Chapter 42

The final whistle echoed across the court,
sharp.
Loud.
Final.

And for one second,
everything froze.

Then chaos exploded.

Students screamed so loudly that Eraya physically startled beside Shivani.

The entire court erupted into noise.
People stood up from their seats.
Banners waved wildly.
Someone behind them literally started crying.

“OH MY GOD THEY WON!”

“CAPTAIN ZI!”

“THAT LAST GOAL WAS INSANE!”

Shivani had already jumped up from her seat screaming before the whistle had even fully ended.

“MIKAAA!”

Eraya laughed breathlessly watching her.

Because honestly,
the last few minutes of the match had been terrifying.

The scores had been nearly equal.
The opposing team had become aggressive.
The crowd louder.
Tension thicker.

And then,
Zivah had done what Zivah apparently always did under pressure.

Turned terrifyingly good.

Even Eraya,
who barely understood basketball rules,
had found herself holding her breath.

Because the moment the ball landed in Zivah’s hands,
something shifted.

Confidence.
Precision.
That frightening calmness.

She moved through defenders like she already knew where everyone would stand before they moved.

And then,
the final two goals.

The first one had made the audience scream.

The second one?

Absolute destruction.

The crowd genuinely lost their minds.
Even Shivani had yelled so loudly Eraya’s ears hurt.

And now,
standing on the court under bright lights,
surrounded by cheering teammates,
Zivah looked almost unreal.

Sweaty.
Breathing hard.
Hair messy.
Eyes shining with adrenaline.

And somehow,
the first thing she did after winning,
was look toward the audience.

Toward Eraya.

Like instinct.
Like habit already.

Their eyes met across the noisy court.

And immediately,
Zivah grinned.
Wide.
Victorious.
Beautiful.

Eraya smiled back before she could stop herself.

And something warm spread through her chest so quickly it almost hurt.

Because she was proud.
So unbelievably proud of Zivah.

Beside her, Shivani was aggressively shaking her arm.

“DID YOU SEE THAT?”

Eraya laughed.

“She played amazingly.”

“She was insane.”

“That too.”

“And Mika!”

Shivani clutched her chest dramatically.

“My girlfriend is talented.”

“You screamed her name twelve times.”

“Love requires support.”

Eraya laughed again.
Soft and genuine.

Down on the court,
Anamika was already celebrating dramatically with the team while Zivah tried unsuccessfully to maintain captain dignity.

Which failed immediately when one junior almost tackled her in excitement.

“CAPTAIN WE WON!”

“I KNOW MOVE YOU’RE SWEATING ON ME.”

Another teammate jumped onto her shoulder.

“WE’RE INVINCIBLE!”

“You missed six shots today.”

“But emotionally I contributed.”

Zivah groaned while the team continued screaming around her.

Eventually the coach forced everyone toward the locker rooms before the audience invaded the court completely.

Inside the changing room,
the chaos somehow became worse.

Someone had connected a speaker.
Someone else was dancing badly.
A towel flew across the room for absolutely no reason.

And in the middle of all that,
Zivah sat on the bench drinking water while trying to recover from the match.

Anamika collapsed beside her dramatically.

“I can’t feel my legs.”

“That’s because you run like an exhausted goat.”

“Wow.”

“You asked.”

Before Anamika could throw something at her,
one of the girls suddenly stood on the bench dramatically holding a sports drink bottle.

“A TOAST.”

The room immediately erupted.

“Oh god.”

“Speech!”

“Captain speech!”

Zivah already looked exhausted.

“No.”

Too late.

The girl pointed aggressively toward her.

“To Captain Zivah…”

She gasped dramatically.

“…who got MARRIED and didn’t even invite the team.”

The entire room exploded instantly.

“EXACTLY!”

“BETRAYAL!”

“WE DESERVED FOOD!”

Anamika nearly fell off the bench laughing.

Meanwhile,
for the first time that evening,
Zivah actually looked embarrassed.

“Guys-“

“YOU HID A WHOLE WIFE!”

One of the students confronted.

“CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR!”

“CAPTAIN HAS A LOVE LIFE?”

“That’s the real shocking part.”

Someone clutched their chest dramatically.

“I thought basketball was her only relationship.”

The room burst into laughter again.

Zivah rubbed her face tiredly.

“It wasn’t even a proper wedding.”

“Still married.”

“Still betrayal.”

“And where is bhabhi?”

That word alone made the room even louder.

“YES!”

“WE WANT TO MEET BHABHI!”

