Courage

1: The Interval

My brain: Hey so, let's just complete the fics–

Me: A NEW FIC IDEA

My brain: That's great, but what about Beaut–

Me: A.NEW.FIC.

My brain: Why do I even bother.

This is what I did on my vacation - daydreamed about Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal and their larger-than-life romance. I am truly a sucker for grumpy bf sunshine bf tropes.

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When Rinku, unexpectedly sleepless (probably due to all the chocolate they had consumed), rolled out of their hotel at 11.30 pm, spotted Dhruv pacing around the corridor like an impatient parent, he sighed. Loud enough to garner the attention of all the attendants and guests still milling about. He rubbed a hand over his sleep-deprived eyes, and walked over to his best friend.

As he came closer, he saw his friend's face - he looked equal part furious and scared - which only meant one thing - this was about him. Or specifically, the lack of him.

Rinku sighed again, ignoring the annoyed looks everyone threw at him.

He loved his team, he really did, but only a deranged maniac would want to get themselves involved in the relationship dynamics of the lot. Unfortunately, he would have to be one of them.

He put a hand over Dhruv's shoulder, earning him a startled glance.

"What are you doing up, DJ?"

"What are YOU doing up?"

Rinku was in no mood for Dhruv's cranky tantrums. He used his best mom voice, and said,

"Dhruv."

The annoyance in question simply deflated, his shoulders slumping.

"He's not back yet."

Rinku was smart enough to not ask who "he" was.

"So? He's a grown man, he can take care of himself."

"Yes, but this is a strange city, strange place. What if something happened, what if he was in troubl–"

"Is this about him being safe, or is this about him being out with someone?"

Rinku quirked an eye at Dhruv, who kept mum.

I should be getting paid for this, he thought, while rubbing his eyes, sleep now miles away.

"Dhruv, you have to let it go. You were the one who left him. You were the one who didn't want anything else. You can't keep obsessing over him now - it's not fair. You have to move on. Go to bed."

Whatever Dhruv was going to say was instantly swallowed in the face of Rinku's brutality. He swallowed several times, with no response. Eventually, he took a deep breath, and gave Rinku a small smile.

"I'll sleep - don't worry."

Rinku knew better than to push Dhruv more. He gave him a pat on the back, and walked out of the hotel doors for a quick walk in the outside air.

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When Rinku walked back toward the hotel, refreshed from the walk around the gardens, he saw a flash of limbs and a white tee running toward the doors as well. Rinku took a deep breath.

He was really being tested tonight.

"Dev, hey, Dev!"

Startled, Devdutt turned around.

"Oh hey, what are you doing out?"

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

Dev's expression turned sheepish.

"Uh, um, just hanging out with people."

Not wanting to prod further, Rinku started walking with him, eager to get to his bed and sleep. He was, however, halted when he bumped into Dev's back. Dev, who had stopped walking. Rinku came around to see what had stopped Dev, and stopped in his tracks at the sight in front of him.

Because there sat Dhruv in the lounge, a magazine in his lap, mouth wide open and eyes shut tightly. Even after Rinku had asked him to go, his friend, being the stubborn one, had decided to wait for somebody, specifically, the tall man in the white tee.

Rinku raised his eyes heavenward, too tired of the drama. He watched Dev, who stood stock still, watching Dhruv's chest rise and fall. Rinku watched the display of emotions on Dev's face, going from elation to hope to pining to anger, to, at last, apathy. He watched as Dev cleared his throat, and finally snatched his eyes away from Dhruv's sleeping figure.

"Someone should wake him up."

He then proceeded to walk toward the lift, without looking back.

Rinku watched him walk away, then looked at his best friend's sleeping form, and sighed for the tenth time that night.

These two were going to turn his beard white.  

Unbidden, the memories of the last few months flooded Rinku's mind, back when everything was normal and no one knew of the impending storm in their lives.