TPQ (Aru Shah) One Shots

Aru Shah has seen better days

Aru Shah felt like shit. 

It was enough that she and Aiden had fought over something two days ago, but today in class the teacher had asked everyone what their parents did and well...it wasn't the best. 

It was a simple question, really; "What do your parents do for work?"  

And because of that, Aru answered simply, "My mom's an archaeologist and runs the Museum of Indian arts and culture."

The teacher nodded and raised an eyebrow, prodding her to say more and Aru knew what the teacher was silently asking. 

"And what about your father?"

But Aru chose to ignore the look in her teacher's eye and pushed out her chair to sit down, before-

"What about your father, Miss Shah?"

Aru froze. 

She felt people staring. And soon enough when Aru didn't respond, the staring turned into whispering. Her teacher's ice blue eyes shone with anticipation. 

"Well?" she asked again. 

Aru balled her hands into fists. She could feel her stomach twisting and a lump forming in her throat. 

"He passed away two years ago."

The class got silent. 

Her teacher's eyebrows softened and she hung her head low, a gesture Aru recognised all too well. 

Pity. 

But Aru Shah refused to be pitied. 

She raised her chin and slid into her chair, seemingly unaffected. 

"I'm sorry for your loss," The teacher said before moving onto the next person.  

Again, Aru felt like shit. 

That afternoon when the bell rang, Aru met Aiden at the front foyer, as always. Even if they weren't talking to each other, they always walked home together. It was quiet, as Aru slid in her air pods and Aiden fiddled with Shadowfax. When they got to the front of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Aiden would look at her and slightly crinkle his eyes. A silent goodbye between the two of them. 

Aru made her way up the steps as Aiden watched. He insisted he watch her until she got to the door, which Aru found weird but accepted it nonetheless. 

As Aru reached for the handle of the door, her hands trembled and before she knew it, all the grief crashed on her like a tidal wave. 

Her eyes welled with tears and Aru knew what she needed. 

She needed comfort. 

What is comfort? her mind asked. 

Aru tensed as she thought of the feeling of warm arms wrapping around her waist, whispering praises in her ear and the scent of fresh laundry and spices. 

Aiden. 

She needed Aiden. 

Aru's hand jerked away from the door as she abruptly turned around, looking to the bottom of the cement steps of the Museum where Aiden was looking at her questionably. 

He looked...perfect. 

The afternoon sun made his skin glow and his eyes shone majestically. 

Aru drew in a breath and bolted down the steps so quickly, nearly missing one. 

She saw Aiden's eyes widen and rush towards her, stopping Aru on the fifth last step.  

"Be careful," he chided. "One day you're gonna fall and break your head on the-"

Aru hugged him like her life depended on it. 

She felt him tense, before sliding his arms around her waist, drawing her in close. 

They stood like that for a good 10 minutes, Aru sobbing into his shoulder as Aiden held her. 

The deep silence between them was ruffled as she sniffled, gently peering away from Aiden's grasp. 

"Will you tell me what happened now?" asked Aiden, looking at her. 

"Inside," said Aru, starting the walk up the stairs. 

They walked into the museum and up to the apartment in silence. Aru pulled out her keys and unlocked the door into their apartment. 

She breathed in the smell of sandalwood and spices.

Home. 

As usual, Krithika wasn't here, so Aru stepped inside, kicking her shoes off as Aiden followed closely behind. 

She tugged her bag off her shoulder and set it on the chairs seated next to the island as Aiden neatly rearranged their shoes, before joining her. 

Aru watched as he gently sat Shadowfax on the marble countertop and his bag next to hers, before making his may to Aru. 

"So," he said, sitting next to her on the sofa. "What happened?"

Aru inhaled a deep breath, "In class today, my teacher wanted to know what everyone's parents did for work."

She glanced at Aiden, who's face turned stony, 

"I...I told them that my mom is an archaeologist and that she runs the museum but..."

"They asked about him?" said Aiden, his eyes sharp. "They really asked about him when you clearly didn't want them to?"

"It's not her fault," said Aru, playing with her fingers. "I just...you know. Relapsed, I guess."

Aiden sighed before pulling Aru into a hug. She smiled as the scent of fresh laundry and spices filled her senses. It was exactly what she needed. 

He kissed her cheek softly, "You know you can always talk to me right? Even when we're arguing?"

Aru smirked, "For the record, diet coke and coke zero have the same recipe."

She heard Aiden groan, "Shah, don't start this again."

Aru laughed with glee, "Oh, yes I will."

A/N - CAN WE JS TAKE A MOMENT TO REALISE THAT WE'RE ALMOST AT 10K READS? LIKE HELLO??? THERE'S NO WAY OMG I CANT THANK YALL ENOUGH