It is the worst day. Washy wanted to scream. They tried so hard and they lost. They lost so bad.Washy wanted to cry. It was his b'day and they lost and lost so badly. Just yesterday, they were laughing and talking about being the table toppers. Their was so much excitement and everything went down the drain. Washington Sundar hated his B'day. It was the worst day ever. There was nothing to celebrate, there was nothing to be happy about, they lost and Washy wanted to cry. He just wanted to sob, wail and blame. And he did just that as soon as they reached back their hotel. He locked himself in his dark room and finally let his tears fall.

IT WAS THE WORST DAY EVER.

Dev wanted to scream. Hopes, they were so hopeful, they were so happy and it all came crashing down,Why? Because he couldn't perform. How'll he be a good player if he didn't perform under pressure? They would have won. They could have won if he stayed, stayed just a bit more on crease. If he did things a little different, Washy wouldn't be crying on his B'day. The team wouldn't be so sad. Why the hell he gets so nervous under pressure? Why can't he play well? Why can't he play like Virat bhaiya?  If only he played well, RCB would have won. Even Vi bhaiya would have gone for his half-century then Dev hated himself today. It was the worst day and nothing could ever change it.

Nav hated himself.

International Player yet he bowled so bad tonight. 48 runs in 3 overs. God, he wanted to drown in his own shower. Why?? Why? Why? If he did some changes, maybe, if he used some different tactics. Only if he was a little more economical, maybe, maybe the batsmen wouldn't have under pressure and maybe,maybe they would have won. It would have made Washy's day. They would have been table toppers. They would have won. This day would have been brilliant then and Nav hated himself right now. God, even the shower didn't seem relaxing. Nav was ready to forget this day. Washy was so sad. This was so unfair, he didn't deserve that and Nav hated himself for failing to give Washy the best B'day gift ever.

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

Virat wasnt as affected by the loss as the kids were. Well, after losing in finals and semi-finals this loss seemed like nothing to him. Plus, he could see the good side in the loss too, their were positives even though he could see heartbreak in eyes of his kids. They were so sad, so broken, their reachable dreams had shattered for the first time.

In the return journey from the stadium to hotel, the guys were unnaturally silent. Virat could understand their sentiments better than they thought he could. After all, he could see glimpses of his younger self in all of them quite clearly. The same passion, the same dedication, the same thirst to prove themselves, the resolute to contribute for the team. They were just like him, starstruck, waiting to prove themselves but more than that to help the team win.

And Virat was so proud of them. Rahul was the first one, the first kid he saw glimpses of himself in and more than once he thinks he had failed that kid many times. He felt like he could do more to help the kid and Virat had learned from his past experiences. He had promised himself to do better with the new kids and Virat took his promises really-really seriously.

So, with that thought in his mind, Virat decided to talk with the kids during their team dinner and make them feel better. Virat should have known they won't come to have dinner. After all, hadn't he himself said he gets his glimpses in them. When did he attend dinner after brutal loss? Still, he waited for the kids for quite sometimes.

"Umm...Kaka, did Nav, Dev, Washy, Shiv already had their dinner?" Virat asked, one of the support staff member when all other team members had retired to their rooms.

"No, they didn't Vi baba, poor lad, didn't celebrate his B'day too," Kaka said remorsefully, feeling sad for those kiddos. They were so excited and now, they locked themselves in their rooms. Poor souls.

Virat frowned hearing Kaka's words. He needed to do something as their captain and elder bro, it was his duty to make sure they were happy and well.

"Kaka, can you do me a favor?" Virat asked Kaka with hopeful big eyes which were impossible to say no too.

Kaka nodded looking overly suspicious at Virat as Virat whispered his plan in Kaka's ears. Kaka went away from there shaking his head and mumbling about crazy beings. Sure, that Kaka will do what was told to him. Vi sprinted towards Yuzi and AB's rooms. He knocked on Yuzi's rooms first, dragged the half-sleepy being out of the room and repeated the same with AB.

Those two were totally confused. Why were they being dragged in the corridors like this by their crazy captain? Virat didn't get hit in the head during the match, did he?

"Biscuit, you alright?" AB asked sharing a concerned look with Yuzi. Where will they find a mental hospital now?

"No" Virat replied still dragging them with him.

"Virat bhaiya, le kaha ja rhe ho? hotel khatam ho jayega" Yuzi complained, god, he was lying so comfortably in his bed and then his cap clashed with his door and dragged him away from his heaven.

Vi just glared at Yuzi's direction. Banged at Dev, Nav, Shiv, Chris, Finch, Umesh, Steyn and Parthiv's door equally vigorously waking them up from their relaxing stupor. The poor players in various states and stages of relaxation after the nightmarish match were disturbed by their vibrating captain and dragged towards their team room.

