this funny.

“Aapke bina neend nahi aati Hume, aap janti hai na?”

["I can't sleep without you, you know that, right?"]

She nodded her head and placed her forearms over my chest, resting her chin upon her hands and looked into my eyes.

“Um— aap chal hi rahe hai toh ruk jaiyega na humare sath hi.”

["Um— since you're going, will you stop with me?"]

I cupped her cheek, gazing softly into her eyes.

“Aap jaanti hai Nupur, yeh nahi ho sakta, fir ek hi baat dauhrane se kya faida, bataiye Hume?”

["You know, Nupur, this can't happen. So what's the point of repeating the same thing, tell me?"]

She sighed.

“Kahiye, kab aaengi wapas?”

["Tell me, when will you come back?"]

While drawing patterns upon my bare skin of chest, she muttered,

“Do hafta?”

["Two weeks?"]

I gasped, “Do hafta?” I let out a soft laugh, “Mazak kar rahi hai na aap?”

She shook her head slowly,

“Itne dinon baad Jaa rahe hai, do hafta toh rukenge na Kam se kam. Fir kya pata kab jaane mile Hume?”

["I'm going after so many days, so I'll stay for at least two weeks, right? Who knows when I'll get to go again?"]

I whined,

“Nupur, do hafta nahi jaan, hum kaise jiyenge aapke bina akele?”

["Nupur, I can't live alone without you for two weeks."]

She chuckled,

“Humare shaadi se pehle jaise jee rahe the, aur kaise?”

["How were you living before our marriage, and how?"]

I pulled her close and murmured against her lips,

“Tab hum aapse pyaar bhi toh nahi karte the. Ab toh apne Bina saans Lena na-mumkin lagta hai hume.”

["Back then, I didn't love you. Now, it feels impossible to breathe without you."]

She laughed.

“Aap toh aisi baatein kar rahe hai jaise hum aapko sada ke liye chhor kar Jaa rahe hai.”

["You're talking as if I'm leaving you forever."]

I frowned, and moved away a little,

“Kaisi baatein kar rahin hai aap subah subah? Bolne se pehle sochti nahi hain bilkul?”

["What are you saying so early in the morning? Don't you think before you speak at all?"]

She moved close and cupped my cheeks, making me look into her eyes,

“Aap jyada soch lete hai, Abhisar. Hum toh bas yuhi.”

["You overthink things, Abhisar. I'm just saying it like that."]

“Nahi. Aisi baatein karengi toh aapko jaane ki ijazat bhi nahi denge hum. Samjhi aap?”

["No. If you talk like that, I won't even allow you to go. Do you understand?"]

“Abhisar,” she placed a lingering kiss over my lips, “Kaha jayenge aapko chhor kar hum? Jahan jayenge aap aa hi jaiyega humare pass. Hume malum hai.”

["Where will you I without you? Wherever I'll go, you'll come finding me. I know."]

“Aapse door hona hume ek chhan ke liye bhi gawara nahi hai, Nupur. Aap humari sab kuch hai.”

"I can’t bear to be away from you, even for a second. You’re my everything, Nupur."

She lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine again, and I could see the sincerity in her gaze.

“Aur aap humare, Abhisar.”

"And you’re mine, Abhisar." Her voice, though still hazy with sleep, was filled with a quiet certainty, a promise of forever.

We remained silent for a few minutes.

Then, Nupur stirred gently in my arms before slowly slipping out from under the covers.

I watched as she stood at the edge of the bed, her bare skin glowing in the early light, reaching for her saree that lay crumpled on the chair.

She began wrapping it around her body, her movements slow and deliberate, still recovering from the intensity of last night.

When she pulled the pallu over her shoulder, I noticed the way her legs wobbled slightly, reminding me of how we had lost ourselves in each other just hours ago.

A small smile crept onto my face as I leaned back against the pillow, watching her, admiring her. There was something so graceful, so intimate, about these quiet moments after our passion, when the world was still asleep, and it was just the two of us.

She took a few tentative steps towards the bathroom, her saree loosely draped around her, and just as she reached the door, I called out softly, my voice still laced with the remnants of sleep.

“Nupur…”

She paused and turned to look at me, her eyes meeting mine, still sleepy but filled with warmth.

“Hum aa sakte hai aapke sath?”

"Should I join you?"