17th june, 2024.

6:53 pm. (est)

after a fun-filled day at the beach, kasturie and shubman found themselves back at the hotel. the night was calm, the moon casting a serene glow over the hotel's terrace. seeking some quiet time away from the others, they made their way there.

the terrace overlooked the ocean, a gentle breeze rustling the palm trees. they sat side by side on a lounge chair, the sound of the waves providing a soothing backdrop.

"it's beautiful out here," kasturie said softly, breaking the comfortable silence. she was in her usual relaxed outfit-an oversized t-shirt and shorts, her waist length pin straight hair flowing with the wind.

"yeah, it really is," shubman agreed, his gaze on the horizon. "moments like these make everything worth it."

they sat quietly for a while, simply enjoying each other's company. after a bit, shubman turned to her. "kastu, there's something i've been meaning to say."

"haa bol na bhay, kya hua?" she asked, her eyes meeting his.

he looked at her with an annoyed expression. "pehle toh mujhe bhay bulana band kar de."

"acha sorry sorry galti se flow flow mein nikal gya." she chuckled sheepishly.

he took a deep breath, his expression serious yet tender. "i really admire you, not just as a teammate, but as a person. your strength, your spirit... it's inspiring."

kasturie's heart skipped a beat, warmth spreading through her chest. "thanks, shubman. that means a lot to me. tu bhi kuch kam nahi hai."

he gently took her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "i just want you to know that i'm always here for you, no matter what. we're a team, and you can always count on me."

she squeezed his hand, feeling a deep connection. "i know and same here, shubi. i'm always here for you too."

they sat there, hand in hand, letting the silence speak for them. the moment was intimate, filled with unspoken feelings and mutual understanding.

as the night grew cooler, shubman wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling safe and content.

"you know," shubman began, his voice barely above a whisper, "i've been thinking a lot about us lately. and i... i like you more than just a friend."

she looked up at him, her eyes searching his. "i like you too, shubman."

he leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. "i just want you to know that, no matter what happens, you're really important to me."

"you're important to me too," she replied, her voice equally soft.

they stayed like that for a while, the world around them fading away. in that moment, it was just the two of them, sharing a quiet, intimate connection.

eventually, shubman pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, a promise of more to come. "let's just see where this takes us," he said, his voice filled with warmth and certainty.

"wherever it takes us," she echoed, feeling a sense of calm wash over her.

with the moon as their witness, they sat together, finding comfort and strength in each other's presence, ready to face whatever the future held-together.

🕸️

both of them came back into the hotel lounge. just as they were settling in, kasturie's phone buzzed with an incoming video call from ishan. she answered, and his grinning face filled the screen. "guys, guess where i am?" he asked, his voice bubbling with excitement.

"kaha, bhai?" hardik replied, leaning over to get a better look.

"hume kaise bata hoga bro." kasturie said.

"i'm in new york, at aarya's place," ishan revealed, turning the camera to show a smiling aarya next to him.

"aarya?" kasturie exclaimed, her eyes widening. "meri wali aarya?"

"teri wali aarya ab meri wali aarya ho gyi hai." ishan added, looking pleased with himself.

"what the fuck, yeh kab hua?" she asked in surprise.

the team erupted in cheers and laughter. "oh ho, kya baat hai!" rishabh teased. "lagta hai yaha sabko pyaar ho rha hai!"

"merko kab batane wale the? bacche hone ke baad?" she glared at him.

"sorry sorry ab bata rha hu na." he said sheepishly.

"waise, kastu," virat chimed in with a smirk, "tumhari kya khabar hai?"

"haan, shub aur tumhara kya scene hai?" rohit added, grinning widely.

shubman, blushing slightly, tried to play it cool. "arey, kuch nahi yaar. bas achhe dost hain."

"achha? dost?" surya laughed. "teri aur kasturie ki dosti kuch zyada hi special lagti hai."

kasturie, still upside down on the couch, rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "bas bhi karo, tum log. hum sach mein dost hain. we're not dating, yet."

ishan, still on the video call, joined in the teasing. "haan haan, dost jaise main aur aarya dost hai, right?"

