tldr; Akash Bedi is a 36-year-old criminal lawyer in Devil’s Junction, known for his sharp intellect, charisma, and high-profile clientele. Originally from Naperville, Illinois, he attended Princeton and Harvard Law, where his ambition and resilience set him apart. While he’s built a thriving legal practice, his affiliation with the Castenada family—adds complexity to his morally ambiguous world. A passionate Formula 1 fan, jazz enthusiast, and boxing aficionado, Akash balances his high-pressure career with yearly trips abroad, coffee-fueled days, and a lot of introspection. Despite his workaholic tendencies and stubborn streak, he’s a secret romantic with a love for literature and an unwavering loyalty to his family. Akash is a man torn between his pursuit of justice, personal values, and the compromises he makes to survive in the shadowy corners of Devil’s Junction.
b i o g r a p h y ;
Akash Bedi is a 36-year-old criminal lawyer in Devil’s Junction with a sharp mind, an imposing presence, and a reputation for winning high-profile cases. Born and raised in the suburban city of Naperville, Illinois, Akash grew up in a tight-knit, middle-class Indian-American family. His parents, both engineers, instilled in him a strong work ethic and the value of education. Akash was a bright and ambitious student, excelling in academics, debate, and sports, which earned him a full scholarship to attend Princeton University for his undergraduate studies.
At Princeton, Akash majored in Political Science with a focus on criminal justice reform. His time there solidified his interest in law and advocacy, particularly for marginalized communities. After graduating, he went on to earn his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he gained a reputation for his sharp intellect and eloquent courtroom presence. During his time at Harvard, Akash interned with prestigious law firms but also worked with nonprofits, providing legal aid to underserved communities.
After completing law school, Akash initially joined a top-tier firm in Chicago, where he quickly rose through the ranks. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he became acquainted with the Castenada family, a powerful gun-trading mafia operating out of Devil’s Junction. The connection was forged through a case where Akash successfully defended one of their key members, cementing their trust and earning their loyalty. Despite his moral qualms, Akash recognized the opportunities and power that came with this affiliation. Over time, he relocated to Devil’s Junction to build a practice that straddles both legitimate and shadowy legal work.
Akash is a complex individual, walking a fine line between right and wrong. While he genuinely believes in justice, his alliance with the Castenada family often forces him to defend morally ambiguous clients. This duality weighs heavily on him, and he struggles with the ethical implications of his work.
In Devil’s Junction, Akash has established himself as a go-to lawyer for those in trouble with the law. His office is located in a sleek, minimalist space downtown, reflecting his no-nonsense approach to his work. Despite his ties to the Castenada family, Akash is careful to maintain an image of legitimacy. He often takes pro bono cases to balance his reputation and assuage his guilt.
Outside of work, Akash enjoys boxing, a sport he picked up during his college years as a way to relieve stress. He also has a deep love for jazz and can often be found unwinding at local jazz clubs. His personal life, however, is complicated; he’s had fleeting relationships but struggles to let anyone get too close, fearing they might uncover the darker aspects of his life.
As a man caught between two worlds, Akash’s journey is one of constant conflict—between his moral compass, his loyalty to the Castenadas, and his desire to leave a legacy he can be proud of.
Positive Traits:
Charismatic: Akash has a natural charm and warmth that make people trust him easily, which serves him well in the courtroom and in personal relationships.
Resilient: He has a strong ability to persevere under pressure, whether it's in high-stakes legal cases or navigating personal challenges.
Negative Traits:
Stubborn: Akash can be inflexible in his opinions and strategies, often refusing to back down even when compromise would be beneficial.
Workaholic: His dedication to his career sometimes comes at the cost of his personal relationships, as he struggles to find a balance between work and life.
h e a d c a n o n s ;
Akash has been a passionate fan of Formula 1 racing since his teenage years. Sunday mornings are sacred to him during race season, and his favorite team is Ferrari (though he has a soft spot for McLaren). He dreams of attending the Monaco Grand Prix someday but hasn’t found the time yet.
Every year, Akash takes a big trip abroad to escape the stress of his career. He chooses a new destination each time, favoring places with rich history, vibrant cultures, or breathtaking natural beauty. Recent trips include exploring Istanbul’s bazaars, hiking in Patagonia, and indulging in Italian cuisine in Tuscany.
Akash is a devoted coffee drinker, relying on multiple cups of black coffee to power through long days. He claims he can “taste” the difference between average and high-quality beans and often jokes about opening a coffee shop when he retires.
He boxes regularly to stay in shape and release stress. It’s one of the few activities that allow him to clear his mind, and he secretly enjoys the adrenaline rush of a good sparring session.
Akash has a deep love for jazz music, a taste he developed during law school. His go-to escape is visiting local jazz clubs, where he often sits in a corner nursing a glass of whiskey, letting the music wash over him.
Akash is always impeccably dressed, favoring tailored suits and polished shoes. He believes appearance matters, especially when dealing with high-stakes clients and courtroom drama.
He has a small but carefully curated bookshelf in his apartment filled with law texts, crime thrillers, and existential philosophy. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment resonates with him deeply, though it leaves him unsettled.
Despite his busy life, Akash makes an effort to stay in touch with his parents back in Naperville. He sends them thoughtful gifts and calls weekly, though he avoids discussing the murkier parts of his life.
Though Akash struggles with letting people into his life, he’s a hopeless romantic at heart.
❛ ☾ ◟━ LOCATION: cat's home - backyard for lizeth's 2nd birthday party
❛ ☾ ◟━ TIME: mid-morning
❛ ☾ ◟━ STATUS: closed for @akashxbedi
Entering her home in silence, Catriona was focused on getting the tasks from her to do list completed. Luckily there wasn't really anything major to complete as it was more so the finishing touches to the decor for Lizeth's backyard birthday party. Despite the themes she had originally thought of, Cat decided to keep it a mix of simplicity, princess and fairy-like celebration as it was not only easy for everyone involved, but she could at least give her daughter the best of both worlds without having to decide between her current obsessions.
