LONG ONE, BEWARE!

My dear fireball,

How many times should I tell you, not to get into a fight? Mr. Stubborn Ass! You'll hurt yourself, baba, in order to maintain your reputation. You don't really need to prove in a typical bad boy way, you know! Cuz, I know you ; ) ( Lol! Kay ) Next time, if see you getting into a fight, I will personally clean your wounds. Don't laugh, now! That's the least I could do. However, being an obdurate person as you are, I don't expect you to listen. So, the left option is this- cleaning the wounds. I am more than happy to do that. Please, get better soon. Bubye. Take care.

Love
You know who!

Any other day, neil would have laughed hard, by reading the name on her letter, but today, he was pissed. He already got into a fight, this morning with a guy in his college. Who was blabbering shit about Neil and his family?

He could tolerate anything but, the bad-mouthing of his loved ones. It triggers something in him. How dare that guy, even? Coming to Neil and talking crap. That audacity of him.

Don't you worry, Neil had shown him his place. But, then he called his friends to beat up Neil. Tchh! He should know better than fighting with the bad boy.

Neil showed him, his place. But, by doing it, he had got some wounds too. His knuckles were full of blood and his forehead has a gash. It was too painful to see even.

But, his mood was slightly lifted when he found the letter- from his admirer. For the first time, he felt good. Something stirred in him. And that something is yet to know.

~~~~

Classes were hectic enough for them. Who the hell schedules seven subjects, tell me? Management has gone nuts. Like, what even?

The day passed smoothly. Avni sneaked some glances at her fireball and relished. No matter how foul her mood was, looking at him everything seemed to fade away. He has that aura in him. It's sad, how no one else can notice it.

Walking to his house, it was time for babysitting. After that incident, it was the first time she was heading there. We can say, She was a bit scared. But, also excited to meet her Siya.

Knocking the door, she entered to find her fireball sleeping on the couch.

His long legs dangling to the floor. His head below the headrest, resulting in a little room for his 6'2 feet body to fit in.

Sighing, avni went in and grabbed an extra pillow and a blanket with it.

She bit her lip in exasperation of what was she about to do.

She picked his head slowly and got it to the headrest and placed a pillow so that he wouldn't get cramps or whatsoever.

She grabbed his legs which seemed like steel when holding them and put it on the lunger.

Huffing, she took a deep breath and covered him with a blanket.

Glancing at him. she remembered their first day when he threatened everyone. She seemed to see his facade well. Be it now or then.

A little, scared boy under this bad boy face. Sooner or later she would make him happy.

He deserves the world.

And, if he is happy without her, she would walk away, happily. What matters is his happiness.

Sliding off of his auburn locks from his forehead, she soothed it slightly to feel the softness of his messy hair and smiled to herself.

He is so precious. And, she would do anything to give to the world he deserved.

Heading to Siya's room, she saw her munchkin sleeping peacefully.

Like brother, like sister, she thought.

A little later, Siya woke up, bawling her eyes out. Avni panicked and took her to the kitchen and preparing her milk.

Avni made Lil Siya lie on her chest and was trying to feed her with the freshly prepared formula in her cutest Pingu-bottle.

Looking at the bottle avni used to feed Siya daily, she suddenly wondered if her Lil fireball watches Pingu?

The Lil Pingu, is the same, carbon copy of him, though. It just keeps on strolling down the numerous roads with a Lil backpack over its shoulder. Like, it had been abandoned.

Avni left out a chuckle, making Siya widened her beautiful eyes and started bawling again.

But, this time, when she tried feeding her, Siya just nudged the bottle from Avni hands and resumed her bawling.

Avni was so engrossed in Siya; she hadn't noticed the entity that sneaked upon her.

" Give her to me, " the entity spoke.

Avni jumped in fright clutching Siya tightly in her arms, afraid that something might happen to her. But, a firm grip of familiar warm hands on her waist, helping her to keep her posture didn't go unnoticed.

" God, you scared me. " avni mumbled slowly.

She slowly turned to the voice and handed Siya to him. Their hands touched again, in the process, and both were aware of the different emotion passing through their veins.

Avni saw, neil rocking Siya in his chest, slowly. Looking at her, with a huge grin plastered over his face, like Siya was his only treasure.

Miraculously, Siya stopped crying and was looking as such intently as him. Involuntarily, his Lil bundle of joy, snuggled more into him, making him chuckle and tightening his grip on her.

Like, she would disappear somewhere, and he'll be left alone, again.

Relishing the moment, avni sneakily took a picture of both of them and left the kitchen clutching, her mobile filled with his pictures and now Siya, close to her heart.