"God, please, god, please not a team meet right now," all the players groaned and prayed in their mind noticing their Cap looking in a totally "I mean business" mood.

"Um...what happened Vi?"

"Virat?"

"You okay?"

The ones who knew their cap, well, and for sometimes dared to question him. Watching him marching on with all of them. They quite looked like nursery students who were woken up at 5 am for parade, half-asleep and totally not following the order assigned to them. They were trudging behind Virat like ducklings.

Virat didn't answer obviously. Too busy, in his mental planning.

"No, he isn't alright," Ab replied still being dragged around.

"He has gone bonkers," Yuzi confirmed. Why was he being dragged along with AB?? He didn't know. Did Virat bhai really think he'll run away or something if he let go?

The team didn't know what to think about this to be truthful.

Thankfully, for the mental well being of the team. They reached the team dressing room. Virat motioned for all of them to sit and as if they were just waiting for that command all of them slumped over the bean bags. Well, everyone besides AB and Yuzi for Virat was still holding their hands.

AB and Yuzi shot Virat totally displease looks while eyeing the bean backs with lovey-dovey eyes. Why were they standing when everyone was sitting? And what the hell is going through Virat's mind.

"TEAM, we have a very important mission," Virat said in a drill master commanding tone.

His team looked back at him totally confused. Pondering, whether he hit his head hard or what? What mission? He knows they're cricketers right??

"What mission?" Dale asked sounding totally confused, while everyone else mirrored his expression.

And the RCB newbies like Philippe and Zampa wondered whether their cap was always this crazy or this was a recent occurrence? Unknown to them, the old players were wondering the same thing.

Yuzi was looking at his Vi bhaiya with a scrutinizing gaze along with Shiv, DEv and Navi. His bhai know this isn't ICT right? Well, if it was ICT till now their would have been too much ruckus and everyone would have been complaining, whining or speaking stuff that totally wasn't anyway related. No one, would have come to the point directly.

"The mission is Washy's B'day," Virat said very seriously gaining everyone's undivided attention.

"Ohkay, we know it's Washy's B'day," AB said from beside Vi certain something was cooking in his biscuit's mind.

"Yes and the kid hadn't celebrated it. He hadn't even had dinner. It's totally unacceptable. Right now, it's 9:55. We need to finish the arrangement before 11:40 at most," Virat said, in his mind he could clearly picture what type of celebration and arrangement needed to be done.

But the people, gathered around looked totally confused. They couldn't read Virat's mind yet.

"Umm...What type of arrangement Virat Bhaiya?" Yuzi asked softly not at all liking the crazy glint in his big bro's eyes. His answer came in front of Kaka with various materials in hand.

"So, who's good in art and craft?" Virat asked excitedly looking around.

"Umm..." the one's who were raised their hands hesitantly none of them actually liked the crazy glint in their cap's eyes.

"OKay, so you used to make this, this & this," Virat ordered handling them the materials and they couldn't help but gape at their captain.

"And we want an balloon avalanche. So, guys blow air into balloons," Virat announced merrily passing 4 packets of balloons around.

"You're kidding, right" AB couldn't help but ask watching the horror stricken expressions of his teammates.

"Nopps," Virat said popping the p.

"yrr humare ander hawa nhi bachegi uske baad," Umesh grumbled watching the large balloon packs with disdain, couldn't Virat order air pump or something? It would have made their jobs quite easier.

Gurkeerat, Dev and even Nav nodded quite vigorously in support of Umesh but Virat gave them all "I don't care, get started already" look.

"Yuzi, Daal... I mean Dale, handle the karoke," Virat ordered around.

Yuzi and Dayle were actually happy to get the easier task.

Feeling quite resigned to their fates. The guys began doing their assigned works of making cards, blowing air in the balloon, decorating the room while Virat called the seniors and discussed something with them quickly.

While the people performed the tasks assigned to them. The seniors checked on them every now and then, Virat feeling very proud and happy when full blown smiles and mad laughter glanced the faces of the most depressed members of the team too. He knew working out the negative energy will be good for them that's why he asked Kaka to just arrange the materials.

The sounds of balloon bursting, mad cackles when the balloon burst due to extra air filled in it, red faced and glitter covered sparkling people looking like aliens was quite prominent by the time all of them were done with their decorating task.

Also, by the time they were done no one had the energy to run to Washy's room and get them down in the team room in five minutes. So, the man responsible for their fatigue was kicked out to do the task. He can be a Puma and run all the way up and down with the kids, for all they cared.

