Kshitij paced down the corridor with agitation. His fitted black tee clung to his frame, sleeves tight around his biceps and designer joggers high on his hips. His fist clutched the half-crushed energy drink can, other hand running through his hair at the thought of Harsh.

God... that brat would send him into a stroke. Agni bhai was uncompromising when it to came to his rules. If that brat messed up even once, he would have to bid goodbye to his princely ass. Last time this punishment was imposed after he had lost his temper and punched an associate's son, he was forbidden from attending any party or social event for seven months. His personal vanity was sealed. His servants were taken down. No cars. No bikes. No shopping. No birthday celebrations.

Nothing.

The worst?

The staff was prohibited to refer to him as 'Prince'. It had shattered his ego when even his inferiors began to ignore him. Their eyes, once deferent, had turned indifferent. Some even smug.

That was how fragile power was.

He glanced out.

Outside the grand gates of Maharaja Rao Memorial University, the usual line of polished cars waited with security detail, a few personal drivers leaning against the far wall, gossiping in low tones. They scattered away when any of their masters' walked past, casting furtive glances.

This would how he would be treated if he lost his title. A moment of forgotten authority blurred the distinction between a master and a clown for these people.

Fear was power. He couldn't let it slip away like that.

It was absolutely unacceptable.

He turned around to wait for his twin when his thoughts turned darker and more chaotic. Something about his serene face sparked a feeling of safety he couldn't deny himself. Atleast it wasn't Shay who had messed up. It eased some of his anxiety because he had one less thing to worry about. When it came to his twin, he couldn't tolerate anything short of perfect for him.

The glass door swung open and Shay stepped out of the lab.

His eyes flicked to his apple watch, noting Shay left the lab fifteen minutes prior. He shifted at his place just as his brother peeled off his lab coat and folded it in one precise motion, draping it over his arm. Approaching him, Shay smelled faintly of antiseptic.

Shay stopped in front of him, brows raised.

"Are you guarding me like a watchdog?"

He looked away, arms crossed as his eyes scanned the almost empty corridor.

"Quiet. I'm thinking," he muttered.

Shay scoffed. "Of course you're. Let me guess, Agni bhai punished you too?"

Before he could respond, a familiar voice called out from a nearby corner.

"Hey, Prince."

It was Devraj Chhabra, the son of one of Supreme Court judges. He was spiteful, sharp-tongued, and always dressed like he was the one going to court instead of his mother. He strolled over in his black blazer.

"Will you join us at Lunch? Just us, or I think Nihal will be tagging too."

Jay stepped forward instead, jaw tense. "Not free," he replied tersely.

Dev raised an amused brow, eyes flicking from Shay who had pulled out his phone with casual disinterest, and back to Kshitij. "Are you his spokesperson? You should be," he jabbed with a cold, sharp smile.

Shay exhaled slowly and tensely, but not looking up. "Guys..."

Jay flashed a slow, practiced smile. "I appreciate your suggestion. Reminds me of: think twice before speaking."

A beat of silence.

Dev stared back at him darkly, glancing at his friend.

"Maybe we are destined to meet only at parties. Then again, nothing can be done about it. Bye, Prince." He tipped his head in shallow respect and walked away, plugging on airpods.

Kshitish sighed as he looked up. He peered at Dev's retreating back from around his twin's broad shoulders. "You could have been nicer," he hissed, glaring at him.

Kshitij rolled his eyes. He didn't reply though, used to the routine. Even though Shay was only twelve minutes younger than him, he couldn't be more different and sensitive. He had his... world. An emotional personal space where he didn't allow just anyone. Dev was an exception. But he too was only allowed to hover near the threshold. Torn between guilt and his guilty pleasure of staying alone, it was always Kshitij who had to step in and build up his walls ten times higher to restrict the world from invading his personal space. Since Shay didn't want to blame himself, it was fair he poured his frustrations on Jay, holding him accountable for things he himself wanted.

It was a complicated thing.

He ignored his twin's mock displeasure since he knew he was internally prancing with joy.

Shay's lips twitched, but he masked his face, maintaining a blank face.

Kshitij smirked, shaking his head at how happy his twin was from his little accomplishment.

Just like a puppy.

Kshitij turned toward the hallway, walking ahead.

"You still haven't told me what happened between bhai and you," Shay offered, falling in pace with his twin.

"Death sentence," he muttered.

"That bad?"

"Tell me, how I'm supposed to keep that whore's son out of trouble when he's addicted to it?"

Kshitish flinched. "Enough," he said, voice tight. "Don't drag me into your nonsense. You brought this upon yourself. Don't forget about your little stunt last night."

Jay turned, eyes narrowing. "Oh, pity for him?"

"Oh, someone is envious? I'm not blind, Jay. Just because of you, I'm ashamed to meet Sneha's gaze."

Jay flinched, looking ahead.

His chest became heavy.

Of all their staff, Shay was closest to Sneha, even more than Neelakshi Udawat, the one who was almost a family to them since she and her brother were best friends of their bhaiya.

Shay's favoritism for Sneha went as far as he had specifically requested Agni bhai to never assign her to anyone else other than the two of them. Something about her quiet, meaningful presence and their unspoken understanding fascinated his twin since he was only eleven, the first time they were assigned PAs to manage their life. It was a surprise considering how particular Shay had always been. 

[This work is only published on Scrollstack and Wattpad by DaisyDayNew.]

He had rejected four others in the span of a month before Sneha arrived, post their bhaiya's death. Every time- vague reasons.

"Too noisy."

