Whispers Of Withering Hearts

ANVIT POV:

I wasn’t someone who talked about my emotions.

I wasn’t the kind of man who picked up the phone to spill my heart out.

But right now?

I didn’t know what else to do.

Before i could stop himself, before i could overthink it, i grabbed my phone and dialed.

The phone rang. Once. Twice.

Then—

A gruff voice answered.

“…Anvit?”

I exhaled sharply, already regretting this. “Hey.”

A beat of silence.

Then—

“Why the hell are you calling me?”

I winced. “Good to know you still hate me.”

A hollow chuckle. “Hate is a strong word. But considering I’m still not sure if I want to punch you or not… Yeah.”

I sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “Fair.”

More silence.

Then, cautiously, her brother asked, “Is Tarini okay?”

Something in my chest tightened.

“…Yeah.” my  voice came out rough. “She’s fine.”

Another pause.

“…Then why the hell are you calling me?”

I hesitated.

Because I don’t know how to deal with this.

Because I don’t know how to process the fact that your sister has been in love with me for years and I was too blind to see it.

Because I don’t deserve the way she has always been there, and I don’t know what to do with that.

I inhaled deeply.

And then—

In the most awkward, reluctant, completely un-Anvit way possible—

I muttered, “I… don’t know what to do.”

Silence.

Dead silence.

Then—

“…What?”

I clenched my jaw. “I don’t know what to do.”

Ronav sounded amused now. “Okay. And you thought I was the right person to call?”

I groaned. “Shut up.”

More laughter. “No, seriously, what is happening?”

I hesitated.

Then, voice quieter, rawer—

“She’s loved me all this time.”

Silence again.

A different kind of silence this time.

One that was heavy.

One that told me i wasn’t the only one struggling with this truth.

Finally, ronav let out a slow breath. “…Yeah. She has.”

My throat tightened. “…Why?”

There was a beat of silence.

Then—

“Because she’s Tarini,” Ronav said simply. “And that’s what she does. She loves with everything she has, even when she knows she might not get anything in return.”