A few months into Shubman and Prapti's secret relationship, things were starting to get a little too... obvious.

It all started with a lazy Sunday morning at the flat. Shubman had an off day from cricket, and Prapti had cancelled her shoots, deciding to lounge around. 

They were tangled up on the couch—Shubman's arm draped lazily over Prapti's shoulder as they half-watched a rom-com and half-stared into each other's eyes.

"You know," Prapti murmured, running her fingers through his hair, "they're going to catch on sooner or later."

Shubman chuckled. "Nah, babe, you worry too much. They're all too caught up in their own drama. We're fine."

Just then, his phone pinged.

Group Chat: The Boys.

Ishan: "Yo, breakfast tomorrow at Rohit's? Be there or be square."

Shreyas: "Bet. Shubman, don't ghost again, man. You've been acting sketchy as hell lately."

Shubman rolled his eyes, replying with a quick thumbs-up emoji. But the text had barely been sent before another ping came in—this time, from Virat.

Virat: "Don't think we haven't noticed, Gill. What's up with you lately? You're either disappearing or glued to your phone. Spill it."

"Shit," Shubman muttered under his breath, tossing his phone aside. Prapti raised an eyebrow.

"They're onto you, aren't they?"

He sighed. "They might be suspicious, but they don't know anything. Trust me."

The next morning, at Rohit's place, the boys were already gathered around the table, devouring a spread of food. KL Rahul was leaning back, picking at a bowl of fruit like he wasn't the least bit interested in the conversation. B

ut the others? They were side-eyeing Shubman-like vultures circling prey.

"You've been a little too quiet lately, Gill," Rohit said, his voice casual but laced with curiosity. "What's up?"

"Nothing, man, just... focused on training," Shubman shrugged, trying to play it off. But Virat wasn't buying it.

"Bullshit," Virat shot back, leaning in like a detective interrogating a suspect. "You've been off the radar. And don't give me that 'training' crap. I've known you too long, bro. Something's going on."

"I swear, it's just—"

"Don't fucking lie to us," Ishan cut in, his voice playful but with a sharp edge. "You've got this weird glow. I don't know, maybe you're pregnant or some shit?"

That earned a round of laughter, but Shubman shifted uncomfortably. He knew his poker face wasn't as strong as it used to be.

Rohit narrowed his eyes. "Nah, Ishan's onto something. You're acting... different. Distracted. Like, you've got a girl, don't you?"

That hit too close to home, and before Shubman could react, KL finally chimed in, his tone low but amused. 

"Come on, Gill. We've all been there. You've got that 'in love' look, man. Like a lost puppy. Just admit it."

"I'm not a damn puppy!" Shubman blurted out but immediately regretted it when the room erupted in laughter.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S TOTALLY GOT A GIRL!" Shreyas crowed, slapping Ishan on the back. "I knew it! I fucking knew it!"

Shubman, realizing the hole he was digging for himself, rubbed his face in frustration. "Look, I don't— It's not what you think."

"Not what we think?" Rohit raised an eyebrow. "Bro, we're cricketers, not idiots. You've got someone on the side. Who is it? Spill."

"I'm not telling you shit," Shubman muttered, trying to hold his ground, but the boys weren't letting it go.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Ishan suddenly froze, his eyes widening in realization. "You've been spending a lot of time with Prapti lately, haven't you?"

Shubman's heart skipped a beat. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but it was too late.

"No way," Shreyas said, looking between Ishan and Shubman like he'd just solved a murder mystery. "You and Prapti?"

"Prapti fucking Sehra? The model?" KL's eyes lit up. "Dude, no way."

Shubman swore under his breath, his face flushed. "It's not—okay, fine. Maybe. But it's complicated, alright?"

"Complicated my ass!" Virat barked, his voice echoing through the room. "You're dating her, aren't you? That's why you've been sneaking off like a criminal!"

Before Shubman could defend himself, Ishan burst out laughing. "Holy shit. Prapti? The one who basically pranks your ass on a daily basis? Dude, how the fuck did that even happen?"

