Love on the Pitch

Ridiculous Love

8 December, 2022

Ict was touring Bangladesh to play two tests and three ODIs.

"Darta jahan humse, hum tohse darte, ye sab jaanein mori raniyaan haye"

Ishan sang aloud giddily along with an Instagram reel displaying their very own moments, he jumped down from where he was sitting on the window nook and slowly grooved to the beats as Shubman seated at the edge of bed ceasing his own scrolling on the phone for a while smiled ear to ear at his bestfriend's puerile capers.

"Darta jahan humse, hum tohse darte, ye sab jaanein mori raniyaan haye"

Shubman sillily giggled in exhilaration at Ishan's waving of hands, waddling of waist and swaying of legs whilst approaching him and cupping his face, cooing at him and affectionately pulling his cheeks "Maska lagao na, chhodo ji chhodo, samajhti hain tori thaniyaan"

Shubman heartily laughed while gazing at Ishan with all the adoration he could fathom as Ishan threw his hands up in the air swinging his hips, "Is adaa pe to hum kurban gaye ji, tohri na na mein haami hai jaan gaye ji, kal mile, ho kal mile haye, kal mile re hamka bhool gaye aaj re, dagabaaz re, dagabaaz re, tohre naina bade dagabaaz re"

Reel ended and both burst into laughter, Ishan launching himself on the bed chortled his heart out before containing himself and sitting up straight as his sight landed on Shubman still gazing at him with twinkling dark brown eyes and a beaming smile, afternoon sunlight cascading through window pane glistening his tanned skin creating shadows of his long lashes under the creased eyes which gleamed pure innocence as always, cheeks dimpled which Ishan desired to kiss, he is beautiful, so so beautiful, prettiest and the sweetest boy ever.

Habitual of obscuring his emotions, sometimes Ishan tends to forget his recently vouchsafed feelings towards his best friend, though, things have been quite normal lately, at least that's what he tries to make himself and others believe through his acts of pretence, however, sometimes situations like right now catches him off-guard, prompting him to realise just how much he loves this guy but maybe he has to die with the secret.

He still enjoys Shubman's company the most, he would hate to sacrifice it if things were to change between them also it's ridiculous how he still can't stay away from Shubman, how he still craves him like a fool even after encountering the most horrifying realisation a person could have in years and years of friendship, it's ridiculous how it absolutely shatters him and suffocates him to hide his feelings yet he is still ready to be devastated and strangled entangling in his own war of sentiments, it's thoroughly ridiculous how he is totally adrifted into his own chaos yet mayhem is all he chooses if it means he could have Shubman by his side without any alterations, well, love is inclined to be ridiculous. He tries to build a distance between them but fails to do so, gets utterly defeated and unequivocally melts to the core every time Shubman looks at him with 'those eyes' containing distinguished plea, renouncing the world would be better instead of ignoring them.

Shubman's lips moved to say something snapping Ishan out of trance as the silence was subdued by other's following words, "I like us in this reel", Shubman said indicating towards the same reel replaying in Ishan's phone as the latter looked down at his phone and absently chuckled, "Yeah me too"

"Although i enjoyed your cute dance better" Shubman grinned simultaneously winking at Ishan who rolled his eyes bumping Shubman's shoulder with his fist, "Consider yourself lucky that you get to watch it for free"

Shubman guffawed unlocking his phone's screen, "Btw I have so many of our reels saved", he informed going to the saved section of his insta.

"I know, you send me plenty, tho i had no clue that you love them so much as to save them. I thought you called our shippers and found the idea of us being together delusional" Ishan humorously commented earning a glance from Shubman who cockily smirked, "Oh, baby, delusional or not, I like to keep safe things precious to me"

Ishan's heart thumped, blood rushing to his ears and cheeks, this is what he couldn't get used to, Shubman making such remarks was nothing new but with his new found fervour it was hard to absorb them anymore, he felt like an idiot knowing other was just jesting and yet it evoked the whole zoo in his stomach to go wild, being at loss of words he foolishly gaped at Shubman who luckily saved him the trouble and furrowing his brows asked instead, "Don't you?"

