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Top - Mohammad Siraj
Bottom - Ishaan Kishan
Request - aditi_rose77
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It was a quiet evening in the team hotel, the air thick with unspoken tension. Ishaan sat by the window, staring out into the night. His thoughts were consumed by Shubman, his ex, the guy he thought would be his forever. But forever never came.

His heart had been shattered only days ago when he found out that Shubman had cheated on him. The pain was still fresh, a gnawing emptiness that refused to leave. He had loved Shubman—his best friend, his partner—and yet, he had been betrayed.

The whole team knew about his heartbreak and while some tried to comfort him, there was only one person who remained silent: Siraj.

"You okay?" Rohit asked, pulling up the seat next to him, concern etched on his face. Rohit had always been a big brother figure to him, and today, he seemed to understand Ishaan's pain more than anyone.

"Yeah, just... tired," Ishaan muttered, his voice distant.

As if sensing the atmosphere, Virat leaned in, wrapping an arm around Ishaan's shoulders. "You know, it's okay to not be okay. We're all here for you."

Ishaan nodded but there was something he wasn't ready to face just yet: the growing realization that he had been in love with Shubman for too long. And now that love felt like a cruel joke.

Across the aisle, Siraj sat with his head buried in his phone but his attention was clearly on Ishaan. Siraj had known about Ishaan's heartache.

But there was one more thing Siraj knew, too—he had been in love with Ishaan for what felt like forever, ever since they first shared a laugh during a tour in England.

The others noticed it too, but Siraj had always kept his feelings to himself, unwilling to cross the line between friendship and something deeper. Until now.

"You know, Siraj, you've been in love with Ishaan for ages," Jadeja said, sipping his drink.

Siraj shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I—uh—I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, looking down at his hands.

Kuldeep, sitting next to Jadeja, added, "Come on, bro. We all see it. You've been crushing on him for so long. And now... well, he's vulnerable. He needs someone to support him. This is your chance."

"Just tell him how you feel," Yuzi chimed in. "You've got nothing to lose."

Jadeja, with a knowing smile, added, "You know, it's not just about the heartbreak. Ishaan needs love, someone who truly cares. You could be that person."

Hardik gave Siraj an encouraging look. "I'll back you up. But you need to take the first step. You've got this."

Bumrah simply nodded in agreement but his eyes were full of understanding. "Don't wait too long, Siraj."

Siraj looked at his friends. Their encouragement was almost too much to handle. He had wanted to tell Ishaan for so long but the timing had never felt right. But now, with Ishaan in pieces over Shubman, maybe this was his chance.

The next day, Siraj found Ishaan in the team's practice room. Ishaan was sitting alone, his eyes vacant, a distant look on his face. Siraj's heart ached at the sight. He walked up to him slowly, taking a deep breath.

"Ishaan..." Siraj's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

Ishaan looked up, forcing a small smile. "Oh, hey, Siraj. What's up?"

"I... I wanted to talk to you about something," Siraj began. His palms were sweating, his heart racing. "I know you've been through a lot recently, and I... I just want you to know I'm here for you. If you need someone, anything... I'm always here."

Ishaan raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion on his face. "You mean, like a friend? Or..."

Siraj swallowed hard, trying to gather his thoughts. This was harder than he thought. "Ishaan, I... I don't just want to be your friend. I want to be there for you in a way that's different. Maybe... maybe we could go out, just the two of us? Like, a date?"

Ishaan blinked, taken aback. "Wait, are you asking me out on a date to make Shubman jealous or something?" he asked, his voice slightly defensive.

Siraj froze. "No, Ishaan, I—"

"I mean, it's a great idea," Ishaan continued, misunderstanding the situation. "I'll fake date you. You know, just to show him I've moved on. Thanks, Siraj. You're a great friend."

Siraj's heart sank. Fake date? That wasn't what he meant at all.

Siraj didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. This was not the confession he was hoping of but Ishaan was already smiling, oblivious to the pain in Siraj's eyes.

"Alright then, let's go out," Ishaan said, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll see you later."

Siraj watched him walk away, the weight of disappointment heavy on his chest.

Back in the locker room, Siraj was met with knowing smiles from his teammates. They had seen the whole conversation unfold through the windows.

Rohit said with a small smile, "You got this, Siraj. Now, you just have to show him how much better you are than Shubman."

Virat added, "Yeah, take this opportunity. You're not faking it—you're being real. Just let him see who you truly are."

The next few weeks passed in a blur of awkward and painful "dates." Siraj took Ishaan out to dinner, to the movies, and even on long walks.

