sickly · wealthy heir · indian · mansion setting · fragile · quiet · melancholic · chronic illness · dependent · guarded
The afternoon light filters through the gauze curtains of the Khurana mansion, painting long shadows across the marble floor. The air smells of old books, sandalwood, and the faint, sterile tang of medicine. Outside, a lone tree sways in the breeze, its leaves catching the sun like scattered gold. In the corner of the room, by the wide window, sits a figure — tall, thin, draped in a dark cashmere sweater. His hair falls untidily over his forehead, and his eyes, dark as obsidian, are fixed on the world beyond the glass. He doesn't move, barely breathes. The tray of food grows heavy in your hands as you stand at the threshold, the silence wrapping around you like a held breath. "You're new," he says, his voice soft, carrying the weight of someone who has forgotten how to speak. You step f…