“CAPTAIN’S WIFE!”

“INTRODUCTION REQUIRED!”

Anamika immediately leaned toward Zivah with the most evil grin imaginable.

“You know…”

She said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“…Eraya is actually very sweet.”

The team collectively gasped dramatically.

“Oh my god bhabhi has a NAME.”

“Captain’s blushing!”

“WAIT SHE IS.”

And unfortunately,
they were right.

Zivah’s ears had genuinely turned pink.

Which somehow shocked the team more than the marriage itself.

“NO WAY.”

“CAPTAIN COOL IS FLUSHING.”

“EVERYONE STAY CALM.”

“THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT.”

Zivah threw a towel directly at their faces.

“Shut up.”

That only made them laugh harder.

Anamika was fully enjoying this destruction.

“She made yogurt and jaggery for her before the match today.”

The room went silent for one dramatic second.

Then absolute screaming.

“OH MY GOD.”

“THAT’S SO DOMESTIC.”

“CAPTAIN IS WHIPPED.”

“DEVASTATINGLY WHIPPED.”

“I hate all of you.” Zivah murmured.

Anamika laughed so hard she nearly slid off the bench.

One of the juniors wiped fake tears dramatically.

“Love changed our captain.”

“Before this she only believed in violence.”

“That’s still true.”

Another girl pointed dramatically.

“You HAVE to introduce bhabhi now.”

“Please.”

“We need to know who defeated basketball captain emotionally.”

Zivah groaned loudly while hiding her face briefly in her hands.

But despite all the complaining,
there was still a smile pulling at her lips.

Small.
Fond.
Uncontrollable.

Because hearing Eraya called her wife,
hearing people talk about her,
still made something warm bloom inside her chest every single time.

Eventually after endless teasing and approximately fourteen emotional speeches about betrayal,
the team finally started leaving the locker room.

Outside,
the evening air felt cooler after the heat of the court.

The parking lot still buzzed with students discussing the match loudly.

And near one of the cars,

Shivani stood practically vibrating with excitement.

The moment she spotted Anamika,
she ran toward her immediately.

“MIKAAA!”

Before Anamika could even react,
Shivani threw herself directly into her arms.

Anamika laughed instantly while catching her.

“Hi to you too.”

“You played SO WELL.”

Shivani cupped her face dramatically.

“You blocked that shot like some heroic cinema character.”

“I almost died actually. But stylishly.”

Anamika laughed again.

And before anyone could stop her,
Shivani leaned and kissed her quickly.

Which would have been fine.

Except Shivani apparently forgot public decency existed.

Because the kiss immediately became longer.

And deeper.

And,

“Oh my god enough.”

Zivah’s exhausted voice interrupted them instantly.

Both of them turned.

Shivani blinked innocently.

“What?”

“You people are disgusting.”

Anamika grinned.

“You’re jealous.”

“I’m traumatized.”

Shivani gasped dramatically.

“You literally confessed love yesterday.”

“That’s DIFFERENT.”

“How?”

“I’m emotionally classy.”

Anamika started laughing again while Shivani clung to her dramatically anyway.

Meanwhile,
a little away from them,
Eraya stood quietly watching Zivah.

The stadium lights reflected softly against her tired face.

Her jersey slightly crumpled.
Hair damp from sweat.
Still catching her breath from the match.

And despite the chaos around them,
the noise,
the teasing,
the crowd,
the moment Zivah looked at Eraya,
everything softened.

Like instinctively.

She walked toward her slowly.

And suddenly,
for once,
Zivah didn’t look like the terrifying captain everyone screamed for.

She just looked tired.
Warm.
Hopeful.

Like she cared about one opinion more than the entire crowd combined.

Eraya smiled softly at her.

“You played an amazing game.”

And that,
somehow,
was enough.

Enough to make Zivah’s shoulders finally relax.

Enough to quiet every nervous thought from earlier.

Enough to make warmth spread through her chest stronger than victory itself.

Because thousands of people had cheered for her today.

But the only thing she truly wanted,
was that soft proud smile from her wife.

Zivah smiled back quietly.
Softly.
Completely gone for her.

And somewhere behind them,
Shivani yelled dramatically,

“STOP STARING ROMANTICALLY AND TAKE US FOR FOOD.”

By the time they finally reached home,
the entire apartment felt quieter than usual.

Not empty.
Not lonely.
Just soft after the chaos of the stadium.

The loud cheers.
The screaming crowd.
The bright lights.
The nonstop excitement.
Everything had finally faded into silence.