With the bouquet of flowers in her arms, Cat headed to the backyard and began to prep them for display. Humming softly, she trimmed the stems and leaves before placing the flowers in their respective vase along the table. Midway through the preparation, she noticed Akash approaching and as she glanced up, she greeted him with a faint smile and asked, "Is the birthday girl still asleep? I should be almost done and then I can get her ready...Thanks for watching her while I stepped out." Things had been civil between them and while he had been staying by her side, they both hadn't had the time to fully address where they were at with each other.
Akash lingered by the doorway, his posture a little more rigid than usual, the weight of the past few days pressing on him. “She’s still asleep, thankfully,” he said, voice soft but edged with something heavier—guilt, frustration, and a stubborn sort of longing all tangled together. “I didn’t do much, just kept an eye on her—and made sure she didn’t wake up early and discover any of your… fairy princess magic before you were ready.” He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a low breath. “Honestly, seeing you handle all this… how effortlessly you make it look, even with all the details and the pressure—you make me feel like I’m always two steps behind. I should probably take notes—or just resign myself to being forever outclassed in the party planning department.”
He hesitated, then took a step closer, voice quieter now. “The truth is… I’ve been on edge lately. Being here with you and Lizeth today—it's everything I ever wanted. But that day when I saw you together, my chest… it just tightened. I felt out of place, like I wasn’t part of this small world I’m supposed to care about the most. And yet… being here now, watching you prepare everything, it reminds me why I stay. Even if I’m still processing everything I saw and felt, being here with you, helping even in small ways—it feels like the one thing I can do to make it right. Like I’m exactly where I should be.”
Kai chuckled at Akash's self-deprecating joke. "Academic chic with a side of dread does seem fitting in the end, no?" he teased, his tone amused. "But I have faith you'll find the right tweed jacket and a pair of glasses eventually. Just make sure they're not too professor-y. We wouldn't want you to start quoting obscure philosophers on the regular." He nodded, appreciating Akash's understanding of the need for an occasional break. "Responsibility is overrated. Sometimes the best adventures start with a little chaos." He raised an eyebrow in faux surprise. "Lucky one? You tell me first." The man jested with a playful chuckle. “Her name is Bianca, and she’s…extraordinary."
He let out a small laugh, the tension in his shoulders loosening slightly at Kai’s teasing. “Yeah… ‘academic chic with a side of dread’ pretty much sums up my life some days,” he admitted, shaking his head. “I’ll leave the quoting of philosophers to the tweed-and-glasses crowd. No need to make things more complicated than they already are.” He paused, his expression softening as he considered Kai’s words about chaos. “You’re right, though. Sometimes the moments that matter most—the ones that actually make us feel alive—come from the unexpected, the messy stuff we didn’t plan for. It’s easy to forget that when everything is weighed down by responsibility.”
Akash smiled faintly at the mention of Bianca. “Extraordinary, huh? Sounds like you’ve met someone who makes all the chaos worth it. I get that. I mean… when someone comes along who shifts your world without even trying, you notice. And maybe that’s exactly the kind of chaos that isn’t something you fight—it’s something you lean into.” He shook his head, still smiling, a quiet warmth in his voice. “Guess the trick is figuring out when to take the reins and when to just let the ride carry you. Sounds like you’ve got that part figured out.”
Catriona felt a headache coming along as she couldn’t bear to see, let alone hear Akash and the weight of her actions hurting him this whole time. It pained her to see him, but she was now fully aware of the consequences of her choices and decisions that impacted him too. It should have been be said and not hidden. “Okay.” she softly confirmed with a nod. Walking up to him, she tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his cheek, “I love you and I’ll be here when you’re ready.” She was all out of apologies and rationale at this point that she was ready to just bury herself under the covers and probably cry herself to sleep.
Her expression was empty when she pulled away and murmured, “I’m gonna head to bed, whether you stay or not is up to you. I understand either way.” She then wiped whatever remaining tears she had and began to head to her room, but stopped as she went to check on Lizeth. Luckily her daughter was sound asleep and more at peace than any other person in this home. To Cat, it was a win, as long as her child didn't see her cry then that’s all that matters to her at this point. With a heavy sigh, she went inside Liz's room and quietly cleaned up her toys before tucking her in properly and sitting on her bed to find solace in her company. The day was coming to an end and being in her presence was just what she needed.
It hurt him to see the way she was reacting to him. He knew she was wrong but he had perhaps reacted poorly as well. Akash Bedi was normally a more level-headed person but clearly the feelings he had for Catriona were overpowering that side of him. Still he watched as she kissed his cheek, his Adam's apple bopping for a second before he nodded at those words. He wanted to follow her up. He wanted to hold her close and go to bed, forgetting today even happened. But that wasn't as easy as it sounded.
"Good night," he told her softly as she began heading up the stairs. Akash for his part--didn't follow her up, truly giving herself and himself some space tonight. Knowing that he at least needed it to clear his head and stop feeling provoked at the actions she'd taken today. Instead--he opted to sleep on the couch. He wanted to be here in the morning. He wanted to see the princess's face and he wanted Catriona to know that by still being there--it meant they were okay. They'd work through this little blip. They had to.
Thomas knows Akash is half-joking, but the “emotionally available Kang” line sticks in his head longer than it should. Maybe because it feels like a dare. Maybe because it’s easier to play the part than admit he’s still figuring out what that even means. He falls into step beside him, letting the ribbon comment roll around in his mind. “Alright, but if we’re doing this, you’re picking something that won’t get me roasted in three different group chats before I’ve even left the shop.” He glances at the shelves ahead, already imagining Vera’s mum clocking every detail like it’s a background check. “And for the record, if glitter shows up anywhere near this, I’m sending her straight to you for the engagement party seating chart.” It’s easier to keep talking than admit he’s actually enjoying this more than he thought he would. “So, go on then. Show me the one that says I’ve got depth, taste, and just enough mystery to keep your mum guessing.”
