Dearest Shivaay, || Shivika AU FF

𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥 𝕎𝕠𝕖𝕤

When Anika awoke at 7:27 the next morning, she was surprised to find herself in a guest room at the Oberoi Mansion. With much effort, she managed to recollect going home late at night, and having one of her panic attacks. Upon thinking further, she remembered that Shivaay had come there, and then...

O bete ki!

Anika had fallen unconscious in Shivaay's arms! Phail gaya raita! What will Shivaay think of me now? How will I face his family? Anika gasped horrifically. "How will I face him?"

"Face who?" someone asked. Anika snapped her head up to find an extremely burly boy in a lime green tank, with a tray of breakfast in his hands. "Rudra! You forgot the juice—" Omkara called behind his little brother. "Oh! Thank you, O. Turns out you're not completely useless," Rudra Singh Oberoi said happily, holding out the tray for a frowning Omkara to put the juice on.

When Omkara had obliged him, Rudra turned back to Anika with a serious expression. "Now, Didi, who are you afraid to face? My khidkitod Anika Didi isn't supposed to be afraid of anything!" Rudra was the overdramatic, mischievous, and playful Oberoi. Anika was very fond of him, since he reminded her of a very young Sahil.

"No one, Rudra. Ab yeh sab kya hai?" Anika asked, scanning the aloo puri with all she had in her to not lick her lips hungrily. "Didi, we, your lovely brothers, have prepared some aloo puri for you!" Rudra said with a bright smile.

Omkara smacked him on the back of his head. "Duffer. We didn't make it, Anika. Shivaay made it."

"Oh." Anika gulped. She knew Shivaay probably didn't mind her hug, since she was afraid at the time. She also knew that if he was uncomfortable, he would behave normally as though nothing had happened.

Basically, Anika couldn't decipher if the delectable aloo puri in front of her was a "Get Well Soon" aloo puri or a "Whatever Happened Last Night Was Just a One Time Thing And Let's Just Forget About It So It Isn't Awkward Anymore" aloo puri.

Trust Shivaay Singh Oberoi to make things difficult, Anika thought as she bit the inside of her cheek. "Didi, we brought you breakfast, you don't need to eat yourself," Rudra joked.

As Anika inhaled the heavenly aroma of the food, she gave into the temptation and licked her lips. Who cared what the aloo puri was for? What mattered was that it was here now, for her to gouge. And the last thing that Anika knew about Shivaay Singh Oberoi was that he was a damn fantastic cook.

"Dhyaan rakhna ke tiffin ka dabba na choot jaye. Aur pani dher sara peena. Zyada uchalna mat, sehat phir se kharab ho jayegi, aur—"

"Gauri Di, stop marathoning the same instructions over and over. Arey, itna toh saas-bahu serial wale bhi nahi chala te hai. Anika Di ne mujhe pehle se hi sab samjhaya hai. Faltu mein tension le rahe hai," Sahil Chaturvedi said as he carefully made his way onto the bus.

"Alright, fine! Bahut zyada hi bada ho gaya tu? " Gauri Trivedi said as she pulled the cheeks of her little brother. "Di, let me go!" Sahil said.

"Sahil! Over here!" One of the boys on the bus called. Sahil quickly moved away from Gauri and left to sit beside his friends. Gauri simply smiled and shook her head. "Bye, Sahil!" she called after the bus.

With a contented sigh, Gauri turned to see her elder sister paying a rickshaw driver before turning to head for their home. "Di!" she shouted. Anika turned around and her face lit up into a bright smile. "Chutki!" Anika beamed. "Rukiye, main aayi," Gauri said as she ran to catch up with her sister.

"Di, yeh sab?" Gauri asked, gesturing to the grocery bags in Anika's hands. "I decided to get some stuff from the market on my way from Oberoi Mansion," Anika explained.

"Haan, woh sab toh theek hai, par itna saara?!" Gauri said incredulously. "Whatever, we have more important things to talk about."

"Gauri, I know you're a little curious and probably very worried about last night, but," Anika paused, glancing around. "Can we go home and talk about this?"

They lived in a townhome area where the mohalla consisted mostly of gossiping aunties that plagued the streets with the excuse of drying laundry. The last thing Anika needed was them to know that she had spent the night at the Oberoi Mansion. News here spread like wildfire, and Anika was smart enough to know that if anyone got a whiff of the fact that Anika was close with the Oberois, it would tamper with the image that she had built for herself and Gauri.

Anika valued self-respect. But more than that, she valued her sister's reputation and future. She didn't want anything to mess with the hard-earned respect that Gauri had received.

Gauri, understanding the situation, proceeded to walk alongside Anika wordlessly. When they finally reached their humble little abode, Gauri's dam of questions broke free and she bombarded them on Anika.

"How are you, Di? Priyanka told me that you fainted at the mansion. What happened?" she rambled the minute she had placed the groceries on the kitchen counter.

"Shant, Chutki! Just calm down! Yes, it's true that I had fainted at the mansion after I called you, and don't worry now, I'm fine. Now before you ask why I fainted, let me clarify. I had been working all day, and I was tired. It was 11 PM, I was also a little stressed about getting home, on top of that, Mausi's little venting session. It was just because of stress and fatigue. So don't take stress and focus on your work, Chutki."

Anika felt bad about lying to her sister like that, but she was faced with no other option. Anika had always hidden the truth of her nyctophobia from Gauri and Sahil. Besides, Gauri was already such a worrywart that Anika was sure that Gauri would simply burst with concern for her elder sister.

Anika also didn't tell Gauri that she was afraid of the dark because Gauri was sure to ask questions, given her inquisitive nature. Anika would find it hard to tell Gauri what the real reason was. Because if Gauri knew that their abusive Chachaji was the cause of most of her problems, Gauri would be broken.

"Baap ki nishani!"

Anika seemed to freeze up as the voice echoed in her mind. "Di?" Gauri asked as she placed the flour on the topmost shelf.

"Hmm..."

"Please pass me that?"

"Hmm..."

When Anika failed to pass the jar of sugar, Gauri turned from her work and looked at her sister.

"Di?" she called.

When Anika failed to respond again, Gauri snapped her fingers in front of Anika's face. "Di!"

That broke Anika out of her trance. She looked at Gauri dazedly. Seeing her sister in front of her, safe and sound, broke Anika's dam and she quickly wrapped her arms around her little sister. Gauri, growing more confused by the second, awkwardly hugged back, not expecting the sudden embrace.

"Anika Di, are you crying?" Gauri asked, feeling the wetness on her shoulders and hearing the quiet sobs. Anika controlled her sobs and pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes. Gauri cupped Anika's cheeks worriedly. "Kya hua, Di? Kisi ne kuch kaha kya?" Gauri asked. 

"SSO ne hi kuch kaha hoga. When I meet him, na, Di, Shankarji ki kasam I'll break his jaw. How dare he hurt my Di!" Gauri rambled. 

"Gauri, Gauri, Gauri," Anika said, turning her little sister to face her. "Billuji didn't say anything, okay!" 

"You're telling the truth? Meri kasam? " Gauri asked suspiciously. 

"Teri kasam." 

"Toh ro kyun rahe the?" 

"Looking at you, I got reminded of Mumma-Papa," Anika lied. Gauri's face visibly softened at the mention of her parents. 

Assured that her sister was okay, Gauri took Anika in another hug. "Dara de te hai aap mujhe kabhi," she mumbled against Anika's shoulder. Anika simply stroked her Chutki's head softly, silently praying for her sister's happiness forever.