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Advent Series - MS-Rishabh (with Virat) - Relic Love

A storm fuelled with copious amounts of Nitrous Oxide, which explained why Virat could not stop laughing.

Rishabh straightened up and beckoned - yes, beckoned- to MS, who actually went over to their youngest wicketkeeper.

Virat could not remember how many years he had needed before gaining confidence enough to just beckon to MS.... Er... Not yet. He still did not.

But Rishabh, cool as a cucumber, waited until MS came over and then pulled the man to sit next to him.

Pulled the man to.... Well, yeah... Some things.

Same, not so sane things.

Virat could not stop laughing, but he held a look of wonderment on his face, appearing quite weird, and it was a blessing that there was no one around.

"Bhai!' A plaintive cry. "How could you not notice?"

"Notice what?" MS actually paused to arrange the lapels of his jacket before asking, and Virat learned a few more things from his Captain-forever.

Cringe? Well, put up with it.

"These!" And Rishabh actually held up and flapped a pair of gloves.

"Hein?"

And Virat laughed so hard that his eyes leaked tears like a faulty faucet. He still remembers MS sounding the same in one evening gala way back in 2010 or was it 2011?

Golden days.

But Rishabh gave Virat the stink-eye and snarked, "Your gloves, bhai! I wore them. The ones from that 2011 World Cup! I wore them for luck. I thought that you would say something; anything! But nothing! You did not even notice!"

"Those...." MS trailed off, looking quite befuddled. "Where on earth did you even find those?"

"Sonu Bhai! How does that matter?"

"Sonu... He had them? I thought I had misplaced them!"

"Well," And an imp-like smile lit the youngster's face. "I got them!" He waved the gloves again. "I thought that I might get your luck, but...." He looked at Virat, wincing, "I sort of missed the stumpings?"

But MS was still in his own stunned, frozen world. "You wore my gloves? But... they are old! And faded! Frayed!"

Virat was gone at this point, laughing so hard he had to turn away.

"Well, yeah!" And Rishabh Pant blushed. "They are yours. They are the best."

"But Rishabh," MS finally exiled, long-suffering. "You cannot just wear anyone's gloves, especially in a match. And absolutely not mine!"

Virat's brow rose, and he was ready for another set of tantrums. But Rishabh caught him unawares with his rather mature,

"But why, Mahi bhai? It was just a tribute, of a kind."

But what made him stutter in shock and almost fall where he stood was MS's patient, "Because, they are moulded to my hands, kid. Not yours. You could never get the grip correct."

"Oh. So, I never had a chance?"

"With them?" MS smiled, saying dryly, "No." He lowered his voice and whispered, "They would have fought you."

"Oh."

And even as Rishabh looked thoughtful, Virat wheezed, doubling over. "Fought you! Bhai, you make them sound possessed!"

MS stared at his mad Captain and shook his head, "What really was in those protein bars, Cheeku? You want to set a record or something for laughing? Sure you are alright?"