Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 16: Bratty

Somehow, when Ishan woke up, 3 days after he had crashed into the safe house with only minutes from unconsciousness, he knew Shikhar would be there when he woke up. Rohit could have sent anyone - but Rohit also knew that only a handful of people could deal with the storm that was an injured Ishan - Shikhar being on top of the list.

The flicks to his head, though, were new.

"Ow! Is that how you greet your injured best friend? Hitting him? Shame on you, bhai!"

"Shut up, didn't I tell you to take it easy?"

"I was taking it easy - too bad the bad guys didn't get the memo."

"Your tongue is intact - matlab dimaag sahi chal raha hai."

Ishan was just ramping up to a cheeky response, when something on his leg caught his attention. On closer inspection, he found it was a tiny black thread tied around his leg, but the most interesting bit was the pendant depicting an evil eye that caught his eye.

He had seen it before, hadn't he? He had spent hours gazing at it, how it moved so gracefully on its owner's lovely feet, while the rest of the hours were spent gazing at the owner in question.

"Why—why is this here?"

"What is?"

Ishan threw a pillow at Shikhar's face.

"He sent it, for you."

"Well, I don't want it. Take it off."

Shikhar, holding the pillow to his chest, smothered his laugh.

"You take it off if you want to."

At the enraged expression on Ishan's face, Shikhar burst out laughing. Ishan chose silence, still miffed at Shikhar.

"Ishu - he had packed his bag - do you know it took 3 people to calm him down before I could come here? Only Virat's reasoning that I couldn't protect him in enemy terrority and take care of you at the same time and intense begging made it possible for me to leave. He's not stopped nagging me; honestly, I hope my future wife nags me less than he did. Only the promise that I'd tie it to keep you safe would console him."

Ishan shrugged, but there was no strength in it. Shikhar saw right through it.

"Tu kar le teri dramebaazi, I am not going to remove it off you. Now, want to tell me how you are feeling?"

Ishan tried moving his arms, but froze when his muscles screamed.

"I don't even remember what happened."

"You got careless is what happened. Why did you have to taunt that weapons dealer, Ishu? He sold you out, and TJ was ready for you, guns out. Thankfully Raja neutralized the threat, but you could have been more careful! You've got some bruises and a broken hand, but I am more worried about your internal injury."

"Oh...so that's what hurts."

"Yes, you idiot - I told you to be careful!"

"Yes, dad."

"Don't sass me, I'll get Rohit bhai on call right now."

That shut up Ishan pretty quickly. While Shikhar was adjusting his tubes and IVs, Ishan quickly asked,

"So....you'll be staying here then?"

Shikhar almost melted at the earnest expression on Ishan's face. He fluffed Ishan's hair.

"Yes, I am not going anywhere, meri jaan — I have the strictest orders to nurse you back to health. I will not wear a nurse's outfit though - I draw the line at sponge baths."

Ishan wiggled his eyebrows at that.

"C'mon, I'll make it worth your while."

"And what, bring down the wrath of his highness?"

"C'mon, why would Rohit bhai mind?

"Who said anything about Ro?"

Ishan could not keep the pink out of his cheeks when he realized whom Shikhar was talking about. In a bid to change the topic, he asked,

"So who's taking care back home?"

"The Gill house is home now, huh?"

"You're a terrible nurse - send Siraj bhai."

"No can do - you're stuck with me till you travel to your next assignment."

Ishan huffed in response, but was secretly glad to have his friend close - these past few months had been torture. Ishan yawned, which Shikhar took as a signal to leave him alone. He helped him lie down and closed the door behind him.

Ishan was just about to close his eyes, but Shikhar's obnoxious ringtone halted his plans. The next minute, he heard Shikhar saying—

"Maa kasam Shubi, agar tu itna pyara nai hota na..."

Shubi? Shikhar bhai's talking to Shubi?

Ishan wanted to scramble toward the door and snatch the phone out of Shikhar's hand, and listen to Shubman's voice, just once...

Only sheer control kept him in bed, yet he still strained to hear what was being said at the other end of the door.

"Yes, he's okay-ish. Would I lie to you? No, you don't need to come here. No, I can't send you a photo. No, I will not feed him, he's a grown man."

Ishan smiled to himself and continued listening.

"I promise I will keep him safe, don't worry. Yes, he's wearing it. And I am fine by the way, thank you for asking."

Ishan heard the click of the phone, and scrambled inside his blanket to get some well deserved sleep. If he dreamt of nimble hands tying the evil eye bracelet to his leg, well, no one has to know.

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10 days later—

Shikhar was leaving today, and Ishan was not shying away from showing his displeasure. He had enjoyed being pampered and spending evening laughing away - he had forgotten how to laugh, what a smile looked like, but Shikhar made every effort to heal him, and today he was leaving for home. As Ishan sat at the airport lounge with Shikhar, he thought it best to just keep his trap shut, otherwise even he was unsure what would spill out. Shikhar, on the other hand, had no such qualms.

"Ishu, when are you leaving for the next one?"

"Next week."

"All set?"

"Yeah, I mean it's just a bodyguard gig, no impending danger there."

"That's what you said about the last bodguarding gig, and look where we are."

At Ishan's threatening glare, Rishab raised his hands in defence.

After a bit of quiet –

"Kya plan hai tera? Are you just going to jump from gig to gig?"

"Yes."

"Why, Ishu? Why are you doing this? You know he would never leave–"

"That's the thing, isn't it? He would not leave; I'd trap him. Have you looked at his life, bhai? Its....wo nai hai apni life. I'll be dead in a ditch somewhere tomorrow, and where would that leave him? He has a good life, a great life even, who am I to spoil it for him?"

Shikhar could not get a word in edgewise.

"Its good for him, bhai. He'll forget about it in a few years, okay? Don't worry, I'll be fine too. Aur kuch ho na ho...Disha Patani toh hai hi."

Shikhar laughed and changed the topic, knowing there was nothing more he could say to change Ishan's mind. He squeezed Ishan hard under the guise of a hug, and walked toward the boarding area.

Ishan watched him go, concealing the itch to simply climb into Shikhar's backpack and get home.

If nothing else, the look on Siraj bhai's face might make it worthwhile.

Someone else's face too, his mind suggested.