Since then

Ch 9

Ishan laid beside Shubman, the latter was already fast asleep. He held his hands tightly so Ishan doesn't feel scared anymore. Ishan turned his head to look at the sleeping boy with a fond smile.

"Shubi" Ishan whispered, still smiling at the sleeping boy.

He couldn't form anymore words.
Ishan felt overwhelmed with emotions, for everything that Shubman did for him, taking care of every little necessities of him, Shubman proved how much he meant when he said "I will fulfill all your wishes" during the wedding arrangements.

He looked at the Shubman's hand, how his fingers entangled in his hand protectively , even when Shubman is in deep slumber.

Ishan didn't know what love is, but maybe somehow, he knew he might fall in that unknown mirage soon...

He doesn't know what Shubman thinks, but Ishan decided, he would try his best to play the role of a proper husband, as long as Shubman stays with him. That's the least he has to offer for the boy.

Ishan closed his eyes, a string of tear slipped from his eye but the smile never left his face. Ishan slipped into dreamland with the same familiar warmth blooming in his heart.

Shubman woke up the next morning, finding the side of his bed empty.
He yawned, looking around his room to find a certain shortie.

"Shubi, Uth Gaye aap" Ishan came in with a cup of tea in his hand.

"I took out your clothes and ironed it, you can go fresh up and change. I am making the breakfast it will be ready quickly and here is your tea" Ishan rambled on while keeping the cup on the bedside table, rushing to gather his fountain pen and few paper to bring to his first day of college.

Shubman got a telephone the day before from college that he is selected and his classes will be starting from the next day.

Seeing the him move here and there impatiently, Shubman wondered, "wasn't the house-help suppose to come from today?"

Ishan stopped his activities, standing still holding a bunch of papers.

"She didn't come?" Shubman asked again, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Um, actually" Ishan stuttered out.

"Kya Ishan?" Shubman got up, approaching the boy who was currently fidgeting his fingers.

"I- I dismissed her" Ishan turned at him, his head hanging low.

"Why? Was there any problem?"

"No" Ishan shook his head "I- I am here, I can do her works. Yoh don't need to pay for extra"

Shubman shied, "I told you Ishan, you don't have to think about these things. You don't have to do any work"

Ishan looked up at Shubman, a little pout forming on his lips, "But, you do everything for me... I wanna do something too.."

Despite of the slight displeasure, Shubman couldn't help but smile a little at the cuteness of his husband.

"Ishan, you  just need to study well, that thing alone can pay off all the things I do for you" Shubman said, patting his head gently.

"You aren't going to work early in the morning anymore, plus  your college is starting. Take your time to prepare yourself for that. The house-help  is going to come everyday." Shubman ordered, Ishan nodded a bit reluctantly.

"Now go and pick a nice cloth from my cupboard, sorry your clothes are still not stitched. I will try to get them by today evening." Shubman said, pushing Ishan slightly towards the cupboard.

Ishan opened the cupboard, eyes catching that one white shirt he found fascinating from the first day. He picked it up. A white shirt with slightly puffy full sleeves, hem of the having a round lace linings, the line of pretty silver coloured buttons also having a slim lace lining.
Ishan had seen few English people wearing this, he found them pretty. It might be a bit faminine, but that's what he liked about design.

Ishan changed into the shirt, luckily unlike shubman's other clothes this wasn't much big on me. It fit him perfectly, so he paired it up with black pants.

Ishan smiled at himself in the mirror, picking the comb to set his mullets which grew up as he didn't get the chance to cut his hair for awhile. Not like Ishan was complaining, he liked the way he looked with it.

Ishan didn't realised when Shubman came back all dressed up, observing him patiently.

"Hey"
the sudden morning voice made Ishan flinch a little, he looked at him side.

Shubman chuckled at his reaction, "I have a present for you"

"Again? You have already gave me enough things Shubi" Ishan said.

"It's something nice, close your eyes!"
Shubman demanded.

"Alright!" Ishan closed his eyes excitedly.

Shubman tooks his hand, placing a necklace made of white pearls.
"Now open "

Ishan quickly opened his eyes, observing the accessory in his hands.
Ishan's eyes widened, as he quickly checked the thing once again before looking up at  Shubman.
"It's- it's the same-"

"The same one from the fair yeah, I saw you had an eye on them. So I decided to gift on your first day of college."

Ishan stood there speechless. He stared at Shubman dumbfounded.

Maybe it was a small act, but for Ishan it was a big deal. Growing up Ishan never had someone to support his liking, or someone to gift him something. His parents were never the type to gift him the things he liked, resulting Ishan to have least amount of toys in his friends circle. Later as an elder sibling from poor family, he had forget about thinking for himself.

Tears threatend to come out of Ishan's eye corners.

"You don't like them Ishan? But I remember you looking at them with heart eyes..." Shubman asked, doubting if he observed his reactions right.

Ishan controlled his emotions, smiling wide at Shubman. "I loved it, thank you again Shubi"
Ishan put on the necklace looking at the mirror.

Shubman smiled back showing his dimples, he stood behind Ishan looking at their reflection on the mirror. Shubman approached his shaky hands, fixing the back of the necklace.

"Beautiful" the compliment slipped out of Shubman's mouth, as he looked at the boy on the mirror. It would be a sin of Shubman denied his feelings again this time, which screamed that Ishan literally looked like an angel in that attire. The white shirt , necklace with his slightly long hair made him look ever so ethereal that Shubman almost couldn't take his eyes off.

Shubman quickly shook his head a little, trying to shake off the unwanted thoughts floating in his mind.

"I will go eat" Shubman said, leaving from there.

Ishan  bit his lower lip , shyly touching the white pearls. Again a tear slipped out of his left eye, he quickly wiped it off , smiling.

Shubman didn't know alongside of saving the boy, he was healing his inner child.

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How was it? I really hope it's not boring ya all😭