Vikram's cabin was silent, except the sound of the clacking of keyboards and his responses to the senior officer in call.
"Yes sir. Yeah sir I have sent you the file via a junior of mine. Yes. Hmm" Vikram responded curtly.
"Yes sir I am investigating on it. I am handling Keshav Rao's case. The missing one have been handed to Inspector Atharv Shinde" he answered.
"Yes sir. Thank you. Jai hind sir" with that he ended the call and sighed. He has been too exhausted dealing with all these continuously. The seniors have been putting all the pressure on him. Handling him every fucking cases with the name of 'you are the most capable officer'.
He stared at the stack of files which consists of many pending cases. Some were recent ones, others were old ones, filing up one after another.
Suddenly a knock at the door broke his focus.
"Sir?" Vikram hummed back in response. A sub inspector peeked his head in from the door.
"Sir, Commissioner Saheb ka call hai. Aapko unke office mein bulaya hai" the officer informed.
Vikram nodded in return and dismissed him.
He stood up and adjusted his cap, straightened his uniform, and walked down the long corridor. And out of the police station. He climbed in his jeep and started it.
The drive to the Commissioner's office was the only quiet time Vikram had had all day, but even then, his mind was a battlefield. He parked the Jeep in the parking area. Stepping out, he thrust his keys in his pocket and walked inside.
On each step, he received salute from the guards on his way. He just nodded and continued walking. Finally he reached the door of the Commissioner's office. He took a brief second to center himself, and knocked firmly.
"Come in" a deep, authoritative voice boomed from inside. Vikram entered, snapped a crisp salute, and stood at attention.
"Jai Hind, Sir. You called for me?" Commissioner Hemant Deshmukh looked at him and nodded.
"Sit down, Vikram" Deshmukh said, gesturing to the chair.
"I have been looking at your clearance rate for the last quarter. It's impressive. Very impressive. Just like how i expected as always" he started. Vikram sat, his posture still rigid.
"Thank you, Sir. My team has been working hard" Vikram respectfully replied.
"I know they have. But I also know you haven't slept well regarding the works" the Commissioner remarked, gesturing at the slight dark circles over Vikram's face.
"That's my duty sir" Vikram answered immediately. Face still emotionless. The commissioner chuckled and nodded.
"I know that Sharma. I know that. Indeed all of us know how much dedicated you are to your duty. But today, i have called you to discuss something else with you" he hummed to himself. Vikram didn't said anything, he waited for his next words.
"Well it's not the first time we have received complaints against you. You have been so brutal and merciless. Humme toh tumhare complaints aate hi rehte hai. It's normal. And all those complaints have never reached you, we didn't let them. Because we know it's just your way of performing your work. Something many of us failed to do. Lekin yeh wala kuch alag hi hai" the commissioner raised his brow at him in amusement. And it didn't take Vikram to receive another hint to understand the whole thing.
He wanted to laugh at the audacity. So that little shit have complaint? Great. He wants to play? Then let him start, because at the end he will finish it.
"This morning I received a very interesting phone call this morning from the Dean of MUHS. Apparently, a student named Ransh Malhotra was admitted to the hospital with a shattered jaw, a broken nose and a fracture in his forearm. The boy's father is a significant donor to the University. He's screaming for an inquiry" Vikram tried to held back the smirk that was threatening to come. He felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that he was suffering.
The Commissioner forwarded a letter and his tablet infront of him on his desk.
"Isko dekho aur bolo yeh kya hai" On the tablet was playing the footage of the fight scene at the university gates which happened a few days ago.
"Vikram, what is this? A university student? In public?" the Commissioner asked, his tone more disappointed than angry.
"He was harassing a girl, sir. He put his hands on her" Vikram finally spoke, eyes in eyes.
"And you are a police officer, not a street fighter!" the commissioner hissed, slamming his hand on the desk, not too harshly but not too slowly too.
"You could have arrested him or you could have filed a case. But you chose to break his jaw in front of a hundred cameras" the commissioner gave him a stern look. There was a long, tense silence. The Commissioner sighed, rubbing his temples.
"What actually is the case? Why did you reacted so impulsively? Tell me. I know you better Sharma. Bhale hi tumhare anger issues rahe ho, but you have always been calculated and smart. You have always known how to react to the situation according to your favour" he spoke slowly and calmly now. Vikram kept mum for a few seconds before speaking.
"That girl was mine. She is my woman. I spared him only for her, or else i would have killed him on spot for harassing her" was all Vikram said. The commissioner took a sharp breath at this.
"You could have been suspended for it Vikram! Your years of hardship would have just gone into drain because of your stupidity. Just because of a woman" the commissioner looked at him in disbelief, this time raising his voice.
