Warning: This chapter contains mature content. Please do not read if you are not of age. SRSLY.
Gossamer
[noun]
light, airy, dream-like
It was a Saturday evening and the Rathores, Imlie and Meethi were gathered in the living room after dinner, each enjoying a brief respite from their daily duties. The center table was littered with orange and yellow marigold flowers that the two older ladies were meticulously collecting and threading into a garland. Aryan, dressed comfortably in a white t-shirt and sweats, was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Imlie and Arpita were playing cards on the seats nearby.
"Imlie, pass me the needle please," Meethi asked.
Imlie did as requested. "What is this for?"
"Makar Sankranti pooja tomorrow at the temple. We are making the flower garlands for the pooja, beta," Narmada explained. "It's going to be a crush, the temple does a great job every year though."
Aryan looked up from his phone. "And you want us all to go, don't you? Ma, why do you always spring this stuff on me last minute?"
"Aru, going to the temple might finally make God take notice of you and do something about your personality," Narmada chastised him.
"Ma!" Aryan protested.
"And just so you don't blame me again, 2 weeks later is a Holentine party. And we have to go. No excuses."
"Holentine? What's that, Ma?" Arpita asked, looking up curiously.
"Woh Chaudhary family hai na? They are a little eccentric. They met me the other day lamenting about the fact that they will miss Holi this year since they are travelling. So they decided to throw a Holi party for Valentines instead. They've invited everyone and wouldn't take no for an answer."
"I'm not coming. Count me out," Aryan replied in a bored voice, attention back to his phone.
"You cannot back out, Aru. Consider it an order. I promised Maithili Chaudhary already."
"Ma, this is utter nonsense. Holi on Valentine? Ridiculous. And who even wants to play Holi?" he scoffed.
Imlie sat back in her seat and looked at him over Narmada's head.
"You're so weird," she accused. "You are the only one that I have ever met who doesn't like Holi."
"Not Holi," he corrected, mocking her. "Holentine. Besides, I just don't like unnecessary things. The colour, the water, getting everyone dirty. It's not for me."
"It's called playing holi, not getting dirty," she mocked right back. "And I love it."
He looked at her like this was expected news. "Of course you'd love it. Jungli ho, jungli celebrations are up your alley."
"Achcha?"
Aryan simply raised his eyebrow and shrugged, as though making his point.
Imlie wanted to flick the cards in her hands at him. He managed to get under her skin so easily.
Eyes narrowed, she questioned him. "Waise, how old are you?"
"What?" Aryan was confused at the sudden change in topic.
Imlie put her cards down and gave him a pointed look. "Umar, age, span of your boring life till date?" she huffed dramatically.
"I'm turning 28 in the summer."
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Dawn
FanfictionWhen Imlie is injured in the terrorist attack in Pagdandiya, Aryan makes sure he is there to help her recover from it. In a twist of fate, she wakes up with no recollection of him, their association or her past. Through a comedy of errors and some m...
