Rithvik moved first.

Not because he was the bravest.

Not because he was the strongest.

But because standing still was becoming unbearable.

He walked toward Vikram with measured steps, holding a pair of sterile gloves in his hands. White. Clean. Cold. The kind of white that never belonged near a child.

They were big.

Too big.

Big enough that when Avanya would wear them, her fingers would drown inside, like she was borrowing something meant for a much larger, harsher world.

But this wasn’t about comfort.

It was about safety.

Vikram took the gloves from him without a word.

Avanya watched with quiet curiosity as Vikram gently slid the gloves over her hands. He adjusted them again and again, folding the extra material, smoothing the edges as if trying to make them kinder.

They never fit properly.

They never could.

“Baba,” she murmured, lifting her hands and staring at them seriously, “my fingers look lost.”

For a fraction of a second, Vikram’s jaw tightened.

“They are,” he replied softly. “But sometimes, little princess, when fingers feel lost , it means they are being protected.”

She nodded immediately, as if that made perfect sense.

He lifted her back into his arms. The movement was instinctive now his body adjusting around her weight like it had always known where she belonged.

He began walking.

Toward Neil.

Toward the stillness that felt louder than screams.

The room reacted before anyone spoke.

Arnav felt it strike his chest sharp, sudden, unfamiliar. Not pity. Not grief.

Something else.

Something terrifying.

For the first time in his life, there stood a person whose pain could ruin him without ever trying. A small, fragile girl who didn’t even know she had that power.

Rithvik’s face remained blank, but his eyes told another story. He wanted this moment to end. Not because he didn’t care but because he cared too much, and he wasn’t ready to feel it.

Kabir’s sadness was open, unguarded.

This girl was his miracle. His unexpected happiness.

And watching her walk toward loss felt like watching the sun willingly step into darkness.

Arin stood stiff, arms crossed, jaw clenched.

Yes, he argued with her. Yes, he disliked her presence.

But grief doesn’t ask permission.

Something raw twisted inside him unwanted, unresolved, and frighteningly real.

Vikram lowered Avanya to the floor.

She turned toward Neil.

And smiled.

Not a polite smile.

Not a forced one.

A real smile.

Dimples appearing naturally, eyes lighting up the way they always did when she saw someone she loved.

Tuffy padded beside her, tail brushing the marble.

Vikram gently held her shoulders before she could move closer.

“Little princess,” he said carefully, “don’t touch dashing chachu with your mouth or anywhere else, okay?”

Her brows immediately drew together.

“But baba” she whispered, confusion flooding her face, “I want to hug dashing chachu.”

That word—hug—hit Vikram harder than any gunshot ever had.

He crouched down so they were eye level, forcing warmth into his voice.

“Princess,” he explained softly, “if you touch him, your friend won’t let him come to you.”

She froze.

“My friend ganesha?” she asked, eyes wide.

“Yes,” Vikram nodded. “If he doesn’t go now, Ganesha will feel sad. He already has too much work, na?”

Her lips parted.

This mattered.

She nodded firmly. “Okay, baba. I will remember.”

She walked forward on her own.

Sat down on the cold marble floor beside Neil.

Kabir stepped forward instinctively, but Vikram lifted a hand.

Let her.

Avanya reached out with her gloved hand and touched Neil’s cheek gently.

“Dashing chachu,” she said softly, “you know.... I behave like a good girl like you say.”

She paused, cheeks puffing.

“I eat no-no ice cream”
Her face crumpled slightly.
“but I want to eat.”

A tiny sniff.

“You know,” she continued proudly, “now I have baba too. He call me little princess. I am not little, na....but it’s okay. He my baba. He can say anything. I love him.”

Silence tightened around them.

“And I have bhaiyu also,” she added excitedly. “The one we saw in market. Big brother taking care of little sister.”

Her hand gestured vaguely.

“And there is giant uncle,” she said thoughtfully. “Very very big. Like jajantaram mamantaram. But he not scary. He don’t smile but he good. We help him.”

(A/N; JAJANTARAM NAMANTARAN WAS A MOVIE BASED ON A GIANT MAN AND THE DWARFS)

She pouted.

“And monster uncle also live here,” she huffed. “He didn’t say sorry yet. But okay. I don’t talk to him.”

She suddenly gasped.

“And scary uncle!” she whispered dramatically. “Like ghost. Always glare. He doctor too. Patients don’t get scared?”

She frowned deeply, then shook her head.

“Leave it. We pray Ganesha make him angel uncle.”

Her voice softened.

“You know,” she said quietly, “today I played a lot. And tuffy very naughty. He dirty again. I wash him. He not good good baby now.”

Then her smile vanished.

Her eyes shimmered.

“Dashing chachu…..” she whispered, voice breaking, “I...i missed you.”

The room fractured.

“How I sleep without hugging you?” she sobbed. “No one sing Chandaniya now.”

Her breathing hitched.

“You didn’t remove your watch,” she said sadly. “You forget food also, na?”

Her tone turned serious.

“Don’t sleep late there. Eat food properly. Wear warm clothes. Take medicine.”

She paused, tears dripping onto the marble.

