Virat stayed in his room for all evening. He didn't want to go out and face everyone.. or say face Mahi Bhai.
It was finally dinner time when Rahul came to call Virat for dinner and somehow was able to drag Virat along himself.

Everyone was already settled around dining table on their seat and the normal banter was going on.

"Mahi Bhai, ask Jad to close his Jamnagar stories!" Ash said in disgust.

"That haunted fort is really there and the ghost looks exactly like you, Ashley!" Jaddu said convincingly.

"Yeah, we believe you, Jad!" Mahi Bhai said drily and everyone laughed out except Ash who was giving straight look to Jaddu.

Rohit noticed Virat and Rahul standing there and he discreetly gestured Rahul to come and sit beside him as there were only two chairs left, one beside Rohit and other beside Mahi Bhai.

Rahul got the cue and sat beside Rohit. Virat scanned the table to see if another empty was there but there wasn't.

Virat hesitantly walked to the empty seat beside Mahi Bhai. He looked at Mahi Bhai to see if he should leave but deciding against it, Virat sat on the chair.

You need to face him, Virat! You need to! Who else will apologize for you being absolute jerk to Bhai all the while? Virat ranted to himself in mind closing his eyes.

You need to tell him how sorry you are!

Mahi sighed. Cheeku was hesitant to even sit beside him?

"Should we start?" Rohit said and everyone started having their dinner.

"Please pass the rice?" Mahi said to no one in particular.

Rohit, who was sitting on other side of Mahi lifted his hand to get the bowl but Virat was quicker. Virat quickly picked the bowl of rice and passed it to Mahi. Mahi took the bowl without noticing who it was.

As he looked up to see who it was, he was amused to see Virat and before he could think anything, he started choking on his food.

Virat instantly passed his own glass of water to Mahi Bhai and himself made Mahi Bhai drink it carefully.

Mahi drank the water while his eyes were fixed on Virat. It sounds stupid but he was happy to see his Cheeku concerned for him!

Everyone else was looking at Virat too. It was after ages they were seeing Virat like this again. How badly they wished to get back the normal Virat!

"Is it fine Bha——" Virat asked in concern but stopped midway and quickly sat back on his seat as Mahi looked at him expectantly.

"I'm fine." Mahi said disappointedly.

Virat looked at Mahi Bhai from the corner of his eyes. He couldn't help but remember how he hadn't called Mahi Bhai 'Bhai' for so long in the course of past months.

Even he didn't know when it had become 'Captain' or formal 'MS' from Mahi Bhai. He probably didn't have a convo with Mahi Bhai in last few months at all!

How could I even call Bhai 'MS'?! Virat thought miserably. Now that he thinks about it, Jinks was right. If it's hurting him to even think about those incidents, how much it had must hurt Mahi Bhai himself.

You will always be my Mahi Bhai! And Virat made a mental note to always call him the same.

They completed rest of dinner in silence and soon everyone started leaving for their rooms. Virat purposely stayed back till end untill it was only Mahi Bhai and him left.

I've to talk to him! Virat repeated this to himself for nth time as every time he opened his mouth to say something, he felt his mouth getting dry and words were failing to come out.

"Bha——" Virat closed his eyes and opened his mouth to say again as Mahi Bhai got up and turned to leave.

"Bhai? Mahi Bhai?" Virat knew it had come out as a mere whisper but Mahi Bhai heard it.

Mahi stopped in his tracks and considered if he had heard wrong. Did he really hear Virat calling him 'Mahi Bhai'? He took one whole minute to convince himself of the same.

It felt Cheeku had called him Bhai like this after ages!

"Bhai?" Virat called out again and Mahi finally turned towards him.

Their eyes met for the first time in all the while. They looked at each other longingly. Each one of them could read each other's expression so apparently yet none of them knew how to put it in words.

Mahi could see the guilt in his eyes. He could see his Cheeku had been vulnerable over past few days but he couldn't bring himself to go and hug him and tell him 'it's okay'. He wasn't angry. But he was hurt!

And Virat could see that hurt in Mahi Bhai's eyes. He could see how terribly he had hurt his elder brother in last few days and surprisingly it was his guilt itself which didn't let him rush and say sorry to Mahi Bhai. He knew things couldn't be mended with a mere apology!

The damage he had done was so gradual and consistent that he himself hadn't realised what he was doing. And now he has to do the same again. He has to earn back his Mahi Bhai, slowly but steadily!

Beside all this, both of them could see the happiness and anticipation in each other's eyes.

"Yes, Chee——" Mahi hastily looked away and said again. "Yes, Virat?"

Virat fell silent again. Bhai won't call me Cheeku anymore?

"I was asking time for tomorrow practice, Mahi Bhai." Virat said, emphasising on 'Bhai' each time.

"8:00 a.m." Mahi replied in a disappointed tone and walked away.

"How stupid I was to say all that to you, Bhai!" Virat said to himself as he blinked away the tears forming in his eyes. "How could I ask you not to call me Cheeku?!"
---------------------------------

Mahi entered his room and lied on bed as he wiped away the drop of tear in the corner of his eyes. He still remember it when——

It was the day when Mahi had decided that he will announce his retirement tonight.

He thought the first person to be informed about this should be Virat. First reason being it was Cheeku and secondly because he was going to be the captain after Mahi so he went to gym where Virat was working out.

"Cheeku, I wanna talk about something." Mahi said to Virat.

"Yes, Captain. Is it something about match plan?" Virat replied continuing his workout.

Mahi had been used to being referred to as Captain by now so he replied calmly. "No, not about match! It's about my..."

"I'm sorry but I'm working out now. Can't we talk later if it's something else?" Virat said carelessly.

"Cheeku, it's——" Mahi began simply.

"Please stop calling me Cheeku! I'm not a kid! It's embarrassing when you call out that nickname on field." Virat said impolitely.

Virat didn't look at the hurt that flashed across Mahi's face when he said that and neither could he make out from his voice.

"I won't!" Mahi said in a plain voice and walked out without saying anything else.

Mahi sighed recalling their conversation. But his face broke in a smile when he recalled how Virat called him 'Mahi Bhai' today. He couldn't be wrong in thinking that it was the normal Virat... His Cheeku!

Mahi knew Virat was hurt when he resisted to say 'Cheeku' and Mahi was hurt about the same too but he resisted because Virat himself and somewhere deep inside Mahi wanted Virat to convey that he did want to be called 'Cheeku' as he had conveyed when he didn't want to.

Mahi sighed hopelessly thinking about it. He didn't even know if he was right in thinking so or not. He didn't give a damn to others but if it was Cheeku, everything mattered and he couldn't help thinking about it.

I hope you come back soon, Cheeku! Mahi thought as he closed his eyes to get some sleep knowing he won't be getting any.

______________________________________

A/n

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