And honestly,
Zivah looked exhausted.

Not physically alone.

But deeply tired in that strange way that came after adrenaline disappeared.

The moment she entered the apartment,
she dropped dramatically onto the couch.

“I can’t move.”

Eraya closed the door behind them quietly.

“You’re alive.”

“Barely.”

“You won.”

“That’s why I survived.”

Eraya laughed softly while removing her shoes.

And somewhere from the couch,
Zivah stared at her quietly.

Still not fully over the fact that Eraya had sat in those crowded stands today.

Watching her.
Smiling proudly at her.

It kept replaying in her mind.
Again.
And again.
And again.

“Why are you staring?”

Zivah blinked.

Then shamelessly replied,

“You looked pretty today.”

Eraya immediately looked away trying to hide her smile.

“You say that every day.”

“Because you look pretty every day.”

“That’s not how logic works.”

“That’s exactly how love works.”

Eraya’s cheeks warmed slightly.

And Zivah internally celebrated.

Because making Eraya blush had become one of her favorite hobbies.

Eventually,
after a very dramatic five-minute complaint session about basketball injuries, irresponsible juniors, and “emotionally unstable referees”,

Zivah finally dragged herself toward the bedroom to shower.

Meanwhile,

Eraya quietly walked into the kitchen.

The apartment lights were dim.
Warm.
Comfortable.

And while washing the small pan carefully,

Eraya found herself smiling faintly.

Because today had felt important.

Not because Zivah won.

Though she had played amazingly.

Not because the entire crowd had screamed her name.

Though that had shocked Eraya deeply.

But because she had seen a different side of her today.

The nervousness before the game.
The way she searched the crowd just to find her.
The relief in her eyes when Eraya smiled back.

And somehow,
that mattered more than the victory itself.

A small smile lingered on Eraya’s lips as she opened the fridge.

Tonight,
she wanted to make something extra for Zivah.

Something warm.
Something comforting.

Because even though Zivah kept acting energetic,

Eraya had noticed the exhaustion in her shoulders.

The slight heaviness in her movements.
The way she sat down immediately after reaching home.

So quietly,
she began preparing almond milk.

Warm milk.
Honey.
A little saffron.
Crushed almonds.
Cardamom.

The soft aroma slowly filled the kitchen.
Comforting.
Gentle.

By the time Zivah came out of the shower,
wearing loose pajamas and still drying her hair with a towel,
the entire apartment smelled warm and sweet.

She blinked immediately.

“…what is that smell?”

Eraya looked up from the kitchen counter.

“I made something.”

Zivah narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“That sentence scares me.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“It’s almond milk.”

Zivah froze.

“No.”

Eraya blinked.

“No?”

” Eraya It’s heavy.”

“You played an entire match.”

“I survived.”

“You’re tired.”

“I’m dramatic, not weak.”

Eraya walked toward her holding the mug carefully.

Steam still curling upward softly.

“Drink.”

Zivah stared at the mug like it personally offended her.

“Eraya.”

“Zivi.”

“That’s emotional manipulation.”

“That’s care.”

“Same thing.”

Eraya tried not to laugh.

“Please?”

And honestly,
that one soft word completely ruined Zivah’s resistance.

Because how was she supposed to say no to that face?

Impossible.

She sighed dramatically.

“Fine.”

Then pointed accusingly.

“But if I explode from fullness, it’s your fault.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I’m honest.”

Still grumbling dramatically,
Zivah finally took the mug.

The warmth spread against her fingers instantly.

And the moment she took the first sip,
she went completely silent.

Eraya blinked.

“…bad?”

Zivah slowly lowered the mug.

Then stared at her in disbelief.

“Oh my god.”

Eraya laughed softly.

“What?”

“This is heavenly.”

“That dramatic?”

“No seriously.”

She took another sip immediately.

“…marry me again.”

Eraya burst into quiet laughter.

“You’re already married to me.”

“Good.”

Another sip.

“Because I’m never leaving after this.”

The warmth in Eraya’s chest deepened softly watching her.

Because Zivah looked genuinely happy over something so small.

Eventually,
they settled on the bed together.

The room was dim except for the bedside lamp.
Rain tapped softly against the windows outside.
And the exhaustion from the long day finally began settling into both of them.

As always,
Eraya drank her apple mint water first.

Zivah watched her quietly from beside her pillow.

“You know…”

She said thoughtfully.

“…you look like an old grandmother drinking that every night.”