Akash’s mouth curved into a grin, the kind that carried both amusement and a hint of challenge. “Depth, taste, and mystery? You’re asking for a lot from a piece of ribbon, Kang. Even I have limits.” He reached out, fingers brushing over a spool before tossing Thomas a sidelong glance. “But I’ll find you one that doesn’t scream ‘pinterest board meltdown.’ No glitter, I promise—though the mental image of you explaining that to your mum is almost worth it.” He paused, softer now, though still masked under that easy tone. “You know, it’s not just about the ribbon. It’s about showing up, even in the little ways, and letting people see that you give a damn. That’s the part that sticks—more than colour schemes or whether Vera’s mum is clocking your every move. You can roll your eyes, but that’s the real depth.” Akash plucked a darker, understated ribbon from the shelf and held it out between them. “Here. Subtle, but not boring. Says you’ve got your act together without trying too hard. And maybe it’ll keep your group chats off your back… unless I decide to leak the glitter story myself.”
Seeing him take a step back, Catriona simply stared at him as she wondered what he wanted her to do. “Akash, I never said you stopped caring nor are you walking away...” she said at first. “If anything this is proof that you care so much and I broke that trust that you had for me to open up and let you in.”
Getting up, she set her tea down and walked up to him, “What’s done is done. I can’t undo it and so take whatever time you need. If you want me to say that I regret, then I do. ” A saddened smile graced her lips as she looked away, “If you think that at any point I ever questioned you, or purposely never gave you a chance, it was never my intention in the first place. I honestly was trying to not stress you out even more and that was a fucking stupid mistake on my end.”
This time she took a step back and allowed him to make a choice, whether he wants to stay or go. "I hurt you and made you feel like you're not a part of all this, I understand that now. So yeah, do what you need to do and I'll manage on my own."
Akash let out a slow, quiet breath, his shoulders tensing as he struggled to put the storm inside him into words. He ran a hand through his hair, then met her gaze, his eyes raw with both hurt and longing. “Cat… it’s not about walking away. It’s about feeling like I was left out of something that mattered—to both of us,” he said, his voice low but steady. “I get it, I do. You thought you were protecting me, and maybe you were trying to do the right thing, but it didn’t feel like that to me. It felt like I was standing on the outside of my own life, and that… that cuts deeper than you can imagine.” He stepped closer, though still keeping a careful distance, as if the space between them mirrored the weight of their words. “I’m not mad at you for trying to shield me. I’m hurt because I wasn’t trusted enough to be let in. Love isn’t just about intentions, Cat. It’s about being in it together, even when it’s messy. Even when it’s hard.”
His hands trembled slightly as he added, voice cracking just enough to betray the depth of his feelings. “I need time, yeah… but not because I don’t care. I need time because this… this matters. You matter. I want to get through this with you, but I can’t pretend it didn’t shake me. I can’t just sweep it under the rug and move on. And I’m telling you that not to push you away, but so you know—every choice we make from here, every word we speak, it needs to be real. Transparent. Honest. That’s how we fix this. Not by hiding, not by trying to protect each other from the truth.” He swallowed hard, letting the words hang between them. “I love you, Cat. And that doesn’t disappear because we screwed up. It doesn’t disappear because it’s complicated or scary. It just… needs to be fought for. And I’m willing to fight. But I need you with me, not just in pieces, not just in parts, but all of you. Even when it’s hard.”
"Yeah, well, I've been carrying this crap alone for thirty-two years, so maybe it's time to try something different." Lucian couldn't argue with what Akash was saying about Thomas being guarded—hell, that was putting it nicely when his brother acted like every conversation was some kind of negotiation where Lucian always started at a disadvantage. "Yeah, the pressure's been real, but you're right. I've been so busy trying to prove myself that I forgot I don't need his okay to exist." Maybe this whole mess wasn't just about getting what Dad should've given him, maybe it was about finally stopping the endless audition for a role he'd never actually get to play. "Can't tell if rare company is supposed to make me feel better or worse about this whole situation." He could feel himself wanting to make another joke, deflect like always, but honestly Akash had earned a real response after cutting through all the usual family bullshit. "Alright, I'll go talk to him, really talk this time instead of just trading insults and legal threats, but if he pulls that condescending big brother routine I'm walking out."
He didn't pretend to know exactly what Lucian was dealing with because not only did Akash not have any siblings but he also knew that if he did have siblings, their relationship wouldn't be like the Kangs because of how he'd grown up and the values his parents had instilled in him. "Exactly, you're your own person Lucian, and while Thomas is my friend, I'm not here to convince you to let your grievances go. I just think talking about it with a cool, calm and collected mind might help." Akash couldn't help the small smile at Lucian agreeing to talk to his brother. "Okay I can't ask for more than that, just try to keep your anger and frustration under control and hoping Thomas can do the same." He knew he was actively mediating a case instead of wanting to help his friend fight it, but figured it might help on the family front for the Kangs.
Holding back her tears, Catriona stood there taking in every word Akash was telling her. She heard him loud and clear, if she had just told him the truth then this wouldn’t have happened. Yet she assumed that his stressful days and nights at work didn’t warrant this kind of news. The intention to keep that away from him wasn’t to hurt him, but she understood now that it was wrong either way as he felt like she had shunned him out. Was there even a point to apologizing? They were just words after all.
