Chapter 44
The sound of running water came to an end. For a brief moment, the room fell completely silent. Then the bathroom door opened softly, and Veeransh stepped out, a towel resting around his neck, his damp hair falling slightly over his forehead.
He was about to say something casually But his words never came out.
Because his eyes fell on the bed.
And he froze.
Aariv was lying there.
But something was wrong.
He wasn’t sleeping peacefully like before.
He wasn’t curled up. He wasn’t moving.
He was lying completely straight.
Too straight.
His arms rested beside him in an unnatural position, his fingers slightly curled but stiff, unmoving.
His eyes were open and fixed on ceiling.
For a moment, Veeransh did not move.
He just stood there, staring. Trying to understand what he was seeing.
“Aariv?” he called out slowly.
There was no response.
Not even the slightest movement.
The air in the room felt different.
Heavier..As if something unseen had settled there.
Veeransh took a step forward.
Then another..His gaze never leaves Aariv.
“Aariv,” he said again, this time more firmly.
Still nothing.Behind him, the curtains shifted slightly. There was no wind.
The windows were closed. Veeransh noticed it. But he did not turn.
His focus remained fixed on Aariv.
He reached the bed and sat down beside him.
For a moment, he simply looked at him. At the unnatural stillness.
At the silence that did not belong to sleep. Then slowly, he placed his hand on Aariv’s shoulder. The moment his fingers touched him Aariv’s eyes moved.
They rolled slowly.
Deliberately. Until they fixed on Veeransh.And Veeransh understood instantly. That was not Aariv. There was no softness in those eyes. They are looking so unfamiliar.
Aariv’s lips parted slightly.
And when he spoke .The voice that came out was not entirely his.
It sounded layered.As if two voices were speaking together.
“…aa gaye tum…”
Veeransh’s expression hardened immediately.
His jaw clenched.
“Aariv.”
His voice dropped.
For a brief moment, something flickered. Aariv’s brows twitched.
His fingers moved slightly against the bedsheet.
“V… Veer…”
That voice was his. It's sounding so
Weak and frightened. But it disappeared just as quickly. His head tilted slowly to one side.
Unnaturally still.
“…der kar di…”
The voice returned.
The curtains behind them began to move again.This time more violently.
The fabric snapped in the air as if pushed by something unseen.
The windows rattled. The lights flickered repeatedly. The air in the room turned colder but Veeransh did not move. He did not step back he did not show fear. Instead, he leaned closer.His hand moved to Aariv’s face, holding his jaw firmly.
“Enough, you are aariv my Aariv please Come back to your husband”
His voice cut through the room.
Aariv’s eyes trembled.
His lashes fluttered rapidly.
His breathing became uneven.
“V… Veer…”
His voice was faint.
.
Veeransh’s grip softened immediately.
His thumb brushed lightly against Aariv’s cheek.
“I’m here,” he said quietly.
Aariv’s fingers tightened weakly around the bedsheet.His eyes squeezed shut suddenly, as if in pain.
Suddenly the movement in the room stopped completely.
The cold slowly faded.The unseen presence withdrew.
Aariv’s body went completely limp.
All the stiffness disappeared at once.
Veeransh reacted immediately.
He caught him before he could fall back harshly.
“Aariv!”
There was no response. Only shallow breathing.Veeransh pulled him closer, one arm supporting his back, the other cradling his head.
Veeransh was still holding Aariv close.
His arms were wrapped firmly around him, not allowing even the slightest distance between them.
His grip was protective, almost instinctive, as if he feared that if he loosened it even a little, Aariv would slip away.
His gaze slowly dropped to Aariv’s face.
“What was that…?” he whispered under his breath.
There was no answer. Aariv lay completely still in his arms.He was no longer stiff like before.
His body had relaxed, his face soft, his lashes resting gently against his cheeks.
It looked like he had fallen into a deep sleep.
But it didn’t feel like sleep.
It felt…
heavier. As if he had been pulled somewhere far away.
Veeransh frowned slightly. He adjusted Aariv in his hold, making him more comfortable.
One hand came up slowly and gently touched his cheek.
His fingers traced the soft skin, as if reassuring himself that Aariv was still here.
“Aariv…” he called softly.
There was no response. For a brief moment, Veeransh’s expression softened. The tension in his eyes eased slightly as he looked at him.
Carefully, he leaned closer.
His gaze fixed on Aariv’s peaceful face.
He moved slowly, intending to press a soft kiss on his forehead....
THUD!
A loud sound echoed in the room.
A photo frame fell to the floor with a sharp crash.
The sudden noise broke the silence violently.
Veeransh stopped instantly. His movement froze mid-way.
For a second, everything felt still again.
But he did not turn , he did not look back.
His focus remained on Aariv. Without hesitation, Veeransh straightened and adjusted his hold.