"And i would kill myself the day I wouldn't be able to protect my woman" Vikram said simply, no anger, no panic. Just calm and composed. The commissioner took a deep breath in, trying to control his temper.
Vikram was rage baiting at this point. The commissioner stood up ablruptly, feeling suffocated even in the ac office. Vikram stood up too, as him sitting when his senior was standing could be disrespectful.
"Look, your record is flawless. You have cleaned up this district like no one else could. The department can't afford to lose you, and frankly, I don't want to suspend my best officer over a brat" the commissioner sighed.
"Consider this a final warning, Vikram. I am burying the complaint, but if I see your name in the news for any such things, I won't be able to save you. Keep your temper in check. Dismissed" Vikram saluted and walked out, but stopped hearing more. And that. That triggered him.
"And Vikram. Make sure you don't repeat it again. Especially for someone. You are doing great, you have been doing great. Make sure you don't get distracted " Vikram didn't turn around. He clenched his fist tightly, as if to control himself not to snap.
Distracted. He was implying Thabal. His Thabal. He called her distraction. It felt like a slap in the face. His blood was boiling. He simply walked out, because if he opened his mouth he wasn't sure that anything nice would come out.
The heavy doors of the Commissioner's office hissed shut behind him. Distraction. The word echoed in his mind, mocking and cold. To him, Thabal was a liability, a soft spot.
Yeah, she is his soft spot. But she is his strength. She is the only thing which was keeping him aane and stable. She wasn't his distraction, she was his backbone. The only one to support him when everything felt empty.
He walked through the station, his pace fast and dangerous. Officers who were about to greet him took one look at his face and suddenly found something very important to do in the opposite direction.
He reached his Jeep and climbed in. He started the engine, he gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white.
"Distraction" he rasped, a dark, humorless chuckle escaping his throat.
"Fucking distraction" he muttered under his breath, driving the jeep with his jaw still clenched and hands gripping the steering wheel hard.
After 15 minutes he reached his station. He parked his jeep and walked in immediately towards the cabin.
As soon as he entered in he clenched his fist in anger. He felt this inner need to just destroy everything. His breathing was ragged. He just wanted to beat the shit out of something.
"Aghh" he slammed his fisted hand into the nearest wall.
"How can he? How fucking can he? How can he talk about her like that?" He muttered again and again. Punching over the wall. At this point the plastered layer of the wall started shattering. It's grey cemented wall started getting visible.
The heavy thuds of his knuckles against the concrete echoed through the police station. Everyone present flinched. Each impact sent a jolt on his hand. A stinging pain surrounded on his knuckles, but it was nothing compared to the searing irritation in his chest.
His knuckles were red and spilt. Throbbing from the pain.
"Sir?" The door creaked open. Shinde stood there hesitantly yet with a concern face.
"Sir, are you okay?" He asked slowly and nervously. Kinda praising himself internally for bringing up the courage.
Vikram didn't look at him. He tried to calm his breathing first.
"Kam ka baat hai toh bol warna bakchodi mat kar. Ja yaha se" he spat, facing the wall. Shinde kept quiet for a second before hesitantly speaking again.
"Files dena tha sir. Aapne prepare karne ko bola tha na parso. Woh- wohi" he nervously informed.
"Table pe rakh. I will see it. Raat tak sare data bhej dunga" was all Vikram said. Shinde reluctantly stayed.
"S-sir. I am sorry to intervene but. I guess you should wrap up your hand-" he couldn't even finish when Vikram's gaze snapped at him. Dangerous and deadly. He looked like a lion who was ready to hunt. Shinde gulped and prayed for his life.
Why? Why did he have to be so fucking dumb and give suggestions?
"Agar tu yaha se abhi ke abhi nahi nikla na. Toh mera haath yeh wall pe nahi tere muh pe hoga" Vikram gritted his teeth and warned. Shinde didn't waste a moment. He quickly sprinted away.
Vikram threw a last punch harshly before going to his chair. He sat down and turned around, facing his back towards the door. He rest his left hand on the armrest and the right wounded one just swinging down. Blood trickled down from his knuckles.
Seconds turned into minutes. He continued sitting idly. Just blank and numb. His breathing calmed down now. Yet his mind wasn't calmed yet. It was jumbled up and raging.
Just then the door opened. Without his fucking permission. His anger which wasn't calmed yet flared up more. Oh the person is surely going to die today.
"Vik-"
"Fucking bastard, samajh nahi aata-" he abruptly stood up and turned around grabbing a thick file while raising his hand, as if to slam it on the intruder's face but stopped seeing the person.
