THEM 'Ishman'

Our End?

Love is easy. 

Letting go is not.

They were supposed to last forever.

At least, that's what Shubman had believed.

At least, that's what Ishan had dreamed.

And yet, here they were.

Standing in Ishan's apartment, the air between them thick with sorrow, their eyes red-rimmed and wet, their hands still holding onto each other—even when they knew they had to let go.

Love had never been their problem.

Timing was.

Shubman's career was at its peak—practices, matches, tournaments, training camps, interviews.

 His life was a never-ending cycle of packed schedules and flights to different cities.

Ishan was no different—his own commitments pulling him in separate directions, their paths crossing less and less, their time together turning into missed calls and unanswered texts.

At first, they tried. 

God, they tried.

But love alone wasn't fixing it.

Every ignored phone call, every "I'll call you later" that never happened, every night spent alone in an empty bed—it added up.

It ate away at them until the fights started.

At first, it was just small arguments. 

Then, it was tears, then it was shouting, then it was silences that hurt more than words ever could.

And now...

Now, they were here.

Saying goodbye.

And it was killing them both.

Ishan was sobbing, his whole body shaking as he gripped Shubman's hoodie like a lifeline, burying his face into his chest.

"Shubu, please." He choked out, his breath coming in hiccupping gasps.

Shubman's own eyes were wet, but he tried to be strong.

For Ishan.

Even when it felt like his entire soul was splitting in two.

"Ishu..., baby, don't—don't do this. Don't beg." Shubman whispered, his arms tightening around him. 

But Ishan couldn't stop.

Because this?

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Not to them.

"Tell me—tell me we can fix this. Tell me this isn't over. Tell me we can try harder." Ishan pleaded, gripping at his shirt, his voice breaking. 

Shubman's throat tightened painfully.

He wanted to. 

God, he wanted to.

But it would be a lie.

Because they had tried.

And yet, despite all the love they had for each other, their worlds kept pulling them apart.

"I love you." Shubman whispered, pressing a kiss to Ishan's hair.

Ishan sobbed harder.

"Then why are we doing this?!" He cried.