ICT One Shots And Imagines

We Could've Had It All(Virat-AB-Yuzi)

A/N:- Writing this because we might never see the three of them playing together again.

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11th October 2021

Yuzi floundered across the long corridors of the hotel as he trudged shakily, his eyes constantly searching for two people.

After putting all the juniors back to bed (as Virat Bhai had silently instructed him), he desired to go back to his Virat Bhai and AB Sir.

As he walked alone in the quiet halls he couldn't help think about the gloom supervising the hotel where the team was staying. And why shouldn't it be? 2021 had been their best year since 2016.

In every aspect.

They had given it everything this time. Not that they didn't do it always, but this year, they saw the trophy within their reach. They believed that this time it wasn't just placating promises but it was the reality of their game.

But of course, fate had planned something else.

Virat Bhai, like every other time, stood in the centre of the dressing room, praising them, congratulating them, telling them that in his eyes they were already the champions, with or without the trophy. That maybe luck would favour them in the next year. That they'll try to bring it the next year.

From 2014 to 2020, Yuzi had always believed the 'we'll do it the next year part'. But not this year. Maybe because between 2014 to 2020, Yuzi always saw the determination in Virat's eyes. But this year, his eyes carried something else.

Regret. Doubt. Questions.

And Yuzi understood. It wasn't because Virat stopped believing that 'we will do it the next year'. But because the 'we' next year might not be the same as the 'we' that had worked hard for so many years.

Because somewhere in his own mind lay the doubt that he might not play for RCB the next year. Virat Bhai was leaving captaincy, AB Sir was retiring and his talks with the management about the retention wasn't exactly going very well.

Would RCB really be the same the next year?

Defending Virat the captain.

Need to smash seventy odd runs in the last five overs? AB is there. Don't worry.

Need a wicket when things aren't going your way. Yuzi hai na! Sambhal lega.

Wasn't this the core of RCB? Wasn't this where every emotion revolved around?

Then how could Yuzi believe that they'll do it the next year when nobody would be there to cherish it. 'Virat the captain' won't lift the trophy and AB sir was retiring without one in his fabulous career.

Yuzi opened the door to Virat's room and as expected, found it empty.

Swiftly, his hand knocked on the door directly opposite Virat's and found Danielle answering it.

"Is AB sir and Virat Bhai here?" he questioned. "No", came the reply of his own wife, standing beside Danielle. "They're in the garden outside", said Danielle.

Yuzi nodded and plodded towards the garden.

There, underneath the open sky, lay Virat and AB on the grass, staring at the stars.

Not wanting to interrupt their moment or seem like he was intruding on them, Yuzi coughed.

Virat looked up a bit and said with a warm smile, "Come Yuzi, we were waiting for you", patting the grass beside him.

Yuzi wasted no time in laying beside Virat and tried to find out what Virat and AB were finding so intriguing among that galaxy of stars.

"You know Yuzi, we're like those stars", said Virat. "All destined to be part of different constellations and yet when you view them, it's always all of them together."

"Virat Bhaiya?" said Yuzi. "What if one of the stars of the constellations is viewed as the star of another constellation someday?"

Virat smiled. "Then the first constellation will never forget the beauty that the star made it feel." AB faced him and said, "And even if it is viewed as a part of another constellation, it would still be a part of the first. Always. Wouldn't it?"

Yuzi felt a weight lifting off his chest as he nodded and looked into Virat and AB's smiling eyes.

Even if he might not play for RCB next year, he would always be an RCBian. They had meant just that. Hadn't they?

The rest of the night passed easily with the three of them laughing, talking and getting nostalgic. And Yuzi, without doubt, could say that this had been one of the most memorable nights he had spent with RCB.

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A/N:- I started liking RCB because I liked Virat and I'm sure it was the same for most of you. Since 2016, I've seen them in every highs and lows. Laughed in their victories and cried in their losses. I had created an illusion that I liked this team just because Virat was there. And if in some hypothetical scenario, he leaves the team, I won't give a damn.

But no, my illusion broke. When AB retired and Yuzi wasn't retained, it hurt. It hurt like hell. Virat was still there, wasn't he? Then why?

Because in all these years supporting and defending this team after every knockout, I had grown attached to it.

Way too much attached that now it would hurt not seeing Virat and AB smashing the bowlers together.

It would hurt when Virat's gets out on Yuzi's googly and both of them exchange a smile after that.

But this was an year of heartbreaks. Add this too to the pile of pains aching my heart.

:-)

Love,
Mishka.