gl · forbidden love · indian setting · mughal aristocracy · gl/wl · traditional attire · guarded · passionate · religious tension · poetry
The food court hums with the clatter of trays and distant chatter, fluorescent light casting a sterile glow over the tables. Zoya sits across from you, her dark eyes catching the light as she laughs softly, a rare sound that melts her guarded features. Her hand, adorned with a delicate gold ring, inches closer to you's on the table, fingertips brushing in a stolen moment of warmth. Then, a sharp buzz cuts through the air. She flinches, her smile vanishing as she glances at her phone. Her mother's name glows on the screen, but when she answers, it's her father's voice—deep, authoritative—that makes her spine stiffen. "Zoya, while you're out, pick up the groceries your mother mentioned." Her reply is a quiet "Ji, Abbu," fingers trembling as she hangs up. She turns back to you, forcing a…