Chapter 41

The apartment had finally gone quiet after Anamika and Shivani left.

Quiet,
but not really peaceful.

Because Zivah was still staring at Eraya suspiciously from across the living room.

“…comfortable to cuddle?” she repeated flatly.

Eraya tried to look innocent.
Failed immediately.

“What?”

“What do you mean what?”

Eraya bit her lip to stop smiling.

“You heard her.”

“I heard enough.”

The offended expression on Zivah’s face made Eraya laugh softly again.

And honestly,
that laugh alone ruined every ounce of fake annoyance Zivah had left.

Still,
for dignity purposes,
she narrowed her eyes dramatically and walked toward the couch where Eraya sat.

“So,” she said while dropping beside her, “you replaced me in one afternoon.”

Eraya blinked innocently.

“With Shivi?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds impossible.”

Zivah huffed dramatically.

“You laughed too much at her jokes.”

“She’s funny.”

“I’m funnier.”

“That’s debatable.”

Zivah gasped loudly.

“Wow.”

Eraya laughed harder now.
And before she could continue teasing,

Zivah suddenly pulled her closer by the waist.

Quick.
Effortless.

Eraya let out a soft surprised sound before landing half against Zivah’s chest.

“There,” Zivah muttered dramatically.

“Now continue insulting me.”

Eraya looked up at her smiling.

“You’re clingy.”

“You created this problem.”

“That sounds like accountability avoidance.”

“That sounds like something Anu would say.”

“It is.”

Zivah groaned dramatically.

Then rested her chin lightly against Eraya’s head while holding her closer on the sofa.

The living room lights were dim now.
Warm yellow spilling softly across the apartment.

The smell of dinner still lingered faintly in the air.
And despite the teasing,
something about moments like this always felt strangely intimate.

Comfort wasn’t loud.

It was this.

Being held absentmindedly while talking about nothing important.

After a few seconds, Zivah finally asked more softly,

“How was your day?”

Eraya relaxed more comfortably against her.

“It was good.”

“Just good?”

Eraya smiled slightly.

“Really good.”

Zivah looked satisfied already.

Then Eraya started telling her everything.

About the car ride with Shivani.
About how dramatic she had been over the professor.
About how loudly she gasped after hearing “Zivi.”

The second the nickname came up,
Zivah’s expression softened instantly.
Again.
Like it always did.

“She really reacted that much?”

“She almost stopped driving.” Eraya chuckled.

Zivah laughed loudly.

“That sounds accurate.”

Then Eraya continued talking.

And Zivah listened to every single word like it mattered deeply.

Because to her,

it did.

“…and then professor looked directly at Shivi after she shouted,” Eraya said between soft laughter.

“And she just sat there awkwardly smiling.”

Zivah immediately burst out laughing.

“Oh no.”

“She was so embarrassed.”

“She deserves it.”

Eraya laughed harder.

“She kept saying you looked at me like I invented happiness.”

The words slipped out naturally.

But the moment they did,
Zivah quieted slightly.

Not embarrassed.
Just softer suddenly.

And Eraya noticed that too.

“She’s not wrong,” Zivah murmured quietly.

Eraya looked up at her.

And there it was again.
That look.
The one Shivani talked about.
The one full of unbearable affection.

Eraya’s cheeks warmed slightly.
So she immediately looked away.

Which only made Zivah smile.

Then Eraya continued talking before the moment became too intense.

“We cooked after coming home.”

“Really?”

“Mostly I cooked.”

“That sounds correct.”

“She told me all your embarrassing stories.”

Zivah immediately frowned.

“…what stories.”

Eraya grinned now, clearly enjoying.

“The water incident.”

“Oh my god.”

“You burned water?”

“It was ONE TIME.”

“How do you burn water?”

“I forgot it existed.”

Eraya started laughing so hard she nearly leaned fully into her shoulder.

And Zivah,
instead of defending herself,
just stared at her with complete adoration.

Because honestly?
Nothing sounded better than this laugh.

NOTHING.

Then Eraya continued mercilessly,

“And the whistle.”

Zivah covered her face instantly.

“No.”

“She said it bounced back and hit your forehead.”

“That story should’ve died.”

“But it’s funny.”

“It was traumatic.”

Eraya laughed harder.
And Zivah finally gave up pretending annoyance, smiling helplessly while watching her.

“I regret leaving you alone with Shivani.”

“She’s entertaining.”

“She’s evil.”

“She loves you though.”

Zivah softened slightly again at that.

“…yeah.”

Then suddenly,
dramatically,
she narrowed her eyes.

“Wait.”

Eraya blinked.

“What?”

“You enjoyed hearing embarrassing stories about me too much.”

