When Mahi landed in Bombay that evening and checked his phone, he was surprised to find the message from Jinks. What happened again? Hope those two weren't fighting again. He quickly texted back Jinks saying that he has just landed and will be reaching the hotel in half an hour.

He reached the hotel and hadn't even started to unpack when Jinks walked through the door. He unceremoniously plopped down on the couch and said in the most fed up and whiny voice possible, "They are fighting again."

"I had guessed as much when I recieved your text. It's the run out isn't it?" MS said getting his bat out and checking his bat swing.

"Yeah, what else." Jinks said "How do you know? You weren't here today."

"I watch the test matches even if I am not playing." MS said "And I know those two too well to know what they can fight on."

"I tried my best to stop them." Jinks said

"Well when have they ever listened to anybody once they go off on each other." MS smiled at Jinks "It's not your fault that you literally have kindergarteners as your best friends."

"And they unfollowed each other on social media again." Jinks said looking at his phone, "How do the tabloids get these news so fast they must have done it not more than an hour or two ago."

"I don't know. They must have serious social media stalking skills." MS said "These two will be the death of me. Why do they keep unfollowing each other is beyond any logic."

"Please talk to them." Jinks said "You are the only one they listen to."

"I will try to sort it out." MS reassured "for now let's go have dinner."

During the dinner the cold war between Virat and Rohit was evident. They sat on either side of Jinks eyeing each other and passing an occasional snarky comment but mostly silent with hard expression. Mahi Bhai was sitting between Jassi and Kuldeep because the kids had whined enough to convince him to sit there. Frankly the Rohirat fight was amusing people more than worrying them because this had become so regular in the team.

Sikhar, who had also arrived to today to replace Mayank in the ODI squad, even whispered to Jaddu "How much do you bet that they will make up in 5 days?"

"No. 7 days." Jaddu shaked his head.

"Well I say 5 days. Bet?" Sikhar raised his eyebrow.

"Bet" Jaddu nodded "The loser has to take us all out for seafood after the last odi in Bangalore." Jaddu said, when he felt a kick from Bhuvi under the table. He looked at Bhuvi who pointed with his eyes at MS.

Jaddu and Sikhar both caught MSD's eyes who was looking at them with a very stormy expression and instantly both felt silent. He must have heard the discussion or guessed it, even though they were extremely quiet. Mahi Bhai was the boss here, captain or not, didn't matter. And he seemed to be a little worried about the fight. So it was best not to joke about it.

MSD was genuinely a little worried about these frequent fights. He knew how they both were, and knew that they always sorted it out and stayed together. The cared for each other more than they cared for their fights even when they were fighting. But he was worried about this social media display, they were giving a chance to the paparazzi to get to them. Also these two literally had no control over their mouths, they always said things they didn't mean in anger. He needed to talk to them.

So after dinner he made bee line for Rohit's room because more often than not it was Virat who was starting the fight and Rohit was just reacting to it, so it was more necessary to pacify Rohit first.

"Hey Ro" he said as Rohit opened the door.

"Hi Mahi Bhai" Rohit said a little subdued.

"What the matter Rohit?" MS asked "You both aren't fighting again I hope?" He added knowingly.

"How do you...of course Jinks would have told you." Rohit said.

"That he did." MS replied his eyes twinkling.

"Why is he like that Bhai?" Rohit whined "always shouting on me. I know that run out was foolish but..."

"But why will he blame you like that right?" MS said.

"Yes, like he is always shouting on me for something or the other." Rohit said.

"Rohit we both know how he is? Yes he speaks things in anger but we both love him despite of it." MS said "And don't behave like you don't care about him. You do."

"He always finds a way to fight with me it seems." Rohit said.

"Well I think you bother find ways fight and then make up and make the rest of us go mad in between." MS Said "Rohit I know Virat sometimes says things he doesn't mean, things that hurt. And this time it was because he wanted you to score big more than anyone else. And at other times it's because he depends on you, loves you. Yes he has sometimes no restraint over his verbal diarrhoea but that's how he is."

