Aaradhya's eyes delicately opened as she tried to recognise her surroundings. The familiar scent of Shubman's cologne lingered in the air, and the room was filled with his belongings—from the photographs of his favorite music bands on the wall to his clothes scattered on the floor.

A sudden wave of nausea and dizziness hit her like a bullet, causing an intense throbbing in her head. She winced at the pain, cursing under her breath as she struggled to get out of bed.

It felt like her head was about to explode as she tried to bury herself underneath the covers, perhaps the pain will then fade away.

“Ah!” She felt herself whine in pain, as the pain consumed every inch of her body. Aaradhya made a mental note to never go near alcohol for the rest of her life.

She felt the door open with a sudden click which also somehow made the headache increase. Her groans for the headache intensed, as her body ached for an solution.

Aaradhya felt warm hands surround her head, as Shubman slowly massaged her forehead, kneeling beside her side of the bed.  “Do you feel better, love?” He slowly whispered in her ear.

Her face scrunched up in pain, but the gentle touch of Shubman's fingers on her forehead sent a wave of warmth throughout her body, easing the torture-filled ache resided in her head. His soft words and his comforting presence made her feel safe and cared for.

A strange place to feel home in.

“A little,” she mumbled weakly, “Could you please get me a glass of water?”

Shubman quickly rose to his feet, “Of course, love. I'll be right back.” He left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving Aaradhya alone with her thoughts.

She laid there, her mind wandering as she reminisced the events of the previous night.

She had drunk way too much, more than usual, and she couldn't remember the rest except for flashes of face of Shubman near her. Slowly came back the conversations she has had with Shubman.

Oh lord, why was I so annoying? Aaradhya felt herself silently tear up from the pain caused by her heart and her head.

“I am sorry, I was so annoying,” Aaradhya uttered, as she drank the cold water and ate the pills Shubman had given her.

Shubman softly smiled at her as he pushed a strand of hair beside her ear, “No you were not, Aaradhya, Please don't think like that.”

“And I hadn't been exactly good to you too, Shubman,” Aaradhya apologised, feeling a pang on her chest for each words she spoke. “I am not fair to you, yet you are too good for me.”

“It's a talk for another day, okay?” Shubman told her, “First, you need to get alright, everything else falls next.”

Aaradhya weakly nodded at his words, as she let cushion hit her head yet again. Shubman gave her a soft kiss in her forehead affectionately; a touch that lasted longer than it normally should.

After a hour or two of fitful sleep, Aaradhya finally woke up again, feeling slightly better than before.

Her headache had somewhat vanished, though a dull ache still lingered in her temples. She slowly sat up in bed, taking in her surroundings once more. The room was still the same, filled with Shubman's belongings.

She noticed a glass of water and some painkillers on the bedside table, and quickly took them, grateful for the relief they brought.

As the medications took effect and the pain in her head reduced, Aaradhya decided it was time to freshen up and take a much-needed shower.

She got out of bed, her movements still a bit slow and unsteady, and made her way to the bathroom. The hot water from the shower felt soothing on her skin, and she stood under the spray, and recollected all her thoughts.

A thought suddenly striked in her mind, “Any guy who thinks of you as a snake would definitely wouldn't take care of you like this,” She thought. “What if Shubman didn't actually mean it?”

“Surely, any guy who does not like you, will not take care of you in such somber state,” Aaradhya gently thought, “What if, everything that happened was just a mere little misunderstanding?”

She thought of the way he had gently touched her forehead, the affectionate kiss he had given her, and his reassuring words. They didn't seem like the actions of someone who harbored dislike towards her.

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Aaradhya muttered to herself. “Maybe, after all, Shubman Gill is not an arrogant git like I thought he was.”

As Aaradhya continued her shower, Shubman busied himself in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

The sound of sizzling eggs and toast mingled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee, creating a pleasant atmosphere. As he worked, his thoughts drifted to Aaradhya, hoping that she was feeling better after her hangover.

He couldn't help but think about how adorable Aaradhya was in her somber state. A smile blossomed in his face, as he thought of her childish ramblings.

“Uh, Shubman..?” Aaradhya's sudden call made him turn his head a little fast, as his jaw nearly dropped at the sight of Aaradhya.

There stood Aaradhya, with only a soft towel caressed around her body with her body still wet from the shower.

A smile tucked in his face, as Shubman couldn't tear his eyes even for a moment from her. “Need any help, love?” Shubman asked, his voice holding an playful yet caring tone.

“No I do not,” Aaradhya joked, “I just needed to ask you about my clothes,  Where are they?”

“Ofcourse, I put them in the laund—” Shubman said, realising what he has just done. “You can borrow some of my clothes, yeah?”

Aaradhya sighed, “I mean, seeing that you don't have a bad style so, Yes I am going to.”

Shubman's eyes lingered on Aaradhya as she walked away, unknownst of the fire she just ignited in Shubman.

Oh fuck, she was so hot, Shubman thought to himself, unable to contain the emotions appearing inside him.

A sudden memory of Shubman kissing Aaradhya flashed in his mind, Shubman groaned as he leaned to the wall. Kissing her was something else, It made yearn for more and more.

An fictious image of Aaradhya sitting in in the kitchen counter appeared in his head. Shubman pushed away and strand of hair behind Aaradhya's ear, the tension being as thick as ice.

