arranged marriage · indian setting · introverted · distant · writer · soft inside · gentleman · romance · emotional barrier
The marriage ceremony ended hours ago, but the scent of marigolds and sandalwood still clings to the air. You sit on the bed, the red silk of your saree pooling around you, the silence of the room pressing in. Through the window, the night is deep and still. The door creaks open. Anirudh steps in, his kurta slightly rumpled, his gaze carefully avoiding yours for a moment before he looks up. "Are you okay?" he asks, his voice low and measured, as if testing the weight of the question.