Aru Shah Narnia Au? Yes Please

Aru shah narnia au? Yes please

wish you were sober ✧ aruden

✧ summary when aiden takes aru home after she gets drunk at a party, she doesn't expect her to say what she does..

✧ genre fluff, angst-ish

✧ word count 1.1k

✧ warnings mentions of alcohol

✧ link to main masterlist

✧ A/N i was bored. i was listening to conan gray. i wrote this fic. *dramatic flourish* (also, sorry for the shitty banner :D)

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kinda hope you’re followin’ me out

but this is definitely not my crowd

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This party’s shit, Aiden thought to himself. It was cheaper than the usual parties Poppy held at her place. The lighting was straight-up bad, the drinks tasted horrible, and, the worst part, the songs playing in the background were trash. What type of party was this, anyway? He wished he could be anywhere but here, but Poppy was keeping a careful eye on him, and it was pretty much impossible to escape. He would take his mind off 

Aru sauntered up to him, adjusting the hem of her just-above-knee-length dress. Aiden mentally noted how good the color red looked on her. “Hey,” she said in greeting, and then she did something wildly concerning—she giggled. Arundhati Shah was never one to giggle. Sure, she laughed, chuckled, guffawed, even. But giggling? Psht, that wasn’t a part of her dictionary.

—Which was why Aiden gave her a strange look. “Hey,” he said slowly. “Shah, are you high? I swear to god, please don’t drink more beer.”

She pouted. Yep, she was definitely high. “Why?”

“Because you’re drunk, that’s why. And Krithika’s gonna be pissed if I bring you home like this.”

Aru didn’t respond, and suddenly, she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd. Halfway through she stumbled over her foot and Aiden lunged to catch her, but she caught her footing again and left him blushing like an idiot.

Finally she stopped at a dark corner of the house. Faintly, Aiden felt a draft of cold wind and he shivered. Wearing a flannel and jeans was not the best idea.

He heard two soft thuds and then the draft grew stronger. Aiden hissed through his teeth, firmly spinning Aru around until she was facing him. Vaguely, he realized he was basically pinning her against the wall, and immediately took two steps back. “Shah,” he gritted out. “What are you doing?”

“I’m crawling out the window,” she replied, slurring her words, like that was perfectly normal.

“What do you mean, ‘you’re crawling out the window’?”

“I don’t wanna be around so many people right now.”

“But—but the others—”

“—Can find a ride. Mini’s smart enough to do that.” She sighed, leaning against the wall for support. “I dunno about you, Ammamma, but I’m goin’ out the window to the car. Hope you follow me out. And bring my heels if you do.”

Aiden wasn’t about to let her leave without him. Obviously, she needed someone sober with her. That was the only reason why he agreed, he told himself over and over in his head, but his heart was an entirely different story. 

“Can I just ask why the window?”

“Because, dumbass, using the door is boring.”

Aiden shook his head, but he smiled to himself all the same. This version of Aru—drunk Aru—was different, but he kind of liked it. He waited until she was out the window before climbing out himself, her heels in his hands. He let himself drop out onto the dead grass on the lawn, and then followed Aru to the black car. The Rover was a gift from his mother on his eighteenth birthday, and it had taken up quite a bit of her savings for his college tuition. But no matter how much he protested, she refused to sell the car.

Aru wobbled with every step she took, like she was about to fall down any second. Aiden let her lean on him as they walked, his arm around her waist to steady her. Her head lolled against his shoulder as she babbled nonsense, but he paid her no mind as he helped her into the passenger seat.

“You had a lot to drink, huh?” He asked her, biting back a grin.

“No! What makes you think…think that?” Aru blinked sluggishly and beamed at him and—oh God, he could’ve kissed her then and there. His knees went weak.

Aiden shook his head to clear his mind and got into the driver’s seat. Mere seconds after he settled in, he heard Aru breathe in and whisper:

“Aiden….”

He glanced at her. “Yeah?” Her head was leaned back against the seat, her lips slightly parted.

“Aiden…I think I might be in love with you.”

She turned over on her side, still holding the cup she had recently downed. Fuck, she was stunning in that red dress, he thought for the thousandth time tonight. Suddenly he was aware of the ripped jeans he’d mistakenly chosen to wear.

Aiden shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re saying, Shah. I’m driving you home.” He reached for the wheel but Aru grabbed his hand.

“I’m serious. You know, I think…I think you look pretty cute when you’re serious.” She ran a finger down his face, clearly in a daze. “There’s a—a small furrow between your eyebrows and—and your eyes are all dreamy. Actually, they’re always dreamy.” She laughed slightly, twirling a piece of his hair between her fingers.

Aiden tried to open his mouth to say something. Hell, he should've shoved her away. Because Aru was his best friend, nothing more. Even if he wanted them to be more. She’d never see him like that. This was probably some stupid dare from Brynne or something. There was no way in hell that Aru was going to wake up tomorrow and still tell him she loved him. No way in hell.

Aru had leaned near. Her lips were agonizingly close to his. He could smell the alcohol on her breath, her flowery perfume. He could kiss her now, if he wanted to. And Gods, he wanted to. So badly. Even he bent closer, gently caressing her check. Aru closed her eyes.

So it came as a shock to both of them when he pushed her back, forcing her down onto her seat and putting her seatbelt on. Aru hmphed in protest, muttering nonsense under her breath. At one point, he swore he heard, “Kiss me in the seat of your Rover, Acharya. Don’t be a pussy.”

He laughed to himself nervously, knowing it was the beer getting to her head, and replied, “That’s real sweet, Shah.” But she was already asleep. Aiden sighed deeply. 

The truth was, he was far from afraid. Not even close. But taking advantage of her like that…that wasn’t right. That wasn’t fair to either of them.

He looked back onto the road, the familiar streets of Atlanta, and willed himself not to look her away. Because one more glance at her, and he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

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but I wish you were sober...

I’m ngl I need more aruden content 😣 I miss them so much

Happy Aiden Acharya’s Death Day to those who celebrate!

Just an appreciation of Aru Shah

No because this series means everything to me as a Hindu Indian girl like this was the source my first feeling of major representation, had a shit ton of pop culture references, funny characters, and stories I read in ACK comics growing up? Perfection.

Me reading my old aruden fics: WAIT. WAIT. THEYRE SO CUTE. WHAAAT???