She could feel her mouth go dry as soon as he decided that he wanted time to unpack all these emotions he was feeling. Cat flinched slightly when he took a step closer, feeling like she didn’t deserve to be in his space. “Okay.” she managed to say after much thought. “Take all the time you need. I’ve learned my lesson and what I need to work on...” There was nothing left to say as she knew her words wouldn’t be much help. In fact, she had nothing to say and would rather sit in silence and disassociate from reality than live in it. Regaining her composure, she nodded, “You don’t have to stay. I get that you need time to process. I’ll wait for you when you’re ready.” With no emotion on her face, she brushed past him and headed to the living room to lounge on the couch and to finish her tea in silence. Cat thought she ran out of tears, but it seems like her body was betraying her as they kept rolling down her cheeks. There was no use in stopping herself and so, she let herself be.
Akash stood there for a long moment, watching her retreat to the couch. He’d told himself to keep his distance, to protect the parts of him that still ached from the discovery, but seeing her sitting there—eyes red, tea forgotten—cut through that resolve like it was made of glass. “I don’t… want space from you because I stopped caring, Cat,” he said quietly, his voice softer than it had been all night. “It’s because I care too much. And when you keep something this big from me, it makes me wonder if I even know where I stand in your life. That’s not a question I ever wanted to have about us.” He stepped closer, slow, cautious, as if approaching her might undo the last thread holding him together. “You think I wouldn’t have been able to handle it? God, Cat… do you know how much I wish you’d given me the chance to prove you wrong? I would’ve carried this with you. Gladly. Every ounce of it. Because that’s what I do when I love someone—I show up, no matter how heavy it gets.”
His voice caught then, and he had to look away for a second, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth to keep it steady. “But you didn’t give me that chance. You made the call for both of us, and now… now I’m standing here feeling like I’ve been on the outside of my own life.” Akash dragged a hand over his jaw, the exhaustion in his eyes more emotional than physical. “I’ll take the time I said I need, but don’t mistake it for me walking away. I’m just… trying to find my way back to you without tripping over all this hurt.” He didn’t touch her, though he wanted to. Not yet. Instead, he let his gaze linger a moment longer—just enough to let her see the truth of his words—before he finally stepped back. But he didn't walk away, even if she'd given him a way out if he'd wanted it.
With a heavy heart, Catriona nodded in silence willing to meet him halfway. She was exhausted, defeated, yet a tiny part of her felt hopeful after hearing that Akash still loved her. “Okay.” she confirmed with a shaky breath. “I’m sorry for all this…For not letting you in. I'm sorry that I hurt you...” The guilt suffocated her to the point where she was trying her best not to let it consume her. She needed to focus on what’s happening right now and what she can do moving forward. She needed to put effort in their relationship and rebuild that trust that her boyfriend may have lost because she didn’t let him in fully. “Thank you for staying.” She could practically feel her throat close up out of fear as she was worried to say the wrong thing, but after taking a deep breath she met the lawyer’s gaze and agreed on his terms, “I’ll tell you how I really feel, even if I don’t have the words in the moment. I won’t hide parts of myself or leave you in the dark, I don’t want to shut you out…”
She then turned her back on him and began to steep her tea. Catriona could feel the tears rolling down her face against her will and as much as she cursed herself internally for not being able to keep her emotions at bay, she left it as it is. If she wanted them to work, he needed to see her at her worst, even if it pained her to let her boyfriend see her this way. “It’s complicated with Zayaan.” she admitted while adding some sugar and cream into her cup. “And that’s why I let him meet Lizeth. I heard his side of things and I realized that I have a knack for assuming what’s best for us when it’s the total opposite. I protected him without even realizing that there was no need to, that I should have just let him in…Then maybe I wouldn’t have left my daughter fatherless for a year and struggled to terms with it. I did all that to save myself, but I was selfish for not thinking of his feelings and how what we had could have been real.”
Taking the spoon, she kept reminding herself that she was in the comfort of her own home, with the man she loves, making tea, and that she was in a safe space to let go of her vulnerabilities. “He didn’t guilt me into wanting to see our child, but I felt guilty knowing that I had broken his heart when it could have been prevented from the start.” Taking the mug, she wrapped her hands around it to feel the heat radiating from it. She wanted to feel something tangible rather than the overwhelming amount of emotions she was feeling. “I made it clear that he has to let me go, but I know that it'll take him time. With that being said, I love you so much and I'm trying to grow from the woman I was a year ago. I will embrace the fuck ups, I will trust my heart with you even though it's pretty fucking terrifying. I value you as you've been a huge component of mine and Lizeth's life, I don't want to take it for granted, I don't want to lose you too." The conversation she had with Zayaan flashed in her mind as she remembered what he had told her, that he would have chosen her over everything, that a part of him never left her. Slowly turning around, she walked over to Akash and looked up, tired, all cried out, and said, "If you'd like me to set a boundary with him, please tell me. I can let him have days with Lizeth without me there or you can be present and we can get her after...As much as it hurts me to see him like this, I've moved on from him. Our main focus is Lizeth and working out this co-parenting relationship. Therefore, the next playdate is that circus event that's coming to the junction."
He knew she was sorry. He understood that but a part of him wondered if she realized what had really hurt him. It wasn't that she'd planned to meet up with Zayaan, after all--Lizeth deserved to meet the man. His jaw tightened as he looked at her, the weight of everything settling heavily between them. “Cat, it’s not just about how or when you told me. It’s that I saw you and Zayaan—together, with Lizeth—before you said a word to me. That’s what hurts the most.” His voice was low but steady, the pain underneath barely contained. “It wasn’t some gossip or offhand comment from someone else. I saw it with my own eyes, and I was left piecing it together alone while you kept quiet.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to process the mix of anger, hurt, and confusion swirling inside him. “That silence—it feels like you didn’t trust me enough to handle the truth. Like I wasn’t important enough to be part of that decision, part of that reality.” He looked away for a moment, struggling to keep the sting from his voice. “I want us to be real with each other, no matter how messy or complicated things get. But when I’m kept in the dark, it makes me question everything.”