Eraya smiled innocently.

“Maybe.”

“Unbelievable.”

Then without warning,
Zivah attacked.

Not violently.

Emotionally.

She buried her face against Eraya’s neck dramatically while holding her tighter.

“This is bullying.”

Eraya burst into soft laughter instantly.

“You’re dramatic.”

“And unloved.”

“You’re literally holding me.”

“That’s not enough anymore.”

Eraya smiled helplessly.
Then slowly,
almost absentmindedly,
she ran her fingers lightly through Zivah’s hair.

And Zivah instantly melted.
Completely.

“…okay maybe I’m loved a little.”

“A little?”

“Very.”

The honesty in her tone made Eraya’s chest ache warmly again.

Moments later, Zivah reluctantly stood up.

“Stay here.”

“Where are you going?”

“Your royal apple mint water.”

Eraya smiled automatically at that.

A few minutes later, Zivah returned carrying the glass dramatically like a sacred offering.

“Here.”

Eraya accepted it smiling softly.

“You never forget.”

Zivah sat beside her again immediately.

“Of course I don’t.”

The answer came so naturally.
So sincerely.
That Eraya looked at her quietly for a second before taking a sip.

“You know,” Zivah added casually, “this is probably why you love me.”

Eraya almost choked laughing.

“Your confidence is concerning.”

“It’s deserved.”

“Hm.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing.”

Zivah narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“You tease too much now.”

“You started it.”

“I created a monster.”

Eraya laughed softly again while finishing the drink.

Eventually the night settled around them slowly.
The exhaustion from the long day finally catching up.

And sometime later,
they ended up in bed.
As usual.

Brownie was unfortunately there too.

Zivah stared at the teddy dramatically.

“One day I’m throwing him away.”

Eraya gasped softly.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“He stands between our love.”

“He’s innocent.”

“He knows what he did.”

Eraya laughed quietly while adjusting the blanket.

Then Zivah immediately pulled her closer again.
One arm beneath her waist.
The other around her shoulders.
Holding her like second nature now.

The room was dark except for the faint night lamp glowing softly nearby.

Everything felt slower at night.
More honest somehow.

For a few minutes they simply stayed like that quietly.
Listening to each other breathe.

Then suddenly,
very seriously,
Zivah asked,

“So.”

Eraya looked up sleepily.

“Hm?”

“Who’s the better cuddler?”

Eraya blinked.

“…what.”

“Me or Shivi?”

Silence.

Then Eraya burst into laughter.

“You’re still thinking about that?”

“Yes.”

“That’s unbelievable.”

“It’s important.”

Eraya laughed into the pillow now.

“Zivi.”

“No seriously.”

“You’re jealous of Shivi.”

“I’m competitive.”

“With cuddling?”

“Yes.”

Eraya could barely breathe from laughing at this point.
And Zivah,
instead of being offended,
looked completely enchanted by it.

Because again,
there it was.
Her favorite sound in the world.

Finally after calming down slightly, Eraya looked at her teasingly.

“I don’t know…”

Zivah gasped dramatically.

“ERAYA.”

“Shivi is warm.”

“I will cry.”

“And clingy.”

“I’m literally holding you right now.”

Eraya smiled softly.
Then gently reached up and touched Zivah’s cheek.

“There’s no comparison.”

Zivah quieted immediately.

“You’re my favorite place.”

The sentence hit so hard that Zivah genuinely forgot how to function for a second.

“…what.”

Eraya smiled shyly now realizing what she said.

“You heard me.”

Zivah stared at her like she’d personally hung the stars.

Then immediately buried her face into Eraya’s shoulder dramatically.

“Oh my god.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“You’re impossible.”

“And deeply in love with you.”

The honesty in her voice wrapped around Eraya’s chest warmly.
Safely.

A few moments later, Zivah pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.
Then another against her cheek.

“I love you,” she whispered quietly.

Eraya smiled sleepily.

“I love you too, Zivi.”

And honestly,
that nickname still destroyed her every single time.

Zivah pulled her impossibly closer after that.
Like she could somehow keep her safe from the entire world just by holding her tightly enough.

And slowly,
between soft laughter, teasing, forehead kisses, and sleepy whispers,
the night carried them gently into sleep.

The next few days passed in a rhythm that felt strangely comforting.

Morning chaos.
College lectures.
Lunches filled with teasing.
Basketball practices that stole Zivah and Anamika away every afternoon.
And evenings that always somehow ended with laughter.

Eraya had started getting used to it now.
Getting used to people waiting for her.
Talking to her.
Wanting her around.

And maybe that was why,
on this particular evening,
while sitting cross-legged on the couch beside Shivani searching for a movie,
she suddenly found herself curious.

