61.
"Is he alright now?" Ravi asked quietly, glancing toward the closed bedroom door.
"He's resting," Aarohi replied, her voice trembling. "The doctor said the injury was deep... I'm scared, Ravi. What if they try again? What if next time it's worse? If you hadn't arrived that day..." She paused, her throat tightening. "I could've lost my son."
Ravi's jaw clenched. "You should call Shaurya."
Aarohi shook her head. "No. I don't want to disturb him. After so many years, he finally sounds... happy. If he's really found peace with Bhaiya, let him have it. And I know, Ravi — only you can keep us safe now."
"Veer's enough for that," Ravi said, exhaling slowly. "But Ozge's sons are reckless. They attacked without a thought — and they'll pay for that mistake." His tone softened. "Don't worry, Aarohi. Just stay inside. This family needs you."
Before Aarohi could respond, someone tugged gently at Ravi's trouser leg. He looked down — Vayu was standing there, wide-eyed, clutching his stuffed toy.
"Is Roy Uncle okay?" he asked, lips curling into a worried pout.
It was a bitter truth — Vayu never had friends his age. Their world didn't allow it. The bodyguards and staff had become his companions, and Roy was his favorite.
"He's alright," Ravi assured him, crouching down. "He said he misses you. He'll be back next week."
Vayu nodded, then flexed his tiny arms. "I want to fight the bad men too! See — I'm strong!"
Ravi couldn't help but chuckle. "Mashallah, you're indeed strong, Vayu baba. That's why you must protect your mother, hmm? Don't leave her side."
Vayu saluted proudly. Ravi smiled faintly, rising to his full height.
Across the room, Raghu — Vedansh's head bodyguard — stood silently by the window, his eyes sharp and unreadable. Vedansh had left for Kedarnath on a private pilgrimage, refusing protection despite everyone's protests. Raghu's gut twisted uneasily.
He knew this was wrong. They should have told Shaurya.
--------------------------------------
Aarav didn't know when he'd fallen asleep. The room felt heavy with silence when he opened his eyes. He turned — the space beside him was empty.
Did he really leave?
Panic shot through him. Aarav jolted out of bed, his body still weak from exhaustion. Before he could take another step, the door opened — and there was Shaurya, standing at the threshold. Aarav froze mid-movement, guilt and relief washing over him all at once.
Shaurya crossed the room quickly and caught him before he stumbled, effortlessly lifting him back onto the bed.
"What the hell are you doing?" Aarav snapped, breath uneven.
"Sorry," Shaurya muttered, settling him gently against the pillows. "I was... too rough."
Aarav frowned, rubbing his forehead. "What time is it?"
"It's noon," Shaurya replied, handing him a fresh set of clothes.
"What? Noon? I slept that long? Where's—"
"Aarya's talking to Dad on the phone," Shaurya interrupted softly. "I told her you were resting, so Eve's keeping her busy."
Aarav exhaled in relief, tugging on his T-shirt and boxers. Before he could say anything else, Shaurya slipped under the blanket beside him, pulling him closer until Aarav's head rested against his chest. The steady rhythm of Shaurya's heartbeat thudded under his ear — grounding, familiar, real.
Aarav closed his eyes for a moment. It felt like Shaurya's warmth was trying to tell him he wasn't going anywhere.
"Don't you have work?" Aarav mumbled against his chest. "Why do you keep sticking to me, huh?"
Shaurya chuckled quietly. "So you really want me gone?"
Aarav lifted his head, shaking it quickly. "I didn't mean it."
Shaurya smiled — Aarav looked so much like a sulking kid that he couldn't help it. He guided Aarav's head back down, fingers brushing through his hair.
"Then why did you ask me to leave?"
Aarav hesitated, his voice dropping. "Because I don't want to hurt you anymore. I realized I might've been pushing you too hard."
"Aarav—"
"No, don't interrupt me." Aarav's tone wavered, but he kept going.
"Shaurya, I left you when you needed me the most. I'd be lying if I said all the blame was yours.
I should've come back... to you. And now that you're here, I keep expecting too much — when you're already such a good father to Aarya.
I didn't think about how you felt. I just kept blaming you. "
He swallowed hard, eyes glistening. "I know why you're tired of me, Shaurya."
Shaurya's expression softened. "Aarav, when you overheard me and Dadi talking... I wasn't talking about you or Aarya."
Aarav looked up at him, uncertain.
"I was talking about the mafia," Shaurya said quietly. "Dad wants me to go to the Vocarre meeting. He asked Dadi to convince me. That's what I meant when I said I was tired — not of you."
Aarav didn't respond, but his shoulders eased just a little.