Akash’s eyes softened slightly as he met hers again. “About the circus... I know you want to move forward, make things lighter. But right now, I’m not there mentally. I’m still trying to untangle what I saw, what I’m feeling. I want to be there for Lizeth, for you—but I need time to wrap my head around all this, to trust, before I can show up to something like that and actually be present.” He stepped closer, his voice quiet but firm. “This isn’t me shutting you out. It’s me asking for honesty—even when it’s hard—and a little patience as I try to work through this. Because I love you, Cat. And if we’re going to make this work, we have to be better than silence and secrets.”
Aarti felt her throat tighten a little at his words, not because he was wrong but because he was so completely right it actually hurt to hear. "You know what? Your cousin superpower is actually terrifying," she said, trying to keep her voice light even though her chest felt heavy. She'd been carrying this weight for so long that the idea of putting it down felt almost impossible, like she'd forgotten how to function without the constant pressure of keeping secrets and managing everyone's expectations around her fake life story. The thing about leaving doors cracked open instead of forcing them wide was hitting her harder than she wanted to admit because it meant her parents had been watching her struggle and choosing patience over pushiness, which was probably the most loving thing they could have done even if she hadn't recognized it at the time.
"I guess I never thought about it like that, them offering me moments instead of demands," she said quietly, and wow, that realization was making her feel like kind of an idiot for not seeing it sooner. All those gentle check-ins and careful questions she'd brushed off as normal parent worry had actually been invitations to trust them, and she'd been too scared to take any of them. "Maybe you're right about letting them help carry some of this stuff instead of protecting them from it," she admitted, though the thought of actually doing it still made her stomach flip. "Okay fine, I'll think about cracking the door open instead of keeping it locked, but if this all goes to hell, you're buying the first round when we inevitably need to drink about it."
“Alright, but if I send you a photo, you’d better not roast me in the group chat. I can’t handle another ‘Thomas shops like a hedge fund manager’ meme.” He tries to sound light, but Akash’s words actually hit somewhere real. Maybe he does overthink it, but he’s not about to admit that out loud. “You know, I wish intention counted for more. Most days it just feels like I’m one awkward gift away from getting side-eyed by everyone at brunch.” He glances at the tea set, then back at Akash, trying not to let on how much he actually cares about getting this right. “Honestly, if your mum wants proof I’m not emotionally stunted, maybe I should just staple my therapy bills to the ribbon. That’s got depth, right?” He snorts, shaking his head. “Let’s just find something that looks expensive enough to distract her from asking when I’m finally getting my shit together. I swear, if you pick glitter, I’m blaming you when she starts planning our engagement party.”
His mouth curved into the faintest smirk, though there was an ease in his expression that softened it. “First of all, I wouldn’t roast you in the group chat—” a brief pause, “—without at least sending you the draft first. I’m not heartless.” He leaned back slightly, letting his gaze wander over the display in front of them before returning to Thomas. “And trust me, intention does count. Maybe not to everyone, but to the people who actually matter? Yeah. It does.” He glanced at the tea set, tilting his head as though weighing its merits. “Stapling therapy bills to a ribbon would make you memorable, I’ll give you that. But expensive-looking is easy. It’s thoughtful-looking that trips people up.” There was no judgment in his tone—just a quiet truth he’d clearly learned the hard way. “Besides,” Akash added, his smirk tugging back into place, “if she starts planning an engagement party, you’re on your own. I’m just the guy who pointed at the shiny thing.”
Catriona remained silent while Akash spoke, fixated on making her tea and trying to remain calm. She quickly wiped away her tears and took a deep breath as she was mentally telling herself to get a grip. He was right in many ways and his feelings were warranted that she no longer had anything to say other than nodding. This is the part she loathed about herself, the shutting down, the endless overthinking, the pulling it all together to not be a burden to the other and just letting go. She was exhausted, more so on herself as she wondered why she couldn't grasp that it was okay to share such baggage with someone she loves. Not once did her boyfriend ever pressured her or tried to change her, he held space and made her feel safe and secure with her feelings. However, when the time comes for her to face them head on in unexpected situations, she immediately retracts and finds excuses to avoid it. That wasn’t fair to Akash and Catriona understood that, but easier said than done when her words don't match her actions.
The sound of the kettle finishing up interrupted her thoughts. “Okay.” she finally acknowledged while taking the handle and pouring the boiling hot water into her mug. “I understand.” Her mouth practically felt dry as she could feel her cracked voice betray her, already struggling to find the words she’s been meaning to say. When he really looked at her, pleading for what they needed to work on and build from there, Cat’s heart weighed heavily as she knew how much she had hurt him. “I’m scared.” she admitted at first as she took a step back as if she was not worthy of even being near him to feel his warmth. “You stand here, telling me all this and you’re not wrong, but I’m scared that I’ll fuck this up again. I want to promise that I’ll let you in and not carry this all on my own, but I’d be lying to you at that point because I know it’s easier said than done.” She paused as she was trying to formulate the words that showed how she felt and how she wanted to move forward. “…Having to undo a habit that I’ve known and at times makes me feel safer to retreat to—I find myself so far gone that I don’t even realize the impact and severity of the situation until after.” She wasn’t trying to justify her actions, she just wanted him to understand where she was coming from.
She fell silent knowing that her truth may either make or break their relationship, but there was no going back now. The stoicism was creeping back in, a shield that blocked her from feeling too much as her dark hues softened, growing faint and empty. “I don’t want to lose you and I want to keep trying…I know I need to put in effort to break this habit and include you when the going gets tough, but I will have days where I simply can’t. I’m okay with being held accountable for it and I do want to work on this and our relationship overall. So while I don’t know how to fix this, I’m willing to keep trying by taking what I learned today and applying it to us moving forward.”
