Wish we were 28... still (A RohiRat Fanfiction)

28

"Okay," said Rohit. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Like..." Virat said. "...if we were 28 today, we'd be travelling for the South Africa ODIs with Mahi bhai as captain, without a care...you'd probably still be mad at me, because I gave you a jump scare before the flight landed..."

"Jaddu would be cackling in the background," added Rohit.

"And Jinks would say, when will you two grow up?" said Virat with his perfect imitation.

Rohit laughed.

The sound of it made Virat's heart feel suddenly light.

"I'd have joined you after the Test series, likely," said Rohit. "Because I'm not there in the Test squad, the middle order is already full."

"Or maybe Jinks and I have managed to get one over that committee and you were there!"

"With one of my disastrous SA tours," mused Rohit. "Yeah, I like it. Shikhar would be getting concerned with my mood--offering to take first strike and all--"

"Yeah, and Bhuvi would be in his element," said Virat. "He's going to outswing the SA top order out within the powerplay every match."

"And Jassi and Hardik would be hanging on to him with stars in their eyes," said Rohit. "And everything would be peaceful, till you run me out."

"I--I run you out?" Virat spluttered. "You plough ahead ball-watching, you ignore my call, and I have to try to run and I'm run out. And then you run Jinks out in the same match."

"Don't remind me, that was bummer."

"Everything's still peaceful, though," said Virat thoughtfully. "Mahi bhai's the one in charge, and no problem seems to exceed his dealing capacity."

"I know," said Rohit. "It used to be much easier. Everything."

"A walkthrough."

"You know, Virat," said Rohit. "I wish we were 28...still."

"So do I," said Virat. "That's all I've been thinking ever since we talked."

"Bit rich even to call that talking," said Rohit wistfully.

The tone cut through Virat's heart. Mostly because Rohit didn't sound angry and didn't wish to wound--he just sounded sad.

"Will you promise me no matter what happens, we will be the same as we were at 28 with each other, Rohit?"

"If we were actually 28, you would have told me before taking such a big decision," said Rohit. "There was a time when you used to tell me everything."

A painful lump formed in Virat's throat.

"I'm sorry," he said. 

Virat, who knew he never apologized, that it was an active issue with him, didn't know anything but that he had to apologize till Rohit forgave him.

"I'm sorry, Rohit. I'm sorry."

"Sorry--I couldn't tell you, or sorry--I would've told you if I could go back in time?" asked Rohit.

"Sorry--I would've told you if I could go back in time. I swear I would have."

"Okay," said Rohit. "Then it's all right."

"Is it?" asked Virat.

"Dunno. Maybe. I hear you spoke to everyone before you let the BCCI know of your decision. I don't suppose you want to get into it anymore now, with someone you call your best friend?"

The sarcasm was attacking, but not hateful.

"There isn't much to get into," said Virat, and went on quickly, "It's just, I needed the burden off my back really bad suddenly. It was sudden. But I'm sure I'm taking the right decision, on my part."

"Hope so," said Rohit. "If you'd told me you needed things off your back, I would have undertaken them all, Vi...instead of you forcing the circumstances on me..."

Virat absorbed it, and then automatically said, "I'm sorry--"

"Don't keep saying that," said Rohit impatiently. "Tell me what's going on in your mind, that's better."

"You know that principle of mine--if one day I don't feel like--like going out onto the field, I won't?"

"Hm?"

"I just didn't expect it to come so fast."

"You don't want to go out into the field anymore?" asked Rohit.

"Not really," mumbled Virat.

"Then," said Rohit with heavy irony. "I'm glad you took a relatively small step."

Virat couldn't crack a smile at that.

"When we were 28," said Rohit softly, "remember how much we used to enjoy cricket? Where when the DJ played a favourite song of yours, you'd dance. You'd joke around all the time like a free entertainer. The cricket field used to be your safe space, Vi. Don't let that go. Ups and downs will come and go--and it's all right you've given up the administrative positions you had--but cricket and you is much, much bigger than that. Treat cricket the way you did when you were 28, too."

"I think we should treat life as a whole that way," mused Virat.

"Me too."

Talking about it with Rohit, even if it couldn't lighten the overall burden, made him feel full of gratitude, at any rate. When he thought back to his career, he did think of all the big matches he'd won and all the milestones he'd achieved, but mostly, he thought of the people he'd gained.

He hadn't done half-bad on that aspect.

"I know it's horribly daunting to you, Ro," said Virat. "I know you've never really got secure with this format. But maybe this is what you needed. I hope that's so."

"Yeah," said Rohit, kind of dully.

"What are you thinking?"

"It's stupid," said Rohit. "There are a lot of stuff I should be worrying about, but the thing that's worrying me the most is...you know how you always ignore the bowler and the keeper and run towards me when there's a wicket? Suppose a day comes when--you don't?"

"I don't what?"

"Run at me when a wicket falls," said Rohit. "You just celebrate with the bowler, maybe, and don't look at me."

From his tone, he sounded serious, so Virat tried not to laugh.

"Yeah, that's never going to happen. I'll be there by your side, running towards you when a wicket falls, dancing to the DJ's songs and keeping the mood light," said Virat. "And if you need any advice, you won't ever have to ask."

"I know."

That, at the end of each fight and each misunderstanding, though of much greater magnitude than when they were 28, they still held each other tight and assured they'd never let anything change probably meant they weren't that different from when they were 28 at all.

"I don't think I've ever said this before," said Virat, suddenly. "But thanks for putting up with all my nonsense, Rohit."

Rohit sounded like he was smiling.

"I can't believe I'm saying it," he said. "But thanks for putting up with all my nonsense, too."

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A/N: There's the end of the story, and here's to praying Rohit and Virat always putting up with each other's nonsense. At times it stuns me to think just how much these two have gone through, and survived.