Reyansh finally stepped into the house at 7 PM, dragging himself through the door with every ounce of exhaustion from a long office day. His tie was loosened, blazer wrinkled, and the laptop bag hung heavily from his shoulder. All he wanted was a hot shower, fresh clothes, and a few minutes of peace.
But peace, of course, had other plans.
"BHAIYA! Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream party!"
Vivaan appeared out of nowhere, practically bouncing on his toes, eyes sparkling with excitement. Reyansh groaned, collapsing onto the sofa. "Vivaan… not now. I'm dead tired," he muttered.
"Dead tired? Pfft! Ice cream waits for no one!" Vivaan declared, performing an exaggerated spin on the carpet as though the universe would magically summon an ice cream cart. Reyansh rubbed his temples. "Vivaan… I'm serious. I need—" But before he could finish, Vivaan had launched into full "Operation Ice Cream." He pouted, rolled his eyes, made exaggerated sighs, and even pretended to faint dramatically on the floor.
"I swear this child has energy for ten people," Reyansh muttered under his breath, trying not to smile at the ridiculousness of it all.
Retreating to his room, Reyansh hoped a shower would slow Vivaan down. But the moment he stepped into the bathroom, Vivaan appeared at the door, knocking and calling every thirty seconds: "Bhaiya! Done yet? Ice cream is melting!"
"I'm brushing my teeth!" Reyansh shouted.
Vivaan, undeterred, offered everything imaginable: "I'll do all my homework… clean my room… even give you the first slice of last week's pizza!" Reyansh sighed, realizing no tactic would work until he faced the storm head-on.
Finally dressed and slightly refreshed, Reyansh emerged, only to be met with Vivaan performing a full-on theatrical sob. His arms were flung dramatically across the bed, eyes brimming with fake tears. "You've got energy for ten people, I swear," Reyansh muttered again, though a tiny smile threatened to break through his exhaustion.
And then it happened. Patience snapped. "Vivaan! Enough! Can't you just leave me alone for five minutes?!" The words came harsher than intended. Vivaan froze, hurt flashing across his eyes. With a small stomp, he stormed off to his room and slammed the door behind him, locking it with a click that echoed in Reyansh's ears.
Reyansh sank onto the sofa, heart sinking. Immediately, regret washed over him. Vivaan was just a child—full of energy, craving attention and love. Reyansh exhaled. "I… messed up. I need to fix this."
He walked to Vivaan's door and knocked gently. Then a little harder. Then… creatively. "Vivaan… open up. I'm sorry. Please… ice cream mission awaits!"
Vivaan ignored him, so Reyansh tried everything: singing a ridiculous apology song, pretending to cry dramatically, and even pressing his forehead against the door, whispering, "I promise… no more scolding… just ice cream and fun."
After what felt like forever, the door creaked open. Vivaan's arms were crossed, eyes wary. "Proper apology, Bhaiya, or no ice cream," he said firmly.
Reyansh bowed theatrically. "I, Reyansh Malhotra, humbly apologize for scolding my amazing, energetic, and incredibly adorable younger brother. Can we go now?"
Vivaan hesitated for a second, then a wide grin spread across his face. "Fine. But double chocolate topping, Bhaiya!"
The brothers made their way to the ice cream parlour. Vivaan practically skipped while Reyansh dragged his tired feet, secretly enjoying the sheer joy on his little brother's face. Scoops of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry were devoured, laughter filling every corner of the shop as they teased each other over sticky fingers and dripping chocolate.
After finishing their ice cream, Reyansh noticed Vivaan's eyes gleaming with another kind of mischief. "Bhaiya… can we go to the restaurant too? You know, Munchurian and fried rice? Please?"
Reyansh sighed but smiled. "Fine… you really love your cravings, huh?"
They walked into a fancy hotel restaurant, the warm lights and soft music giving the place a cozy vibe. Vivaan's eyes widened at the sight of the buffet and menu. "Look! Munchurian! And chow mein! And… and…" His excitement was unstoppable.
Reyansh chuckled, pulling out chairs for them. "Eat your fill. Just… don't make a mess this time."
Vivaan immediately grabbed a plate and loaded it with crispy, golden munchurians and fried rice. Reyansh shook his head with amusement and served himself a moderate portion. Vivaan, however, insisted on taking a bite of everything Reyansh had first, resulting in playful shoves and mock scolding.
"Vivaan! Stop stealing my food!" Reyansh laughed, though his eyes softened at the sight of his little brother enjoying himself.
"Bhaiya! Sharing is caring!" Vivaan shot back with a cheeky grin, stuffing a piece of fried rice into his mouth.
After a fun, messy, and laughter-filled dinner, Reyansh leaned back, full and satisfied, while Vivaan leaned against him, rubbing his stuffed belly. "Bhaiya… you didn't have to do all this," Vivaan said softly. "But… I'm really glad you did."
Reyansh ruffled his hair gently. "I know. You're my little brother. You deserve all the fun, all the attention… even all the Munchurian you can eat."
Full, happy, and a little sleepy, they left the restaurant, walking side by side under the calm night sky. Reyansh glanced at Vivaan, who was still chattering about which ice cream flavor he wanted next and what restaurant they should visit tomorrow. In that moment, Reyansh realized something important: no amount of office stress, no long day, could compare to these moments of laughter, chaos, and love with his little brother.
And for tonight, that was enough.
Author Note:
"Hope you enjoyed Reyansh and Vivaan's evening chaos! Sometimes, love and attention mean more than words, and a little ice cream or a favorite meal can fix even the toughest scold. Comment your favorite part and tell me what you want the brothers to do next! 💛"