She paused while casting her gaze at the hardwood flooring as she felt the walls caving in, despite trying to keep herself calm and collected, “—However, I also understand if this is something you can’t do, especially if you want a definite answer on whether I’d be upfront with the truth or not right now. In all honesty, I’m someone who shuts down and shuts out. I'm someone who doesn’t want to hurt the ones I love even while knowing that it’s okay and all they want to know is the truth. I'm afraid of failing, so I exhaust every option possible to prevent it from happening. All that? It’s fucked up as those were real vulnerabilities that I struggle to come to terms with. I want to get better…I don’t want to give up even though I feel like it right now…I love you, I do and I acknowledge that I need to let you in when it comes to all of me, the good and the bad. It wasn't fair that I withheld everything thinking it would be best for us, that just makes things worse and I'm fully aware it should have been a two way street between us to begin with.”
Akash stood there, his chest tight, every muscle caught between wanting to reach for her and wanting to keep the space she’d built for herself. He could see it—the way she was folding inward, not because she didn’t care, but because she cared so much she was afraid to move wrong. And God, part of him wanted to just tell her it was fine, to sweep the whole thing under the rug so neither of them had to feel this raw right now. But that wasn’t love—not the kind they’d promised each other. He let out a long, slow breath. “Cat… I’m not asking you to promise you’ll never shut down again. I’m not asking for perfect. I’m asking for real—even when it’s messy, even when it’s ugly, even when it’s not fully formed yet. I’d rather you tell me, ‘I don’t know how to talk about this right now, but I’m trying,’ than be left piecing together what’s wrong from the outside.”
His gaze softened, even through the ache in his chest. “I get that you’ve spent years teaching yourself that retreating is safer. That letting someone in feels like giving them a loaded weapon they could use against you. I don’t want to rip that armour off you and leave you exposed. I just… I want you to trust that I’m not here to take a shot. I’m here to carry some of the weight when it gets too heavy to hold by yourself.” He stepped closer, not to close the distance entirely, but to make sure she heard him without doubt. It killed him to see her this way, to hear her words but hadn't he proved himself enough? Hadn't he been here for her? Clearly the answer here was no. “When you hold it all in, you don’t just protect yourself—you shut me out of us. And that’s what hurts. Not that you struggle, but that I don’t get to stand next to you in the middle of it. I’m not afraid of your bad days, Cat. I’m afraid of you thinking you have to face them alone.”
He paused, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t give you a definite answer tonight on where we end up, because that’s not how relationships work. They’re not a single decision—they’re a series of choices we make every damn day. And right now, my choice is to stay. To keep trying. To meet you in the middle, even if we trip on the way there.” Akash couldn't pretend her words didn't scare him. Of course they did but how could he admit that right now? She was already dealing with enough guilt--he didn't need to add to that even more. Finally, his voice dropped to something almost fragile. “I love you. And I’m not going anywhere tonight. But I need you to meet me halfway—not all at once, not perfectly, but with the willingness to try. Because that’s how we turn this into something we can actually grow from instead of letting it hollow us out.”
"Yeah, well, being honest about getting screwed over isn't exactly a choice anymore." Lucian pushed back from his chair slightly, and maybe this conversation was actually going somewhere instead of just being another lecture about family dynamics he'd heard a thousand times before. "I get what you're saying about building something together, but have you tried talking to Thomas lately? He acts like sharing breathing space with me is doing me a favor." He hated to admit it, but the thought of those kids seeing him as an outsider was rough. "Peace over power plays sounds nice, but I've been peaceful for thirty-two years and all it got me was more waiting." He rubbed his face, tired of this whole mess but knowing Akash was probably right about the misunderstandings just piling up year after year. "Fine, I'll talk to him, really talk this time instead of just throwing accusations around, but don't expect miracles, we've both got decades of resentment to work through."
Akash didn’t flinch. If anything, Lucian’s honesty earned a quiet kind of respect. There was power in saying it plain, even when it came laced with bitterness. “Good,” he said. “Because being honest about getting screwed over? That’s the first real step toward not carrying it alone.” He let the silence stretch for a moment, not rushing in to fix anything with platitudes. “I’ve talked to Thomas. Not only about this. But enough to know he’s… difficult. Guarded. And yeah, he makes it seem like connection’s a favour, not a need.” Akash exhaled, thinking of all the ways this family had taught them to perform closeness—loyalty, tradition, control—but never true vulnerability. “You didn’t just wait, Lucian. You adapted. You survived. That’s not peace. That’s pressure pretending to be calm.” He looked at him, steady. “So no, I don’t expect miracles. But choosing to talk—to really talk—isn’t about fixing it overnight. It’s about refusing to let silence win.”
“You’re not an outsider. You’re a man trying to show up in a family that doesn’t make that easy. That puts you in rare company.” Akash gave a small nod. “So go talk to him. Not only because it'll solve everything. But because it’s who you’ve decided to be. And that matters.”
Kai chuckled lightly, his tone nonchalant but the glint in his eyes betraying his amusement. "Fair point. Oversized knits are, indeed, a statement piece. You've got that whole 'academic chic' thing going on with a dash of the unexpected." He leaned back, crossing his legs casually. "But I should give you some credit. You don't quite scream philosophy professor. You're missing that iconic tweed jacket, the thick-rimmed glasses, and the perpetual air of existential dread." The man chuckled out haughtily. “Honestly, I wish I could say I’ve been up to more mischief, but I’ve finally got someone keeping me grounded enough to not stir up mayhem. So…”
Akash smirked, shaking his head. “Academic chic with a side of existential dread—that’s the vibe I’m unintentionally cultivating, huh? Guess I’m falling short without the tweed jacket and glasses, but hey, maybe there’s still time.” He chuckled softly, appreciating Kai’s mix of humour and honesty. “Grounded enough to stay out of trouble? Sounds dangerously responsible. But I’ll take it—sometimes mischief needs a solid foundation.” He paused, then added with a teasing grin, “Though don’t get too comfortable. You know chaos has a way of sneaking back in when you least expect it. Except now I'm curious, who's the lucky one? Or are you luckier?”