“Miss me and tuffy,” she whispered. “If you don’t…..I no-no talk to you.”

Her lips trembled violently.

“Please finish work fast and come back,” she cried. “I can’t live without you, dashing chachu.”

She broke.

Vikram moved instantly, lifting her into his arms, pressing her face into his chest as his hand thumped her back again and again.

Kabir rushed forward, removing the gloves, sanitizing her hands, his own fingers shaking.

Vikram sat, pulled her onto his lap, gave her water, wiped her lips.

“Princess,” he whispered, “listen to baba.”

She nodded weakly, hiccupping.

“We will sleep now,” he said softly. “In morning, we will say goodbye properly.”

She nodded again.

Vikram stood.

One look at Arnav.

Arnav nodded.

Vikram carried her upstairs, laid her gently on the bed, and sat beside her.

And the Rathore mansion
For the first time in years
Felt painfully, terrifyingly human.

Vikram didn’t get up after laying her down.

He couldn’t.

Something in him refused to put distance between their bodies, as if space itself would become another loss she didn’t deserve. He shifted carefully onto his side, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight, and gently guided Avanya closer until her head rested against his chest.

Her cheek pressed over his heart.

The irony almost crushed him.

This heart had ordered deaths without blinking.

This heart had watched men beg.

This heart had learned to beat slower so it wouldn’t feel too much.

And now -
it was pounding wildly under a seven-year-old’s ear.

His arm curved around her without thinking, protective, instinctive. His fingers found her head, brushing through her hair once before settling into a soft, repetitive tap.

Tap.
Tap.
Tap.

The same way Neil must have done.

And then his voice came out.

Not planned.

Not practiced.

Rough. Low. Almost broken.

“Chandaniya chup jaana re
Chan bhar ko luk jaana re
Neendiya aankhon mein aaye
Bitiya meri so jaaye
Hmm....”

The moment the first line reached her ears, Avanya froze.

Her body went still in that frightening way children do when something inside them recognizes pain before their mind can process it. Her lashes fluttered, eyes glassy, and a tear slipped free, soaking silently into Vikram’s shirt.

This song…..

Her thoughts drifted without her permission.

Neil’s arm around her waist.

Neil’s chest warm and familiar.

Neil’s voice, softer than the night.

Dashing chachu used to sing this....

Her fingers curled into Vikram’s kurta like she was afraid he might disappear too if she didn’t hold tight enough.

Vikram felt the change instantly.

The tightening grip.

The hitch in her breath.

The tremor running through her small body.

Something twisted violently in his chest.

Fuck, his mind cursed.

I did this. I brought her here. I made her remember.

But he didn’t stop.

Stopping would mean abandoning her halfway through the memory.

So he kept singing.

“Neendiya aankhon mein aaye
Bitiya meri so jaaye
Leke godh mein sulaaun
Gaaun raat bhar sunaaun
Main lori lori
Ho main lori lori”

Bitiya meri.
(My daughter)

The words cut deeper than he expected.

I am not him, Vikram thought bitterly.

I don’t know how to be gentle like that. I don’t know how to promise forever.

Avanya’s mind slipped further away from the present.

She wasn’t fully here anymore.

She was back there—
curled into Neil’s side,
his watch ticking softly near her ear,
his chest rising and falling steadily.

Tomorrow he won’t wake me up, her thoughts whispered innocently.
Tomorrow he won’t say “good morning, my beautiful soul .”

Her lips trembled.

A sob tried to escape but got stuck somewhere deep in her throat, turning into a shaky breath instead.

Vikram felt it vibrate against his chest.

His hand stilled for a second before resuming its tapping;slower now, almost pleading.

She’s breaking, he realized helplessly.
And I don’t know how to fix something I never learned how to feel.

The song moved forward, like time always does, merciless and uncaring.

“Gardhaniya chun chun baje
Palkan mein sapna saje
Dheeme dheeme haule haule
Pawan basanti doley
Hmm…..”

Avanya’s eyes stayed open, unfocused.

Images overlapped—

Neil smiling.

Neil scolding her gently.

Neil tying her hair clumsily and laughing when it went wrong.

He said basanti hawa brings good dreams, she remembered.

He said when it comes, I should sleep tight.

But tonight, the air felt heavy.

The dreams felt sharp.

Why did he go to work so long?
Why didn’t he come back today?

Her chest ached with a pain she didn’t have words for.

Vikram’s jaw clenched.

Each word he sang felt like rubbing salt into a wound that wasn’t even his
but was now somehow his responsibility.

“Dheeme dheeme haule haule
Pawan basanti doley
Leke godh mein sulaaun
Gaaun raat bhar sunaaun
Main lori"

The mansion upstairs was eerily quiet. Avanya slept against Vikram’s chest, small and fragile, her breaths shallow and uneven.

His fingers tapped lightly at her hair, a rhythm born from instinct, protective and soft. For once, the world outside didn’t matter. The only war he cared about was keeping her safe.

Downstairs, Arnav’s voice cut the silence. “Bring ice for the body. Now.”

His eyes were locked on the police officer, every line of his posture sharp, dangerous.

