3 Hearts, 1 Home

5. Tension Beneath the Surface

After a few days, one evening, Arjun, Karan, and Dev curled up together on the couch watching TV. Arjun ran his fingers through Karan's hair absently, the other hand tracing small circles on his shoulder. "There is nothing that interests me." Arjun tsked annoyed because none of the shows airing were to his liking.

Karan grinned lazily, looking up at him. "Am I not here?"

Arjun choked his neck lightly before kissing his cheek and laughing.

Dev smiled quietly from his end of the couch, watching the easy exchange between them. He loved the way Arjun and Karan shared these moments, the way their banter was always affectionate and playful. But tonight, something lingered in the back of Dev's mind—a whisper of doubt that crept up every so often. It wasn't jealousy, but rather a quiet fear that sometimes gnawed at him, the worry that his quieter nature might make him less present, less needed.

He shifted slightly. His mind wandered to the conversation he had earlier about his restaurant with his business partner. They have a lot coming up in future. Big things. Things directly related to Dev's dreams he had had for the future of his cooking skills. Dev had always used his work as a way to express himself, but now, more than ever, he wondered if he was using it as a way to distance himself. He wanted to be as emotionally available as Karan and Arjun were, but sometimes it felt easier to pour himself into his cooking rather than navigate the complexities of their love.

Arjun noticed the subtle shift in Dev's demeanor. He could always sense when something was bothering him, even when Dev tried to hide it. He switched off the TV and his hand slid from Karan's shoulder to Dev's, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, everything okay?" Arjun asked, his voice low, filled with the steady reassurance Dev always found comforting.

Dev hesitated for a moment, his fingers stilling. "Yeah," he said softly, though he knew it wasn't entirely the truth.

Karan, catching the slight tension in Dev's voice, sat up, concern flickering across his features. He shifted his weight, moving closer to Dev, his hand resting on Dev's knee. "You sure?" Karan asked, his usual playful tone replaced by genuine worry. "We're here, you know."

Dev looked between them, their eyes filled with nothing but love and care. And yet, the words stuck in his throat. He wasn't sure how to express the way he sometimes felt—like a quiet presence in the corner, watching as Arjun and Karan filled the room with their vibrant energy. He knew they loved him, deeply, but there were times when he wondered if his quiet nature left him a step behind.

"I..." Dev began, but the words faltered. His gaze dropped to his hands, and he let out a small sigh. "I just... sometimes I feel like I'm not giving as much. Like maybe you two... don't need me as much as you need each other."

The confession hung in the air, the vulnerability of his words wrapping around them like a fragile thread. Arjun and Karan exchanged a glance, a mixture of surprise and concern passing between them. Dev had always been the quiet, steady one—their rock—but now, hearing his doubt laid bare, it became clear how much he'd been holding back.

Karan's hand tightened around Dev's knee, his voice soft but firm. "That's not true," he said, leaning in closer. "We need you just as much as we need each other. You're part of us. Without you, we don't work."

Arjun nodded, his eyes locking onto Dev's with a seriousness that cut through the air. "Karan's right. We're a team. We love you just as much as we love each other. I need you. He needs you."

Dev's throat tightened. He knew, deep down, that their love for him was equal, but hearing it spoken aloud stirred something in him—a mixture of relief and emotion that threatened to spill over.

"I just don't want to be the quiet one who fades into the background," Dev admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want to be as present as you both are. I want to be more."

Karan's eyes softened, and he leaned in to press a tender kiss to Dev's temple, his lips lingering there for a moment. "You are present, my love. In ways that maybe you don't even see. You're the one who keeps us sane, who makes this feel like home."

Arjun shifted closer as well, placing his hand over Dev's, their fingers intertwining. "And you don't have to change who you are to be more. You're enough as you are. We're a team, babe. Or a family, rather."

Dev's eyes flickered between them, the sincerity of their words sinking in slowly. He exhaled a long, shaky breath, the tension that had been building within him finally starting to ease. Karan's thumb gently traced circles on his knee, while Arjun's hand squeezed his reassuringly.

"You're not quiet to us," Karan added, his voice barely a murmur now, filled with warmth. "You're everything."

Dev leaned into Arjun's shoulder holding Karan's hand in his, fingers linked loosely.

"I was thinking," Dev said quietly, his voice muffled against Arjun's shoulder. "Maybe I could spend a little less time at the restaurant. Focus more here."

Karan pulled back slightly, his eyes wide with surprise. "Really? You love the restaurant."

"I do," Dev admitted. "But I love you both more."

Arjun kissed the top of Dev's head, his voice filled with quiet affection. "We love you too. But don't feel like you have to give up something you love for us. We just want you to be happy."

Karan nodded and smiled wide squeezing Dev's hand.

Dev smiled, feeling the weight of his earlier doubts lifting. "I am also happy. With you two."

That night, as the three of them lay in bed together, their bodies tangled in the soft sheets, Dev felt something shift within him. He no longer felt like the quiet one who might fade into the background. Instead, he felt whole, complete, an equal part of the love they all shared.

Karan, lying between Arjun and Dev, reached out and took both their hands, linking their fingers together.

Arjun smiled, his thumb brushing gently over Dev's knuckles.

While Karan pulled Dev's hand up and placed a kiss on the back of his hand simply before closing his eyes leaning into Dev's arm. Arjun also gave a reassuring peck on Dev's lips once and then closed his eyes to sleep. Dev lay there, sandwiched between the two men who loved him with an intensity that made his heart swell. But he also felt uneasy, because he has only told them half the truth. For the rest of it, he was still not sure when to bring it up.