Us: A Chaotic Family [✓]

flashback pt.12

"Babaa.........."

A little boy of five-year old shrieked, as he was harboured on a tickle attack by his father.

Virat chuckled looking at the father-son duo, where Rohit was booping his nose in Ishan's little stomach to make him giggle.

Seeing them like that, seeing their family like that always brought tears and joy in Virat altogether.

It has been 5 years since they had passed that gruesome period of longing for their child.

But Ishan was a miracle child, as Virat would often admit, a blessing that he was.

The strongest of them all.

Even when all of them were hopeless by the time, Ishan was the only one not losing hope for them.

That day, as vivid as it's in Virat's memory, Ishan cried that day, so loud, as if angry at whoever thought that he'd leave his parents alone.

Ishan, his name, is what he is to them, the light of their life.

Because of him, whatever life was left in Virat came back to him with heart and soul.

Because of him, Rohit once again breathed free, thankful and grateful for the form of boon Ishan was.

Virat remembers exactly after a week of ishan's birth, he had the fortune to have Ishan in his hands, to nurse him in his lap, all while the happy tears flowing down from his eyes.

Rohit had said to him that day,"I've always known you're the most beautiful person on earth, but with ishan, you're looking all glowy, like an angel"

Virat had blushed right there, he knew the pregnancy glow that people talked about was getting to him, his cheeks were now full, instead of the lean jaw he had before and he was happy with all that.

Even Mahi bhai pointed out,"cheeku.....mai point nhi kr paa rha but something in you has changed, it's a happy change but a change nonetheless."

Virat knew the change, he had known it for all the time he was pregnant, that this change would come and he'd devote his life to his family.

He decided to choose his Ishu over wrestling.

He did it for himself.

He remembers the day, Ishan walked on his feet and came tumbling towards him, looking all sorts of happy in his face and his giggles, that was the moment Virat decided that he'd be the source of his life from then on.

Being a teen parent was tough, real tough, not only on him but for Rohit it was more difficult.

Because Ishan refused to sleep without his father. Virat certainly was kept on granted when Rohit was in his vicinity.

And Rohit still continued on his wrestling tours. Until he didn't.

One night when Ishan was asleep, after fussing over Rohit not being there, with his eyes puffy as he had cried out his lungs,

"Ba...baa....want....baba"

But after exhausting himself, he finally fell asleep, Virat rocked him on his shoulder, humming slowly to keep Ishan at peace.

Rohit had tiptoed around them, then, silently asked Virat to give Ishan to him. Ishan snuggled into him as if he knew his safe space was here. His baba was here.

After putting Ishan in between them, and
Rohit had held Virat's hand and caressed it, just to make out the confession,

"Mujhko athlete quota se mere gaanv me sachiv ki job offer hui hai"