June, 1999

ACP sir was sitting in his chair, going through last of the case files he was assigned to hand over to the head quarters. He was leaving for Delhi the next day. This was the last task pending before he could finally set out of the office and leave the rest in his team's care.

His concentration broke when he felt a presence in the empty bureau. He looked up and watched through the glass cabin as Abhijeet, boiling in rage, was dragging a very embarrassed looking Daya by his wrist and into the bureau.

"Sir, I'm sorry. Mai dobara bichmein-"

Abhijeet raised his hand and Daya immediately shut up. "Agar yahanse hile bhi, toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga." He said in anger, pointing his finger at Daya.

Daya downed his head.

"Ladki hai, ladki hai..kya ladkiya khoon nahi kar sakti?" Abhijeet gritted his teeth. "Tum ek CID officer. Mujrimon keliye sympathy aa bhi kaise sakti hai tumhe?"

"Magar sir voh toh sirf ek suspect--"

"Just shut up!" Abhijeet shouted, and Daya flinched, immediately lowering his head again. "Interrogation kar rahe hai hum. Unke aansu pohochne keliye nahi baithe hue hai yahanpar. Tumhara yahi ravaiya raha toh phir toh hogaya kaam."

Daya swallowed thickly and mumbled an apology. He saw Abhijeet's feet disappearing and hurriedly tried to follow him, only to retreat in fear when those fiery eyes looked at him in a rather threatening manner.

In that moment, Daya almost wished the earth would swallow him. Abhijeet gave him another burning glance as he stalked off from there. When the sound of his footsteps disappeared, Daya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. His mouth twisted into a sad frown. He was going towards his desk when a sudden question rose in his mind. Would Abhijeet berate him again for moving from that place? He knew it was silly but not impossible. If the interrogation didn't go well, which he hoped it did, Abhijeet would definitely make him see stars in the broad daylight.

ACP sir was quite amused with the scene unfolding before him. He saw Abhijeet give Daya death glare when he tried to follow him and almost laughed at Daya's misery. He slid aside the file and stood up, walking towards Daya who was still contemplating whether to move or stay there itself.

"Kya hua Daya? Daat pad gai?" He asked, mockingly serious. Daya turned around, startled. Though, he immediately straightened his posture, still bowing his head with a sad expression on his face. "Jee sir."

ACP sir shook his head in disappointment, smiling gently. "Kya kiya issbar?"

Daya looked offended, ready to defend himself but it was gone as soon as it came. He replied, "Sir voh log suspect ke upar bahot chilla rahe the. Abhijeet sir bhi. Mujhe yeh galat laga isliye maine unse shaant rehne ko kaha."

"Asha aur Sudhakar bhi the na saathmein?"

"Sir, voh log bhi bahot gussa kar rahe the." He mumbled. "Confession thoda aaramse bhi le sakte hai na?."

ACP sir clicked his tongue, "Interrogation ke waqt toh aisa hota hai Daya, tum toh jaante ho. Nahi toh mujrim apne mun pe tala lagakr baith jaega. Unhe darana padta hai."

Daya nodded reluctantly. "Pata hai sir. Par Abhijeet sir kuch zyada hi hyper ho gae the. Maine sirf issliye interfere kiya."

"Kitni baar interfere kiya?"

"Jee?" Daya was not expecting that.

"Tumne kitni baar dakhal andaazi ki, Daya?" He repeated himself.

Daya's pressed his chin against his chest, answering in a very low tone, "Do baar, sir."

ACP sir shook his head, "Tum bhi na Daya. Phir toh voh chidhega hi."

Daya opened his mouth to protest but then looked away, his face showing displeasure. ACP sir patted his shoulder. "Haan pata hai. Use itna gussa karna nahi chahiye, pata hai. Lekin use wapas aae teen hafte hi toh hue hai. Seekh jaega." He said, softly.

Daya quietly nodded making him smile. He said in a fake serious tone, "Ab yeh mun latkake mat khade raho. Chalo mere saath. Mujhe headquarters chhod do."

"Abhi iss waqt?" Daya exclaimed.

"Haan, kyun?" ACP sir raised his eyebrow. "Koi problem hai?"

"N-No sir." Daya hurriedly said, then added in hesitation, "Sir..voh ek baar bas..Abhijeet sir ko batake..unhe lagega mai gusse mein chala gaya. Phir voh aur bhi ukhad jaenge. Bas unhe batakar--"

ACP sir let out a short laugh. "Andar gae toh aur daant padegi. Message dalo aur chalo. Mai abhi aaya file leke."

"Voh toh humesha daante hi rehte hai. Ab toh adat hogai hai." Daya muttered under his breath as ACP sir went inside the cabin, unaware that he had already heard it.

--

March, 2012

When Alok, a college teacher who had evidently murdered three of his own students, refused to open his mouth, ACP sir signalled Daya who gave a hard slap to the teacher. The man lost his balance, falling to a side but his only reaction was a shrill laugh. Abhijeet rolled his eyes, hauling him back to his feet. "Dekhiye Mr. Alok," he said in a chewing tone, "jaldi se jaldi mun kholna shuru kijiye. Varna tera kya haal hoga, tu soch bhi nahi sakta."

