The apartment felt warm, safe, and strangely small after the rain-soaked chaos of earlier. Aarya leaned back against the couch, feeling the soft hum of the radiators and the faint damp smell lingering from the storm outside. Her stomach rumbled softly.

“Hey,” she said, glancing at Hiten who was stretching his arms after tidying up, “any leftovers? I’m still a little hungry.”

Hiten chuckled, turning to her with a sly grin. “Leftovers, huh? You know, there’s a theory: good food tastes better when it’s shared with someone dangerous.”

Aarya laughed, nudging him lightly. “I’ll take my chances.”

He fetched the small tupperware from the kitchen counter — the dinner from earlier, now reheated and steaming lightly. The smell of spices and warm rice filled the room, blending with the faint petrichor that still lingered in the corners.

They ate together on the floor, cross-legged, plates balanced precariously on their knees. Aarya fumbled once when reaching for a piece of paneer, her hand brushing his. Both froze for a second, their eyes meeting — a spark of warmth igniting, small but noticeable.

“This is… really good,” she said softly, nibbling at a piece.

Hiten smiled, pleased, though trying not to look smug. “Of course it is. I only serve the best… under strict supervision.”

She laughed, her head tilting slightly, letting the sound linger in the quiet room. “I could get used to this.”

Once they finished, Aarya leaned back, wiping her hands on a napkin. “Now… poem time,” she said, her voice teasing but being gentle.

Hiten looked up, mock horror on his face. “Poem time? You’re cruel, you know that?”

“You said you’d recite me one,” she countered, smirking.

He chuckled softly, settling back on the rug beside her. The dim light, flickering shadows, and the distant soft patter of leftover rain against the windows made the room feel suspended in its own little world. He recited quietly, letting the words fall naturally:

"Raindrops trace the windowpane,

Memories flicker, soft and plain.

A laugh, a glance, a fleeting touch,

Moments that linger, words say much."

Aarya’s eyes softened. “You always make it sound… like the world is just ours for a while.”

“Maybe it is,” he said quietly, watching her reaction.

The tension broke when she lunged playfully, grabbing a nearby pillow. “Alright, you poet… prepare yourself!”

Hiten laughed, diving to block her, and the first pillow collided with his chest. Feathers — or the faint stuffing inside — puffed slightly into the air.

Aarya shrieked with laughter, spinning, aiming another pillow at him. He retaliated with surprising skill, and soon the living room was a battlefield of soft, harmless chaos. Pillows flew, laughter bounced off the walls, and for a while, nothing else in the world existed except the soft thuds of cotton-filled fabric and their giggles.

“Okay! Truce!” Hiten panted, holding up a pillow as a shield, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.

Aarya collapsed onto the rug beside him, breathless, her damp hair from the earlier rain sticking faintly to her cheeks. “Truce… for now,” she whispered, smiling.

Hiten’s hand brushed hers accidentally, then lingered. Neither moved it away. “For now,” he echoed, leaning back against the couch, letting the small warmth of her presence fill the space.

They lay there, side by side, catching their breath, letting the quiet settle around them. The remnants of rain tapped gently against the window, like soft applause for the mischief they’d just shared.

Eventually, Aarya yawned, curling slightly into him. “I think… I’m ready to sleep now.”

“Same,” Hiten said, voice low and calm. He draped a light blanket over them both, the warmth pressing them together gently.

Before sleep claimed her fully, both drifted into their own thoughts:

Are we… getting too close? Aarya wondered, a flutter of nervous excitement in her chest. Maybe it’s destiny… or maybe I’m just overthinking.

Hiten’s mind mirrored hers, quietly tense yet calm. It feels… right. But are we moving too fast? Still, some things are just meant to be, aren’t they?

And as the rain outside continued its gentle lullaby, they drifted into sleep — side by side, hearts light, and the quiet, unspoken questions hanging softly between them.

After a cozy dinner and playful pillow fights, their laughter fades into quiet reflection. Side by side, hearts warm and minds racing, Aarya and Hiten wonder: Are we getting too close? Is this destiny, or just a fleeting moment? A gentle rain lulls them into sleep, leaving their unspoken thoughts hanging softly in the air.

A playful fight ended in laughter… yet a small, unspoken question hovered between them. Click Next to see what happens next?