Did You Know Me? (Shubman Gill x Ishan Kishan)

The eye-opener

Ishan's 26th birthday began in the flight back from England to Delhi.

The team couldn't do anything much but wish him in shouts, drawing dirty looks from the other passengers, which meant they had to stop.

"Aha," said Shubman, strangling Ishan, who was of course sitting beside him, in a hug. "Glad I snagged this seat, keeping your birthday in mind."

"Don't you always snag this seat?" asked Ishan.

Their team's birthday wishes had drawn the attention of the air hostesses, who came up with their customary smiles to wish Ishan, too. One of them, an Indian, batted her eyelashes at Ishan and said, "We saw the World Cup final...you were a treat to watch."

Shubman frowned.

"Thank you." Ishan accepted the compliment with a perfect smile.

"The pressure must have been insane," the woman said. "After KL Rahul's run out..."

Shubman suddenly wanted to knock over his glass of water to distract everyone around and get the woman's gaze off his best friend.

That would be a really stupid thing to do, though.

Shubman settled for saying to the air hostess, "Oh, he doesn't like talking about that innings. Can you excuse us, please?"

"Whoa," murmured Ishan. "What's gotten into you? When did you start being rude to pretty women?"

The air hostesses dispersed, the Indian one throwing a couple of backward glances at Ishan.

"And who said I don't like talking about that innings?" Ishan raised his eyebrows.

"You never talked to me about it," said Shubman. "Talk to me about it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shubman was most indignant to hear that Ishan had to take off almost as soon as he cut the cake in the hotel of Delhi. He even insisted he be spared from the whole cake-smashing thing because he didn't have the time to take a shower.

"How could you book your ticket back on your birthday?" Shubman huffed.

"Family insisted," said Ishan, apologetically.

"No smashing cake will mean bad luck," shouted Surya, who was out to take revenge for the prank Shubman and Ishan had just pulled off on him yesterday, and from who Ishan was keeping a safe distance. "Give him some," he urged the ones nearest to Ishan.

Sparing his hair and clothes was the only bit of consideration most of the team decided to show. When Shubman approached with his hand raised and full of crumbs, Ishan complained, "Not you too, Shubi."

"I'm only doing-" Shubman smeared the crumbs and cream over Ishan's jaw and mouth. "Where you can eat them."

"Oh, um," said Ishan, blinking and looking away. "Um, thanks."

A sudden breathlessness plagued Shubman at that point, forcing him to back away. He chose not to look at Ishan, either, for the rest of the cake-smashing and cake-eating.

After Ishan had hastily washed his face, the team went to see him off at the gates. He waved at them all the way till the cab turned around the bend.

Shubman kicked a stone in front of him, calculating irately how long he'd have to wait to see Ishan next.

At least ten days.

Shubman wondered if it was too late to run after the cab and give Ishan a last hug.

The cab was out of sight, so yes, it was too late.

He'd thought he was the only one still out in the grounds, but Hardik and Surya fell in step with him on either sides when he turned to return to the hotel.

"So, how long are you guys going to need to get together?" asked Hardik.

"Hm?" asked Shubman, distracted.

"Are you two going to pretend to be just friends another year? Two years, perhaps?"

"Me and Ishan?" said Shubman, now confused. "We're not just friends. We're best friends."

"Whatever," said Hardik impatiently. "That's why I asked how long you're going to need to be together?"

"What-what do you mean, Harry bhai?"

Hardik stared at Shubman.

"Are you pretending to be blind or are you actually blind to being in love with him, Shubi?" he asked, intrigued.

Shubman stared at him. "What? I'm...I'm not in...in love with him..."

"Please," said Hardik. "You stare at him all the time. And yeah, in a different way than the way you're staring at me now. Whenever you enter a room, your eyes always turn to find him."

"So... So..."

"And you smile like you're daft every time you take his name."

"I don't-"

"You got over Sara very suddenly."

"Yeah, but-"

"You haven't dated anyone in months."

"That's because I didn't feel like dating-"

"How many hints do you want?" demanded Hardik.

"Oh, hey," shouted Surya. "Ish says his flight got delayed, he's coming back."

"Really?" Shubman asked eagerly, turning. His insides went hollow with a falling sort of sensation which he'd only known with Sara a long time back, and realized it had been so common with Ishan for so long, he'd never even registered it.

"No, not really," said Surya. "I just said it to show you your reaction."

Shubman covered his mouth in horror. "Oh, God."

"You're welcome." Hardik and Surya exchanged a partners-like handshake.

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A/N: I am like super excited for the next chapter, hope you are too!!