Virat entered Mahi's room as he was gonna stay with Mahi Bhai tonight. He saw Mahi half lying on the bed with his eyes closed and slowly walked inside.

Virat went near Mahi Bhai, adjusted his pillows and pulled over the comforter carefully.

Virat tiptoed towards the sofa, so as to not disturb Mahi Bhai's sleep and quietly settled down on sofa. As he sat down, he looked towards Mahi Bhai to make sure he didn't make any noise or disturbed Bhai and smiled a little after being assured that Bhai was asleep.

"Ahh-" Mahi winced slightly in his sleep, fidgeting his legs with restlessness.

Virat quickly got up and went near Mahi. He noticed Mahi fidgeting his legs, still being asleep.

"Bhai-" Virat looked at him worriedly.

Mahi was just fidgeting his legs continuously.

"I think.." Virat sat on the floor itself near Mahi Bhai's legs and started pressing his legs slowly. "..his legs are paining."

Virat smiled as Mahi became relaxed soon after Virat started pressing his legs and stopped fidgeting his legs.

Virat kept pressing Mahi Bhai's legs slowly. Mahi seemed quite more relaxed and comfortable.

Who would say it was Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni?

Well-it wasn't!

"I know your legs must be paining from before but you won't say it! In fact you didn't even want any of us to stay with you because we are tired. Never think about yourself!" Virat complained to a asleep Mahi in hushed voice. "Always--"

"-think about us before yourself!" Virat's voice became smaller. "And it was me who... who was selfish enough to just think about myself. I know you're hurt and angry, Bhai. You should be. How would I ever express how sorry I'm?!"

Virat looked at Mahi Bhai remorsefully but averted his eyes after a moment. Bhai will forgive him, won't he?

He always does!

Virat didn't even budge from his place for an hour and kept pressing Mahi Bhai's legs so that he won't wake up. That was the most important thing that moment, wasn't it?

At least for Virat, it was!

After some time, Virat was continuously rubbing his eyes as he tried to stay awake.

"Why am I feeling sleepy so soon today?" Virat yawned.

"I don't generally sleep so soon." Virat muttered to himself as he glanced the clock and it was just 10:30 yet.

Virat tried his best to stay awake but didn't realise when he fell asleep on floor only in the same position.

Mahi was half lying on bed against pillows and Virat was sitting on floor against the bed, his head lying near Mahi Bhai's legs and he gripped Mahi Bhai's legs as sleep came over him.

No, it wasn't Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni at all!

Well--

Some time later, Mahi woke up feeling someone's grip on his legs. He slowly opened his eyes and tilted his head a little. To his surprise, he saw-

Was Virat-?

Mahi was almost going to jerk away his legs but then realised that Virat was asleep.

-Virat was gripping his legs in sleep, his head lying near his legs and he was sitting on floor against the bed.

"Virat.." Mahi whispered, a bit guiltily.

Apparently, Virat had been pressing his legs and fell asleep in the same position.

That's why his legs weren't paining anymore! Mahi thought as he had terrible pain in his legs since the time he returned from hospital. He wondered how Virat came to know.

Mahi slowly straightened his back and looked at Virat. Virat must be tired too! He couldn't resist as his hands automatically reached to stroke Virat's hair.

A smile crept upto Virat's lips as Mahi Bhai stroked his hair even in sleep. He could feel the warmth may be!

Mahi wondered if he should remove his legs from Virat's head or he should wake up Virat and ask him to sleep properly but he couldn't decide on any of them as he couldn't bring himself to wake up Virat when he was sleeping peacefully with such a tired look on his face. A lot has been going on for him lately!

Mahi finally decided on letting Virat sleep in the same position for the time being. He kept his legs still so that Virat's sleep don't get disturbed.

"He must be tired." Mahi said to himself. "He was there whole day in hospital. He should have slept properly."

Mahi sighed knowing how stubborn Virat is and he wouldn't have listened to him anyway. He started stroking Virat's hair again. He smiled as Virat leaned in his touch.

"Bhai!" Virat said as he woke up and Mahi hastily removed away his hand. "You woke up?"

"I'm sorry I slept, Bhai! I don't know how I fell asleep.." Virat said, rubbing his eyes and lifting his head.

"Are your legs still paining? Wait, I'll-" Virat said continually with giving Mahi a chance to speak.

"No, Virat!" Mahi said hastily. "My legs aren't paining a bit."

"Sorry, I woke you up." Virat said looking at him.

"You didn't! I'm sorry!" Mahi sighed. "You should have slept properly, Virat. You were tired."

"I'm fine, Bhai! Your legs were paining so I-" Virat siad.

"You didn't need to, Virat!" Mahi said, feeling guilty that Virat had to stay awake because of him.

"Why didn't I, Mahi Bhai?" Virat said in a slow childish tone.

"Huh?" Mahi was confused at the question.

"I know mujhse galti hui. I know aap gussa ho. You should be! I know I hurt you.. so much that I-" Virat said as his eyes became tearful and Mahi's expression changed from confused to unreadable one. "-I can never lessen it probably. I know I behaved in the worst possible way I ever could.
But-"

Virat's voice choked as he looked down trying to hold back his tears and whispered audibly. "-but please don't push me out, Bhai! Please!"

Mahi turned his face another side and put his legs down as he started to get up but Virat held him back by holding his hands.

"Bhai, please, let me speak at least." Virat said shifting towards Mahi Bhai who protested to get up.

Mahi was sitting up on the bed with his legs down and Virat was kneeling on floor, holding Mahi Bhai's hands to hold him back from leaving.