Eraya gasped softly.

“That’s rude.”

“It’s true.”

“You literally drink almond milk with saffron.”

“…that’s royal behavior actually.”

Eraya laughed again.

And honestly,

that sound alone relaxed Zivah more than sleep ever could.

Once Eraya finished the drink and placed the glass aside,

Zivah immediately moved closer.

Naturally.

Automatically.

One arm slipped around Eraya’s waist.
The other pulled her gently against her chest.

Eraya smiled softly at the familiarity of it now.
At how instinctive their closeness had become.

A few quiet moments passed.
Just breathing.
Warmth.
Comfort.

Then softly,
Eraya asked,

“How do you feel now?”

Zivah hummed thoughtfully.
Pretending to think deeply.

“Energetic.”

Eraya immediately laughed into her shoulder.

“That almond milk worked miracles.”

“It healed my soul.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“No seriously.”

She tightened her hold slightly.

“I think I can win another championship right now.”

“That’s not how nutrition works.”

“That’s exactly how your cooking works.”

Eraya shook her head smiling.

But secretly,

the happiness in Zivah’s voice made something bloom warmly inside her chest.

Because taking care of her felt natural now.

Easy.
Like something her heart had already memorized.

A comfortable silence settled again after that.

Then after a while,
Eraya spoke quietly.

“You were amazing today.”

Zivah’s fingers paused slightly against her waist.

“…yeah?”

Eraya nodded softly against her shoulder.

“Everyone was so impressed.”

The memory returned immediately.
The screaming audience.
The cheering.
The excitement.

But strangely,
none of those memories mattered as much as this moment did.

This quiet praise from Eraya.

So Zivah asked softly,
almost carefully,

“Were you impressed?”

Eraya pulled back slightly just enough to look at her.

And the softness in her eyes nearly destroyed Zivah completely.

“Of course I was impressed.”

A pause.

“Actually…”

A tiny smile appeared on her lips.

“…I was proud.”

That word hit harder than victory itself.

Proud.

Not impressed.
Not amazed.
Proud.

Like she belonged beside her.

Like Zivah’s achievements mattered personally to her.

Something warm tightened painfully inside Zivah’s chest.

And suddenly,
the cheering crowd felt insignificant compared to this one moment.

Because she would choose this every single time.

This soft voice.
This warm look.
This quiet pride.

Over trophies.
Over applause.
Over everything.

Zivah leaned forward slowly.

Then kissed Eraya’s forehead gently.

Lingering there.

“You know…”

She murmured quietly.

“…I think hearing that from you made me happier than winning.”

Eraya’s cheeks warmed softly.

“You’re just saying that.”

“I’m absolutely not.”

Another kiss.

This time near her temple.

“I mean it.”

Eraya smiled quietly after that.

And slowly,
she relaxed fully into Zivah’s hold.

Outside,
rain continued falling softly.

The city slowly sleeping beneath the night.

And inside that small room,
wrapped in warmth and tired happiness,
they held each other quietly.

Zivah’s chin rested lightly over Eraya’s head.

Her fingers absentmindedly tracing slow patterns against her arm.

Meanwhile Eraya listened quietly to her heartbeat.
Steady.
Safe.
Home-like.

Neither of them spoke again after that.

They didn’t need to.

Because some nights,
love existed best in silence.

In warmth.
In sleepy touches.
In soft breaths shared beneath dim lights.

And slowly,
still tangled together,
they fell asleep.

The final match felt completely different from the previous games.

More intense.
More crowded.
More alive.

The entire stadium practically vibrated with noise.
Every seat was occupied.
Students stood along the railings.
People screamed chants so loudly the sound echoed through the ceiling.

Even before the match properly started,
the energy already felt electric.

Eraya sat beside Shivani clutching the edge of her sleeve slightly while trying to process the sheer amount of people screaming around her.

“This is terrifying.”

Shivani burst out laughing beside her.

“It’s fun terrifying.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Yes.”

She pointed dramatically toward the court.

“The difference is my girlfriend and your wife are about to emotionally destroy another college.”

Eraya laughed softly despite herself.

Down on the court,
players warmed up while the audience screamed every time Zivah touched the basketball.

Which honestly felt ridiculous to Eraya.

“…do they always react like that?”

Shivani looked genuinely confused.

“Like what?”

“They scream every time she breathes.”

“That’s because she’s cool.”

“That doesn’t explain this level of obsession.”

“It absolutely does.”

Eraya shook her head smiling.

