The book of snippets

Nihil Inherit

"What's sup bro" Naanu initiated.

"Aap bathaiye, what's up bro" Abir indulged.

They both needed this. This sense of normalcy.

"Woh aaj navratri ka theesra din hai na bas wahi" Naanu continued.

"Main bhi ussi ke thayyari main hoon, aur...." He paused, "aaj mishti ki family bhi aayegi"

Nanu nodded sombre. Not because he didn't enjoy Maheshwaris presence or company, but because these days something or the other always seemed to happen with both the families. Especially when they got together.

"Abir" Naanu's voice trembled both out of sheer fear and unshed tears, "Abir yeh sab..."

He trailed off as he hung his head low. (He just wanted to keep him happy...)

Abir wordlessly collected him in a hug, (he'd spoken enough for eons...)

"Abir agar woh..." Naanu once again failed to put words to his thought, terrified it might come true if said out loud , "agar use kuch.."

"Kuch nahin hoga use, kuch nahin hoga" Abir announced vehement.

He was sure that he would survive this and how could that be possible if...

If...

No, he was unmoved, nothing would happen. He wouldn't let it.

"Bhai" Ketu's little whine made him turn away from his mirror, "Dekho na yeh Atul ko..."

His mind was a mile a minute. But in that movement, he gave his unbridled attention to her and Atul who was being dragged in to his room. (He did the same with Nanko too, every time, even now, perhaps more than with these two, more than anyone, it was instinct, where did he go so wrong that now Nanko rarely even talked to him without clenching his jaw and holding in a million things)

"Kya kiya isne" he asks a small smile playing on his lips, letting him get comforted by the triviality of his little siblings fighting.

"Mera straightener churaliya isne" Ketu complained, "nayi thi mene use bhi nahin kiya tha aur-"

"Haan tho maine use kar liya na" Atul shrugged.

"Par woh mera tha" Ketu grunted, giving Atul a shove in true fashion of an angry sibling.

Atul too in the same fashion was unperturbed, "jo tera tha woh mera hi tho hai..."

(He's heard and seen this more times than he can count, each time Kunal was there. Kunal was with him.)

His face fell and they both saw. For a split second their faces too fell. Abir wondered if it was because he was sad or cause they were sad too. Nanko was their brother too. (Yeah but he was only his Nanko)

"Bhai waise aapko patha hai yeh aajkal kar kya raha hai?" Ketu seamlessly brought the conversation back.

"Hmm" he nodded eagerly.

"Aaj kal main usse kuch bhi pooch thi hoon na" Ketu said puffing out her cheeks, "tho yeh kaam ka bahana de ke chala jaatha hai.."