He did everything he could to make their fake relationship seem real. He bought Ishaan flowers, sent him sweet messages, took him out on little dates to places Ishaan liked.

He stood up for him whenever fans made him uncomfortable, and he even protected him from aggressive photographers. Every day, it felt like his feelings for Ishaan grew stronger, but he didn't let it show.

He found himself holding Ishaan's hand in public, walking around with him in cafés and parks, all while trying to pretend it was fake to him. But each time Ishaan smiled at him, or laughed at one of his terrible jokes, Siraj's heart swelled with affection. It was hard to deny that this was more than just a game to him.

Kuldeep noticed the growing tension between the two of them. "I told you," Kuldeep said with a grin. "You just have to be there for him."

And he did just that. He bought Ishaan customised accessories , not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He stood up for him when some overzealous fans tried to get too close, placing himself between Ishaan and the crowd. He made sure Ishaan felt safe, seen, and important.

But all the while, Ishaan remained distant, convinced that this was just part of a fake relationship to get back at Shubman.

Despite the misunderstanding, Siraj remained patient. He never stopped showing Ishaan his love, even if it wasn't returned in the way he hoped. Ishaan, however, began to notice something. Siraj wasn't like Shubman. He wasn't playing games. He was just... there, genuinely caring for him.

He noticed the way Siraj looked out for him. The way he treated him like he was special. Slowly, something shifted inside him. The idea of a fake relationship started feeling more and more real.

Siraj was kind, selfless, and fiercely protective of him. They started to spend more time together—dinners, walks, and even quiet conversations late into the night, where Siraj would listen to Ishaan's heartaches without trying to fix him, just being there.

Ishaan began to feel how different it felt to be with Siraj, how much better it was than anything he'd experienced with Shubman.

"Siraj," Ishaan began, his voice hesitant. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything."

"Why are you doing all this for me?" Ishaan asked, his eyes searching Siraj's face for an answer. "You've been so kind, so supportive, and... I don't get it. You don't have to be."

Siraj took a deep breath. "I'm not doing this because I have to. I'm doing this because I want to. Because I care about you. More than I probably should."

Ishaan's breath hitched. "You care about me?"

Siraj nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yeah, Ishaan. I've cared about you for a long time."

Ishaan felt a warmth in his chest. It wasn't just friendship anymore. He realized it then, with a clarity he hadn't had before. The flutter in his stomach, the way his heart raced when Siraj looked at him—it was real.

A few days later, after another quiet evening together, Ishaan sat down with Hardik, his best friend, and opened up.

"Hardik, I don't know what's going on," Ishaan admitted, his voice filled with confusion. "But I think I'm... starting to like Siraj. I mean, I never expected this, but he's just been so kind and supportive. I feel like he's been there for me in a way no one else has."

Hardik grinned, '"About time!"

Ishaan looked at him, surprised. "Wait, you knew?"

"Oh, we all knew. But you needed to see it for yourself."

Ishaan blushed, "I... I don't know what to do."

Hardik gave him a knowing smile, " You know what you have to do. Go for it, Ishaan. Tell him how you feel. He's waited long enough."

Ishaan's heart raced. This was it. He had to take the leap.

With Hardik's encouragement, Ishaan planned a perfect setup. He set up a candle-lit dinner on the balcony of their hotel room, overlooking the city lights. When Siraj arrived, his heart skipped a beat. The moment he stepped into the room, he knew something was different.

"Ishaan, what's all this?" Siraj asked, his voice low with curiosity.

Ishaan turned to him, his eyes full of emotion. "Siraj, I've been an idiot. I thought... I thought I was just faking it, but I'm not. I care about you. I care about you so much more than I ever realized."

"Ishaan..." he whispered, his breath catching in his throat.

Ishaan smiled, taking his hand. "I know this is a little unexpected, but I've been thinking a lot lately. About us. About you."

Siraj's eyes widened.

"I think I've fallen for you," Ishaan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I don't want to fake date anymore. I want you to be mine. For real."

Siraj felt tears well up in his eyes. "I've always wanted this. I never stopped loving you."

Ishaan smiled, stepping closer. "So... will you be my boyfriend, Siraj?"

"Yes," Siraj replied immediately, pulling him into a tight embrace.

And as the world seemed to fade away, they shared their first kiss—soft, gentle, and full of promise. A new chapter had begun for them, one where love could flourish, not in the shadows, but in the light.

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Hey guys,
Did you like it?

I am thinking about writing a new book on Rohirat.
So tell me if you think I should go forward with that.

Thank you for reading
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