Hello folks! Hope all are doing swell on the forum. Long time no see 
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 🙏Decided to give a lil advance birthday treat for some of you who have been the sweetest lot to me on IF this year 
The title is from the song Night Changes, sung by One Direction 
Hope you like it. Would appreciate any criticism and/or feedback 
Also encourage my talented fellow forum members to continue it, incase you find that opportunity! 
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Plot: This is an AU story based in the ZMGA zone. Pritam is leaving the Sakhuja house after a month or so of living there, because he feels he has endangered them by staying there, and with the current allegation of being a possible murderer, drug peddler and what-not in his undercover activities, he does not want to want to take any chances. He has a soft spot for them now.
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Pritam sat on his bed with his arms crossed across his chest as he stared at the packed boxes stacked and scattered along the floor. Tonight was his last night in the house before he would go off, back to the world he belonged to. Being an undercover cop was indeed, a scary thought, but Pritam had learned that moving to new places wasn't always a bad thing. Take moving into the Sakuja household, for example. He'd admit that it was extremely troublesome, especially with the family members having their fun squabbles and quarrels and comic moments 99% of the time. It was interesting that it took them mere weeks to learn how to work with each other and they still managed to find a way to bug each other to death. However, it didn't take as long for him and them to become allies.
Pritam stood up, shaking his head after his thoughts dwindled to Amrita. Thinking about her was so difficult because she made him feel things that he could never truly explain. His idea of logic never worked with her. Pritam walked out of the room and to the cupboard in order to get his mind off of things. He considered calling up his peers/informants to while his time before going to bed to find out the new room. However, instead of getting his mind off of Amrita, the complete opposite happened.
As Pritam stood in the room, thousands of memories of the Sakhuja family and him poured into his mind. It never dawned on him that he would ever feel this way about them. Their countless talks to get over heartbreaks, trials and tribulations of the pandemic and what followed next. It truly seemed like no one understood Pritam more than them now, and vice versa.
Pritam's eyes began to water as he thought of the fact that he was leaving the next morning. It was hard for him to understand why it hurt so much to even think about saying goodbye, so he left the room, and climbed downstairs with his baggage in the almost silent house at 3 am, and stood in front of their main door.
He stood there for a few seconds, contemplating on what he was doing. Instead of knocking, Pritam walked into the hall room, startled to see Amrita in the middle of a mini-ice-cream party from the fridge with Kabir, Soni and Angad.
"I'm sorry," Pritam mumbled profusely from outside the window, as he kept his eyes fixed on the floor.
The startled quartet recovered from the surprise and Amrita exclaimed,
"Oh, no. It's fine, really. You alright?"
"Honestly? Not really."
"Don't worry, you're not the only one on the boat," the quartet sat on the sofa, their back against the headboard as they motioned for Pritam to sit next to them.
Soni, Kabir and Angad took the bigger sofa, and the smaller one was left. Amrita sat next to him and hugged one of the pillows.
"I think I don't want to go anymore, but I cannot put you all in danger due to my work anymore." he said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
"Yeah, but that means no more Fun Times with Sakhuja."
"If it is any consolation, we’ll miss you bhai, you know that, right?", Angad exclaimed.
He nodded his head, "I'll miss you all, too, especially the kheer."
They went on talking for hours till they saw the peak of dawn come in, post which they all went and fell asleep in their rooms, but Amrita was so tired with all the pregnancy tensions, she was unable to wake up and ended up sleeping on the sofa itself. Before they retired for the night, Pritam gestured to the sibling trio that he would drop her off, but then slumber caught up with him and he slept soundly for once. Amrita’s head was in the crook of his neck and while it was a little awkward, it was not wholly uncomfy per say. It was almost like those moments you saw only in the movies. But unlike those moments, it had to end sooner or later. Pritam nudged for her to wake up, walking her to her own room so that the family wouldn't wake up and find them together like this. He didn't want either of them to get in trouble, so instead he waited for her to fall back asleep in her own room before going back. He wrote a letter to Sakhujas thanking them for everything, and put on Amrita's desk.
Pritam left before anyone woke up in the house. He didn't say goodbye to the rest of the family because he knew it would be too hard. As Pritam sat on his bike, he wished that he could have said a proper goodbye to Amrita and the rest of them and sighed. He ravaged through his backpack for gum and found a letter instead. When he opened it, he was glad to have found that it was Amrita’s beautiful handwriting.
Oye Kiraayedaar Ji,
There's not much that I could say at this very moment and so much that I could do. It's going to be different living in this house with the new tenant and his family. There'll be no one to help me keep the sanity! I hope that you adapt to everything smoothly. I know that it's difficult for you, but just remember that you can always come back once things are safe. Until then, take care of yourself (not that I have any doubt that you can, especially with the gun you have and your gunda attitude). Dadaji will definitely be counting the days.
Your Friend,
Amrita
Pritam smiled and placed the letter in his pocket, feeling better knowing that he wasn't the only one who would be counting the days.
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One Direction ~ Night Changes
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