He carefully lifted Aariv fully into his arms, supporting him securely.
Then he moved toward the bed and sat down, resting his back against the headboard.
Gently, he positioned Aariv against himself, making him lie comfortably on his chest. Aariv instinctively settled there, even in unconsciousness.
His head rested against Veeransh’s shoulder.
His body relaxed slightly.
Veeransh wrapped one arm tightly around him, holding him close, making sure he stayed there.
Only then did his eyes slowly shift toward the floor.
The photo frame lay broken and the glass cracked.
The image inside slightly tilted, almost as if it had been disturbed deliberately.
Veeransh did not move from his place.
He did not go to pick it up. Instead, his hand came up and rested gently on Aariv’s head, his fingers moving slightly through his hair.His expression hardened.
The softness in his eyes faded, replaced by something darker and colder.
.........................
Rudra was lying comfortably on his bed, completely absorbed in a game on his phone.
The glow of the screen lit up his face as his fingers moved lazily. At least, that was how he appeared.
A soft knock echoed on his door.
Rudra’s fingers paused mid-air. He frowned slightly and turned his head toward the door.
“Ab kaun hai?” he muttered under his breath.
He got up and walked toward the door, opening it casually.
The moment he opened it, he stopped. Yug stood there holding a pillow. Rudra blinked in confusion.
For a moment, he simply stared at him.
Then slowly, a smirk appeared on his face.
“Kya hua, mirchi?” Rudra asked, leaning slightly against the doorframe.
Yug avoided his gaze for a second. Then he pouted slightly, trying to look casual.
“Rudra…” he said, clearing his throat,
“…main soch raha tha ki tum dar rahe hoge, isliye main tumhare paas aa gaya sone.”
Rudra looked at him carefully.
It did not take him long to understand the truth. Yug was scared , but of course, he would never admit it.
Rudra decided to play along.
“Nahi ,” he replied casually, shrugging his shoulders,
“mujhe to bilkul dar nahi lag raha. Main aaram se so jaunga.”
Yug immediately frowned. Before Rudra could react, Yug pushed him lightly aside and walked straight into the room as if he belonged there.
“Haan haan, mujhe pata hai,” Yug said, placing his pillow on the bed,
“tum dar rahe ho. Bas accept nahi kar rahe.”
Rudra turned and watched him.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Because right now, Yug looked incredibly adorable. Trying to act confidently and failing completely.
Rudra shook his head slightly, hiding a smile.
“Theek hai,” he said, walking toward the bed, “chalo, so jaate hain.”
Yug quickly took one side of the bed and lay down, pulling the blanket up as if it could protect him from everything. Rudra lay down beside him, stretching comfortably.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
After a while, Rudra turned his head slightly and looked at Yug.
A mischievous smile slowly formed on his lips.
“Mirchi…” he whispered.
Yug’s eyes opened immediately.
“Kya?” he asked, a hint of nervousness already in his voice.
Rudra leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice deliberately.
“Mujhe lagta hai… is room mein koi hai.”
Yug froze instantly and his eyes widened.
“What?” he whispered.
Before he could even think properly, he turned and hugged Rudra tightly.
“Please hold me!” Yug said quickly, his voice trembling slightly.
“Rudra… tum daro mat… main hoon na…”
Rudra almost laughed but he controlled himself with great effort.
He wrapped his arms around Yug, pulling him closer, pretending to be serious.
“I think…” he said slowly,
“…koi shadow humari taraf aa rahi hai.”
Yug gasped loudly.
“Ahhh! Oh my God!”
Within seconds, he buried himself completely into Rudra’s embrace. His face pressed against Rudra’s stomach, and his hands tightly clutched his shirt.
“Mat bolo aisa!” Yug mumbled, his voice muffled.
“tumhe sach mein darr lag raha hai?…”
Rudra looked down at him and this time, he could not stop himself.
A soft laugh escaped his lips. His hand moved gently to Yug’s head, his fingers running lightly through his hair.
“Arre… relax,” Rudra said, his voice softer now,
“tum ho na.mujhe bilkul dar nhi lag rha ”
Yug did not move he did not loosen his grip.
“Sach?” Yug asked quietly.
Rudra’s expression softened. He tightened his hold around him slightly.
“Haan,” he replied,
“jab tak tum ho… mujhe kuch nahi hoga.”
After a few seconds, he muttered softly,
“Waise… agar tumne jhooth bola na…ki koi hai... toh......”
Rudra raised an eyebrow.
“Toh?” he asked.
Yug shifted just enough to glare at him...
“Toh main sach mein tumhari chatni bana dunga.”
Rudra chuckled softly and pulled him a little closer.
“Theek hai, mirchi,” he whispered,
“risk le lunga.”