TPQ (Aru Shah) One Shots

Petrichor.

It was raining in Atlanta. 

And it clattered on his window, raindrops racing each other until they met the frame, dissipating.

He watched as the rain poured, drumming on the road that separated his house and the Museum of Ancient Indian Arts and Culture.

The grass on the lawn looked greener than ever, coated by the heavy rainfall, as the elm and myrtle trees swayed.

"Aiden?"

He turned around to see his mother, a container in her hand.

"Do you mind dropping this off at Aru's?" asked Malini. "Krithika's gone on a business trip and I'm worried she might not have anything but that one red candy."

Aiden felt a smile touch his face. "Sure."

He shucked on a sweater and took the container from his mom's hands.

"Are you sure you don't need an umbrella?" asked Malini, pulling the hood of his sweater over his head.

"It's fine," said Aiden. "She lives right in front of us."

His mom smiled. "Go. Tell me if you'll stay there a bit longer, okay?"

He smiled. It became a habit for Aiden to stay an hour or two at Aru's with the excuse of "dropping something off", and Malini got worried every time.

Aiden opened the front door, said bye to his mom and ran across the street as quickly as he could.

He felt his sweater getting soaked, even though he'd just been out for like, 2 seconds, but he didn't really mind as he got to the front of the museum.

Immediately, one of the double doors swung open, revealing Aru in her spiderman pyjamas she still hadn't grown out of (which was kind of weird but Aiden ignored it).

Her eyes widened as she hastily pulled him inside by the wrist.

"Aiden you look like a hamster that's been attacked by Poseiden," said Aru, looking at his drenched hoodie.

He scowled in return.

"Come," she grabbed his arm. "Let's get you dried off."

Aru brought him over to a door that clearly said "NO VISITORS ALLOWED", but she opened it with a key, leading him to a stairwell that led up to the Shah residence.

As they reached the top of the stairs, a single wood door could be seen, an iron man sticker on the very left side.

Aru hastily opened the door and led him into the space.

The flat was humble, cozy and smelled like rosewater, spices and cardamom.

Aiden liked it.

"You wait here," said Aru, disappearing down the hall.

Aiden looked around, took off his shoes and set the container on the kitchen island. He noticed that the couch had been extended into a bed, where a blanket and egg plushy lay abandoned. The T.V screen shone and it seemed like Aru had been halfway through "Jodhaa Akbar" a bollywood movie she really liked.

A few minutes later, his girlfriend came back, a dry towel in her hands.

She looked up at him quizzically before telling him to bend down because he was sooooo tall and that a normal human being shouldn't be 6'0.

"You're just mad you're only 5 '4," retorted Aiden.

Aru responded by whacking him with her towel.

Aiden sighed before taking a seat on one of the wood chairs near the dining table.

Aru gently took off his hood, revealing his hair that had been soaked because of the rain that continued to pour outside. She sighed and gently ran the towel through his hair.

The action made Aiden's heart warm.

He looked up at Aru, who was standing in front of him, pleased.

Her eyes narrowed with concentration, trying to be as gentle as she could, and her lips were pressed together as she worked.

Aiden looked down, trying to hide his face, because he knew if Aru saw him blush, she would make fun of him for the rest of his life.

"Okay," said Aru, brightening. "We're done here."

Aiden chuckled and got up, "Thanks, Shah."

"No problem, Wifey," she said, eyeing the food on the table. "What's this?"

"I'm not sure," said Aiden.

Aru opened the container and the smell of Kothu Parotta Malini had made the night before engulfed the space.

Aru immediately ate a piece, extremely happy. Malini was a good cook and often brought food over to their place when Krithika was busy.

"It's good, isn't it?" said Aiden, smiling at Aru.

Aru nodded in response, holding a piece up to Aiden's mouth, "Do you want some?"

Aiden accepted the piece and smiled. Leftovers always taste so good.

"Do you wanna stay?" asked Aru.

Aiden sighed, "I wish, but I have things to finish."

Aru's smile withered a bit. "Oh. Okay."

Aiden dropped a kiss to her forehead, "I'll be back. Or you could visit."

Aru brightened, "Sure."

And so, as Aiden reached the entrance of the Museum, he realised it had stopped raining. There was a glow on the pavement, and the air smelled of petrichor.

The pleasant, earthy smell that arose after a thunderstorm.

It reminded Aiden of Aru. 

AN -- I LOVE KOTHU PAROTTA. For the people who don't know, it's a popular South Indian/Sri Lankan street food and its HEAVENLY