INVISIBLE STRINGS // SARAJ

sweater weather

"It's as boring as ever," Savi answered dryly, making all three of them laugh. 

Rajat shook his head, a smile lingering as he adjusted his glasses doing his best impersonation. "That's because you don't see the bigger picture, Savi. Ethics is—"

"Don't start," Savi interrupted, holding up her hand. "If I hear another word about how ethics shapes the future of public administration, I'll scream."

"Maybe you should scream," Siddharth quipped, nudging Rajat. "It might wake up the entire department and save us all from another of Professor Bhosale's endless monologues."

Rajat chuckled trying to tease Savi more he mimicked once again, "You two have no appreciation for intellectual discussions."

"I do," Savi said, lifting her chin with mock haughtiness. "Just not when they're repeated in five different tones by Ishaan Sir."

Their conversation was cut short once the bus pulled up, its headlights cutting through the sheets of rain, and the three of them climbed aboard. The air inside was warm, a contrast to the damp chill outside. Rajat and Savi ended up sitting next to each other, while Siddharth found a spot across the aisle, still grinning as he stole glances at them.

As the bus jolted over a pothole, Rajat's hand accidentally brushed against Savi's waist where her sweater had hitched up slightly, exposing a sliver of skin. The warmth of his touch sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. For a second, neither of them moved, caught in an unexpected moment that stretched a little too long. Rajat's eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, and he cleared his throat, shifting back as subtly as he could. 

Savi's heartbeat quickened, and she adjusted the sweater more properly, as it was way bigger on her anyways and made her look smaller than she was in it.  Clearing her throat, she turned to watch the rain patter against the window with a wry smile. 

"You know," she said, "when I was younger and it rained like this, Aai and I would sit together on our old, creaky couch. We'd bundle up in blankets and eat spicy pakoras straight from the pan."

Rajat turned to her, the smile fading into a softer expression. "Sounds nice."

"It was," she said, her voice distant, as if reaching back through time. "We'd laugh about silly things, like how the roof always leaked in the same spot no matter how many times we patched it up. The rain was never just rain—it was an excuse to stop worrying about everything else, if only for a while."

He watched her, noticing the way her eyes reflected the muted glow of the streetlights outside. The usual sharpness in her gaze had softened into something more vulnerable, something he rarely got to see.

"You must miss her," Rajat said, the words gentle, more statement than question.

Savi nodded, pressing her lips together to keep from saying more. The memory of those simpler, warmer moments was enough to make her chest tighten. "Yeah. A lot."

The bus lurched again, and this time Rajat's hand steadied her by instinct, resting lightly on her arm. She met his eyes and felt an inexplicable comfort in the quiet, steady look he gave her. The noise of the city, the rattling of the bus, and the patter of rain seemed to fade, leaving only the unspoken words between them. Rajat broke away first, looking flushed and started muttering about how the stupid driver didn't know how to drive properly and how the rain was making a mess of everything. 

Savi tried to stifle a laugh, "So, Chashmish, are you always this serious when it rains, or do I just bring it out in you?"

Rajat paused his rant and rolled his eyes, the tension easing as he slipped back into their familiar rhythm. "Only when I'm stuck next to someone who can't stop talking about pakoras and rainy days."

"Funnily enough Rajat, you always seem to be stuck by me whenever I'm in dire situations" Savi points out. 

"My bad luck" Rajat deadpans and she shoves his arm, earning a grin from him. 

Siddharth, who had been watching their interaction with a knowing grin, leaned over. "You two should get married if this keeps up. Saves the hassle of explaining why you're always together," he joked, waggling his eyebrows as the bus lurched to his stop. 

Savi rolled her eyes but couldn't help a smile, while Rajat shot Siddharth an unamused glare. 

"Just get off the bus, Siddharth," Rajat muttered, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Siddharth laughed as he stood up, preparing to exit at the next stop. "Alright, alright, I'm going. But think about what I said, will you?" 

He stepped off with a playful salute, leaving Savi and Rajat in an awkward silence. They both turned to look out of their respective windows, the space between them suddenly feeling smaller and warmer. 

The bus continued on its route, bouncing gently over the wet streets. When their stop arrived, they got off together, the rain coming down harder now, drumming against the pavement and sending cool splashes up around their feet. They walked side by side, silent at first, their steps syncing as they moved through the narrow, rain-slicked lanes.

Savi's house came up first. She slowed down, her gaze falling on the front door with its familiar chipped paint and the dim light that spilled out from the cracks in the curtains. She hesitated, and Rajat noticed the flicker of reluctance in her eyes, the way her shoulders tensed.

"Hey," Rajat said, as if the idea had just occurred to him. "Mummy ne bola ki tujhe mil ke bohot din hogaya,  you should stop by if you're free."

Savi's expression shifted, a hint of gratitude breaking through the exhaustion on her face. She nodded, the corners of her lips lifting. "Yeah it has been a while"

Without further discussion, they turned down the street that led to Rajat's house. The rain grew heavier, forcing them to pick up their pace, and by the time they reached his gate, they were both half-drenched. 

They rushed to the doorstep, laughing breathlessly as the warm light of the house enveloped them. For a moment, they stared at each other laughing before their smiles were left on their lips and something else hung in the air. 

***

soo tara is younger than rajat by around a few years making her close to savi's age so we'll have them as friends even though it's going crazy in the show rn lmao

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