Zoya had seen a million different things in her lifetime, some good, most bad, but this particular sight had to be the funniest.

Aditya stood beside the stove, his joggers low on his hips and the upper half of his body bare. The sun stroked his skin with a shadow of light that made his tanned skin glow beneath the rays, in that moment he looked nothing short of God-like; he was the embodiment of strength, holiness and virtue and his wife couldn't find it within herself to look away.

The radio crackled due to the adverse weather conditions, but the music was still clear as it wrapped around them with a warmth that pulled them closer.

Pushing the spatula beneath the pancakes, he flipped one then began to rock his head back and forth till he finally threw it back and belted out with the screechiest voice he could master: "Mama, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he's dead, Mama, life had just begun, but now I've gone and thrown it all away" turning around mid-song he halted, facing turning ashen "Oh, I" he cleared away the girlish tone, "I didn't know you were there".

Her lips wobbled as she tried to hide her laughter, which released when he reached for the radio to turn it off only to end up knocking it over into the sink instead.

The melodious giggle spread heat through his chest as he stood in awe at the light it brought to her eyes. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he smiled diffidently "Your laugh is beautiful, you should really laugh more" he hadn't meant it to be an order, but by the look on her face she'd taken it as one.

Her face dropped at his words, the smile fading from her lips. She hadn't had anything to make her laugh before, this had been the first time in years, for the first time in what felt like forever she'd been free, really free, but the vulnerability she'd shown made her feel more naked than clothed and that was one feeling she would never enjoy.

Seeing her expression, he frowned "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I just" he huffed, so tired of constantly saying the wrong thing, she was gentle and he didn't want to crack the fragility of her soul even more than someone else already had. "What I'm trying to say is you're cute, uh sweet" his head shook, he didn't think he'd ever get this right. "I don't mean it like the creepy old men in the streets who tell women to smile because they think a woman's job is to look pretty and silent, you can be ugly and loud if you like, not that, not that you are ugly or loud or, I" deciding to just stop talking, he began to dish out the breakfast he'd made as an apology for the night before.

Zoya looked down at the sincerity of his compliment, her cheeks blazing red and her heart picking up a little. "Thank you, no one has ever called me that before" she looked up slowly, thankful he seemed to be happy once again. Saul had expected her to be quiet and look good at all times, she found herself wondering why Aditya would have a problem with that- was that not what all men wanted? It was the reason she'd brought her best dresses and her luxury sleepwear, regardless of the fact that neither were made for the cold climate. She wasn't a woman good for many things, but she could always make herself look good, it was the only reason her ex had kept her around, she assumed her husband now would also have a similar taste and he too would throw her to the side if he saw her without make-up or dressed like a slob.

Aditya gasped dramatically "Really? I find that hard to believe" he placed the plates on the mahogany table.

Her breath caught causing her words to be lined with hoarseness "You, you do?"

"Of course" he looked up, "You're" he inhaled sharply, "You're exquisite, Zoya, so yes I find it hard to believe that no one has ever told you that before and meant it". Noticing her befuddled expression, he tapped the plate "Breakfast".

"You made me breakfast" she stuttered, her eyes glassy as she approached the table, "No one has ever made me breakfast" though she whispered, he heard it perfectly.

"You are my wife, I want nothing more than to make you breakfast and spend my days with you, this relationship isn't one I went into lightly, I cherish you, I cherish what we have and I will cherish our moments together, if I had you before I would have never allowed you to be so surprised by something as small as breakfast being made for you" her words had struck a chord within him, he was angry, so enraged that no one had ever tried to show her just how special she was. In his time alone he had learnt a lot about human nature and their similarities to animals, a stray animal who'd been deserted would always find it hard to trust, often that made them volatile by nature, humans were the same when they were left defenceless in a world where they had to defend themselves, if they were never reminded of the uniqueness that made them worthy of love they too would feel nothing, unfortunately, both animals and humans had that trait in common, if alone they'd turn wild or die trying to survive. His wife was not special to him because he had found something special within her, she was special because she was human, because all humans were, she was a woman who had died long ago and now he would resuscitate her, then he would find that special something that won his heart. This wasn't about him falling head over heels, this was one man trying to save a woman who he hoped would one day help him save himself.

