The days following Daya’s discovery were tense. Though Daya had promised to keep the secret for now, there was an undeniable shift in the atmosphere. Daya wasn’t cold or hostile, but there was a distance in his interactions with both Vineet and Abhijeet, a sense that he was still coming to terms with the situation.
Freddy, always sensitive to the team’s dynamics, noticed the change in Daya’s behavior almost immediately. “Something’s off,” Freddy commented one day while they were working a case. “Daya Sir has been acting weird. You think something happened Sir?”
Abhijeet, who was standing nearby, remained silent, but Vineet felt his stomach tighten. Freddy wasn’t the only one who had noticed. ACP Pradyuman, ever the sharp-eyed leader, had also picked up on the subtle shift. Though he hadn’t said anything outright, his glances toward Abhijeet and Vineet had grown more frequent, as if he suspected something was going on.
Vineet could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of the secret they were carrying threatening to break. He had known from the beginning that this moment would come, that eventually, the truth would come out. But knowing didn’t make it any easier.
It was a quiet evening In the CID office when the inevitable happened. The team had wrapped up a successful case, and they were all sitting together, sharing a rare moment of calm after the chaos of the day. The conversation had turned to lighter topics—Freddy’s latest antics, Daya’s upcoming vacation plans—when ACP Pradyuman suddenly spoke, his voice cutting through the casual chatter like a knife.
“Abhijeet, Vineet,” Pradyuman said, his tone calm but direct. “There’s something going on between the two of you, isn’t there?”
The room fell silent. Everyone’s eyes turned to Abhijeet and Vineet, the unspoken question hanging in the air. Daya shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly aware that the moment had come.
Abhijeet met Pradyuman’s gaze, his face expressionless but resolute. “Yes, sir,” he said quietly. “There is.”
Freddy’s eyes widened in surprise, and even Daya, who had known the truth, seemed taken aback by how quickly things were unraveling.
Pradyuman leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled as he considered Abhijeet’s words. “How long?”
“A few months,” Abhijeet replied, his voice steady. “We didn’t want to cause any disruption to the team. But we felt it was important to be honest now.”
For a moment, no one spoke. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with uncertainty. Freddy looked from Abhijeet to Vineet, his face a mixture of confusion and concern. “Wait, so you two have been… together? All this time?”
Vineet nodded, his voice soft but firm. “Yes, Freddy Sir. We didn’t mean to keep it a secret, but we knew how it might look.”
Daya, who had been sitting silently, finally spoke, his voice measured. “They’re not spies, Freddy. This has nothing to do with Chitrole or any of that. It’s… personal.”
Freddy blinked, still processing the revelation. “Well, I… I didn’t see that coming.”
Pradyuman’s gaze remained fixed on Abhijeet and Vineet. His expression was unreadable, but there was no anger in his eyes—only a deep, thoughtful consideration. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke again.
“This isn’t about whether or not I approve,” Pradyuman said, his voice calm but authoritative. “This is about the team, about trust. The two of you—Abhijeet, Vineet—are responsible for maintaining that trust. The moment it falters, the entire team is affected.”
Abhijeet nodded, his respect for Pradyuman evident in his eyes. “We understand, sir. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t affect the team.”
Pradyuman’s eyes lingered on them for a moment longer before he finally nodded. “Very well. But understand this—if your relationship jeopardizes the integrity of CID or puts anyone in danger, I will take action.”
There was a collective exhale in the room as the tension slowly began to dissipate. Freddy, though still clearly shocked, gave Vineet a tentative smile. “Well, I guess congratulations are in order… or something.”
Daya remained quiet, but there was a subtle shift in his demeanor. The distance that had been there since the discovery seemed to soften, replaced by something more like understanding. He still wasn’t entirely comfortable with the situation, but he no longer looked at them with suspicion.
As the team slowly resumed their casual conversation, the atmosphere in the room felt lighter. The secret was out, but instead of causing chaos, it had opened the door to acceptance—tentative, perhaps, but acceptance nonetheless.
YOU ARE READING
Trust in Shadows
FanfictionDCP Chitrole appointed him so naturally no one trusted him but their opinions didn't matter to him what mattered to him was just the opinion of one person. Why even he didn't know. Let's find out shall we.
