The Traps of Black Swan

Dax, who saw her blank gaze, had to rub her head again to get her attention back, "Dum Dum…"

Aarvi promptly nodded as a response to his question of 'Tired?', she wasn't physically tired but emotionally from burying all past memories that flooded after seeing her mother.

"Let me drop you home."

Aarvi wanted to turn down, before that they heard a loud voice dragged long, "Waaaaaaaait." Shawn quickly reached the duo panting heavily, bent, pressing his palms on his knees trying to catch the breath.

Dax and Aarvi knew the over smart Shadow team informed Shawn without knowing Dax would go to her. The duo shook their head in resignation seeing him exhausted running through the mall to quickly reach them.

Aarvi took the water bottle and extended it at him but "Little heart, why are you giving me water, I need a hug." He demanded pushing her hand away.

Aarvi smiled helplessly before complying with his demand and gave him a friendly quick hug and heard another child complaining, "What about me?"

Aarvi: "..."

She gave a thought and gave a side hug sitting back on the chair to silent the duo but the two fussed again to trouble her

Dax: "Do you call that a hug? Didn't your boyfriend teach you anything?"

Shawn in guesstimation: "Little Heart, you must have given him a greeting hug so it's second, where is my..."

Aarvi stood up, covered her ears, and walked away saying, "You guys are crazy." She didn't realize she was smiling even though she displayed irritation.

"Dum Dum..."

"Little Heart..."

Then they said in unison following her. "It's not fair " 

Aarvi heard their footstep quicken and both men chuckled seeing her run as she screamed, "Ahhhh..."

The duo knew it was just temporary fun and happiness but they tried their best to pull her out of sorrow and pain by going on a big shopping spree of three.

It was eight in the evening when they stood next to each other looking at their car trunks of three cars filled with bags and their hands which had more bags. 

Aarvi looked right at Shawn who had a charming smirk, then turned left at Dax who had a delighted expression and three cheered in unison as Aarvi jumped on her toes, "Heyyy…"

"Holy Moly, I always wanted to do this." Aarvi continued without bothering about how many they had frightened in the parking area by their sudden yell out..

They had spent millions buying every random thing from shoes, clothes, expensive accessories without bothering about prices and no space in the car to fill. 

There was a time, Shawn had money but not his own hard-earned money. Aarvi had money from her earnings too but she needed to save for her own business, Dax didn't have that much money.

Now three had their own hard-earned money and they used it without bothering about emptying their accounts or checking the price tags. It was like a small dream come true.

The security guards who were panicked reached the three asking, "Excuse me, what happened? Did you see something? Back off, tell us where you saw."

The three looked at each other and burst into laughter seeing them search for something even they didn't know. Dax spoke looking at their bewilderment, "Actually, we don't know where to keep these shopping bags."

Then the security noticed three car trunks open and filled and their hands carrying at least eight each. 'Filthy rich spoiled brats.' They cussed them in their minds and left from there hearing them laugh again.

Dax and Shawn were famous but they weren't celebrities after all so not everyone could identify them easily. Even if guessed, many would think they must be somebody else so it was easier for them to go around without a bother.

However, there was somebody to ruin the mood. They heard a voice at the elevator behind them, "Anything for you Baby."

A coquettish voice followed by it, "Ahh you are my boyfriend, how could I spend your money?"

Aarvi's brows knitted and her face slowly fell. Dax and Shawn heard the first voice and didn't care until they noticed Aarvi clutching the bag handles tight to the extent they felt like she was going to tear off the bags.

Her unfathomable serenity was too calm but frosty that made even the duo think before speaking anything. Hence they glanced at the reflecting surfaces and identified the man and didn't care about the girl.

They stood silently in their own thoughts, Dax and Shawn cursed the man nonstop for ruining their such a good mood.

Aarvi who calmed down saw them and pouted, "I thought you two will smack on his head and punch him in the face. Pooh Pooh." She imitated and looked at them to get back their happy faces.

