THEM 'Ishman'

The Accidental Cuddle

It was a slow afternoon for the ICT squad. After a long and grueling practice session, they decided to relax in the team lounge, sprawled across the couches and beanbags. 

Everyone was enjoying a lazy vibe, but no one quite expected what would happen next.

Ishan, as usual, was curled up in the corner of one of the couches, looking like he could fall asleep any minute. 

Shubman, who had taken the beanbag right next to him, noticed the tired look on Ishan's face. He grinned mischievously before deciding to scoot closer, nudging Ishan lightly with his shoulder.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Shubman teased, bumping into him playfully. "You're not about to knock out on us, are you?"

Ishan blinked at him, rubbing his eyes. "No... just tired."

Without missing a beat, Shubman reached over and ruffled Ishan's hair. "Awww, poor baby. Need a nap?"

Ishan swatted Shubman's hand away but smiled despite himself. "Stop it, Shubman. I'm fine."

But Shubman wasn't backing off. 

Instead, he scooted even closer, his arm casually slinging around Ishan's shoulders. "Come on, Ishu, take a little break. You've earned it."

The rest of the team—Rishabh, Mayank, Rohit, Virat, Siraj, and Abhishek—watched the interaction with interest, exchanging knowing glances. 

It didn't take long before Rishabh, who was always the instigator, spoke up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on here?" Rishabh asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Shubman, are you getting touchy-feely with Ishan?"

Shubman, without removing his arm from around Ishan, shot Rishabh a smug look. "Jealous, Pant?"

Rishabh gasped dramatically, clutching his heart. "Jealous?! Me? Never! But I gotta say, Shubman, you're getting a little too cozy with him, don't you think?"

Ishan's face flushed as he tried to gently push Shubman off, but Shubman only pulled him closer, leaning his head on Ishan's shoulder in an exaggerated manner.

"What can I say?" Shubman said with a smirk. 

"I'm just looking after my favorite guy."

This statement was like lighting a match to gasoline. The rest of the team immediately jumped on it.

"Oh, did you hear that?" Mayank grinned, turning to Rohit. 

"He's claiming Ishan as his favorite! Is this what happens when we're not looking?"

Rohit chuckled, leaning back on the couch with his arms crossed. "Looks like it. I always suspected there was something between these two."

Virat, not one to be left out, chimed in with a sly grin. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting major 'couple vibes' from these two."

"Definitely!" Abhishek agreed, nodding enthusiastically. 

"Look at the way Shubman's holding him. It's like they're filming a rom-com!"

At this point, Ishan's face was bright red, and he was squirming in Shubman's grip. "Guys, stop! There's nothing like that! We're just—"

"Just what?" Siraj interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "Just cuddling on the couch? Because that's definitely what it looks like."

Shubman, clearly enjoying himself, only tightened his grip around Ishan, pulling him even closer. "Cuddling, huh? Well, I guess I can't deny that."

Ishan, absolutely mortified, tried to wriggle free again, but Shubman wasn't letting go.