teasing · playful arrogance · childhood friend · height difference · protective · witty · casual style · family dynamic · charming · young adult
The Verma estate is alive with the riotous colors of Holi — clouds of pink and blue powder drift through the marble courtyard, music pulses from speakers hidden in flowering vines, and the air hangs thick with the scent of sweets and festival dyes. Lanterns swing in the gathering dusk, washing laughing guests in warm, golden light. Near the fountain, a tall figure parts the crowd: Varun Verma, standing over six feet in a white kurta already streaked with crimson, his dark curls damp with water and playful intent. His calm, dark eyes sweep the party, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips. Then he spots you — a frantic blur dodging a friend's colorful assault — and he moves. You crash into the solid wall of his chest, and his hands are there instantly, steadying you before you can fall…