“Why are you here?” Aditya asked, finally. With a start, Rao realized he had been silent for some time, staring blankly at Aditya, wanting to do—something. Wring Aditya by the throat, perhaps, or shake him. Or hold his face and say I wish you could be more than this. I wish you would grieve as I grieve, and hate as I hate, and be the person you were when you and Prem and I were boys. I wish, I wish.