The apartment lights were dim.

The television screen flickered endlessly with movie thumbnails while Shivani aggressively rejected every option.

“No.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” Eraya asked.

“The poster looks emotionally exhausting.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“This one?”

“Too much action.”

“This?”

“Ugly font.”

Eraya stared at her.

“You judge movies by fonts?”

“Fonts reveal intentions.”

“That makes absolutely no sense.”

“It makes perfect sense.”

Eraya shook her head smiling while Shivani continued scrolling dramatically.

The apartment felt quieter without Zivah and Anamika.

Practice days always felt like that somehow.
Like the chaos temporarily left with them.

Eventually Shivani sighed dramatically and threw the remote aside.

“Why are movies so bad nowadays?”

“You rejected thirty movies in five minutes.”

“Because they lacked emotional depth.”

Eraya smiled softly.
Then after a small pause,
she asked quietly,

“Shivi?”

“Hm?”

Eraya hesitated slightly.
Not out of fear.
Just curiosity.

“How did you and Anu fall in love?”

The question caught Shivani completely off guard.

For a second,
she blinked.

Then slowly,
a soft smile spread across her face.

Not teasing.
Not dramatic.
Just soft.

Like someone opening an old cherished memory carefully.

“Oh that.”

Eraya watched her curiously.

“You’ve never told me.”

“That’s because your Zivi constantly interrupts my love story.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“She does not.”

“She absolutely does.”

Then Shivani leaned comfortably against the couch and sighed dramatically.

“Okay.”

And just like that,
the room softened around the story.

“You already know me and Zi were best friends in high school,” Shivani began.

Eraya nodded.

“She was unbearable even back then.”

“That sounds believable.” Eraya chuckled.

“She used to act like the principal hired her personally to maintain discipline.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“And everyone listened to her?”

“Unfortunately yes.”

A grin spread across Shivani’s face.

“She was stupidly popular too.”

“Zivi?”

“Yes.”

Eraya looked genuinely surprised.

“She doesn’t act like it.”

“That’s because she only acts human around you.”

That made Eraya’s cheeks warm slightly.

Then Shivani continued.

“When college started, we both ended up here.”

“And Anu?”

Shivani smiled softly again.

“Mika came later.”

Something changed in her expression while saying it.
Softer.
Warmer.
Like the memory itself carried affection.

“She and Zivah were in the same class because of agriculture.”

Eraya listened quietly.

“And the first time I saw her…”

Shivani groaned dramatically.

“…I immediately disliked her.”

Eraya blinked.

“You disliked Anu?”

“Very much.”

“Why?”

Shivani pointed aggressively.

“Because she was annoyingly perfect.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“She’s pretty,” Shivani continued dramatically.

“And smart. And calm. And somehow nice to everyone.”

“That still doesn’t explain hating her.”

Shivani sighed deeply.

“Because suddenly Zivah started spending more time with her.”

The honesty surprised even herself a little.

“And I hated that feeling.”

Eraya looked at her more carefully now.

“You felt replaced.”

Shivani smiled faintly.

“Yeah.”

The word came quietly.
Honestly.

“It sounds stupid now,” she continued softly,

“but Zivah was my person back then.”

A pause.

“We did everything together.”

Eraya understood that feeling.
Deeply.

Because now,
Zivah had become that person for her too.

“So when Mika came…”

Shivani exhaled quietly.

“…I kept thinking she’d take Zi away from me.”

Eraya frowned softly.

“Did Zivi know?”

“Oh absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s emotionally blind.”

That earned a laugh from Eraya.

Then Shivani continued.

“One day the literature and agriculture departments had a collaboration project.”

Eraya immediately smiled.

“And you all ended up together.”

“Exactly.”

She pointed dramatically.

“Worst decision ever made by humanity.”

“Why?”

“Because me and Mika fought constantly.”

Eraya laughed.

“About what?”

“Everything.”

Another dramatic pause.

“She corrected my grammar once.”

“…that’s not a fight.”

“It started one.”

Eraya burst into soft laughter.

“She annoyed me so much,” Shivani continued.

“She was calm all the time.”

“That sounds like Anu.”

“And every time I got angry she’d just stare at me like I was a stray cat causing problems.”

Eraya laughed harder.

“But slowly…” Shivani’s voice softened again.

“…I started noticing things.”

“What things?”

“The way she stayed back helping me even after classes.”

A pause.

“The way she listened when I spoke.”

Another pause.

“And the way she looked at me when I was angry.”

Eraya smiled softly.

“How?”

Shivani’s lips curved faintly.

“Like she found me amusing instead of difficult.”

The room quieted slightly after that.

