Canvas of Love

Was not pretending

The team gathered in the small conference room for a pre-match strategy session. 

It was a cozy space, fitting at best ten people comfortably, yet today it was packed with players, their sports bags, and equipment haphazardly shoved along the walls. 

Seating options were limited, and with everyone crammed in tightly, a quiet buzz of chatter filled the room as they settled in.

Ishan, nursing his slight hand injury from practice earlier, was one of the last to arrive.

He scanned the room, spotting only one available seat. His heart sank when he noticed it was right beside Shubman, who was already seated with an unreadable expression on his face. 

Ishan hesitated, contemplating squeezing between two others, but he knew that would draw more attention than simply taking the empty spot.

Swallowing his pride, he sat beside Shubman, attempting to look indifferent.

The two sat in silence, facing forward, as the coach started talking strategy.

The cramped space only seemed to heighten the tension between them. 

Ishan sat stiffly, keeping his gaze locked on the coach and refusing to glance Shubman's way.

But a subtle wince escaped him when he accidentally brushed his injured hand against the armrest, sending a twinge of pain up his arm.

Shubman noticed. His eyes flicked to Ishan's hand, and for a moment, he almost reached out—his fingers twitching slightly as though he would help—but he stopped himself. 

(Bro needs a mukka therapy from Ishan.... ('3'))

Shubman, after all, wasn't supposed to care, and he'd worked too hard to maintain his cool, detached exterior to break it now.

Abhishek, seated a few rows back, nudged Mayank. 

"Look at those two!" he whispered, nodding toward the pair, who were practically statues beside each other.

"Oh, the tension's thick enough to cut. Ten bucks says one of them cracks before the meeting ends." Mayank whispered back, barely holding in a laugh.

"Bucks?" Abhishek said, a little amused.

"For real... baby, bucks means dollars." Mayank said, flipping his imaginary hair with style.

"Yeah, right... big bucks guy over here." Abhishek replied in a sassy tone, rolling his eyes at Mayank.

"Sweetie, your boyfriend's just trying to be cool." Mayank said mischievously, nudging Abhishek.

"My boyfriend???" Abhishek repeated, rolling his eyes even harder and giving Mayank a little push.

"Yours, sweetie." Mayank grinned, side-hugging Abhishek with a genuinely sweet smile.

Abhishek tilted his head in different directions, trying to hide the small smile he couldn't control.

Tilak, seated nearby, overheard and chuckled under his breath. "Make it twenty, and I'm in. I bet Ishan breaks first. He's too expressive—look at that pout on his face."

"About what you are talking?" Abhishek asked in genuine confusion.

"About the bet, Mayank's sweetie." Tilak teased in a slow, playful tone, making Mayank chuckle and nudge Abhishek, who immediately looked away, flustered.

Ishan, oblivious to the ongoing wagers behind him, shifted uncomfortably, his hand throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

Shubman's occasional glances at his hand weren't helping.