The Parental Partners

8. Being Together

*Purely Fictional Story*

AN: Double update to make up for my absence last week!

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16+ [All kiddos, quickly scroll down till you see the 2 straight lines please]

Neither knew how they managed to reach their apartment. They found themselves at his house on the sofa. Not wasting a moment, they were in each other's arms, pouring out their passion through their lips. She was struggling for breath and let go of his collar. "Naan paatu paaduven naa super singer nu solla vendiyadhu, aana breath control ivalo poor a iruke maa." He teased her while she pouted. "Yov paal packet, yaaro.." her words were lost when he pulled her back for a kiss, pulling her entire petite body close against his tall broad frame. She, now a few passionate kisses more experienced, learnt that running her fingers through his hair trumped holding his collar. When they finally broke free, she realized she was sitting on his lap and he was nuzzling her neck. "Kurukuru" she laughed making him nuzzle more. She suddenly caught his face and looked deep into his eyes. He held her closer, if that was even possible, and questioned with his eyes if all was ok. She squeezed her eyes in affirmation and placed a kiss on his forehead. He felt moved and caught her for another liplock. It was as if his response to every action of hers was to capture her lips and devour them.

When they pulled back this time, both were panting. "Yaaro our kids will always be our priority nu sonnan, aana ippo avangala paaka kooda pogala" she giggled while he continued giving her the kurukuru treatment. "They will always be our priority, but now, you are my priority." he said so earnestly that it made her heart and stomach flutter. She didn't want to hold back anymore and started to work on the one remaining button in his tee shirt, making a mental note to ask him later why he never fastens the first two buttons. He didn't want to stop her, but he wanted her to be sure. He caught her hands and held them together. "There is no need to rush. Only when you are comfortable."

"It's been 5years for me and I think similar for you right? It's not that either of us haven't come across other people in these years. But ippo veraikum idhu enakku venum nu na yosichadhu illa, it's never felt right till now. But ippo enakku idhu venum. When we find the right person, giving into desire is acceptable. I have found you and I don't want to wait." She caught his face and said "En muzhu manasoda nan ready." giving him kisses all over his face in between every word. After an eye contact filled with craving, she landed her lips on his and her hands went to undo the knots that were holding her spaghetti top together. That was all the invitation that he needed, and he quickly held her hands. "That's my job." he managed to get out those words while still kissing her. And went on to successfully complete his job and more.

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Sivaangi decided to get done with it. How long can she keep putting it off?

She took a deep breath and knocked on Malini Maami's door the next morning. Malini opened the door and took a glance at the glowing young woman. Curving her lips in a smile, she let Sivaangi inside. Sivaangi didn't know what to say or where to start. She was thankfully saved by the voices of her daughters who came running to her. Lifting both of them for a hug, she inhaled their scent and found her calmness. "Kutties! Mali paati ya trouble paneengala? Or good girls a irundheengala?" "Good Girls" they responded in chorus and recounted all the fun they had "Popcorn saaptom" "Cartoon paathom" "New colour colour game" "Story book padichom, illa Mali paati padichaanga"

Sivaangi looked over a Malini maami "Thank you". From the intensity of the thank you, Malini understood that it was not just for the baby-sitting. She nodded, walked over to Sivaangi and patter her head saying "Happy a iru da. Always.".

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With the kids running around Ashwin's house playing hide and seek, Ashwin and Sivaangi relaxed in the kitchen. Of all the places in a house, it mystified how she felt most at home in the kitchen – a place where she willingly spent the least time possible every day. Then she looked at the reason – the 5'11feet of a man with a hand towel on his shoulders was cooking for her and her daughters.

But she was pouting. Ashwin had just told her off to behave in front of the kids and not touch him. So she sat on the kitchen stool annoying Ashwin in all possible ways. If he cut vegetables for curry, she ate them raw. If he turned on the stove, she would dash to turn it off when he didn't notice. Only after she got a glare from him did she go back to the stool. "Nee sirikaradha naan paathen Ashwin." She told him in between her pout.

"I feel like a teenager around you Sivaangi. I want to do things that will surprise you, delight you, and thrill you. But pasanga munnadi, let's be careful. I don't want to confuse them. Baby steps for their sake seri a?"

"Confuse panna vendam but hide-um panna vendam. Baby steps – okay!" She reached out to Ashwin for a hi-fi which he returned. The noise attracted the twins who immediately wanted to hi-fi in every permutation combination there is between the four of them.

"With them, oru hi-fi kooda .." she showed thumbs down to Ashwin, earning a glare from him. She immediately threw an air kiss making Ashwin blush. "Cute Ashwin nee!" she exclaimed softly to him.

"Not more than my three girls maa."

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They were going to try something new a few nights later (oh reel it back in! Not what you think 😉).

The kids were settled in Sivaangi's bed for the night in their cute matching pyjamas. Matching the babies' pyjamas and clothes was an obsession for Ashwin. He had bought multiple sets of matching outfits much to Sivaangi's annoyance as the girls would outgrow the clothes quickly. But Sivaangi had to admit, the girls looked even cuter twinning if that was possible. She walked over to them and settled on one side of the bed. The girls started pulling her as she always slept in the middle with the girls on either side with protective pillows surrounding them. To the girls' surprise, Ashwin walked in and took the other side of the bed.

The girls not understanding what was happening, tried pushing Ashwin out of the bed. Seeing this, Sivaangi burst out laughing while Ashwin stood sulking to his twins. "Appa inga vara koodadha?"

"Nee dhane sonne, inga amma oda, anga appa kooda nu, apparam nee edhuku inga vara?"

By now, Sivaangi was clutching her stomach in laughter and that confused the twins more.

"Inime, endha veeda irundhalum, namma naalum perum onna thoongalam, seri a?" he explained to the tiny tots.

"And appapo neenga rendu perum Mali paati veetla poi thoongalam" Sivaangi added earning an exasperated look from Ashwin. "What? As if they will understand" she said, winking at him.

While the new sleeping pattern initially confused the toddlers, they were overjoyed to have both parents together with them. They were jumping on the bed and falling on whichever parent they felt like, only to bounce again and fall on the other. It took a while for the excitement to tire them out and finally fall asleep. The couple, now on either side of the bed with the twins sleeping in between, felt a sense of contentment of them all being together. They had taken the first step towards building a family, their family. With this thought in their minds, they shared a look - reflecting the joy of them four being together - a look that was more intimate than their acts of the other night.

AN: For whoever needs to feel better - the first two lines of this chapter are the same as chapter 5 'Our Kids', but in a completely different modulation. It just takes time (or a few chapters) for life to improve. Keep smiling!