The noise of the Sydney Airport was deafening as Apoorva's phone blared in her ear.

"HELLO WOMAN, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Apoorva yelled into the phone, ignoring the annoyed glances from the strangers around her. She could almost hear Athiya laughing on the other end of the line. 

"Athiya, I swear to god, if you don't get your ass down here, I'm going to leave you in the airport for a good 5 hours. This is too much, even for me. The goddamn team is here, and I'm stuck navigating this maze of luggage and people—what the fuck?!"

The sound of Athiya's light, teasing laughter floated through the phone, and Apoorva rolled her eyes. S

he knew exactly what was coming. Athiya was too busy living her best pregnant life with Anushka in the hotel to care about the chaos of Apoorva's airport adventure.

"Relax. Rahul's coming. He's with the team," Athiya quipped before hanging up.

Apoorva scoffed. "Of course, I see Rahul." She tossed the phone in her bag and cursed under her breath, just as a familiar figure caught her eye.

"THERE SHE IS, MY SWEET SWEET COUSIN!" KL Rahul's voice rang out, and before Apoorva could even take a step forward, he was on her, pulling her into the tightest, most dramatic hug possible.

"Rahul! What the hell?!" Apoorva squealed, struggling to catch her breath as he spun her around in the air. "Put me down, you absolute psycho!"

"I miss you, you crazy woman," he said, setting her back down on her feet with a grin that could rival the sun. 

He was in his team's travel jersey—navy blue with the bold Indian logo slapped across the chest—and a pair of black tracks that seemed to almost swallow his lean legs. 

He looked good, but not as good as the explosion of chaotic energy that always followed him.

"Christ, Rahul, you're gonna break my ribs," she said, smoothing down her coat. She was dressed to kill in a white turtleneck sweater, a soft beige trench coat that flowed perfectly with her figure, and black jeans tucked into boots that clicked sharply against the floor. 

Her dark brown hair was neatly curled, bouncing lightly as she adjusted her oversized sunglasses. 

She looked every bit the fashionista, and yet—when it came to her cousin, the polished exterior always turned into chaos.

He grinned wide, pulling her in for another tight squeeze. "God, I can't believe you're finally here. You know how much I hate this whole 'coming to see you' ritual, but I'll tolerate it for you."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because you really need me to break up your nonstop cricket schedule, right?"

"Damn straight," he smirked, then looked over her shoulder, spotting the rest of the team trudging down the corridor behind them. 

"Hold up," he said, quickly shifting into captain mode, turning to give his teammates a quick, curt wave.

The group of players—Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and the rest—were casually strolling through the airport, most of them wearing their official travel team jerseys with matching blue jeans or tracks. 

Even in their relaxed attire, they had an intimidating air. The only one who stood out was Shubman Gill, who had a slightly more dishevelled look, his hair a bit tousled, a grin plastered across his face as he leaned against one of the pillars.

Apoorva, still catching her breath from her cousin's 'welcome,' couldn't help but laugh under her breath at the sight. 

"What are they, like, always this chill? Look at Bumrah, I swear he's always serious. And is Jadeja trying to look mysterious or just—?"

"Who knows," Rahul interrupted, his tone turning a little defensive as he threw a quick glance at the team. 

"Just don't start making fun of them. I've got a reputation to uphold, you know." He gave her a playful nudge, which she swatted away.

"Oh please, you're not even the best batsman on the team," she teased. "I think Shubman has that crown now."

Rahul scoffed dramatically. "Shubman does not have that crown. Let me put him in his place when I get the chance."

"Sure," Apoorva smirked, "just don't be too disappointed when he ends up saving your ass during the test match. You know, if you're even lucky enough to make the team."

Rahul glared at her, rolling his eyes. "You know, I really can't stand you sometimes. But let's focus on getting you to the hotel first. I'll let you make fun of me all you want later, okay?"

"Fine," she sighed dramatically, the sarcastic grin still hanging on her face. "Let's just go before I lose my shit completely."

Rahul gestured toward the exit, and they began to walk together, but not before Apoorva's eyes caught Shubman Gill again. 

His casual swagger was impossible to ignore. She stared at him for a second longer than necessary, and as if sensing the attention, he turned to look at her, flashing a smile that was, in her opinion, a little too cocky for her taste.

"Christ," she muttered under her breath.

"What?" Rahul asked, following her gaze. His lips curled into a mischievous smile. 

"Ah, look at that! Shubman finally noticed you. I should let him know you're single, so he can make his move before—"

Apoorva shot him a sharp glare. "Shut the hell up, Rahul."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine, you're too proud to even think about a date. I get it."

They reached the exit, and the cool Sydney air hit them, carrying the promise of the chaotic few days ahead. 

Rahul waved goodbye to his teammates, and as he opened the car door for Apoorva, he grinned wide.

"Ready to witness the best of the city? You might not make it back in one piece, but we'll try, yeah?"

Apoorva shot him a sideways glance. "You and your damn drama."

"Hey, what's life without a little drama?" Rahul laughed, slamming the door shut.

With a final look back at the airport and the group of cricketers still gathered behind them, she slid into the car, ready for whatever madness this trip was about to throw at her.

As the car pulled away from the airport, the city of Sydney spread out before them—bright lights, a vibrant skyline, and the hum of New Year's Eve excitement buzzing in the air. 

The streets were filled with a blend of tourists and locals, all gearing up for the night's celebrations. 

