TPQ (Aru Shah) One Shots

Aiden's P.O.V - NOI CHAPTER 34

AN -- This is my take on Aiden's point of view of this chapter

"It is your sleep I want. I need your dreams to build the borders of my world. You must give them to me if you wish to pass. Even demigods grant me what I am owed."

The goddess's voice was cold and persistent.

"The gods will do no one's bidding but their own," Aiden recalled someone telling him.

"I can't do that," said Brynne immediately, stepping away.

"I have already selected one among you. I want dreams rich with wonder, tinged with sadness , and flavoured with hope that will sweeten my land like the rarest nectars."

Mini pursed her lips, Rudy grasped the gems in his hands, Brynne clenched her jaw, and Aru...Aru closed her eyes tight and her fists were balled at her sides.

Please, begged Aiden. Anyone but her. Let it be anyone but Aru.

Alas, Nidra's starlit eyes fixated on Aru and a pale purple light hovered above her. She glanced up at the light with wonder, her eyes dropping and shoulders relaxing.

"You, child. I can feel your exhaustion."

Aru started swaying on her feet. She was giving in.

Aiden's heart rate sped in panic and he felt his blood run cold.

"Let me take it from you..."

"No," he said firmly. "Not her. Take me instead."

Aru swivelled around to meet his eyes. Her eyes widened with confusion and her hands balled into fists once again.

"What?" she asked. "No way. I can't let you do that."

Aru's eyes were desperate and her lips had pressed into a thin line, her eyebrows knitting together. No matter how agitated Aru was at this moment, he couldn't let her give into Nidra's request. Fighting this war without her would be completely useless and he would never forgive himself if she ended like this.

"I always knew this was going to happen," said Aiden. "I'm not scared, Shah."

He looked over at Brynne, his best friend and the only person who he'd opened up to about all this. She looked distressed and frustrated, shoulders tense.

Aru raised an eyebrow and faced Brynne.

Judging by the silence between them, he assumed they were communicating through the mindlink. After a solid 5 seconds, Brynne and Mini both winced at the same time, as if they'd gotten yelled at.

Bee sighed and looked at Aru in anguish, as if she was explaining something. The reaction from Aru and Mini proved that it was about the prophecy. Mini's eyes softened in understanding, but Aru's jaw dropped and swung around to face him again.

Aiden didn't have the heart to look at her so he focused on Nidra's starry eyes staring back at him.

"Do you understand what you are doing?"

He didn't hesitate, "Yes."

"You understand that my realm is its own form of death."

Aiden wasn't surprised. He was used to it now. Over the past eight months, he came to terms with the fate he'd have to endure.

Death. Because of Aru.

He felt his jaw tense, but he nodded. "I know."

Nidra blinked before closing her eyes in sanction. "You have always known, haven't you?"

Yes.

Aiden chose not to respond to the goddess and focused his eyes on the goddess. He didn't feel regret for the decision he took and never would. He saved Aru's life and that was more than enough for him.

"You understand that you will not be returned to the waking world if there is no world to wake up to."

"I understand," said Aiden.

"What does that mean?" asked Brynne. "He's going to die?" Her voice was frantic and desperate.

BB cooed up at him inquisitively. Aiden felt sympathy for the firebird, and fought the urge to bundle him up into his backpack.

"What is the point of returning him if there is no chance of a world worth returning to?" asked Nidra. "Whether he dies or not depends on you, daughters of the gods, for it is your world to save, is it not? And if he does die, that in itself will be a blessing. To die in one's sleep is the hope of all mortals. You should be thanking me."

Aiden felt like scowling at the goddess. Yes, dying in your sleep is better than being stabbed but in the circumstances he was in, it could've been worse.

Many yards away, Aiden saw Kumbhakarna's hand twitch and flip over.

Nidra narrowed her eyes, "You are running out of time. Make your choice now or be thrown from my world."

"I accept," said Aiden before any of his friends could protest.

His words thundered through the wary halls of sleep, breaking the silence that had come across the group. He felt his offer had been accepted, as the violet light slipped away from Aru and approached Aiden instead.

In a way, he felt relief.

He glanced at the light that closed in on him and turned to the girl he loved most.

"Aru," said Aiden softly.

She looked up, startled. Her eyes welled with tears and her lips trembled. Aru's mouth twitched as she spoke, "I can't let you do this!"

"It wasn't your choice to make though," he said, smiling at her despite the sadness he felt. "It was mine. You'll find a way out of this, I know it. Watch BB for me, okay?"

Aiden set down his backpack and the adorable firebird. He trusted Aru completely. She was excellent and he knew she would do something about this.

Tears slid down Aru's cheeks as she choked out her next words, "But what if I can't?"

"You will," said Aiden. "You always do."

From the corner of his eye, he saw the light glow brighter as he stepped closer to Aru.

Her thick, dark hair was dishevelled and her braid hung from her right shoulder. Her face was stained with tears, lips pressed together in discontent.

Even so, Aiden thought she looked beautiful.

"I lied, Aru," he said, reaching for her face. Her eyes widened as he slipped his fingers into her hair and drew her closer. "I don't regret anything."

"Wait-" said Aru, but Aiden stopped her with a kiss.

She smelled like the aftermath of a thunderstorm. The heavy, earthy smell that hits you after you step out. It was clean, musky and a breath of fresh air. Petrichor. Courtesy of Indra, perhaps.

He wanted to tell her he loved her, but that was probably more than obvious by this point. He loved her for her. Aiden loved Aru for her bizarreness, for her obsession with LOTR, her past, her empathy, the way she would have anybody's back, for the way she quotes movies, for her love for her sisters, for her brilliance, the way her eyes shine, and for the way she can truly do anything.

Aiden Acharya loved Arundhati Shah.

It took him too long to realise, but here he was, kissing her for (maybe) the last time, and he hoped that one day-they would share a thousand more.

He savoured every breath he took alongside her before he felt the warmth of her body fade away and he was driven into a deep sleep.