Swati Sandeep- Rajwanshi Saga- Maan and Arjun, a bite from Facon

 Being shot was nothing new for Arjun. He knew how to mask his injuries. For years he had done it without anyone noticing. He was a flawless actor, but the moment Maan saw him he knew something was off. Arjun’s smile was too quick, his laugh more boisterous, his gaze practice. Ashok passed the curry and Arjun reached for it with a smile. For a second, his eyes clouded with pain, but then they twinkled with mirth as he teased their father about his session with the principal at school.

That morning Abhi was caught using his phone in class. Mr.Radhawa had not hesitated a second before calling Ashok. Arjun wanted to know how the session went. Judging by the look on the  youngest Rajwashi’s face, Arjun knew that the session did not go well.

“He got suspended for a week.” Ashok shook his head, shooting a glare at Abhi. The boy looked anywhere but at their father. Arjun felt sorry for him. Their father showered Abhi with love, but he was a strict parent. Arjun tried to tell him to ease off, but Maan told him that Abhi would have to learn to deal with their father on his own. No one had the right to talk between a father and son, unless the father was doing something wrong, and in Abhi’s case Ashok was an excellent parent.

“And you agreed for the suspension?” Arjun muttered under his breath.

“What do you expect, Arjun?” Maan’s eyes glinted. “Abhi should know that phones are not for class rooms.”

Arjun looked at Abhi. He knew suspension was the easy past. The punishment at home was far worse. 

“How many lines did you make him write?” Arjun looked at his father again.

“As much as it takes to drive the lesson home.” Ashok said as he served Abhi another roti. The boy’s appetite was improving, but Abhi barely ate when he was upset.

“Bas ho gaya, Dad. (I am done, Dad)” Abhi protested softly.

“You need energy to write those lines, beta. Eat.” Ashok coaxed. When Abhi looked sad, Ashok tore a morsel and offered it to him. Arjun let out a little sigh, that was how his Bhaiya used to be with him. That was what he missed the most. He had his Bhaiya back in his life, but Abhimaan treated him more like his brother than his child. 

Arjun enjoyed the friendship, but he craved more. On the work front, the Black Phoenix would never hesitate to take the lead, but at home, he wanted his Bhaiya to take the reins. He wanted the same equation that they once shared. He was scared that he would not get it back again.

“Arjun, kha kyun nahi rahe ho? (Why are you not eating, Arjun?)” Akanksha gave him a gentle nudge. 

Arjun shook his head and went back to the meal. It was okara again. His Bhaiya did everything to make him happy, but his real happiness lay somewhere else. Arjun did not know how to voice his need. It even felt juvenile. More so because he was jealous of the relationship Abhi shared with Maan. His Bhaiya did not hesitate to make Abhi’s ears ring when the boy messed up, but when it came to Arjun he showed remarkable tolerance. He could murder someone and still his Bhaiya would not reprimand him! Arjun was restless. He could not eat when he was upset. Once everyone was done he quietly made his way to his room.

Maan looked at the foodplate. He had been keeping a close eye on Arjun. His brother had only served himself one roti and barely touched the okra curry. 

“Papa story time.” Little Aru demanded. He looked forward to his father’s bedtime stories. Maan ruffled the boy’s hair, but looked at his wife. Akansha was quick to notice his worry and reached for her son’s hand.

“Why don’t we go for a walk, Aru. The baby wants to walk, will you come along?”

Aru bobbed his head enthusiastically. For him nothing was more important than the baby his mother carried. Since the day he had seen the little one move his hand on the ultrasound, he was head over heels in love with his sibling. Everyone hoped for a girl, but Aru knew it was a boy. He needed a brother and god would give him what he wanted. He had asked for a brother on his tenth birthday, and god sent the baby into his mother’s belly. It has to be a boy!

Maan waited until his son stepped out with his wife and made his way to Arjun’s room. He needed to know what happened. He could call Roohi and get information, but he wanted the truth to come from Aru. The Black Phoenix had a lot of secrets from the Dark Phoenix. But Aru could not have secrets from his Bhaiya. Maan would not allow it.

As he walked to Arjun’s room he heard the soft tones of guitar. The melancholic notes made Maan sigh. Of late Arjun was only singing melancholic songs. Even the fans were depressed. Maan wished Arjun would stop brooding and make a move towards Roohanika. What his brother truly needed was a soulmate. He needed to feel the love of a woman. Only then he would stop taking such reckless decisions. The man did not hesitate a second before stepping in the line of fire. That needed to stop as well.

Normally he would have knocked before stepping into Arjun’s room, but he was not in the mood to give him the privilege. Arjun heard him, and forced a smile to his lips. “Aru so gaya? (Is Aru sleeping?)”

“How did you get hurt?” Maan cut to the chase. He did not believe in small talk. Especially with his brothers.

“Hurt?” Arjun set the guitar aside, his heart palpitation. Nothing escaped the eyes of the Dark Phoenix. He should have known to be more careful.

“Are you telling me you are not hurt?” Maan’s eyes bore into Arjun’s.

