"Lion King again?"

Aaryan rolled his eyes playfully as soon as he heard the very familiar BGM arise from his laptop which was rented to Agasthya because the boy was bored and needed a movie date with his brother.

"Oh come on... You love it as much as I do..."
Said Agasthya.

"I like it, I agree. But I watch it again and again just because you force me to, let's not forget that."

Agasthya giggled as he snatched the popcorn from his brother's hand. It didn't contain much flavour because of his strict diet but it wasn't the worst thing to consume.  Not for someone who survived on just dry bread and water for weeks.

Aaryan looked at his little brother as the latter enjoyed the movie. He was aware of the things Agasthya shared with Anirudh the last night. Anirudh was so scared and confused and Aaryan wouldn't blame him.

Agasthya has changed a lot. He was so calm and quiet and Aaryan knew it wasn't just the tiredness from the prescriptions. Sure he missed the loud chirpy boy who wouldn't let anyone in the house be in peace for even a second but he loves the new version a bit more, if it is possible.

His little brother is a fighter. Aaryan was so proud of him and how strong he became. He just wanted to make sure Agasthya knew that too.

"August..." murmured Aaryan as he held the boy closer to him.

"I love you so much... And I am so grateful that you are back."

Agasthya smiled as he rested his head on his brother's shoulder, his eyes never leaving the movie screen.

"I know bhaiya... Thank you."

Aaryan was assigned to ask about Agasthya's yesterday's sudden outburst but he didn't want this moment to end.

He had Agasthya in his hold, safe and sound. Life seems a bit peaceful after tons of storms. According to Aaryan, it was perfection.

"Bhaiya... Remember the time we fought for the TV remote and Ani bhaiya scolded you and I won?"
Agasthya asked, his eyes shining.

Aaryan chuckled as memories flooded his mind.

"He is younger Aaryan... Adjust..." He mocked Anirudh's words making Agasthya burst into giggles.

"Oh, August... I can't wait to do that again with you little wrestler. "

"Haha... We don't have to. Now that I am 18, Ani Bhaiya said I can have my own laptop. Have to wait until I get better."

That's when Aaryan remembered Agasthya's birthday which he had to spend in misery. And about the gift which he couldn't give him.

"Wait August... Your birthday present is in my room. Let me grab it for you..."

Aaryan was about to jump out of bed but Agasthya held him tight.

"Stay here bhaiya... Please..."

Aaryan sighed and kissed Agasthya's head.
"As you wish."

"I missed you all so much that day bhaiya... Worst birthday ever."

"We can still have a party if you want..."

"But it's not the same... I had one birthday to spend with you all and it got ruined."

"Yeah, I agree but don't be sad. You lost one but plenty is coming around. We will celebrate all your birthdays as if you just turned 18, even if you are 88."

Agasthya pouted. "I will be old then..."

"So do I."

"But Ani bhaiya is already old."

Aaryan glared at Agasthya as if he were the strangest creature on earth.

"Anirudh is 28."

"Yeah... OLD..." declared Agasthya stressing out his point again.

Aaryan shook his head letting that slide cause he knew it would be him who would get called out as an old man next time.

Aaryan was forced out of his thoughts when Agasthya snuggled closer to him. He peeked at the movie.

It was the scene where Mufasa dies... How Scar betrayed Mufasa for power and pushed him to death. How Simba lost everything when he was so young and innocent.

Aaryan sighed. A little boy watching his papa die. And it's not about the movie alone.

"I know how it feels Simba..." Agasthya murmured to the little lion on the screen,   his voice trembling. "I know how it hurts."

Aaryan's heart cracked. It was so sad. But at the end of the day, Simba was strong enough to survive it all. He became the king that he was born to be.

Aaryan gently stroked his brother's hair.

"You see August... Simba had every reason to be a villain but still, he chose to be the good one. He chose to be brave and be a hero, right?"

Agasthya shook his head in disagreement.
"It is not that simple bhaiya..."

"What do you mean?"

"Simba became who he is because he was raised by Timon and Pumbaa right? He was lucky that he found them, real friends more like family, who taught him kindness. He was happy because he was loved."

Agasthya took a pause and then continued.

"What if Simba couldn't find Timon and Pumbaa? What if he was all alone after he lost his father and others? Far from everything he has ever known and everyone he has ever loved. Fighting every day and night in the jungle for his survival. Recognizing how his father was killed by someone whom he trusted just for a crown... Do you think he would be a hero after all that too?"

