Siraj tries to be the Saviour

Keyword: Tries

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"And you didn't even think of telling us?" Jadeja is trying very much to keep his calm.

Him, Ishan and Shubman are sitting at the poolside later that evening for the promised conversation.

Shubman had asked him to join them in their room. But Jadeja is traumatized enough to not enter that room again. The image of Shubman and Ishan under the bedsheet will forever be plastered on his brain.

"We wanted some time, Bhaiya!", Ishan softly says.

"It's not like we ever tried to keep it a secret." Shubman reasons.

That's true if Jadeja thinks on it.

Their behaviour never suggested anything other than them being a couple. The comfort they share even in silence, the skinship, the banter, the need to care for the other, the blushes, the soft conversations, finding peace in the other, the mental connection, sharing clothes, spending time, it was all there all along.

It is just them, the ICT who took the situation as friendship rather than looking into it too much.

Jadeja huffs. No use of this right now.

"And since when this has been going on?"

And Ishan grows all blushy and smiley, "We spend our first-year anniversary the day after we reached Dharamshala! Remember we went out shopping?"

Shubman looks at his baby with that disgusting look of love as he wraps his arms around the smaller man and kisses his temple.

And you have to be an idiot to think Jadeja had any comeback ready to that brand new information.

"OH GOD!!!" Jadeja screams internally. He heaves a heavy sigh. He raises his fingers to tell them something, pointing at them, His lips scrunched up and brows furrowed. But no words come out looking at the doey starry expression both the young men are throwing at him.

He puts down his hands, huffs a little more and rests his hands on his hips.

"Boys, just lock your door next time."

"YES SIR!"

KL, Shreyas, Kuldeep, Jadeja and Hardik are sitting unnaturally calm at the dinner table after their marginal win, yet still a win against England in the second ODI three days later. Whereas the other boys are chatting away (read: planning) their hearts away.

Topic?

Sending Shubman and Ishan out for a date in London. Which should not be a problem. Problem is they have to make the couple realize, this date exactly isn't a friendly date either, or too much of a romantic date.

"Just around the border. Not a 4, but enough to score 3 runs." Virat says cunningly.

"Virat bhai? Will that be okay?" Siraj asks.

"Of course, miyan jaan! We shouldn't hurry it. They might get scared. Approach them slow and make them realise it themselves."

Jadeja snickers over his plate of pasta and shakes his head. KL quietly pats him on the shoulders.

"So, I am giving this responsibility to you Siraj." Visat announces. "Talk to them and try to peel it of layer after layer. Don't do it altogether, okay!"

Siraj gets all pumped up, "YES CAPTAIN!"

"Abbey tera captain idhaar hain!" Rohit mutters with a mouthful of chicken and greens.

Siraj has taken his responsibility quite seriously. He really wants his two brothers to open their eyes and see the love they have for each other. As it is something that will be very beautiful, something really special.

Looking at Ishan and Shubman makes Siraj remember another person. No no.. no romantic interest there. Just a really good dear friend that he had lost.

They were just into their teen years, Siraj had remembered the shy, slim framed boy in their neighbourhood, who never really played with the other boys. But he always made sure to hang around them when they played gully cricket. Nobody really paid much attention to him.

Except this one guy.

Who ignored him in front of everyone else, but Siraj had one day saw him following that shy boy and deeply hugging one another.

Siraj had been surprised, but not that much to follow their activities. After a few months Siraj had found that boy crying behind one of the brick walls in the locality.

Siraj might not have been close to that boy, but he was human enough to ask him, "what happened? Why are you crying?"

The boy had looked up at him with the glassiest eyes, like marble balls at him and gave him the saddest smile possible.

"Nothing. Just faced with the reality!"

"What?"

And that Siraj came to know, slowly by slowly, day after day, meeting the boy here and there, a certain section in the society, who were somewhat unknown, undiscovered, unloved, misunderstood.

Siraj had lost that young boy from his life. Not too long after, the boy and his family had left the town. No one cared really.

Well maybe, except Siraj and the other guy who played gully cricket with him, who had suddenly become very quiet and disturbed. He had grown out of his phase eventually, but he had taken time.

Siraj likes to think that young boy has grown up now, handsome and radiant, living life his way. The glossiness in his eyes to be the same, not due to sadness, but with the love for his significant other.

He really wishes he will him meet him one day.

That boy had reminded him of Ishan and Shubman, of the same glossy eyes, not cause of sadness but this time, due to love.

Someone had to be blind to not be able to see that. And ironically, it's Ishan and Shubman themselves only.

Siraj understands, the world somewhat has changed for better, their cricket family is loving, and even though all these are important healthy factors, doesn't mean this young love won't grow apart. Especially when they are both young, linked with various famous females all through their cricketing careers.

So Siraj is a man on mission when he spots Ishan and Shubman in the hotel gym at the trademill, that evening. Laughing in their own bubble, bodies perfectly in sync on the trademill.

"What's up lovebirds? Still in the gym?"

Both Ishan and Shubman lower the speed of their trademill.

Shubman tilts his head, "You know it Siraj bhai."

Siraj laughs, "Yeah, I know, that's why I came to join you two. Knew I would have found you here."

