ËË soft beginnings and steady steps 'ËË
â·
Mahika wakes slowly, surfacing from sleep like she's floating to the top of a still lake.
The world around her is quiet, wrapped in the leftover hush of rain, the air thick with that post-storm freshness. She registers warmth first; the solid weight of someone curled against her, the soft rise and fall of breath against her shoulder.
It takes her a few more seconds to remember why.
Amoli.
Mahika's lips curve without thinking.
She blinks her eyes open, vision still a little blurry from sleep, and finds Amoli exactly where she left her last nightâpressed close, hair spilling across the pillow, one hand tucked under her cheek, the other curled loosely near Mahika's collarbone. Her face is slack with sleep, peaceful in a way Mahika doesn't often get to see.
Mahika barely dares to move, not wanting to wake her just yet. Instead, she lets herself linger, just for a moment, taking it in. The slow, steady warmth of Amoli beside her, the way their legs are tangled beneath the blanket, the quiet that feels heavier in the morning light.
Her phone buzzes from somewhere on the mattress and shatters the moment.
Mahika fumbles for it with sluggish fingers, squinting at the bright screen. A single notification from Dhruv glares up at her:
rise and shine, lovebirds. aunty made parathas.
don't make me come drag you out of bed.
Mahika makes a face.
omg stop do NOT come here !! we'll be right there.
Beside her, Amoli stirs.
She makes a small noise, somewhere between a sigh and a groan, pressing her face deeper into Mahika's shoulder.
Mahika bites back a grin. "Morning, sleepyhead."
"Early." Amoli grumbles. "Too early."
"You don't even know what time it is."
"Don't have to." She cracks one eye open, squinting at Mahika like she's personally responsible for waking her up. "Feels too early."
Mahika laughs softly, brushing a strand of hair from Amoli's face. "Dhruv says if we don't get up, he's coming to drag us out of bed."
That earns a reaction. Amoli groans, flopping onto her back dramatically. "Menace."
Mahika smirks. "Tell me about it."
Amoli stretches lazily, arms above her head, the borrowed hoodie from last night slipping off one shoulder. Mahika does not let her brain short-circuit over that. Not right now.
Instead, she props herself up on one elbow, watching as Amoli blinks sleepily at the ceiling.
For a second, it's quiet again.
Then, Amoli speaks, voice still thick with sleep. "Last night was..." She trails off, but the small, lazy smile on her lips finishes the sentence for her.
Mahika reaches for her hand under the covers, lacing their fingers together. "Yeah," she murmurs. "It was."
Amoli squeezes her fingers, then glances toward the door, hesitant. "I was thinking..." She chews on her lip. "Maybe... maybe we could tell your friends. If you want."
Mahika stills.
"You meanâ"
Amoli nods, slow but sure. "Yeah. I mean, I don't think I'm ready for some big announcement or anything, but... I think I'd be okay with them knowing. They're important to you. And..." She exhales, eyes flicking down to their joined hands. "I think I'm ready for them to know I'm important to you too."
Mahika's heart does something stupid in her chest.
She sits up properly, cupping Amoli's face in her hands. "You are," she says, steady. "You always have been."
Amoli exhales a small, almost shy laugh, leaning into the touch. "So... maybe we can tell them. If you want to."
Mahika grins. "I want to." Then, softer: "Are you sure?"
Amoli nods. "Yeah."
Mahika presses a quick, sleepy kiss to her forehead before grinning. "Okay. We should get through breakfast first before Dhruv really does burst through the door."
Amoli groans. "Right. Dhruv."
Mahika laughs, tugging her out of bed.
-
By the time they shuffle into the dining room with their teeth freshly brushed, Mahika's mother is already at the table, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of chai. The morning air is thick with the scent of ghee and spices, the golden-crisp parathas stacked neatly on a plate in the center.
Across from her, Dhruv is comfortably sprawled in his chair, looking far too smug for someone who has likely been up for hours.
He glances up as they enter, his expression immediately turning mischievous. "Took you two long enough," he says, voice muffled around a mouthful of paratha. "Thought I was gonna have to file a missing persons report."
Mahika scowls, dropping into the seat opposite him with a pointed glare. "Shut up." Then she smiles sunnily before leaning down to let her mother pat her cheek affectionately. "Good morning, ma."
Amoli repeats the greeting shyly and gets a head pat in return that immediately brightens her face.
Dhruv, predictably, does not shut up. His grin only widens as he leans forward, dropping his voice to something teasingly conspiratorial. "Oh, I will," he says. "But did you two sleep well?" His tone is far too innocent, his gaze flickering between them with barely concealed amusement.
Mahika wants to murder him.
Before she can say anything, Amoli, to her credit, only flushes slightly before calmly reaching for a paratha. "Like a baby," she says, tearing off a piece and popping it into her mouth as though completely unaffected.
Dhruv snorts, clearly unimpressed. He catches Mahika's eye across the table, mouthing, I bet.
Mahika kicks him. Hard.
He yelps, choking on his chai, and has to hurriedly reach for a napkin as he coughs.
Her mother, mercifully unaware of the silent war taking place across the table, merely tuts. "Amoli, beta, eat as much as you want," she says warmly, setting another plate down in front of her. "You're practically skin and bones."
Amoli smiles, ducking her head slightly in a way that makes something in Mahika's chest soften. "Thank you, Aunty," she murmurs, reaching for another piece of paratha.