Aaryan didn't have an answer. And Agasthya knew it.

"Bhaiya... I don't think being a hero is only about choices. It is a choice of course, but it heavily depends upon the people who held you when the fall happened. Their love is what makes you who you are... And for someone who had no one to hold him, I don't think there is a choice to make anyway..."

Aaryan was too stunned to speak a word. Agathya's words were heavier than they seemed.

"I was blessed because I have my brothers but just imagine the other way. If I was all alone after Papa was gone would you think I would be the same? And would you call me a villain just because I want justice?"

"August... You are the kindest person I have ever seen. I don't think you would ever do anything villainous or hurt anyone, no matter how bad they treat you... Don't do this to yourself... "

Agasthya smiled a little.

"You know what bhaiya... I cursed Varun's whole family in our last encounter. I thought I was going to die. I didn't care... I prayed they would rott in hell... His mother, his siblings... His unborn baby brother too..."

Aaryan had to take deep breaths to control himself because his heart was beating wildly.

"How do you know about Varun's family?"

"He told me his story. If he was honest, I know everything about F4 Medicare now... Everything that you and Ani Bhaiya never told me."

"August I am so sorry... We..."

Agasthya cut Aaryan in the middle.
"Don't apologize bhaiya... I know why you did that... You knew how much I loved Papa and you tried to protect me. But now I know the story. Things have changed, I am changed... And I want to clear this mess... I want to know..."

"What... What do you want to know August?"

Agasthya was in pain. He knew if he asked the next question then there was no going back. He is going to put the pointing finger at the person who loved him more than his own life. He prayed his Papa would forgive him if he was crossing the line right now.

"Did our Papa, Rajeev Thakur betray Varun's father in any way? And... Was he a part of Varun's family's  murder?"

Aaryan's blood was boiling. The fact that Agasthya is doubtful about their father right now is good proof of the mental torture Varun had gifted his brother. He took an innocent boy and wrecked him into pieces. Great job in the name of revenge.

Aaryan composed himself before answering.
"No Agasthya... Our father never betrayed anyone. He was backstabbed by a snake instead..."

"If it is true, then why did he run away?"

Aaryan didn't reply. That one question, that was the fire. It can burn down their family to the ground. There is no way he let that happen.

"Please answer me bhaiya... Why did he run away that night? How my birthday is the exact date of Varun's family's death? How... How could Papa ever cheat on Maithili maa and why am I even born?"

Aaryan's frustration grew beyond control and he didn't realize he was yelling.
"Stop it right there Agasthya... How dare you talk like that about our father and how dare you talk like that about yourself?"

Agasthya's lips started to quiver as he watched his brother getting upset. He didn't mean to hurt Aaryan.

Aaryan watched his brother shed silent tears and mentally slapped himself for having such poor self-control. How could he hurt Agasthya after all that the boy has gone through?

His little brother needed his help and all he could do was yell at him so that he could cover the lies. The lowest that Aaryan has ever been.

"August I am so sorry for yelling at you baby... I am such a bad brother..."

Agasthya hugged his brother tightly ignoring the sharp pain from his healing wounds. He cried out loud when he felt Aaryan's tears dripping on his forehead. He made his bhaiya feel bad about himself. The brother who loved him before and beyond anyone else...

"It's not you but I am... I am the bad brother... I didn't mean to upset you bhaiya..."

They both continued in each other's embrace for a few more minutes before Aaryan broke the hug. Blaming themselves for everything won't reach them anywhere. If Agasthya needs to talk to then Aaryan is going to be there to listen to him.

"I know you are confused Agasthya and I know you want to figure out more. But trust me, sometimes it is better to believe than to know."

"Believe what bhaiya?"

"Believe that our father has done everything he could to make it right, even though it wasn't his fault. It wasn't fair to Varun but there is nothing we can do about it right now. It was his fate."

Agasthya sighed.
"I am not justifying Varun's actions bhaiya... But I somehow feel we both are kind of the same..."

"Don't you ever compare yourself with him... You are nothing like him..."

"You don't understand bhaiya..." Agasthya raised his voice.

"You said I am the kindest person you know but kind people don't curse someone's dead family. Kind people don't find happiness in hurting someone and kind people don't dream about killing someone every time they sleep..."

Agasthya closed the laptop shut stopping the 'Hakuna Matata' tune. The room was in pin-drop silence except for his raged breath.

He lowered his voice before telling more.

"Knowing that Varun is alive somewhere terrifies me bhaiya... Every time I close my eyes the picture of me taking his life is there like a constant but I know it would be the reverse in reality."