But secretly,
watching Zivah like this still amazed her.

Focused.
Sharp.
Confident.

She looked completely different on the court.
Like someone born for moments like this.

Meanwhile,
Anamika stood beside Zivah stretching her arms while eyeing the audience.

“You know…”

She smirked.

“…your wife looks more nervous than you.”

Immediately,

Zivah looked toward the stands.
Instinctive.
Automatic.

And there Eraya sat,
trying to act calm while very obviously overwhelmed by the noise.

Zivah smiled softly.

“She hates crowds.”

“Yet she still came.” Anamika smiled fondly.

That sentence hit somewhere warm inside her chest.

Yeah.
She still came.
For her.

The whistle blew soon after.
The crowd erupted.
And the match finally began.

It was brutal from the beginning.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Intense.

The opposing college clearly wanted the championship badly.

And honestly,
for the first few minutes,
even Shivani stopped joking because she became too invested emotionally.

“MIKAA PASS!”

“ZI LEFT!”

“WHY IS THEIR DEFENSE SO ANNOYING?”

Eraya laughed helplessly beside her while trying to follow the game.

But one thing became obvious very quickly.

Zivah was terrifying when focused.

The way she moved across the court,
the precision,
the speed,
the confidence,
it was impossible not to stare.

And every single time she scored,
the audience lost their minds.

By halftime,
even Eraya found herself leaning forward unconsciously.

Heart racing during near misses.
Breathing easier whenever Zivah gained possession again.

Shivani noticed immediately.

“Oh you’re invested invested.”

Eraya blinked.

“What?”

“You react every time Zivah gets the ball.”

“…I do not.”

“You literally stopped breathing five minutes ago.”

Eraya looked away immediately while Shivani laughed harder.

The second half became even more intense.
The scores stayed dangerously close.
The audience louder with every passing minute.

Sweat dampened Zivah’s hair as she moved across the court breathing harder now.

But somehow,
she still looked steady.
Controlled.

Then finally,
the moment happened.

Anamika stole the ball.
Passed it sharply across the court.
And Zivah caught it perfectly.

The audience screamed instantly.

“She’s gonna shoot!”

“CAPTAIN!”

Two defenders rushed toward her immediately.

But Zivah moved past one.
Then the second.
Fast.
Sharp.
Effortless.

And then,
she scored.

The basketball passed cleanly through the hoop.

Perfect shot.

For one second,
the stadium went silent in shock.

Then absolute chaos exploded.

The crowd SCREAMED.

People literally stood on their seats.
Students shouted her name from every direction.

And in the middle of all that noise,
Zivah looked toward the audience.

Toward Eraya.

Eraya was already smiling unconsciously.
Proud.
Soft.
Completely gone for her.

And then,
before anyone could predict it,

Zivah grinned.

Not her usual confident grin.

This one looked mischievous.

Dangerous.

Shivani immediately narrowed her eyes beside Eraya.

“Oh no.”

“What?” Eraya asked.

“That face means she’s about to do something stupid.”

And unfortunately,
she was right.

Because right there,
in front of an ENTIRE packed stadium,

Zivah lifted her fingers to her lips.

Looked directly at Eraya.

Winked.

And blew her a flying kiss.

The world stopped.

Actually stopped.

Even the crowd froze for half a second.

Then the ENTIRE stadium turned toward Eraya at once.

Every.
Single.
Person.

Eraya’s soul physically left her body.

Her eyes widened immediately.

“…oh my god.”

Shivani collapsed beside her laughing so hard she nearly fell from her seat.

“ZIVAH!”

Meanwhile down on the court,

Anamika was bent over laughing while the rest of the team screamed dramatically.

“CAPTAIN HAS NO SHAME!”

“BHAABHIII!”

Eraya wanted the ground to open and consume her instantly.

The commentator’s voice echoed loudly through the speakers,
clearly enjoying the chaos way too much.

“Well it seems Captain Zivah’s lady luck is sitting in the audience tonight!”

The stadium erupted again.

Eraya covered her face immediately.

“Shivi I’m leaving.”

“No you’re not.”

“She’s insane.”

“She’s in love.”

“That was PUBLIC.”

Shivani could barely breathe from laughing.

“Oh my god your face is RED.”

“I hate her.”

“No you don’t.”

Unfortunately,
she really didn’t.

Because despite the embarrassment,
despite wanting to disappear forever,
something warm still bloomed uncontrollably inside her chest.

Down on the court,
Zivah looked entirely too pleased with herself.

