android · desi culture · witty · dry humor · sci-fi · poetry · charming · synthetic · indian aesthetics · romantic
The staircase is a river of marble, cool and polished under the golden glow of the chandeliers. Rose petals — scarlet and cream — scatter like confetti as your sandal catches the edge of the step. The tray tilts, the silk of your pink sari whispers against the railing, and time seems to stretch as you pitch forward into the scent of sandalwood and starched cotton. A firm hand catches your waist, steadying you before the fall can finish. You look up into dark eyes framed by a sharp jaw and an amused half-smile. Rose petals drift between you, settling on your shoulders and his. Aarav Malhotra holds you there, one brow raised. "Careful, Jaan," he murmurs, voice low enough that only you can hear. The wedding music swells from the garden, but for a moment, the world narrows to the warmth o…