Not in Blood, but in Bond

Emotional Turmoil

Abhimanyu let out the gasp he was holding back for a long time and immediately regretted it, for Bhagwan Parshuram's sharp gaze snapped towards him. But at that moment, he found that the keen staring was the least of his worries.

His thoughts were flying in his brain like a whirlwind, washing away any strand of sensibility he had gained since he had woken up in the cave. Panicked notions ran wildly in all directions of Arjun Putra's conscious form, the revelations about Angaraj Karn being so intense for the younger boy that he kept visible shivers ran down his lithe form.

Vrishasen, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.

While Abhimanyu's face reeked of emotions and conflict, the Karn Putra's was just...blank.

Empty.

As if he had forgotten to react.

"They're brot- brothers?" Abhimanyu' voice quivered as he asked the question once again, his throat thick with tears.

"Yes." Bhagwan Parshuram confirmed before letting out a sigh, deep and tired.

Abhimanyu choked on a barely audible sob and dared to turn to his side to look at Vrishasen and at the same moment, the older teen glanced at him. Abhimanyu's black orbs met Vrishasen's tawny ones, both red rimmed and filled with agony.

Vrishasen could see his anguish being reflected in the younger boy's eyes at the revelation of their relationship.

Brothers.

That's what their fathers were.

Brothers; in Blood, but not in Bond.

They had spent their entire lives hating each other, so much that even the truth did not stop his father to desire the blood of his own kin.

It made Vrishasen sick. The fact that his father, the person he idolised, was so drunk on power that he was ready to kill his own anuj. The mere thought was enough to disgust him, along with snatching away all respect and pride he held for the man who was his father.

And he could see similar thoughts whirring in Abhimanyu's brain.

He averted his eyes. Nobody spoke, but the two of them could not bear the silence that gloomed over them. They wanted the other to say something- anything- but caught in their own drowning thoughts, both of them found themselves at a loss of words.

"Kids." Bhagwan Parshuram drew their attention to him, concern and kindness pooling in his eyes that held the wisdom of the three worlds. "I understand that this is hard for both of you. But let your emotions, along with your tears, run freely or it will make you weak from the inside."

There was silence again, broken only by Abhimanyu's uneven breathing. Then, like a flash of lightning, Vrishasen jolted up and ran to a distance, his back to Bhagwan Parshuram and his new found cousin, his shoulders shaking as he burst into tears.

And that was the last straw for Abhimanyu, who let the tears blur his vision and sobbed at the game of fate.

Moments passed and crying subsided, taken over by confusion.

"But Bhagwan Parshuram," Vrishasen asked, his tone eerie. "What should we do now that we know the truth?"

"Isn't it upto you?" He replied calmly. "Your father decided to keep it to himself for his own reasons. What do you think you should do?"

"Tell everyone the truth." Abhimanyu said quietly, but firmly. "You were right- it could save many lives."

"Then do it, My Boys." Bhagwan Parshuram smiled at them. "You will have my blessings."

They nodded with uncertainty, but before either of them could register it, he swept out of the cave. After a moment when they followed, he was nowhere to be found.

"He's gone!" Abhimanyu finally stated blankly.

"Yes." Vrishasen agreed. "I think he had come to tell us the truth. And now that he had, he found no reason to stay here."

"Don't tell me that this is not weird to you, Vrisha." Abhimanyu said, turning to his cousin. "Our fathers, who hate each other, being brothers?"

"It is." His eyes narrowed. "But my Pitashree is no longer the person I had grown to admire."

Abhimanyu's jaw dropped. "What? Why?!"

"Because he knew you were his nephew and yet he was ready to kill you! You are- you are just a child, even younger than me, his eldest son- yet he would've killed you! He hates Maharathi Arjun so much- his own anuj. He doesn't care about familial ties anymore, only the glory this War will bring him!"

Vrishasen's sudden outburst shocked Abhimanyu, but he found his voice. "I'm sure Angaraj had his reasons. And it's not like my father has done nothing to fuel the hatred between them."

Vrishasen snorted. "Well, your father is not the one who hates and wants to kill a man who he knows is his brother!"

"And what makes you so sure that my father would not have done the same if he was at Angaraj's place?!" Abhimanyu yelled. "You did hear Bhagwan Parshuram, didn't you? He promised not to kill any of the other Pandavas!"

"Oh, so is having the blood of one brother on your hands better than having the blood of five? It does not matter Abhi, whether you kill your one brother or five, you are the destroyer of your own kin! My father's promise of not killing his other brothers does not seem like generosity, but more like his ego of the pratigya of giving anyone anything they asked for after his Surya Pooja!"

"Why are you so hell bent on making this his fault when it is not?! He did not know his identity until very recently and he chose to side with the friend who had supported him instead of the brothers who had undermined him!"

"Well, he knew that the War could've been avoided if he had just revealed his identity but no, his pride stopped him from doing that!"

"How can you be so sure that it was his pride? For all we know, it could have been that he, despite Pitamahi's words, was not convinced that the men who hated him would accept him!"

"Why are you suddenly jumping at my father's defense anyway, Abhi? He tried to kill you!" Vrishasen said at last, exasperated.

"Because you won't do it for him." Abhimanyu's eyes softened once he deduced that their argument was over. "I know you are hurt because he was present when the Kaurava sena tried to kill me. But I know for a fact that you still love your father, just like I do mine. Please Vrisha, try imagining his turmoil too."

"Oh Manyu." With that Vrishasen latched himself on Abhimanyu's shoulder, sobbing. Abhimanyu pulled the older man closer to him, patting his back and hair.

"It's okay." Abhimanyu cooed.

"No, it's not. It's not okay." Vrishasen managed to get the words out between the sobs.

"No." Abhimanyu mused over the statement for a while. "But it is what it is."

They stood like that, hugging each other and seeking solace, until-

"Vrishasen? Kumar Abhimanyu?" A familiar voice caused them to break apart, startling them and they turned to face three men.

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A/N: Heya, I'm back! This chapter was just me writing anything that came to my mind, so soory if it is not that good.

What else do you want to see in this story? Pray tell, for I love adapting ideas!

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Thank you for reading!