"woah there is a 'yet'." rishabh teased.

everyone burst into laughter again, and kasturie threw a cushion at the phone. "bas, ishi, rishu! waise bhi, 'teri wali' aarya se milwane ka plan hai ya nahi?"

"definitely," aarya said, waving at the camera. "jaldi hi milte hain, kasturie. miss you!"

"miss you too," kasturie replied, her voice softer.

as the call ended, the teasing continued, but it was all in good fun. "so, shubman," virat began, a mischievous glint in his eye, "kab propose karne ka plan hai?"

"haan, batao batao," rishabh chimed in. "hum sab ready hain help karne ke liye."

"arey, abhi kuch nahi socha," shubman said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "dekhenge jab waqt aayega."

"waqt aane ka intezaar kyun?" rohit grinned. "direct action lo."

"tum log bhi na," kasturie laughed, shaking her head. "kuch bhi mat bolo."

"bas, hum toh tumhare ache future ke liye planning kar rahe hain," surya teased.

later that evening, kasturie and shubman found themselves sitting together on a quiet balcony. the moon was high, casting a soft glow over the scene. "you know," kasturie began, her voice thoughtful, "it's crazy how things work out. life takes us in such unexpected directions."

"yeah," shubman agreed, "but sometimes, those directions lead to the best places."

they sat there, side by side, comfortable in the silence, knowing that whatever happened next, they would face it together.

"waise," shubman said after a moment, "humara team ka chidhana kabhi nahi rukne wala, hai na?"

"bilkul nahi," kasturie laughed. "lekin, i enjoy it."

hand in hand, they returned to the hotel lounge, where the rest of the team was still buzzing with energy. as they walked in, the teasing resumed immediately. "dekho dekho, lovebirds aa gaye," virat called out.

"haan, ab batao, kya baat hui?" rishabh asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"nothing, guys," kasturie said, trying to deflect the attention. she made her way over to the couch where hardik was sitting and promptly lay down, resting her head on his lap. "i'm tired, let's just chill."

hardik chuckled, running a hand through her hair. "tum dono ki khichai kabhi nahi rukegi, you know that, right?"

"yeah, yeah," she sighed, closing her eyes. "sab badmaash ho."

shubman found a seat nearby, a smile playing on his lips as he watched the team continue their playful banter. despite the teasing, there was an undeniable sense of camaraderie and affection in the air, a reminder that they were more than just teammates-they were family.

🕸️

18th june, 2024.

2:34 pm.

the sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the hotel garden where the team was spending their afternoon after their practice. shubman and kasturie were playing with sammy. the little girl was a bundle of energy, darting around the grassy area with a big smile on her face.

"sammy, catch!" kasturie called out, tossing a colorful beach ball towards her. sammy squealed with delight as she caught the ball and threw it back.

shubman, crouching nearby, caught the ball effortlessly. "great throw, sammy! you're getting really good at this," he praised, handing the ball back to her.

meanwhile, rohit, ritika, and virat were seated on a nearby bench, watching the playful scene unfold. rohit had an arm around ritika, both of them smiling fondly at their daughter. "dekho na, kitna accha lagta hai unhe aise khelte dekhke," ritika said, her voice filled with warmth.

"haan, bilkul," rohit agreed, squeezing her shoulder gently. "sammy ke saath unki bonding dekh kar accha lagta hai."

virat, sitting beside them, nodded in agreement. "shubman aur kasturie ko dekh kar aisa lagta hai jaise apna hi family ban gaya ho," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "aur dekho, sammy kitni khush hai."

back on the grassy field, sammy was giggling uncontrollably as shubman pretended to be a monster, chasing her around. "i'm gonna get you, sammy!" he growled playfully, making exaggerated steps.

"noooo!" sammy shrieked with laughter, running towards kasturie for safety.

