Déjà Vu

**Chapter 4: A New Morning**

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the thick curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across the room. The light was gentle, caressing the edges of the stone walls and catching the wisps of smoke still rising from the hearth. Aarushi blinked awake, her body still tangled with Rudra’s under the weight of the thick blankets. His arm lay draped over her waist, his hand resting protectively on her hip, his breath steady and soft in sleep. There was a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips, a look of peaceful contentment that mirrored the serenity of the morning.

For a moment, Aarushi simply lay there, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest, her heart swelling with affection for him. She could hear the faint sounds of the morning outside—the distant chirping of birds greeting the dawn, the rustle of the leaves as the early breeze made its way down the hillside. The world felt still, suspended in the quiet of a new day, and she savored the calm before their day truly began.

With a soft sigh, she slipped carefully out from under his arm, mindful not to wake him just yet. The air in the room was cool, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine as she padded softly to the window, the wooden floorboards creaking slightly under her bare feet. She reached for the heavy curtain and drew it back, allowing the full light of the morning to flood the room.

Outside, the valley was still shrouded in mist, the mountains just barely visible through the thick, ethereal fog that clung to the landscape. The tops of the deodar trees poked through like ancient sentinels, their dark green branches standing out against the pale gray mist. The sun, though hidden behind the clouds, cast a soft, diffuse light over the entire scene, making everything appear dreamlike, as if the world was just waking up with them.

Aarushi stood there for a moment, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. There was something magical about the way the mist hugged the mountains, rolling lazily through the valley, giving the place an almost otherworldly quality. It was a far cry from the chaotic, bustling city they had left behind, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of peace settle over her as she breathed in the crisp, clean air.

Behind her, she heard the faint rustling of sheets as Rudra stirred, waking slowly. His voice, thick with sleep, drifted across the room. “Morning,” he murmured, his words soft and warm, like the morning light that now filled the room.

Aarushi turned, her lips curving into a gentle smile as she met his sleepy gaze. “Morning,” she replied softly, watching as he propped himself up on one elbow, his hair tousled, his eyes still heavy with sleep but full of affection as he looked at her.

From where he lay, Rudra could see her silhouetted against the light streaming through the window, her figure framed by the misty mountains in the distance. The soft, golden glow caught in her hair, making it shimmer like spun silk, and for a moment, she seemed almost ethereal, otherworldly, as though she belonged to this place of mist and mountains more than to the world they had come from.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he said, his voice low and full of warmth, his words carrying a weight of sincerity that made her heart skip a beat.

Aarushi blushed, her cheeks flushing with color as she bit her lip, casting a playful glance at him. “You always say that,” she replied, her tone light, but there was no denying the way her pulse quickened under his gaze.

“That’s because it’s always true,” he said with a lazy grin, his hand reaching out toward her, fingers brushing against her wrist, pulling her gently back toward the bed. “Come here.”

She laughed softly, letting him pull her down onto the bed beside him, her body falling easily into his arms. His warmth enveloped her, chasing away the coolness of the morning air as he wrapped her in his embrace. She nestled into his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothing her, their bodies fitting together as perfectly as they always did.

They lay there for a while, wrapped in each other, their breaths syncing with the quiet rise and fall of the world outside. Neither of them felt the need to speak—the silence between them was comfortable, filled with a shared understanding that words weren’t necessary. The soft light from the window bathed them in a golden glow, casting long shadows across the room as the morning stretched on lazily.

Outside, the mist was beginning to lift, revealing more of the valley below. The distant villages were coming into view, their roofs glistening with morning dew, and the first stirrings of life could be seen—smoke rising from chimneys, a few early risers walking along the narrow roads that wound through the hills.

Aarushi tilted her head up to look at Rudra, her eyes tracing the lines of his face, the strong set of his jaw, the softness in his gaze. “What do you want to do today?” she asked, her voice quiet, as though she didn’t want to disturb the peacefulness of the moment.

Rudra’s lips curved into a lazy smile. “Anything,” he said, his hand gently stroking her hair. “As long as it’s with you.”

She smiled, resting her head back against his chest, content to let the morning stretch on for as long as it would. There was something about this place—the quiet beauty of the hills, the way the world seemed to move at a slower pace—that made her feel more present, more connected to him.

“Maybe we could explore the local markets later,” Aarushi suggested after a while, her thoughts drifting to the vibrant colors and bustling energy of the town below. “I heard there’s a café with the best chai.”

Rudra chuckled softly. “You had me at chai.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his arms tightening around her. “Let’s take our time today, though. We have all the time in the world.”

And so they lay there, wrapped in each other, letting the morning unfold around them. The mist continued to rise, the mountains revealing themselves in the soft light of day, and the quiet of the hills enveloped them in its gentle embrace.