A weaker man would have covered, but Arjun shrugged his shoulders.

“Take off your shirt.” Maan’s voice left no room for argument.

Arjun looked away. He was caught. There was no use pretending.

“Do you have a hearing problem?”

“It’s nothing, Bhaiya….”

Maan crossed the distance between them and grabbed Arjun by the shoulder. A small wince was enough for Maan to understand that Arjun was hurt on the arms. He rolled up Arjun’s sleeves and gasped when he saw the bandage.

“How did this happen?” Maan eyes filled with worry. Arjun was socializing with a gangster to uncover a drug mafia. All he had to do was wait and watch, but the black phoenix never listened to command.

“You again defied command?” Maan’s eyes blazed.

“Who is asking?” Arjun stepped back.

The bother’s locked gaze, neither willing to concede. Arjun knew Maan would not relent. He had defied the Dark Phoenix and he had gotten injured. Both his boss and bhaiya were furious with him. He did not care a hoot about his boss’s opinion, but he could not hurt his Bhaiya. So he did what he did best. He kept the black phoenix aside and lowered his gaze. He was still Maan’s younger brother, he would forever defer to him. 

“Sorry.” He muttered under his breath.

“Who is apologizing?” Maan did not relent.

Arjun huffed. They had agreed to keep work out of the house. Maan never brought the phoenix home, but Arjun found it difficult. Especially when he was missing his Bhaiya’s familiar warmth.

“Sorry bola na. Aab aap gussa maat hojao. (I apologized right? Now stop being mad at me.)” Arjun tried for a charming smile. “Wasise bhi aaj friday hai. (Today is friday.) It’s our day out. Let’s go for the ride.”

“You want to go out on a ride when you are injured?” Maan could not believe his ears.

Arjun shrugged again and winced in pain.

“Stop behaving like a fool Arjun Rajwanshi.” Maan held him gently and made him sit. Arjun was having a hard time stifling his pain. As he had taken a couple of drinks he had not taken the pain medication that the doctor prescribed. As the alcohol weaned from his system, the pain made itself known in spades.

“Who did your first aid?”

“Doctor.” Arjun smiled. Maan had a hard time controlling his anger. Had Arjun been any younger he would have given him another reaction, but the boy was all grown up. Maan had to respect that.

He ignored his murderous thoughts and focused on Arjun’s wound instead. “Did you get shot or stabbed?”

“It’s a friday, Bhaiya. Chill karo aap. (Chill!)” Arjun teased. “It’s not like I got killed or something….”

“ARJUN!” Maan’s voice boomed.

Arjun flinched. Maan had done that after so long that he almost forgot what it felt to be on the receiving end of his Bhaiya’s temper. The boys rushed inside. They were playing chess in Abhi’s room when they heard Maan yelling. In the two years since Maan came back they had not once heard him raise his voice.

Maan moved slightly, hiding Arjun from the boy’s view, giving him enough time to roll his sleeves down. Both the boys were sensitive when it came to him and Arjun. He did not wish to worry them.

“Kya hua, Bhaiya? (What happened, Bhaiya?)” It was Andy who dared to ask.

“Nothing.” Maan schooled his emotions. “Are you done with your lines, Abhimaan?”

Abhi cringed. His dad had long since forgiven him, but his Bhaiya was giving him a hard time.

“Abhi Bhaiya.” Abhi dared to say. “Abhimaan nahi. (Not Abhimaan.)”

“That was not the answer to my question.”

“Dad said he could take a break for today.” Andy said quickly before Abhi could say anything. Like he thought Maan nodded but let Abhi off the hook. 

Arjun was super annoyed. For the first time his Bhaiya had given him a genuine reaction and the boys had to ruin it. “What the hell are you two doing here? And didn’t I teach you to knock? Do you need to be taught manners?” He lashed out without thinking.

Andy’s eyebrows shot up in amusement. His Bhaiyu only yelled when he was trying to hide his emotions.

“Did you two fight?” Andy could not hide his fascination. He and Abhi fought like cats and dogs but he had never seen Arjun and Maan fighting. The dark phoenix and the black phoenix clashed all the time. That was work. But at home they did not even disagree on anything. Andy was fascinated with their dynamics. 

“How is that your business, Ardik?” Arjun’s eyes glinted.

“So you did fight!” Andy’s eyes gleamed. “Who started the fight? Let me guess, you right? What did you do to piss Bhaiya off? Did you…..” Arjun tried to reach for him but Maan gently held his hand and stopped him.

“Ardik, Abhimaan, go back to your rooms.” His tone was gentle but firm. The boys did not want to go, but they knew better than defying their Bhaiya. Abhi was already in enough trouble, they could not make it worse for themselves.

“Dumb kids!” Arjun muttered under his breath.

Maan closed the door and looked back at his brother. His icy glare sent shivers down Arjun’s spine, but he refused to show it. “What?”

“Let’s talk, Arjun.”

Stay tuned for part 2.

To be published  on June 09th 2025

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