Girrrl!!!! I didn't know what to expect from this meeting. It was inevitable but for once in the world of fanfiction, this was not a meeting I had been particularly looking forward to. The way you had weaved this world had made me fall in love with the micrcosmic paradise Anika and Om had built for themselves. It was so poignant, so down-to-earth kind of real and so romantic, that I had developed this protective sort of feeling for the two together, and despite the combined efforts of all those Oberois marauding about in London, I had wanted to keep Ani-Om there, away from Shivay, away from the risk he seemed to threaten purely from the fandom shipping POV.
But then the pain that Shivay was going through was one that demanded Om return and I had tried to steel my heart at the possibility of cracks appearing in that paradise I had fallen in love with. The very possibility of Shivay somehow being a reason for a split in Ani-Om's relationship made me sad for then everything I had fallen in love about their married life would have been proved to be false. And now I know all my fears were needless.
Anika built herself a life with Om while Shivay who tried to have his feet in two boats, couldn't. And maybe that is because Anika has gone through struggles that Shivay could not imagine. Maybe Anika is a survivor because she always could adjust to everything that life had thrown at her while Shivay till now, had survived by remaining inflexible, sticking hard and fast to what he regarded as his 'principles'. Her strength had allowed Anika to change over time and pick up the pieces from the damage that the encounter with SSO had wrecked upon her. It had allowed her to move on. While the strength that had served him well for most of his life had broken him when he had tried to change. Because, as you so wonderfully described here, it was a fight he was having with himself. And when something rigid tries to bend, it breaks. And when he didn't have both his brothers together trying to pick up the pieces he was in, he remained broken.
And so we finally came to the meeting that I was half-dreading, and it was perfection. Your spectacular writing gave us a conversation that really did not flinch at trying to make sense of this mess that lay between them. And Anika, oh lord! I had forgotten how much I used to love her at one point! Your Anika was everything I wanted her to be in this scene. Not triumphant. No, I did not want that. But the maturity of someone who has experienced wedded bliss trying to make sense of the hurt that envelops Shivay from his failed marriage and life-choices. And I can now see them becoming a family. Never forgetting what could have been (at least on the part of Shivay) but not letting that take away from the fact that the Oberois could now become a family. Om is back and with BOTH his brothers with him, Shivay will heal.
And he will grow.
And while the last few lines were so very beautiful, I do hope this will not be the end.
Love,
Twerps.
Edited by twerping - 8 years ago
Shiv Shakti
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
