Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 17: Messy

Shubman's dad always said Shubman came out an old man - he had the patience and silence that would test even the toughest of saints. So to see this 24-year old finally behave like a lovesick teenager was not something anyone was equipped to deal with. To start with, he had been stuck on the phone all day.

It would have been cute but for the fact that on the other end was an exasperated Shikhar, who felt like a telephone operator from the World War, giving updates from the battlefield, if the battlefield contained a very cranky Ishan. Shubman would have tried to be calm about the entire thing, but he had heard stories on what went on missions, as with no way to see or touch Ishan, his mind groped on to the worst case scenario. He knew he was being unbearable, he knew he was coming on too strong toward a guy who had rejected him, but this wasn't even about that. Ishan was far from home, alone and wounded, and Shubman was thousands of miles away, unable to look, unable to touch. It was eating him from the inside.

It was only when Shikhar exasperatedly told him that yes, Ishan is slowly but surely healing that Shubman could rest easy. Still, that did not prevent him from jumping out of meetings and hangouts at a moment's notice when Shikhar pinged him.

His family, fed up of seeing Shubman cooped up had decided to send him to South Africa to meet some of his friends, but Shubman wanted to wait until Shikhar was home. He wanted to hear about Ishan from Shikhar. 2 weeks later, Shikhar was back home today, and Shubman could not wait for all the information he could glean. He awaited, like a starved man.

When he finally heard that Shikhar was back on duty, he ran from his car to the surveillance room, sprinting all the way. When he reached, huffing and puffing, Shikhar seemed more amused than anything.

"I was just about to bet Yuzi the time it would take it for you to come here. Man, I could have made so much dough."

Shubi decided to let the taunt be.

"How is he?"

Shikhar was eating an apple. Shikhar kept eating his apple.

Shubi turned his desperate eyes at Siraj, who was on the verge of falling off his chair while cackling.

Shubi took a deep breath, and took out something from his bag.

Siraj and Shikhar watched, slack jawed, as the glistening bottle of whiskey made its way onto the table.

Shubi held its mouth, put his foot onto a chair, and asked.

"Now, how.is.he."

"He's great - a little banged up, sure, but that's the norm for us. He's on his way to the next–"

"What, you guys are letting him on another mission so soon? What the hell!"

It was only when Shikhar put a hand on his shoulder that Shubman realized he was hyperventilating.

"We're not idiots, Shubi. It's a bodyguarding gig."

Shubman let loose the breath trapped in his throat, and instantly felt better. Too soon though, because –

"Although, the new boss is said to be quite handsome, what if Ish–"

Two sets of blazing eyes turned toward Siraj, who gulped down the rest of what he was about to say. Shikhar threw his half-eaten apple at Siraj's head.

"Chup kar yaar, marwayega kya?"

Siraj simply showed his pearly whites in return.

Shikhar turned his attention to Shubman.

"Anything else you want to know, kiddo?"

"Um, did he...did he talk about me?"

Shikhar's silence was all the answer he needed. Just as he was about to get up, Shikhar spoke.

"He didn't take it off."

"Huh?"

"The evil eye pendant. He asked me to take it off, but I told him to do it himself. He didn't."

Shubman was silent at that. What could he say? What did it mean? He didn't want to get his hopes up - he knew what happened when those hopes shut down; when no call came, when texts went unanswered...

He cleared his throat, and spoke as calmly as he could.

"It's...it's okay Shikhar bhai, as long as he's safe, nothing else matters. I'm just happy he's okay. I'll take your leave now."

He stood up and was just about to leave, when Shikhar's voice stopped him.

"You really don't want to know where his next job is?"

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Ishan's new boss was.....eccentric, and that, coming from Ishan, meant a great deal.

For starters, he lived more on yachts than homes, had meetings at bizarre hours, and swam with sharks for fun. To top it off, he was incredibly friendly, but....also incredibly nosy.

For starters, he tried setting Ishan up with people after people, and when Ishan showed his disinterest, dubbed him 'lover boy'. It was getting difficult to command respect with such a nickname. Nevertheless, he had formed a great camaraderie with new his boss, which meant he was frequently reminded of the last time he was a bodyguard.

Robby was nothing like him - Robby was brash and loud and confident - but what did it matter? Even if Robby was the most handsome or confident guy in the world, no one, no one held a candle to him, and Ishan feared no one would. Sometimes he woke up at night, sweating, hands itching to re-read the messages, fingers crawling toward the dial, but he controlled himself and cajoled himself into perfecting his new job.

One morning, Robby called him into the living room of his yacht, where he was going through the newspapers.

"Hey, how's it going, my man?"

Ishan simply smiled in response.

"So, listen, my nephew is coming now with some of his friends - now, the boy is an idiot, but my sister wants me to keep an eye on him - will you do it?"

"C'mon, babysitting?"

"I know, I know, but I don't trust anyone to not let him wander off. Don't worry, the other kids' bodyguards will help you."

"Great, a bunch of more people to babysit."

Robby laughed at that.

"Relax a little, Ishan - it'll be fine. Anyways, Amu is not bad to look at, you know - how about we fix you up?"

"Robby, stop fixing me up with every damn man in South Africa."

"If only you would stop moping, I would. It's time to move on from whoever you are in love with - people move on, he probably must have moved on too."

Robby was only met with silence, and whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the door opening.

"Hiya, uncle Robby - long time no see."

Ishan stood behind Robby, watching the family reunion unfold. He could see other people, piling in behind Amu, who he gathered must be Amu's friends and bodyguards.

Robby whirled toward Ishan.

"Ah, Ishan - this is your charge - Amu."

He shook Amu's hand, and Amu made way for his friends to come closer.

Shubman was among them.

Ishan stood stock still, and mirrored Shubman, who imitated a statue. Behind him stood Shikhar, who winked at Ishan shamelessly.

Robby watched it all unfold, and instantly came to a realization.

He stepped closer toward Ishan, and whispered to him.

"I was wrong - not everyone moves on."