And when she caught Eraya glaring at her through embarrassed eyes,

she shamelessly winked again.

“SHIVI SHE DID IT AGAIN.”

Shivani nearly died laughing.

The rest of the match somehow continued despite Eraya spiritually ascending from embarrassment.

And eventually,
with one final devastating play,
their college officially won the championship.

The stadium exploded.

Again.

Students rushed near the barriers screaming.

The team celebrated wildly on court.

Someone lifted Anamika onto their shoulders.

And right in the center,
the trophy was handed to Zivah.

The audience screamed her name loudly while flashes from cameras reflected everywhere.

Eraya watched quietly.
Warmth filling her chest slowly.

Because Zivah looked happy.
Genuinely happy.

And somehow,
seeing that felt more beautiful than the trophy itself.

Later,
after endless celebration,
they finally met in the parking lot.

The moment Anamika appeared,
Shivani attacked immediately.

“YOU WON!”

Anamika laughed while hugging her tightly.

“You screamed louder than the audience.”

“As I should.”

Then Shivani immediately turned toward Zivah dramatically.

“And YOU.”

She pointed accusingly.

“What was that flying kiss stunt?”

Zivah looked completely unashamed.

“Romance.”

“That poor girl almost fainted.”

All eyes turned toward Eraya,
who immediately looked away still flushed.

Anamika burst out laughing instantly.

“Oh my god she’s STILL embarrassed.”

“Can we never discuss this again?” Eraya murmured.

“No.”

Zivah answered immediately.

“I’m discussing it forever.”

Eraya glared softly.

“You embarrassed me in front of an entire stadium.”

“You looked cute.”

“That’s not the point.”

“It absolutely is.”

Shivani and Anamika started laughing again while Eraya huffed quietly and entered the car before they could tease her further.

Which unfortunately only encouraged them more.

Inside the car,
the teasing never stopped.

“Lady luck.”

“Shivi stop.”

“Maybe Zi should score more often if this is the reward.”

“ANU.”

Zivah looked deeply satisfied beside her.

Meanwhile Eraya sat near the window trying to recover dignity that no longer existed.

Eventually,
they decided to celebrate properly.

Which led them to a restaurant nearby.

The moment they entered,
Anamika dramatically announced,

“Champions have arrived.”

“No one asked you to say that.”

“They should still know.”

They settled into a booth eventually.

Shivani beside Anamika.

Zivah immediately beside Eraya.

Of course.

Menus were opened.
Drinks ordered.

And unfortunately,
the teasing resumed instantly.

“So Eraya…”

Shivani grinned wickedly.

“How did it feel getting publicly flirted with?”

Eraya nearly choked on water.

“SHIVI.”

“What?”

“She looked traumatized.”

Anamika added helpfully.

“I WAS.”

Zivah laughed beside her.

Low and warm.

“You’re dramatic.”

“You winked at me in front of thousands of people.”

“And?”

“And?!”

Zivah leaned slightly closer.

“I was expressing my love.”

That sentence alone made Eraya blush again immediately.

Anamika slapped the table dramatically.

“OH SHE’S RED AGAIN.”

“Please let me live peacefully.”

“No.”

All three answered together.

Eraya glared softly while Zivah looked unbearably entertained beside her.

Food finally arrived after several more minutes of emotional destruction.

And immediately,
Zivah began placing portions onto Eraya’s plate.

Naturally.
Automatically.

Eraya stared at the amount.

“…this is too much.”

“You barely ate during lunch.”

“I’m not that hungry.”

“You’re eating it.”

“Zivi.”

“No excuses.”

Shivani dramatically clutched her chest.

“She even sounds married now.”

Anamika nodded seriously.

“The domestic energy is terrifying.”

Meanwhile,
Zivah calmly ignored them while adjusting Eraya’s plate closer.

“Eat.”

Eraya sighed softly but secretly smiled.

Because despite all the teasing,
despite the embarrassment,
being cared for like this still felt unreal sometimes.

And across from them,
Shivani whispered dramatically to Anamika,

“She’s whipped.”

Anamika whispered back,

“Violently whipped.”

Unfortunately,
Zivah heard both.

“I can still throw basketballs professionally.”

“That sounds like a threat.”

“It is.”

Night had settled softly around the apartment by the time they finally returned home from the celebration dinner.

The excitement of the championship still lingered everywhere somehow.

In their clothes.
In their laughter.
In the way Zivah still looked absurdly proud of herself.

And unfortunately,
Eraya was still recovering from the flying kiss incident.