"I'm sorry, Bhai!" Virat said tearfully, looking down, almost holding himself back from crying out. "I'm extremely, awfully sorry, Bhai! Really, I'm! I know-I know it won't rectify any of my mistakes that I did but still I'm so sorry, Bhai! I don't know why.. how I could behave like that! I know I can never justify my actions but I want to apologise for.. for everything."

Virat was sobbing by now but he still held Mahi Bhai's hand so firmly that Mahi gave up on the thought of leaving.

Virat recalled the time when he had jerked away Mahi Bhai and said, "I'm sorry for misbehaving with you, Bhai!"

Virat recalled the time when he had answered him back rudely. "I'm sorry for talking to you thoughtlessly."

Virat recalled the time when he had fought with him in front of whole team. "I'm sorry for disrespecting you like that, Bhai!"

And Virat lost the count of how many such incidents he could recall...

"I'm sorry for forgetting all the times you stood for me, not just as a captain but as an elder brother!"

"I'm sorry for questioning all the rights you had and will always have over me!"

"I'm sorry for driving you away from your team, Mahi Bhai!"

"I'm sorry for all the times I was an absolute jerk to you!"

"I'm awfully sorry for all the times I hurt you terribly, Bhai!"

"I'm sorry for-for everything!"

Virat completed looking down and his tears streaming down endlessly.

"Bhai, please, say something!" Virat said in a whisper, looking up at Mahi Bhai.

Mahi couldn't bring himself to say anything. He had probably forgotten half of things Virat apologized for but Virat apologizing for it like this, sitting on floor and holding his hands brought all the emotions back by default. Sometimes, the one who was hurt forgets but the one who hurt doesn't!

Mahi wasn't angry! He knew he could never be angry at the boy sitting in front of him!

"I'm sorry, Bhai!" Virat said, his voice becoming smaller as Mahi still hadn't spoken a word.

"Get up from the floor, Virat!" Mahi said in a plain voice.

"No, I won't!" Virat said stubbornly like a offended child, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I won't get up until I make you forgive me. You've to forgive me! You always used to say that I'm your little brother, right? I want my elder brother back then!"

"Bhai, I know I hurt you beyond anything and I can't lessen your hurt by my sorry but I can't stay away from you like this. Punish me if you want to, Bhai! Punish me as severely as you want to! I promise I'll do anything you ask me to! Just forgive me once!" Virat said looking at Mahi.

Mahi's heart clenched seeing Virat like that. His own hurt could never be bigger than his younger brother for him. And how could he see his Cheeku crying out like that when he wasn't even really angry?

"Bhai, I'm really sorry." Virat said as soon as Mahi was going to speak something. "Sorry for-"

"-pushing you to a limit that you.." Virat broke down on that. He didn't think he could ever bring himself to complete the statement. "...had to-"

"No, Virat!" Mahi said instantly, not letting Virat complete. "You were NOT the reason why I took retirement."

Virat shook his head vehemently. "I know I was. I did-"

"I said you're not the reason, Virat!" Mahi spoke firmly. "Throw that thought out of your mind right now!"

"Get me?" Mahi said making Virat look up towards him. He couldn't let his younger brother live in the same guilt as him!

"Then why did you leave, Bhai? Why did you leave the team? They need you, Bhai!" Virat said, sobbing. "I was your Cheeku, right? Then why did you leave me? I was so alone after you left. I searched for you every minute!"

Virat started sobbing hysterically, burying his face in Mahi Bhai's lap. He couldn't ever express how desperately he had waited to let out all his guilt and cry out for everything to Mahi Bhai and when finally he was doing so, his tears seemed endless.

Mahi's hands automatically travelled over Virat's hair and that seemed to trigger Virat's tears even more.

"And why did you stop calling me Cheeku? Who will call me Cheeku if not you?" Virat said between his cries. "Do whatever you want but I need my Mahi Bhai back! Mahi Bhai, who used to call me Cheeku, scold me whenever I did anything wrong, punished me whenever required, who was the first person I always ran to, who was my go to person for everything, who promised me that he will never leave me alone!"

Mahi couldn't resist the smile that came over his face listening to Virat. He looked at Virat who had buried his face in his lap. His heart was so full with the heartfelt confession of Virat that he could hardly think of anything else.

"Cheeku?" Mahi said softly.

Virat looked up at once.

Mahi extended his hand a little, gesturing him to get up.

Virat instantly got up and threw his arms around Mahi Bhai, hiding his face in his shoulders and started crying.

"Bas Cheeku, bas kar!" Mahi said, holding Virat so warmly, gently and lovingly.

"Say that again!" Virat demanded childishly.

"Cheeku!" Mahi said with a soft chuckle as he stroked Virat's hair affectionately.

Virat snuggled into Mahi Bhai more as he called him Cheeku. That sounded more beautiful than anything else to him at that moment!

Virat clung to Mahi Bhai as much as he could, wanting to be reassured that he finally had his Mahi Bhai back and Mahi held him with as much love and affection.

And this was the moment when all of it actually started! This was the moment when it began!

When Mahi and Virat became-MahiRat!

A bond they would protect for their life from then onwards!

So it was MahiRat!
______________________________________

A/n

Hey everyone!

Sorry to keep you guys waiting but here is the chapter finally!

And this chapter is for DreamerTani Hope this lifts up your mood a little di! (Wouldn't have written it without you prompting me to! 🤭)

And I know I said this will be the last chapter but I'm sure you guys won't be disappointed if I say I'd be adding one more chapter??

How was this chapter? Hope you guys liked it?

Do vote and comment!

Love ❤️