Qurbat, Near You

13- Manthan, The Boss?

Presenting you a chapter I erased thrice before deciding to keep this one, and guess what? This was what I decided to write for the first time. QUITE A LITTLE DRAMATIC I AM, I KNOW!

Kabir looked at his kids. And then his eyes moved to a certain little rabbit who was hiding behind Manthan. Adhir rolled his eyes at the dramatics. It was not like their father would eat him alive. As far as he knew Kabir, the man would stroke the kid's hair, and ask him if he loved his brother so much that he bunked the school. If anything, Kabir will just hug him. 

This man was not a typical desi father, Adhir knew. 

Raising his eyebrows, Kabir looked at Manthan, who shrugged his shoulders in return and stepped aside, revealing a slightly crouched Nikhil. His eyes were closed. Not just closed. They were clenched shut. His fingers were curled in a fist. For a fifteen-year-old, Nikhil looked like a ten-year-old kid, trying to hide from his father after stealing candies from his room. A faint smile formed on his face as he quietly walked in front of the kid. 

Manthan wanted to snort.

What was the kid hiding from? Kabir? As if their father would say anything when he reached the cafe after them for the same reason too. And even if the boys were really here after bunking for no reason, Kabir would've just scolded them and made them write a few things. That's it.

It's not like Kabir would grab a stick and start chasing them in the lanes. Well, he experienced it once in his life. But Manthan knew his brothers would never experience it. A small chuckle escaped his lips when he was pulled back in the past when Kabir literally chased him with a stick in his hand. Just once. But the memory was fresh in his mind.

Ah, sweet memories.

Kabir and the boys looked at him weirdly, not knowing what made Manthan chuckle suddenly. Noticing all the attention turning on him, he rolled his eyes and motioned for them to continue.

Hardik pressed his lips, trying to keep himself from laughing too. Nikhil looked adorably funny, and Kabir looked like he was having a hard time stopping himself from laughing as well. The amusement in his eyes told them the man was not disappointed. He was neither angry nor in the mood to rebuke the boy. Well, what can he say? 

Kabir would have done the same thing. 

Adhir shook his head, walking behind Nikhil, whose eyes were still clenched shut and without any warning, gripped his shoulders tightly, and screamed in the boy's ears, making him scream murder. 

"Boo!" 

Nikhil screamed his heart on the verge of exploding. He jumped and almost cried out in fear, making Kabir hold him almost immediately. Adhir laughed loudly at the kid's startled reaction, followed by a snort by Manthan and a pathetically controlled giggle by Hardik. 

Kabir passed them an unimpressed look to them, rubbing Nikhil's back. 

"What? I was just helping him jump into your arms. He was too nervous to do so himself, so I just... gave him a push. Ah, and look at my efforts— Baap-bete ka milan ho gaya. What an emotional moment. Hari, pass me the tissues, darling." Adhir said, wiping his nonexistent tears, making Kabir glare at him. 

"If you don't wish to use the tissues for real, don't tease his little boy." Hardik warned him with a sweet smile, and Adhir raised his eyebrows in return. 

"When did I tease him? Did I tease him? Of course not." Adhir said, innocently shaking his head and Kabir sighed, pulling Nikhil away from his embrace and crouched in front of him, making him look down.