Earning you back!

Part 4 : Always my elder brother

Virat and Mahi stayed in the same position for quite long as none of them wanted let each other go. It felt the warmest!

Though Virat wasn't crying but he was still sobbing intermittently and Mahi was rubbing his back slowly.

"I was so scared!" Virat muttered again.

"Calm down. I'm fine, Chee—" Mahi stopped midway and Virat looked at him hopefully, breaking the hug but fell silent.

Virat knew Bhai was hurt. Mahi stopped calling him Cheeku because he asked him to. How stupid he could be!

Virat regretted every bit of his words said to Mahi Bhai but didn't know how to mend what he had damaged. What could he probably say to make Bhai forgive him? May be he could say it out to just like last time he did? Virat thought but instead of saying anything, he just looked down.

Mahi was looking at Virat expectantly but looked away in disappointment when Virat fell silent. Is it really so difficult to say a simple thing, Cheeku?

Virat looked up a little. Come on, Virat, it's not that difficult! Say it! Virat said in his thoughts. If hurting Bhai by asking him not to call you Cheeku wasn't difficult, then why will apologizing for the same be?

"Bhai—" Virat began earnestly.

"Ahh.." Mahi winced slightly as sudden throbbing pain hit his head.

"Bhai! Bhai, you take rest—" Virat said frantically out of concern, arranging pillow below Mahi Bhai's head.

"I'm—I'm sorry, Bhai for—" Virat's voice choked up at last. "—hurting you again."

"I'm fine, Virat!" Mahi said, in the same tender tone he used just for Virat. "It'll be alright, right?"

Virat nodded with tearful eyes as he gulped the lump in his throat. Mahi smiled weakly.

Virat sat beside Mahi and gripped his one hand again. "Is it paining, Bhai?" Virat asked, looking at his wound grievously.

"Not anymore." Mahi said. "It's much better."

"Pakka?" Virat asked innocently, still gripping Mahi's hand.

Mahi could almost feel his heart melting away internally at that concerned and innocent look of Virat. The same innocent eyes which looked out for him!

Mahi remembered how things were so much different till few days back. Virat had been so distant from him in last few months that it felt almost ages ago when Virat sat next to him or even talked to him.

But as Mahi had believed, Virat was sitting next to him and looked at him with the same concern and reverence, may be even more than ever before.

"Why aren't you saying anything, Bhai?" Virat asked impatiently when Mahi didn't reply. "Is it paining? Should I—"

"It's fine, Virat!" Mahi said softly, smiling at Virat's concern.

Mahi's soft and kind voice was making Virat feel even more guilty. How could Bhai be same gentle towards him instead of being angry even after he hurt him so badly? Virat blinked away his tears, looking down as he didn't dare to meet Bhai's eyes.

How could he hurt Mahi Bhai like that?

How could he let Bhai go away like that?

How could he drive Mahi Bhai away like that?

"I didn't want to let you go, Bhai! I can't ever let you go! I just—thought that—", Virat sobbed, looking down. "—that I'd hurt you if I come to you."