Mafia's Heartbeat

bonus chapter

Not by Blood but by Bond
Scene: Inside the Haveli — After Midnight

The haveli had quieted down. The echoes of music, laughter, and clinking glasses had faded, leaving only soft footsteps and the occasional creak of ancient wooden floors. The chandeliers now cast a gentler glow, bathing the halls in a golden hush.

In the sitting room just off the courtyard, Nikhil sat on the wide diwan, shoes off, kurta slightly crumpled, staring at the flickering shadows on the wall. His eyes were thoughtful, but a smile lingered faintly on his lips.

Nishant walked in with two mugs of steaming cocoa. “Raj’s idea,” he said, handing one to Nikhil. “He said sugar helps after emotional avalanches.”

Raj followed close behind, barefoot, his sherwani exchanged for a simple kurta-pajama now. “Also,” Raj added with a smirk, “I just wanted cocoa.”

Nikhil chuckled and took a sip. “I didn’t know Aarav had been holding so much inside.”

Nishant nodded, dropping beside him. “He cried like the world was cracking open... but I think it was finally healing.”

Raj leaned against the wall, arms folded. “You know... seeing the three of you—Aarav, you, Tanuj—stand there tonight, side by side... It made me feel like maybe we’re doing something right.”

There was silence for a moment.

Then Nikhil turned to Nishant. “You okay?”

Nishant looked up, startled. “Me? Why wouldn’t I be ?

“You’re good at pretending,” Raj said, quieter now. He wasn’t teasing—just… knowing. “You always carry everyone else’s weight. I just want to know if yours is getting too heavy.”

Nishant stared at the cocoa in his hands. The steam fogged his glasses slightly. He removed them, using the edge of his kurta to wipe them.

“I don’t know,” he said finally. “It’s like… everyone’s moving forward. Pairing off. Healing. And I’m still here, trying to hold it all in place.”

“You’re not alone in holding it,” Nikhil said gently. “You never were.”

“You think I don’t feel the pressure too?” Raj asked, voice thick. “I wasn’t even supposed to be here. Not really. And yet… this family—you two—you gave me that space.”

Nishant finally looked at them—really looked.

“You both made me feel like I didn’t have to be the ‘strong one’ all the time,” he whispered. “But I still want to be. For you. For Aarav. For everyone.”

“And that’s the problem,” Nikhil said, nudging him lightly. “You’re so used to being our pillar… you forget you’re allowed to lean too.”

Raj stepped forward and sat cross-legged in front of them on the rug. “Let’s make a deal,” he said. “Tonight, right here. No masks. No big brother act. Just… us. As we are.”

A soft wind rustled through the haveli's open jharokha windows, as if the walls themselves were listening.

Nikhil reached forward and placed his cocoa on the table. “Fine,” he said with a sigh, stretching his legs out. “In that case… I’ll go first.”

Both Nishant and Raj looked at him.

“I was scared tonight,” Nikhil confessed. “When Aarav broke down—I didn’t know if I could be what he needed. I didn’t know if I was strong enough.”

“You were,” Nishant said softly.

“I only was because I saw you standing behind me,” Nikhil replied, his eyes glinting with emotion. “Like you always do.”

Raj leaned back on his palms. “I thought tonight would remind me I’m an outsider. That I don’t belong in this mess of family ties. But you know what it did instead?”

Nikhil and Nishant waited.

Raj smiled faintly. “It reminded me that blood never made this family. Choice did. And you two my brothers by choice you made that real.”

Nishant let out a shaky breath, eyes suspiciously glassy. “Why do you always hit me with these emotional punches at 2 a.m.?”

“Because you can’t run away when your legs are tired,” Raj said smugly.

All three of them laughed low, warm, unguarded.

Then, without a word, Nishant reached over and pulled both of them into a hug awkward, tangled, real.

No words were needed.
No explanations required.

They weren’t bonded by blood.
But they were family.
And tonight, that was more than enough.

Bonus chapter guys don't worry pt 2 and 3 will come
JoohaIsMyPoha
MY BIG SUPPORT ♥️