"I have never" she squeezed the fork in her fist, "I have never been cherished, I" she had always taken her role as a wife as a duty and nothing more, love never even came into it when she thought of what came with the job. She was here to be his, that was all, it was all she'd ever known, it was all she would ever know because his sugar-coated words were ones she'd heard too many times, she wouldn't risk taking another dose, she knew where that led her and she couldn't go back there again.

"Then allow me to show you how that feels" every single time he looked at her his heart clenched, perhaps it was the years of loneliness, perhaps it was her beauty and innocence, but he couldn't deny his attraction. For too long he'd fended off the world alone, now she was here giving him something to safeguard when he'd previously had nothing of value. It wasn't so much her looks that pulled him in, it was her soft voice, her ever clumsy feet and her laughter that sung a lullaby to his ears, she was not graceful, far from it actually, but there was no one he'd rather save from falling, he imagined even if other women were around he would still feel the same.

+ + +

Pushing a stick through a marshmallow, he handed it to her "So, what you don't want to do is hold it too close to the fire, turn it constantly and when it browns, you eat". Wrapping his hand around hers, he stood behind her and pushed out her arm "That's it, now turn it just a little".

Zoya kept her eyes on his hand over hers, the flame that heated her face seemed to prick at her skin like needles, but she was far too afraid to step back in case she bumped into him.

"And that's it" he stepped before her, "Now you eat" he placed his hand beneath it and held it to her lips.

Nibbling the edge, she moaned at the creaminess of the texture on her tongue, her eyes fluttered shut at the explosion of tastes she'd never had before.

Aditya couldn't say he despised how she affected him, her purity was something he never wanted to taint, but as the days went on he was finding it more difficult to ignore how she made him feel. Tracing his thumb over her bottom lip to remove some of the sweet treat, he then held his thumb to his tongue "Tastes better that way".

Looking up at him, her lips parted, chest rising in sync with the ebb and flow of the fire. Taking the stick from his hand, she finished the marshmallow in one and smiled politely up at him "Thank you".

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine, but now" he held up the bag, "There is one rule to roasting marshmallows, you see the fluffy Gods expect a sacrifice of some sorts".

Watching his hand stray to the lighter in his pocket, she stepped back, head shaking from left to right. Was she meant to be the sacrifice? Was he going to kill her? The second he turned the other way, she fell back onto the log at the sound of rustling. Zoya was not ready to die, not like this, but where could she go? The place was desolate and she had no idea how to use a boat, her only option was to try and reach the phone before he did. As her thoughts raced, her chest tightened, lungs squishing beneath the fear that made her whole body shut down so she couldn't move.

Turning around, he smiled through his now very chubby cheeks "Chubby bunny" he chuckled lowly.

Covering her mouth to hide the sigh of relief, she pursed her lips then bent forward as the humour of the situation overtook her and left her in a fit of giggles.

Aditya didn't care that he looked like an idiot, ever since hearing her laugh in the morning, he'd been dying to hear it again, the sound was addictive, the experience thrilling. Swallowing as quickly as he could, he gulped down some water "Now, it's your go, I got thirteen, bet you can't beat me" his brows wiggled competitively.

Wiping away tears, she reached for a few "You're very funny" she couldn't make the smile leave her lips, this was the kind of thing she'd dream of but had never expected to live. But every time he was kind she only feared him more, if this was his niceness, how bad could he possibly be? Men she knew were just nice enough to cover their evil, so did that mean he was the worst kind of bad?

Falling beside her, he led back "I'm also very ill, too many marshmallows" he groaned, hand on his stomach.

She'd been right before, he really was like a little kid, for that she couldn't help but like him more, even if that led to her own demise. She hoped that this would last a little longer, this was new, different and she so badly wanted new and different, but mostly she craved for good and this was the best she'd ever had.

This was brought to you by singing Bohemian Rhapsody so loud that when I turned my whole family were watching me, so thank you to my odd moments, this story would be nothing without them!