Courage

14: The Distance

Short chapter, sorry.

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Rinku woke up to the sounds of clouds rumbling above, and as he entered the living, he felt like the gloom outside had somehow transferred to his house as well.

Oh right, Devdutt was leaving today.

Even if Rinku teased them both every chance he got, he knew the separation must be hard on both of them. They were always together, orbiting each other, and the matching smiles were dimmed today. Rinku wanted them to stay together always, but it didn't always work like that, did it?

As he watched, Devdutt collected his stuff and began packing, and Dhruv slowly dragged the bags out. Dhruv was going to drive him to the airport, even though Devdutt had opposed it.

Devdutt walked toward Rinku, and enveloped in the saddest possible hug; gone was the energy of day 1.

"Rinku bhai, thanks for having me. Allow me to repay it with a trip to Edappal - you will love it there!"

"Soon, mere bhai! Take care, okay?"

They broke apart, looking at the one person who had brought them closer - Dhruv, who looked like one gust of wind will blow him away. Devdutt's eyes implored Dhruv to look at him once, but Dhruv didn't seem to be brave enough for it today, his eyes shadowed and downcast.

Devdutt turned toward Rinku once again.

"Take care of him, will you?"

"Always."

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Dhruv didn't know what had happened, but it was as if his insides were tired. He felt like staying inside all day, stuffing his mouth with junk food and sleeping all day. It was only when on the third day, Rinku barged into his room, all stern, that he understood that something must be very wrong.

"Get up, Dhruvie."

"Why? I am tired, Rinku, c'mon, let a brother sleep."

"You've been sleeping for the past three days, get up get up get up!"

Rinku pulled the blanket off Dhruv roughly, and a bleary eyed yet irritable Dhruv peeked his head out.

"Rise and shine, sunshine!"

"Don't–don't call me that."

"C'mon, let's go out, it will do you some good. Quit moping about your boyfriend leaving!"

"I am not moping."

"Oh yeah, then what do you call this?"

Silence.

"I think–I think I miss him, Rinku."

"Duh!"

"Hey, be nice!"

"I've never felt like this before. It was so nice when he was here, and now that he's gone, it's like this constant ache inside me. How desperate am I?"

"Don't worry, your desperation is reciprocated; didn't you see how his face had become all teary?"

"Really, you think so?"

"Aag dono taraf barabar lagi hai mere dost!"

That brought a smile to Dhruv's tired face, and Rinku was relieved.

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The days went by, but the ache did not lessen. Dhruv still missed Devdutt with an intensity that left him winded. Fortunately, Devdutt understood this, or perhaps, missed him the same amount, because they talked all the time now.

When they weren't talking, they texted, about anything and everything.

Devdutt sent him the cutest and the weirdest stuff he could find - Rinku's doppelgangers on the internet, animals doing weird stuff, and even some desserts Dhruv could try baking (Dhruv blushed when he remembered what had happened when he had baked that mousse). Devdutt even video called Dhruv and introduced him to his dog, who now barked and ran across the room every time he heard Dhruv's voice. Dhruv now called him his "goodest boi", which caused twin jealous expressions on both Devdutt and Rinku's faces. Dhruv laughed at that so much that even Devdutt's dog looked at him like he had lost his mind.

One day, when Rinku and Dhruv were leaving their practice on Dhruv's bike, they heard faint meows from behind some bushes. Intrigued, the pair looked around, and to their surprise, noticed two kittens meowing with all their might. Just as Dhruv was about to get them, Rinku exclaimed,

"Wait, their mother must be nearby."

So they waited, a fair distance away from the kittens.

Dhruv's heart ached every time the kittens meowed, but Rinku was right - the kittens might be better off with their mom. They set up shop nearby, waiting for the mother cat.

Dhruv kept peeping intermittently, the black and white kittens having already stole his heart. As evening neared, even Rinku gave up. Even before Rinku could finish saying something, Dhruv was sprinting toward the kittens, ready to hold them.

They emptied their ice box and put them in securely, and even the kittens had stopped meowing, as if already aware that they were safe.

Dhruv drove as far as he could to a pet store, and bought some pet food. Once home, they let the babies, who looked about a month old, out. They immediately began sniffing the place, looking incredibly tiny in the house. Rinku brought out some food and water for them, while Dhruv created a makeshift house for them from some cardboard and blankets. He clicked a photo of the babies eating to their heart's content, and sent it to Devdutt with the caption: So I'm a dad now.

Devdutt immediately video called, and they spent hours laughing over the kittens' antics.

The next few months were simultaneously the happiest and saddest of Dhruv's life - he had a renewed purpose taking care of his babies (Rinku still laughs at the way Dhruv had proudly proclaimed "2 betiyan hai" to an older couple at the temple they had gone to take blessings and then proceeded to bring out the 2 kittens) and missing Devdutt. They talked every chance they got, but the distance hurt, and it hurt more when the ache to hold each other became too much, but the distance never lessened.

The moment they awaited came, though probably not how they had expected.