Wish we were 28... still (A RohiRat Fanfiction)

The peacemaker

Maybe because Rohit and Virat were sort of hardwired to listen to Jinks, both of them fell abruptly silent as they turned to the door.

Or maybe there was something else going on at the back of their minds, spoken by Virat, and brought to the surface by Jinks' sudden entry--have you once thought of Jinks in all this? 

"Thank you, Uncle Jinks," said Samaira, who was standing at the door of the bedroom with Ritika and Jinks. "They weren't letting me and mom sleep at all."

That made everyone smile, as Jinks ruffled Samaira's hair and assured her he'd ensure them not shouting anymore, and some, or a lot of the ill-feeling between Rohit and Virat dissipated with their smiles.

Ritika and Samaira left things in Jinks' hands and left, shutting the door behind them.

Jinks crossed the room to sit, and looked at Rohit's damp hair suspiciously. "Have you been taking a shower in the middle of a winter night?"

"No," said Rohit sourly. "Virat chose to wake me up the usual way."

"I did not wake you up with that," said Virat, just as sourly. "I poured it when you asked Ritika why she let me in."

"Well, that was a legit question, wasn't it, since you come in here and don't let my wife and daughter--or me--sleep!"

Virat went red in the face trying to think of a retort.

Jinks sighed.

"You guys are fathers to toddlers," he said, "and you still talk like this. Please, sit."

Rohit and Virat sat down on either side of Jinks, though not before exchanging a scowl.

"What exactly is your problem? Start at the beginning--"

Of course, that was not a very smart idea, because both of them launched into accusations at once.

"Rohit did not give us a single warning about the decisions BCCI was suddenly planning to dump on us--"

"That's because they dumped it on me, too, and I don't know why he's constantly been assuming I'm in a state to give people warnings--"

"And he's acting the victim, Jinks--"

"You know how Virat always acts the victim, Jinks--"

"Yeah, I've heard enough," said Jinks hastily. "I get it. Both of you are refusing to see each other's side. Of course that's nothing new."

"I always see the other side," said Virat.

Rohit guffawed loudly with deliberate sarcasm.

"Sh!" said Jinks. "D'you want Sam to complain again?"

"Now who's the one not letting your wife and daughter sleep?" asked Virat promptly.

Rohit's fake laugh morphed back into a scowl.

"He didn't talk to you either, Jinks," Virat appealed. "Don't tell me you don't feel at all angry about that--"

"Don't try to brainw--" began Rohit.

Jinks quelled him with a look and turned back to Virat.

"No, I don't feel angry," he said quietly. "Neither would you, if you're open to considering how hard this is for Ro, too, Vi."

"But..." Virat trailed off.

"It's not just about the two of us who were demoted, Virat. It's about Ro and Rahul who were promoted too. Think about it."

"If he was capable of thinking," said Rohit, feeling a lot stronger now that Jinks had said he didn't hold it against him, "he sure as hell wouldn't have been hanging around my place for hours thinking up how to cause more trouble."