Almost an hour later of much gossiping, ICT members and BCCI members alike, the upcoming matches, their families etc. Siraj loves this too. The easy conversation that flows when Shubman and especially Ishan is there. Siraj can bet even Hitler would have a smile attached to his face if Ishan were there around him.

God this guy is just a ball of fluff and happiness. No wonder Gill is just like a honeybee flying around this flower named Ishan.

"Accha, Ishu have you roamed around in London yet. The palaces and the museums?"

"No bhai." Ishan purses his lips, "I have to, though."

"Why, Shubman haven't still taken you there?" The bowler teases. A smirk on his faces.

He does not miss how Ishan's cheeks flushes.

"What bhaiya? Don't poison his small brain against me." Shubman whines.

And gets a very quick smack on his arm.

"Whose small brain?" The fiery dynamite pops up.

"Hey hey! Calm down you two."

"See bhai? How he speaks." Ishan pouts.

Both Siraj and Shubman coo at the baby boy in front of them.

"Then why don't you two go out for an outing tomorrow and Shubman can show you all the places. He has been here a lot of times. Isn't it Shub?" Siraj arches his eyebrows.

Ishan and Shubman both sit up straight, though obviously for different reasons.

One with thinly-veiled jealousy and the other at embarrassment.

"Okay okay Siraj bhai, enough for a day alright?" Shubman says at last.

"Then take me out tomorrow Shub. We can sit and programme all evening."

Aww baby Ishu!!

"You wanna go?"

"Yes, take him Shub, make new memories in these old places." Siraj says wisely, "after all these memories will stay with you forever."

"That's true. I know Bhai."

"I know you two already spend all your time together, but you should be spending quality time together. Quality over quantity, you understand?"

Two pairs of confused eyes, looks at him.

Oh God! This is gonna be tough.

"You know, spend time together and talk about meaningful things, like your careers or your future."

Shubman frowns, "We already do that bhai."

"Yeah, I know, but somewhere private, where the mood is right, the ambience is intimate."

THIS IS GOING SO FUCKING HAYWIRE!

"What're you trying to get at bhai?"

"You know, like talking about your future, your plans with the person you like and trust."

Siraj takes a deep breathe with a straight face. This is far tough than he imagined.

"Okay?" Ishan tests the water.

"Okay, now listen to me. Like have you ever thought about your partner with whom you will like to share your personal thoughts?"

Shubman pops his dimples, "What to think Bhai? Ishu is there for me, right baby?"

He gets a punch to his stomach, "No." Which meant a very much "Yes."

"See! That's what I am talking. Like Ishan whom you love very much."

"That I do!" Shubman declares with the most lovesick face all the universe can muster.

Siraj cannot decide if that is cute or disgusting.

Ishan is looking at Shubman from under his eyelashes with the reddest cheeks Siraj has ever seen.

"Hold up boy!" Siraj laughs, now very much into the game, "Your future wife might not like her 'sautan situationship' with Ishan."

"Nah Siraj bhai, no need of a wife when my Ishu is here, I am better with him."

"You better!" Ishan threats, albeit cutely.

Shubman promptly leans forward to put a kiss on Ishan's lips. "You're so cute baby, when you are jealous."

"Shut up!"

HOLD UP!!

HOLD THE FUCK UP!!!!!!

WHAT IN HOLY HELL HAPPENED IN FRONT OF HIS EYES?!

Siraj breaks out of his trance when both the boys in front of him break into giggles at each other.

Trust these boys to make anyone feel a third wheel at any situation.

"You just kissed him." Siraj says dumbly.

Ishan breaks away his eyes from Shubman, who does the same.

"Huh?"

"You kissed. On the lips."

If Siraj were in his senses, he would have understood how dazed and dumb he is looking.

"Oh! Yeah!", Shubman sheepishly says. "Isn't that what you wanted us to do? With all your hints and all?"

"Huh?"

Ishan laughs, "Siraj bhai, please don't be a tubelight. You understand this right. You know this. You tease us the most."

"Understand what?" Siraj dumbly (again) asks.

Now Shubman frowns.

"That we are together."

"To-together? You are together?"

"Yup! Kissing wala together!" Ishan says with a full smiling face.

"WHAT?"

Now that expression is not something new. We have been seeing that for the past few instances.

"We're not dumb, Siraj bhai!" Shubman laughs, "We understand you're trying to set us up on a date."

"All we are saying, you don't have to. We are already dating. Boyfriends, you know."

Ishan shyly looks at Shubman.

"Oh, I love it when you say that baby!" Shubman positively growls and pulls him by his waist to kiss square on the heart shaped lips again.

Though it is a shock to them when they hear the thump sound in front of them.

"Siraj bhai?"

No response.

"O Siraj bhai?"

"Siraj bhai?"

"Ishu call someone right now."

Cause who'd have thought Siraj will flat out get lose sense after seeing them kissing?

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TBC

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Just one more chapter to go.. hope you all liked this chapter too. I feel, this one is the weakest till now. 

I'm really sorry guys, I couldn't update early as well. Was really busy.

And OMG what the hell happened in the last few days. Ishman were wilding and still wilding!!!! I CAN'T!!! Bhagwan uthale mujhe!

Also guys, I'm on a new onshot! A pure 18+ one *wink wonk*... Will probably post it later today. Please keep an eye at it. Hope you like it too!! Ta~