The way Virat was sitting, all rigid and uncomfortable, and the way he was speaking, halting and uncomfortable, after a while it occurred to Rahul that he was probably just here out of obligation.
Once the idea struck him, it swiftly convinced him.
They weren't even talking. The surgery was already done, and it had been successful. There was no reason why Virat would sit here, except that he'd feel duty bound. Especially with Anushka sick and everything...
"You can go if you want," said Rahul, quietly.
Virat looked up at that, and Rahul straightaway knew it had been the wrong thing to say.
"I mean, Anushka probably needs you, and you have a match tomorrow," he said quickly.
After a pause, Virat nodded and stood up.
Rahul lay back down on the bed and tried not to look after Virat as he walked to the door.
"You want anything, Rahul?" Virat asked.
Rahul closed his eyes. "Shut the door after you."
__________________
Virat didn't want to go.
I don't want to go, he told Rahul inside his head. You said I can go IF I WANT. I don't want to. I won't go.
It seemed stupid to say he wouldn't go when the opposite person himself told you to go.
To prolong his stay, he paused before shutting the door and said, "I'll call Athiya and Rohit."
"Yeah, ok." Rahul's eyes were still closed.
_________________
Rahul was normal with Athiya and Rohit. He was even normal with the doctor.
He was probably normal overall, but he wasn't Rahuliya, Virat's first kid, whose vulnerable side was concealed to everyone but Virat.
To everyone, Rahul had always been immovable, unbreakable, balanced, calm. Never getting too excited about anything. Never giving in to despair.
To everyone, even after a surgery and with the prospect of missing a final, Rahul would act like it was nothing big, just a minor setback. Which he was doing with Virat now. Instead of how he should have voiced every negative thought that crossed his mind, cursed his luck, cursed his stupid knee, blame his decision to become a cricketer against his parents' wishes...
Virat actually knew exactly what would be going inside his head right now, though he wasn't speaking of them even to Athiya or Rohit.
When it came to Rahul, there were some things reserved for Virat alone, and Virat was the only one who could mourn their loss.
___________________
But even if he didn't voice his doubts, at least Rahul spoke to the others instead of staying silent, which was a lot more than what Virat could say. Virat remained quiet, too, except responding to Rohit and Athiya's attempts to include him in the conversation in a rather dull tone.
Every time Virat's eyes met Rahul's and Rahul looked away quickly, Virat felt like his heart was cracking.
Eventually, he mumbled a good night to the three of them and slipped out.
He imagined Rahul wouldn't mind, but then, he did not wait to look around and see his expression.
Rohit, who saw both Virat's dragging feet and the way Rahul's chin trembled almost imperceptibly, realized for the first time that something serious had happened between these two that he wasn't aware of.
But what could have happened that got Virat leave early and Rahul not try to stop him?
What on earth was going on?
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After the MI-RCB match ended, MI edging RCB out in a high-scoring thriller where Virat had been too distracted and ended up getting out on 1, Rohit caught up with Virat and asked, "Coming to the hospital for a bit?"
"We'll reach at midnight," said Virat. "Are visitors allowed at midnight?"
"Like you care about what you're allowed or not allowed to do?" Rohit grabbed his arm. "Come on, we'll wheedle our way in."
Just the thought of facing Rahul's wall of ice made Virat feel cold and hollow. He's simply get in the way and not do any good.
No, he simply couldn't dare to go to the hospital. Not now. Not anytime soon.
"I...you go," said Virat.
"You too. What the hell is wrong with you and him?"
"I don't know," said Virat, honestly. "I wish I knew, actually."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know," said Virat, again.
"How can you not know?"
"I just don't, Rohit!" said Virat loudly. "Will you please just go--and tell him I send my best wishes."
Rohit was rendered speechless for a couple of minutes, and Virat had already left by then.
__________________
Rahul thought the horrible throbbing in his head since last night would vanish only if he could see Virat again and they could talk. Or maybe even if he could just see Virat again, because he doubted they'd be able to talk. Or maybe seeing him and being unable to talk would only intensify the throbbing.
Anushka was fine now; Rahul knew that because she'd come to visit him herself during RCB's practice session, but Virat didn't come when Rohit dropped by after the match.
"Virat sends his best wishes," said Rohit with a hint of sarcasm.
"Oh, um, okay."
"You don't happen to have any idea why he sends his best wishes through me instead of coming here directly, do you?"
"No," said Rahul. "Maybe he's busy."
Rohit sighed audibly. Rahul did, too, which made both of them smile. But the throbbing over Rahul's temples didn't go away.
__________________
The next morning, as the time for the RCB team's flight to Jaipur neared, Rahul's desperation increased.
He wanted to call Virat and plead.
Please come once before the flight.
I miss you.
You can't go without telling me when we'd meet next.
Please come once before the flight.
But if Virat had wanted to come, he'd have already come without needing Rahul to plead for it. If Virat missed him too, he would not have left so early the other day. What even was the point of dragging him here out of obligation?
Please come here before you go.
He didn't do anything so silly. But a part of him wished he could have.
YOU ARE READING
Beyond the Meadows (A HulRat Fanfiction)
Fanfiction"Maybe," said Rahul. "Maybe things aren't meant to be the same forever." "Maybe," said Virat. He didn't believe it, and yet he did. Because the 31-year-old man addressing him was KL Rahul, an Indian cricket hero, a husband and an adult, and not Rah...
