Guardian

-:chapter 14:-

Abhimanyu found himself in the familiar haze of his recurring dream. The familiar scene unfolded before him, a place both known and unknown, a landscape he couldn’t quite place. The air was thick with the scent of nostalgia, a feeling that both warmed and chilled him to his core.

Before him, two figures stood-blurry, as always, their faces shrouded in a mist he could never pierce through. Yet, despite the vagueness, a deep, unexplainable connection tugged at his heart. The older boy, about 16, was standing tall but with an air of uncertainty, while the younger boy no more than five had his back turned,  His small arms were crossed over his chest, his body language radiating anger and hurt, as if the world had wronged him in the worst possible way.

The silence was broken by the younger boy's voice small, but sharp, laden with the unfiltered emotion only a child could express. “You promised!” he exclaimed, his tone accusing, filled with a deep sense of betrayal.

The older boy took a hesitant step forward,  “I know, I know, and I’m sorry, Maine jaldi aane ki bohat koshish ki, baccha, but I got caught up in something important.” he said his voice laced with regret.

The younger boy spun around, his blurry face lifting to meet the older one's gaze. “More important than me?” The question cut through the air like a knife, sharp and piercing. Though his face remained indistinct, Abhimanyu could sense the tears welling up in his eyes, his bottom lip quivering in the way children's lips do when they’re on the verge of crying.

The older boy's heart seemed to break at the sight, and he immediately knelt down to the younger boy’s level. “Never,” he said firmly, reaching out to gently hold the younger boy’s small hands in his own. “Nothing is more important than you, baccha. I was wrong, and I’m really sorry. Can you forgive me?”

The younger boy hesitated, the hurt evident in his voice as he muttered, “Aap ne bola tha aaj aap jaldi aaoge. You said we’d play together, but you never showed up.”

The older boy’s face, though blurred, softened. “I know,” he said softly, his heart aching at the sight of the younger one's tears. “And I can’t make up for missing it, but how about we do something even better now? We can play whatever you want, for as long as you want.”

But the younger boy pulled his hands away, shaking his head. “Nahi, mujhe kuch nahi khelna aapke saath. Aap ab hamesha aisa karte ho, mujhe time bhi nahi dete pehle ki tarah,Pata hai main aapko kitna miss karta hoon...” His tears spilled over, cascading down his cheeks.

" don’t cry, buddy; you know I can't see your tears.” the older boy said softly, his voice filled with desperation as he wiped the tears away with his thumb. “Achha, I’m really, really sorry, baccha. Dekho, main kaan bhi pakad raha hoon.” He held his ears in a gesture of apology, his voice filled with sincerity.

But the younger boy turned away, his back to his older brother once more. “Mujhe aapse koi baat nahi karni,” he said stubbornly, climbing onto his bed and sitting with his knees pulled to his chest, refusing to look at the older boy.

The older boy sighed deeply, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite the situation. “Arey baap re, itna gussa,” he muttered under his breath, looking at the little boy’s adorable pout.

“Achha, tum jo bologe, main karne ko tayar hoon,” he offered, trying to coax his brother out of his anger. “Please maaf kardo.”

The younger boy peeked at him through his lashes, hope flickering in his eyes for a moment before he remembered his hurt. “Nahi, aap sirf aisa bolte ho. Pichhli baar bhi aapne aisa bola aur phir mujhe ice cream nahi diya.”