Chapter Text
"Here we go again, phir se presentations fancy techs blah blah", Vikram muttered as he sat back lazily on his favourite chair trying to solve a Rubics cube, getting VERY comfortable as he sat down. Kavya who was already glaring at him as if he killed her bloodline (ironically which was not true, cause he was not the guy who ACTUALLY pulled the trigger); glared harder and threw a nearby pencil at him which he caught without looking up. Kabir watched them amused just shook his head as he kept their coffee mugs on the table and sat in his chair.
"One day I will genuinely kill this guy for REAL real" Kavya said to herself quietly as she made sure all the leads were being displayed. Despite her efforts Kabir and Vikram heard that statement, to which former got stiff with alert and later just giggled as if he heard best joke of the day. This time Kabir cleared his throat and glared at Raghu, who looked up lazily raising his eyebrows. Looking into Kabir's eyes, Raghu realised it was still a sore spot for his Kaboo. Raghu sincerely blinked and smiled at Kabir letting him know that he appreciates his concern. Kabir took deep breath and gulped knowing how much has changed in past year and half, be it Raghu's recovery, their Kali members killing spree or time they spent alone doing their solo assignments.
"Okay so here we go" Kavya said bringing both of them back to the earth, into their spy modes. Past few months both of them have sensed something going on around them. Almost every assignments they did alone went wrong somewhere. Initially they thought it's cause they have been too used to each other (again, especially for Raghu, who reprimanded himself for letting himself go so easily when it comes to Kabir, but who was he kidding? It has been like this since he was 14 years old, now almost in his 40s, he's still a BIG fool for his Kaboo. But that was topic he would think about some other time). So they connected with each other 2 days ago, after months of silence. For 2 friends who didn't meet for more than 25 years, they were surely more emotional and extra attached to each other when they met after 6 months. Maybe because for first time they allowed themselves to feel. Yesterday they did a simplest mission, where they just had to watch a guy to get intel which Kaul wanted for another agent, and (un)surprisingly that assignment almost got butchered. Frustrated they gave Kaul the feedback, who sent Kavya with some extra leads than what they individually knew.
"When both of yours first solo assigments went wrong Kaul sir asked his team to monitor everything around you very properly cause he believed everyone might mess up but Kabir doesn't mess up and surprisingly, he also belived that you Vikram won't get trapped so easily, especially with your track record, he was damn sure you won't ever walk into a trap unless it's Kabir's trap" Kavya explained looking at Vikram. Vikram gave Kabir a smirk as he agreed "That's true thats cause only my Kabir has me already trapped in his web."
Kavya rolled her eyes and Kabir just shook his head little confused about trapped part, cause Raghu did not mention anything serious yesterday. He looked at the file which said Vikram First CCTV and played it. Video showed Raghu visibly getting shocked at an attempt to getting kidnapped in the lift, kidnappers face was not visible but after some fight, Raghu had the guy neutralised before the lift opened into his room. Impressed and PISSED he looked at Raghu who was scratching his back uncomfortably and asked, "When did this exactly happen? Why were you so surprised about getting attacked? Why was your guard down!?" His voice came out harsher than he intended it to be, as he held himself back from asking more questions, 'Why didn't you tell me this when I asked you yesterday? Why do you STILL not trust me enough? Don't believe I can save you too?'
Raghu smiled softly, in a way which was reserved just for his Kaboo as he answered, "Honestly I didn't think it was that big deal. I mean after our Kali elimination project this was my first assignment so I thought it's someone from them that we overlooked or something. And about being surprised it was probably cause this was my safe house, I was not on-sight-" "What?" Kabir asked more concerned and alert. R&AW's safe houses ARE 100% safe! Never does ANY outsider except for the agent and officer assigning gets to know about them.
"Yeah exactly why I was surprised too" Raghu answered, now in his serious mode, "I caught that guy, gave him special treatment to get information on who he exactly is, and for some reason all I got was that he was a contract stalker. Someone gave him money to jump me. All my cross checks and everything proved he was telling truth so I handed him over to Kaul's men." His reply got an eyebrow raise reply from Kabir who understood what actually Raghu must've done, before Kabir could say anything he heard Kavya answer looking straight at him.