"No Agasthya... I swear on my life he won't be able to touch you again... I won't let him..."

"Not only me but I don't want him to hurt any of us. And don't think I am pitying him when I say this but... Varun was a child too... Why does everyone keep forgetting that..."

Aaryan held his head low. Agasthya was correct. All of them were children. And all of them had a fair share of suffering only because Akash Malhotra wanted money. How that bastard single-handedly ruined three families.

Aaryan wants to tell Agasthya about that but he doesn't know if he is allowed to.  Maybe Agasthya deserves the truth but he does not deserve the misery that will wrap him if he does. That would be a difficult conversation and he doesn't think any of them were ready for that.

"I feel so bad when I look back bhaiya... To understand who I became. I doubt Papa, I said some things that should never have said and... And I feel like I am the reason why you all miss the old Agasthya... I tried to be like the one who hurt me and ended up being worse than him."

Aaryan felt helpless. All that Agasthya ever did was blame a dead family and fight against Varun who was torturing him for days. He shouldn't blame himself for any of this. It was barely a sin.

It's not that Agasthya is avoiding the fact that Aaryan was trying to understand him. But he can't. They might be brothers and they might share the same blood but they are different. They were brought up differently. It can't be the same for both, never.

"Aary bhaiya... I was 7 or 8 years old when Papa stopped living with me. One day he left, of course, he told me he wouldn't be back till 2 days but I thought he was joking. I waited for him all night and it took that long for me to realize he wasn't lying. I asked him why he left but he never gave me an answer. Those 2 days turned into 3 days, 4 days, weeks, and months. At first, I thought it was because I was being naughty. But then I realized, whenever I asked him about our family he chose to run away. The first time he left was the day I asked him about my birth mother... "

Aaryan sighed. "You never wanted to dig out the past. What happened now?"

"I never asked anything because I was afraid you two would leave me too... Just like Papa did. I don't want to lose you... "

Agasthya bit his lips as he held Aaryan's hands. He was feeling so distant from his father and he didn't like that. It's the moment when he attacked Varun where he felt the violence lingering in his genes come out like a wild animal. He was sure it had nothing to do with his father so maybe it was from the other one.

"Bhaiya who was my mother?"

Aaryan blinked his eyes in desperation. Why he has to do this? Why him?
"Why are you asking me this Agasthya? What's the point of it?"

"If I was born on the same day as Varun's family's death then I think Papa would be with me at that time. Then we could prove that he has nothing to do with the crime. Now that Papa is dead, the only one who could help us right now to state that is the woman who gave birth to me. If we could find her maybe she would do at least this for her son whom she threw away like trash the moment he was born..."

Agasthya watched his brother just staring not saying a word back.

"Bhaiya I know she is the one who wrecked your family and believe me I hate her more than anyone... But in a situation like this..."

"No August please stop..." whispered Aaryan. Even though Agasthya has no idea about his own story the one he is blaming right now is the mother who died for him. He couldn't let his brother do such a terrible thing.

"Do you know who my birth mother is, bhaiya?"

Aaryan's throat went dry.
"No August... I don't... "

Agasthya waited patiently for his brother to raise his head but he never did. Aaryan was deliberately avoiding eye contact and that was the moment Agasthya knew he was lying. He knows something. He does.

"Aary bhaiya... I am asking you this question because you have always been honest with me. Ani bhaiya could lie to my face and make me believe him. But when you lie, I would know..."

Aaryan wished to pass out at the moment and never wake up.
"I have nothing to say about it Agasthya... And I would like you to drop this conversation too..."

Agasthya nodded his head in understanding. After all, all three of them were truly their father's sons. They run away from the truth just so they can live on the same.

He opened the laptop grabbing the popcorn.  Aaryan observed as his younger brother continued watching the movie from where they stopped as if nothing happened. He couldn't stop apologizing.

"August...  I am sorry... I truly am..."

"Don't say that bhaiya... Don't apologize. After all, you don't know how it feels to grow up always wondering who you really are..."

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Hey there,
I know both the last and this update has been filled with nothing but conversations. Sorry for that if it bored you. The story would speed up asap.

The movie reference was kind of soapy way to tell a story, I know😂
But I think it would do the work, tell me how you feel.

Longer update this one, almost 3K word count. So try to put votes if you enjoyed it. And I WANT you all to do inline comments, I am getting bored🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

Target : 100 votes
50+ inline comments