aru shah fan fiction

assassins au: twelve p. I

a i d e n

Approximately two months had passed since Aiden Acharya and Aru Shah bumped into each other (literally) for the first time. One would think two months was enough time for Aiden to grow used to Aru's unique antics, and he had...for the most part. Sometimes the girl still whacked his head with the hammer of SURPRISE! and completely threw him off. For example, the last thing Aiden was expecting that night was for her to blast into his dorm room, leaves clutching to her hair and an unreadable expression in her eyes.

She stood in the doorway, chest rising slightly up and down from her heavy breaths. She was still wearing her Oksaana uniform, and the band holding her short braid together was threatening to slip off her hair. Aiden shot up from his spot on the bed, mildly alarmed. It was obvious Aru had run from the other dorm to his own and, taking in her somber look, he assumed she was not about to tell him something good.

"Aru?" Aiden stood frozen, unsure how to react. "Are you okay?"

He saw her hesitate for a second, until she said, "War. It's official."

"What?"

"There's going to be a war with Tavasth. It's happening. I overheard two guards talking outside just now. I think they talked to Queen Aaleahya directly, and they said she would confirm it really soon."

Aiden furrowed his brows. Was that actually true? It was certainly likely, but rumors surrounding the queen and politics always hung in the air. It was possible that it was nothing more than gossip that had reached the ears of the security.

"Are you sure?" he inquired. "You're positive they weren't just rumors?"

Aru shook her head. "I don't think so. One of the men seemed skeptical too, but the other guy said everything was true. He said he spoke to the queen directly, and that Oksaana will probably have to go on lockdown soon, maybe even starting tomorrow. If they're rumors, which I hope they are, then I'm wrong, but I don't think they are."

Aiden didn't say anything. He couldn't say he was surprised because he wasn't–Aru's announcement only confirmed the recent dreadful thoughts he'd been having. He looked at Aru, truly looked at her. He was expecting panic and maybe even the slightest hint of fear, but Aiden only saw determination in her, fresh and strong. Her intense gaze combined with the twist of her dark braid and slim figure sent a rush of blood to Aiden's face, but he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because he was seeing his silly, quirky friend in a different light for the first time–a light that illuminated the loyalty and courage underneath the carefree exterior.

A silence stretched between the two until Aru released a sigh, tugging at her braid rather fiercely. "I'm sorry, Aiden. I shouldn't have come so late and bothered you with this. I'll go now, have a good night." She turned to exit the doorway, still fiddling with her hair.

"Wait!"

Her eyes snapped back to Aiden's, steps halted abruptly. "Yeah?"

"Um, uh," Heat crawled up Aiden's neck. Oh, fantastic. What had he even been planning to say to her? It was unlike him to speak so impulsively; the only thing he'd accomplished was setting himself up for embarrassment. Stupid. "Um, have a good night, too," he finally said. "Goodnight, Shah."

Aru displayed a tired but genuine smile, and the small action made Aiden mimic the curl of her lips. "See ya tomorrow, Aiden," she said, throwing him a playful salute.

Aiden watched her disappear behind the doorway, the smile still planted on his face.

—

a r u

It was common knowledge that a habit took at least three weeks to fully develop, perhaps two months to become routinely behavior. However, Aru found herself questioning this fact after beginning her running sessions with Aiden. Although she occasionally dragged Ethan or Jenny out with her, Aiden was her most frequent companion. Maybe the product was different when exercise was the primary factor, but Aru found it a lot more difficult to have running grow into a habit. She had definitely noticed an improvement in her stamina and endurance during training, but it didn't make the experience any more enjoyable.

"You think you don't like this?" Aiden said in between breaths. "I thought this whole running thing was your idea."

"Hey," Aru focused on her breathing as she spoke. She could feel the blood and energy pumping through her leg muscles as they flew across the ground. "I'm doing you a favor. When I'm finished with you, you'll have a cardiovascular system of steel."

"'When I'm finished with you' sounds like you've been torturing me."

"I suppose running is a form of torture itself, so I guess I have been."

Aru watched her friend shake his head before redirecting his eyes ahead of him, their paces matching each other step for step. They had not taken five more strides when a bloodcurdling scream suddenly and sharply pierced the air, everything else silent against it.

Aru's legs screeched to a halting stop, Aiden following suit. Her heart was still leaping at rapid speeds and great heights, but it was for an entirely different reason now.

"ALL TRAINEES OF OKSAANA ACADEMY OF MILITARY ARTS REPORT BACK TO CAMPUS IMMEDIATELY," a PR suddenly blared. "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. REMAIN INSIDE, AND DO NOT PANIC. OBEY THE ORDERS OF YOUR SUPERIORS. YOU WILL BE ALERTED WHEN IT IS SAFE TO RETURN OUTSIDE."

There was now a symphony of screams and shrieks ringing through Aru's skull, shaking the foundations of her brain. They were coming from farther south of the campus, likely around the Adadha marketplace-slash-mall she had gone to with Jenny and Ethan. With a jolt, Aru realized a busy marketplace was the perfect location for an attack–there were lots of people, and word reached ears quickly. Aiden suddenly grabbed her wrist, his touch like ice so cold, it burned for a split second. "We're going to help, right?"

Aru grinned. Aiden already knew she wasn't going to follow the rules, and she loved how they didn't have to communicate directly to understand each other–it was like having a private source of comfort. "Of course we're helping–you really thought I was just going to watch?"

"Not for a second, Shah."

a/n well, that was fun! hehe

thanks for reading guys! i haven't been feeling super confident about my writing lately, so thanks for sticking around <3 

question: is there anything you wish you were better at? for me, it's definitely singing haha. im a terrible singer, but i still love music! what about you guys >>>

hope you enjoyed reading, and i'll see you guys next weekend!! have a great week :DDD

- abbizzzz <3