Shubman threw his hands up in defeat. "It just happened, okay? We didn't plan it. We've been friends for years, and then one night—"

"You made out." KL grinned. "Don't even need to say it. I've seen this rom-com before."

Rohit leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. "So, what? You've been sneaking around for months, and none of us had a clue?"

Shubman sighed heavily. "Yes. We've been together for a few months. And no one knows, not even Kalyani or Geeta. So if you guys could keep your mouths shut, that'd be great."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Shreyas snorted. "You've seen how Ishan's big mouth works, right?"

Ishan, looking scandalized, put a hand to his chest. "Me? I am the epitome of discretion!"

Virat snorted, crossing his arms. "Pffft. You can't keep a secret to save your life. Last time we told you something, half the stadium knew within an hour."

"Alright, fuck you, Kohli," Ishan shot back with a laugh, flipping him off.

But then Ishan's playful grin shifted into something more serious. "But, hey... you're happy, right? You and Prapti?"

Shubman blinked, surprised by the genuine question. He paused for a second, thinking about the last few months—how things had changed, how things had stayed the same. How much he loved her.

"Yeah," Shubman finally said, his voice softening. "I really am."

Rohit grinned and clapped him on the back. "Well, good for you, Gill. But seriously, don't fuck it up, alright? Because when Prapti finds out we know, she's probably gonna kill all of us."

The room fell silent for a beat as the guys exchanged glances, the reality of Shubman's words sinking in. The shift in mood was palpable—no longer just teasing and banter, but a real understanding of the stakes involved. 

They knew Prapti wasn't someone to mess with, and if she found out they'd blown their cover, things would get ugly. Fast.

Ishan was the first to break the silence. "Dude, seriously, though. Prapti? I mean, that's... wow. She's like a walking goddess. You're punching way above your weight, my man."

Shubman groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You don't have to remind me. Trust me, I already know."

Rohit, still grinning, leaned back in his chair with an amused chuckle. "I don't know how you've managed to keep this shit a secret for months. You can barely keep your batting form under wraps, and this? Hats off, man."

Virat, who had been mostly quiet for the last minute, suddenly stood up and slammed his palm on the table, making everyone jump. 

"Okay, hold the fuck up—months? How the hell have we not noticed this for months? I mean, Shubman Gill of all people, dating Prapti Sehra, and you're telling me you've been hiding it from us this long?"

Shubman shifted uncomfortably under Virat's intense gaze, shrugging. 

"We've always been close, man. Everyone just assumed we were friends. And we didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Especially with the media, you know? If they get wind of this—"

"Oh, they'll be all over it," KL interrupted, nodding knowingly. "The moment they even catch a whiff, you'll be front-page news. 'India's Golden Boy Shubman and Supermodel Prapti Sehra: Cricket's Hottest Couple.'"

 He waved his hands dramatically like he was reading the headline of a gossip column.

Shreyas, munching on a piece of toast, smirked. "Nah, more like, 'Shubman Gill Strikes Again—This Time, In Love! Details Inside.'"

Virat rolled his eyes. "You guys are unbelievable. This is exactly why you're screwed, Gill. These idiots can't keep anything under wraps. They'll slip up, I guarantee it."

"Oi, fuck off, Kohli," Ishan interjected, glaring at Virat. "I can keep a secret. I just... get excited about them. There's a difference."

"Yeah, sure," Rohit said, deadpan, reaching for his coffee. "Remember when we told you about KL's engagement? You practically live-tweeted the whole damn thing."

"That was one time!" Ishan protested, throwing his hands up.

Shubman groaned again, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He ran his hands through his hair, exhaling deeply. 

"Look, all I'm saying is—if you guys slip up and tell anyone, especially Kalyani or Geeta, I'm dead. Prapti will kill me, and I'll have to fake my own death and move to the Himalayas."

Rohit snorted. "Himalayas? You wouldn't survive a day. Can't even make your own coffee."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have Prapti around to boss me, so maybe it's a win," Shubman muttered under his breath, earning a laugh from the group.

