𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐄 ! - s. gill × i. kishan.

018

shubman and ishan immediately engaged in a spirited conversation about the match's highlights. abhishek, though present, felt like a mere spectator in the background, as the duo exchanged exclamations, shared laughter, and reveled in the triumph.

despite abhishek's silent yearning for shubman's attention, the magnetic pull of ishan and shubman's camaraderie seemed to overshadow his presence.

his eyes couldn't help but notice the way shubman's arm wrap around ishan's bicep as they walked into the jubilant crowd. he couldn't help but notice the way shubman would giggle at something ishan said to him.

abhishek's heart sank a little deeper as the gap between them widened in the team rooms. he masked his disappointment with a smile, pretending to be engrossed in the celebration, while the unspoken ache of unrequited feelings lingered in the background. it was a bittersweet moment for abhishek, as the celebration became a subtle reminder of the boundaries that separated him from shubman's heart.

" hey ishu ! "  virat kohli's voice rang out, " good game, baccha. well played, i'm still mad that you took my wicket though, " he said with a playful grin, pulling the younger cricketer into a warm hug.

" kya bhaiya, aap bhi na, " ishan chuckled.

virat, always playful, continued, " oh, who is this ? " he sensed shubman's presence.

ishan introduced, " oh, this is my friend, shubman gill. "

" you're shubman ?  i've heard so much about you, kid, all thanks to this chatterbox right here. he just doesn't know when to stop, " virat greeted shubman with a firm handshake and a warm smile.

shubman, caught off guard but flattered, managed to stammer out a polite response amidst his blush.

" accha, ladka milne aaya toh bhai ko jaane bol raha hai, " virat chuckled, observing the playful banter between ishan and shubman unfold. shubman, caught off guard by virat's teasing, blushed shyly, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and flattery at being noticed by the cricketing legend.

" sorry about that, he just loves to tease me, " ishan apologized with a sheepish grin, successfully managing to shoo virat away to give him and shubman some privacy.

" it's alright, the bond you two share is truly admirable, " shubman reassured ishan, his sincerity shining through his words.

" after raj bhaiya, if there's anyone who's looked out for me like an older brother, it's just him and hardik bhaiya, " ishan shared, his expression softening as he reflected on the deep connection he shared with virat and hardik.

" that's sweet. for me, it's sara and abhi, even though i'm technically older than him," shubman giggled, sharing a glimpse of the playful dynamic he had with his friends. the conversation flowed effortlessly between ishan and shubman, two individuals bonded by their love for cricket and their deep appreciation for the relationships that shaped their lives on and off the field.

the conversation flowed effortlessly between them as ishan shared numerous stories and introduced shubman to many of his colleagues who came to congratulate him.

shubman looked around, admiring the camaraderie among the people mingling with each other. amidst the crowd, something caught shubman by surprise.

" ah, i see you've spotted the power couple of the mumbai indians team," ishan whispered in shubman's ear.

shubman's gaze fell upon dewald brewis, who stood behind tilak varma, his arms wrapped around him in an affectionate back hug, his face nestled in the crook of tilak's neck.

" they're together, huh ? " shubman remarked, a mixture of surprise and fascination coloring his tone.

" they've only recently started seeing each other, you know. DB confessed his feelings when he invited just tilak for a christmas dinner with his family, " ishan informed him. " they're even worse than whatever you're witnessing right now, " he added with a snicker, emphasizing the adorable yet slightly chaotic nature of their relationship.

" abhi would be disheartened to hear that DB is taken. " shubman told ishan.

" oh is that so ? " ishan said. " speaking of him, where is the kid ? "

abhishek found himself seated outside the team room, the sound of jubilant celebration from within only serving to accentuate his sense of isolation. he couldn't bring himself to join ishan and shubman in their moment of triumph, feeling like a mere bystander in their world of camaraderie and shared victories.

running his hands across his face, abhishek tried to quell the storm of emotions raging within him.

" get it together, abhi, " he scolded himself, willing his turmoil to recede into the depths of his heart.

suddenly, a voice broke through his reverie, pulling him back to the present. " are you alright ? " the voice asked, dripping with concern.

startled, abhishek looked up to find siraj, the royal challengers bangalore bowler, standing before him. despite the unexpected encounter, there was a flicker of recognition in siraj's eyes as he greeted abhishek.

" oh hey, abhishek. "  siraj recognized him.

" hi siraj," abhishek replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.

siraj's concern deepened as he observed abhishek's troubled demeanor. " what's wrong ? you look like you're wrestling with some inner demons, " he probed gently.

" it's... nothing, " abhishek began tentatively, but siraj wasn't buying it.

" i'm not buying it, " siraj asserted firmly. " come on, tell me. i could help. "

abhishek's defenses crumbled in the face of siraj's genuine concern. " if i told you, you'd probably think i'm pathetic, " he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

siraj shook his head adamantly. " i would never think of you like that," he reassured abhishek with a small, understanding smile.

taking a deep breath, abhishek finally spilled his heart out to siraj. " it's shubman and ishan, " he admitted, the weight of his unspoken feelings hanging heavy in the air.

siraj's eyes widened in comprehension. " wait, you mean the boy you've been crushing on and our ishan kishan ? " he confirmed, his voice tinged with sympathy.

abhishek nodded, his heart heavy with longing. " its just, you know how shubman is so blinded in his love for ishan to even notice my feelings for him and now, ever since ishan has came into his life, and the way ishan reciprocate the feelings. its impossible now. "

" i'm so sorry, abhi, " siraj murmured, his voice brimming with empathy.

as tears threatened to spill from abhishek's eyes, siraj reached out and offered a comforting squeeze to his knee. " you see, life is just like cricket," he began softly. " a player wishes to win every match, every trophy, but sometimes we can't, and that's destiny. " siraj's eyes meet with abhishek's eyes.

" i once wished for someone but i knew, i would never be worthy of their love because their heart belonged to someone else. " siraj's words hold vulnerability that abhishek couldn't comprehen.

" choose yourself, abhi," siraj advised gently, his words carrying the weight of hard-earned wisdom. " don't get caught up in the cycle of endlessly searching for something that may never come to fruition. "

" thank you, siraj, for comforting me, " abhishek said, his voice tinged with gratitude as he offered a genuine smile.

" of course. " siraj smiled but was soon engulfed in a warm hug.

oh how siraj missed it.

" oh — you guys know each other ? " there stood shubman, surprised by witnessing the unexpected.