Underground fighter, Abhimanyu Birla is a man with it all; money, good looks and a championship belt around his waist, but in a chance encounter with a woman with the voice of an angel and the heart of a saint he's found something he desperately wants but really shouldn't have.

This story does not follow the current storyline and is made up by me, I do not own all characters in this story. Please be aware that this story will depict descriptions of a mature nature; gore, blood, sex, language etc.

~~~

Affliction had been a milestone life had set out, one Abhimanyu had continued to reach yet never surpass. Regardless of how much he tried, cried, bled and begged, agony polluted each and every blood vessel till the magnitude of pain became what his muscles were made of.

In order to exercise the torture, make it a strength and never a weakness, he had to submerge himself in darkness, isolate his soul from any emotion that made him feel good and break his own heart, that way no one could ever be a match for the singular thing that had made him and destroyed him all at once.

His Father had said it better than he ever could, "You've fought all your life, now step into that ring and transform the ache into someone else's pain, beat that burn into someone else's bones" and that was exactly what he did, it was what he had to do.

Fight someone else so he didn't fight himself.

"Birla" a voice growled out behind him, "It's time" Harshvardhan patted his back like one would whip their dying horse starved of food, love and a prize fit enough to make their owner grin.

"Sir' Abhimanyu turned, nodded his head in slight recognition and walked toward the arch, feet spread apart and his heels hitting the ground with a fervour a child would when they didn't get what they wanted.

Shrugging off his black hoodie, he eyed the crowd warily with each step he took towards the ring. Clenching the barbed wire with a wrapped hand, he tugged his body upwards and flung himself over, landing on his toes as he grinned menacingly at his opponent.

The lights dimmed, basking him in a spotlight he often wished he wasn't in, then the bell rung, once, twice, thrice and he once again embodied the abyss he'd grew up in.

~~~

"So wait," blonde brows furrowed, "You DON'T want to fall in love?"

"Nope" silky tresses of soil spilled over her shoulders as she shook her head.

"Why? I mean, I see you here everyday, reminding these children who thought they weren't worthy of love that they are, you possess so much love to the point of embodying it, why on earth would a woman like that not want to fall in love?"

Akshara smiled, pure and heartfelt as she squeezed her colleague's hand. "Because I don't want to wake up someday to find out that my love wasn't enough, kids are easy to love, the world is new to them and they're desperate to grow up and feel the love they read in books, but when they actually reach adulthood, everything is that much harder, sometimes the very things you fall for are the things you begin to despise, nothing is ever as clearcut, simple just doesn't exist, but Hailey, the warning is in the words".

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"Whoever thought anything good could come from falling?" Pushing off the desk, she headed to the lightswitch only to turn her head over her shoulder. "When you grow up, the light goes off and the only thing to turn it on is love, I have love, with my brother, with you, with this job, I can't afford to pay the bill that comes with romantic love, in this day and age, who can?"

"And you don't think any of that sounds a bit, oh, I don't know, CYNICAL?"

Giggling, she placed her hands on her hips. "Perhaps, but it'll save me a whole lot of heartbreak, I want to be happy, Hails, I want to light up someone's life, not allow someone to darken mine".

"And what if you have no choice? Hmm? What happens if you just fall? The warning's in the words, right? No one ever chooses to fall, Akshara".

"Well, then, I-".

"Miss, Miss" a little voice cut her off, "Can you sing us to sleep again?"

Hailey patted her shoulder lovingly "Your fans await" traipsing away, she slipped through the doors to give them some privacy.

"What am I singing tonight?"

"The one from Tarzan, Miss, pleaseee".
Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, she leant forward. "Come stop your crying, it will be alright" holding out her hand, "Just take my hand, hold it tight, I will protect you from all around you, I will be here, don't you cry" lifting the girl into her arms, she snuggled her into her chest. "For one so small, you seem so strong, my arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm, this bond between us can't be broken, I will be here don't you cry".

~~~

"Hailey".

Glancing up from the computer, Hailey smiled, "Abhi".

"From the fight" he slid an envelope gently toward her. "The Sinners won't be bothering you anymore" he vowed, tone deep as he nodded.

"You know you didn't need to come back for this, right?"

"Of course I did, this was my home, our home, without this Orphanage we would have been on the streets".

"I'm sure your Dad would've taken you in" she suggested, knowing as well as him that he would've rather saw his son rot.

"What and risk acting like an actual Father rather than running the Devils? I think not" he chuckled hoarsely.

"Well he brought up Neil, surely that counts for something?" Placing a hand over his, she blinked away tears at the bruises slowly appearing on his ripped skin.
"Hmm" looking around, he nodded. "I see you got rid of those horrible white walls".

"How did I know that would be the first thing you noticed?" She scoffed.

"I better be off" turning toward the door, he halted in his steps, spinning on his heel, "That singing" a slight tremble rung in his voice "Who is it?"

"Akshara Goenka, our newest volunteer".

"She didn't request a pay check?"

"Not once".

"Ah" his face turned void of emotion once again and just like that, he was gone.

