Virat and Jinks stood with their heads hung down, staring at the floor with all the concentration while Mahi Bhai stood at opposite side, glaring at both of them.

"Any explanation?" Mahi Bhai asked sternly.

Virat and Jinks eyed each other and shook their heads mildly.

"What did you two mean by getting involved in a physical fight with player of opponent team, that too off field?" Mahi Bhai asked coldly.

"Sorry, Bhai, we—" Jinks began nervously."—didn't mean to–"

"It wasn't our fault, Bhai, and we didn't—" Virat cut off Jinks but fell silent as he saw both Mahi Bhai and Jinks throwing daggers at him from either side.

"I'm really disappointed with you, Jinks." Mahi Bhai said turning to Jinks.

"I'm sorry, Mahi Bhai." Jinks said guiltily, glaring at Virat.

"What happened back there?" Mahi Bhai asked in stern voice.

"Bhai, actually—" Virat said abruptly.

"Did I ask you to speak?" Mahi Bhai glared at him.

Virat made faces but stayed silent.

Jinks was about to open his mouth to speak when he noticed Virat's gaze from corner of his eyes.

Don't say anything to Bhai! Virat said through his eyes.

Jinks frowned. Why?

Virat furrowed his brows. Just don't!

Mahi Bhai coughed making both of them straight again. He looked at Jinks questioningly.

"Bhai, he—he provoked us, saying—" Jinks looked at Virat sideways. Say something now!

Virat just shrugged slowly. Bhai didn't ask me to say anything.

"—er, stupid things about our team and that's why Virat lost his temper, Bhai." Jinks completed, glowering at Virat.

Virat chuckled to himself seeing Jinks stammer. Jinky was always bad at lying. Well, with Mahi Bhai, even Virat was!

"Stupid things?" Mahi Bhai said sharply. "Don't you two realise how serious misconduct that was? He could have complaint and you two could have been banned from the whole series."

"I was about to hit him, Mahi Bhai but I didn't." Virat pointed out.

"What did he exactly say that Virat was about to hit him, Jinks?" Mahi Bhai asked, ignoring Virat, making hum sulk.

Virat looked at Jinks. Don't say anything!

Jinks hesitated. Mahi Bhai narrowed his eyes.

"He was calling me arrogant, Bhai." Virat said promptly.

Mahi looked at Virat with furious look for a moment before composing himself.

"You two," Mahi said looking at both of them coldly. "will meet me in the ground at sharp four in the morning."

"Four in the morning?" Virat muttered as Mahi turned to leave.

"Sharp four, not a minute delay." Mahi said shortly glaring Virat and left from there.

"Why didn't you just tell him everything?" Jinks asked to Virat, who was humming casually as if Mahi Bhai had just given a praising speech for him.

"I know it would hurt him, Jinksy. I don't want him to listen anything on that topic now." Virat said.

"You do have a point." Jinks said thoughtfully.

Virat grinned while Jinks smiled slightly in return.

"Let's go and sleep. We need to get up early tomorrow." Jinks said.

Virat nodded and slung an arm around Jinksy as they walked off.

--------------------------------------

"Bhai?" Virat called out, entering Mahi's room as he saw him doing some paperwork.

Mahi didn't even lift up his head to see who it was and continued doing his work.

Virat frowned and sat beside Mahi with his back towards him.

He shook Mahi slightly to gain attention but Mahi Bhai continued doing his work royally ignoring Virat.

Virat again shook him but no avail.

"Bhaiiii" Virat whined trying to hug Mahi from behind but Mahi swiftly slipped from his arm.

"Gussa ho?" Virat asked with puppy face.

Mahi didn't reply.

"Gussa ho toh daant lo na?" Virat said whinily. "Why this silent treatment?"

Mahi sighed and started getting up from where he was sitting.

"Bhai!!" Virat literally jumped over Mahi making both of them fall abruptly.

"Virat, kya kar rha hai?" Mahi scolded while Virat gave a goofy grin.

"Chhod mujhe and get up." Mahi said as Virat wasn't letting him get up.

"Nhi mai nhi chhod rha." Virat said childishly. "You first talk to me."

"Virat, let me get up." Mahi said, trying to get up but Virat again pulled him down earning death glares from him.

"Virat!" Mahi said sternly.

"First talk to me!" Virat said  stubbornly, still not letting Mahi get up.

"Kyu bacho ki tarah kar rha hai? Leave me!" Mahi said.

"Bacha hi toh hoon na, Bhai!" Virat said whinily. "You first say you're not angry and I'll leave you."

Mahi sighed. "I am angry, Virat. That was a serious misconduct which I don't expect from any of you." He said in a disappointed tone.

"Bhai, but it was not entirely my mistake. Aapko toh pata hai na I get angry easily and I can't take anyone talking about you—" Virat stopped abruptly as Mahi turned to him with a look that told Virat he has been caught and there was no escape.

"What did you say?" Mahi asked getting up as Virat's grip around him loosened and Virat also stood up.

"Nothing, Bhai.." Virat tried to cover up.

"Don't lie, Cheeku!" Mahi said sternly.

"Bhai, wo—" Virat began hesitantly. "He was talking all rubbish about you and I couldn't control myself."

Mahi sighed.

"Cheeku, people always talk about us behind our back. You can't go and hit everyone, can you?" Mahi said, moving towards Virat.

