A Father's Pride

Coraline shifted to her side and faced the wall when she heard the bathroom door open. Since then Armaan only had nice things to tell her.

Her mind wandered back to the idea of Mama sharing all her dark secrets with him. Someone she barely knew for a few days.

There was no telling how many things Mama knew about her either.

'Did Vivi tell Mama about me?'

The only person that came first to mind when it came to knowing more than strangers would about Coraline—would be none other than her closest friend.

Coraline flinched at the sudden touch she felt around her waist. While she was thinking, Armaan had turned off all the lights and made his way closer to her.

'You really can't hear his steps,' she turned her head to face where she thought his to be.

He smelt like all of her favorite scents.

She wrapped her arms around him as he laid down beside her. His soft breaths were enough to put her to sleep.

How long had it been since Coraline had slept next to another person?

Vivianne had grown out of their delegated sleepovers so she usually went home to an empty bed. Coraline started to understand the happiness one would have when they went home to someone else.

Someone who loved them.

It was fulfilling to have and encouraging to know that someone was waiting for you to rush home.

Armaan began to play with her hair and lightly brushed his hand against her spine. The feeling of his gentleness—was like he was cradling Coraline's soul. Showing her she was capable of receiving love.

Overnight a person had infiltrated through her walls and sweetened Coraline's once sharp mouth.

"Coraline," his soft voice was new to her but welcomed.

"Yeah?"

She could hear him let out a hushed snicker before asking, "Why is your teddy bear missing legs?"

Coraline smiled, "So you were curious."

They both laughed at the thought of Mr. Teddy's appearance. It was reassuring to Armaan that he would never learn the origins of her weird-looking bear.

He'd never be able to call Coraline a murderer.

Not if he didn't know about who gave her the bear. If anything Armaan probably assumed it was her friend to gift her the bear.

And strangely enough, he didn't question her possessing men's clothing either.

'Was that why he asked if I'd be loyal?'

Coraline's giggles came to a stop and so did Armaan's. This was the time for her to ask Armaan questions about himself—he already knew a bit about her.

Coraline gave herself some time to ponder what she'd ask him.

But it was Armaan who spoke up first, "Mama told me how to get to the place where we can be legally wedded."

"Mama seems to know a lot."

Armaan didn't pick up on the irritation of Coraline's voice and instead eagerly answered, "Right?"

Naturally, Coraline knew his eyes were on her so she avoided meeting his. When she pressed her finger down on the skin before her palm—she could feel the thump of her pulse beating against the tip of her finger.

Armaan must've been able to see her doing this because he took her hand from pressing down anymore.

She took this as her chance to ask him more about himself, "What do people think of you, Armaan?"

He slouched further into her mattress, "Curious?" He made a groaning sound like he was trying to think about his answer, "I try not to think too much about what others say but I think my friends would describe me as sly and a chatterbox."

"Talkative?" She giggled at the thought of others trying to make Armaan shut up and him insisting on talking more.

"My parents aren't that fond of me like they are so they'd probably say I'm a man of few words and obdient."

"Very different comparisons."

Armaan took one of Coraline's hands and used both of his to play with each of her fingers. To Coraline, it was like he enjoyed skinship very much. Every other minute any kind of skin contact from Armaan was on Coraline.

'One of his love languages I presume?'

Coraline tried to deepen her questions with him, "Which parent do you try to please the most?"

"Papa."

She slowly moved her fingers in Armaan's hands, "Why's that?"

The air around him felt more darker after her words, "Where I'm from the father's blessing means more than anything else."

Coraline decided to wait for Armaan to continue before asking him anything else.

"Yet my Papa would accept any marriage I get myself into. For some reason, the old man wants to see me married before he croaks."

"So you went to Mama for help, what I did as well?"

"Exactly, I'm not sure why you went to her but for me, that is why. The first person to see the picture of my wife will be my father."

'He's using me to please his father?' This reason appeased Coraline much more than she expected. She anticipated a more twisted reason.

Armaan grasped Coraline's hands with more demand, "You're not mad are you?"

She shook her head, "Not at all, what about your mother, Armaan?"

"My mother? She's very possessive of her youngest son."

Coraline chuckled, "You're the youngest?"

"That is right."

A laugh followed behind her words, "How is that so?" 

She could see him shrugging his shoulders with a wide smile. He placed both of his hands on Coraline's lower back, bringing her closer to him.

Her hands wrapped around Armaan's neck, "So what about it? Is she nice to girls like me?"

Armaan placed his forehead on Coraline's, "Unfortunately, she's the meanest."

Coraline let out a dramatic "aww" sound while softly chuckling after. After every conversation they shared—she felt more closer to Armaan.

He had a calm effect on her that lessened her heightened emotions. Their compatibility was more than what she initially expected.

She also respected how he made note of any boundary she set and cooled off when she was being pushed out of her own normalcy.

Something Coraline hadn't come across in a long time.

If men continued their pleas after she had shown her rejection, then Coraline was quick to cut them off. Vivianne would tease her for being unlovable because of how quickly Coraline could detach herself from someone.

Yet here was Armaan defying all of that.

With each place he touched the more Coraline felt a flame set inside of her. He had already gotten used to using pet names for her as well.

Reluctantly she called out to him, "My love, what do you think of me?"

It was as if Armaan's heart had stopped beating at Coraline's voice that felt like a symphony being played to him.

"You've changed me for the better, Coraline. I've only just met you, but I will cry an ocean for you the day I have to depart from your side."

She lifted her head once more and this time the couple shared a longer kiss.

The remainder of their short time started to become painfully present, and this wasn't helpful for the anxiety Coraline felt.

Their embrace lasted until she was on top of Armaan. When they both drew away from each other they let their gasps do the speaking.

He laughed a bit as Coraline was hasty to find steadiness in her breath again, "You're a terrible kisser, my dear."

Her eyes widened at this, 'How blunt is he?'

She lightly slapped at the side of his arm before falling next to Armaan. They both couldn't remain silent and burst out into a bubble of laughter.

Armaan turned his gleeful expression towards Coraline.

She gazed star-struck at him before breaking the silence, "Teach me how to be better, I am good at picking up on things."

It was like Coraline could see the steam come from his face before his hand reached out to her faster than his words did.

"Don't say that—I'm already having a hard time as it is."

"Are you now big guy?"

The two kept loyal to their eye contact before Coraline's hands reached over to Mr. Teddy. Smacking the center of Armaan's face.

She urged him to roll over and obediently he listened to her orders. He turned over and now his back was what Coraline could see.

She used his back to write out her message as she spoke.

"I'll trust you to take us to the people we need to sign the papers to."

"I shall not disappoint you."

Coraline began to write out the words, 'I love you,' on Armaan's back. He had no reaction to the movement of her pointer finger. Which must've meant he had no idea it was words she was carving out on him.

"What do you end your end your letters with, Armaan."

She could practically hear him think about it before responding to her, "For others—sincerely, Armaan. But to you Coraline—with the weight of my love, truly yours."