"Ehh" Thabal squeaked loudly and brought her hands towards her face quickly, trying to shield herself. Vikram froze, his hand stopped mid air. The tension in the air suddenly changed.
"Chand?" his voice came out as a broken rasp, barely a whisper.
He dropped the file. It hit the floor with a hollow thud that seemed to echo louder than his punches ever had. He looked down at his own hand, the one he had just raised against the only thing in this world he truly cherished. It was smeared with his own blood, the knuckles raw and weeping.
Thabal slowly lowered her arms, her breath coming in ragged, shallow hitches. Her eyes were wide and confused. She was so frightened for a moment when Vikram suddenly started shouting and raising the thick file. It was so quick that she thought it was her endgame.
Vikram couldn't say a thing more. He was frozen in his place. Thabal gulped and looked at him for a moment. Now she understood why all the officers and staff were looking so scared and stiff today.
Vikram wasn't in his right mind now. His face screamed tired, his hair was messy, his clothes were shriveled, and most importantly. His hands were bloody. Thabal quickly looked around her surroundings for any damage, and then her eyes fall upon the cracked wall. She sighed at it.
She slowly walked towards him and stood infront of him. She kept her bag on the chair and raised her hand to cup his chin. Vikram immediately closed his eyes at her touch.
"Vikram. See it's me. Thabal" she softly said, trying to make him recognise her. Vikram opened his eyes and looked at her, a pained expression crossing his eyes.
Hearing her clearing herself and telling that it was her, it hurted him. He wanted to say that he knew it was her. And that he loves her. The most. That he would never hurt her and it was a mistake. But nothing came out of his mouth. His chest felt constricted with a sense of pain.
He unintentionally hurted her in his anger. He was going to destroy everything with his own hands. Mera bana banaya ghar mein hi khud tod raha tha. Koi aur kya hi todta. He thought bitterly.
Thabal looked at him intently. She knew he was fighting with himself right now. He was guilty and that was eating him up. She entered her hands through the gap of his arms and held him. She rested her head on his chest and hugged him closed, patting his back slowly.
And guess what? That was all he needed. Vikram immediately wrapped his arms around her and tightened it. He felt tears stinging his eyes. Fucking hell.
He didn't want to cry. But lately he has really sensitive. His chest was paining as hell, he felt it aching badly. It felt like a heavy stone was kept over his chest and something was clawing from inside.
"I am sorry Thabal. I am sorry. It's-its. It's paining so much. I am sorry" he finally whispered, taking deep breaths. He gripped on her, his large frame trembling against her.
"Shh, it's okay. Mein yahi hoon" Thabal whispered, her voice a steady anchor in his storm. She continued to pat his back.
"I am sorry. I am sorry" he continued murmuring. Thabal sighed at it.
"It's okay Vikram. Calm down. Don't speak anything now, hm? Just calm down. Lambi saas lo aap" she tried calming him down. After a few seconds she pulled back and took his wounded hand into hers. She hissed and closed her eyes as soon as she saw the wound.
It was badly scratched and the skin was peeled slightly. The irony was Thabal was really scared of wounds and injury, and here she dreamt of becoming a cardiologist.
She tched softly and examined the wound with a worried look.
"Kya haal bana diya hai aapne haath ka" she scolded softly and led him slowly toward his chair, pushing him down gently before sitting on the edge of the desk right in front of him.
She grabbed her bag and opened the zip. She took out a tube of boroplus from it. A thing she always carried. She gently applied it on his wounds, blowing on his knuckles while applying so that it doesn't pain him.
Vikram felt his heart clench at her actions. Her this innocence was what drives him crazy. Her kindness was his turning point. She should have been angry, have left him. But here she was treating his wound, the same hand which was about to hurt her.
The thought instantly made him pull his hand away from her grip. He looked at his hands, his expression twisting into one of pure self loathing.
"Don't treat me. Let me feel the pain. I deserve it. I deserve more pain. Mera-mera haath kaise uth gaya tum par? How could I be so blind?" he choked out, the words struggling to find their way through the lump in his throat. Thabal looked at him with a sad look.
Her man was struggling with his own demons. She wished to take away all his pains.
"Vikram, look at me" she commanded softly. When he finally met her eyes, she gave him a small, assuring smile.
"You didn't hit me. You stopped. You were in anger. Gusse mein log aksar galtiya kar bethe hai. It's okay. But you are hurting yourself, and that hurts me more than any file ever could" she extended her hand and caressed his stubbled jaw.
"Meri bhi galti thi. I shouldn't have knocked. Meine socha surprise deti hoon toh i didn't knock-" she was cut off abruptly.
