In which Copper and Isabela wake up together their final morning in India…[takes place: March 8]

Green Saffron Orange Indigo Yellow Pink Red

@copper-russell

[cw – none]

–@ –@ –@

ISABELA: The wedding had completely wiped Isabela out. She barely remembered changing into her pajamas and crawling into bed. It had been early in the morning. Around one or two, but she hadn’t really looked at the clock. Just felt it in her bones. She had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, with only the briefest sense of regret—

Not wanting to let go of such a wonderful day or such a wonderful trip. They would be leaving in the early afternoon to head back to the airport and real life. 

So, when she woke up, she pretended that she wasn’t awake yet. The sun had risen and was peeking through the slates on the window, but she kept her eyes closed anyway. It was comfortable and warm, the blanket heavy around her. And also–breathing? 

Something was tickling the back of her neck and she realized it was Copper’s breath and the heavy blanket was actually his arm draped around her. She was pretty sure that he was still asleep, based on the tempo of his breathing, which had become familiar to her over the last week. 

Isabela smiled to herself without opening her eyes, her hand moving to rest gently on his. 

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Copper and Isabela confess something to each other at the wedding…[takes place: March 7]

Green Saffron Orange Indigo Yellow Pink

*note that each day is a different tab

@copper-russell

[cw – none]

–@ –@ –@

COPPER: It had been a long day and an even longer night, but finally the wedding celebrations were beginning to slow down. Older relatives had said their goodbyes and headed home, and small children had been laid down to rest their heads on piles of cushions and pressed-together chairs in one corner. Even though the sun had set long ago, the air underneath the canopy that had been erected at the back of the house, where the bonfire had stood just days ago, was still warm. All of the bodies, the laughter, the dancing, kept it that way.

Copper had been called away by his mother to take photographs with Nani and Nanabapa before they headed back to the house, leaving Isabela with his cousins. Not that he was worried about her — she seemed to have integrated seamlessly, the girls gushing about her lehenga and her hair, the children wanting to look at the flowers. 

Once his mother released him, Copper made his way over to Isabela, gravitating back towards her as he always did. A slow song was playing, something Copper didn’t recognise but which was romantic all the same. Holding a hand out to Isabela, he asked, “Dance with me?”

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Copper and Isabela spend a little time alone before the wedding ceremony…[takes place: March 6]

Green Saffron Orange Indigo Yellow

*note that each day is a different tab

@copper-russell

[cw – none]

–@ –@ –@

COPPER: With the knowledge that it wouldn’t take him nearly as long to get dressed as it would take Isabela, Copper had once again taken the bathroom to get ready in and let her have the bedroom. He didn’t mind; his kurta was hardly difficult to get into, and with a quick taming of his hair and trimming of his beard, he was ready to go.

Except that nobody else was. Upstairs people were running around, chasing small children in an attempt to get them ready. Downstairs his aunties were fussing, buzzing around like worker bees, trying to find Gita’s bangles, her veil, her shoes. Copper had asked if he could help only to be shooed away by his mother. 

Arushi, fully dressed and immaculate as always, had said, “You can help by keeping out of the way until I call for you. Off you go now, shoo.” 

Copper wasn’t about to argue.

He had headed back upstairs, back along to the end of the corridor. Pausing outside of the bedroom door, he listened for sounds of movement. He knocked twice, then called through, “Isabela, it’s me — can I come in?”

(Outfit) 

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Isabela attends the mehndi ceremony with Copper's female cousins before the wedding…[takes place: March 5]

Green Saffron Orange Indigo

*note that each day is a different tab

@copper-russell

[cw – none]

–@ –@ –@

ISABELA: There was the unmistakable sound of girlish laughter coming from the other side of the door Isabela was standing at. It was familiar to her as anything and told her that she was in the right place. 

She had been told where to go. The boys were banished to the other side of the house. Everyone performing the ceremonies and rituals before the wedding. 

And still she was a little nervous. The wedding ceremonies were complicated and she didn’t want to do anything wrong or offend anyone. Part of her almost wanted to turn and run in the other direction, go hide in her room until it was over. But from what she understood, this was not only something that took most of the day, but important for the bride and guests. 

Taking a breath, she knocked and then poked her head in. 

“Namaste,” she said hesitantly. The other thing Isabela was acutely aware of was the language barrier. She didn’t want anyone to have to accommodate her for this special moment. 

As someone who regularly had to not speak her native language, she appreciated the importance of it. It made her feel keenly out of place, the same way she had when she’d first arrived in England—her English just as broken and hesitant as the small bits of Hindi she’d managed to pick up. 

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Copper and Isabela get food poisoning…[takes place: March 4]

Green Saffron Orange

*note that each day is a different tab

@copper-russell

[cw – illness, vomiting]

–@ –@ –@

ISABELA: Holi had been so wonderful and Isabela had had such a good time, that when she woke up in the early hours of the next morning, a little sweaty and feeling a little ill—she didn’t think anything of it at first. Her muscles were sore because they’d been running around all day, splashing everyone with powder and water and having a grand time. 

There had been so many yummy sweets and foods that Isabela had never tried before…so it made sense her stomach was rumbling and feeling a little bloated. 

