Guardian

-:chapter 12:-

The room was quiet except for the soft beeping of the monitors. Avyansh slowly blinked awake, his eyes adjusting to the sterile hospital lighting. As the haze of unconsciousness lifted, he noticed Adhya sitting beside him, her face filled with concern.

"Thank God tumhe hosh agya, how are you feeling, Avy?" Adhya's voice was soft, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of discomfort.

I'm fine," he murmured weakly, but his thoughts immediately rushed to Abhimanyu. Panic surged through him as the memory of the truck flashed in his mind,the way it had swerved toward his Bhaiya. His heart raced, and he struggled to sit up, his voice trembling. "Bhaiya... where is......where is Bhaiya? The truck... it was going to hit him! Kahan hai woh? Woh ...thik haina?

Adhya placed a reassuring hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. "Shh, it's okay. Don't worry, Avy. He's fine. Just relax."

But Avyansh wasn't convinced. Fear and anxiety clawed at him as he frantically looked around the room, searching for his brother. His breathing grew erratic, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Just then, the door to the room burst open, and Abhimanyu rushed in, his expression a mix of relief and urgency. Avyansh's panic eased slightly at the sight of his brother, but worry still clouded his eyes. Abhimanyu crossed the room in a few quick strides and immediately took Avyansh's hand in his.

"Ansh, tum uth gaye baccha. Pain ho raha hai kahi? Doctor ko bulao? Ruko main-"

Avyansh tightened his grip on Abhimanyu's hand. "I'm fine, Bhaiya. Are you okay? Woh truck...woh apko.. "

Abhimanyu shook his head, squeezing Avyansh's hand gently. "kuch nahi hua mujhe, thik hun main, I'm right here with you baccha."

Adhya and Aditya exchanged a glance, sensing that this was a moment the brothers needed to share alone. Quietly, they slipped out of the room, giving them privacy.

Avyansh reached up, his fingers trembling, and touched the bandage on Abhimanyu's forehead. "Chot ayi hai apko, Bhaiya."

"Mujhse jyada chot tumhe ayi hai, Ansh," Abhimanyu replied, his voice low.

Kya zarurat thi tumhe yeh sab karne ki, Ansh? Kyun kiya tumne aisa? Kuch hojata tumhe toh? Tumhe pata hai kitna dar gaya tha main..." Abhimanyu's voice broke slightly, the thought of losing Avyansh too much to bear. "That was reckless, Ansh. You shouldn't have risked your life like that."

Avyansh looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Aapko bhi koi zarurat nahi thi mujhe bachane ki. Phir bhi apne bachaya na mujhe. Toh phir main kaise apko..." His voice trailed off, unable to complete the sentence as his emotions overwhelmed him.

"Maine koi ehsaan nahi kiya tumpe, Ansh," Abhimanyu said.

"I know, Bhaiya. Mere kehne ka matlab woh nahi tha," Avyansh replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He squeezed Abhimanyu's hand tighter, as if to emphasize the depth of his feelings. "Aap ne bhi toh wahi kiya na, Bhaiya, jo maine kiya."

Abhimanyu's throat tightened, the depth of Avyansh's love overwhelming him. "You're still just a kid, Ansh. I'm the one who's supposed to protect you, not the other way around."

"But that's what family does, right? We protect each other," Avyansh whispered, his voice filled with a maturity that belied his age.

"You're right, Ansh. We do protect each other. Par aise apne apko khatre main dalke nahi baccha.promise me... promise me you'll never put yourself in danger like that again. Abhimanyu pleaded,

Avyansh looked into his brother's eyes and saw the raw vulnerability there. It was rare for Abhimanyu to show this side of himself, and it made Avyansh realize just how much he meant to him. "I promise, Bhaiya," he said softly, but deep down, he knew he would do it all over again if it meant saving his brother.