Because every single time she remembered the entire stadium turning toward her,
her soul tried leaving her body again.

Which only made Zivah laugh harder.

“You’re still embarrassed.”

Eraya immediately turned from where she was folding the blanket.

“You traumatised me.”

“I romantically appreciated you.”

“In front of thousands of people.”

“You looked pretty while blushing.”

“That doesn’t help your case.”

Zivah grinned shamelessly.

The kind of grin that usually meant trouble.

And Eraya,
unfortunately,
had started loving that grin way too much.

Later that night,
after Eraya finished drinking her apple mint water and forcing Zivah to properly hydrate too,
they eventually settled inside their bedroom.

The room glowed softly under warm yellow light.

Outside,
the city had quieted down.

Inside,
everything felt safe.
Slow.
Domestic.

Eraya had already changed into comfortable pajamas and quietly slipped into bed first.

And perhaps because she was still emotionally offended by the entire stadium incident,

she deliberately curled toward the edge of the bed dramatically.

With Brownie held tightly against her chest.

Very tightly.

Like she was making a statement.

Which honestly,
she was.

A few minutes later,
the bathroom door opened.

Warm steam drifted out first.

Then Zivah emerged wearing loose black pajamas while drying her damp hair lazily with a towel.

She looked tired.
Soft.
Still slightly flushed from the shower.

And immediately,
her eyes landed on the sight before her.

Eraya.

Curled away dramatically.

Holding Brownie like emotional support.

Zivah narrowed her eyes instantly.

“…excuse me.”

Eraya didn’t turn.

“Hm?”

“That’s my place.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Eraya hugged Brownie even closer.

“I gave it to Brownie.”

Zivah stared at her in disbelief.

“You replaced me with a stuffed bear.”

“He doesn’t publicly embarrass me.”

Zivah burst out laughing immediately.
Actually laughed.
Head tilted back slightly.
That warm unrestrained laugh Eraya secretly adored.

“Oh my god you’re still upset.”

“You flew a kiss at me in front of an entire stadium.”

“And?”

“And everyone looked at me!”

“Good.”

Eraya finally turned toward her with an offended expression.

“Good?”

“Yes.”

Zivah climbed onto the bed lazily.

“The entire college should know Captain Zivah is deeply in love with her wife.”

Eraya’s face warmed immediately.
Still.
Even now.
Even after all this time.
That word affected her every single time.

Wife.

Zivah noticed the exact moment her expression softened.

And immediately looked smug.

“There it is.”

“What?”

“That look.”

Eraya frowned softly.

“What look?”

“The one where you pretend to be angry but secretly like it.”

“I do not secretly like it.”

“You absolutely do.”

“I wanted to disappear.”

“You looked adorable trying.”

Eraya huffed quietly and hid partially behind Brownie again.

Which only made Zivah more dramatic.

“Oh wow.”

She pointed accusingly.

“You’re choosing him over me.”

Eraya nodded seriously.

“He respects my privacy.”

“That bear has no rights.”

“He has feelings.”

“He has stuffing.”

Eraya laughed softly despite herself.

And the sound immediately softened something inside Zivah.

Because honestly,
today had been exhausting.

Exciting.
Overwhelming.

But hearing Eraya laugh at the end of the day?

That fixed everything somehow.

Still,
the Brownie betrayal could not continue.

So without warning,
Zivah lunged forward dramatically.

“Zivi-!”

Too late.

Within seconds,
she stole Brownie directly out of Eraya’s arms.

“Traitor!”

“That’s MY spot.”

Eraya immediately tried grabbing the teddy back.

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Give him back!”

“No.”

Zivah shamelessly stretched her arm away from Eraya’s reach before placing Brownie dramatically on the side table.

Far away.

“There.”

Eraya stared at her in betrayal.

“You removed him from the bed.”

“He was emotionally interfering with my marriage.”

“He was existing peacefully.”

“He was stealing my wife.”

Eraya burst out laughing again.
Properly this time.
Shoulders shaking softly.
Eyes crinkling.

And unfortunately for Zivah,
everything stopped for her when Eraya laughed like that.

Every single time.

Because no matter how many times she heard it,
that sound still felt magical.

So instead of arguing further,
Zivah simply moved closer.

Close enough that Eraya instinctively stopped laughing slightly.

One hand slipped gently around her waist.

The other lightly ruffled her hair.

“You tease me too much.”

Eraya blinked softly.

“I tease you?”

“Yes.”

Zivah nodded seriously.

