Grown up (A Jassi-Hardik Friendship fanfiction)

Part 2

Hardik saw that live just out of curiosity about what they might be talking about, and by the time he had watched 7 minutes, he was overflowing with obsessive love for his Jassi.

He opened the internet and searched 'best ways to let someone you love them' and he chose the worst site out of the lot that appeared, and messaged Jassi.

'You are my angel.'

Immediately after the live ended, Jassi opened his phone, and saw it, and honestly he did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

Couldn't he come up with a better adjective than 'angel'? He was about to call Hardik when Rohit bhaiya's call came.

Was he going to tell him off? thought Jassi, feeling a little apprehensive.

"Jass I'm so so proud of you," was the first thing Rohit said.

"Are you really?" asked Jassi. "Aren't you even a little angry because it was Yuvi paa?"

"Of course not, kiddo," said Rohit warmly. "You don't think I support that person after all that he said about our team, do you? I should have said something that day but like a coward I didn't, but you're there to..."

"You were not being a coward!" said Jassi, almost shouting. "Don't you--don't ever say that!"

He had seen Rohit bhaiya fight for his players so many times against the Mumbai Indians mangement that he felt any adjective in this world would suit him better than 'coward.'

"Ok, I won't," said Rohit, smiling. It heartened him so much to see his two earliest kids fighting for each other against the world. "Virat wanted to talk to you, too, by the way, they all did. I just managed to call you first!"

Rohit bhaiya sounded so triumphant that Jassi felt all warm. Imagine his team trying to call him first!

"Can we video call everyone?" asked Jassi eagerly.

It had been three whole days since the team last video called.

Since it was dinnertime, everyone couldn't join in, but most of them did.

"You're the most amazing person in the world, Jasprit Bumrah, and it's a great honour to call you my brother," said Virat over-dramatically.

Jassi laughed along with all the others, but Virat bhaiya's words were almost too good to hear. He had known he had pulled it off well, but he hadn't realized everyone would approve so wholeheartedly.

"Have you thanked your hero, Hardik?" asked Jaddu smoothly.

"Yes," said Hardik confidently. "I already told him he is my angel. Wasn't that a nice line?"

Everyone groaned.

"It was a very bad line," Shikhar told him. "This guy has no sense of proportion."

"Do not throw a tantrum," warned Bhuvi in advance.

"Where's Mahi bhai?" asked Kuldeep, Bhuvi's strict voice reminding him of Mahi bhai's voice when he scolded Hardik. "Didn't you call him?"

Jassi saw Rohit and Virat bhaiya exchanging a glance.

"Well no," admitted Rohit. "We--er, we can't be sure he'd think this was ok."

Jassi's heart plumetted. He had been so relieved to see Rohit and Virat bhaiya supporting him that he had quite forgotten about Mahi bhai.

What if he was angry? Or upset?

His team noticed his expression and read it correctly.

Bhuvi caught Hardik's eyes and indicated, distract him.

"Wasn't Jassi splendid?" screeched Hardik, appearing wildly excited, which he no doubt was.

"He praised Jassi! He praised Jassi! Did anyone record it?" asked Yuzi.

"I did," said Rahul, smirking at Hardik. "I'll send you Jassi, use it wisely."

"I will," said Jassi, also smirking at Hardik, who was wondering whether he should be annoyed or not, but who could be annoyed with Jassi after that live?

After a few more minutes of rowdiness, with Jassi's mother and Rahul's sister about to explode because they were so late for dinner, the conference dissolved.

In the end only Rohit and Virat were left on the call, and they were both beaming.

"Can you believe that timid kid who used to tremble at the sight of seniors is mocking one today?" said Virat.

"Moreover the guy who detested the sight of Hardik is going to such lengths to defend him," said Rohit.

"He has turned out to be a really great person, Ro," said Virat with a sudden hint of nostalgia. "He used to be so childish earlier...and now I think he handles things better than us."

"He was polite and respectful the entire time, and yet managed to make his statement," agreed Rohit. "I was thinking the same thing...our Jassi has grown up."

"Our little Jassi has grown up," repeated Virat wistfully. 

"And Yuvi paaji found that out..." began Rohit.

"Don't get me started on him," said Virat. "He disgusts me on so many levels I can't even..."

Rohit stifled a laugh at his tone. 

"I reckon he has just gone bitter," said Rohit. 

"Whatever the reason might be, nothing gives him the right to hurt our kids," said Virat firmly.

"Technically he blamed us," said Rohit. "Our team doesn't have seniors. Our juniors don't have seniors to look up to!"

"Our team doesn't have Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the best leader and elder brother ever," said Virat.

"Our team doesn't have Ajinkya Rahane, whom people just listen to automatically," said Rohit.

"Our team doesn't have Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the most understanding person in the world," said Virat.

"Our team doesn't have Sir Ravindra Jadeja, the craziest elder brother possible," said Rohit solemnly, and Virat laughed.

"Our team doesn't have Shikhar Dhawan, the biggest optimist you'll ever find," said Virat.

Rohit looked at Virat and said, "Our team doesn't have Virat Kohli...the most motivating person in the universe."

Virat was stunned, but he quickly recovered and said with a smirk, "Our team also doesn't have Rohit Sharma, the laziest and sleepiest big brother anyone has ever seen."

"You're such a jerk," said Rohit, rolling his eyes, and trying not to laugh as Virat was roaring with his infectious laughter.

"Well," said Virat at last. "Our team doesn't have Rohit Sharma, the one who deserves all the credits because he was the one who brought two polar opposite kids together who fight against such stupid people today."

"Much better," said Rohit, gratified.

Virat grinned at him cheekily. Rohit grinned back.

A/N: I do think our team has the most amazing seniors ever. I love them so much. So, so much.