“Then one day,” Shivani murmured,

“during a basketball match…”

Her expression shifted.

Softer now.

“…Mika got injured.”

Eraya frowned immediately.

“What happened?”

“She twisted her ankle badly.”

And suddenly,
the teasing disappeared from Shivani’s voice entirely.

“She fell really hard.”

Eraya watched her carefully.

“And when I saw her in pain…”

Shivani swallowed softly.

“…something happened to me.”

A pause.

“I panicked.”

The honesty in her tone settled heavily in the room.

“I remember pushing through everyone just to reach her.”

Her eyes lowered slightly at the memory.

“And I kept thinking-“

She laughed softly under her breath.

“-why does this hurt me so much?”

Eraya’s chest warmed listening to her.
Because she understood that realization now.

That terrifying moment when someone else’s pain starts feeling like your own.

“That’s when I realized I loved her,”

Shivani whispered quietly.

Silence stretched gently between them.

“And Anu?”

Eraya asked softly.

“Did she love you back?”

Shivani groaned dramatically.

“I had no idea.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“And Zivi?”

“Oh my god.”

Shivani threw her head back dramatically.

“That woman practically forced me into romance.”

Eraya smiled instantly.

“She kept telling me to confess.”

“That sounds exactly like her.”

“She’d say things like-“

Shivani deepened her voice horribly.

” ‘You’re wasting everyone’s time.’ “

Eraya burst out laughing.

“And then,” Shivani continued,

“she started helping me.”

“How?”

“She’d conveniently leave me and Mika alone.”

Eraya smiled knowingly.

“She’s sneaky.”

“She’s evil.”

Then Shivani’s expression turned dramatic again.

“But the actual confession?”

She pointed aggressively.

“That was completely Mika’s fault.”

Eraya blinked.

“What did she do?”

Shivani groaned.

“One day I saw her with another girl.”

“…okay?”

“That girl was touching her way too much.”

Eraya immediately started laughing softly.

“I’m serious.”

“You got jealous.”

“Very jealous.”

“How jealous?”

Shivani crossed her arms dramatically.

“I ignored Mika for two straight days.”

Eraya laughed harder instantly.

“That’s your solution?”

“I was emotionally suffering.”

“That poor girl.”

“She deserved confusion.”

Eraya couldn’t stop laughing now.

“And then,” Shivani continued,

“Mika finally cornered me outside the library.”

Her smile softened unconsciously.

“She looked genuinely upset.”

Eraya listened carefully.

“And she asked me why I was avoiding her.”

A pause.

“And I got angry.”

“Because?” Eraya asked softly.

“Because I thought she liked that other girl.”

Eraya smiled knowingly now.

“And?”

“And then…”

Shivani covered her face dramatically.

“…I accidentally confessed.”

Eraya laughed instantly.

“You too?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my god. It makes sense how you and Zivi are best friends.”

Shivani groaned loudly.

“I literally shouted-“

She pointed dramatically.

” Why don’t you just date her if you like her so much?”

Eraya laughed so hard tears nearly formed.

“And Mika just stared at me.”

“Then?”

“Then she asked me if I was jealous.”

Eraya grinned immediately.

“You definitely were.”

“I WAS.”

“What did you say?”

“I panicked and said no.”

“That’s embarrassing.”

“I know.”

Eraya kept laughing while Shivani continued dramatically.

“And then Mika smiled.”

The softness returned again instantly.

“She looked so happy.”

A small pause.

“And then she said-“

Shivani’s voice softened completely now.

” ‘Good. Because I’m in love with you too.’ “

Silence filled the room gently.
Warmly.

Eraya smiled so softly it almost hurt.

“That’s beautiful.”

Shivani smiled too.

“Yeah.”

Then immediately,
dramatically,

“She kissed me first too.”

Eraya laughed again.

“And after that,” Shivani continued,

“me and Mika became unbearable.”

“That explains a lot.”

“And Zi suffered.”

Eraya grinned.

“She used to complain constantly,”

Shivani laughed.

” ‘I third-wheel you both in every situation.’ “

“That sounds exactly like Zivi.”

“She’d sit there glaring while me and Mika were being romantic.”

Eraya laughed softly imagining it.

“And now look at her,” Shivani said knowingly.

“She’s worse than both of us combined.”

Eraya’s cheeks warmed instantly.

“She’s really in love with you, Eraya.”

The sentence settled quietly inside her.
Warm.
Steady.
Safe.

And slowly,
without even realizing,
Eraya smiled.

The entire college had been talking about the inter-college basketball championship for days.

Posters covered half the hallways.

Students kept discussing team rankings during lunch.

Even professors had started ending lectures early because apparently “sports spirit” mattered now.

