Hello Brother

ChApTeR - 53❤️

“Maxi, come on bub, you have to eat something.” Dale said as he forwarded a spoon of porridge towards his kid.
“But its tasteless!” Maxi whined.
“How about this - you eat this until you get better. After you get better, I’ll let you eat anything you want.” Dale said trying to reach a compromise.
“You promise you’ll let me eat whatever I want?” Maxi asked with narrowed eyes.
“Yes, I promise.”
“Even ice cream for breakfast?” Maxi asked excitedly.
“Only if you eat this right now.” Dale answered. Maxi, tired after all the whining, was actually hungry and so he complied and Dale let out a sigh of relief.
He patiently fed Maxi, inwardly laughing at his pitiful expressions but not showing it on his face. He smiled gently when he saw Maxi fighting to stay awake.
“I’m full!” Maxi slurred. “No more!”
Seeing that almost half of the bowl was empty anyway, Dale thought to push his luck. “See, there is just little left. One bite? For me?”
Maxi grudgingly opened his mouth for the food but protested when he saw Dale lift the spoon again.
“You said only one bite!” He accused.
“This one’s for AB!” Dale said ignoring Maxi and lifting the spoon again.
“This one’s for Faf……. And this one’s for Virat.” he said lifting the spoon a final time.
“Enough please!” Maxi whined after the final bite.
“We’re done, bub! Don’t sleep just yet! You still have medicines to eat!”
“I don’t want to eat the medicines please… I’m sure even Virat is not eating it. ”
“You don’t have an option, dear child. Virat would probably be already be done eating the medicines. Now be a good boy and at these.” Dale said forwarding the medicines and smiling at his ward.
Maxi had the look of betrayal all over his face. Virat and he were a team. They had decided together to not have the food. And now the traitor had just given up on their cause. Maxi just huffed and opened his mouth to eat the medicines. He made a disgusted expression when he tasted it.
“That is the most awful tasting thing I have had in my entire life. Why so bitter?” Maxi asked after eating it.
“Well, they are not candies. So of course they’re not sweet. They are medicines and medicines are mostly bitter.” Dale replied.
“Though, you won’t have to eat them for long.” He added as he saw Maxi throwing pitiful looks. The boy was half asleep and all the pouting was making him look like a kicked puppy. Dale ruffled his head and kissed him on the forehead.
“I want Virat.” Maxi pleaded. Though he might be a traitor, being away from him made Maxi uncomfortable.
“You can see him when you wake up kiddo. He’s not going anywhere.” Dale answered. Maxi was going to whine more but Dale stopped him.
“Sleep child, you are tired. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Maxi smiled and leaned a little more into the hug. “K, I love you!”
“I love you too child!” Dale sat there running his fingers through his ward’s hair as he slowly drifted asleep. He would never let anyone take his child away from him again.
“Please, pa! Nahi khana!” Virat whined.
“Dekh bacha, ya toh abhi ye kha aur fir you can have anything you like. Or I’ll personally make sure that you will not have any junk food for a month even after you get well.” Dada said taking the reins seeing how his bestie was ready to pull his hair out.
“Mujhe Maxi chahiye!” Virat whined pitifully.
Wondering what just happened? The seniors understood that there was no reasoning when the duo were together. Hence why they created a wall of pillows in the middle so the other can’t see their partner in crime.
“You can have your Maxi after you’re done eating.” Dada said trying to convince him.
Ever since the day they had been found, Maxi – Rat were sticking to each other like someone had put fevicol between them. This was completely normal, considering the fact that they had gone through so much together. Though Rohit would deny it, it was very clear that he was jealous considering all the sour looks he was shooting at the hospital wall. He wasn’t a hostile to Maxi as he was to the hospital wall. If anything, it looked like his as well as Mahi’s and Yuvi’s protective big brother side was extended to Maxi as well, just like how AB’s and Faf’s protective side extended over Virat.
“See Virat, the helicopter is coming!” Sach pa exclaimed as he made some weird sounds and moved the spoon around and making it come to a stop in front of Virat. Virat just looked at him unimpressed.
“Bacha nahi hu main!” he said pouting.
“Haww!! How could you! Tu jitna bhi bada hojaye, mere liye to bacha hi rahega.” Sach pa said as he pulled Virat’s puffed up cheeks. Virat just blushed but made no move to open his mouth.
Just then Dale came to the other side of the makeshift fortress.
“How and why are you here? Shouldn’t you be feeding Maxi?” Dada asked as he looked at the former with a raised eyebrow.
“I already did. He’s sleeping now. I just came to see how you were faring.” Dale said as he stuck his tongue out at his friend.
“Real mature these two are!” Rahul bhai thought to himself.
“WAIT! Maxi finished his food?” Rahul bhai asked.
“Yes. There was a little bit of whining, but my boy ate.”
“See Virat, like that you should be!” Sach pa said looking at Virat who had betrayal written all over his face. Maxi and he were a team. They had decided together to not have the food. And now the traitor ate that porridge and was acting like a good boy in front of the adults. He was a good boy too.
“Khilao mujhe!” Virat said as he opened his mouth for a bite and soon the bowl was finished. Virat wiped his mouth and looked at Sach pa expectantly wanting to be praised.
“Good boy!” Sach pa chuckled and ruffled his kiddo’s hair. “Just eat the medicines now, and then you can sleep.”
“Nahi pa, mujhe medicines nahi khane! Kadwe hote h!” Virat whined.
“Dawai h beta, chocolate nahi h. obviously kadwa toh hoga…” Sach pa said as he forwarded the medicine to him.
“Did Maxi have the medicines too?” Virat asked as he looked at Dale.
“Yes, he did kiddo.” Dale answered smiling. Virat huffed and had his medicines making disgusted facial expressions making the adults smile. He’s going to have long talks with Maxi about why he shouldn’t ditch his partner in crime when he wakes up.
Seeing Virat struggling to keep his eyes open, Sach pa quickly cleared the bed and made the former lie down comfortably.
“So ja bache. I’ll be right here when you wake up. I love you!” Sach pa said running his fingers through Virat’s hair.
“I love you too!” Virat said as he closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep. Sach pa caught the other’s eyes and smiled. Their idea of ‘Divide and Rule’ had worked.