Saarthi- Rawte Brothers Book 3

2. A Friend

The next day, the gloom followed the Rawte's as if the gloominess was the new normality of the house. Question and doubts lingered in their heads and everyone was in their own world and for the first time they the thought about everyone other than them was the last thought they had as the silence covered the entire place. That's how Vaibhav had found the house as he walked inside.

The silence stung him the wrong way, he had seen the house abonded, filled with joy and dramas but never gloominess. It was as if the last year never happened on the first place. He slowed down as a memory crossed his mind at that moment.

"Bhai" Both the boys shrieked in fake hurt as they rushed towards him jumping over him together. Vaibhav had to struggle a bit at the force both of them latched on him. He was urgently called by the little musketeers and was assigned the duty of playing the saviour because apparently their saviour was busy scolding them and as dutiful as he was, he instantly rushed to the house preparing a speech which he needed to speak here.

He backed away from both of them and gently peeked bothel of their head, his way of greeting them. Both the boys greeted him with one of their heart melting smile. Over the past few months his and Atharv's bond had grew up pretty well and after the initial anger and distress he had gelled up with Dev too. He can't anyways stop himself from letting them in because none of them were same to him as Vicky and Vidyut was and over the few months they also helped him in a way.

With Atharv he always found the innocence lovable instantly activating his protective genes. It was like Abhimanyu who became his friend, that man who was able to preserve some left over innocence in him and just like 13 years back when he befriended him and now 13 years later a young boy looking at him with the same child like innocence and that very moment he knew that he had him wrapped around his fingers.

With Dev he was always close, the fact that they were somewhere near in nature sealed the deal for him. They would always end up teaming against Abhimanyu and he always protected him from Abhimanyu's anger so in a way they had a silent agreement among themselves for what to do and when to do.

"Ab kya kiya dono ne ha." He asked both of them cocking his brows which changed into a glare as they shrugged as if they were too innocent which he knew they clearly were not.

"Atharv kya hua." He asked the younger kid knowing well that he could not lie, he just don't know how to.

"Bhai gadbad hogayi bhaiya ko aaj school se call aya tha ki mere do din sey attendance main locha ho raha hai" He worriedly answered, he was for the first time recieving the angry side of his brother and the only good thing here was that there mother was not here. She had work that day. Dev on the other hand was too relaxed, he was too used to being on the recieving end that he was used to it but internally he was worried for his little brother though he was more than sure their brother was going to go easy on him as usual.

"Aur tera attendence kam kyu tha?" Vaibhav asked him despite knowing the answer somewhere.

"We were out bunking the class." Atharv merely looked down now feeling guilty and Vaibhav glared at Dev knowing very well from where he was learning such tactics and in reply Dev just shrugged his shoulders.

"Hai bhagwan pagal hai dono poore ke poore Shanti se beth nahi sakte na dono kabhi kya karu ab batah." He asked both of them to be annoyed.

"Wo janne ke liye toh aapko bulaya tha aapko Maine aur aap humse hi puch rahe ho yaar hai rabba." Dev replied casually and Atharv looked at him with wife eyes seeing the sky reply. Why was his Big-b really trying to get some free whacks as if he was dying to have them.