And unfortunately for Zivah,
being the captain meant everyone suddenly expected her to perform miracles.

The day before the championship, the atmosphere itself felt charged.

Like electricity sitting in the air waiting for tomorrow.

That evening, Shivani had practically taken over the apartment while rambling dramatically about the match.

“The court gets PACKED,” she declared while sitting upside down on the couch for absolutely no reason.

Eraya looked up from her book.

“How packed?”

“Like emotionally terrifying packed.”

“That explains nothing.”

“There are screams.”

“…screams?”

“Yes.”

Shivani pointed dramatically.

“And banners.”

Eraya blinked slowly.

“Banners?”

“For Zivah.”

Eraya immediately smiled without meaning to.

Shivani caught it instantly.

“Oh my god look at your face.”

“What?”

“You became soft.”

Eraya looked away pretending to read again.

“She’s just playing basketball.”

“She’s THE captain.”

“That still doesn’t explain screaming.”

Shivani gasped dramatically.

“You underestimate college girls.”

Eraya laughed softly.

Then after a pause, she asked quietly,

“Will there really be that many people?”

Shivani instantly noticed the hesitation beneath the question.

The slight tension in her shoulders.
The uncertainty.

And immediately, her voice softened.

“Yeah,” she admitted honestly.

“But you won’t be alone.”

Eraya looked toward her quietly.

“I’ll be there.”

A pause.

“And Zi will probably spend half the match staring at you anyway.”

That earned a reluctant laugh.

“She should focus on the game.”

“She will play better when you’re around.”

Eraya smiled faintly at that.

But Shivani could still see the nervousness lingering quietly underneath.

Crowds still overwhelmed Eraya sometimes.
Too many people.
Too many sounds.
Too many eyes.

So Shivani got up dramatically and walked toward her.

“Listen to me.”

Eraya blinked.

“If at any point you feel uncomfortable tomorrow, you tell me immediately.”

“…okay.”

“And if someone annoys you, I’ll throw a basketball at them.”

“That sounds violent.”

“It’s protective.”

Eraya laughed softly again.
And Shivani smiled proudly.
Because every time Eraya laughed now, it felt like proof of healing.

Later that night,
after Shivani and Anamika left,

the apartment became quieter.
Softer.

Rain tapped faintly outside the windows.

The room glowed dimly with warm yellow light.

And Zivah,
for once,
looked genuinely nervous.

She sat cross-legged on the bed surrounded by papers and strategy notes while muttering to herself.

“No, because if they switch defense during third quarter then Piya will absolutely panic and if Piya panics then the whole formation collapses and if the formation collapses then-“

“Zivi.” A soft voice came.

“And then there’s the problem of substitutions because last year they-“

“Zivi.” Eraya called again.

“And honestly our rebound strategy isn’t even stable enough-“

Eraya leaned closer suddenly.

And softly kissed her cheek.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Zivah froze mid-rant.

Her brain genuinely stopped functioning for a second.

Slowly,
very slowly,
she turned toward Eraya.

“…you kissed me.”

Eraya smiled softly.

“You were spiraling.”

“I was strategizing.”

“You were panicking.”

Zivah opened her mouth to argue.
Then closed it dramatically.

Because unfortunately,
Eraya was right.

A sigh escaped her as she dropped the papers beside her.

“What if I mess up tomorrow?”

The vulnerability in her voice was quiet.

Honest.

And it made Eraya’s chest ache softly.

Because people always saw Zivah as confident.

Strong.

Loud.

Fearless.

But Eraya had started noticing the small things now.

The pressure she carried quietly.
The responsibility she took too seriously.
The way she worried about disappointing people.

So Eraya reached for her hand gently.

“You’re going to do amazing.”

Zivah looked at her silently.

“And even if something goes wrong…”

Eraya smiled softly.

“…I’ll still be proud of you.”

The words hit harder than she expected.

Because Zivah wasn’t used to affection like this.
Not soft reassurance.
Not someone looking at her like failure wouldn’t change their love.

Her throat tightened unexpectedly.

And for a second,
she just stared at Eraya quietly.

Like she couldn’t fully understand how someone this gentle existed.

Then slowly,
she leaned forward and kissed Eraya’s nose softly.

“You’re dangerous.”

Eraya blinked.

“How?”

“You make me emotional.”

That made Eraya laugh softly.

Zivah immediately pulled her closer after that.
One arm around her waist.
The other beneath her head.
Holding her like comfort itself.

And this time,
instead of continuing her anxious rambling,
she simply rested quietly beside her.

Listening to Eraya breathe.
Feeling her warmth.
Letting herself calm down.

Because somehow,
Eraya made chaos feel survivable.