But inside the car, it was just Rahul and Apoorva, and the playful chaos between them had only just begun.

Apoorva stretched back in her seat, still trying to shake off the fact that she'd just been spun around like a ragdoll by her cousin. 

"Seriously, Rahul," she grumbled, trying to get comfortable. "You almost killed me with that hug. What are you, a damn grizzly bear?"

Rahul snickered from the driver's seat, keeping his eyes on the road as they made their way toward the hotel. 

"You act like it's my fault you're so tiny. You'd probably snap in half if I gave you a real bear hug."

She shot him a glare, though it was hard to stay mad at him for long. "You're lucky I love you, you absolute disaster."

He laughed louder, his eyes flickering with amusement as he glanced briefly at her from the rearview mirror. 

"I'm just here to keep you in check. Remember that."

"Check?" Apoorva snorted. "You couldn't even keep your own team from tripping over their shoes during a warm-up session last week. I watched it on TV, and I couldn't stop laughing."

"I don't need to hear this," Rahul shot back with mock offence. "I've had a very stressful week."

"Oh, poor baby," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Your team was a stressful week? My flight from Mumbai to Sydney was a goddamn nightmare. Do you even know how many times I had to sit next to a crying toddler? Do you understand the agony? You should've seen my face when I thought I'd be stuck with that kid for the whole flight. It's a miracle my eardrums are still intact."

He let out a low whistle, clearly amused. "A toddler? Christ, I would've tossed them off the plane myself."

"Well, I didn't quite go that far," she said, "but I swear, I was about to lose it. I think I might've heard 'Let It Go' more times than you've faced a bouncer this year."

"Ha! You think I'm bad? You should hear what happens when Dhruv starts talking about his playlist," Rahul grinned, shaking his head. 

"That kid's got a music obsession. You're not ready for it."

Apoorva couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I know all about Jurel's playlist. That man listens to a lot of Bollywood pop, huh? You guys are basically an advertisement for Spotify at this point."

"Well, it keeps the team entertained," Rahul said, shrugging as if it were a small price to pay for maintaining peace in the locker room. "Don't knock it 'til you try it, cousin."

They rolled past the harbour, the Sydney Opera House lit up beautifully in the distance, and the stunning bridge arching across the waters. 

The atmosphere was electric, but inside the car, the banter between them kept things grounded in their usual, chaotic rhythm.

After a while, Rahul pulled the car into the hotel's underground parking lot, where the rest of the team's vehicles were already parked. 

He switched off the engine and turned to face Apoorva, a grin spreading across his face.

"Well, welcome to Sydney, lady. Get ready for some chaos," he said, his voice low and teasing.

Apoorva raised an eyebrow. "It's New Year's Eve, Rahul. What kind of chaos do you have planned?"

He leaned back in his seat, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You'll see. But first—" he looked over at her and grinned— "Let's get you inside before the whole team comes bursting through the lobby and you end up having to talk to every single one of them."

Apoorva smirked, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Oh please, I'll just pretend I'm too important to talk to anyone. That's how it works, right?"

"Yeah, and then you'll get stuck talking to Bumrah about bowling strategies for three hours," he shot back. "That'll be real fun."

She shot him a look that said she'd much rather face Bumrah than be subjected to one more second of his playful taunting. But she didn't mind it. 

That was Rahul—always ready with a jab, but equally ready to make sure you didn't feel like you were ever alone in the madness.

The two of them stepped out of the car, and Apoorva's boots clicked sharply against the concrete as they made their way toward the hotel entrance. 

Rahul, ever the dutiful cousin, was already gesturing for her to follow him inside.

Once they entered the grand lobby, the sleek, modern design of the hotel caught her attention. But before she could really take it all in, she was already being swept up by the chaos Rahul had promised.

"Hey, Rahul! What took you so long?" Yashasvi Jaiswal, still in his travel gear, grinned wide, his hands raised as if he'd been waiting forever.

"Relax, kid," Rahul said, tossing his keys to the valet. "I had to make sure my cousin didn't get lost or kidnapped at the airport. You know how she is."

"Wait, she's your cousin?" Jaiswal's eyes widened, clearly impressed. "I thought you were just pulling my leg when you said you had a hot cousin coming to town. This is her? Damn, she's stunning."

Apoorva rolled her eyes. "Oh great, another admirer." She shot Rahul a glare, and he just laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, keep it down, Yashasvi," Rahul warned, stepping closer to the elevators. "She's already planning her escape back to Mumbai."

"Don't worry, I'm not staying here for long," Apoorva teased, glancing over at Jaiswal with a smirk. "This city is way too chaotic for me."

"Good," Yashasvi said, grinning. "Then maybe we'll actually get some peace and quiet around here."

"Fat chance," Rahul muttered, already getting in the elevator and pressing the button for their floor. 

"But enjoy it while you can."

As the elevator doors closed, Apoorva leaned against the railing, trying to fight back a smile. "I swear, your team is just as chaotic as you are, Rahul."

He laughed, nudging her with his elbow. "Just wait 'til you meet Jadeja, then you'll see true chaos."

Apoorva shook her head, still trying to take it all in. "What am I even getting myself into here?"

"You'll love it," Rahul said, his voice low but filled with affection. "Trust me."

And as the elevator doors opened to the hotel floor, the night had only just begun.

soup rants!!!

the first chapter is here!
did we like it?
do comment your favorite part
what do you think will happen in the next chapter?
until then
yours lovingly,

soup <3