"Yup, this was few weeks before you got that killer encounter. When someone attacked you on your assignment Kaul sir was sure that someone has infiltrated our team AGAIN. Hence, here I am, an Air Force officer, again in spy stuff... Anyways, from all past attacks, it seems that the motto is simple, to Kill either of you... or both of you. Not like you've made "Best friends" around the world anyways." She air quoted Best Friends.
Raghu smirked, "Hmm true. But its not either of us or both of us, its Kabir." "Really? Do you think EVERYONE is obsessed with killing me like you were?" Kabir let out his frustration. "Oh no baby, no one can even come close to my obsession with YOU in general not just killing you." Raghu replied quickly, "BUT I am saying this cause look"
Raghu went near the screen and rearranged some tabs before starting, "Look at the dates on everything. Look at the timeline. They tried to kidnap me or hurt me, everytime they failed they attacked you straightaway. Tactics with me are for different outcomes, kidnapping, injury, brutal injury, kidnapping, injury, brutal injury. But for you Kabir, its always ambush attack= death, backstab attack= death, knife attack= death, almost poison- WAIT you were poisoned too? DAMN I've got competition, I didn't try this one-" Kabir sighed as he tried hide his smile, he heard Kavya groan "OH GOD" and pitied her. Raghu looked around and contintued giving his audience a sheepish smile "continuing yeah so poison= death, pushed from building = death, bullet= death. See? They want you dead, they just want me kidnapped or in hospital. I think this is VERY simple case of R- uh i mean VHKO candidate."
"He means Ra- Vikram Hater Kabir Obsessed candidate." Kabir explained to Kavya who was looking confused at the acronym. "Uh ok.. lets assume its true. Then why YOU?" "Because they know, the moment someone lays their hands on him I'll come running" Kabir said silently, his voice had seriousness and darkness that no one in the room was ready to address. "Okay I know that, I meant, I get that even if, no offense Vikram, I dont know why Kabir you are so persistent on keeping him safe, but in records no one else knows this right? Except you two, me and Kaul sir right? I mean in records its literally no-one now. Especially after dad and R-" She heard Vikram hardly keep something on table when she was about to say Ruhi's name and immediately understood the one rule Vikram had said after their Spain stunt 'I will work with this team only if you guys LEAVE that Ruhi kid alone after this shit show. And NEVER involve ANY kid EVER again in ANY of your missions, ESPECIALLY one with Kabir.' Since that day Kavya doesnt remember ever even Saying out Ruhi's name out cause like her dad used to say and how Vikram says now (surprisingly for her they're more similar than they think) 'Walls have ears Kavya. Especially in our spy business Walls DEFINELY have ears.' Kavya mouthed sorry to Vikram and Kabir who was looking star stucked at Vikram as she continued calmly and covered herself with one name everyone in world knows was connected to Kabir, "and Khalid's connection being completely wiped from everywhere."
"Point to be noted, so this could be someone from both of our past or either of our past. As far as I can think of..." Vikram looked at Kabir and replied when he had Kabir's laser focus attention, "After that day, I never talked about you to ANYONE. I swear. Even Gulati didn't know who you ar- were to me Kabir" Sincerity in Raghu's voice moved Kabir and so did the unsaid pain and hurt behind those words. Kabir never knew one simple verb change can hurt this much. He is a fucking R&AW agent for gods sake. He has endured THOUSANDS of physical, mental and emotional pains then why did his Raghu have special key to make him feel SO much with such small gestures is beyond his comprehension. (It's not. Kabir very well knows why only Raghu can make it hurt so good and so much, why he meant so much. He had spent YEARS and decades trying to get this feeling back, and when he had finally given up and tried to move on in his life, Raghu came crashing back into his life, like a tsunami to a town dying of drought. Raghu being back in his life fulfilled his life and at same time slapped him with all these overwhelming emotions he never learned to control.)