She had rolled over and gone back to sleep. The sun had risen by the next time the ache in her stomach woke her up. Copper woke her up too, getting out of the bed—presumably to go down to get something to eat. The idea of eating made Isabela nauseous. 

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Copper and Isabela celebrate Holi…[takes place: March 3]

Green Saffron

*note that each day is a different tab

@copper-russell

[cw – brief panic attack lol]

–@ –@ –@

COPPER: Whilst the celebrations the night before had taken place just outside of Copper’s family home, the main Holi festivities were a much bigger affair, and involved everyone trooping into the village center. There would be music and dance, mountains of food brought by every house in the village, and most importantly: colour.

Copper had dressed plainly, in a pale shirt that he had no qualms with getting ruined. As fun as Holi was, the pigments didn’t exactly wash out easily. He had cautioned Isabela of the same thing, but he had, of course, been ready long before she had. By the time he caught sight of her he had been recruited to the back garden to help Imran, an eight year old in desperate need of a growth spurt, reach one of the first ripe mangoes from the tree that stood in the centre of the dry ground. 

With all the preparation done the day before, it was a much slower morning all around. There was time for Copper to meander downstairs, pick a plate of breakfast for himself and Isabela, and be bullied into childcare by his cousins. Even his aunties weren’t too busy – they had packed up their contributions to the feast the night before, so it was only his mother and Chahna who buzzed around now, urging people to get dressed and get their shoes on so they could all troop out together.

Copper waved at Isabela with one hand, the other propping up his little cousin, who freed the mango with a soft yes! and patted Copper’s shoulder to be let down. He ran off with it, past Isabela and further into the house, already tearing the skin from the fruit as he went.

“Hey,” Copper smiled, stepping towards her. “Ready to go?”

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Copper and Isabela prepare for Holi with his family…[takes place: March 2]

Part One: Green

@copper-russell

[cw – none]

–@ –@ –@

COPPER: Having forgotten to set an alarm the night before, it was maybe later than Copper would’ve liked when he finally woke up. He had slept seamlessly, too tired from the long day before, and waking up properly had taken a moment. Staring at the ceiling fan, he remembered where he was: India, his grandparent's house, in his own room this time, next to—

Isabela.

Slowly, Copper turned, not wanting to disturb her if she was still asleep. With the blanket around her it was difficult to tell, but when he paused, holding his breath to listen, he could hear her own soft, sleepy breathing. With a gentle smile, he slowly, oh-so carefully, got out of bed, replacing the sheet so that it didn’t disturb her.

At some point he would unpack his case, but for now he retrieved a change of clothes as quietly as he could, tiptoeing out of the room and to the bathroom next door. From the hallway he could hear chatter downstairs, and the sounds of cutlery on crockery, children shrieking with laughter. Had he been here alone, just him and his mum, he might have simply rocketed downstairs and joined them around the overly large breakfast table. He doubted there would be too much left after the plague of locusts he called a family had gotten to it, but he might be able to elbow his way in.

Except that he wasn’t alone, and he wouldn’t leave Isabela to fend for herself. So Copper changed and, returning to their room, opened the door slowly. When he did, he was admittedly glad to find Isabela awake — he hadn’t come up with a good strategy for waking her.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “I’m going to go downstairs and see if I can find us some breakfast. I think mum and my aunties might’ve already started baking, but there should be something left. Do you want to get dressed and meet me down there? Or I can wait. I don’t mind.”

–@ –@ –@

[read here]

In which Isabela arrives with Copper and his mother in India for Holi and Copper's cousin's wedding...[takes place: evening of March 1]

@copper-russell

[cw -- none]

--@ --@ --@

COPPER: By the time they landed in Ahmedabad, the flight time and the time difference made it early evening. The sun was already setting as they stepped out into the dry, dusky heat, the sky painted with deep purples and blues and orange towards the horizon. Arushi didn’t leave them much time to enjoy it. She marched them towards the car rental, where she had already booked in advance, and forced them into the car.

It was supposed to be a good three hours drive, but his mother’s terrible, terrifying driving cut the drive time almost in half. Yet still the sun had set completely as they rolled at a much more controlled pace into his grandmother and grandfather’s village, the stars appearing bright and luminous above them.

Copper had been getting more and more restless the closer they got, almost hopping out of the car before it had even come to a stop. Even though it was getting late, he knew the whole family would be up, awaiting their arrival. It was always one of his favourite parts of coming home — the welcome when they got there.

The house was tall and wide, thanks to multiple additions over the years, built by his Nanabapa and his brothers to accommodate the ever growing family. The walls were washed bright white, but most of them were covered with some sort of plant or flower, lattices covering most of the exterior. 

Copper could already hear the voices from inside, loud laughter from the adults, shrieks from children up well past their bedtime. It made him anxious to get going. He moved round to the boot and grabbed their bags, lowering them one by one to the dusty ground. Soon, his cousins would come out to help, but first—

Copper turned to Isabela as she got out of the car. “Fair warning, you’re about to meet a lot of people very quickly.” He told her, unable to keep from grinning. “Don’t worry about remembering their names, they’re used to it.”

--@ --@ --@

[read here]