Dev was having a good day. Well, he had talked to his Virat bhaiya at 3 a.m and then he had gone for a shoot. It was his first shoot without his seniors or friends around to relax him down. He wasn't actually much good in posing and stuff and even during RCB shoot stuff, Yuzi bhaiya, Virat Bhai or AB sir made him feel comfy during the whole ordeal. But this was his first shoot alone and as far as he was concerned it went pretty okay.

And he couldn't wait to tell Virat all about it. He deserved some appreciation on going through the whole ordeal alone with that in mind he had called his Virat bhaiya but his Virat bhaiya wasn't picking his call.

So, frustrated he called Washy, after all, one of them had to pick up the call. He was talking to Washy when he heard all the commotion and instinctively he knew things were about to go down.

He couldn't see his Virat bhaiya but he knew what was happening and he screamed stupid stuff along with Virat bhaiya's name, not caring, whether he could hear him or not. He couldn't stay silent knowing his bhaiya was having an anxiety attack.

So, he talked and kept on talking until his throat was all hoarse and dry until he heard Virat bhai's voice calling him and he legitly wanted to scold his brother. But, but hearing his brothers voice all the plans to scold him disappeared from Dev's mind and all Dev could do was the opposite of scolding.

And then the stupid physio asked him to cut the call. Well, he wasn't stopping Virat from sleeping, was he? He was just making sure his brother was okay!! But who'll tell this to that stupid physio?

But he disconnected the call anyway, he didn't want to come in the way of Virat bhai's recovery and he had texted Washy, Navi, Siri and even Yuzi bhaiya to call him as soon as Virat bhaiya wake up.

He'll scold him properly then, yeah, he'll.

Dev decided determined as he threw his phone on his bed carelessly along with himself. He laid there starring at his ceiling, remembering the first time, the first time they got to know about Virat bhaiya's condition and how their bhaiya made them promise to not tell anyone, especially their bhabi!

He promised them, he'll take care of himself for them and here they are again!! All the excitement of the first shoot has left him. He couldn't help but worry about his brother, his mentor.

Their moments together playing in his mind. Talking, teasing, laughing, dancing, cooking and then trying to make Virat bhaiya laugh as much as possible with the master assistance of Zampi boi. Should he ask his partner Finchy and Zampy for help? Zampi can make Virat laugh and it'll help, wouldn't it? Dev thought and thought as he kept on ignoring his buzzing phone. He wasn't in mood to talk with anybody but as his phone didn't seem to shut up. He picked up his phone to make it rest in peace but the caller I'd made him pause.

He didn't think he'll receive a call from this number ever. But here, he was and he mentally debated whether he should just disconnect it or not? Instead, he picked up the call knowing his Virat bhaiya won't like it if he continued acting this way.

"Hello!" He spoke his voice heavy and low at the same time. Well, he wasn't in talking mood, so, you can't blame him exactly.

"Hello Devdutt! It's KL Rahul," The caller introduced himself in a low tone and Dev felt really annoyed hearing Rahul's voice. Virat bhaiya had never ignored this guy's calls even during their sessions, Virat picked up this guy's call and Dev knew he was being unreasonable and stuff but he was kinda feeling really-really irritated by this guy.

"I know!" Dev mumbled moodily, hoping the guy will get the hint and cut the call but realizing he was his team senior and Dev really needed to be a little less like this, he added "I've your contact saved" and I'm thinking to changing it too "Mr interrupter" of course, Dev didn't say the last part aloud.

"Oh!" Rahul expressed not knowing what else to say, silence hung around them for few seconds with Dev contemplating what should be the right moment to disconnect the call and Rahul contemplating how to ask about Virat?

"Do you need anything?" Dev asked first getting tired of the static. He wasn't really in the mood to play the guessing game. Virat Kohli might not have been his idol, well, he is really-really thinking of getting his idol changed but he always wanted to be Virat Kohli.

He didn't even have to think about it when an interviewer asked him which cricketer he wanted to be? The answer was always on the tip of his tongue "Virat Kohli". Dev had adored Virat Kohli even before he personally knew him and after knowing him, Dev is in love with his Virat bhaiya and his moods kinda affected him too.

"Yeah...yeah, I kinda wanted to know what happened to Virat?" Rahul asked hesitating a little, thinking over his words, did he phase the question rightly? He didn't know but his words were enough to blow the fuse of Dev's mind.

"Really?" A dry rumble escaped Dev's chest hearing Rahul's question. He couldn't believe they were asking him this? Were they blind or what? didn't they really notice the changes in Virat? What did Virat tell him when he was ranting and rambling mad at the audacity of MI page?

"It's fine kiddo. It doesn't matter. It won't change anything,"

Dev didn't know whether it really changed anything or not? He just knew how it all broke his Virat bhaiya. He could just see their efforts to make their Virat bhaiya happy. He could just see them cracking crappy jokes trying to make Virat smile. He could just see them trying to indirectly tell everyone to back away. He could see just them trying to make the difference. It felt like fighting a lone battle. A lone battle to tell their brother that he was needed. He wasn't useless. He wasn't what the world made him seem.

And he could see no one coming to defend their brother or sister-in-law for that matter. What kind of sick people drags people's family while talking about their failures? And what kind of even more sick people defends those statements? And then they complain about misogynistic mind sets and backward people. Dev didn't know how can anyone find anything humorous with mainstream people commenting on such shitty thing. They should know a thing or two about privacy right? Neither Virat nor Anushka posted the video of them playing cricket yet it went viral and then they just had to use it on Virat's form.

