All Chapters of Tangled In Scales: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ashwin didn’t remember much about his earliest years—just flashes of movement and hushed voices. The memory that stuck, the one that always surfaced when he let his mind wander, was of the bus stop. The cracked pavement, the dull hum of traffic, the way his small hands gripped the edge of the bench as he sat there, waiting for someone who never came back.It was Hayden’s grandmother who found him. A kind woman with tired eyes and soft hands, she took one look at the abandoned boy and made a decision that changed both their lives. She raised Ashwin alongside Hayden, treating him as her own. And when Hayden lost his parents in a car crash, they became each other’s whole world—two boys with no one but each other, finding warmth in shared grief.But there were gaps in Ashwin’s memory, things that didn’t quite fit. Sometimes, when he thought too hard about that bus stop, the image wavered. Had he really been abandoned by a family of tourists, as Hayden’s grandmother always assumed? Or was

Mount Haven’s market was a staple of small-town life, brimming with color, chatter, and the lingering scent of spiced bread. Ashwin found a sense of peace here—watching the townsfolk barter over fresh produce, admiring the handiwork of local artisans, and indulging in the occasional sweet treat.He sat on a rickety wooden chair outside a café, half-heartedly stirring his tea as he gazed through the kitchen window. But right now, his mind wasn’t on the market or the list of groceries he needed to buy. His thoughts were tangled—wrapped around something he couldn’t quite shake off.Or rather, someone.Ishaan.The man had only been in his life for a short while, but already, he was everywhere. In the spare room Ashwin had rented out. In the corners of his mind when he least expected it. In his dreams.Especially in his dreams.Ashwin sighed, his fingers tightening around his spoon. He told himself this was just an inconveni

Ashwin had been feeling… off.It had started subtly at first—a faint itch along his arms and legs, an odd tightness in his skin, as if it were stretched too thin. He had assumed it was just the changing weather, maybe dry air or the stress catching up to him. But by the time the weekend rolled around, it had worsened.The sensation wasn’t painful, just strange. Like something was crawling just beneath his skin, waiting to break free.Standing in front of the mirror, Ashwin frowned as he rubbed his hands over his arms. His skin was flaking—not dry, not sunburnt—just… shedding. The patches were pale, almost translucent, peeling away in small, thin layers like an old, discarded husk.The soft shuffle of feet outside his door made him glance up, and before he could react, his door creaked open.Ishaan stepped inside.Ashwin tensed, quickly wrapping his arms around himself, but Ishaan didn’t seem to notice.Or maybe he did.Because Ishaan suddenly stopped mid-step, his nostrils flaring sli

Back in bed, Ashwin lay on his side, his body still trembling from what had happened. His mind reeled, his heart pounding against his ribs as a sickening guilt began to claw at his stomach. He had cheated. On Hayden.The thought sent a wave of nausea through him, making him curl in on himself. His fingers clutched at the sheets as he tried to steady his breathing. He had always prided himself on being loyal, on doing the right thing, but now?Now, he felt tainted.Ishaan shifted beside him, the mattress dipping under his weight. "You're thinking too much again," he murmured, voice deep and smooth, like silk sliding over skin.Ashwin didn't respond. He couldn’t.Ishaan sighed as if amused, rolling onto his side to face him. “You cheated, huh?”Ashwin flinched at the word. "I—yes. I shouldn’t have done this." His voice was barely above a whisper.Ishaan let out a low chuckle, and Ashwin finally turned to look at him, confused by his reaction.Then Ishaan’s fingers brushed lightly over A

The afternoon hung heavy with an unsettling stillness, the sky blanketed in thick, rolling clouds that smothered the sunlight. Though it wasn’t raining, the air carried the thick humidity of an impending storm. The wind barely stirred the leaves, and every step Ashwin took felt magnified in the unnatural quiet.Even the birds had gone silent.Ashwin clenched his fists at his sides as he walked, trying to shake the unease prickling at the back of his neck. The call from the police earlier had sent his heart into turmoil, and now, as he and Ishaan made their way through the forest, his pulse thudded so loudly he could hear it in his ears.“I got a call from the police,” Ashwin finally said, his voice quieter than he intended. His throat was dry, his words hesitant, as though saying them out loud would make them less hopeful.Ishaan, who had been walking beside him with his usual unhurried grace, turned his head slightly. His storm-gray eye