Shadow of redemption

Interaction with Aaravi

Instinct took over. He had to leave—  now  . Every second spent here was a risk. The dark world he came from had no place for weakness, and being vulnerable, lying in a hospital bed, was far too dangerous. Rakshit swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand, but the moment he put pressure on his abdomen, white-hot pain shot through him like lightning. He winced but forced himself up, one step at a time.

  I’ve been through worse.   He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the fresh wound throbbing under the bandages. But as he reached the door, his vision blurred, and the wound tore open, blood seeping through the white gauze. The pain was too much, his knees buckled, and just as he was about to hit the ground, a pair of strong, steady hands caught him.

“Are you out of your mind?” A voice scolded him sharply, yet there was a note of concern that Rakshit couldn’t ignore.

The hands guided him back to the bed, easing him down with surprising strength. He blinked, looking up to see a young woman— this was his Angel, her face soft but determined, her brow furrowed in both irritation and worry. She was beautiful, yes, but there was something more—a fierce determination in her eyes that he hadn’t seen in anyone before.

His head spun with the pain, but his pride flared up immediately.   No one orders me around.   With a growl, Rakshit tried to push himself up again, ignoring the blood and the strain. “I don’t have time for this,” he snapped, voice hard. “I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re not,” the woman replied sternly, placing a hand on his chest, pushing him back down with surprising force. “You’ll rip those stitches again if you don’t sit still.”

Rakshit narrowed his eyes. “You don’t know who I am,” he growled, his voice filled with arrogance, the tone of a man used to having control.

She looked unimpressed. “And I don’t care who you are. Right now, you’re my patient, and you’re not leaving this hospital until I say you can.”

Rakshit’s eyes darkened. He was not used to being spoken to like this, not by anyone, least of all a woman who didn’t know his power. His hand gripped the edge of the bed, knuckles white with the effort of holding himself back.   Who is she to command me like this? 

“I don’t take orders,” he spat, his voice dangerously low. “Especially not from someone like you.”

The woman didn’t flinch. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest, her expression stern. “Fine. Don’t take orders,” she said. “But you’re not walking out of here unless you want to bleed to death in the street.”

Her words struck a chord, and for a moment, Rakshit hesitated.   Who is she to speak to me like this?   Yet, her resolve was unshaken, her eyes never leaving his as if daring him to defy her.

She stepped closer, her voice softening but remaining firm. “Look,” she said, “I don’t know who you are, and frankly, it doesn’t matter right now. You’ve lost a lot of blood, and your wound is serious. If you leave now, you’ll only make it worse, and I’m not going to let that happen.”

Rakshit felt his frustration boiling. He wanted to get out of this place, back to where he had control, where no one questioned him. Yet, something about her—this woman who didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by him—made him pause. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but his body was betraying him, too weak to obey his commands.

Her voice broke through his thoughts again, calm yet unwavering. “Four days. That’s all I’m asking. Stay here, let me treat you properly, and you’ll be good to go. But right now, your body needs time to heal.”

Rakshit’s pride still rebelled against the idea, but his body had reached its limits. Reluctantly, he sank back onto the bed, his breathing uneven. “Four days,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “No more.”

She let out a small sigh of relief, her lips curving into a slight smile. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Now, let me help you before you tear that wound open again.”

As she gently adjusted the bandages, her movements careful and precise, Rakshit felt a strange emotion creep into him. No one had ever handled him like this—without fear, without hesitation. It unnerved him, yet it also intrigued him.

She looked up at him, her eyes locking with his. “I’m Dr. Aaravi,” she replied. “I’m the one who’s been looking after you. Now, let’s make sure you’re around long enough to appreciate it.”

Aaravi continued to explain his treatment plan, her voice shifting into a professional tone. “I’m going to treat your wound to prevent any infection. We’ll need to change the dressing twice a day, and I’ll start you on a course of antibiotics to ensure no further complications. You’ll also need to avoid any strenuous movement for at least a week.”

Rakshit listened, but his mind was elsewhere. He was used to issuing orders, not receiving them. And yet, here he was, being told to stay put, scolded like a child, and surprisingly…he was listening.

When she finished, Aaravi stood back, arms crossed, her eyes still fixed on him. “I need you to trust me,” she said, her voice softer now. “You’re strong, I can see that. But even the strongest need to heal. But before all of these may I know your name.”

His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he fought against the foreign feeling of vulnerability. He was Rakshit—the Phantom, feared and respected by everyone. But somehow, this woman had stripped away the arrogance, just for a moment.

Finally, with a reluctant sigh, he leaned back against the pillows. “Fine,” he muttered. “But only because I don’t have a choice.”

Aaravi smiled, the tension easing from her face. “Good,” she said, stepping back. “Then let’s make sure you get out of here in one piece.”

As Rakshit lay back, his body giving in to the exhaustion, he found himself watching her carefully. For the first time in a long time, someone had stood up to him, and the strange part was, he wasn’t angry.

Instead, he felt something else entirely.   Curiosity. 

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Let see in next how these two walk in the path of love together.....
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