Can't promise you the world, but... (A Rohit-Shreyas Fanfiction)

Chapter 20

Rohit and Virat were rested for the first two ODIs against Australia where Rahul captained and Shreyas made his comeback.

On the eve of the first match, Rohit called Shreyas to wish him luck.

"What's the point of wishing me luck over phone?" Shreyas complained. "Why are you not here, in Mohali?"

"I'll be back in four days..."

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH."

"Rohit?" Rahul, who was passing, asked. When Shreyas nodded, he fished the phone out of Shreyas' hand and said, "Maybe you'd be better off talking to people who are nice to you and who give you milk powder instead of the ones who always shout at you, Rohit."

Shreyas scowled.

Rahul had put the call on loudspeaker so Shreyas could hear Rohit's reply, "Point."

"Give me back." Shreyas snatched back his phone. "What were you saying, Rohit bhaiya?"

"Nothing," said Rohit innocently.

***

Shreyas played well in the second ODI as India took the series 2-0. In the Man of the Match press conference, someone asked him about if he thought the prolonged injury and lack of game time was going to affect his performance in the World Cup. Shreyas gave him back the sort of reply he deserved, which was by no means very polite.

The morning after the team flew to Rajkot for the final ODI, the others who'd been rested were scheduled to join them. Shreyas went right up to the airport when Rohit's flight arrived.

He was probably overkilling it with his still-lingering guilt, but he did not care so long as he got to stay with Rohit bhaiya as much as possible.

The way Rohit bhaiya's eyes twinkled when he spotted him at the arrivals gate made Shreyas feel all warm.

"See, I told you I believe in you, Yas," said Rohit, giving him a hug. "That's exactly how you'll play in the World Cup. I can't tell you how happy I'm--"

Shreyas' smile was brilliant. "You watched?"

"Wasn't I supposed to do that diligently as a compensation for missing it out live?"

Shreyas paused for a while, then said with a small nod, "Yeah."

Rohit patted his shoulder. "We can't hold our anger against some people for long, y'know, Yas." 

"Yes?"

"Like Sammy...!" said Rohit. "Like Sammy--"

"Oh, um..." Shreyas still appeared deep in thought.

"I watched the press conference of the previous match, too. I see you're successfully working on what you promised," said Rohit with a bland smile. "Especially the first point."

"What?" Shreyas asked blankly.

Rohit gave him a stare.

"You know, something about anger isn't the only way of expressing emotions?"

"Oh--!" said Shreyas when he remembered, and frowned. "Well--I just said I'll try. It's not that you start trying and you straightaway excel at it."

"Yes, yes," said Rohit. "I'm observing it. I'm proud of you. It's not like I'm complaining."

Shreyas noted the sarcasm, but his frown disappeared and was replaced with a sheepish grin. "At least I've excelled in the trying when my favouritest human being is concerned."

"Say, what?" 

This time, it took Rohit a while to realize what Shreyas was implying. Then he grinned back.