~~~

"Akshuuu" a male voice groaned playfully through the phone, "How many times have I told you not to work this late".

"Bhaiyaaa" Akshara imitated, "The kids asked for one more song, what was I meant to do?"

"Say no?"

"Hawww, you know I can't do that" she pouted, coffee coloured orbs widening in dismay.

"Well, at least allow me to drive you home" Kairav pled, there was nothing more he hated than his sister wandering through dark alleyways alone, especially in a city as bad as this one.

"I'll be fine and anyway, don't you have that fight to prep for? You know I'm the only one allowed to kick your ass" poking her tongue out playfully, she giggled.

"Ha ha" he spoke dryly. "I'm not going to lose, the Saints never do, the Devils haven't got anything on us" pausing thoughtfully, he hummed, "Although, I heard Birla was back".

"Who?"

"Abhimanyu Birla, he left to fight overseas, made a name for himself, now he's back to take over from his Father".

"Yeahhhh, I don't know who any of those people are" she shrugged.

"And that's a good thing, keep it that way" Kairav warned, "You don't need to know who they are, all you need to know is that they're dangerous".

"That why they're called the Devils?"

"Um-hm".

"So what about the Sinners?"

"Even worse, God, Akshu, we've been over this".

"I know, I know, but I can't find it within me to care enough to remember, whoops" glee filled her tone.

Ignoring her comment, he spoke again "Text me when you're home, I'll be at the gym, or you can meet me there?"

"What and watch sweaty men lift weights? No thank you".

"Women workout here too, you know".

"Again, sweaty people, not my thing, we've been over this".

A slow grin spread across his lips, "I know, I know, but I can't find it within me to care enough to remember, whoops" he mimicked.

Sliding her phone into her pocket, she shook her head at his antics, for a world class fighter, he really didn't act all rough and tough around her.

"Hey girl, where you going so late?"

Feeling her blood run cold, she scrunched her hand around the lapel of her coat and began to speed up her pace.

"Hey" the man placed his hand on her shoulder, pushing down till he heard a snap, "I'm talking to you" he grit out threateningly.

"I could ask you the same thing" she crossed her arms over her chest as she faced him. "It's so late and dark, go and get yourself home, place can be a bit dangerous at this time of night".

Turning his head to the side, he zoned in on her pink, plump lips. "You tryna be funny?"

"Trying, yes" turning her head, she spoke under her breath, "Clearly not succeeding".

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing, just talking to myself, I often find myself to be the best conversationalist" damn it, Akshara, stop talking! She wished upon everything she could that her brain would find a way to prevent her mouth from speaking everything that came to it.

Shoving her against the wall, he flicked open his knife and pressed it into her neck, "Got anything funny to say now?"

"Knife to meet you?" She let out, swallowing harshly at her own stupidity.

"Let her go" an ominous voice spoke into the darkness.

"Who's there?" The man turned his torso.

Akshara yelped as the man before her fell to the floor in a slump.

Eyeing the heap on the floor, Abhimanyu chuckled, "Are your jokes always that bad or is that only when you have a knife to your neck?"

"Excuse me? My jokes are hilarious".

"Right and I'm the Pope".

"You are?" Her jaw dropped.

"No, I" he licked his bottom lip, "It's called sarcasm" he swallowed back a laugh.

"Well, I'm highly offended that you'd pretend to be the Pope, I'll have you know I'm an  incredibly religious Catholic" she spoke sternly.

"Oh, I didn't mean to upset you, I-".

"Gotcha" she laughed, punching his arm playfully.

Before he could respond, footsteps began to get closer, heavy on the tarmac as they turned a corner. Pushing her behind him, he watched the end of the road with an unblinking stare.

"Who is it?" She whispered into his ear causing a shiver to run down his spine.

"Run" he barked.

And so she did.