"Perfect, go full dramatic with the family curse angle," Aarti said, grinning despite everything. "She'll absolutely lose her mind and spend weeks researching remedies." But his words about her parents leaving the door cracked open instead of forcing it made her stomach flip because wow, she'd never thought about it like that before. All those gentle check-ins over the years, all the times mama asked if she was sleeping okay or papa mentioned she seemed tired during video calls—she'd chalked it up to normal parent worry, but maybe they'd been picking up on her stress and just waiting for her to come to them instead of demanding answers. "So you think they've been watching me struggle this whole time and just hoping I'd eventually trust them enough to open up?" That was both incredibly sweet and kind of heartbreaking because it meant they'd been carrying this quiet concern without knowing what was actually wrong. She'd been so focused on protecting them from the truth that she hadn't considered they might want to help carry some of that weight. His comment about cousin superpowers made her roll her eyes. "Great, so basically everyone can tell when I'm lying except me thinking I'm being sneaky about it," she said. "That's super encouraging for my self-confidence."
Akash’s lips twitched at her sarcasm, the corner of his mouth lifting despite the heaviness in the air. “Yeah, well, your self-confidence might take a hit, but your family surveillance rating is off the charts,” he said dryly. “Seriously though—none of us are as sneaky as we think we are. Especially not with people who love us and know us.” He moved his hands into his pockets, grounding himself as he watched her. The quiet between them now felt less tense—more like space being made, instead of distance being created. “I don’t think they were just hoping you’d come to them,” he said gently. “I think they were offering you moments—little, everyday chances to say, ‘I’m not okay,’ without pressuring you. That’s not passive. That’s love being patient.”
There was a softness in his voice now, a kind of knowing that came from the experience of watching people he loved wear brave faces for too long. “We don’t always realize when someone’s holding out their hand in the dark, you know? Not until we’re ready to reach for it. You weren’t wrong for protecting them, Aarti. But maybe now it’s time to let them in—just a little. Let them be more than just people you smile for.” He stepped a little closer, not intruding, just steady. “And for the record? I know it’s hard. I know it’s terrifying to hand over even a fraction of the weight you’ve been carrying, especially when you’ve trained yourself to believe it’s yours alone. But no one—no one—gets through life without leaning sometimes. Doesn’t make you weak. Just makes you human.” His gaze softened, warm and earnest. “You don’t have to do it all tonight. Just… don’t shut the door all the way. Leave it cracked. Let the people who love you find their way through.” Akash hesitated for a breath, then said, quieter now, “You don’t have to be okay yet. But you’re not alone in figuring it out.”
Catriona fell silent as she stood there taking in each word that was said from her boyfriend’s perspective. She didn’t interrupt him as she was processing how he felt and where he was coming from. In fact, she agreed with his points, she should have been transparent from the get-go, but now that she didn’t, it truly felt like it was too late to repair what’s already broken. “I was wrong…” she finally said after a long pause. “I was wrong to assume, I understand that now…” She was trying her best to remain calm, but the panic and the disappointment was eating her up, on top of the guilt and seeing Akash blatantly hurt by her actions and decisions. Her thoughts were getting the best of her as she wondered if this was even worth fighting for if she was always going to fuck things up between them. The pattern in itself was her holding back and making assumptions rather than trusting her boyfriend from the very start. To let him in and embrace all that she is and all that she has. Instead, she’s keeping him at arm’s length, assuming that she was protecting him, but instead she was ruining him and their relationship.
“I trust you. I really do!” she managed to say out loud with a desperate tone. “My timing was shit and I was really going to tell you! I know I fucked up!” When he took a step back, Cat frowned as she felt her throat close up, struggling to express what she needed to say. “You were never replaceable…” she whispered out. “And it was never my intention to make you feel forgotten. I honestly approached this to not hurt you, but I’m completely wrong! I didn’t realize it until it was too late!” How could she fix this? Was this even repairable? When she fell silent she could hear her own heart beating out of her chest, her ears ringing and her breath labouring as she felt backed into a corner with no escape out. It was right then and there that Catriona felt pathetic, thinking that she even deserved a love like this when she was known to fucking things up in the first place. She thought she was getting better, she thought she had changed, but old habits die hard and reconciling with her past felt like she was going back to her old ways.
Taking a step back, she took a deep breath and did her best not to cry. Again, this was her fault, who was she to express herself when she caused all this to begin with. “I hear you. I get it if I broke any trust that we had. I understand if you need space from me and from the fact that Zayaan is back in the picture.” The doubt that she’d been running away from all these years began to creep up on her. She should have stayed closed off, she should have not opened her heart if she knew she had unfinished business and now here she was feeling like she was losing the most important person in her life that made her feel like life was worth living. Stoicism took over as she met his gaze and walked past him to head to the kitchen to fix herself a cup of tea. “You know...You’re right.” A sardonic laugh escaped her lips as she took the kettle to fill it up with water, “I am a liar.” she confirmed out loud as she plugged in the appliance before opening up the cupboards to pull out a cup, sugar and tea bags. “I knew this was a bad idea and yet, I still went with it. I knew I should have stayed closed off. I knew I shouldn’t have let you in because all I would do is hurt you, like I had hurt Zayaan.” Taking a shaky breath, she could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she whispered, “I tried protecting him too…And I got it all wrong...Even after all this time, I still manage to hurt the ones I love.”
