Rishi and Lakshmi One-Shot Compilation

Inclined

He carries her with purpose to a room that they once called their own, and with his family hot on his trail his eyes continue to flicker to her with concern.

Ayush rushes ahead of him to open his door, and as he lays her gently against the mattress his hand moves gently through her hair.

He is muttering incoherently as he looks at her, taking her hand to place it near his heart in hopes its beats are enough to call its owner back.

She remains unmoving and his sanity weans with every passing moment.

He stands up momentarily to look towards his father who converses with the doctor urgently, his gaze lingers for a moment before he looks at his brother who takes his place in hopes to coax Lakshmi out of her unconscious state. He takes a glass of water and flicks some water on her face as gently as he can manage, but the motion does not reap any success. His hand falls to his brother's shoulder whose head falls with a pain of his own.

"It's my fault." Ayush whispers. "I should have kept her safe." He mumbles, and as his younger brother turns to face him, he brings his hands up in a pleading position.

"I am sorry Bhai. I am responsible for Babhi's condition. I am your offender. Punish me, punish me for not keeping her safe." He is shaking his head before he has even completed his words.

"Ayush." He begins, but his brother is trapped within his own guilt lashes out.

"It is my fault. She was driving in a condition that was not safe Bhai. She was angry and she was hurt and I let her drive. We got into an accident on the way but she swerved the car to take the brunt of the impact to save me. She lost consciousness but was adamant that she needed to get to you. When we did we were stopped by people outside of the house, who were put there to stop her from entering, and by now it should be pretty obvious who had them there. Kiran Aunty even stepped out to watch as they hurt her, over and over again, and her smirk, her smugness was enraging Bhai. She left when she was sure that Babhi would have no way to get in. The men on her orders; continued to push her around, they pushed her down and they threatened her yet her stride towards you did not break. Shalu and Bani were on their way with the police for back up and luckily they intervened before one of them could kill Babhi." His eyes widen as his brother trembles. His family look aghast for a moment but Ayush does not stop. Not when his sister is lying unconscious.

"Ayush she will be fine." His mother reassures, it's lucid and unfelt and his brother is on his feet and in her face before he can stop him.

"Do you have any idea what she has suffered through to get you all this fucking proof?" He winces slightly at the tone, but is a silent supporter as is his father and grandmother.

"No you don't. She has gone through hell and back to get this proof for you and mamiji just because she knew her word would never be enough for you. She made deals with the devil for god's sake. She sat before Balwinder ready to sell herself for the truth but unlike you he had enough pity on her to just support her wholly in exchange that he would not receive the repercussions for Malishka's actions. She had to sit with lawyers to think of a way to give him a formal pardon and amongst that she had to deal with Sonal, who stood in front of Babhi and insulted not only her, but her upbringing and her dead parents. Yet still, for the sake of you she listened to it all. She took every word with a bitter smile and worked on Sonal for weeks until she had no choice but to play her own dirty tactics to threaten her to the truth, and yet you have the nerve to stand here unrelenting in the face of your own ego!"

Rishi's eyes flicker to Lakshmi then, his eyes watering, his heart aching and his own anger raging over what she has subjected herself too for them. For him.