"Huh?" Ishan found himself stupefyingly uttering, blank in the mind.

"Our reels, Ish, don't you save them too?"

"Yea-i-mean-i-yes-i-do-"

Ishan stuttered as Shubman clicking his tongue pulled him closer by headlocking him and played one of their saved reels, smiling so bright that it could blind even the damn sun unlike timorous Ishan who probably wasn't even breathing anymore, so stiff in other's hold.

Teri baahon mein yeh jism khil gaya
Teri saason mein chain mil gaya
Kaise rahein ab hum juda ho ho..
Tere paas hum itne hue
Tere khwaab apne hue
Aise hue ab hum fidaa..
Aisi uski inaayat
Mit gayi har shikaayat
Hum pe meharban do jahan
Shukran Allah wallah Abdul ilaha

Their most famous moments were reprised, Shubman cupping his face, them stupidly smiling while staring deep into each other's eyes in the elevator, Shubman hugging him from behind, them just goofing around in the field, Shubman gazing at him like no one else is around. Ishan's heart raced, it was nothing which he hadn't seen before but witnessing it all in such close proximity of the very subject of his heart's concern obviously did things to him. It's funny how he is the one in love but somehow Shubman seemed more gone in the clips, people like Hardik bhai, Shreyas, Kuldeep bhai and sometimes even Rohit and Virat bhai have suggested him multiple times that Shubman never behaves with anyone like he behaves with him, be it in a sarcastic way but he has been told frequently that he is an exception for Shubman, earlier Ishan would take joy in it, albeit, today it was the reason of his nervousness, though, there's no way it could be true, 'it's just the way he looks at everyone', Ishan reasoned, he refuse to accept that Shubman's eyes always tell a different tale when he is with him. Uncertainty eventually kills hope giving rise to fear and when it does, denial of hope is the best escape.

"Damn, I love these" he heard Shubman warmly sigh and scroll further which didn't only include their trending reels but Ishan's solo edits, Ishan's pictures, not just few but uncountable, official and unofficial.

"Kya hua tu kuch bol kyu nahi raha" Shubman said, eyes fixated on phone's screen and arm still around Ishan's neck who timidly chuckled, "Dekh raha hun ki more than half of your saved section is filled with my posts and edits only, creep"

Ishan jokingly taunted as both met each other's gaze, mirth in Shubman's eyes a grin spread across his lips before he leaned closer to Ishan's ear, whispering, "I'm secretly obsessed with you, baby"

Ishan's heart palpitating in his throat finally dropped into his stomach, he abruptly got up freeing himself causing Shubman's arm to drop down as he backed off staring at startled Shubman, "What's u-"

"I have to go" Ishan blurted, casually resting hands on his hips endeavouring to feign composure, swallowing and managing to force a smile he observed Shubman's frown growing more profound but before the latter could speak he swiftly added, "Rahul bhai had called me, see you later, Shubi, bye"

Shubman watched Ishan briskly leaving the room while he remained there seated in utmost confusion, meditating over freshly occurred scenario because the other had been doing it a lot lately, precipitous and uncalled-for jittery behaviour of Ishan wasn't sitting right with him, all in all it made him a bit upset.......okay a lot upset, he could perhaps submerge in an abyss of his own sadness if possible, he could feel Ishan intentionally avoiding him sometimes, he could bear anything but distance from Ishan made it hard for him to breath, again strange hurt coiling in his heart. Ishan might not openly accept it but he has been acting weird recently, he might put on a facade but Shubman could see right through it, since past few months Shubman could always sense Ishan being on his toes whenever they came close, the hell Ishan wasn't even cuddling him properly, one moment he acted like his usual self and the next moment he would become so cautious as if constructing a boundary between them. He could sense that something was definitely wrong with his best friend.

************************************

That's it for today, I know it's not much but I hope I didn't disappoint you guys and you enjoyed reading the chapter, will be back soon, bye, love ya❤️