Before falling asleep, Zivah pressed another soft kiss against her forehead.

“Goodnight.”

Eraya smiled sleepily.

“Goodnight, Zivi.”

And honestly,
that nickname still felt unfairly beautiful.

The next morning began with disaster.
Naturally.

“WHERE IS IT?”

Eraya walked out of the bedroom still half asleep only to find the apartment looking destroyed.

Cushions on the floor.
Papers scattered everywhere.
One shoe somehow on the dining table.

And in the middle of it,
Zivah stood aggressively searching through drawers.

“What happened?”

“My strategy file disappeared.”

“You lost it?”

“I did not lose it.”

“…then?”

“It’s hiding.”

Eraya stared at her for two seconds.

“You’re accusing a file?”

“Yes.”

Another drawer opened violently.

“I swear if I don’t get it-“

Eraya tried very hard not to laugh.

“Zivi.”

“What?”

“Did you check the study table?”

“Yes.”

“Properly?”

“…yes.”

Eraya walked calmly toward the study table.
Moved one notebook.
And immediately found the file underneath.

Silence.

Then she slowly held it up.

Zivah froze.

“…oh.”

Eraya raised a brow slightly.

“You searched here?”

Zivah walked over dramatically.

“In my defense, stress reduces intelligence.”

Eraya laughed softly.

And before she could say anything,
Zivah leaned forward and kissed her cheek quickly.

“You’re my savior.”

“You’re dramatic.”

“I’m grateful to my wife.”

Then suddenly Zivah frowned.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“You’re laughing at me.”

“Maybe a little.”

“Betrayal.”

Eraya shook her head smiling while Zivah continued mumbling dramatically about emotional disrespect.

A few minutes later, just as Zivah grabbed her bag to leave,

Eraya stopped her.

” Zivi Wait.”

Zivah turned.

“What happened?”

Instead of answering immediately, Eraya disappeared into the kitchen.

Then returned carrying a small tray carefully.

On it sat a bowl of yogurt and jaggery.

Zivah blinked in confusion.

“…what is this?”

Eraya walked closer quietly.

“Parvati di told me…”

She smiled softly.

“…that eating yogurt and jaggery before something important is auspicious.”

For a second,
Zivah just stared at her.

Something warm spread through her chest so suddenly it almost hurt.

Because Eraya remembered things like this.
Thought about things like this.
Cared in quiet ways that felt impossibly sincere.

“You did this for me?”

Eraya nodded softly.

“You’re supposed to win today.”

The tenderness in her voice completely ruined Zivah.

Without thinking, she stepped closer and wrapped one arm around Eraya’s waist gently.
Pulling her near.

Eraya blinked softly at the sudden closeness.

“You know,” Zivah murmured quietly,

“if you keep doing things like this, I’ll become unbearable.”

“You already are.”

Zivah laughed softly.
Then Eraya lifted the spoon toward her.

“Eat.”

Obediently,
dramatically,
Zivah opened her mouth.

And immediately made an offended face.

“You gave too much jaggery.”

“You’re impossible.”

“It’s very sweet.”

Eraya blinked innocently.

“…like me?”

Zivah froze.
Then stared at her in disbelief.

“Oh my god.”

Eraya immediately started laughing.
Soft and breathless.

“You tease too much now.”

“You created this problem.”

Zivah groaned dramatically before stealing another spoonful anyway.

Then softly,
much softer this time,
she asked,

“You’ll be there, right?”

The vulnerability beneath the question was impossible to miss.

Eraya looked at her quietly.
Then nodded.

“I’ll be there.”

And instantly,
Zivah smiled.

Not cocky.
Not playful.
Just warm.
Relieved.

“Then that’s enough luck for me to win.”

The sincerity in her voice made Eraya’s heart stumble softly.

Then Zivah leaned down and kissed the top of her head gently.

And ruffled her hair lightly.

Lingering there for a second.

“Tell Anu all the best too,” Eraya murmured softly.

“She already threatened the entire team herself.”

Eraya laughed quietly.

“And Zivi?”

“Hm?”

“You’re going to do amazing.”

Zivah looked at her for one long second.
Like she wanted to memorize this moment completely.

The soft morning light.
The yogurt tray still between them.
The warmth in Eraya’s eyes.
The quiet certainty in her voice.

Then slowly,
she smiled.
Softly.
Completely in love.

“Goodbye, my lucky charm.”

Eraya’s cheeks warmed instantly.

“Go before you get late.”

“Yes ma’am.”

And even while leaving,
Zivah looked back twice just to see her again.

By the time Shivani and Eraya reached the college sports complex,

the entire place already looked alive.
Not normal alive.
Not ordinary crowded.
But loud.
Vibrating.
Breathing with excitement.

