Bound by Fire

A Proposal with a Twist

Sanya sat at the café, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. The sound of clinking cutlery and soft chatter surrounded her, but it all felt distant, like white noise in the background. She was supposed to meet Aarav here in less than ten minutes, and her mind was racing with thoughts of the "decision" looming over her like a dark cloud.

She glanced at her phone. No new messages from Aarav. A part of her was relieved—what could she possibly say that she hadn't already?—but another part of her was anxious, impatient. Aarav had been surprisingly considerate the last time they talked, but she still couldn't shake the image of the overconfident, stubborn man she'd first met.

"Ugh, what am I doing?" she muttered to herself, sinking into the cushioned seat, already feeling the weight of the conversation they were about to have.

As if on cue, Aarav walked into the café. Sanya caught sight of him immediately, tall and composed, looking every bit the successful businessman he was. His perfectly tailored blazer and the way he confidently scanned the room made him seem like he owned the place. Sanya felt a flutter in her chest, but quickly squashed it. **No distractions**, she reminded herself.

Aarav's eyes landed on her, and his lips curled into a small smile—one that, to her surprise, made him seem almost... approachable?

He made his way over, sliding into the chair across from her. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic," he said, looking a little too calm for someone who was ten minutes late. Typical Aarav.

Sanya rolled her eyes, unable to resist a playful jab. "Of course. Traffic. That's the excuse every time, isn't it?"

Aarav chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "What can I say? I'm consistent."

Sanya couldn't help but laugh, and just like that, some of the tension in her chest eased. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to talk to him after all.

"So," Aarav said, leaning forward slightly, "have you thought about it?"

Straight to the point, as always. Sanya sighed, setting her cup down, and met his gaze. "Yes, I've thought about it. A lot, actually."

Aarav's expression remained calm, but Sanya could tell he was waiting—holding his breath just slightly, even though he'd never admit it. His eyes, usually so composed and unreadable, were filled with a kind of quiet anticipation.

"I still think this is completely crazy," she said, folding her arms on the table. "I mean, who does this? Who gets into a marriage of convenience in the 21st century? It's like something out of a soap opera."

Aarav's lips twitched into a grin. "I like to think of it as a practical solution."

"Practical?" Sanya raised her eyebrows. "You and I getting married is about as practical as... as a cat trying to befriend a vacuum cleaner."

Aarav let out a laugh—an actual, genuine laugh that caught Sanya off guard. "That's a pretty vivid comparison."

Sanya waved her hand dramatically. "Well, it's true! We barely know each other, and when we do talk, we end up arguing."

"That's part of the fun," Aarav said, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "Keeps things interesting."

Sanya blinked, momentarily stunned by his playful tone. **Was this Aarav Mehra actually... flirting?** The man who had once made her want to throw a drink in his face was now smiling at her like they were on some sort of strange, sarcastic date.

"Oh, interesting is one word for it," she muttered, feeling her cheeks warm.

Aarav leaned back in his chair, studying her with that intense gaze of his. "Look, I get it. This isn't what either of us planned. But I think we've established that neither of us is getting what we want in life right now. So why not make the best of it?"

Sanya tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "You make it sound so simple. But what if we don't work out? What if we get tired of pretending?"

Aarav shrugged, his smile softening. "Then we'll figure it out. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we can set boundaries. We don't have to make this some grand, romantic thing. Just... two people helping each other out."

Sanya raised an eyebrow. "Helping each other out? You mean like... 'Hey, can you pass me the salt?' type of help, or 'Hey, can you bail me out of a family crisis' type of help?"

Aarav grinned. "A little bit of both, I suppose."

Sanya groaned, but she couldn't help but smile, despite herself. Aarav had this infuriating ability to disarm her with his dry humor. The more they talked, the more she found herself relaxing—almost forgetting that they were discussing something as serious as marriage.

Aarav's tone shifted slightly, growing more sincere as he leaned forward. "Sanya, I'm not asking you to give up your dreams or change who you are. You can still work with your NGO, do all the things that matter to you. I won't interfere. This arrangement—it's just to give us both some breathing room. To take the pressure off."

Sanya studied his face, searching for any hint of dishonesty, but all she saw was earnestness. Aarav might be a lot of things—annoying, stubborn, infuriatingly confident—but he wasn't a liar. At least not about this.

"And what about you?" she asked, her voice soft. "What do you get out of this?"

Aarav's eyes darkened slightly, and for a moment, his playful demeanor faded. "I get freedom, too. From my family's expectations. From the constant pressure to be someone I'm not."

His words hung in the air between them, and Sanya felt a pang of sympathy. For the first time, she realized that beneath Aarav's carefully crafted exterior was someone who, like her, was just trying to find a way to live his life on his own terms.

"Well, I guess if we're both miserable, we might as well be miserable together," she said with a wry smile.

Aarav's eyes lit up with amusement, but there was something softer in his gaze now, something almost... affectionate. "Misery loves company, right?"

Sanya rolled her eyes, but her smile widened. "Don't push your luck, Mehra."

Aarav leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "So... is that a yes?"

Sanya's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected him to ask so directly, so soon. But looking into his eyes, she saw something she hadn't noticed before—a glimmer of hope, of possibility. Maybe this wouldn't be the fairy tale she had once dreamed of, but it didn't have to be a nightmare either.

With a deep breath, Sanya nodded slowly, her heart pounding. "Yes. But... there's one condition."

Aarav raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's that?"

Sanya leaned forward, matching his intensity with a playful grin. "If we're going to do this, we're going to make it fun. No boring, formal dinners. No stuffy, business-like conversations. If I'm stuck with you, we're going to laugh. A lot."

Aarav's grin widened, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "I think I can manage that."

"Good," Sanya said, smiling despite herself. "Because if I'm going to marry you, I'm not going to let you bore me to death."

Aarav chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Deal. I'll keep things interesting."

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