The officer’s calm, precise words didn’t hide the tension. “Mr. Neil was found on NH-48. Car exploded. Postmortem done. Cause appears accidental, but the culprit is unknown.”

Rithvik stayed close to Kabir, who remained unnervingly still. Hands clenched under his thighs, jaw tight. The storm inside him hadn’t broken yet.

Arin leaned against a marble pillar, eyes dark, unreadable, hiding thoughts he wouldn’t share with anyone.

The officers left. Silence settled like dust. The four brothers gathered in the living room, heavy with grief, each carrying it differently. Kabir’s voice finally broke through. “What if one day, she asks where Neil uncle is?”

The words hit like stones. Arnav’s face hardened instantly. “We won’t let her feel that alone. She’ll heal. She’ll understand but not like us. Not yet.”

Kabir’s eyes narrowed. “So she’s going to grow up like us? Cold before her time?” His tone was bitter, sharp. “Sorry, bhai but I won’t let her. She will enjoy her childhood. I’ll protect that no matter what.”

Rithvik rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You’re not alone. We all care, especially Dad. But she’ll need boundaries too.”

Arin shook his head. “No, bhai. She doesn’t need to understand yet. What will we tell her? That she lost her family because of us? She shouldn’t carry that weight.”

Arnav’s gaze softened slightly. “They’re both right. She won’t be forced to grow up before her time. She’ll be a kid. Only a kid.” Then he snapped, sharp and commanding. “I have to go to the basement. Anyone coming?”

Confused glances met him, but Kabir, Rithvik, and Arin nodded. Together, they followed him to the hidden library door.

Arnav pressed his fingerprint; the lock clicked open.

The basement was a stark contrast: white walls, lasers tracing precise, dangerous patterns.

The air hummed with electricity. Rows of cells lined the walls, metal and glass glinting in the overhead light. Every step they took was measured, careful.

Arnav led the way to cell two. The others froze when they saw the occupant. Shock rippled through them. Arin’s lips parted, Rithvik’s fists clenched, Kabir’s jaw tightened. Together, they whispered, voices trembling with disbelief and anger:

“Why? Bhai??”

Silence followed. The humming of the lasers was the only sound. Every second stretched, heavy and suffocating. The figure inside the cell waited, unseen yet commanding, as if knowing these four had just stepped into a storm they could never escape.

____________👉🏻👈🏻________________

Aaaand I am back, my Anuvians 🥹🖤

And and and-----HEE MAA MATAJI----

I am so so so happy right now because 3K VIEWS???

Like HELLO??? Can you even believe it because I STILL CAN’T 😭✨

So picture this: I was on my way back home after my exam, tired, brain fried, soul half-dead, sitting in the bus like a normal insaan.

Then I saw a notification--reading list. I opened it randomly, scrolling casually, not expecting anything. And then--BOOM--my eyes went straight to the book review section.

And I swear, I shouted “YESSSSSS” 😭😭

Not loudly-loud, but loud enough that people around me turned and stared.

They looked at me like I had just seen a ghost or turned into one. I wanted the earth to crack open, burst, and swallow me whole. Please.

Immediately.

But I didn’t care. Because my heart was doing bhangra.

Thank you.

Like…..
THANK YOU SO MUCH, my Anuvians 🫂

I knew views would come okay, fine but NOT THIS FAST. And comments? Bro. I honestly thought, “Koi comment nahi karega, it’s okay.” I even told myself not to expect anything.

But LOOK AT YOU ALL.

You read.

You commented.

You stayed.

And that made me feel special. Truly special. Happy in a way I can’t even explain properly in words.

If this book ever reaches 1M views na, then pakka sab milkar ice-cream party karenge 🍦

Kya matlab maine thoda zyada hi bada sapna dekh liya 😁

Koi baat nahi.aise bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain, Anuvians 😉

And oh—listen to what happened today 😭

So I Am 5’2 (yes, I know, already pain).

I was going towards my classroom at the exam centre, minding my own business, when suddenly a professor stopped me and said,
“Dear, first year students are in that building, not here.”

I looked at him like "are you serious right now?"
And my friends??? EVIL. Absolutely evil. They started laughing 😭😭

Then I said, very politely but with inner damage, “Sir, I’m not in first year. I’m in third year.”

The look on his face??? PRICELESS.
But still somewhere deep inside, I was thinking one day my height will be okay, I won’t look like a child but nope. Universe said NO.

Even my own brothers call me pidki, bhutki, mini tufaan, mini peanut
LIKE???? HELLO??? 😭😭
Where is my respect???

Okay okay, enough yapping for today.
I am going to sleep now because brain = overworked.

Also--important update--
I ate CHOLE BHATURE today 🤌✨
WAOOO. So yum. Couldn’t resist hehe.

Acha, toh hum chalte hain....

Now it's your turn to ask " PHIR KAB MILOGE"

Byeee.

Miss me.

Love you.

Stay with me always and forever 🖤

Thank you again,
your Anuvae 🫶✨

ONE CLICK, ONE FOLLOW, JOIN THE FLOW — AUTHOR-ANUVAE & @anuvae._.here ARE WHERE THE STORIES GROW.