The Birlas' - IKSHANA

Chapter - 8: Fair Warning

Abhimanyu gently tapped Neil to wake him up. But it was Neil after all. It was never going to be easy to wake him up. Abhimanyu didn't have the heart to yell at him or drench him up. So, he tried waking him up just like he does to Abhir. He placed a kiss on his forehead and caressed his face. He pulled Neil slightly up and hugged him.

"Neil! Uth jaa na please. Bahut late hogaya already" Abhimanyu spoke softly while Neil was still in the hug. Neil was just trying to figure out what was happening to him when Abhimanyu pulled out. Neil recognized the loss of warmth and opened his eyes. He grabbed his source of warmth, his Bhaiyya and leaned on. He was still sleepy and his brain didn't register anything much other than the familiar warmth.

Abhimanyu smiled. He looked every bit like his baby brother he fought to bring home. He looked like he didn't grow up at all, as if time stood still. Maybe he did grow up with time but would always need him around just like he always needed his Neil, his sunshine. He felt guilty of not noticing this earlier and for taking a step back. His baby didn't deserve that. But now that he knows, he will go over and above to compensate. This was just the beginning.

He shook Neil a bit and Neil whined. He hated waking up and he made sure the one who woke him up knows that. He had gotten used to Abhir's way of wrestling him off the bed and he couldn't retaliate much other than messing up the kid's hair he so loved. But with his Bhaiyya waking him up, this way, he didn't even feel like retaliating. He enjoyed the cajoling and the gentleness so much. He was in heaven all this while when his Bhaiyya was coaxing him and he got irritated when he was being pulled out of it.

He looked at his brother's face, first thing in the morning after so long and his eyes teared up involuntarily.

Abhimanyu wiped his tears and teased, "Kya cry baby banta ja raha hai Neil? Subah subah rona. Abhir dekhega toh sochega ki maine tujhpe chillaya" Neil scoffed.

"Koi crybaby nahi hoon main. Woh toh bas aise hi..." his voice choked. He was getting emotional and he didn't like it. Abhimanyu held Neil's chin and lifted it up to meet his gaze.

"Kyun itna emotional ho raha hain? Agar ho raha hai to let it go. Rok mat apne aap ko" he coaxed.

"Pata nahi kyun...aur sir bhi itna dukh raha hai mera" Neil complained.

"Raat ki beer ka asar hoga. Bottoms up jo kiya tha aapne" Abhimanyu sarcastically said.

He had asked the staff to clean up the terrace in the morning. He was yet to check once. None of them could risk his mother knowing about Neil's stint. He would save Neil for one last time but not before making sure that he wouldn't dare repeat it again. Neil cursed himself for saying out the headache part aloud. He looked at his brother but the warmth in his eyes was long gone. He knew who exactly he was facing at the moment, His Father.

He could never mistake the look and dreaded what would follow already. He had been in trouble too many times not to dread the inevitable. He hated it then and he just realized that as much as he wanted it, he still hated it. Abhimanyu stood there with arms folded across his chest ad his eyes glaring Neil. Neil didn't need much motivation to speak, his glare was more than enough.

"Bhai! Woh...I am sorry. Kal bahut pareshan tha isliye.... Phir se nahi hoga aisa. Ghar kabhi nahi launga. Maaf kardo please" Neil said in a pleading tone.

Abhimanyu just looked at the glass of alkaline juice that was kept on the bedside table pointedly. Neil gulped seeing the glass. It was almost double the quantity than what he usually had.