Akash’s eyes darkened, the weight of his frustration and hurt settling deep inside him like a quiet storm ready to break. He inhaled slowly, each breath deliberate, trying to hold back the raw ache that threatened to spill out—not as anger, but as something far more fragile. “Catriona, I need you to stop with the ‘poor me,’” he said quietly, his voice edged with a sorrow that cut deeper than any sharpness. “This isn’t a contest of who’s broken more or who’s made the bigger mistake. I’m not here to hear you unravel yourself because you’re terrified of failing. Because honestly, I’m scared too.” He closed the distance between them, the silence stretching heavy with everything unsaid. “I’m hurt because I trusted you with my whole self. I believed we were building something real—something where the truth, no matter how messy or complicated, was shared between us. But finding out about Zayaan from anyone but you… that’s not just disappointment. It feels like I was erased from a chapter of my own life.”
His voice wavered, the vulnerability bleeding through the cracks in his usual control. “It’s not about the decisions you made. It’s about the spaces you left me in—spaces where I was supposed to be your partner, your confidant, and instead I was a stranger watching from the sidelines.” He shook his head slowly, the pain raw and honest. “You say you were protecting me, but protection doesn’t come from silence. It comes from trust. From letting someone in, even when it’s terrifying to be vulnerable.” Akash’s gaze locked on hers, fierce yet soft, like a plea born from the deepest parts of his heart. “I’m not here to fix you or carry the weight of your past. But if we’re going to keep standing in this together, you have to stop carrying it all alone. Because love—love is supposed to be our shared burden, our shared strength. It can’t survive if the truth keeps slipping through the cracks between us.”
It was in that moment that Catriona knew she fucked up. The hurt in her boyfriend’s eyes was enough for her to understand that her assumptions were wrong. The intention he had for the day was ruined completely by a choice that could have been prevented if she had just told him the truth. Panic set as she wasn’t sure where this conversation was going to go. Cat understood Akash’s feelings and had no plans on dismissing them completely, but a part of her wished he could see it from her end and the difficulty of explaining her intent.
“You’re not an idiot…” she whispered out, hurt by how he felt about himself. “It was never my intention to hide all this from you. It happened all fast and the timing was never right in my eyes.” Catriona felt absolutely defeated, not knowing what to do at this very moment. What were they even doing? This whole time she thought they were fine, building a relationship from the ground up and strengthening it with each day that passes by. However, her judgment and decisions got the best of her that it seems like she was doing this all wrong. What else was new? That doubt at the back of her mind started creeping up as she felt like she ruined everything. “I’m sorry…” she repeated after a pause. “I just didn’t want you to carry this, not when he…” She felt her voice unwillingly cut off as she felt a wave of anxiety rush over her. She knew he wasn’t going to be happy with what had happened between her and Zayaan in the stables, let alone what was said, but she knew she had to tell him the truth to explain why she held back on it.
“We spoke at work, I asked about the gifts, and we talked about what happened…After hearing how he felt and his perspective, I made the decision to let him meet her and from there, we then worked out a day where he could visit Lizeth.” Cat took a step forward and finally met Akash’s gaze, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” she admitted. “I don’t know how to navigate all this, protecting you, protecting Lizeth, hell even protecting him! And before you tell me it isn't my job to, then maybe you don't understand what goes through my mind at that very moment and that's okay because I see it as a me-problem. I worry, I care, and I do too much for the people I love...I acknowledge that!" The panic in her tone began to set in as she couldn't stop herself from spilling out the truth, "So yeah, I’m doing what I can, but I know it’s not enough. I didn’t tell you right away because I knew you’d feel a type of way if you found out how Zayaan felt about me. It would derail your whole week and I know it would feed into your job. After what’s been happening lately, I didn't want it to hinder your performance to the point where those people might think you’re either being sketchy, or unable to carry out their requests! I didn’t want them to doubt you to the point where they’d target you!”
Akash didn’t speak at first. He just stared at her—torn between love and the sharp, sudden ache of being left out of something that should have involved him from the start. His jaw clenched like he was trying to bite back everything he wanted to say. But then, quietly, it broke loose—not anger, not volume… just pain. “You did ruin the day, Cat.” His voice didn’t rise. It cracked instead—low and even, like something had finally given out in his chest. “Not because you saw him. Not even because you let him meet Lizeth. But because you stood there and decided for me what I could handle. You kept me in the dark to protect me like I’m some ticking bomb. Like you had to manage me along with everything else.”
He let out a breath, ran a hand through his hair as if trying to find clarity in the chaos of it all. “I’ve been fighting my whole life to prove I can carry weight. To show that I’m not just a lawyer in someone else’s game, or some guy standing at the edge of other people’s families.” His gaze found hers again, and this time there was no shield, no irony—just hurt. “And the one person I thought saw that—really saw that—decided I couldn’t be trusted with the truth.”
He took a shaky step back like it physically hurt to stay where he was. “You think I wouldn’t have understood? That I couldn’t have handled hearing what Zayaan said? You think I haven’t had to sit across from men who want things they’ll never have? I do that every damn day. What I don’t do is lie to the people I love. What I don’t do is put them in a position where they feel replaceable in their own life.” There was no malice in his tone, just grief. A kind of devastation that came from realizing someone had been playing defence in a game he didn’t even know he was in.
“I know you’re trying. I know you care. I don’t doubt that for a second, Cat. But you should’ve let me try too. You should’ve given me the choice to show up—even if it was messy, even if it hurt. A fucking text message would've sufficed. If you had just told me it was happening...I wouldn't have had to feel so...forgotten.” His voice dropped even lower, the words nearly swallowed by the ache behind them. “I didn’t need you to protect me. I needed you to trust me.” And with that, he went quiet. The silence between them heavy, stretching out like a fault line neither of them had ever wanted to cross.
