"I will be there for him. I will help him in healing those wounds he can't even see himself," Shubman said staring at Virat.

"In that case, don't forget to take care of yourself too," Virat smiled patting his head.

"Aren't you all there for me?" Shubman grinned widely.

"Of course. We are a family after all." Virat hummed. In the exact moment his phone rang and he excused himself.

"Hey babe, how was your shoot?" Virat started talking in his phone.

Shubman sighed looking at Ishan who was so engrossed in Hardik bhaiya's phone.

Everyone else were also either sleeping or chatting with their partner.

Sighing Shubman also closed his eyes. Maybe he can also rest a bit before getting to India.

---

"Shubi hngh"

"You are doing so good for me baby just a bit more"

"I can't Shubi uhmm"

"Baby just a minute, hold on for me"

"SHUBMAN GILL LEAVE ME RIGHT NOW"

The sudden voice had Shubman jolting.

Huh? Where is he?

And why was he holding Rohit bhai's face?

Rohit jabbed his elbow making Shubman leave him in an instant while whimpering in pain.

"What the fuck were you dreaming about you creep?" Rohit scoffed.

"I-I-I" Shubman stuttered looking around seeing everyone were looking at him with hawk eyes.

Well almost everyone because Ishan was asleep on Hardik's shoulder who too was sleeping with his head on top of Ishan's. Except those two everyone else were wide awake and smirking at Shubman.

"It's okay Shubi naye naye pyaar mein ese haseen sapne aate hai," Surya snorted.
[It happens when you are newly in love]

"Just like how you used to think about Devisha bhabhi?" Rishabh wiggled his eyebrows.

"Well why should I think about it when I can just do that?" Surya smirked.

"Yuck too much info," Shreyas made a gagging face.

"You asked for it," Surya retorted.

"We asked because we wanted to give some advice to our junior," Rishabh snickered.

"Apparently he can't use that advice now, can he?" Shreyas looked at Shubman.

"Ofcourse not. His better half still doesn't love him yet," Rohit smirked.

"I also don't love Ishan," Shubman said.

"We didn't took any name?" Rohit shrugged.

"But you intended that," Shubman pursed his lips.

"No we never intended on any name. It was you who thought about Ishan when we talked about your love," Rohit pointed.

Shubman whined and hid his face with his hands and everyone laughed.

"Look look our lover boy is getting all shy now."

"Shubi you should propose him fast,"

"No no...you should let Ishan take the first move. Flirt with him a bit but make Ishan take the first step,"

"No he should take the first move. Ishan might not understand the mixed signals,"

"Guys stop! Shubi they all are just confusing you because they all have put bet onto whom will propose first." Virat said.

"You also put the bet on Ishan proposing him," Rohit pointed out again.

"You all are betting on us?" Shubman asked looking at everyone in disbelief.

"Yes and only me and Hardik betted on you proposing Ishan. Everyone else are betting on Ishan taking the first step." Rohit replied.

"B-but how could you guys just bet on us?" Shubman furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh boy only if you knew what our second bet is on you guys," Rishabh snickered.

"What?"

"Nothing that is for us to know and you to find out," Rishabh grinned.

"Guys lets not confuse the poor boy. He still has to figure out when he is going to fall in love with Ishu," Rohit said.

"Can you all stop?" Shubman blushed looking down.

"Uh huh, someone is feeling shy all of a sudden." Surya wiggled his eyebrows.

"Shubman looks like the shy girl whose family is talking about her marriage." Rishabh snorted.

"Aren't we actually doing that only?" Hardik chuckled.

Everyone looked at Hardik.

"What? You guys were talking so loud. How can anyone sleep in this much noise?" Hardik shrugged.

"The answer to this question is currently in your arms bhai," Shreyas muttered.

"Ye chotu ne toh Rohit bhai ko bhi peeche chodd diya," Virat snickered.
[This lad even left Rohit Bhai behind on the sleep battle]

"Shut up, I don't even sleep that much." Rohit huffed.

"Rohit bhaiya is more delusional than Shubman is about him being gay," Siraj snorted.

"I am not gay," Shubman scowled.

"Oh bhai, hum 47th chapter pr aa gye hai. Readers 4th wall todkr tujhe chappal se maaregi ab," Rishabh said.
[Oh bro, we are in 47th chapter. Readers will break the 4th wall to come and beat you]

"No I mean I don't like boys, Ishan is just an exception." Shubman fidgeted with his fingers.

"Kyu? Hmara bihari ladki hai kya?"
[Why? Is Ishan a girl?]

"No I didn't meant that,"

"Shubi I think you got the wrong concept of sexuality. Now if Rohit is straight then it doesn't means he go around liking every single girl present in this planet." Virat said.

"Mujhe kyu toda?" Rohit squinted his eyes at Virat.
[Why did you took me as example?]

"Aree that was just an example. I am teaching our young lad something don't interrupt. " Virat said.

"Now, as Shubman you have liked Sara and Ishan. It means you have liked both male and female so you can be bisexual or pansexual or—"

"Bss bhai aur kitne lgtv lgayega"

"Aree I was just telling. It's not my fault there are too many names."

"For real, they come up with a new concept every single day."

"But many of them are by the fake ones who just need a hot topic to trend. Like one day I saw a girl calling herself semi bisexual because she is bisexual but love one gender. Like girl if you like only one gender then you are either straight or lesbian. Why are you inventing a new word for the same meaning?"

"That's true. People just start faking it for the trend and because of these fake influencers the homophobic people get the topic to joke upon."

"Yeah and because of this fight between  homophobic and fake influencers the real ones suffer."

"But don't worry Shubi we won't let you and Ishu suffer. We will be there for you guys so you can conquer your love," Rishabh faked a tear.

"I-I am not in love with him yet. I just know I have feelings for him but I am not sure about anything else ither than that. I am not even sure if I like him." Shubman panicked.

Rohit looked at him in amusement before bursting out laughing.

"Sorry sorry, its just you were acting the same like Cheeku did many years ago." Rohut snickered.

"Aye don't start please," Virat said.

"No tell tell Rohit bhaiya. We wanna know!" Surya said in excitement.

Rohit gave an evil smirk before telling about it.

"You see our Cheeku was madly in love with Anushka bhabhi. He always used to tell about it to me Mahi and Yuvi bhai. One day he was a bit restless so we asked hin what happened.  First he cried on Mahi bhai's shoulder before telling the same thing which Shubman did but the difference was that it was Anushka's feelings for Virat. So when Virat thought they were supposedly boyfriend and girlfriend, they were just on the talking stage." Rohit snorted.

"Virat bhaiya ka kitna ganda kata"
[Virat bhaiya was dumped even before dating]

"Man I feel so bad for Virat bhaiya,"

"There are many more incidents like these," Rohit smirked.

"Panda marr khaayega chup hoja" Virat threatened.
[I will beat you if you won't stop Panda]

"Main toh bataunga, jo karna hai karle" Rohit stick his tongue out.
[Do what you want to, I will tell them]

Everyone laughed enjoying their banter. Shubman also grinned feeling at ease.

The ICT always felt like a family, it was his safe place.

Like how his own family is, he is glad to have two safe places. Friends like family is the best gift anyone could ever have.

No actually the family is the best gift anyone could ever have.

Everyone's first safe place is their family after all.

But there are exceptions as well.

Because sometimes people feels safe when they are not with their family.

Sometimes their enemies are their own family, and in ICT this exceptional case was supposedly his own best friend.

---

Lmao neither I sleep nor I let you all sleep.