Guardian

-:chapter 16:-

The night was deep and silent, the only sound the occasional rustle of leaves outside as the wind swept through the trees. It was 2 a.m., and while the world around him slept, Abhimanyu Singh Rajput found no peace in slumber.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind replaying the events of the evening over and over again. For the first time, he had scolded his Ansh so harshly. The memory of Avyansh’s trembling voice, the look in his eyes when he flinched at his tone,it all gnawed at him, leaving him agitated. He knew he had made the boy upset, but he couldn't help it. When Raghav had told him about the incident, fury had surged through him, but beneath that was an overwhelming fear-fear of losing Avyansh.

Abhimanyu Singh Rajput, the man who had never feared anything, found himself terrified since that boy had entered his life. Everything had changed. The walls he'd built around his heart, the iron control he had over his emotionsall of it had been dismantled by Avyansh's presence. He didn’t know what kind of connection he had with Avyansh, but it was deep, undeniable, something he felt in his very bones.

Unable to endure the turmoil in his heart any longer, he  slipped out of bed and made his way to Avyansh’s room. The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open,  Avyansh was curled up, holding the puppy close, his small body rising and falling with each breath.

A faint smile tugged at Abhimanyu’s lips as he looked at Avyansh, all the tension and worry momentarily easing from his face. He walked over quietly and sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to caress the boy’s hair with a tenderness that he reserved for no one else.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Avyansh’s forehead.

Just as he  was about to stand and leave, he felt a small hand grasp his. Avyansh, still half-asleep, had instinctively reached out and caught hold of Abhimanyu’s hand. Abhimanyu  looked down at the boy, whose face remained peaceful in sleep, though his hand refused to let go.

He tried to gently pull his hand free, but Avyansh only held on tighter, his fingers curling around Abhimanyu’s as if afraid to let go even in sleep. Abhimanyu sighed softly, not wanting to disturb Avyansh’s rest. Instead, he leaned back against the headboard, resigning himself to staying.

The warmth of Avyansh’s small hand in his brought him a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt all night, and before he knew it, his own eyes began to droop. Unwilling to break the connection, he drifted into a deep, restful sleep, his hand still held securely in Avyansh’s.

In morning,Avyansh stirred, his eyes fluttering open as the world came into focus. The first thing he noticed was the warmth, the comforting presence that surrounded him. For a moment, he smiled, knowing that his Bhaiya was near. But as he blinked and looked around, his smile faded into a frown. The bed beside him was empty; his bhaiya was nowhere in sight.

“Bhaiya?” he murmured, sitting up and glancing around the room. The faint echo of his Bhaiya’s presence still lingered, but it puzzled him that his bhaiya wasn’t there. Had it all been a dream?

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft whimper from the puppy still nestled in his arms. The little creature looked up at him with wide, trusting eyes, its tail wagging slightly as it licked his hand. Avyansh smiled at the puppy, his earlier confusion giving way to affection for the small bundle of fur.

“Good morning,” Avyansh whispered, stroking the puppy’s head gently. The puppy responded with a happy bark, its tail wagging furiously as it wiggled closer to Avyansh.

“What should I call you, huh?” Avyansh mused aloud, holding the puppy up to get a better look at it. The puppy’s ears perked up as it tilted its head, almost as if it understood the question.