ShivOmRu : A Bond Beyond Brotherhood

#14

     Dedicated to : AashimaSehgal

--------+++++---------

Om made Ru go to bed at the usual timing while he decided to wait for Shivaay to come back home from his walk.

Om wasn't oblivious to Shivaay's changed behaviour. He noticed everything, from the way Shivaay kept glancing at the kitchen all the time to how Shivaay always seemed worried and lost in thought about something.

Om was worried about his elder brother. He knew he didn't had to worry about anything when he had an amazing older brother by his side...

But about his elder brother ? Who did he have to look up to ? No one.

Om knew what Shivaay must be going through. After all, Shivaay was just a kid.

Om sighed and switched the lights off. He got into the bed beside an already snoring Rudy and kissed the top of his forehead.

That's when Shivaay reached home and let out a frustrated sigh. He didn't see that Om was still awake. He assumed that OmRu were fast asleep as the lights were off.

What a fate Shivaay had got !

Abandoned by family at the age of 9, raised by a kind man but always felt like a burden on him, lost the kind man at the age of 16 and left to face the cruel world and raise his brothers all by himself with not a single elder by his side.

"Bhai, aap aa gaye ?" ("Brother, you're home ?")

Shivaay was startled by the sudden commotion. He looked at Om and his hand instinctively shot on the pocket in which the brown packet rested.

"A..arey O..Om, soye nahi tum abhi tak ?" ("H..hey O..Om, you didn't sleep yet ?") Shivaay stuttered and wiped his face nervously.

Om frowned at Shivaay's stuttering and jumped down the bed to turn the lights on. Once the room was perfectly lit up, he looked at Shivaay.

"Bhai, are you alright ?" Om asked with concern filled eyes.

"Y..yeah. I'm..I'm fine." Shivaay stammered yet again.

Om nodded half-heartedly cause he didn't wish to press the topic more.

"So jao, Om, Good night." ("Go to sleep, Om, Good night.") Shivaay feigned a smile, which Om knew was fake but still didn't pointed it out.

"Good night, Bhai." Om said without any expression.

Shivaay switched the lights off again and relieved a sigh. He quickly tip-toed towards the kitchen and dropped the brown packet back into the tinted container.

Shivaay then walked into the living room again and slid into his bed. He released all of his worries and fell into not-so-peaceful sleep.

✴️

Loud knocks on the door woke ShivOm with a jerk.

Shivaay sat up in his bed. His heart was racing 200 kmph speed.

"B..Bhai, iss waqt kon ho sakta hai ?" ("B..Brother, who can come at this ungodly hour ?") Om asked shakily.

Shivaay looked at the wall clock and his eyebrows shot up. It was 3 in the morning.