Back In Time

~I don't know what to call this~

A/N:

This is right before Meera calls off her supposed wedding with Kanan.

**************

Kanan eyed Rishi as he poured some water into the strong drink he made for the both of them, feeling a grin emerge on his features.

"Your sister would kill me if she saw this." The words were at the tip of his tongue even before he could control himself. Rishi gazed up from the drink he'd been focussing on, as his brows knit in surprise.

"Why?"

Kanan gulped, straightening on the sofa in the living room of the Modi residence. Him and Rishi were meeting for a casual drink like this after years. It had actually felt quite relaxing to him after his routine days in the hospital and clinic. He loved his profession to the moon and back, but sometimes, he missed his old life.

He missed popping up at the Modis' at odd hours to play video games and in a parallel subconscious motivation, catch a glimpse of Meera. Kanan told himself he'd agreed to meet Rishi even after such a hectic day solely because he truly wanted to catch up.

But even when he convinced himself with the same, his inner self laughed at how big of a wuss he sounded like. He knew he had been hoping to see Meera too.

"Um...she..."

Rishi had paused now, eying him so seriously, Kanan felt a tad bit nervous. Now this was the tricky part. His gut told him his answer to Rishi's question could both make or break years of friendship in a jiffy.

"I..."

The struggle to make up a lie was real. It didn't help that he was beyond exhausted after the critical surgery he'd just conducted today and that his brain simply wasn't functioning at the pace it normally did.

To his utter surprise that instant, Rishi broke into a little smirk. "You asshole."

Kanan could feel his heart practically stop for a second. No, he wasn't frightened of Rishi. And yes, all those years ago, he had intended on telling Rishi about him and Meera. But he had never managed to do it.

Even then, this wasn't how he'd intended for confessing to Rishi.

"You have feelings for her, don't you?"

Feelings?

I've been in love with her since we were kids!

Kanan let out a sigh. "There's something you should know, Rishi."

His brows quirked up testily, before he placed the bottle of scotch back on the centre table. Folding his arms before his chest, he started, "That you want to marry her?"

"No." he paused, "I mean yes. That, but something else too."

"Don't tell me you've slept with her or something!"

"God no!" Kanan all but exclaimed. Now, he was truly offended and ruffled his hair angrily. Trust the Modi brother and sister to judge him like that in a second despite knowing him for years!

How could Rishi possibly think he would be so reckless with Meera? "Don't interrupt me, okay?"

Rishi rolled his eyes, before giving a half-hearted nod.

"So....remember that whole period fiasco at home? When Meera was what? Fifteen? Sixtee-"

"-fifteen." Rishi cut.

"Yeah." Kanan gulped, "Before that day, I knew I'd always cared for Meera. In an unnaturally protective sort of way. Precisely why I totally supported you when you made that typical big brother rule of no one hits on my sister."