Students filled the pathways outside the court carrying banners and posters.

Some wore the college colors painted on their
cheeks.

Some screamed random chants that barely made sense.

Someone somewhere had brought an actual drum.

Eraya stopped near the entrance almost immediately.

The noise hit her first.
Then the movement.
People everywhere.
Talking over each other.
Laughing.
Shouting.
Running.

For a brief second,
she froze.

Shivani noticed instantly.
Of course she did.

Without even making it obvious, Shivani stepped closer beside her.

Not forcing.
Not rushing.
Just grounding her presence there quietly.

“Hey.”

Eraya looked toward her.

“We’ll go slowly, okay?”

Eraya nodded softly.

The crowd still made her chest tighten slightly.
Too many unfamiliar faces.
Too much sound colliding together.

But then Shivani suddenly grinned.

“Besides…”

She pointed dramatically toward the building.

“…inside that court is one extremely dramatic basketball captain who’s probably already suffering emotionally.”

That earned the smallest laugh from Eraya.
And immediately Shivani smiled proudly.
Because every laugh mattered.

“Come on.”

This time when Shivani gently held her wrist and guided her through the crowd,
Eraya let herself trust the movement.

The closer they got to the court,
the louder everything became.

Cheering echoed through the hallways.
Shoes squeaked against floors.
Announcements blasted through speakers.

And the moment they stepped inside,
Eraya genuinely stopped walking.

The court was packed.
Completely packed.

Rows and rows of students filled the seats.
Diffrent College flags hung from railings.

Music blasted through speakers while students screamed every few seconds for absolutely no reason.

The basketball court itself glowed under harsh stadium lights.
Bright.
Intense.
Alive.

Eraya blinked slowly trying to take everything in.

“…this many people came for basketball?”

Shivani laughed loudly.

“You still underestimate college obsession.”

“But this is insane.”

“It gets worse when Zi enters.”

Eraya looked toward her.

“Worse?”

“Oh absolutely.”

Shivani leaned closer dramatically.

“You’re about to witness fangirls.”

Eraya immediately laughed softly.

“No way.”

Shivani pointed aggressively toward a group holding giant signs.

“One of them literally painted ‘Marry Me Captain’ on cardboard.”

Eraya stared.
Then burst into quiet laughter.

“She’s already married.”

“Exactly.”

That made Eraya smile without meaning to.
A warm one.
Soft.
Private.

Eventually Shivani carefully guided her through the crowded seating rows.

“Careful.”

“There’s no space.”

“There is. Mika reserved seats for us.”

“Reserved?”

“Basketball privileges.”

After squeezing past approximately twenty screaming students and one guy aggressively waving a foam finger,
they finally reached two seats near the middle rows.

One of Anamika’s friends sitting nearby immediately waved.

“You’re Eraya, right?”

Eraya blinked slightly.

“…yes?”

“I’m Rhea.”

She smiled warmly.

“Anamika threatened my existence if I didn’t save these seats.”

Shivani laughed loudly.

“That sounds exactly like her.”

Rhea grinned.

“She said if Eraya doesn’t get a proper view, Zivah will become emotionally unstable.”

Eraya’s cheeks warmed instantly.

“She did not say that.”

“She absolutely did.”

Shivani collapsed laughing beside her while Eraya hid her face slightly.

The noise around them kept growing.
The court lights dimmed slightly.
Students started cheering louder.

And slowly,
despite herself,
Eraya started feeling something else beneath the nervousness.

Excitement.

Because this mattered to Zivah.
A lot.

And somehow,
that made it matter to her too.

Meanwhile,
inside the locker room,
chaos existed in an entirely different form.

“WHO TOOK MY TOWEL?”

“That’s mine.”

“No this one smells expensive.”

“WHY WOULD YOU SMELL IT?”

“Because I needed confirmation.”

Anamika sat on the bench watching the team descend into stupidity while drinking water peacefully.

And across from her,
Zivah sat unusually quiet.

Which immediately felt wrong.

Because Zivah before matches was normally terrifyingly calm.
Focused.
Confident.

Today?

She looked restless.

Her fingers tapped against her knee repeatedly.

Her jaw tightened occasionally.

And she kept rereading the strategy sheet even though she clearly already memorized it.

Anamika narrowed her eyes immediately.

“…why do you look like you’re about to fight God?”

Zivah looked up slowly.

“I’m thinking.”

“You’re spiraling.”

“I’m strategizing.”

“That’s what mentally unstable people say.”

Zivah glared.

Anamika grinned proudly.

Then after a moment,
her voice softened slightly.

“You nervous?”

A pause.