"I can't take people talking anything about you, Bhai! You might not have any problem but I do have! I don't care if he talks about me but I can't hear a single thing against you, Bhai and I won't listen anything over this. You're the most important to me, Bhai. More than anything else!" Virat said with unmistakable certainty in his voice.

"Aapko daantna hai toh aap daant lo but don't be angry!" Virat added innocently, amusing Mahi that how can a person be so aggressive and turn into an innocent kid almost instantly.

But then, this was Virat. And he might be Virat Kohli for world but he was always his Cheeku at the end of day!

"Cheeku.."

"And Jinksy wasn't at fault, Bhai. Please don't be angry at him either." Virat said pulling Mahi to sit beside him which Mahi obliged.

His poor best friend always gets dragged in mess created by him!

He never complaints though! Virat thought meekly. That's why he is my best friend!

"I know that without you saying it to me, Cheeku." Mahi said calmly.

"You know everything, that's why I'm saying that you should be knowing it wasn't entirely my fault, Mahi Bhai!" Virat said earnestly.

"You think I don't understand the word games you're playing with me, Cheeku?" Mahi said drily while Virat chuckled.

"You aren't angry anymore?" Virat asked hopefully.

"No, I'm not." Mahi sighed.

"I always know how to convince you, don't I, Bhai?!" Virat said joyfully.

"Does that mean I'm supposed to remain angry?" Mahi asked raising his eyebrows.

"You can't remain angry at me for long even if you want to!" Virat claimed.

"Acha?" Mahi asked.

"Yes! That's because you love me the most!" Virat said confidently, wrapping his arms around Mahi Bhai to make it clear that he isn't letting him go.

Mahi Bhai hid a smile at that.

"That way I think I hardly get angry at Ro and never at Jinks. So it should go like I love either of them more than you?" Mahi said teasingly.

"What? You don't get angry at Ro? Even when he fights so much with me? This is not fair, Bhai!" Virat said accusingly.

"But I don't get angry at any of you for your silly fights, Cheeku." Mahi said reasonably.

"Whatever! You still love me the most!" Virat said whinily. "Don't you?"

"Do I?" Mahi teased.

"Bhai, tell me!" Virat whined.

"Cheeku, when will you grow up?" Mahi laughed while Virat pretended he didn't hear the question.

"Can we have dinner here tonight, Bhai? Just two of us?" Virat asked with puppy eyes which Mahi Bhai could never refuse, not that he was going to refuse anyway.

"Okay!" Mahi agreed and Virat's face lit up almost instantly.

"Bhai, you should scold Ro about his diet." Virat complained as they were having their dinner in room only.

"Cheeku," Mahi began calmly. "do you think it would affect me in any way if people say I'm not worth playing for India?"

"Bhai, what are even you saying?" Virat was perplexed at the unexpected question. "You're not just worth it. You're the best India has! And people just talk rubbish, why would it ever affect you?"

"And do you think it would affect India's performance if two of its best batsman gets banned for the whole series?" Mahi asked.

"Bhai.." Virat lowered his eyes as he realised what Mahi Bhai was trying to say.

"Say, Cheeku?" Mahi prompted.

"I'm sorry, Bhai. I know I shouldn't have done it. That was in the heat of moment." Virat said sincerely.

"That—he called you a match fixer! And I can't take anyone disrespecting you!" Virat said looking at him.

"Cheeku, I don't care what people say about me until I've you guys by my side. And you are the most important, Cheeku!" Mahi said truthfully.

"And you will always have us by your side, Bhai!" Virat said quickly.

"I'm sorry. I just did that in anger. I promise I'll take care from next time." Virat added making Mahi smile.

"I know." Mahi muttered. "Now have dinner."

"Aap khila do?" Virat said pushing his plate towards Mahi Bhai.

"Come!" Mahi smiled fondly as Virat hoped in beside him happily.

Mahi was feeding Virat while Rohit passed by their room. He stopped as he heard them laughing and as he entered the room, he saw Mahi feeding Virat.

"Why this special treatment for this idiot, Bhai?" Rohit asked accusingly.

"Dekha, Bhai, he's calling me idiot. He's the one who starts fight and you scold me." Virat whined.

"Really? Bhai, now what should I call an idiot if not idiot?" Rohit retorted.

"Look, Bhai! And you say you don't get angry at him!" Virat accused looking at Mahi.

"That's because Bhai loves me the most!" Rohit said triumphantly.

"Keep dreaming! He loves me the most!" Virat said arrogantly.

"Bhai?" Both of them said at the same time, looking at Mahi Bhai hopefully.

Mahi sighed. "Jassi and Kuliya listens to me more so it's them two!"

"This is not done, Bhai!" Virat whined again. "Say you love me me the most!"

"Okay, okay! I love you!" Mahi said and Virat grinned at Rohit.

"You too, Ro!" Mahi Bhai said he caught Rohit throwing accusing looks at him.

Rohit returned the grin to Virat.

And the banter continued for another hour as Virat and Rohit were in no mood to put their weapons down and Mahi watched them almost giving up.

But deep down all of them knew, Mahi loved Virat more than anyone else.

Mahi Bhai loved his Cheeku the most!

And no proof was needed!

______________________________________

A/n

Hey guys!

How was this??

I hope you guys liked it!

And it's Maha Shivaratri today so to those who celebrate it, a very happy Maha Shivaratri to you all!

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