Virat patted Rohit's cheeks with teary eyes, seeing him not responding. He sprinkled some water on his face, which woke Rohit up.
Rohit saw a blurry image of Virat. He sat up as Virat supported him. Virat immediately hugged him, scared by the state he had found him in.
Rohit hugged him back, understanding well how Virat must have felt.
"Ro, how do you feel?" Virat asked, breaking the hug and caressing his cheek.
"Exhausted," Rohit answered honestly.
Virat made him sit properly and got something to eat from the kitchen. He fed him small bites.
"Sorry, Vi. I am so sorry," Rohit said, looking at Virat's worried face.
"No, no. You don't have anything to be sorry for, Ro. Please don't," Virat said softly, setting the plate aside.
Virat held his hands. "I want to help, Ro. I've noticed that you're not eating properly. You eat very little, Ro. Was this the case during the IPL as well?" he asked gently, not wanting to stress him.
Rohit looked down, unable to meet his eyes. He felt embarrassed by his own actions and thoughts.
Virat lifted his chin up. "Ro, it's me. You don't have to think so much. I will never judge you," he said softly.
"Just sometimes I feel that I should control it, you know... It's like the only thing I can control which affects my body," Rohit said in a low voice.
Virat noticed Rohit getting tense and upset about it. He wanted to ask more about what Rohit meant by "affecting the body," but he decided not to, seeing how tired Rohit looked.
"Okay, I understand. I'm with you in this. Want to rest for some time?" Virat asked softly.
"You are also coming... I don't want to be alone. The thoughts scare me," Rohit said, holding his wrist.
"Of course, love. You go ahead; I'm just wrapping this up. In five minutes, I'll be up by your side," Virat said, giving him a quick hug.
As promised, Virat was upstairs in five minutes. Rohit was already in bed. Virat closed the curtains and joined him under the comforter.
Rohit immediately cuddled close, resting his head on Virat's chest. Virat ran his fingers through his hair.
As Virat's hand slid from Rohit's hair to his neck, he noticed Rohit flinch at the touch at first and then relax after a few minutes.
Virat gently caressed the back of his neck with his thumb, which made Rohit cuddle even closer to him.
"When I eat anything, I feel so guilty," Rohit mumbled, hiding his face in Virat's chest.
Virat kissed the top of his head. "Kyu, baby? Why do you feel guilty?" he asked gently, though his heart broke hearing what Rohit was going through.
"It just does... I won't be as fit as you; I won't suit you," Rohit said, not meeting his eyes. He buried his face in Virat's chest, avoiding his gaze. Virat hugged him tightly in response.
"I really love you, Ro, just as you are. You don't need to change anything for me. What kind of love would it be if I wanted to change you? Love doesn't mean that one person should change the other," Virat said.
He felt tears soaking his shirt. He caressed Rohit's head gently.
"I'm here with you. We'll go through this together. Don't you worry!" Virat said, making him look up.
He kissed Rohit's forehead and wiped his tears away. Rohit nodded in response.
"Can I ask you a question?" Virat asked softly. Rohit nodded, resting his head on Virat's chest.
Virat hesitated at first but then took a deep breath and asked, "Does my touch make you anxious? Especially surprise touches?"
Rohit froze, numb from hearing Virat ask that. This was the last thing he wanted Virat to feel.
He closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He couldn't answer the question. He knew Virat was asking to help him, but he just couldn't respond.
Rohit closed his eyes, curled himself into Virat, and gripped his shirt tightly in his fist.
Virat knew he was avoiding the question. He just turned off the lights, pulled the comforter up, and let Rohit cuddle against him fully.
An hour later, Virat spoke softly, "Ro, I know you're not able to sleep. Baby, I'm sorry I asked that, but I promise I won't feel bad. We're a team, Ro. We're in this together."
Rohit slowly looked up from his chest. Virat saw tears in his eyes and felt terrible. He cupped Rohit's cheeks and wiped his tears with his thumb.
"Vi... I—" Rohit started, but Virat nodded encouragingly for him to continue.
"Your touch makes me feel safe... It's just that sometimes these thoughts make me flinch a bit," Rohit said softly, placing his hand on Virat's cheek.
Virat gave him a soft smile of understanding, holding Rohit's hand on his cheek. "You can tell me anything, Ro. Anything you feel, okay, love," he said.
Rohit buried his face in Virat's neck, hugging him tightly as he lay on top of him. Virat hugged him back, and they dozed off for some time.
Virat woke up to find that it was dinner time. He saw Rohit cuddled on top of him, relieved that he had managed to sleep without being troubled by his thoughts.
Carefully, Virat untangled himself, laid Rohit properly on the bed, and covered him with the comforter. He kissed his forehead before heading downstairs to make dinner.
He made Rohit's favorite Pav Bhaji. Once done, he sat by the window, researching what Rohit had said earlier.
After some reading, he realized that it could be a case of depression and insecurity, where one doesn't feel comfortable in their own skin, leading to guilt about eating food— especially their favorites.
Virat felt upset that Rohit was feeling this way, so unworthy about himself. He was about to research more when he noticed Rohit approaching and placing his head in his lap.
Virat set his phone aside and smiled, seeing Rohit a little better. He kissed his forehead lovingly. "Slept well?" he asked.
Rohit nodded, burying his head in Virat's stomach for warmth.
"Want to try and eat something?" Virat asked softly.
Rohit nodded, remembering Virat's assurance that they were in this together.
Virat brought his favourite he had made for Rohit. When Rohit sat beside him, Virat gently pulled him onto his lap.
Virat fed him like a baby, caring for him so tenderly that Rohit's eyes filled with tears.
Overwhelmed, Rohit buried his face in Virat's neck. Virat set the plate aside, caressing his hair softly. "Ro, kya hua?" he asked.
"I love you, Vi. I'm so lucky," Rohit mumbled against his neck.
Virat smiled. "I'm lucky too," he said back.
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