"come here, sammy," kasturie said, scooping her up and twirling her around. "you're safe with me."

sammy wrapped her arms around kasturie's neck, still laughing. "aap dono mere best friends ho," she declared, planting a kiss on kasturie's cheek.

"and you're our favorite little munchkin," kasturie replied, smiling brightly.

shubman joined them, giving sammy a high-five. "you've got the best moves, sammy," he said, his eyes twinkling with affection.

watching from the bench, rohit couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and happiness. "kasturie aur shubman dono hi kitne natural hain sammy ke saath," he remarked. "sammy ko kitna pyaar dete hain."

ritika leaned her head on rohit's shoulder. "haan, aur sammy bhi unhe kitna pyaar karti hai. dekho, kitni khush hai."

virat added, "team ka bond hi kuch alag hai. hum sab ek dusre ke liye family jaise hi hain. they'll make great parents."

"sacchi, i can totally imagine them having a kid and being parents." ritika said looking at them.

"mere bacche bade ho rhe hai." rohit said wiping fake tears off of his face earning a smack on his shoulder from ritika.

as the afternoon went on, shubman and kasturie continued to play with sammy, their laughter and joy infectious. they took turns lifting her up, spinning her around, and making her giggle with delight. the bond they shared with the little girl was heartwarming, a testament to the strong connections formed within the team.

eventually, sammy started to tire out, her energy waning. "i'm sleepy," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"okay, time for a nap," kasturie said gently, picking her up and carrying her over to the bench where rohit and ritika were sitting.

"thanks for playing with her," ritika said, smiling at kasturie and shubman. "she had so much fun."

"no problem, she's a joy to be around," kasturie replied, brushing a strand of hair from sammy's forehead.

rohit, unable to resist the opportunity to tease, smirked at kasturie and shubman. "lagta hai, yeh dono achhe babysitters bhi ban sakte hain."

virat laughed. "haan, haan. future planning ho rahi hai kya, kasturie?"

kasturie blushed and shook her head. "arre, kuch bhi! we're just having fun with sammy."

shubman, grinning, added, "yeah, but if babysitting is this much fun, we might consider it."

virat waggled his eyebrows. "acha, consider kar rahe ho? hum sab samajh rahe hain."

as sammy snuggled into her mother's arms, rohit looked at kasturie and shubman with gratitude. "tum dono ne aaj sammy ka din bana diya," he said warmly. "thanks a lot."

"anytime, captain," shubman said with a grin. "we enjoyed it too."

ritika, joining in the teasing, said, "acha hai, practice ho gayi. apne bachche ke saath bhi aise hi pyaar dena."

kasturie's face turned a deeper shade of red. "arre, ab yeh kahaan se aaya!"

virat clapped shubman on the back. "acha laga dekh kar. tum dono ne milke sabko khush rakha hai."

kasturie, feeling the teasing heat up, tried to change the subject. "acha, virat bhai, kal ka plan kya hai?"

virat, still amused, replied, "kal ka plan yeh hai ke hum tum dono ko aur chidhayenge."

everyone laughed, and shubman and kasturie shared a glance, silently agreeing that the teasing was all in good fun.

as they all settled back into their seats, the sense of family and togetherness was palpable. the playful afternoon had not only brought smiles and laughter but had also strengthened the bonds in their team- sorry, family.

🕸️

a/n : dheere dheere we're coming to the end of the story. yeh chapter subah hi post karne wali thi but idk why mera wattpad decided to lag.

also, aaj main baarish mein bheega. main college se vapas aa rhi thi train se. station pe utri aur station se mera ghar is literally 2 minutes away and it was raining heavily. even tho i had a chhata in my bag, i decided to walk aise hi. kyuki hum aalsi hai, bag se chhata nikalke kholne ke kasht hum nhi lete. toh aur kya, ghar pohochte pohochte main puri bheeg gyi aur andar aake mumma se daant khayi.

guysss vote karooooo.

me to ict : ab tumhare hawale meri mental health saathiyo.

peace out.
~k.