The Switch-Up

Welcome disorientation

The next morning.

"Madam? Madam?"

"Huh?!"

Aarav woke up with a start, disoriented. His head felt wonky so he held it in his hands. It hurt so bad.

"Madam, are you okay?"

"...Who?"

He frowned upon noticing the woman fussing over him with a worried look on her face. She was dressed like all those servants on the TV. Mumma could never afford it even if they sold dodo and all of his hair on the black market.

"Who are you?" He asked again.

"M-madam? It's me Rekha."

"Who is Re..." Aarav stopped talking, his eyes taking in their surroundings. This all looked very different and fancy. This wasn't his house...or his body either. His eyes were looking at such fine feminine clothes and an anatomy that he had never imagined on himself. Even his hands looked much older.

It was then that panic overtook him and he began to cry.

"Wh-Where am I? Who am I?"

"Madam?!"

The woman called Rekha was equally panicked on seeing her stoic boss crying into a mess on the couch. What should she do? What to do? Her panic faded into relief however when she caught sight of the person walking into the house in athleisure, a frown on his face.

"Viaan sir!"

She rushed over, startling the man on the phone call. He hurriedly told the other person he would call them later and slipped his phone into his pocket, annoyance clouding his features. Not only had Batman strangely refused to meet up, but now his call with Katha who had been worrying over Aarav was cut short.

"Rekha." he folded his arms while talking. "You'd better have a good reason..."

"It's Madam Teji, she is acting strangely..."

She pointed towards the Sofa but there was no one there. Viaan would have been more upset that she was trying to agitate him except that he saw some purple linen peeking out from behind the sofa.

Mom loved wearing purple linen.

Viaan dropped his gear on the table and took quiet steps to the sofa then went around. He was met with the face of his mother who was looking up from a crouching position, her hands pressed to her lips.

"Mother?" 

"Robin?! Oh no!"

...What?

The act of his mom yelling and covering her mouth after mirrored a familiar childishness that bordered on disturbing. By the way, where had she heard the word 'Robin' from? He didn't recall telling her about the codenames he and Batman used. Or did he and forgot?

"Mother, are you okay?" He lowered himself to her level and cradled her face. "Do you want to see a doctor or something?"

"N-no. I just...miss your father a lot."

As soon as the words came out, Aarav wanted to swear. He didn't know what else he could say apart from banking on the bits of Robin that he already knew like his father being late.

Contrary to the scolding he expected, he watched Viaan's worried expression soften and the man take him into his arms. He was hugging him like he had done at the club but this...felt so different.

He couldn't put a finger on it but this body was particularly relishing this affection. Was this what his mother felt when he hugged her?

He heard the son of this present form and the man who he knew as Batman gently coax him in an affectionate yet reverent manner.