“You compared me to brownie.”

“You deserved it.”

“Oh?”

“You winked at me in front of an entire crowd.”

“And you became red like a strawberry.”

“That’s because you’re impossible.”

Zivah grinned.

“And because you love me.”

Eraya looked away immediately.
Which basically confirmed it.

“See?”

“You’re annoying.”

“You’re obsessed with me.”

“That’s you.”

“True.”

The honesty made Eraya laugh again.
Soft.
Helpless.

And slowly,
the earlier embarrassment started melting away completely.

Because that was the thing about Zivah.

Even when she embarrassed Eraya beyond recovery,

she somehow always made her smile afterward too.

The room grew quieter after that.

Softer.

Zivah’s fingers absentmindedly traced small circles against Eraya’s waist while watching her carefully.

“You really liked the match today?”

Eraya immediately nodded.

“It was amazing.”

Something warm lit inside Zivah’s eyes instantly.
Because no matter how confidently she acted,

Eraya’s opinion still mattered most.

Always.

“You looked terrifying.”

“Terrifying?”

“In a good way.”

“That’s romantic.”

“You were moving so fast.”

Eraya smiled softly remembering.

“And everyone kept screaming your name.”

“They scream dramatically.”

“They adore you.”

Zivah looked at her quietly for a second.

Then said softly,

“I only cared if you were watching.”

Eraya’s heartbeat stumbled a little at that.

Because she knew Zivah meant it.

Entirely.

And somehow,

that sincerity always affected her more than grand gestures.

The silence stretched softly between them.
Comfortable.
Warm.

Then suddenly,
Zivah leaned forward.
And kissed Eraya’s forehead.

A soft lingering kiss.

Eraya blinked slowly.

Then another kiss landed near her temple.

Then her cheek.

Then the other cheek.

“Zivi-“

Then her nose.

Eraya laughed breathlessly trying to push her away slightly.

“What are you doing?”

“Celebrating my victory.”

“With attacks?”

“With affection.”

“That’s too many kisses.”

“There’s no such thing.”

Another kiss.
Near her jaw this time.

Eraya’s face warmed immediately.

“You’re impossible.”

“And you love me deeply.”

“…maybe.”

“Maybe?”

Eraya smiled softly.
Small.
Fond.

“Maybe alot.”

Zivah actually paused for a second after hearing that.

Like her heart physically forgot functioning.

Because Eraya still spoke love quietly.
Carefully.

But every word from her felt devastatingly sincere.

So instead of replying immediately,
Zivah simply pulled her closer.

Until there was barely any space left between them.

Their legs tangled beneath the blanket.

Eraya’s head resting against her shoulder naturally now.

And after a while,
Zivah whispered softly near her hair,

“You know…”

“Hm?”

“I’d still fly a hundred kisses at you.”

Eraya groaned instantly.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll stop attending your matches.”

“You wouldn’t survive not watching me.”

“That confidence is dangerous.”

“It’s accurate.”

Eraya laughed softly again.

Then after a moment,
she quietly admitted,

“…I did like seeing you happy today.”

Zivah’s expression softened immediately.

“Yeah?”

Eraya nodded lightly.

“You looked happiest when you looked at me.”

Because she had noticed.
Of course she had noticed.

The searching glances.
The tiny smiles.
The way Zivah kept looking toward the stands.

And hearing Eraya say that aloud made something ache warmly inside Zivah’s chest.

So she kissed her forehead again.
Slowly.
Gently.

“You were my favorite part of the entire day.”

Eraya smiled against her shoulder after that.
Soft and sleepy now.

Eventually,
the teasing faded into quieter conversation.
Then softer touches.
Then tired silence.

At some point,
Eraya sleepily reached toward the side table.

“Brownie.”

Immediately,
Zivah tightened her hold possessively.

“No.”

“He sleeps with me.”

“I sleep with you.”

“…both?”

Zivah sighed dramatically.

“Fine.”

So Brownie was eventually rescued from side-table exile and placed near Eraya again.

Though not between them.
Absolutely not between them.

And as the lights finally turned off,
the room dissolved into darkness and warmth.

Eraya rested quietly in Zivah’s arms.
Brownie tucked beside her.
Zivah’s chin resting lightly over her head.

Safe.
Loved.
Home.

And just before sleep fully claimed them,
Eraya whispered softly into the darkness,

“You really shouldn’t wink at me in front of entire stadiums.”

Zivah smiled sleepily against her hair.

“No promises.”
___________