ICT One Shots- Friendship and Brotherhood

6. The Captain's Bestie

Ruturaj smiled wide as his eyes fell on Devon Conway in the stands as he completed his fifty against lucknow. The man noticed him and smiled back at him, clapping harder than he already was. Rutu bowed his head down in gratitude and walked back to the strike. He missed batting with him, but he was happy that atleast he was there in the stands finally.

"Well played skip. Fabulous knock! " Conway patted Rutu's back as he hugged him in the changing room.

"Thanks Dev" Rutu gave him a tired smile. He was exhausted after batting for full 20 overs and then fielding, the loss didn't help, it was a very important game.

"Hey, smile a bit? You just hit a hundred" Conway spoke as he saw their young captain's dejected face.

"Shoo man. I'm tired" Rutu scoffed as he proceeded to on to change into his practice gear.

"Cranky much? " Conway teased. Rutu looked at him and glared. "What did I just tell you? Go to someone else"

"What if I say I won't? " Conway stood in front of him crossing his arms over his chest.

"Bus won't wait extra for you. Move if you don't want to sleep here" Rutu said as he picked up his kitbag and walked out.

"Heyy rutuuu" Conway ran to catch his friend who looked too pissed for his normal demenaour. He caught him and wrapped his arms around his shoulder, tight enough so that Rutu can't push him away even if he wanted to.

"Not done man. You pleaded me to come here and now you are not even talking? " The newzealander complained when Rutu continued walking without looking at him.

"Should I go back? "

Rutu glared at him immediately. Conway laughed heartily. He pinched his cheek, "you look cute when you glare at me like that"

"Ouch-" Conway yelped loud as Rutu punched him in the abdomen with his elbow. He removed his arm from his captain's shoulder and stooped down a bit to relieve the pain. Rutu immediately felt guilty looking at the man. "Dev I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to hit that hard. Is it paining too much? ", he asked frantically.

" Ah- yes. " The man replied as he put his hand on his stomach. Rutu looked around frantically, he had no idea what to do.

"Got scared? " Rutu looked startled as Conway tapped him on his shoulder, chuckling like a maniac.

Rutu glared at him again, "What's wrong with you Conway? "

"You are a sweetie pie, you know that?"

"You are growing more and more annoying each passing year" Rutu said as he continued walking.

"Tell me. Did you get scared?" Conway asked again as he caught him back.

Rutu moved a little to the side and punched him hard on the arm. Conway took no offence anyways. He pulled the younger guy a little closer, "missed you man"

"Same, Dev" Rutu finally put his sass aside and admitted.

"Hmm" Conway shook his head up and down, "Heard you were saying something on the lines of making me jealous? "

"You saw that video? " Rutu asked and Conway replied in yes. Rutu sighed, their plan didn't really go as they had wanted to. Him and Rachin had thought it would be fun to make Conway jealous, pity that their partnership didn't bring results after that.

"Try better kids" Conway said as he laughed it off.

"Whatever you say, bhaiyya"

"What did you say? Bai- bayya? Is it something similar to what you all call MS? Mahi baai? "

Rutu palmed his face. That's why Mahi bhai always asked these foreigners to call him MS only. "Bhaiyya. Bhai. Both have same meaning" Rutu replied, putting proper emphasis on H word.

"Cool. Why don't you call me baai? I'm elder than you"

Rutu rolled his eyes at him, before screaming, "RUN Conway, the bus is leaving!! "

Rutu shares beautiful equation with both Faf and Devon Conway, both very senior to him, both coming from South Africa (Conway was an SAffer before shifting to Newzealand). But still there are fundamental differences between his equation with the two. With Faf, he is like a shy little boy with his elder brother from whom he has learnt the ways of life. With Conway, it's more like seasoned besties or same age siblings, where proper banter goes on. I love both, it would be a dream come true if these three ever get a chance to play a match together. Also, to see which two actually open?