"No. Please. You don't ever have to knock. I am sorry. It was my fault. I let my anger overcome me" Vikram looked at her painfully, pleading with his eyes. Thabal sighed and looked at him sadly. She couldn't bear to see him this hurt and sad. She wondered what happened which led him to be this angry.
"Shh. Give me your hand Vikram. Let me treat you" she said softly and took his hand in hers gently.
She slowly continued applying the ointment on his hand, blowing air in between.
"You know what hurts me the most? When my loved ones are hurt. Mujhe bohot dukh hota hai. I feel helpless and my heart feels heavy" she started, not looking at him. She took out a clean handkerchief from her bag and tied it around his knuckles gently, to not hurt him further.
"Aap mujhpe haath uthawoge kabhi?" She asked him, this time looking at his eyes. Vikram shook his head immediately.
"Nahi. Kabhi nahi. I will kill myself before even hitting you" he said, his voice firm and steady. Thabal smiled slightly at it. She leaned closer to him and caressed his cheek.
"Dobara agar apne khud ko chot pohocha toh samajlena aapne mujhe chot pohochaya. I will consider that you were beating me, instead of yourself" she whispered, making him stunned.
Vikram stared at her, the air trapped in his lungs. Her words hit him with more force than any physical blow could.
"Thabal" he started, his voice thick. He didn't know what to say further.
"Aagli baar you think of hurting yourself like this toh samajlena you are hurting me" She said gently, her thumb tracing the line of his cheekbone.
"You seem so tired. Itne dino se dhang se soya bhi nahi aapne" she sighed as she traced his under eyes. Vikram said nothing, he just reached out with his uninjured hand and pulled her closer, resting his forehead against her bossom, as she stood between his knees.
"He called you a distraction" he confessed into the fabric of her dress, his voice muffled but raw.
"It raged me up. He was trying to frame you. It made me feel like the world was trying to take the only good thing I have left" Thabal ran her fingers through his messy hair, setting it back perfectly.
"Aapko lagta hai mein aapke liye distraction hoon?" She asked him gently. Vikram quickly pulled away and looked at her, a pained expression crossing her face.
"Of course not. You can be never" he whispered in a raspy voice. Thabal smiled at it.
"Toh? What matters is us. Just us. There should be no third person in between us. Neither their opinion. Aap bhul jawo usne asa kuch bola bhi tha bolke. Even if anyone says, let them. You can't shut up everyone's mouth Vikram" she made him understand gently. Vikram let out a long, shaky breath, finally letting the last of the tension bleed out of his muscles.
He looked at her, his demeanor finally calming down.
"I am sorry" he muttered in guilt. Thabal smiled and shook her head.
"It's okay. Come let's eat something. I bought lassi, tandoori chicken, bhel and aloo tikki" she grinned suddenly remembering all those and took out from her bag.
"Aaj classes jaldi khatam hogaye the. Woh hamare ek sir absent the. Toh mil gayi chutti" she sighed in relief and started unpacking the food items.
"Aapke cabin mein kitna thanda hai. Bahar toh itna garam hai. Kya bolu. Itni garmi mein tadap-tadap ke aayi hoon mein" she babbled continuously as she dipped the fried chicken into the chutney and fed him. Vikram slowly took a bite from her hand and chewed. Thabal smiled at it.
"Aacha haina?" She asked with a wide smile. Vikram nodded at it.
"Aacha kaise nahi hoga. Jis dukan se mein yeh sab layi thi, he makes the best tandoori chicken. Uff!" She exaggerated with a sigh. Vikram didn't said anything, he couldn't say anything. He just watched her with a faint ache of guilt in his heart.
Why did God even sent him such a precious person?
"Aap sun bhi rahe ho mein kya bol rahi hoon?" Thabal suddenly frown at him. Vikram kept quiet, no words came out from him. He pulled her on his lap without any warning and nuzzled his head at the crook of her neck.
"Let me just stay here" he murmured with a sigh. Thabal smiled softly at it.
"Khana toh khatam karlo" she softly tried convincing him. Vikram just shook his head in return.
"Nahi" he muttered slowly and hugged her closer. He didn't realise it but, her touch, her warmth was what he was dying for. He didn't realise how much the physical contact was needed for him.
Thabal kept the food on the table and wiped her hands on a tissue which she brought from the stall. She wrapped her arms around his huge body and patted him.
"I am always there Vikram. I am always there" she muttered assuringly.
"I love you" Vikram murmured. Thabal smiled at it. She placed a kiss above his head and murmured back.
"I love you. So much" she whispered and patted his head.
__________🌸_________
Hope you enjoyed it
Stay safe sweeties🌻🎀
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