Annika stroked Shivaay's head softly. But unlike the rest of his stay in the Hospital, Shivaay was softly looking at her. The smile on her lips was constant. The Doctors had laid Shivaay down in a lateral position to relieve the pressure off his back. Annika was not only glad to see him awake but also in a different position. Now when she leaned in, his face was closer to hers. She liked it more.
Shivaay languidly blinked and Annika's eyes smarted with tears. And just like that, tears streamed out of her eyes. First one, then another and then a whole river. The fear, the anguish, the helplessness that she had felt in the last two weeks streamed out of her eyes. She was right. She could cry only in front of this man.
She felt love overtake her senses again. It felt like she was seeing Shivaay for the first time again. And just like the first time, it was love at first sight. It was true that she had felt a connection with him, an unexplained attraction when she had first seen him. But then she had never explored that part of her heart or feelings. Because really, why would a girl like her fall for a man like him?
Now looking down at the confused, concerned yet loving face of Shivaay; Annika knew that a girl like her would have fallen for a man like him. Always. They were destined to be together.
Shivaay groaned a little, trying hard to raise his arm and wipe the offending tears off from Annika's face. Frustrated that his limbs didn't move much, he groaned like a child again. Annika smiled through her tears. She caught hold of his hand and pressed it on her cheek. Keeping his heavy, fluttering eyes on her face, Shivaay slowly moved his fingers and wiped the wetness away. But more tears fell on his hand.
"An..." he tried to speak. His eyes went in and out of focus as he tried his level best to stay awake and also comfort Annika. His oxygen mask fogged more heavily as his breathing grew ragged.
Watching him squirm like that, Annika's heart quivered. She didn't want to stress him out at all. She just felt overwhelmed to see him awake and looking at her and couldn't stop her tears anymore. But his feeble attempts to stop her were a balm on her aching heart.
"I am so sorry baby..." Annika whispered. She pressed a kiss on his throbbing hand. "I am just so happy to see you all well. I love you so damn much. Too, too much."
Shivaay's eyes closed hearing the teary confession. He let out a satisfied sigh. Looking at his tired face, Annika placed a kiss on his head. At last, she felt some peace. And hope.
"How's my handsome brother doing?" Om asked quietly as he walked in. He had a tube of a sore prevention gel in his hand.
Annika smiled at him. "Super! Right, Shivaay?"
Rudra appeared from behind Om. "Of course. Mujh pe gaye hai Bhaiya. Both in handsomeness and nature. Thank god O pe nahi gaye."
"Shut up, Rudra!" Om rebuked him with a smile.
Giggling, Rudra slowly opened the strings of Shivaay's hospital gown. Then with a wet wipe, Om cleaned Shivaay's back. Rudra then ran a soft dry cloth on his back whilst Om looked for sores. Wherever they spotted signs of sores, skin turned pink and red because of constantly lying on the back, they softly put the gel on it.
Shivaay hissed in pain when they rubbed the gel on his skin. Annika held his hand. "It's okay, baby. It will burn a little but you will feel better."
Rudra and Om looked at Annika consoling Shivaay like he wasn't a grown up man but a toddler and grinned like Cheshire cats. Their brother had chosen well for himself. He deserved this love.
"Bhabhi...do you remember? There was a time you used to colour even if Bhaiya just looked at you. Now there is so much skin show happening," Rudra pointed at Shivaay's bareback and the thin sheet covering his modesty. "And nothing happens to you."
First Annika glared at Rudra but quickly gave in and laughed. "Yes. Because I have seen all of Shivaay now and have done more scandalous things than you can possibly imagine. No novelty now you know?"
Om embarrassedly covered his face and laughed. Rudra laughed out loud. "Oh trust me, I can imagine. And I hope you two get to do those scandalous things soon."
Annika caressed Shivaay's head and a soft smile graced his lips. "Oh, I hope so too."
"Rudy..."
Rudra looked towards the door. Shakti was standing there with his mobile. "Bhavya is calling you."
"Oh..." Rudra got up and walked out. He chatted with Bhavya for a while and cut the call. "Papa...I wanted to stay the night with Bhaiya but Bhavya wants me to go there."
Shakti patted his head. "I won't ask you what you guys are doing but I hope you are not deliberately putting yourself in trouble."
"No..." Rudra shook his head. "Trust me. Will you stay with Bhaiya tonight? I need to take O with me too."
"I will..." Shakti smiled. "Go."
As they headed towards Bhavya, both of them first decided to visit a small chapel first. Shivaay had woken up and they had to thank the almighty. Sitting outside the closed chapel, they let the feeling of relief wash over them.
Rudra sniffled. "Do you know why I never called you Bhaiya?"
Om knew the answer but he still asked. "Why?"
"Because, only one person could be Bhaiya for me. And that was not you. I know you are my own brother but I have always felt something more for Shivaay Bhaiya. I don't know exactly what. It's a weird, complex feeling that I don't understand. And strangely, that feeling does not come for anyone else. Not even Bhavya..." said Rudra.
Om just smiled. Rudra frowned. "What?"
"Because he isn't just a brother..." Om thought out loud. "For both of us, he has been much more than that."
"Yeah..." Rudra nodded. "True."
"I don't want you to call me Bhaiya either, Rudy. It is not my place. It's just Shivaay's place. Let him have it..." Om told him. "And well, we can venerate only one Hero. In this lifetime, it's him."
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Happy days guys!
