ICT ONE-SHOTS (FRIENDSHIP)

Missing you(Rahul-Hardik)

A/N: Do you know Hardik said "We're back to being good friends" while talking about his equation with Rahul after the Koffee with Karan incident? That means there was something wrong between them initially after that.

Hardik-Rahul is one of the most popular pairs in the current teams,  too, and I love Hardik and like Rahul a lot, hence this story...

Rahul had known right from the show that something bad was going to happen. He tried to convey to Hardik so many times to shut up, but Hardik didn't get the message and proceeded to say things that made even Rahul cringe.

And then, the news of their suspension came.

While half of India was condemning both of them, to Rahul's surprise and displeasure, the other half was wailing about Hardik's possible exclusion in the World Cup.

"Hardik is too precious for us, bring him back!"

"WC 2019 is impossible without our best all rounder."

"Keep cricket and personal life separate, Hardik did nothing wrong."

Hardik, Hardik, Hardik!

The entire fault was Hardik's, Rahul hadn't said a single offensive thing, but they both had to be banned, and people were taking Hardik's side, not his!

And Rahul suddenly started to feel a consuming hatred towards Hardik, unlike anything he had ever felt before.

To make matters worse, after their bans were (thankfully) lifted, Hardik was picked in the squad vs New Zealand, but Rahul himself was dropped.

The hour when the squad was declared was the darkest hour Rahul faced in his life so far. He was sure that Hardik's words had ruined not his own, but Rahul's career.

Hardik had called and messaged Rahul quite a few times during their ban, but Rahul had refused to acknowledge them.

He could never forgive Hardik for what he had done to him.

Hardik's comeback match was hard for Rahul to bear. Hardik was once again in Indian blue. But Rahul felt in his bones that he would never get that previlege again.

The next day, Rahul finally decided to confront Hardik.

___________

Hardik was going through the worst phase of his life at the same time. His teammates suddenly seemed so cold and harsh, and he could not fit in like before.

He probably never would again, Hardik was thinking in a depressing loop, when his phone rang.

Feeling happier than he had in days, he received the call and cried, "Rahul! How are you? Why did you cut yourself off like that? I was worried about you!"

"You were worried about me?" said Rahul with cold sarcasm. "Wow."

Hardik blinked in confusion. "Yeah...of course I was...why, what's wrong with that?"

"Guess who landed me in this situation, Hardik?"

Hardik's heart sank swiftly. All the guilt he had felt in the last month for Rahul receiving the punishment as well returned with full force.

"I know," said Hardik in a subdued voice. "I'm really sorry, Rahul. I can't even--"

"You're not sorry!" said Rahul harshly. "Why would you be sorry? You got off, didn't you? You're back in the team!"