From the way Ishan in his nightmare and Ishan after waking up had behaved, you'd expect him to get into the precise plight of rushing all the way to the Delhi airport and then discovering Shubman was making the return journey to the hotel.
But he hadn't left that to chance, even his brain was working pretty slow.
When he got the cab from the hotel, Shubman said he'd be leaving in an hour when Shresta di would have to get inside. That gave Ishan plenty of time to get to the airport in time.
(Of course, there was also the option of waiting at the hotel for Shubman to return, but funnily, that option didn't strike Ishan at all.)
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Ishan reached when Shubman and Shresta di were gathering up the suitcases for the latter to enter.
"You came to pick him up from the airport?" Shresta di asked, like she thought it was hilarious. "I mean, yeah, the whole picking up from the airport thing is nice, but when the other person is coming from a distance, you know, Ishan. Not when you were sharing a room three hours back."
Ishan wondered how to evade the accusation politely.
Who would ever understand how far Shubman was coming back to him from?
He'd nearly slipped away beyond grasp.
Don't panic. Don't panic. He's here.
He's here.
"Oh, he can't live without me, Shresta di," Shubman said brightly, obnoxious as always. "Not even for a few hours."
"It's not like you can live without me," muttered Ishan, nettled.
Shubman and Shresta di simply laughed.
How would they understand how unfunny the situation was, anyway?
They hadn't been trapped in the horrible time-travelling amnesiac heartbreaking nightmare.
Ishan usually adored Shresta di--next to Shahneel di, she was the coolest sister amongst their friends'--but today he couldn't wait for her to be gone. Maybe her name had something to do with it.
No, it most definitely had something to do with it.
DON'T. PANIC.
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When they were finally walking back towards the exit of the airport, just the two of them, Ishan's brain was working overtime.
He'd been so set on making a move as quick as possible he'd quite forgotten to plan how he should make the move.
"Shubi?" he started. Always a safe way to start.
"Yeah?"
"Sit down for a bit."
"On the ground?"
"No," said Ishan, as they passed a coffee stall that was open at that hour and had tables arranged in a semi circle outside. "Find a table and sit. Though if you wish, you can sit on the ground, as well."
Shubman took the corner table and raised his eyebrows as Ishan walked to the counter.
"You're being really weird, you know," said Shubman. "Asking pictures of people's hands, turning up at the airport for no reason, buying coffee at six in the morning..."
"Give your voice two minutes of rest," encouraged Ishan.
That set Shubman off, and he laughed all the while Ishan placed the order, the same as always: cinnamon coffee for Shubman, hazelnut for himself.
YOU ARE READING
(Not) Just a dream (OR, the ICT steals a groom)
Fanfiction"Why steal brooms when you can steal a groom?" ~Sir Jadeja ~~~2023~~~ The ICT is tired of Shubman and Ishan's blindness and absolute inability to see what EVERYONE ELSE can: they're not *just best friends* who spend every moment of the day together...