Mahika watches her mother fuss over Amoli; offering her more achar, refilling her glass of water, asking if she wants another cup of chai, and sees the way Amoli responds, quieter than usual but clearly touched by the warmth. There's a slight hesitance in her movements, as if she's still trying to find her place here, still navigating the delicate balance of being someone Mahika's mother only knows as a friend.
It makes Mahika ache.
She wishes she could reach for Amoli's hand under the table, lace their fingers together like she did earlier, but she knows she can't. Not here. Not yet.
Instead, she focuses on eating, letting the conversation flow around her. Her mother chatters about something she saw on the news, the latest neighborhood gossip, all while Dhruv sneaks in little glances at Mahika every now and then, silent reminders that he is absolutely not done teasing her yet.
Still, despite the occasional looks Dhruv throws her way, despite the careful way Amoli exists in this space, the moment feels warm. Familiar. Like a quiet kind of comfort.
As breakfast winds down, Mahika's mother rises from her seat, gathering empty plates and stacking them with practiced efficiency. "Mahi, baccha, your exam..." she reminds, glancing toward the clock on the wall. "You need to leave soon, right?"
Mahika nods, wiping her hands on a napkin.
Dhruv, still chewing on the last bit of his paratha, speaks up. "I got them, Aunty. I'll drop Amoli off on the way, too."
Satisfied, Mahika's mother gives Amoli one last warm smile before heading toward the kitchen, leaving the three of them alone at the table.
The second she's out of earshot, Dhruv leans forward, raising an eyebrow. "So..." he drawls, but the teasing in his tone dies down halfway. "What's on your mind?"
Amoli hesitates, glancing at Mahika for a brief second before exhaling. "I was thinking about... telling the group."
Dhruv blinks, caught off guard for only a moment before he nods, expression settling into something softer. "Yeah?"
She swallows. "Yeah. I mean, not in, like, a big way. I don't think I'm ready for all that. But I was thinking that maybe...maybe they should know?" Then her cheeks tinge pink. "And I mean... you and Naina know already, so..."
Mahika watches the way Amoli fidgets with the hem of her hoodie, the way her shoulders are drawn just a little too tight. She reaches under the table, brushing her fingers against Amoli's, offering silent reassurance.
Dhruv notices but doesn't comment on it. He just leans back in his chair, considering. "I think that's a good idea," he says simply. "They all really like you, you know. It's not like this is going to be some huge shock."
Amoli huffs out a small, nervous laugh. "You think?"
Dhruv shrugs. "I know. You're already a part of us. This just makes it official."
Mahika watches as Amoli processes that, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly.
Dhruv tilts his head, studying her for a moment before speaking again, gentler this time. "Is there something else?"
Amoli exhales, rolling a stray piece of napkin between her fingers. "I was also thinking about telling Arnav."
Dhruv's eyebrows lift slightly, and then he nods, as if he was expecting this. "Arnav," he repeats, thoughtful. "How do you feel about that?"
Amoli presses her lips together, still rolling the napkin between her fingers. "I think he'll be okay with it," she says finally. "I mean, I know he will. He's always been supportive."
Mahika tilts her head. "Then what's holding you back?"
Amoli hesitates, then sighs. "I guess... it just makes everything feel real, you know? Like, telling your friends is one thing. But telling my brotherâsomeone who's known me my whole life? It feels bigger."
Dhruv hums in understanding. "Like once you say it out loud, there's no taking it back?"
"Yeah," Amoli murmurs. "Not that I want to take it back. It's just...scary."
Mahika shifts closer, their knees brushing under the table. "I get that," she says softly.
Dhruv leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. "You don't have to rush it," he says, his voice even. "If you know he's going to be supportive, then maybe this is more about you than him."
Amoli blinks at that, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, maybe it's less about his reaction and more about what it means for you to say it," Dhruv explains. "It's like... you've always known who you are, but saying it to Arnav makes it something solid. Permanent."
Amoli falls silent, turning that over in her mind.
Mahika watches her closely. "Does that feel right?"
After a moment, Amoli nods slowly. "Yeah. I think it does." She exhales, dropping the crumpled napkin onto her plate. "I want to tell him. I just need to be ready."
Dhruv smiles, warm and reassuring. "Then wait until you're ready. It's your story to tell."
Amoli offers him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Dhruv."
He waves a hand. "Anytime." Then he grins. "Besides, I'd rather you focus on something more important right now. Like getting Mahika out the door before she has a meltdown about her exam."
Mahika groans, shoving at his shoulder as she stands. "Oh my God, shut up. I'll go get dressed."
"Hurry it up, please."
Mahika grabs her phone and stands up, but before heading upstairs, she points a finger at Dhruv. "Listen, do not say anything weird to Amoli while I'm gone."
Dhruv gasps, clutching his chest. "Wow. No faith in me. None at all."
Mahika narrows her eyes and waves her finger in his face. "I mean it, Dhruv."
He grins, tilting his head toward Amoli. "Define 'weird.'"
"Ugh. I will make you regret it." Mahika mutters something under her breath but ultimately sighs, shaking her head. "I swear, if I come back and either of you are acting suspicious, I will fight."
Dhruv smirks. "Noted. Now go, nerd, or you'll be late."
She shoots him a glare for good measure before turning on her heel and heading upstairs.
â·
a/n
thank you so much for reading :D
if you guys have the time, would you please also check out my other ongoing book sometime?
it's also Very queer and Very supernatural. if you guys enjoy my writing and my sense of humor in general, i think you'll like it! it's called Dead Wrong and i update almost twice every week!
it's part of the ONC this year! i'll link it here for the people that would like to support me on there as well â¡