Dearest Shivaay, || Shivika AU FF

𝔸𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖

"What the hell, Mishra," Shivaay scolded his PA over the phone. "Didn't I ask you to schedule my meeting with the Chinese delegates on Friday?"

"Yeah, you better be sorry. Fix it, Mishra!" he barked and cut the call. "Is this a bad time?" someone asked from the door. Shivaay turned to find Omkara and Rudra. "Ay, what 'bad time', O? Bhaiya ke paas humare liye time hi time hai!" Rudra said, outstretching his arms for a hug.

As Rudra approached Shivaay for one of his iconic bear hugs, Shivaay ducked out of the way just in time. Om stifled his laugh at Rudra, who stumbled and fell onto the orange couch in Shivaay's room. "Bhaiya," Rudra whined. "You don't love me anymore."

"When did we ever love you to begin with?" Om asked, to which Rudra's jaw dropped. Shivaay grinned and shook his head. "Om, stop it, dude. And Rudy, is it necessary to hug me like that every time you see me?" Shivaay asked. Rudra nodded innocently, at which Om laughed his head off. "Shivaay, watch out. Maybe we'll need to find a groom for our brother," he said between his incessant laughs. "Says the lambe baal wale praani." Rudra said with a frown.

"Oh really?" Om asked with a smirk. Before Rudy could respond, his face was met with the impact of a pillow. Thus induced a pillow fight between the two brothers. Then, Rudy went to hide behind Shivaay, and Om's pillow hit Shivaay square in the head.

Om's eyes widened and he quickly moved back. Shivaay smiled and took the pillow from Rudy's hands. "Shivaay, no," Om said loudly, still moving back. "Om, yes."

With that, Shivaay's threw the pillow at Om's face, but missed as the artist ducked his head out of the way. Another pillow hit his arm, and Shivaay's back. "Rudy," both brothers shouted as they chased the younger boy around the room. Dadi, who was passing by, heard all the commotion and stopped by Shivaay's door, only to see the O'bros pillow fighting like children. Shaking her head with a smile, Dadi looked on in amusement.

"Mom, this is unbelievable! My engagement party is in two weeks, and my own mother isn't coming!" Tia Kapoor said.

"I have a meeting with the board of directors, Tia."

"I don't care, Mom. All I know is that if you don't come, I'm not going to get engaged."

"Tia, yeh kya bachpana hai? You're 24, for God's sake. At least stop being a brat now," Turvi Kapoor reprimanded her daughter over FaceTime.

Tia scoffed. "You think I'm a brat?"

"You certainly aren't behaving any differently," Turvi shrugged.

"Mom, my entire life, I never got any of your attention. Did you hear me complain? No, you didn't. I'm getting married to someone who I don't even love, God damn it, but I can't even expect my mother to be beside me as I become someone's bride? The least you can do is show up, Mom! Just once in your life, show up for me!" Tia choked out.

"Tia, I will not tolerate you speaking to me in this manner."

"I don't give a damn, Mom. Show up for my engagement or watch me break off this alliance. I'm not giving you another option," Tia said, cutting the call and throwing her iPad on her bed in frustration.

Tia buried her face in her palms. This was the first time in all 24 years of her life, that she had spoken back to her mother. She had given her mother an ultimatum. But was she really brave enough to do that? To call off this whole thing?

"Ha, I wish," Tia mumbled.

She had nothing against Shivaay. He was a great guy, no doubt. She just didn't love him. If she was marrying him, it was only for the sake of her mother. Tia looked up at the mirror across from her bed. "Future Mrs. Shivaay Singh Oberoi," she sighed. It was as if she had accepted her fate. She looked up at herself with a small smile. "Not yet. Sorry, Shivaay baby, but Tia Kapoor isn't going to surrender her independence to you so easily. I have five months before I'm bound to you. And I'm making these five months count."

"Sahil, turn the volume down!" Anika shouted from the kitchen. "Mausi, the tomatoes are cut," Anika said. Astika turned to see a glob of red on the chopping board. "Niku, beta, what is this?" Astika asked.

Anika turned to look at the "chopped tomatoes."

"Kya hai, Mausi? Tamatar."

Gauri came thundering into the kitchen with her phone whipped out. "Ab Di ne kya jalaya?" she asked eagerly. Astika smacked the back of her niece's head lightly.

Gauri grinned as her gaze fell on the chopping board. "Wah! Di murdered these tomatoes!" she exclaimed, zooming in with the camera.

"As if you could do any better," Anika grumbled. It was pretty late and she was pretty tired. Anika's biggest dream was to start her own event management company, named after her mother, "Avantika Events." And in order to fulfill her dream, Anika had to slave over the most time-consuming activities of starting a business. She had spent most of her Saturday pouring over legal documents and researching more and more.

"I know for a fact that I could do better than you, Di," Gauri said confidently. "Then be my guest, Ms. Gauri Trivedi." Anika slammed the ladle on the counter and stormed out of the kitchen in fury.

"Anika!" Astika called behind her, but was responded with a slam of the door. Gauri was surprised to say the least. Her sister's outburst was unexpected, given Anika's personality. Astika was fuming by now.

"What kind of behavior is this?" she asked rhetorically. Gauri's gaze drifted to the locked door of her and Anika's shared bedroom. "Mausi, Di is just stressed. 5 minute dijiye, sara ghussa aise hi thuk lenge. Aur agar phir bhi na thuke, main unse baat karungi. But please don't get upset with her."

Gauri and Astika sighed, the worry for their Anika visible on their faces.