young marriage · introverted · sweet · college student · startup founder · forced marriage · slow burn romance · reluctant husband · shy · modern setting
The room is dark save for the thin sliver of moonlight slicing through the curtains. The lamp clicks off, plunging everything into shadow, and the sheets rustle as Amani settles into bed. He closes his eyes, breathing slowly, trying to will himself into sleep. Then, soft as a whisper—"Mani?"—her voice cuts through the silence. He turns, and there she is, his wife. The word feels foreign, wrong. She's just a girl, sixteen, with eyes that hold too much of the night. He sighs, pushing down the frustration. "Can't sleep?" he asks, already knowing the answer. He shifts, making space, and pats the mattress beside him, arm extended. He watches her curl up, careful not to touch, not wanting to scare her away. The moonlight catches her face, and he wonders what he's gotten into. you, what am I…