But Ishan wasn't letting it go. His eyes gleamed with mischief. "Bro, speaking of Prapti—how's she handling all this? I mean, is she, like, cool with dating Mr. Poster Boy of Indian Cricket? She doesn't mind the fan girls?"

Shubman smiled at the mention of her, and it didn't go unnoticed by the others. "She's... she's amazing, honestly. She doesn't give a damn about the attention. She's more concerned about me losing my phone for the hundredth time."

KL grinned. "Damn, she's got you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?"

"Hell yeah, he does!" Shreyas hooted, clapping his hands. "Man's in deep. Look at him. Smiling like a fool just thinking about her."

Shubman threw a pillow at Shreyas. "Shut the hell up."

"Oh, this is precious," Rohit said with a laugh. "Shubman 'I'm too focused for a relationship' Gill is whipped. Who knew?"

Virat, still sceptical, folded his arms. 

"Okay, so you've been hiding this for months. But now that we know, what's the plan? You can't keep it a secret forever. Eventually, someone's gonna slip up, or worse—the media's gonna dig something up."

Shubman bit his lip, glancing around at the guys, all of them looking back at him expectantly. 

"I know. I know we can't keep it under wraps forever. We just... need a little more time to figure things out. Prapti and I—we're good. But the second this goes public, everything changes. The media, the fans, everyone."

Rohit nodded, his usual carefree demeanour taking a backseat to something more serious. 

"Yeah, you've got a point. Once the press gets a hold of it, they'll spin it however they want. You've gotta be ready for that. Both of you."

"Not to mention," Ishan added, "Kalyani and Geeta will kill you when they find out you didn't tell them first. Those two are scarier than any journalist. AND GEETA IS A JOURNALIST, but she's cool."

Shubman winced at the thought. "Trust me, I'm aware. I just... wanted to keep things simple for a little while longer."

"Well," Virat said, standing up and stretching his arms over his head, "you better make sure you don't fuck this up. Because the moment Prapti finds out we know, you'll be facing more than just angry girlfriends. You'll be facing an entire cricket team that's ready to give you endless shit."

"And you won't be able to escape it," Shreyas chimed in, grinning. "Ever."

Shubman groaned. "You guys are the worst."

"You love us," Ishan said with a wink. "Now, let's get out of here before Prapti shows up and makes us spill the beans. And by 'us,' I mean me, because clearly, I'm the weak link here."

The room burst into laughter again, but beneath the teasing, Shubman felt the weight of what was coming. 

Keeping his relationship a secret had been fun for a while, but now that the guys knew, it was only a matter of time before the whole world would too. And when that happened, he'd have to face the storm—both from the press and from Prapti.

"Alright, alright," Shubman sighed, standing up with a grin. "Just... try to keep your mouths shut for a little longer. Or at least until I've written my will."

"Deal," Rohit said, smirking. "But if the media asks, I'm definitely saying something cryptic to mess with them."

Shubman threw his head back in frustration. "You're all assholes."

"And you love us for it," KL said with a grin.

As they all filed out of Rohit's place, Shubman's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and smiled when he saw a message from Prapti.

Prapti: "How's breakfast? Better be back soon, or I'm eating the rest of your favourite ice cream."

He grinned, shaking his head.

Shubman: "I'm on my way, babe. And don't you dare touch my ice cream. I mean it."

And as chaotic as the morning had been, he couldn't help but feel grateful for how lucky he was—even if his teammates were absolute menaces.

As Shubman made his way back to the flat, a knot of anticipation twisted in his stomach. The conversation with the guys had gone better than expected, but now the real challenge began: keeping them quiet and keeping his relationship with Prapti under wraps for just a little longer. The last thing he wanted was for this news to explode on social media or, worse, for Kalyani and Geeta to find out through someone else.

When he walked into the flat, the smell of something delicious immediately hit him. Prapti was standing in the kitchen, stirring a pot on the stove, wearing one of his oversized hoodies—an adorable sight he still wasn't used to, even after all these months. She turned around with a cheeky grin.

"Finally! I thought you'd abandoned me for your cricket buddies," she teased, poking at the sauce bubbling in front of her. 