Then unexpectedly,
Zivah sighed.
Actually sighed.

“A little.”

Anamika blinked dramatically.

“Oh my god.”

She clutched her chest.

“The captain experiences fear?”

“Shut up.”

“No seriously.”

She pointed aggressively.

“You’re always calm before matches Zi.”

Zivah leaned back against the locker quietly.
Thinking.

Then finally,
very quietly,
she admitted,

“Usually it never mattered who was sitting in the crowd.”

Anamika’s teasing expression softened slightly.

“I played because I wanted to.”

A pause.

“I liked winning.”

Another pause.

“But today…”

Zivah exhaled slowly.

“…Eraya’s watching.”

The words came out softer than intended.
More vulnerable.

And instantly,
Anamika smiled.

Not teasing this time.
Just genuinely fond.

“There it is.”

Zivah rolled her eyes slightly.

“She believes in me.”

The confession sat heavily in the room.

“And now I want to impress her.”

Anamika burst out laughing immediately.

“Oh you’re GONE gone.”

“Anu.”

“No seriously.”

She laughed harder.

“You’re playing basketball for love now.”

Zivah groaned dramatically.

“I hate talking to you.”

“You literally searched strategy videos till 2 AM because your wife would be watching.”

“…I needed preparation.”

“You needed emotional stability.”

Zivah threw a towel at her face.

Anamika kept laughing anyway.

Then after calming down slightly,
she nudged her shoulder gently.

“Hey.”

Zivah looked toward her.

“Eraya already thinks you’re amazing.”

Something about hearing that made Zivah quieter.

Because deep down,
despite all her confidence,
part of her still struggled understanding how someone like Eraya could look at her with so much warmth.
So much trust.

Anamika noticed the silence instantly.

“She loves you, idiot.”

Zivah smiled faintly despite herself.

“Yeah.”

Then after a second,
she muttered quietly,

“I still want to impress her.”

That made Anamika laugh again.

“Hopeless.”

Before Zivah could respond,
the coach entered loudly.

“Everyone ready?”

The team immediately straightened.
Energy shifted instantly.
Focused now.
Sharp.

Zivah stood up slowly.
Her nervousness still there,
but steadier now somehow.

Because somewhere in those crowded stands, Eraya was waiting.

And for the first time in her life,
that mattered more than winning.

Back in the audience,
students suddenly erupted into screaming.

“Oh my god they’re coming!”

“The team’s entering!”

“CAPTAIN!”

Eraya flinched slightly at the sudden volume while Shivani looked completely delighted by the chaos.

“Told you.”

Music blasted louder through the speakers.

The court lights brightened.

And then,
the team entered.

Students screamed instantly.

Not clapped.
Not cheered.
Screamed.

Eraya stared in disbelief.

“…this is absurd.”

Shivani laughed loudly beside her.

“Welcome to sports culture.”

The players jogged onto the court while the crowd exploded with energy.

And somewhere between all the movement,
all the noise,
all the lights,
Eraya saw her.

Zivah.

Black jersey.
Focused eyes.
Messy hair.
That same overwhelming presence she somehow carried everywhere.

And for a second,
the noise disappeared completely.

Because Zivah looked beautiful like this.
Alive.
Sharp.
Burning with energy.

Then suddenly,
something changed.

Zivah looked up toward the audience.
Not casually.
Not generally.
Searching.

Her eyes moved through rows quickly.
Scanning faces.
Looking.
Looking.
Looking,

Until finally,
she found her.

And instantly,
she smiled.

Not the cocky smile she gave everyone else.
Not the teasing grin.

This one was softer.
Warmer.
Like relief itself.

Eraya’s heart stumbled softly in her chest.
And without realizing,
she smiled back immediately.

Across the court,
surrounded by hundreds of screaming people,
Zivah only looked at her.

Shivani saw it happen beside her and immediately groaned dramatically.

“Oh my god.”

Eraya blinked slightly.

“What?”

“She was searching for you.”

Eraya looked back toward the court quietly.

And there Zivah still stood,
eyes lingering toward their section for one extra second before finally looking away.

Shivani shook her head dramatically.

“You know before this…”

She pointed toward the court.

“…that woman NEVER looked up during games.”

Eraya listened quietly.

“She’d walk in like basketball itself personally offended her.”

That made Eraya laugh softly.

“But now?”

Shivani grinned knowingly.

“First thing she does is search for her wife.”

The warmth spreading through Eraya’s chest felt impossible to explain.

Because someone was looking for her.
In crowds.
In noise.
In chaos.

And maybe that was what love truly felt like.
Not grand speeches.
Not dramatic promises.

Just someone instinctively searching for your face in a room full of people.
And smiling the moment they found it.
____________