Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 21: Inconsolable

1. For the World Cup Selection: As a country we've collectively forgotten to put cricket above the cricketer.
2. Show some love to my newest ship, Dhruv and Dev of ICT in 'Courage'.
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Ishan was a master at spotting the enemy from a distance - he could hear the softest creak, the harshest breath even from miles away - it's what made him an exceptional field agent, but it was also what kept him alive.
Today, though, he wanted to close off his ears.
The reason - he stood guard outside a door, while Shubman and his date were enjoyed a candle light dinner while soft music played in the background.
Ishan felt the sound grating on his nerves, and when Shubman’s date laughed, Ishan wanted to cut his own ears off.
What was happening to me, Ishan thought. No one and nothing had ever fazed him this much. But one glance at those beautiful eyes and heartstopping dimples, and Ishan was ready to raze the world for them. He life had upended itself the moment Shubi had stepped into the room that night, and into his heart forever. His kindness, his sincerity, his passion has cemented his position in Ishan’s soul as its mate, and Ishan was helpless against the onslaught of love that poured out of him when he looked at Shubi.
Today, however, that same love was twisting itself like barbed wire around his heart, bleeding him dry. The date, the girl, her hand on Shubi’s arms, their smiles, Shubi’s pleading eyes that told Ishan to believe him - it was making his head swim and eyes water.
He quickly wiped the tears off, and cleared his throat.
He can do this, he thought. He can get through the night, harden his heart, and wait for the day Shubi left.
Robby took the same moment to materialize beside him. He was just about to open his mouth, when he took one look at Ishan’s face.
His eyes instantly turned pitying, and in the next instant, he had situated another bodyguard in Ishan’s place.
Ishan’s expressions turned indignant.
“Robby, it’s my job.”
“Not today it’s not.”
“Robby…”
“Take it as an apology, Ishan, please.”
Ishan sighed, took one look at the door, and walked toward his room.
That night, both sleep and peace eluded him. He dreamed of Shubi - he always dreamed of Shubi now.
In his dreams, Shubi always cried, because Ishan was a heartless monster who had no love for anyone, because one day Ishan would leave, or because Shubi would get hurt.
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Morning brought no relief for Ishan, when Shikhar once again saw it fit to put Ishan and Shubman together, by planning a day out. Ishan looked at Robby, because looking at Shubman meant melting into those brown orbs, and that was something Ishan would never risk.
Robby had apparently shifted sides, because he hastily suggested they go without Ishan, as Ishan was needed at the office for his own security. Shikhar narrowed his eyes at the obvious ruse, but Ishan walked out of there as fast as possible, not wanting to risk someone catching him.
He was relieved that he got to spend a somewhat normal day, as he spent the time updating the security, keeping an ear out for Amu and his friends, and trying to get his heart to calm the fuck down. He was just about to retire for the day, when a ping on his personal phone alerted him.
It was from Shikhar.
Shikhar would never contact him on his personal cell if it wasn't personal or dangerous.
He was out with Amu and Shubman.
Ishan’s head swam. With shivering hands, he picked up the phone.
“Ishu, everything's fine - don't panic, okay?”
Even in the midst of obvious panic, Ishan took a moment to note how well Shikhar knew him to know that he had panicked the moment he had seen Shikhar's name on the screen.
“Ishan, can you hear me?”
“What happened?”
“Can you sit down first?”
“What. Happened.”
“I was not going to leave him alone, I swear. It's just that Siobhan got cramps and I stayed to collect him, and the next thing I knew, Amu was crying about Shubi ditching them.”
“What do you mean, ditching them?” Ishan's voice was dangerously calm now.
“They've had a few, Ishu - I was herding them, but now I can't find Shubi.”
Ishan could hear the panic in Shikhar's voice, and he wanted to panic as well, but this was not the time. He would dissect this when he had the time, but first–
“Why did you call me? Why haven't you notified his personal security?”
A beat. And then–
“Because I know you'd never let him go in a strange city without a tracker.”
When Shikhar got no response from the other end, he knew he had hit the jackpot.
“I am right, aren't I?”
He was about to check for a network issue, when he heard from the other end.
“I'll find him.”
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Ishan knew it was wrong on so many levels to place a tracker in Shubi’s shoes - but he couldn't help it. He had to keep him safe - anything else was not an option. He knew there would be hell to pay if anyone found out, and Shubi would definitely question his motives, but Ishan did not care. And it did come in handy, didn't it, Ishan debated against himself - I found him in this strange city after all.
Ishan looked at the blue spot on his phone, which showed Shubi around the nearest bookstore - It's just like Shubi, Ishan thought smilingly, to take his drunken self to a bookstore. He walked toward the spot, looking around to check if Shubman was nearby. He had only walked for a few minutes when a strange sight made him stop in his tracks.
Shubman was sitting on a park bench, his jacket thrown nearby, with a book in hand and a cat as his bench mate.
That wasn't the strange part.
Shubman was reading from said book, and showing something from the book to the cat, who looked equally bewildered as Ishan.
No time to waste, Ishan quickly jogged upto Shubman, and sensing no impending danger, decided to watch the scene unfold in front of him. As he walked closer, he could hear Shubman tell the cat,
“So you see, McGonagall, Hagrid’s gone for an entire day between the Potter’s death and his visit to Privet Drive, but no one is telling us where he is - what do you think happened? Surely you must know!”
Ishan scratched his brain - why was Shubman calling the cat McGonagall? And then it clicked - it was that human who could turn into a cat from those Potter books Shubman always used to quote from.
Sloshed and out of his mind, Shubman thought the cat was from Harry Potter.
Ishan laughed at the realization, which caught the attention of both boy and the cat.
Shubman’s eyes were wide as saucers when he spotted Ishan.
That did not stop him from dropping the book and jumping into Ishan’s arms.