Homecoming

Chapter 28: A Little Closer

Shubman was no stranger to pain - he knew the only way forward, the only way to truly gain something was to push your body to its limits; there was no other way to achieve the impossible. Seeing his beloved in pain, though, was an entirely different matter.

As Ishan's wounds were slowly healing, even his plaster was supposed to come off in the next 10-15 days, the doctor had suggested slowly weaning him from the painkillers - natural healing was the best and it would help his organs stay healthier. Ishan had agreed, and his dosage was gradually decreased. Today, he was off his painkillers a 100%, and it showed on his face.

He tried to be brave about it - he watched shows, played video games enthusiastically, even practiced his physiotherapy exercises - but his face showed how much it cost him to stay upright.

Shubman kept asking if he wanted to continue the meds for a few more days; even the doctor had said it would be okay, but Ishan, being Ishan, had refused and carried on through the pain. Shubman kept trying to distract Ishan with his training stories, video calls with the team, and even asked Ishan if he wanted to get some fresh air, but nothing worked. Ishan was in so much pain that even the oil-free dinner that Shubman fed him was gulped down without a complaint, and when he muttered something about sleep helping, Shubman let him go, a concerned frown marring his face.

Just around midnight, when Shubman was just about to go to bed, he heard sniffles from Ishan's room. Worried, he knocked once and entered swiftly, his heart breaking at the scene in front of him. Ishan, lay on bed, clearly in pain, with tears streaming down his face. He had bit his lips to keep his whimpers in check, but his bloodshot eyes gave it all away.

"Ishan, Ishu...c'mon, let's just call the doctor and take the meds - you will feel better."

"No! I don't want to - it will happen sooner or later, and I don't want to rely on medicine all my life - you know what happens when cricketers do that."

Shubman understood his logic, he really did, but tell that to his heart, which was breaking with every tear making its way down Ishan's face.

Shubman was stuck, he didn't know how to make his friend feel better - he wanted to hug him, comfort him, but the last time they touched each other in this bed had been disastrous, and Shubman wanted to be respectful of Ishan's boundaries.

"Okay, what if - and please feel free to kick me out if you don't like it - I stay here and we prank call people?"

Ishan brightened at that, and the image was so hilarious that Shubman quietly laughed at it - my little shaitan, he thought amusedly.

He was just about to sit on the chair next to Ishan when Ishan abruptly stated,

"Uh, it's better if you sit next to me, I can't see your phone, what with your giraffe height and everything."

Shubman was pleasantly surprised that Ishan was allowing this liberty, but not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, he nodded and sat on the other side of Ishan's bed.

"Okay, who's the first bakra?"

"Call Yuzi bhai and tell him it's Hardik and we are waiting downstairs to go to a club."

"C'mon, really?"

"Ugh, Shubi, live a little!"

Saying so, Ishan snatched the phone from Shubman's hand, dialed Yuzi, and waited.

"Hiya Yuzi, sunn - party me jaana hai jaldi tayyar ho ja."

Yuzi, clearly awoken from his slumber, irritatedly replied,

"Abbe kaun hai itni raat ko pareshan kar rahe ho?"

"Apne harry bhai ko itna jaldi bhool gaye - I am hurt Yuzi, I am really, really hurt!"