But the men left the bag and pulled the jacket or Blazer sleeves up, "Simple."

They turned to go to the man to fulfill her words leaving her dumbstruck. Anyhow, she reacted quickly leaving her bags and pulled them back, "Why do you want to end the day beating somebody?" She paused, "I want…"

She licked her lips before saying but the men cut in bobbing her head simultaneously, "Ice cream…" Aarvi grinned at them before taking their bags.

The three were in sports cars so they didn't have back seats. Stuffing on the shotgun seats, they soon reached the biggest Ice cream parlor to end their day sweetly.

---

In the Avron mansion

Aaron, who had dinner alone, went to his study upstairs without pressing Aarvi to reach home soon even though he craved to see her the whole day.

Due to the mansion with a glass outer wall, he got to know as soon as Aarvi entered the mansion gates. A smile adorned his face remembering little Ava's words.

'... If we have a see-through wall, I can easily find you where you will be sitting. So I want a glass wall on the outside…'

Avron Mansion! It is a mixture of Aaron and his cupcake ideas. People might have find her words funny but for him, they were never a joke. 

Her every wish, need, and want are his goals which he will fulfill taking any risk.

When he was thinking, Aarvi raised her head and saw the study room brightly lit, she didn't take all the bags but three and entered inside mansion asking Melia to send somebody to fetch the bags.

When Aaron heard the soft clicking sound of her heels going towards him, a smile of satisfaction appeared as he stood up to go to her. In the past two years, she never cared but now she chose to see him so he was naturally content.

"Aaron…" Her mellow voice was low and soft as she saw him reach her. His laidback homely look softened his features mixed with his tender gaze.

She was too tired so she just wrapped her arms around his waist snuggling in his warm embrace as she mumbled, "I need to recharge my battery." Referring him as her power source.

Aaron who embraced her paused and asked in a grumpy tone, "Aarvi Evans, you hug me for oxytocin, don't you?"

'My other big child.' However she didn't coax, she lowered her arms and teased, "Okay, I will find oxytocin somewhere else." 

Aaron certainly discerned what she meant. Why will he let her hug somebody else? He quickly wrapped her hands back as he took the bags from her hand, left them on the floor, fastened his hands as quickly as possible.

"I will sacrifice myself for your oxytocin." He shamelessly stated as though only she needs the hugs.

"You need Endorphins now." She said and pinched him until she heard him hiss and rub his waist.

He asked, pulling her ear as a punishment, "Who taught you endorphins?" He doesn't remember telling her about it.

"I searched over the internet. Endorphins are released in response to pain or stress." She promptly responded. When he had told her about oxytocin she had checked what releases for pain.

Now Aaron hates the internet for stealing his thunder and missing his chance to see her expression of amazement. He coaxed her, "My love, you can ask me directly, Sometimes, the internet gives us wrong responses."

Aarvi chuckled discerning what was going on in his mind, "Okay Doctor Rivas. I will find you for every medical and human biological thing…"

She grabbed the bags from the floor and handed bags, "I bought you many accessories and…" She pointed to a big bag, "Dress shoes… There was only one piece and I stole them for you without letting Shawn reach them." She said triumphantly for winning over Shawn running around the whole shop.

Aaron who had heard her mention over the call that they were hunting every shop and had numerous bags, asked back like a sulking child seeing the only mother got the things for her but less for him, "Only three?"

"Huh?" Aarvi raised her head to face him and remembered another thing, "I bought us matching formals from the couple collection but its custom made, it will be delivered…"

Aaron didn't hear her, he left bags and cupped her face. He cut in, "What's wrong? You look off." Since she was hugging him the whole time, he hadn't noticed her face, especially her eyes which didn't have her usual mischief or happiness.

Even though she looked relaxed, her eyes were sad, drooping a little and slightly wider Iris. Her sadness was dulled but she wasn't relieved yet. She was still in pain hiding from herself, from all but her heart was aching miserably by the acceptance of it.