“You are irresistable, Aaradhya Kannan,” Shubman whispered unconsciously, as he slowly leaned in towards her lips.

“What the hell are you trying to do to your fridge, Shubman?” Ishan's sudden appearance forced Shubman come back to the reality, an reality where Shubman wasn't kissing Aaradhya Kannan.

“I— What the hell are you doing here, Ishan?” Shubman asked him, surprised from his friend's arrival.

“I should ask that to you, my boy,” Ishan told in a an playful tone. “Whta are you doing here, instead of being at today's training?”

“I already informed Rohit Bhai that I won't be there today,” Shubman protested. Ishan walked inside the kitchen as he took the packet of chips, which was well hidden inside an counter and started eating it.

“Well, you didn't inform me about it, Shubman Gill,” Ishan told, to which Shubman rolled his eyes.

“So, what are we cooking today?” Ishan asked, inspecting the kitchen as he munched down the chips.

“I was thinking of doing something special today,” Shubman started, “But now that you're here, I would just like to order food now,”

Ishan rolled his eyes at Shubman's response, but suddenly seeing Aaradhya coming down the staircase, in Shubman's clothing caught his eye.

“So, Shubman, why are we ditching the practice session today?” Ishan asked yet another question, a smirk playing in his lips.

“I feel pretty down today, you know, so I thought it would be better I take rest today,” Shubman lied fluently, secretly hoping that Aaradhya won't show up.

“Oh right, then what is Aaradhya doing here?” Ishan teased, as Shubman groaned. Aaradhya took this time as the perfect one to enter the scene and so she did.

“Nice to finally meet the legend, Ishan, the boyfriend of my bestfriend and the bestfriend of my boyfriend,” Aaradhya greeted as she extended her hand towards him.

“Nice to meet you too, the bestfriend of my girlfriend and the girlfriend of my bestfriend,” Ishan accepted her hand, thus, marking an beginning of a chaos yet to be created by the pair.  “Or should I say, fake girlfriend?”

“Fake girlfriend,” Aaradhya confirms, which gave an immediate reminder to both Shubman and Aaradhya of their relationship status. What the hell were they?

“Now that you two are done with your introduction,” Shubman interrupted. “Mind helping me with this cooking?”

“I have been banned in 3 kitchens, darling,” Aaradhya immediately told, giving him a playful smirk. “Do you still need me?”

“Just sit still in the counter like a good girl you are, my love,” Shubman teases, wrapping an arm around her waist. “That only is enough for me,”

Ishan coughed, in order to make the two realise that they are not alone. “Shubman, is this how you treat your fake girlfriend? Even I am not that flirty with my actual girlfriend!”

Aaradhya laughed, “Stop being a liar, Ishan. Parvati had told me all about your teasings,”

Shubman turned his head to Ishan, “You know how to flirt?”

“Would you like me to show how I flirt, Shubman? Will that make you believe in it?” Ishan questioned, as the two bestfriends embarked in a teasing banters.

“Oh, yeah?” Shubman went on, “Try me,”

Ishan smirked, his eyes gleaming with playful challenge. “Oh, you're so on, Shubman,” he replied, a teasing glint in his eye. He leaned in closer to Shubman, his voice dropping to a low, husky murmur. “I can turn heads and make hearts flutter. Want a demonstration?”

Ishan flashed a mischievous smile, his eyes twinkling with playfulness. “Well, my dear Shubman,” he began, his voice dripping with charm.

“To start off, I believe that the first step in flirting is making someone feel special, noticed, and appreciated.” He leaned in a little closer, his eyes never leaving Shubman's face. 

“It's all about showing genuine interest and making the other person feel like they're the only one in the room. You see, when you make someone feel seen, you spark their curiosity and draw them in.” Ishan went on.

As Ishan was deep in his flirtatious conversation with Shubman, Aaradhya, who was watching and listening in amusement, suddenly interrupted. She couldn't help but tease them both with her own witty remark.

“Oh, please don't mind me, guys!” she said with a smile, her voice laced with humor. “Just watching two grown men compete in the world's most adorable flirting contest. Carry on, please!”

The room was filled with laughter, the  joy of the trio echoed off the walls.

Their banter continued, each one of them adding their own sense of humor to the mix.

Shubman, Ishan, and Aaradhya couldn't help but laugh at their own jokes and each other's teasing remarks. It was a lighthearted moment, the kind that happens when friends come together and just enjoy each other's company.

shubmangill

● ○

liked by ishankishan23, official.aaradhya and 24,057,089 others

shubmangill best way to spend an morning<3 @ ishankishan @ official.aaradhya

Comments

username1 bet ishan felt single as fuck
           ➥ official.aaradhya no girl trust me when i say i was the one third wheeling them.

rohitsharma I THOUGHT YOU WERE SICK??? I NEED AN EXPLANATION SHUBMAN GILL
          ➥ shubmangill haha about that...

ABHI SPEAKS!

i love ishman sm that i acc forgot aaradhya existed fr

&& aaradhya thinks the whole thing might be a misunderstanding?? omfg are we in a dream?

poor rohit bhai he was fooled by shubman 😔😔 i bet shubman will have to do more laps now lmao

rooting for ind to win today 🤞🤞

did we love the chap today?

any guesses for the next one?

anyways hope u guys have a nice night/day !

all yours,
abhi 💌