And it's just not that, no one beside Ravi sir came out in support of his Virat bhaiya and Anushka bhabi and then he was called "Virat's chamcha" and trolled some more. A person can take professional criticism and trolling to some extent but what with his family getting dragged over once and again and just not by some random user on social media but actual commentators and mainstream people. Dev didn't know! Dev just knew that his Virat bhai had to suffer through it all alone.

He had to calm and be supportive to his pregnant wife. His pregnant wife for whom such emotional distresses could be actually harmful and then deal with his own emotions and all the negativity around him too. And there wasn't anyone there supporting him. Dev couldn't see anyone coming out and saying "Bro! not your fault that we are trapped in such world".

The comparison. the debates, the toxicity when Virat was living in nightmares day after day. They mention the nightmare 2019 was, they forget Virat was trapped in one after one nightmare from the past few years. The 2016, T-20 world cup where he single-handedly took the team to the semi-finals and gave his everything, he even bowled and took a crucial wicket. He took the last over tried to defend 8 runs in last over and lost then came 2017 and the CT loss against Pakistan. The First time captain with his first defeat, 2018 was a relief but IPl heartbreak still existed and then came 2019 and 20.

When did his brother really get a break?

When did his dreams stopped shattering?

When did it stop hurting?

Did anyone really know which nightmare he was trapped in? Did anyone ever ask how was he? Did anyone notice how the losses mixed in his dream? One moment, he was in 2016 with his 89 runs in 41 balls and one wicket being not enough, collecting the player of series trophy which really didn't matter and then he was struck in 2015 worldcup semi-final and getting out on 1 or maybe he gets trapped in 2017 loss or 19?

All playing in his mind like an infinite loop.

Who knows which scenes troubles him the most?

Who knows how mocking the player of series trophy really felt?

Who cared to sit next to him and ask, "Are you broken yet?"

And how many times, he replied, "I can do this all day!"

Who really knew how bad it all really felt? Who really knew the retaining taste of failures better than him? Who knew how badly all that affected him?

They didn't if Dev was being truthful with himself. They didn't, they realized when the water was clearly over head and now, they were trying their best to break the surface again.

And it felt like it was just them, going out of their ways, trying and trying.

"What do you mean by that? What happened to Virat?" Rahul questioned again and if Dev wasn't really feeling so angry, he would have sensed the urgency in the tone.

"I can't believe it...you're asking this? Really, I'm surprised!" Dev said sneering. He was just so mad.

"Dude listen.."

"Dev! Mayank here? Please...what happened? Can you tell us please?" Mayank asked placing a calming hand on Rahul's shoulder knowing both the boys mental fuse had already blasted and they really couldn't afford a fight, right now.

"Well, you guys are on social media, aren't you? Don't tell me you don't have any idea on how badly Virat bhai had been trolled! Dont tell me you didn't know you friend's franchise left no stone upturned to make sure the hatred Virat bhai receives significantly doubles. I mean, do you have any idea how it all affected Virat bhai? You do know that Virat really reads all those mad stuff on twitter, don't you? He reads everything and you don't have any idea about it or what it did to him?  Do you think we posted all those grateful messages and B'day wishes for fun? Why do you think we arranged Vi's party like that? And Please don't tell me, MI's Captain and main players had no idea what their page was doing? Rohit Sharma may not follow Virat on insta but he surely does follow MI page, doesn't he? His feed should have shown those posts. He should have gone forward and liked it too. After all, his franchise and his thoughts are same, aren't they?" Dev's words were bitter and full of resentment. He was sprouting anything in anger but as an introvert with emotions bolted down and witnessing his Virat's condition, he needed to get this out. After all, Virat will matter more than anyone to him always.

"It's not like that Br..I mean, they weren't aware. He isn't active" Mayank spoke softly trying to explain, how it wasn't what it seemed like? But how could he when Dev was full of resentment and really not in the mood to listen to anything like that.

"Yeah, Yuzi bhaiya said the same Rohit Sharma isn't active much but the other's are right. Didn't they see everything? Right, they must have not cared enough about all this. After all, Virat was being targeted not them. Why should they jump in the matter anyway? Let him be hated! After all, Virat Kohli might have quite experience in getting all the hatred by now. After all, he loved getting cursed and trolled so much that he planned the fake rift between Rohit and him. He must love getting hatred from everyone. It must be his favourite thing to do in the world." Dev didn't know what really happened to him. He wasn't this vindictive person actually, he never blasted like this but tonight, he couldn't help it. They called him at the wrong time.

They had worked so hard to form a protective circle around Virat. They had worked so hard to use positivity to dispel the negativity but right now, everything seemed baseless to him and he couldn't help but blast at this people's apparent blindness. They knew Virat better and longer then him then how come they were unaware of Virat's habit? Even Zampa knew this fact and they didn't?

"Look , We get it you're angry but don't speak like that..you don't know" Mayank tried again. The kid didn't know Rohit was listening to the conversation and well, it wasn't good for anyone.

"And I don't need to know too. I just know none of you were there when I fell upon Virat overdosed on sleeping pills. I just know none of you were around when the doctor flushed out everything from Virat's system. I just know you weren't there when we couldn't feel him breathing or find his pulse. I just know you weren't there when we held him during his breakdown. You weren't there when we tried to make him smile. You weren't there when Kane hugged Virat knowing he needed it the most, letting him hide his tears in his shoulder. You weren't there...you never were."

Each word out of Dev's mouth fell like a whip on the ICT's heart. Each word shook their souls. Each word broke them. But the most affected person hearing all these words were a certain MSD, Rohit and Rahul.

They couldn't meet their own eyes. They felt like they failed. They failed. They weren't there when their Cheeku needed them the most and nothing will ever change it.

~to be continued~