Shaurya reached down, his hand brushing over Aarav's bare thigh — a slow, absent-minded touch that said more than words ever could.
"Aarav, if I tell you that I want to say something... will you listen to me?" Shaurya asked quietly.
Aarav nodded instantly, his eyes already soft with attention.
"I'm sorry," Shaurya began, voice low and rough. "I haven't really apologized to you — not properly. The way I treated you back then... I made you feel like I only stayed because of Aarya. But that's not true, Aarav."
He paused, exhaling shakily. "You told me to leave because you didn't want to hurt me. And the same way... six years ago, I told you to go because I didn't want you to see what I was becoming. I was losing control — behaving like a fucking monster."
Aarav's brows knitted together, but his tone remained gentle.
"I never cared about that, Shaurya. We were a couple — fights happen.
And we're both men, both stubborn, both idiots sometimes.
I've got ego issues, you've got communication issues.
I never held that against you, so stop beating yourself up over it. "
He drew in a breath. "I just wanted you to come and take me home, Shaurya. You promised you would — no matter what happened between us."
"I wanted to," Shaurya said, his voice cracking slightly.
"God, I wanted to. But I couldn't think straight back then.
Everything was falling apart. I didn't know what to say, what to do.
The meetings, the pressure, the drugs — they messed with my head.
I can't even remember half the things I said in my last meeting with Vocarre. "
He clenched his fists. "And I was too stupid to realize that Vaani might've been working against us all along."
Aarav's throat tightened. He couldn't stand hearing the guilt in Shaurya's voice. Slowly, he sat up — and then shifted onto Shaurya's lap, just like he used to years ago. His hands rose to Shaurya's face, tracing the faint scars that time and battles had left behind.
Shaurya tried to ease the heaviness with a small grin. "You've seriously gotten heavier," he murmured, pretending to wince as he adjusted against the pillows.
Aarav didn't smile. He just kept looking into Shaurya's eyes — those same eyes he'd fallen for years ago. They still carried the same depth, but the light in them had dimmed.
"After all these years," Aarav whispered, his fingers trembling slightly, "you were the one who kept suffering. And I... I kept ignoring that." His voice broke, raw and heavy. "I'm sorry, Shaurya. I'm really sorry. I just keep hurting you, over and over."
Shaurya caught his hands before they could fall away, pressing them against his chest.
"I want to be with you, Aarav," Shaurya said, voice soft but firm. "I've already lost six years without you... and I can't bear your absence anymore."
Aarav pressed his forehead against Shaurya's, exhaling a long, shaky breath.
"I think I lost my friend today," he murmured. "I lost Yug. He's hurt, Shaurya."
Shaurya's hands slid gently under Aarav's T-shirt, resting at his waist — warm, grounding. "Yug's mature enough to understand what's between us," Shaurya said. "But we'll talk to him together, alright? He deserves that. And I know how much he means to you too."
Aarav just nodded, his chest easing for the first time in days.
Being in Shaurya's arms again felt painfully familiar — like a piece of home he'd been missing all this time.
The fear, the confusion, the ache... everything dulled in Shaurya's presence.
Now he understood — Shaurya hadn't turned cold; he had been suffering, locked away by the effects of those drugs, hiding behind walls he didn't know how to break.
"I loved the flowers you sent me," Aarav said suddenly, a teasing glint in his eyes, "but it was so cringe. Not you at all."
Shaurya chuckled. "Oh? Then what should I give you?"
"I don't know," Aarav shrugged. "You're good with words. Maybe say something nice about me for once — instead of calling me fat every time." He pouted dramatically.
Shaurya grinned. "I was joking, Aarav. You're too beautiful for my eyes — I might go blind if I keep staring."
Aarav made a face. "Okay, now it's getting too cheesy. Stop, I'm gonna puke."
"Mmm, fine," Shaurya said, pretending to think. "Then I absolutely hate your tattoos. Please don't get inked ever again."
Aarav laughed, finally. "I told you to say something nice, dumbo," he said, poking Shaurya's nose.
"Alright, alright," Shaurya said, pretending to ponder again. "It's amazing how your skin is still so flawless. Not a single wrinkle. I've checked."
Aarav rolled his eyes. "Aur?"
Shaurya's smirk turned softer now. "I like the way you still moan my name," he whispered. "I missed that sound."
Aarav's cheeks flushed pink instantly. "Tharki," he muttered under his breath. "And?"
Shaurya looked at him, gaze steady and full of warmth. "And... I love you."
Aarav's lips curved into a bright, genuine smile — one that reached his eyes this time.
"Kaafi der kar di aapne," he whispered before leaning forward and pressing a soft peck to Shaurya's lips. "I love you too."