Virat actually did just that though he even dragged Dev, Nav,Shiv with him. The kids whining about their tiredness and killing legs the whole way. Until, they started banging madly at Washy's door. The kids adopted a confused, tired, we don't know what's happening appearance while Virat looked all stern and serious as he started dragging Washy with him, not answering any of their questions. He gave the kid quite a fright. He absolutely didn't know what happened? Did he do something wrong? Why were they running down the corridors at 11:40 in the night? Entering the dark den Washy's fears had just escalated.

"Is it really their Vi bhaiya or some shape shifting ghosts?" Washy thought eyeing Vi warily as he got lost in the darkness.

The lights started flickering around them.

Something burst under them.

They stumbled.

Something howled.

Some sticky, gooey substance fell on the four of them.

Dev, Nav and Shiv grumbling in their minds. They weren't supposed to come under glitter shower.

And then starry light lit up the whole room.

AB appeared in their line of sight, doing a great mummery of placing a cake on the round table and lighting up the imaginary candles, while beckoning Washy towards him.

Washy walked towards AB in daze, quite not believing his eyes.

"I...I" Washy stammered his throat clogged with emotions. He really, really didn't think they'll celebrate today. Plus, he didn't want to celebrate too.

"Come on, B'day boy, blow the candles fast, cut the cake, hurry up, my boiii," AB sang happily waving a ghost knife in Washy's direction and pointing towards the ghost cake. Washy didn't know what to do?

But he humored his seniors anyway. Grabbing the imaginary knife, he started to cut the imaginary cake but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Blow the candles first," Virat said almost appearing out of thin air beside Washy.

Washy give his Vi bhai a look but humored him anyway. Blowing the imaginary candles and cutting the imaginary cake as everyone around them sang "Happy B'day", humoring everyone Washy fed and got fed imaginary cake pieces by everyone. Even got an imaginary cake smash. Well, not so much of an imaginably cake smash for instead of cream he was covered with glittery liquid.

The whole team found great amusement in this moment. No one could stop themselves from laughing watching Washy hug ABrat and covering them with glitter too. Yuzi used a bucket filled of glitter and unloaded it on the three in hug cackling madly.

The three looked at each other and then ran after Yuzi, not leaving him, until he was covered in glitter too. Well, the sparkly glittery liquid being thrown around during this chase had quite managed to envelop most of the RCB team mates under its wings. Leading to an all out glitter war and unconstrained laughter.

"Umm...I know you wanted to cut a cake after a win," Virat told Washy wrapping an arm around the smiling twenty-year-olds shoulder.

"hmm..you didn't need to do this, Bhaiya" Washy said, they shouldn't be celebrating after a loss.

"But the cake isn't missing because of that actually the chefs bailed out on us. They won't just prepare a cake so fast," Virat scowled unhappily. Well, he tried pestering the chefs it just didn't work.

"Yeah, so you have to do with a fruit salad," AB told Washy shrugging as a big bowl of food salad was brought forward and placed in front of Washy. It was actually Virat's idea. Yes, his biscuit's ideas were kinda out of box but fruit salads can be used as a desert and even cake is a desert, right.

Yuzi made an expression of apologizing very sincerely from Washy for this slight. Dale hit him upside down making everyone laugh like crazy.

"Cut it now naah," Yuzi grumbled hopping on his spot.

Washy made a show of cutting and equally distributing the food salad among everyone.

"I want cherry, gimme, lots of cherries,"

"Add Strawberries naah, only two, don't be kanjoos,"

"I don't like pineapple, remove pineapple,"

These were the words his team mates were telling him. Washy didn't know whether to laugh or cry? Were they serious? and why is he serving this? They had hands they could take themselves yet Washy was the one who handed over bowls of fruit salad to every glitter clad person present in the room.

"Well, kiddo, I promise we will cut your fav cake after next match," Virat promised wrapping one hand around Washy another around Dev as he stood beside his kids who were talking with Yuzi and AB.

They all looked at him with wide eyes.

"As I've said before like a million of times, this years team environment is great and I know, we will win because we are a very good team," Virat said but his eyes held a promise as he looked at his kids.

They should have known their Virat bhai will keep their promise. He always keeps his promises after all.

But that night, was spent in sharing stories, discussing how they overcome failures, and laughing madly when Virat told the kids to sit, relax and enjoy a "Walking talking tv" concert.

Yuzi bhai had made sure to take revenge by making the walking talking tv concert to Cheeku acting classes.

It was a fun night.

It was a team night.

For a captain was making sure his team stays in healthy mental space.

+The end+

So, what do you think guys?

I updated.

And @pranushka_23, this is my gift for you did.

I hope all the problems crumble, I hope you stay happy forever.

RCbian forever.