Virat who was passing by the open door, stopped on heard Mahi and Rohit, just the last bit. He was angry now, firstly Mahi Bhai came to talk Rohit first not to him and was supporting Ro instead of him. And all the possessiveness that he had for Mahi Bhai kicked in. Mahi bhai wasn't supposed to come to Ro first, he should be MS's first priority. And Bhai was supporting Ro, he should be supporting him.

"So you also think I am wrong." Virat came in saying so "Even after knowing how foolishly he got himself out."

"Virat" MS repramindad "That was not what i was saying. Don't react without learning the complete truth."

"And what if he was saying so?" Rohit interrupted them "What if he supported me? Is he only your brother? And you do speak without thinking, what was wrong in it."

Rohit spoke only because Virat came in and acted like Mahi Bhai shouldn't ever prioritize Rohit and that hurt him. Yes they knew Virat was closest to him, but they all were close to Mahi Bhai too. How did he behave so possessive all the damn time.

"Rohit..." MS started only to be interrupted by Virat.

"At least I think before running." Virat retorted Rohit.

"Ohh that's why keep running me out." Rohit replied sarcastically.

"You keep running yourself out or getting out in some other stupid way." Virat said "Not even thinking about the consequences."

"Atleast I score enough before getting out." Rohit said.

"Like in the semifinal" Virat said before he could stop himself.

Rohit was taken aback and hurt by that but now he felt rage surging through him.

MS was looking at them fighting and how fast this argument was escalating. And suddenly he felt scared that some day, god forbid, they might say something to each other so hurtful that there bond will be torn beyond repair. He couldn't let his kids go through that pain. He had to make them realise each other's worth.

"And you speak like you scored a century, played a captains innings that day, did you?" Rohit said, replying to Virat "You know you are an absolute Jerk. I don't even want to have a conversation with you."

"Neither do I." Virat said now that Rohit had rubbed the captaincy spot "You are the absolute worst."

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU." suddenly MS shouted above them, there was an angry no nonesense tone to his voice that both of them instantly fell silent.

"ARE YOU BOTH KIDS? FIGHTING LIKE THIS?" MS said.

"But Bhai..." Rohit tried.

"I don't want to hear another word from anyone of you in this room." MS said.
"Bhai wo..." Virat started.

"Tujhe alag se bolna parega Cheeku. Not one more word." MS said.

Both of them felt silent like obedient kids in front of their parents.

"Sharam nahi aati tum dono ko?" He said "You are captain and vice captain of Indian national team. And you are fighting like this. You both know how much you mean to each other and still you fight like this."

"He is the one who's always shouting Bhai." Rohit said.

"You saw him Bhai. It's not like he keeps quiet." Virat said.

"I was not talking to you" Rohit said "I don't want talk to you."

"Neither was I." Virat said.

"Did I ask you both to speak?" MS said his voice now having a very authorative tone and bother of them instantly squirmed under it.

"You both don't want to speak to each other, that's it right?" MS said "Very well then, from now on you are not allowed to speak to each other, not even one word, not even indirectly or in written form till I permit you to do so. The only time you are allowed to talk to each other is in team meetings only for strategizing and on the ground if you are batting together. Under no other circumstance are you allowed to talk to one another. If you do so, and I am making it very clear that I am dead serious here, if you do so I will not talk to both of you ever. This is my order. Is that clear?"

Both of them stared at their shoes not dating to look up. They seldom had seen Bhai this angry.

"Is that CLEAR?" MS asked again.

"Yes Bhai." They said simultaneously.

"Good, Now Virat Go to your room. And I will also be leaving." MS said "And sleep both of you, if I see any of you online till late night, mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."
They both nodded like kids.

"Good" he said "Good night both of you."
Both MS and Virat left for their respective rooms.

And that night Virat and Rohit both were thinking the same thing, "it's good Bhai stopped us from talking, I didn't want to talk to that idiot anyway." Little did they know how wrong they were in thinking this.

A/N: Please read and comment on my chapters, your comments motivate me to write even more. In line comments make my day. Thank you for all the support and love you have shown so far.