~~~~

Time passed and avni was laying on the bed with Siya making her sleep.

It was her slumber time.

Finally, after Siya slept, avni was heading to the living room- where she heard voices.

DD and Ali was her first thought.

She smiled to herself thinking about her fireball. They always got Neil's back no matter what.

And, now avni will fight too. For her fireball's happiness. For His safety. For his good life.

As she headed to the living room, she herds someone calling her name.

" Avni, come sit with us. " DD, cheered.

" Uh, — "

" Oh, c' mon avni. " Ali urged her to come and sit.

Ali was on one couch, fully slumped in. Dd was on another one slumped like Ali- which seemed a bit smaller than the first one. And finally, her fireball was seated on the couch, more like a lunger bigger than the other two, and since he occupied the half, the only place left for her to sit is beside him.

Calming her erratic heart, she sat beside him. It was safe to say that there is at least one arm distance between both of them.

" Good " winked DD and resumed their bickering.

She opened her The mortal instruments book and started reading it.

" Avni " she heard someone yell making her jump in fright.

But, to her surprise, avni felt a familiar hand soothing her shoulders. Glancing adjacent to her, she saw her fireball with a worried, concerned expression on his face.

She mentally laughed at his state.

Looking at the other two entities, she just asked the reason they called her.

" You were supposed to participate in the conversation, cutie " Smiled Dd

" Ooh " muttered avni

Sighing, they started to talk some nonsensical stuff which makes avni wonder if they are the bad boys of the college or their souls got interchanged and got sold to satan.

" Listen here, man, I and DD are going on a date. Do you want to join? " Ali asked cooly.

" Come on, na; it'll be fun, " DD added, not paying attention to the above sentence.

" What? " avni and neil chorused.

" I am straight. Thank you very much, " Neil snickered at them.

" What are you—, Ohh, you gutter. Man, you know I didn't intend that. " Ali huffed in annoyance.

Avni couldn't stop her laugh anymore and ended up laughing loudly, making everyone attention turn to her.

" You have a beautiful laugh, lady. Never lose that " compliment DD.

Avni turned scarlet red by then, and she looked at her fireball who was looking at her with a little twitch on his face.

Her jaw dropped.

She never believed anyone, who said her laugh was contagious until today.

It got in handy, though.

" So, what I was saying " Ali stopped thinking over it " Yeah, I have this date with one of the girls from our college and DD has a date with one of the girls too. So, you want to join with anyone of us? "

" No way. " Neil responded 

" Why not? " Ali pouted

" I just don't want to go out, " neil replied.

" And why's that? "

" I don't want to be the third wheel, " remarked neil

" Oh, don't be so bitter. You'll be fine. " 

" No, really. There's nothing worse than being the third wheel " avni piped in.

Immediately, every single person in the room snapped their heads to her, looking at her amusedly. That's when she realized she'd said that out.

Smacking her head, she gave a smile hoping for an escape.

" And, how do you know, pray tell me, " Ali challenged her.

" Hmm, If someone goes with a couple, it's apparent that they'll feel left out. Couples need their privacy, accept that. They don't do anything intentionally, I agree. They probably don't even know if the other person is feeling left out. But, that's how you'll feel when you'll go outing with a couple " avni explained in one breath.

" Wow, " DD responded

" You seemed to be experienced? " Ali urged her curiously to tell the story.

" Oh, I do. I have this friend, who is in a relationship with the guy of another college. So, one day we three had gone to a movie, followed by lunch and some shopping, stuff. At some moments, I felt left out. It isn't their fault, but, you know, sometimes stuff happens, and there's nothing you could do " avni clarified.

" Wow. " DD uttered again.

" You'll keep uttering the same, Or you'll actually speak a freaking sentence " groaned Ali.

" But, I never experienced that. So no comments " Ali smiled

" Trust me, third-wheeling sucks, " avni said sadly.

