BROKEN - to be healed by her (manan ff)✔️

85 : Trials and tribulations.

* Or maybe...you were too afraid to lose him, you knew how ahead he had come in his hatred that it scared you to say anything against it strongly enough...maybe that was why when Dhruv asked you to meet him you gave in when u could have resisted because all this while somewhere..maybe you also, never wanted him to dwell on vengeance* just this subconscious rail of thoughts made me shiver, these suppressed voices made me fear them...because the subtle mockery it held criticizing my selfishness was clearly making me uncomfortable.

Struggling to keep my restlessness at bay, I kept caressing his hair gently and to my utter relief his thoughts consumed so much of him to decipher my turmoil and for the first time I was glad.

After that little conversation, neither he said anything nor I asked both of us were indulged in our own thoughts him contemplating his next actions while me my past.

It was later when I felt his weight more than usual I realized slumber has already bestowed him. Cautiously resting his head on the pillow nearby, I walked over to Cabir who was yet consumed entirely by the movie which by now escaped my awareness.

" I need to talk...can we?" I spoke shaking him a little harsh to break his almost hypnotic state. He sensed the urgency layered with nervousness in my voice and without further ado he agreed nodding gently in approval.

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" Fancy a drink? Try it, everything you want to speak then..would flow!" he spoke with a sly tease in his voice pouring himself a drink.

" No...not right now!" He shrugged not pushing it anymore.

We made ourselves comfortable on the two recliner's places adjacent to each other some steps from the small, well kept bar.

" Cabir...have you ever tried to talk Manik out of this entire revenge thing of his...his hatred for Shekahwat's and  his motive to shape their doom" he looked perplexed at my sudden query, surely didn't see that coming. I spoke lowly trying to skip the guilt I felt so heavy at the moment with.

" To be very honest Nandini...I was quite hesitant regarding the entire thing and maybe somewhere I did know what consequence it will lead to just a never ending loop of destruction...and I did try to talk him out of it...but, let's just say that didn't turn out quite well. Furry has been ruling him for the longest preventing any practicality to brace him. Mujhe laga tha shayad Infinity ke kaam main voh itna indulge ho jayega that he will eventually move on, if not this over the years uska gussa kam ho jayega..

But, your monster is one hell off a stubborn head, too determined that way..Nhi bhula voh kamina...kam hone ki jagah wakt ke saath uska gussa, uski nafrat badhti gayi. Voh itni shidaat se Shekhawat's ki barbadi chahta tha ki main usko chach kar bhi nhi rok paya." as he spoke my mind wandered back to the time Manik confessed his plans to me, the rage his eyes held did scare a part to me too.

Maybe Cabir did really had a good eye for people's emotions, he glanced at my lost face and muttered as if guessing the unsaid.

" Tumhe pata hai Nandini humare liye usse rokne ka zikr bhi karna itna difficult kyu tha..kyu hum chah kar bhi kabhi usse puri tarah rok nhi paye?" I gasped slightly taken aback by him articulating my exact thoughts.

" kyu?"

" Kyuki, although he chose hatred but his hate was justified, galat nhi hai voh...kabhi nhi tha, yeh pehli baat aur dusri hum dono usse bahot pyaar karte hai, alag tariko se ofcourse!" he chucked dryly.

" aur jab hum kisise pyaar karte ho na tab jitna zaruri unhe unki galtiya batana hota hai utna hi difficult bhi ho jata hai...lekin phir bhi I am sure humne humare tariko se koshish ki thi usse rokne ki...lekin Nandini voh already bahot aage chala gaya tha tab tak apni nafrat main, tum chilati tab bhi voh sun nhi pata, hum kabhi kisiko badal nhi sakte bus unhe sahi rasta dikha sakte hai...aur tum, tumhare aane se hi sab sahi ho paya hai Nandini, so please khudko un cheezo ke liye blame mat karo jo shayad tumhare control main hi nhi thi." I smiled weakly at him, feeling lighter than ever after this conversation, after Manik, Cabir is the best thing happened to me in Infinity. I hugged him as we stood up to leave, I hope sharing his best friend with me wouldn't hurt Manik much!
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The next morning came by sooner than we knew, with a clearer head I hoped to lead a proper conversation with Manik that we left incomplete last night, the day of the meeting was nearing and he would need to ne quick with his decision.

Freshening up, I walked downstairs to see the men already gracing the breakfast table waiting for me.

I smiled exchanging pleasantries with the duo, the returned the favor gladly. My eyes evidently landed on Manik surprisingly I found him calmer than I thought, silently hoping this isn't an indication before a strom I sat down beside him.

" Manik, we need to get our game up focus on the deal right now..it's high time we are merely days away from it and still an ample amount of work is lagging" Cabir muttered as we three made our way out and to Manik's car.

" Of course! There ain't gonna be a single thing we miss on, we cannot afford that in any case" Listening him, my heart fell a little after yesterday a hope beamed in me that maybe Manik would back off but now even that hope was struggling to breathe.

I needed to talk to him, I cannot let him do something my insides could bet is wrong.
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We went back to our respective works reaching Infinity in between I hardly had a moment to go talk to him, the pile of work before me was full for the day and the least I would want right now was my work to suffer begrudgingly I held back, focusing on work at hand.

" Manik!" I yelped for him when I saw him leaving, it was evening in the matter of minutes with all the work it felt like that. Frowning he looked at my messy state a fair enough depiction of all the toiling.

" We need to talk." he nodded not really surprised as if he saw this coming.

" Manik....after yesterday I really thought you would reconsider the entire Shekhwat's thing!" that lingering disappointment was obvious as I spoke.

" I...I don't know Nanidini, it is hard for me to make decisions right now. Everytime when I try to wrap my head around things an alter reality just slaps out of nowhere....nothing has been kept from you, I know you aren't okay with this...but just give me some time to figure things out and as much as I wanna talk to you. I think I need to deal with this on my own..I promise to reach out to you if it gets too much..just trust me this one time, okay?" standing by his desk he spoke, weary was quite evident in his voice.

Sighing I walked upto him and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him close, he snuggled in the crook of my neck the next instance. The very moment I felt him losing up in my arms, holding me closer to him.
Sometimes Just a hug is what one needs.

Kuch baat bigati si Kuch baat sulajti si,

Kuch apni si kuch parai si,

Zindagi hai janab yeh har rooz saza badalti hai...

~Gulzar

Hey there peeps! I hope y'all likex the update, lemme know though your votes and comments.

It hurts a bit to say the story is so much closer to the end...than before🤧