September 2018

"Are you done with the registration?" Meera asked.

Aditya picked his phone up and placed it on the shelf above the sink where Meera could see him properly through the video call.

"Yes we got it done yesterday." Aditya said. "When are you flying out?"

"Next week." Meera said. "Vaibhav has already asked for his days off at the hospital."

"Ruvee hasn't booked her tickets yet. Can you get hers done too? Or she'll forget."

Meera nodded.

"Have you invited Shruti, and Mohit?" Vaibhav's voice came first before he appeared on the screen next to his mom.

"Mohit's an ass and I didn't want to invite either of them but your brother wants to rub it on their faces so he sent the invites a few days ago." Aditya said with a smirk. "Are you off to work?"

Vaibhav nodded. "Can you tell mom to please go back to her house and not hang around at my place like I'm her best friend?"

"Okay I'll just pack the breakfast I brought over and take it all back home!" Meera said flatly.

Vaibhav was silent for a few seconds before scooting next to Meera and hugging her. "I was kidding mom. I will be your best friend for life; don't stop bringing the food over, okay?

Meera laughed and Vaibhav turned to the phone. "You guys are so lucky you don't live here to be threatened like this. What are you doing up so early, by the way?" Vaibhav asked looking at his watch. "It must be only 5 in the morning there."

"He's making breakfast for Vikram. He has an early shoot today." Meera informed Vaibhav and Vaibhav smirked at Aditya.

"You're so domestic!" Vaibhav joked and Aditya laughed.

"Someone has to make breakfast so your brother doesn't go to work on an empty stomach."

Vaibhav sighed. "He's so weird. Who doesn't like breakfast?"

"I know, right?" Aditya asked. "I never understood why he hates it."

Suddenly a pair of arms hugged Aditya from behind.

"Good morning, babe."

Aditya turned around and inhaled the intoxicating smell of Vikram. "Good morning." he said as he bent down to kiss Vikram lightly on his lips.

"Mom!" Vaibhav yelled through the video call and startled Vikram. "Mom, stop covering my eyes I have seen two grown ass losers kiss, okay?"

Vikram laughed and turned to the phone. "Good morning. Sorry I didn't know you were on call."

"Good morning beta." Meera said. "Make sure you eat what Aditya has cooked before you leave for work."

Vikram turned to look at Aditya. "Were you complaining to my mom about me?"

Aditya tried to explain but Meera cut him off. "Have you booked a pandit or should I bring our family pandit along?"

Vikram shook his head. "There weren't any here in Lyon so we're bringing someone over from Paris."

"Did you check if he's a proper pandit?" Meera asked, "There are many people who just pretend to be one just to earn money."

"He's a proper pandit, mom, don't worry." Vikram said and turned to Aditya. "Is he?" he asked in a whisper and Aditya just shrugged. He had no idea either.

"Send me his number and I'll talk to him myself."

"Okay." Vikram said, "I'll send you the number in the afternoon."

"And trim that beard of yours!" Meera complained. "It makes you look like you haven't bathed in a week."

Aditya laughed as he sipped on his coffee while Vikram shot him a warning glare before turning to the call again.

"It's not a beard, it's a stubble." Vikram said, running his hand across his jaw.

Meera shook her head and looked at Aditya. "It's because he didn't have much beard growing when he was a teenager."

"Mom, stop!" Vikram yelled.

But Meera didn't. "I think he keeps it all the time because now that it's finally full, he thinks he needs to compensate for his teenage years."

"Oh my god mom, bye." Vikram said, "See you next week."

Before Meera could continue, Vikram hung up.

"That was... embarrassing!" Vikram said, rubbing his face.

Aditya hugged Vikram from behind. "It was not. I was there when you were a teenager, remember?"

Vikram laughed. "Yes, I remember"

"And I chose to fall in love with your beardless face, didn't I?"

Vikram turned around and wrapped his hand around Aditya's shoulders. "Yes you did."

"So..."

"So?"

"So I am thinking no beard for the wedding."

Vikram scoffed. "First, it's not a beard, it's a stubble. And second, it's not your wedding," Vikram said. "It's mine."

Aditya laughed. "Last I checked, we were getting married to each other."

"We won't be if you keep asking me to shave my beard off."

"I thought you said it was a stubble." Aditya teased.

Vikram moved his hands away from Aditya's shoulders. "That's it. I'm not showing up at our wedding. You can get married alone."

Aditya grabbed Vikram by the waist and pulled him close again. "You know, we kind of did get married, don't you?"

Vikram's eyes widened as he remembered. "Oh shit! We got ourselves registered yesterday, didn't we?"

Aditya nodded. "So as your husband, I request you to shave."

Vikram closed his eyes in disbelief. "I hate you."

Aditya dropped his head a little and left a peck on Vikram's lips. "I know, but I still love you."

"Ugh." Vikram complained. "You're so cheesy. I'll think about it, okay?"

Aditya shook his head.

"Why are you so obsessed with me shaving anyway?" Vikram asked, unable to understand.

Aditya smiled and brushed his thumb across Vikram's cheeks. "Because I want to see those pretty freckles at our wedding."

Vikram opened his mouth to protest again but he knew he had nothing against Aditya's reason. Trying to bite back a smile, Vikram pressed his lips to a thin line. "Fine."

"Good." Aditya said and wrapped his arms around Vikram's waist before hauling him up and throwing him over his shoulder.

"Fuck!" Vikram exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

It had become so easy for Aditya to just pick Vikram up like it was nothing that Vikram still found it unbelievable. He hadn't noticed it when they had first met in Lyon two years ago that Aditya had grown even taller after they had separated as teenagers, towering at a whopping 6'4" while Vikram was still 5'10". The height difference made Aditya feel like he could just pick Vikram up whenever he felt like. Not to mention the deadweight that Aditya had been lifting at the gym for over five years now that added to this habit. But who was Vikram kidding? It was not like he didn't love when Aditya was like all strong and buff. Except that he would never tell Aditya how he loved this.

"Aditya, let me go." Vikram threatened with mock anger.

"Not a chance." Aditya said and stepped out of the kitchen before walking towards their bedroom.

"I will be late for work."

"I don't care." Aditya said, "It's not my fault you're so hot when you argue with me."

Vikram laughed. "Fine, but I am skipping breakfast then."

"That's not going to happen either." Aditya said and walked into their room, shutting the door behind them.

THE END!