" I agree with you. I still remember the day, these two took me to a date, where they were happily enjoying with their partners, and I was left alone. It was like fifth wheeling, you know? God, I wish that day never comes again. I wanted to so kill the both " neil laughed reminiscing the past.  

~~~~

Ali and DD left after their lots of bickering. And, to Neil's surprise avni had participated cheerfully in every conversation. 

But, hearing to his baby sister cry, she left to Siya's bedroom. 

Avni had proved to be a great person, lately. Somehow, neil now felt that he could trust her. It was a different feeling, but he can't really help himself by throwing an argument over his heart and his brain. Because this time his heart won.

After what seemed like ages, avni walked to him and sat next to him as moments ago. 

He glanced at her briefly, only see her looking at her, precisely at his hand and frowning. He saw her sprinting down the living room while mumbling something sounding like
 " You are bleeding " 

Neil, let that slide and closed his eyes for a second, to unravel his thoughts that were all over the place, today.

But, his trying to figure out plan was disturbed when he felt cold hands touch his knuckles. Involuntarily, he hissed in pain resulting in the soft breeze on his skin.

Panicking, he opened his eyes, only to find, avni, kneeling before him with a first aid box and trying to aid his injured skin.

He knew that she knows he was wake and yet was trying to fool him, by cleaning the wound. Sighing not liking the hospitality, he grabbed his hand and turned to walk away, only to get grabbed by her. 

" Listen, don't," neil said politely.

But, avni being her stubborn self did not pay attention and grabbed his hand, closer and was cleaning the wound.

Sighing, he just grabbed his hand again, glared at her and tried to walk away. But, in vain. He was caught even before he took a single step. 

" Avni, you don't have to do this. Go home " neil urged her to go back, rather than wasting her time on him.

" Neil, can you please be quiet for some time? I am trying to focus over here. " avni snapped politely making Neil's eyes widened in realization.

Is he the bad boy, or she?

How can she even boss him around? 

Neil started squirming in her hold making her " Can you sit properly? " avni snapped. Her patience running thin. 

How the hell can he be so careless? It might get infected if it is not cleaned. So much, for maintaining a bad-boy reputation.

Avni suspired and cleaned his knuckles that were far better than before and got up looking at him intently.

" what? " neil asked.

" I need to clean your face wounds " 

" Bu-But " he tried to protest.

Key word tried.

" It will only take 5 mins " avni urged.

" Fine " neil groaned.

Grinning mentally at her victory, she slowly reached his face. He had a huge cut near his forehead along with a black gash around his eye and his lip was slightly slashed. 

Avni was trying hard not to spill her tears that were threatening. She knew he was observing every move of her so intently. 

She took out the antiseptic and applied to the forehead gash resulting him to hold her forearm tightly in pain. 

Shocked " Um, sorry " he responded.

Avni just smiled at him and took his hand and placed it on her forearm again, ignoring his glint eyes and resumed her work.

Knowing it would sting, she blew some air on his wounds, applied antiseptic. She did not cover it with anything because she knows it had to heal and since it is night, there would be no dust to effect his wounds.

Smiling at her work, she looked at him, who was already looking at her. Everything around seemed to slowly fade away. It's like the both find their peace, looking into the eyes of each other.

Clearing her throat, she started to pack her things, after dropping the first aid in its place.

She just turned to him " Goodnight neil, take care of yourself and Siya too  " and was about to go when she felt the familiar hands wrapping his wrist and pulling back to a hard chest. 

Looking up at him, she was hell shocked when she felt him hug her again. He never felt such utmost care from anyone. And, it was overwhelming coming from avni. He wanted to thank her for everything she does. He is grateful to it. 

Pulling away he just whispered " Thank you. " and left leaving a grinning avni.

" Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that "

And, she would do that, sooner or later, she would eliminate the darkness in him.

So, The update at last. 2682 words. Wow, I am hella exhausted, now.

@Khushi1803 Let's hope, this update lifts up your mood. : )

@Diyaa1109 Thanks for sticking up and waiting for me to update. 

Thank you for each and every person who is taking their precious time and reading my stories. You guys are the reason I am writing still. Thanks for motivating me. Thanks for all the support.

Loads of love. And, never forget, You all are beautiful.

Seneca