Kabir nodded and was gonna proceed ahead but looking at Raghu's pleading eyes to trust him, he voiced it out very softly, "I trust you". Hoping to soothe Raghu's aching heart a bit. Raghu smiled and nodded back in acknowledgement sighing in relief. "I think we should think and make list of potential people who might just plainly hate us." Kabir suggested, to which Kavya and Raghu gave him 'Please elaborate cause if thats it, then we ARE judging you for this stupid idea'.
"Ok, by plainly hate us I mean someone who we might think would be OBSESSED with hurting either of us for years, not recent ones but deepily buried in the past ones. Because these guys have magically appeared now after our Kali stunt means they have been following both of us or either of us for years but after Kali they know we are working together so they hate us for YEARS." Kabir clarified. Raghu agreed with him as he replied, "Honestly, I think this is good idea, but i think that we should narrow it down more, I personally had MANY people HATE me for years, like nothing new. No one cared enough to be obsessed over hurting me cause I eliminated majority of them, just I think there was one guy named wait uhh shit man kya naam tha.. URGH umm I think something from A.. I dont remember his name but he just used to irritate me a LOT and used to be annoying, but it was when I was in my 20s before I started military life and I needed clean slate, so he's only guy whom I gave warning and left. Others are dead from mine. But Kabir.. with the way his survival instincts are... where he ONLY kills when its for country and all.. I think we should focus on HIS list more."
"Hmm for a change I agree with you. Okay then Kabir send me your list by tonight or tomorrow morning and Vikram even if you don't want to, still send me name or details about this A guy okay?" Kavya said as she began packing her stuff. "Vikram who's this A named guy huh? Itna pyaar aaya tumhe usspein that you left him huh? I thought only guy you ever spared was Kabir...Oh wait you didnt-" Kavya teased Vikram who glared at her comment. If looks could kill, she should drop dead with that glare but she was not afraid cause one she knew something HAD changed in Vikram for sure and two this was their equation from beginning, initially they were awkward, but they used to BICKER. Even now, despite the fact that she is still skeptical of his ass cause hello? he nearly killed Kabir, she is trying to accept the fact that he is not a threat, at least for Kabir. Cause well Kabir basically went Feral saving him, so they did establish some weirdass connection she doesn't know about, but again she isn't blind. She can see the devotion in Vikram's eyes for Kabir when he thinks no one is looking and that longing happiness in Kabir's eyes when he tries to be non-chalant. So here she is again bickering/ jabbing Vikram with her witty comments.
"That guy didn't HATE hate me okay? Kabir.. i didn't think he hated anyone as much as he hated me back then-" Vikram replied getting silent at before. " And anyways ,Yes I didnt spare Kabir cause I had my reasons okay? Does it make it fine? No. But is that truth of our lives now? Yes. Stop annoying me or I will add one more person in my list 'A girl whose name starts with K'. Understood? " Vikram threw back pencil at her as he teased back.
Both of them continued their fight/ bickering as they wrapped up everything. One person sat staring at the screen trying to process too many thoughts. Kabir smiled softly at Raghu and Kavya, only people in his life that remind him of his childhood and real self, getting along ( well.. kinda.. let him be in his delusion.). He was not happy with this meeting and definitely not happy with the conclusion, but if there's anything harder than changing already lost match's results, then it was changing Raghu's mind when he has already made his mind onto something. See and the thing was, Kabir did believe Raghu's assumption that maybe his life was in danger, but when is it not? But here, he had gut feeling that there was something way more deeper and darker than what Raghu was letting the world believe.. Oh no! He isn't doubting Raghu, he is just has feeling that Raghu doen't have any regards for his own life. And that is something Kabir won't accept. If death comes and knocks Kabir's door, he'll make sure Raghu is not even in same city as him before he opens the door. He will lose everything but his lifeline again. He texts Aditi letting her know "Time to party".