Shubman arrived at Ishan's luxurious apartment, letting himself in with the spare keys he had. He dropped his bag on the sofa in the living room, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of his upcoming T20 World Cup jersey shoot. Despite being selected as a reserved player, he couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt, knowing that Rinku deserved the position more than him.
As he searched for Ishan, he found him in the kitchen, quietly preparing something. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Ishan from behind, causing him to jump slightly before relaxing into the embrace. They had decided to spend the morning together, both grappling with their struggles in the IPL.
"Hey, you're here," Ishan said softly, continuing to make cappuccino for both of them.
"Yeah," Shubman replied, nuzzling his head into the crook of Ishan's neck before turning around to hug him from the front. Ishan chuckled at the affectionate gesture.
"Come on, go freshen up, goofball," Ishan teased, giving Shubman a playful smack.
"You're crazy," Shubman muttered with a pout before heading to the washroom.
Ishan chuckled softly and joined Shubman on the sofa, two cups of coffee in hand. They settled in together, cuddling closely.
"Ishu, I have my T20 World Cup ad shoot today," Shubman mentioned, looking at Ishan, who was nestled against him.
"I know," Ishan replied calmly.
"Are you sure you're okay with it?" Shubman asked, feeling guilty about having to be away from Ishan, especially considering Ishan's struggles with his contract and non-selection.
"Why are you even asking me?" Ishan sounded confused.
"No, just... never mind," Shubman stumbled over his words.
Ishan's gaze softened as he reached out to caress Shubman's face. "Shubi, it's okay. I knew I wasn't going to be selected. I'm in inconsistent form," Ishan said softly but firmly.
"But—" Shubman tried to interject.
"Shh, no more words about selection or anything," Ishan interrupted gently, looking deeply into Shubman's eyes. "Is that clear, Mr. Gill?"
Shubman nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him as he rested his head on Ishan's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Ishan closed his eyes, finding solace in the warmth of Shubman's embrace. They stayed like that for a while, silently comforting each other.
After some time, Ishan broke the silence. "I'm manifesting, Shub. You're going to score a century in the next match."
"Are you crazy? I got out after scoring just 2 runs in the last match, and now you're saying I'll score a century?" Shubman laughed.
"Why not?" Ishan retorted, looking at him seriously. "Can't you do it?"
"Fine, fine, let's see. And you'll find your form back in the next match too," Shubman smirked.
"Okay, deal"ishan replied with smile
By the way, did you know you've taken 99 catches in T20s?" Shubman grinned mischievously.
"Really?"
"Yep."
They continued to cuddle, enjoying each other's company and indulging in some light-hearted banter.
"You know, you're my lucky charm," Shubman teased, nuzzling closer to Ishan.
"Oh, really now? So, does that mean I get to claim all the credit when you score that century?" Ishan chuckled, running his fingers through Shubman's hair.
