Snippets, Incorrect Quotes and More

My intermittent Friend (The Veiled Cloakroom short stories - 1)

"Virat Bhai! Can I have a photo?... Oh, don't go, Mahi Bhai. I want one with the both of you."

"Both of us? You sure you can afford that, kid?"

"Don't tease, Mahi Bhai. The kid will take you seriously." The red-sleeved hand reached and pulled him in. "Smile now, grumpy person."

A surprise chuckle had lighted up the frame and more came when Virat was pulled up to stand at the same level as the others.

"We are getting quite a lot of talented youngsters, huh?"

A nod. "Certainly. You had more options than I did. And I do not envy Rohit. He is having to balance more than is needed and also having to soothe more than a few ruffled feathers in the bargain."

"Hain na? The youngsters nowadays are all super emotional and enormously clingy."

"You mean, just like you? Well, you and Jaddu, to be fair. The rest were fairly decent."

Another chuckle and a hand adjusted the redundant AirPod. "Yeah. Will not disagree. But, I am still clingy, you know. Just because you tried to move away...."

"You wanted me to move away!"

"It was just a reflex, alright? Just one time I snapped back. Doesn't mean shit!"

MS Dhoni looked around. "Calm down. And it was far from just one time."

"So what? Did you give up? Couldn't take my words?"

"You are bloody bad luck, even as a mentor are not just words, Cheeku."

"They are! They were! You cannot keep ignoring me in private because of that. Not years after those stupid words!"

"Ignoring? I am not ignoring you. We are talking, aren't we? And this is personal, huh? In private?"

"We are standing in front of the Chennai dugouts, in front of a million cameras!"

"Oh stop being so dramatic, Cheeku! A million cameras, really? And why are you so obsessed about the cameras in the first place?"

"Give or take a few; does it really matter, Bhai? And I am not obsessed with them; just a little in love with them."

A pause and then a genuine chuckle full of warmth. "Not really. It doesn't. One or a million, they will all capture the same thing."

"Yes; me being the sweet person that I am and you being the grouchy grunt that usually are. They are getting the same old."

"I am the one who is grinning; you are just looking bored. Not to mention, stupid, with that AirPod in your ear."

"Hey! No griping about my AirPods! They keep me sane."

"Of course they do. You are a bad conversationalist!"

"I am not! Come on now. You don't have to be mean."

Teeth were gritted. "Keep smiling, Cheeks. Cameras, lenses. Remember? They are quite focused on your cheeks!"

"Such a bad pun!"

"Yeah, that is me. The quintessential bad pun."

"Mahi Bhai yaar."

An awkward shuffling of feet. "Chal. We should get going. You must have a party planned."

A hand rubbing the back of his neck, Virat leaned and wrapped his arms around MS. "I miss you Bhai. Our talks. I don't mean this publicity mahirat thing."

"Hmm. Okay?"

One arm kept settled around MS's shoulder, and Virat leaned back. "Don't be mean now. Do I need to apologize?"

One eyebrow rose. "You think you need to?"

"What? Apologise? Maybe."

"Nah. I don't need to hear it. You know that."

"But you do? Forgive me?"

"When have I ever been angry, Cheeku? Truth may hurt but its wound does not fester."

A sharp inhale. "Bhai! It was not the truth!"

"Aha. That doesn't matter."

Virat moved away, moving only a few steps before looking back. "So, we will resume the talks?"

"You would like that?"

A nod. "I would."

"Alright then. Call me." And the senior man walked away, leaving the youngster gaping in some surprise,

"I will never understand him." A pause. "I should call Rohit. He will laugh."

A/N - And after this? Well, it remains to be seen, doesn't it?

Do let me know your thoughts. Take care and Thanks.