TPQ (Aru Shah) One Shots

Wait a Moment (Before THEM)

AN -- IF YOU HAVEN'T READ "THEM" I SUGGEST YOU READ IT BEFORE THIS OR RIGHT AFTER

Aru and Aiden were supposed to organise the museum's 15th anniversary event.

And everything was going perfectly fine, until it wasn't.

"No, Shah. It won't look good if we put it there," chided Aiden.

"At least it looks better than putting it over there!" yelled Aru, pointing at the spot where Aiden originally put it.

"But it looks more photogenic!" exclaimed Aiden.

"Will you hush, please?" asked Aru aggressively.

"Just compare it one more time," said Aiden, grabbing the ornament from Aru.

The girl abruptly snatched it back, nearly breaking the ornament.

"Calm down, Shah," said Aiden gently. "I'm just saying that-" 

"But I wanna put it here!" screamed Aru, the noise echoing down the corridors of the museum.

Aiden's eyes widened at her behaviour, then darkened, turning away from her. "Fine."

The two worked in silence after that, neither of them approaching for an exchange.

Aru silently decorated the West Wing of the museum, hanging beautiful ornaments from the cases of artefacts. She lined the large entrances with garlands of marigolds in a variety of colours.

Aiden on the other hand carried in more boxes of decor and took photos of the ornaments that were in place.

The whole exhibit was quiet, besides the sound of shoes clacking against the marble tiles, thud of boxes and the click of Shadowfax.

There was a time Aru desperately needed to reach something to put an ornament on, standing on her tip-toes to reach the edge.

She felt Aiden's eyes bore into her as she tried to reach the edge.

Suddenly, the ornament was grabbed out of her hand and placed on the edge by a much taller person than herself.

Aiden.

She turned around, watching him as he fixed the decoration. He smelled like spices and clean laundry. Aru was baffled by how close they were, because she could even smell hints of sweat which was unusual for him.

Aiden gave her a look before turning away and Aru mumbled a small "thank you", doubting he even heard it.

The sun which was high in the sky when they started began to set as they packed up to leave.

Aru eyed Aiden, who diligently packed his bag. The sunlight illuminated his very existence and Aru felt the rest of her anger melt away.

He didn't spare her a look before turning around and she intended to do the same until her body, yet again, disobeyed the wishes of her mind.

Her feet propelled forward, her walk breaking into a run.

Aru eagerly grabbed his wrist, "Wait a moment!" she felt him tense. "Please."

Aiden slowly turned around to face her, his eyes glinting in the evening sun.

Aru couldn't meet his eyes, "I'm sorry. I was wrong." She looked up to see his reaction, but he only raised an eyebrow. Aru sighed, "Look, I didn't mean to yell. I just felt annoyed and I didn't think things through."

Aiden's lips parted at her confession. A blush coated her cheeks as she spoke her next words. "Plus, not talking to you is always a pain, and I can't stand it when I get ignored by you. I don't know why that is but I just can't do it and it's probably because I like you in a more than friends way but-"

It was a weird feeling.

Aru felt Aiden kissing her before she could process it. Her eyes flew wide open, darting everywhere and anywhere but him.

"Relax, Shah," Aiden muttered, grabbing her frantic hands and placing them around his neck, instinctively making her stand on her toes.

She felt his arms hold the sides of her waist, forcing her in place.

They stood like that for a while. None of them moved and Aru melted into Aiden's touch. Just before they parted, she swore she heard hurried footsteps rushing away from them, but she shook it off.

Aru looked at Aiden. Blush covered his cheeks, but he didn't seem to mind as he was smiling.

She smirked at him, "So you have something to tell me, wifey?"

The blush on Aiden's face darkened as he looked away from her, mumbling something incoherent.

"What was that?"

"I......you,"

"I still can't hear you," said Aru.

"I love you."

With that, her whole world stopped. "Gods, Aiden," said Aru. "Since when?"

"I had a key to help me realise I love you," he replied, trying to hold back a smile.

"That's what you saw?" asked Aru incredulously. The two of them looked at each other before bursting out laughing.