By the time of their third anniversary,  Ishan and Shubman had got wise enough not to keep their celebration on the eve leading to midnight.

Their team would disrupt pretty much without fail, pretending Ishan's birthday but Ishan was sure they liked disrupting them. They were a bunch of devils.

Shubman judged them less harshly. Maybe that was because he knew he would have disrupted people himself if he got the chance as well.

After two spoilt anniversary celebrations, this time, Ishan's twenty ninth birthday, they chose the evening of the day.

They couldn't go anyplace fancy because they were in the middle in a tour in England and unfortunately had the match the next day. But they did have the star-studded night sky to themselves from the terrace of the hotel.

To Ishan , it was the most peaceful feeling in the world to sit there with Shubman curled up against him. Long stretches without saying anything at all.

Just soaking in the peace.

He would hate to shatter the peace.

But.

"Shubi?" said Ishan.

"I don't like that tone," said Shubman, sitting up straight.

Ishan wished he was better at hiding his tones from this guy.

"Don't you think the time's coming for us to, um, tell everyone?" he broached.

"No," said Shubman at once. "No, I don't think the time's at all right."

"And why do you think so?"

"I don't know," said Shubman. "I like the secrecy."

"No," said Ishan drily. "You just don't want the trouble."

"Okay," said Shubman. "Maybe I like the peace. You don't, do you? You want trouble in this peaceful landscape."

He pointed at the extraordinary peaceful night sky.

"No, I just want a bit of reality in this illusive landscape," corrected Ishan.

"It's completely real," assured Shubman. "You're the realest thing I've ever had."

Ishan smiled, but his smile faded quickly.

"Yeah, so I'm getting annoyed by the way my relatives keep hinting at the wedding every time they come to visit under the excuse of being progressive and well wishers." He got to his feet. "If they really are that progressive, they shouldn't have a problem who the wedding is with! And my parents, you're their favourite....how hard can it be to tell them? I'm tired of lying and pretending, smiling at the well wishers-"

"Ishu!"

Ishan hadn't even noticed how far he had walked off in agitation till Shubman grabbed him and pulled him against his chest.

"All right, I didn't  realize you feel so strongly about it," said Shubman soothingly. "We'll.... we'll start stirring up the trouble."

"Don't call it stirring up trouble!" said Ishan.

"Sorry, sorry." Shubman kissed the frown line's on Ishan's forehead with great care. "Bad habit, you know, joking all the damn time?"

Ishan couldn't help but relax them.

"Just, let's just have one last day of peace?" said Shubman, like he was asking for permission.

"Okay," said Ishan. "Promise you'll think about it from tomorrow?"

"Okay. I promise."

Shubman pulled him down under the starry sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DISCLAIMER: THE PLOT AND CHARACTERS ARE HYPOTHETICAL AND NOT MEANT TO HURT ANYONE'S SENTIMENT.