"How was breakfast with the boys?"

Shubman walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling into her neck. "Chaotic, as usual. But... they know."

Prapti froze, spoon hovering mid-air. "Wait—what? Who knows?"

"Everyone. Rohit, Virat, KL, Ishan, Shreyas—all of them," he muttered into her neck, his voice muffled. "It just slipped. I couldn't keep lying to them."

Prapti let out a long sigh, putting the spoon down before turning in his arms to face him. "Well, shit."

"I'm sorry, babe," Shubman said, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "I didn't mean for them to find out, but they were all over me. It was only a matter of time before they pieced it together."

Prapti raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the counter. "What exactly did they say? And please tell me Ishan isn't running around the streets screaming it to the world."

Shubman chuckled, shaking his head. "No, not yet. But I wouldn't put it past him."

She crossed her arms, clearly amused. "Great. So, now our relationship's basically in the hands of a guy who can't keep a secret for more than five minutes?"

"Pretty much," Shubman admitted with a grin. "But don't worry, I threatened them with death-by-Prapti if they spill anything."

Prapti smirked, walking her fingers up his chest. "That's smart. They should be afraid. Very afraid."

"You know, the whole 'terrifying supermodel' thing is really working for you," he teased, pulling her closer. "But seriously... I told them to keep it quiet. They promised. I think we'll be okay for a little while longer."

Prapti's smirk softened, and she rested her hands on his chest, looking up at him with an affectionate gaze. "Well, as long as you told them, then I guess we're safe. For now. But we should probably start thinking about how we're going to break this to Kalyani and Geeta. I don't want them finding out from anyone else."

Shubman groaned, resting his forehead against hers. "Yeah... they're going to murder us, aren't they?"

"Oh, absolutely," Prapti said with a chuckle. 

"But we'll handle it together. I'll talk to Kalyani, and you can take Geeta. Or maybe we do it at the same time, so there's less of a chance of them plotting our demise behind our backs."

"Good call," Shubman muttered. "If we die, we at least die together."

She giggled at that, then tilted her head to kiss him softly on the lips, making Shubman's heart skip a beat. Even after all these months, that feeling never faded.

Just as they were getting lost in the moment, the sound of his phone buzzing in his pocket snapped them back to reality. He sighed, fishing it out and rolling his eyes when he saw the group chat lighting up again.

Ishan: "Bro, just FYI, Rohit says he's definitely hinting to the media next week. He called it 'dropping bread crumbs.' You better watch your back. 😂😂"

Shubman groaned, showing the message to Prapti, who burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, they're going to torture you with this, aren't they?"

"Yep," Shubman said, shaking his head in exasperation. "I swear, they've been waiting for this moment."

"Honestly, I think it's kind of cute," she teased, giving him a nudge. "They care about you, in their weird, chaotic, meddling way."

"Yeah, but they're going to drive me insane."

Prapti kissed him on the cheek, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, I'm here to help keep you sane. We'll survive the boys, we'll survive Kalyani and Geeta, and we'll even survive the media when they eventually find out. We've got this."

Shubman smiled, feeling that familiar warmth in his chest that always came when he was around her. "Yeah. We do."

Just then, the doorbell rang, interrupting their moment. Shubman frowned. "Were you expecting someone?"

Prapti shook her head, looking just as confused. "No... you?"

They exchanged a glance before Shubman went to open the door. Standing there, in all her intimidating glory, was none other than Kalyani Krishnan, flanked by Geeta Parthasarathy. Both of them had their arms crossed, matching expressions of suspicion plastered on their faces.

Prapti's eyes widened. "Oh, fuck."

"Prapti fucking Sehra," Kalyani said, her voice dangerously sweet. "Do you have something to tell us?"

Geeta raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Or should we take a wild guess?"

Shubman and Prapti froze, knowing full well that their cover had just been completely, and utterly, blown.

woop woop!

and here we have the 9th chapter!

THEY KNOW

also writers block sucks sm

anyway, comments on the chapter?

hope y'all liked it!

- love soup