ArShi One Shots [compiled]

OS | Shaam se Pehle!

originally written for the india-forums' IPKKND 10th Diwali Contest and shared as Entry #1

**english translations for the dialogues aren't added yet;

*

Arnav grumbled to himself at waking up to an empty bed. any major festivities meant Khushi's absence however despite years between them, Arnav hadn't grown used to her absences around festival season. his reverie was broken by the sound of twinkling anklets. he had barely sat up when the doors burst open and Khushi walked in with their five-year-old in her hand. She handed the child with the most mischievous grin on her face to him and walked out the door.

Arnav looked at the child sitting on the edge of his legs and frowned curiously.

"Mein ne saare ladoo kha leye!" Tara clapped as she revealed the dirty details of the crime she had been up to.

Arnav nodded in appreciation before remembering Khushi's red face. "Wait, aur Amma ne kuch nahi kaha?"

His daughter shook her head in a no with a gleeful smile. He looked at the child before him in horror. The Raizada Diwali party had always been the talk of the town and the preparations for Pooja and the Party were usually in full swing since before the big day however sweets were freshly made on the day of Diwali by his dear wife. It appeared to him that his daughter might have taken a little too much after him and forgone the ability to realize that her mother was beyond angry when she didn't even berate her for causing the chaos.

"Chalo!"

"Kahan?" Tara inquired as Arnav got out of the bed and she stood up to jump.

"Tumhari Amma ko manane!" He swung the little girl over his shoulder like a bag of flour and walked downstairs to find the whole house was being decorated with fresh flowers and fairy lights that were yet to be lit. Payal was sitting with her son Aditya and daughter Priya, adding finishing touches to the rangoli past the entrance. Manohar was advising one of the workmen strolling around the twist the strings of flowers or something along those lines.

Arnav wandered off towards the temple in the house to find his grandmother sitting with Laxmi. The poor goat had been going through some tough times. He grimaced at the scene before him and walked towards the kitchen to see Khushi standing by the dinner table with three trays in front of her. She seemed to be rolling ladoos with the speed of lightning. Her hair was pinned back with a hair claw and bunches of it were spilling on her shoulder. She was wearing one of the older suits of hers from earlier in the marriage and appeared to him more beautiful than the day he had first seen her.

"Khushi!!!" He called her. She looked up with a death glare in her eyes at their daughter in his arms.

"Ji?"

"Tara ko tumse kuch kenha hai!" He pleaded his daughters' case. The child in his arms looked at him with a scowl after understanding what her father was expecting. Tara wrapped her arms around Arnav's neck and leaned against his head while pouting at her mother.

"Hum pigalne wale nahi hain!" Khushi replied looking at the father and daughter duo.

For the past two years, at every given occasion Tara would get into some form of mischievousness while the house would be bustling with preparations, and Arnav would then come to plead the case and help Tara apologize. His parenting skills had increased two-folds since Aarav's youth but disagreements between Arnav and Khushi when it came to parenting managed to resurface despite multiple attempts at compromises by both of them.