51.
As Aarav's hands brushed over Shaurya's head, steady and trembling at the same time, he suddenly shoved gently against Shaurya's chest. Shaurya pulled back just enough, but the warmth lingered in the air between them.
Aarav's breath was uneven, his gaze fixed on the floor.When he finally looked up, Shaurya's eyes were already locked on him.
"Please don't do this to me," Aarav whispered, voice heavy with restraint. "I don't want things to go where they shouldn't. You'll leave one day... eventually."
Shaurya's jaw tensed. He pushed himself off the sofa, running a hand through his hair before sighing deeply."You could have come back too," he said quietly.
His voice carried no blame, but the weight of it pressed against Aarav's chest.Aarav frowned, startled by the words.
"But how could you?" Shaurya's eyes darkened, the softness fading into a storm. "I was the one who sent you away." His tone was flat, but the pain beneath it was sharp.
Aarav stayed quiet, his throat tight."I'm sorry," Shaurya muttered. "I don't know what else to say. Everything I touch... everything I do... somehow gets ruined."
Aarav's heart ached at the rawness in his voice. He swallowed and finally met Shaurya's gaze."It was both of our faults," Aarav said. His lips parted to say more. "Shaury—"
Shaurya cut him off with a bitter smile.
"You can't hide my nastiness forever. You said you came back to me once... but the truth is, I don't even remember it. Call me a maniac, call me broken, I don't care. What I want to know is—what made you come to me that day?"
Aarav's breath caught. That day. The day he had gone to tell Shaurya about Aarya. The day Shaurya had refused to see him. Aarav still didn't know what had dragged him there despite everything. Maybe worse—he didn't know why he had waited six years for answers Shaurya never gave.
Shaurya's gaze didn't waver. His voice dropped, almost raw.
"I guess you don't know. But I do. You loved me, Aarav. You loved the monster in me. You loved me that day—even though I didn't deserve it."
Aarav's chest tightened, but Shaurya pressed on, his voice trembling under the weight of restraint.
"But now... I'm trying. I'm trying to be sane. Sane for my daughter. For you. Can't you give me that chance? Why did you stop loving me?"
Aarav inhaled sharply, forcing calm into his voice.
"Because this... whatever this is... can't keep repeating between us. It'll only turn into a mistake. And I don't want it to affect Aarya. Or you."
Shaurya's eyes burned red. "How would it affect me?"
Aarav opened his mouth, but the answer lodged in his throat. He couldn't say it out loud—couldn't tell Shaurya that from the very beginning, everything about him had been a trigger. That loving Aarav had cost Shaurya pieces of himself he could never get back.
From childhood, Shaurya had carried sins for him—starting with killing Aarav's own grandfather to save him. And every step after, every choice, every downfall—they were always tangled with Aarav.
It had been Aarav who asked for a child when neither of them was ready.
Aarav who begged Shaurya to leave the mafia.
Aarav who pushed and pushed, while Shaurya unraveled.
Even Yug had gone behind to speak with doctors because Shaurya wouldn't see a therapist. And the truth was undeniable—Aarav had been the reason Shaurya spiraled into panic attacks.
How could he blame Shaurya fully, when he himself had been the trigger?
That was when Aarav realized how truly toxic their love had been. Because no matter how deeply they cared, their love always demanded a sacrifice—something precious was always lost in order to keep the other.
And Aarav couldn't do it again.
He couldn't trade Shaurya's life for his own happiness.
He wanted Shaurya to live. And only then—only with that distance—could Aarav live in peace with Yug. With Yug, he had nothing to lose. Just to live a life of a normal person.
Shaurya held Aarav's hands gently and let out a deep sigh. Then, with surprising tenderness, he tugged Aarav closer. He leaned down, slouching slightly to meet Aarav's height, and pressed their foreheads together.
Aarav's eyes slipped shut at the contact, his breath uneven. Shaurya didn't close his. He kept watching him, drinking him in.
"Meri duniya tum hi ho, tumhi aasra..." he whispered, the words breaking softly in the quiet. His grip on Aarav's hands tightened, as if letting go would undo everything.
But then—
"We're back!"
Aarya's chirpy little voice rang out across the hallway. Aarav's eyes fluttered open. He exhaled shakily, slowly pulling his hands free from Shaurya's.
A moment later, Aarya came bounding in and leapt straight into his arms. Aarav caught her easily, his whole face softening.
"You guys are back so early?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.
"Yes! Ravi Uncle drove us here!" Aarya beamed proudly.
Trailing behind her were Ravi and Eve. Eve was glowing, grinning like a teenager fresh from her first date, while Ravi seemed half-amused, half-indifferent.
"Thanks again," Eve said sweetly.
"No problem. I was heading this way anyway." Ravi shrugged, then glanced at Shaurya. "Uhh... Shaurya, we need to go."
Both Shaurya and Aarya frowned at the exact same time, their expressions mirroring each other so perfectly that Aarav almost chuckled.
"Please stay! We'll play! It's Sunday tomorrow—no school!" Aarya pleaded, tugging at Shaurya's sleeve.
"We'll come back again, Aarya. Promise." Ravi crouched, hooking her pinky with his.
Aarya pouted, then turned her big eyes toward Shaurya. He looked just as reluctant to leave.
"Please stay," she said again, her little voice insistent.
"I agree," Eve chimed in immediately. "You guys should stay."
"Uhmm... I'd love to stay," Shaurya admitted, his gaze flicking toward Aarav.
Ravi sighed. "Shaurya, you know it's Unit business. I'll handle it." He was already half-turned to leave, but Shaurya's firm voice stopped him.
"Let Roy handle it if it's not serious. You—take a break."
Ravi blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"
"I said take a break," Shaurya repeated, calmer now. "I'll tell Veer to assign extra staff to the Unit. Dad can oversee the rest."
Ravi frowned. "And what exactly am I supposed to do now?"
"Bhangra karo," Aarav muttered dryly under his breath.
Shaurya ignored him. "You can stay with me for now. You don't always have to work. And... maybe start planning to go home for your sister's wedding."
"You can stay with us, Ravi Uncle!" Aarya added enthusiastically, throwing her little arms around him. Ravi smiled faintly, patting her head.
"Uhh... I don't know. I think Aarav wouldn't like me hanging around here. Someone tends to get his ass burned up easily."
"Language," Aarav snapped, glaring.
"Papa," Aarya tugged his collar, looking up at him with her best puppy eyes. "They can stay today, right?"
Aarav suddenly found four pairs of eyes on him.
Aarya's—bright, pleading, impossible to deny.
Shaurya's—quiet, steady, waiting for his word.
Ravi's—half-bored but secretly hopeful.
And Eve's—lit up like it was Christmas, clearly desperate to have Ravi nearby.
Aarav groaned inwardly. He could already feel the headache coming.
"Fine," he muttered at last, defeated. "You guys can stay."
"Yessss!" Aarya squealed, throwing her little fist in the air.
Ravi smirked. Shaurya's lips curved just slightly. And Eve? She looked like she'd just won the lottery.
Aarav rolled his eyes. This house was turning into a circus.
Aarav set Aarya down, and she immediately bounded into Ravi's arms, giggling as he caught her. Shaurya lingered by Aarav's side, close enough for Aarav to feel the weight of his presence. The air tightened between them.
Aarav shifted slightly, putting the distance between them.
"I should... probably call Yug to come over too," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, before turning and walking toward the other room.
Shaurya sighed as he watched Aarav's figure disappearing into another room.