Idiots In Love (2)

Part 2

(sorry fir dealy)

(haa bhn tu aise bol rhi jaise meeting ke liye late hui hai pura din shirf oxygen waste karti alshi-)

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After hours of dancing, teasing, and nearly collapsing from exhaustion, Ishan and Shubman finally made it back to their apartment.

It was past midnight, but sleep? Who needs it when you have pizza, chips, and a list of comedy movies lined up?

So there they were wrapped in blankets, sprawled on the couch like lazy pandas, shoving food into their mouths, laughing so hard that their stomachs physically hurt.

Ishan : Bro-bro-STOP!

Ishan, clutching his stomach, unable to contain his laughter.

Ishan : Bhai-I swear, agar maine aur ek second hasa na, main saans lena bhool jaunga.

Shubman, trying (and failing) to stay serious, shook his head.

Shubman : Not my fault. Yeh scene hi aisa hai.

On-screen, a character had just tripped over a banana peel and flown into a dustbin.

That was it. Ishan LOST IT.

He burst out laughing so violently that he ended up hitting Shubman’s shoulder.

Shubman : STOP HITTING ME

Shubman yelped, shoving him back.

Ishan, still laughing, fell sideways onto the couch, his head almost landing on Shubman’s lap.

Ishan : Bhai, sorry

Ishan : par tu bhi dekh na ye scene!!

Shubman, trying to maintain his  ‘I’m serious’ reputation, held it in for exactly two seconds before he cracked a grin and started laughing too.

The two of them just sat there, laughing like absolute idiots, throwing chips at each other like children.

At one point, Ishan tried throwing a popcorn kernel at Shubman, but it accidentally hit his forehead instead.

Shubman paused, blinking.

Ishan froze.

And then, in slow motion, Shubman picked up a whole slice of pizza and smashed it onto Ishan’s face.

Ishan : BHAIIIIII

The room exploded into chaos.

Later at night, when finally their eyes started to falling then.

... The Little Spoon War Begins

They drag themselves to bed.

Or at least, they tried to.

As soon as they flopped onto the mattress, Shubman turned to Ishan, arms crossed, face serious.

Shubman : Listen. Pichle ek week se tu hi little spoon ban raha hai. Aaj main banoonga.

Ishan : Pehle bargain toh kar.

Shubman : Kya bargain?

Ishan  : poon banoonga, tab aaj tu ban sakta hai.

Shubman stared at him like he had grown two heads.

Shubman : You’re literally bargaining for cuddles??

Ishan, : Kya karu, aadat se majboor.

Shubman rubbed his temples, sighing.

Shubman : Tu pagal hai.

Ishan : Pagal but cute

Shubman : Fine. Chaar din. But today, I’m the little spoon.

Ishan : Deal.

And after barking for a while it was time for.... The Final Round

As they got into bed, Ishan did the most dramatic thing possible.

He flopped onto his back and spread his arms like a Bollywood hero.

Ishan : Chal, aa ja

Ishan : Aaj tu special treatment lega.

Shubman snorted but still moved closer, resting his head against Ishan’s chest.

The room was silent for a few moments, just the sound of their steady breathing filling the air.

Then-

Ishan : Bhai, tu itna garam kyun hai?

Ishan muttered sleepily, wrapping his arms around Shubman’s waist.

Ishan : Ek dum garam tandoori roti lag raha hai.

Shubman : Kyun? Tujhe problem hai?

Ishan : Nahi

Ishan mumbled, already half-asleep, snuggling closer.

Ishan : Bhai, tu bohot soft bhi hai.”

Shubman blinked, suddenly very aware of how close they were.

Ishan’s fingers absentmindedly traced small circles on his back, and Shubman felt his face heat up.

Shubman : Stop moving

Ishan : Bhai, comfortable ho raha hoon bas

Ishan yawned, his voice soft and sleepy now.

Shubman : Soya na ab.

Ishan : Hmm,Acha lag raha hai.

Shubman, for once, didn’t argue.

Instead, with Ishan’s warmth surrounding him.

And before they knew it-

They were both fast asleep.

After barely escaping Harry Bhaiya’s deadly glares.

Surviving Virat Bhaiya’s scolding, and pretending to listen while KL Rahul ranted about their “irresponsible behavior”

Ishan and Shubman somehow managed to sneak away.

Now, they were back at Ishan’s apartment, finally alone, sprawled on the couch like lifeless potatoies.

Ishan : Bhai, aaj toh full beizzati ho gayi,

Shubman : Teri wajah se.

Ishan lifted his head, offended.

Ishan : Meri wajah se?! Bro, tu bhi toh guilty hai!!

Shubman : Haan, par tu zyada pagal hai.

Ishan : Excuse me? Tu mujhe pagal keh raha hai? Mujhe?! Main toh full innocent hoon, bhai.

Shubman : Innocent aur tu? Ek sentence mein? Wah, wah, kya joke mara hai.

Ishan huffed, turning away.

Ishan : Jaa, nahi baat karni.

Shubman, : Acha? Sure?

Ishan crossed his arms, refusing to look at him.

Shubman sighed dramatically, then did the one thing he knew would work.

He reached forward-

-and flicked Ishan’s forehead.

"OWWWW!!"

Ishan yelled, rubbing his forehead.

Ishan : Bro, tu problem hai kya?!

Shubman : Oh, ab baat kar raha hai?

Ishan : Agar tu mujhe maarne aaya hai, toh jaa, tujhe pyaar nahi mila yahan se.

Shubman choked slightly, looking away.

If only Ishan knew how true that statement was.

Because yeah, pyaar hi toh mila tha.

Way too much of it.

The evening was calm.

Ishan was curled up on the couch, lazily scrolling through his phone, while Shubman sat beside him, lost in thought.

For the first time in forever, Shubman felt… uneasy.

Because tonight, something was different.

Maybe it was the way Ishan’s face glowed in the soft light, his messy hair making him look even cuter.

Or maybe it was the fact that after so many years of friendship, Shubman had finally accepted the one truth he had been running from.

He was in love.

Not in a stupid, best-friend way.

Not in a casual, temporary way.

Fully, completely, unconditionally in love.

And now, sitting beside Ishan, watching him laugh at memes like an idiot, Shubman just....

... blurted it out.

Shubman : I think I’m in love with you.

Silence.

The entire room froze.

Ishan stopped scrolling.

His eyes snapped up, staring at Shubman like he had just said he was an alien.

Shubman, realizing what the hell he just did, immediately looked away.

But too late.

Ishan : Bhai… kya?

Shubman exhaled.

There was no way out of this now.

Shubman : I said what I said

he muttered, his usual confidence nowhere to be found.

Ishan’s heartbeat skyrocketed.

For the first time ever, Shubman wasn’t smirking.

Wasn’t teasing.

Wasn’t acting like the cool, untouchable guy he always pretended to be.

He was just there.

Raw, vulnerable, real.

Ishan : Since when?

Shubman ran a hand through his hair, letting out a small, breathless laugh.

Shubman : Honestly? I don’t even know. Maybe forever.

Ishan’s fingers tightened around his phone.

His brain was short-circuiting.

Because what the hell was happening?

This was Shubman.

His best friend.

His partner in crime.

The guy who always saved his ass when he did something stupid.

And now, he was sitting here, looking like his entire life was on the line, waiting for Ishan to say something.

Anything.

Ishan : I...

He stopped.

Because he didn’t know.

His heart was racing, his hands felt weirdly cold, and suddenly, he was terrified.

Because yeah, this was Shubman.

And if he messed this up-

He might lose him forever......?

To be continue...