"Too fake."

"Too uncaring."

"Too much detailed."

But when Sneha's turn arrived, she barely spoke a word beyond the necessary greetings. Shay didn't said anything either. A month later, he approved her, making Prithvi bhai sigh with relief. When his twin agreed, Jay immediately accepted her as well. Because if Shay accepted something, it was natural he accepted it too. 

But Isha...

She was a different story altogether. Unlike her mother, she was loud, invasive and flashy since she hit her teens. Maybe it was the lack of a father figure or something else. But she was completely an attention seeking bitch. 

So much as that brat.

Whores.

"That was her own daughter's fault," he muttered after a beat, quelling the guilt. He wasn't a God who could save everyone. 

"She has been throwing herself at us since she turned eighteen. It had to end someday, no? What should I have done instead? Watch her be bred by one of us and next moment have her as a daughter-in-law of Rajvanshs?"

Kshitish inhaled sharply. "That's not what I meant."

"That's exactly what you meant."

"You used her to win favor against Harsh. Stop with your sabotaging excuses and just accept that for once. You could have informed Sneha right away but you didn't. Instead, you took the matter to Agni bhai and now her only daughter will never be allowed to step a foot in here. She was humiliated before us, Jay. Don't you have some common sense? She was ashamed because our brother wanted to sleep with her daughter."

Kshitij shoved his twin lightly as agitation simmered in every inch of his body.

"I'm not responsible for anyone," he spat and tossed the crushed metal in a dustbin as they passed by it around a corner.

Their surroundings changed as they reached the ground floor with wide halls buzzing with soft, polished noise. A few acquaintances passed by, nodding in respect. Jay flashed a fake, sculpted smile that never reached his eyes. Shay merely nodded, poker face.

Jay stormed ahead.

Shay paused, watching his brother's retreating back with a frown as frustration pinched his chest.

Why did his brother never try to understand him?

                By the time his twin caught up, Kshitij had claimed a plush seat in the student lounge outside the canteen, that was just beside the shaded exit leading to the private parking drive. A few servants in cream colored uniforms quietly took rounds, offering refreshments and updates to the heirs they worked for. It wasn't uncommon for servants to be employed as spies to snoop on friends and rivals alike. This system was trained since beginning.  But he wasn't interested in knowing who hated whom.

No one was a friend. No one an enemy. Only shifting purposes. 

It was something Yuvi bhai often taught him. Over time, Jay had stopped caring about friends and foes alike. They must serve his purpose. That's it.

In the end, loyalty as such didn't matter. Everyone was opportunistic. Himself included.

Which brought him to his main concern.

Harsh.

Under any other circumstance, he would have burned the brat's future with pleasure. He wasn't meant for this life. He hadn't earned it. He hadn't bled for it, cried for it.

But now... Jay's survival was tied to his.

If Harsh failed, they both did.

It was unfair how effortlessly that brat had been gifted the same status as them just because he shared a sperm donor.

It was cruel. But that was the kind of chessboard Agni bhai played on.

He was stuck between sacrificing a pawn or losing his King.

Bad.

Or worse.

He wasn't stupid to choose the latter.

"Are you skipping your class?" Shay asked, sitting beside him.

He blinked lazily, hands draping over the backrest. "Aren't you too?"

Shay crossed his arms, leaning back. "Not in the mood. Nothing useful is taught in those rooms anyway."

"Biology is literally the study of life—"

"I said useful," Shay pointed out.

That silenced Jay.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while.

A few steps away, an assistant handed a cold towel to a student sweating under the July heat.

No servants...

His chest coiled with anxiety. At last, he decided to unload some of it. Only his twin could listen to him the way he wanted.

"I have to watch that sneaky bastard 24/7 from now on because... what if he gets into another trouble? Spread his legs like his mother?"

Shay stared, eyes sharp. "Really?"

Jay glanced at him, before looking away as he crossed his arms.

"He's not a criminal," his twin added carefully. "He's just... wild. And selfish... And horny."

"That's my problem," Kshitij muttered, pinching his nose bridge.

Another pause.

Not fair.

Not fair.

Not fair.

The game was rigged from the start.

Shay peered. "What exactly is your punishment?"

Jay's shoulder slumped. "The worst." He shuddered, staring blankly ahead the reminder of stakes.

"Bhai told me..." he began. "He said if that brat messes up again, my title will be stripped. In fact, it's not even mine till I make that brat win it. Like he is a racehorse I'm betting my title on."

Shay winced, face twisting. "Damn. That's... rigged."

"Exactly," Kshitij quipped bitterly, standing up again. His fingers twitched as if ready to punch something, but he couldn't. He just took a deep breath and focused. There must be some way to win. Some move... some hidden trick. Something he was clearly missing in stress.

Then something shifted in his eyes.

Shay caught it instantly, leaning away. "Don't."

"What?" Jay turned to him, smug.

"That look."

He grinned, leaning forward slowly and dangerously. "I have an idea," he whispered.

"No, no, no." Shay frantically shook his head. "That look means trouble. No, Jay. You're dumb and brainless. Don't try being smart. It's an insult to the race of intelligence itself."

"C'mon."

"No," Shay spoke sternly.

"It's for his own good."

"Yeah. By good you mean, your good. I'm your twin and I've known you since the womb. You can't make brightest decisions. Just drop it already. You'll create more chaos than you fix."

"Listen to me once."

"No."

Jay grabbed his shoulders with a maniac look, firmly pressing down his twin who tried to squirm away.

"I said, you have to listen."