(Not) Just a dream (OR, the ICT steals a groom)

Second thoughts

Ishan was startled out of his sticker-spamming, eye-glazed-over daze by his door flying open and Shubman flopping down beside him flat on his back without ceremony.

"Hi," said Shubman.

"You really sound like Ross," said Ishan in concern.

"I feel like him."

Ishan was indignant and a little hurt. "You feel that way after all these awesome pictures? I felt happy when I saw them."

"I felt happy initially," complained Shubman. "But then I again started feeling like Ross. I think Ross is becoming my permanent state."

Ishan texted a bye in the group from both their behalf, put away the phone and pulled Shubman's head onto his lap, smoothening the creases on his forehead. A corner of Shubman's mouth lifted in a half-smile that dropped immediately.

"Why is Ross becoming your permanent state?" Ishan asked.

"I don't know."

"How d'you feel, exactly?"

"Scared."

"Um...anything else?"

"Sad."

Ishan thought hard about the possible reasons and came up with none. Next he thought hard about how to cheer Shubman up and again came up with none. Finally he fell back to tickling Shubman's ear to lighten the mood. 

Shubman slapped his hand away. "I'm not in a mood to laugh."

"Maybe you should be put in a mood to laugh," suggested Ishan.

"I don't want to laugh," said Shubman.

"Maybe you should sleep."

"I don't want to sleep," said Shubman, frowning thoughtfully. "I don't even want to get married, now that I think of it."

"Good Lord, Shubi," said Ishan (this was getting out of hand). "Don't say that. Why on earth don't you want to get married?" He noticed Shubman's bare fingers. "Where's the ring?"

"Er--" Shubman sat bolt upright, examining his fingers.

"It's clearly not on your fingers," said Ishan after thirty seconds.

Shubman sighed and lay down again with his head on Ishan's knee and placed Ishan's hand on his forehead so that Ishan could resume soothing it. "I took it off, must've kept it in my room."

"What if someone steals it?"

"Who in this weddinghouse full of guests will steal it?"

"Jaddu bhaiya?"

Shubman chortled. "Yeah, that's the only possibility."

"A very real possibility," pointed out Ishan.

"Let him steal it," said Shubman. "You already chipped it. That ring's already used to manhandling."

"Did Shresta notice it's chipped?" asked Ishan cautiously.

"Yeah," said Shubman. "She didn't even ask how it happened, she knew straightaway you and I had got around to fighting over it."

Ishan's heart jumped, then fell flat.

"See?" he said. "You're getting married to an awesome girl like that. You should definitely want to get married."

"I know, but..."

Suddenly, Ishan felt like his amnesia had got cured completely. He recalled a whole year of Shubman becoming friends with Shresta, starting to date her, getting engaged to her. They were so good with each other, Ishan almost felt jealous. Almost.