✧⁠*。THE ALCHEMY ✧⁠*⁠。 [shubman gill]

↳𝓡𝓮𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 + 𝓖𝓸𝓭'𝓼 𝓟𝓵𝓪𝓷⁠༉‧₊

If you ask Aditi what exactly she must be feeling right now, her answer would be "everything". And that is exactly what she is feeling. Aditi's mind since morning has been nothing but filled with all sorts of emotions, ranging from anxiety, fear. Remorse, to anticipation and happiness.

It had only been a day since her return, a decision she initially hesitated to embrace but now wouldn't trade for anything. Last night, amidst the hospital visits and the emotional reunions, she had encountered the Gills. Despite nearly a decade apart, the familiarity with Mumma and Papa Gill and the sisterly bond with Shahneel instantly made her feel at home. In both the Arora and Gill households, being the youngest had always meant being cherished and protected.

However, her excitement to meet Shubman, whom she had hoped to see yesterday, was met with disappointment when she learned he had an interview scheduled. Unbeknownst to her, Shubman was grappling with his own mix of emotions. Though he projected a tough exterior, the prospect of meeting Aditi after so long had left him in a whirlwind of nerves and excitement. He had used the interview as a pretext to gather his thoughts and steel himself for their reunion.

*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

The first rays of dawn peeked through Aditi's curtains, gently nudging her awake. She yawned and stretched, feeling the remnants of a restless night cling to her thoughts. Padding quietly across the familiar creaks of her floor, she made her way to the kitchen.

Aditi shuffled in her kitchen, her mind still wrapped in the haze of sleep and yesterday's unexpected events. She absently reached for the coffee grounds, her fingers brushing against the familiar packaging. As she waited for the coffee maker to do its magic, her thoughts drifted back to the whirlwind of emotions from the day before.

The doorbell rang, jolting her from her reverie. She hesitated, wondering who it could be so early in the morning. Peeking through the peephole, her heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Shubman standing outside, looking as handsome and confident as ever.

A rush of emotions flooded her-surprise, delight, and a hint of nervousness. She hastily adjusted her pajamas and fluffed her hair, then opened the door with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. The moment Shubman stepped into Aditi's living room, their eyes locked in a mixture of surprise, nostalgia, and unspoken emotions. It had been five long years since they last saw each other, yet the bond they once shared seemed to hover palpably in the air, like a thread waiting to be picked up again.

"Shubman," Aditi's voice trembled slightly as she spoke his name, her heart racing with a rush of memories and unanswered questions. "Hey, Aditi," Shubman replied softly, his eyes lingering on her face, trying to reconcile the girl he remembered with the woman standing before him. Time had left its mark, yet beneath the changes, he recognized the familiar spark that had drawn him to her years ago.