Can Never Stop Looking out for You (A HulRat fanfiction)

Six years later

"Rahul," wailed Virat. "What are you doing on that phone of yours?"

"I'm informing the others," said Rahul severely.

He finished copying and pasting the same message 'Anushka bhabi in labour, Virat and I've come to the City Hospital, join us soon' to each member of their team, and began to wonder why he had not simply sent that in the group.

God, Virat's brainless questions were beginning to mess with his brain, too.

Virat moodily made a swipe for Rahul's phone. Rahul swung it out of the way and stuffed it into his pocket.

Virat sighed.

"D'you want to go outside to get a bit of fresh air?" asked Rahul paternally.

"No," wailed Virat. "It's been nearly an hour since she's been inside-"

"I think an hour is a perfectly normal time for someone to be in labour, Virat."

"How do you know?" smirked Virat. "Didn't you just say, haven't been to too many deliveries so can't say...?"

"Whatever."

"Why didn't they let us enter? Have you ever heard of the mother's family not being allowed to enter?" said Virat.

"Uh-huh..."

"Do you think, since 1 pm is 13 hours in the 24-hour system, it's a bad omen that we reached the hospital at 1 pm?"

"Virat!" said Rahul, exasperated. "Will you stop asking the same questions on loop!"

Virat's expression turned morosed. Clearly he had been enjoying the new sport of asking questions on loop.

Rahul glanced around to make sure that no one of their team had arrived, and then put an arm around Virat.

**************

2 hours later

"Something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong..."

"Nothing is wrong," said Rahul forcefully.

"I'm sure something's wrong, Moi..."

"Virat, stop being so annoying," sighed Rahul, heartily tired of single handedly dealing with the hyperactive idiot. "The last time I hated you so much was back in 2014!"

Virat stopped wailing and grinned a little.

"Why, what did I do in 2014?" he asked.

"You know, the entire thing with Mahi bhai," said Rahul.

"What thing with Mahi bhai?" pressed Virat.

Rahul saw a nice topic to pursue that might keep Virat and his tension apart.

"Mahi bhai retired from Tests just when I got into the team, remember?" Rahul recounted all he remembered from that long ago walk with Mahi bhai, his resentment of Virat and everything. He hadn't thought twice before telling Virat, and in fact he was feeling quite pleased with himself for having come up with an interesting story to keep Virat calm.

Virat stayed a bit too calm.

"So I did think you were really awful during that time," concluded Rahul, turning to Virat with a grin.

Virat did not grin back as he was drinking in the story; instead he stared at Rahul, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

He hated himself when he thought about that 2014 phase.

He had been evil. Vile. Disgusting. Foul. A complete villain. An ungrateful bastard.

And he hated himself, everyone should have hated him for that, and he did not mind.

But not Rahuliya.

Rahuliya could not have hated him.

He had never in his life considered that Rahuliya could've taken someone's side against his.

Now Rahul began to wish he hadn't opened his mouth at all. Virat looked not only disbelieving, but also distinctly hurt.

"Virat-"

"I didn't-" said Virat. "I had no idea..."

"I know, I hid it," said Rahul uncomfortably. "It doesn't matter, does it? That was six years ago."

Virat looked away from him at the white tiled floor of the hospital, distress rising in him rapidly.

He recalled that phase when Rohit, Shikh, Jaddu, Ash, Bhuvi...everyone had been so displeased with him, and how he'd spent the series with Rahul. But Rahul had been nice to him...supportive, even...and he'd been doing it just because Mahi bhai told him to...?

"December 2014..." he muttered.

"What?" said Rahul.

"Your-your first test century!" cried Virat. "Was that fake too?"

"NO!" said Rahul, horrified.

Virat caught sight of the clock, which showed that Anushka had been inside for over three hours.

"You're lying..." He broke down abruptly. "She's been in labour too long..."

"Virat-"

Virat shot to his feet, his eyes blurred, and fled down the corridor.

Rahul closed his eyes and wished again that he had just kept his mouth shut. In his defense though, he'd had no idea Virat would take it this seriously.

His phone beeped.

Rohit: Is he ok?

Rahul: Yeah

Rahul: Just a little...disturbed

Rohit: Stupid...Mumbai...traffic

Rahul: Don't text while driving, Ro...I'm here with him

A fat lot of good he was doing being here with Virat, thought Rahul glumly, going to hunt for Virat in the huge hospital complex.