Meow's Shivi OS/TS Book

Becoming us again - part 1

Set right after the Yatra Kaand when Raavi leaves for her Maasi's house. Shiva and Raavi's journeys on their way back to each other... And then some. What if Raavi had stayed away longer and realised her mistakes? What if Shivi had actually had time and space available?

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Present day

Something was going to change, Shiva could feel it in the air. He hadn't felt this restless in months now. He had already called every member of his family up and asked them if they were alright, all except one, the most important one.

He hadn't seen her after that day in the bazaar when she'd run away from the sight of him. He had been heartbroken, enough that he had almost broken his promise to his bhabhi to never touch alcohol again. Instead he'd resorted to crying on the terrace where Rishita bhabhi had found him. The ensuing conversation had made sure Shiva didn't have the guts to face her after that.

But today, today he felt the inexplicable urge to check on her, if not directly then atleast through Krish, the only person of their family she still talked to, because it was their family, no matter how much she denied it.

Shiva looked up from his phone as he heard Krish calling out to him, "Shiva, chal, ghar jaa ke khaana khaa le tu, tab tak main aur kaaka dukaan sambhal lenge". Shiva just stood their silently waiting for his brother to come inside the shop so that he could tell him to check up on her.

He'd just put a hand on Krish's shoulder to start convincing him to do what he wanted when his own phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID only to realise he didn't recognise the number. Holding a hand up to his brother to stop the questions that were sure to follow his curious look, Shiva attended the call.

The moment he held the phone to his ear, Shiva knew. Shiva knew that whatever change he'd been waiting for was here. And then he heard her, more specifically, her sob. His heart froze as his brain went into overdrive, a thousand words clamoring to be spoken first, and then it was as if muscle memory took over from him, his tongue remembering the name it had longed to speak for months now, longed for and been denied.

"Raavi?"

"Shiva.... "

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Two weeks ago

Shiva had been sat on the terrace ledge, finally letting his silent tears fall when Rishita bhabhi had come up to him. At first he hadn't noticed, but then the sound of her ringing phone had brought him out of his reverie. He had hastily wiped his tears away as she had come and stood beside him after disconnecting the call.

"Meri sunne main aayi thi ki aaj tu bazaar gayi thi Shiva". He had frozen, cursing Dev to hell and back, because who else could it be, as he wondered why Rishita had bothered to talk to him today, today, after her silent treatment ever since she had left. Well, he did know, but still, was this necessary?

Shiva had gone to the market thinking it was going to be like every other day, like every other thing ever since she had left, mundane, numbing, and mindless. Perhaps it was why it had hurt so much to see her, the girl who had been the staunchest customer to their store over years, years of friendship and enmity and love, in another shop. She had been getting groceries from another shop and although he understood why, it was one more thread between them severing and it had hurt, hurt as if someone had shoved a hand through his ribs and squeezed his heart. And it seemed that this pain, at least wasn't one sided, because the moment her eyes had inevitably met his she had teared up, and then turned and run away from him, from him.

As he had remained silent like every day now, Rishita bhabhi had forged ahead, "Tujhe patha hain Shiva, aaj tumhari aur Raavi ki iss haalaat ki hum sab gunegar hain, mera matlab, Krish ke alaava sab, aur iss baat ko jab bhi yaad karti hoon tho mujhe aise lagti hai ki mujhe tumse naaraz hone ki, tumhara beizzati karne ki koi haq nahi hain. Tho aaj se tum aur main ek naye shuruaat karte hain, dost ban ke", and she had offered her hand for him to shake.