Lockdown Shenanigans

The Rains

A/N: Another prompt which I tweaked a bit slightly so that I could combine it with another fic I was planning (That involved the lightning and rains and well... I thought it suited well) so... here it goes!

Prompt: Can please write one in which Karthik tells Aman how he saved Rajni's life at the railway station(just during casual recall of what happened in Allahabad...like you know he didn't want Aman to know about it but he said it by mistake) and Aman is shocked that Rajni was about to take such step ...emotional and feeling grateful/more blessed to have Karthik in his life .....for saving his sister whom he loves very much

The night had set in soon that day. The trees swayed to a cool, gentle breeze which brought along the smell of fresh, wet soil, a typical indicator of the oncoming rain. There seemed to be something akin to a lightning show going on outside, lighting up the clouds' outlines for seconds before vanishing again. 

Kartik and Aman were sitting in the balcony, a cup of hot chocolate in their hands, talking idly about anything and everything in the world, a small banter going on, bringing smiles to both their faces.

"Yaad hai? Jab tune Devika ki message dekhne ke baad usko gaaliyaan done shuru ki?" "Haan, haan, obviously! Woh toh humara date night tha aur maine saare preparations kar chuka tha" Aman said with a pout as a drizzle started outside and Kartik held his hand out to catch the droplets.

"Aur usko baghane ke baad hume bhi baaghni padi" "And you were intelligent enough to choose my sister's wedding, which by the way, you spoilt"

"Maine spoil kiya? Ok, fair, maine train mein kiss karke galat kiya. Par tune hi mujhe kis karke sabke saamne expose kiya tha. Aur patha hai? She almost committed suicide due to it. Agar main nahi hota toh nahi patha kya hogaya hota." Kartik ranted and froze as the thunder struck, literally and figuratively, and Aman flinched in horror as the rain started pouring heavily.

Kartik face palmed at his own stupidity and for once, regretting not having a brain to mouth filter. He'd promised never to recount this to Aman, who was in tears as he expected and Kartik hated that he is making him cry now.

"Goggle ne sach mein...?" Aman asked, his voice choking as he stormed back inside as the rain started to spray them nicely and Kartik groaned softly. Rajni will surely kill him for his loud mouth.

He picked up his phone and called Goggle, his emotions in a turmoil and howling like the rain outside. He just couldn't believe that she'd even take such a step and his guilt just intensified more when he thought about it.

"Aman! Kaisa hai tu?" Rajni asked cheerfully. "Itne din ho gaye tum call karke! Kya baath hai?" "Goggle... suicide karne ka man tha kya?" Aman asked slowly. "No Aman, kya baath kar rahe ho?" she asked, confused. "Us din, jab maine tumhare shaadi mein sabke saamne Kartik ko kiss kiya. Rajni, sach batha. Kya tum us din..." Aman trailed off, unable to speak further.

Rajni just stayed silent on the other side of the line, not knowing what to say as either way Aman was seriously going to break down... "Rajni, sach batha. No evading, no nothing. Just tell me. We're you going to commit suicide that day?" Aman asked slowly.

"Haan. But it wasn't your fault. It was actually good that you did so Aman, ya phir main zindagi bar regret karta us decision se. You actually helped me-" "But still you thought about it na Goggle? You still thought about dying just because I kissed him and shaadi toot gayi. It was all my fault wasn't it?" Aman asked as fresh tears started to flow.

"No Aman, it was not your fau-" and Aman cut the phone and curled into himself and rocked back and forth, not allowing Kartik to touch him.

"All my fault. Agar maine Kartik to kiss nahi kiya hota toh shaadi ho chuki hogi and Goggle wouldn't have even thought about committing suicide, Kartik ko papa bhagaya nahi hota, naahi papa Kartik ko maar diya hota... all my fault" he muttered as he pulled at his hair, guilt intensifying with each memory of his family ill treating Kartik and Rajni during the whole incident.

"Aman, if anyone is at fault, woh main hi hoon. Maine hi tumhe Allahabad jaane ki zid kiya. Maine hi tumhe train mein kiss kiya, papa ke saamne. Maine hi papa ko aggravate kiya tha. Aur uske baad maine hi waapas aakar shor machaya ghar main. Is sab mein mere bhi galti hai, actually most of it is my fault you know. Mera bhi dosh hai. So please stop blaming yourself and look at me please? Rajjo toh zinda hai. Please focus on that" Kartik pleaded.

"Par... she almost did it Kartik! Tum wahaan nahi hota toh... Goggle... she is my favourite sister yaar. Uske bina... yeh kaise soch sakthi thi yaar woh?" Aman asked, his teary eyes turning to Kartik for answers, answers that Kartik didn't actually have.

"I... I don't know Aman... mujhe sach mein patha nahi... But I do know this. She regretted that decision almost immediately. In fact, she was the one to convinced me waapas aane ke liye, tumhare liye fight karne ke liye... I had almost given up on us then..." Kartik admitted, shame creeping up his voice.

"Arey, situation waisa tha yaar. I don't blame you for feeling that way. It is a perfectly normal reaction. And thanks... usko bachane ke liye" Aman said as he pulled Kartik into a tight hug.

"Are you mad at me?" Kartik asked hesitantly" "Haan, thoda, but for hiding something this big from me, not for giving up on us" Aman said calmly as the rains outside started to calm down a little. "Achcha, dinner ke liye kya banayen?" he asked and Kartik smiled before his phone started to ring, Rajni's name flashing on the screen as the lights went out. 

"Shit!"

A/N: The whole rain backdrop? It's happening right now as I wrote the fic... though the lightning show will be more visible at night time and a beauty to witness but unfortunately the rain was in the afternoon :( But that lightning show with no rains, and at night is a sight to watch :) That too when it happens for an hour or 2 straight.

Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!

Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!

Rasnak signing off :) ;)

UPDATED ON 28 JULY 2020