Alok hissed at him. "Maine kisika bhi khoon nahi kiya hai. Maine bataya na aapko?"

He stumbled backwards, receiving another hard slap but before he could fall, he was pulled forward by his shirt collar. The next thing he knew, he was gazing into Daya's death-promising eyes and he felt his resolve waver.

"Kuch nahi kiya tune? KUCH NAHI KIYA TUNE?" Daya jerked him with a great force, "Unn teen bachon ki jaan li hai tune. Kya bigada tha unhone tera haan? Kyun mara tune unhe?"

Alok was choking because of Daya's iron grip. When Daya jerked him for a second time, the remaining air was knocked out of his lungs and he felt his head spin due to dizziness.

Everyone instantly surrounded them, trying to separate the two but Daya didn't bulge.

"Sir jaane dijiye use." Freddy said, panicking. "Sir voh mar jaaega."

"Daya." Abhijeet called him, rushing forward, lines of worry on his forehead too.

"Sir chhodiye use, please." Nikhil pleaded.

"Daya, Daya chhodo use. Kya kar rahe ho tum?" ACP sir yelled in tension.

"Nahi, sir." Daya jerked Alok for the third time, who looked like he could pass out at any moment. "Isne unn bachon ko mara hai sir. Ise toh mai nahi chhodunga."

Abhijeet had enough. He gripped Daya's arm and eyed him in a warning manner, "Daya. Abhi ke abhi chodo use." He said in a dangerously calm voice.

For a moment Daya gazed back at him with the same intensity, but when Abhijeet tilted his head as if saying 'you'd dare?' , certainly not backing down, he pushed Alok, letting him go. Everyone else went to help the man. Freddy made him sit on a chair and Nikhil gave him a glass of water, ACP sir patting his back as he coughed violently.

Here, Abhijeet who was still holding Daya's arm, gave it a light tug seeing that Daya was breathing heavily. Daya refused to look at him making Abhijeet annoyed. This time he pulled his arm with enough force to make Daya look at him.

"Kya hai?" said a very annoyed Daya.

Abhijeet gave him a surprised look. "Kya 'kya hai'? Daya jaan lelete abhi tum uski."

"Mai khali use dara raha tha." He grumbled.

"Dara rahe the, yeh darana tha?" He pointed at the man still coughing in intervals, rubbing his neck unconsciously.

Daya looked at him and smirked angrily, "Dekho kaise sach ugal raha hai ab." He jerked his hand free from Abhijeet's grip and rubbed the sore spot.

His smirk faded when ACP sir's angry eyes met his and he lowered his gaze. ACP sir was standing right infront of him eyeing both of them. "Yeh koi tariqa hua?" He scolded Daya. "Voh mar jata, use kuch hojata toh?"

Daya kept quiet for a long time but realising the two pair of eyes were still gazing at him, he sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

That only increased his senior's anger because clearly Daya didn't mean it. "Daya tum--"

"Sir," Abhijeet intervened, then softened his tone, "sir, please. Mai samjha dunga use. Yeh dobara nahi hoga, sir, mai vada karta hun aapse."

ACP sir narrowed his eyes at him.

"Sir. Aap toh jaante hai na." Abhijeet quietly supplied, lowering his gaze too.

Indeed, ACP sir knew. The kids weren't any older than 16/17 years and so the soft hearted CID officer had lost it when the man responsible for their deaths acted so carefree. As if he'd done the right thing and yet refused to confess his crimes.

ACP sir sighed then. He nodded at Abhijeet, motioning him to take Daya outside and Abhijeet obliged.

"Daya, chalo mere saath."

But Daya stood there stubbornly. Abhijeet clicked his tongue, "Daya!" He held his elbow and pulled him. "Chalo!"

Daya looked at him in displeasure but then rubbed his face to calm himself and left the interrogation room reluctantly. Abhijeet shook his head in exasperation as he followed behind, closely. "Ruko yaar."

ACP sir watched them go and shook his head, rubbing his own forehead with his thumb. The influence the two had on each other extended to adapting to each other's attitude, where Abhijeet was calmer now and Daya more testy. Who knew all those years ago that it would be Abhijeet calming Daya instead of other way round. A small disgruntled smile appeared on his lips before he moved to interrogate the now more than willing to confess Alok.

The End

A/N It's an OS based on a personal observation. Abhijeet during the early era was a very short tempered guy and Daya used to extremely calm. Later, Abhijeet was the calm one and Daya the hot headed guy. No, Abhijeet's anger didn't completely vanish. It was only that he seemed more in control of himself and we see many times in later years that he stops Daya from doing something he'll regret in anger. Daya did the same during the earlier era and so this OS was based on that.

Thanks for reading. Please do read and review.

Take care,

Janhvi.