《ICT ONE-SHOTS (FRIENDSHIP)》Without you (KulCha)
Advertisement
It began with casual insignificant signs.
When Team India was waiting impatiently for the rain to clear during the 1st ODI vs West Indies, 2019, Yuzi saw Kuldeep and Manish exchanging a glance.
"We've endured worse waits," said Manish.
"A lot worse," said Kuldeep fervently.
"Meaning?" Yuzi asked.
"The 2017 Eliminator!" they both said, sounding nostalgic.
"We'd bundled SRH out below 130, but then it started raining awfully in Bangalore, Yuzi," explained Kuldeep. "SRH had qualified as 3rd, so you know... we'd have been eliminated if the rain hadn't stopped."
Manish grinned. "Thankfully, it did."
"Then you and Robbie and Narine got out," said Kuldeep, shaking his head. "In a chase of 48!"
"Hey, we won," said Manish. Then he seemed to fall silent.
Kuldeep and Yuzi studied him, Yuzi in confusion but Kuldeep with understanding.
"What happened now?" demanded Yuzi.
"It was his last victory with KKR," whispered Kuldeep.
"So?" said Yuzi. "Do you miss KKR or something?"
"Yuzi!" said Kuldeep in exasperation.
"Of course I do," say Mahish incredulously. "It was more than a team... we played together for 4 years," he said wistfully. "Most of my best friends are still in KKR."
Judging by Kuldeep and Manish standing shoulder to shoulder, Kuldeep fell in that category of best friends, thought Yuzi grimly.
"And the Eden crowd," said Kuldeep.
"And SRK," said Manish.
"And Kolkata itself...our second home," said Kuldeep, his voice full of unexpected love.
"The City of Joy," said Manish sadly.
Kuldeep and Manish had the same second home, too. Yuzi tried to brush off the thoughts, annoyed.
But they kept coming back.
__________
Neither Yuzi not Manish were in the playing XI during the 2nd ODI, and they were sitting in the dugout. Kuldeep came up to field on the boundary near them.
After a while Kuldeep looked back between two balls and gestured for a drink. Yuzi was about to get up, but before he could, Manish had grabbed an orange drink--Kuldeep's favourite, as Yuzi knew as well--and ran to the boundary.
So Yuzi didn't get up after all and tried to look in any direction but the one in which Manish and Kuldeep were standing together.
Advertisement
It doesn't mean anything, Yuzi told himself sternly. Of course it doesn't.
__________
That day, after dinner, a few of them were lazing around in the dining hall and chatting.
The conversation turned to the female fan following they got and how strange it seemed at first. Hardik, of course, was in his element, though Bhuvi's strict gaze kept him slightly subdued.
"Manish has got heaps of female fans," said Kuldeep, smirking. "There are all kinds of Manish Pandey fanclubs with female admins on social media."
"I was always better than you in that respect, Kuliya," said Manish with a touch of arrogance.
Yuzi cringed when Kuldeep didn't protest at Manish calling him 'Kuliya'. He always protested when Yuzi called him that!
"I'm poor in that respect altogether," said Kuldeep with an ungrudging laugh.
"Except the only time a fangirl called you. In South Africa, remember?" said Yuzi wickedly, for a moment forgetting that Manish was also there.
"Not the only time," said Manish immediately, and Yuzi tried hard not to scowl. "Someone had called you before the Eliminator of 2016, right?"
"Only a KKR fan," said Kuldeep.
"With a special interest in you," added Manish, and they both grinned.
By now, Yuzi was glaring at the ground.
Kuldeep and Manish had a whole history between the two of them, because they had played together for KKR for four whole years. Yuzi realised with a sinking heart that he had known Kuldeep for only three years--not even three full years.
Yuzi knew Manish didn't mean anything bad, but he couldn't help resenting him fiercely from the core of his heart.
__________
Yuzi felt that it was increasingly becomimg a Yuzi-Kuldeep-Manish trio more than his and Kuldeep's duo, though he could barely speak to Manish properly.
It was not a change he could like, but for Kuldeep's sake, he had to tolerate it, at least.
Few days later, Kuldeep looked into his and Yuzi's joint room and called, "We're going out for coffee, Yuzi. Are you coming?"
We, not I.
"I--I've got a headache, Kuldeep, I'll pass," said Yuzi convincingly.
Kuldeep rushed to Yuzi at once.
Advertisement
"Have you got fever?" he asked anxiously, touching Yuzi's forehead.
"No, no, it's just a headache," said Yuzi, lying down on the bed.
"I'll not go, then."
"Kuldeep! It's just a headache, I told you," said Yuzi firmly. "And I'm going to sleep too. You go out with Manish."
Kuldeep turned reluctantly to go out, switching off the light on the way.
"Get well soon!"
"Yeah, whatever," muttered Yuzi resentfully. Then he felt bad about resenting Kuldeep, because honestly speaking, none of it was his fault. Nor Manish's.
It was only his stupid jealousy.
Yuzi almost felt a real headache coming on, because jealousy was like a disease that made you physically sick, too.
I'll talk to Kuldeep and see what he says, Yuzi decided finally.
___________
Yuzi had fallen asleep by the time Kuldeep came back. Kuldeep entered the dark room quietly and whispered, "Are you awake, Yuzi?"
There was no answer. Deciding not to disturb Yuzi, Kuldeep turned to go out again, but his knee bumped against the cupboard in the darkness.
"Kuldeep?" came Yuzi's voice at once.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up!" cried Kuldeep guiltily.
"It's ok, I just fell asleep minutes ago," said Yuzi.
"Are you feeling better?" Kuldeep switched on the light and went up to Yuzi's bed.
Kuldeep thought that Yuzi looked rather pale.
"I really think you might be going down with fever," said Kuldeep, sounding extremely concerned, and Yuzi did not want to lie to him anymore.
"Of course not. I didn't even have a headache," admitted Yuzi.
Kuldeep looked surprised.
"Did you lie because you didn't want to come along with us?"
Kuldeep sounded genuinely hurt, and Yuzi started feeling bad. "I just didn't want to intrude upon you and Manish, that's all."
"Intrude?" said Kuldeep, confused.
"Yes, well, you and Manish have known each other for years and years, and of course I don't blame you for wanting to be with him all the time," said Yuzi, but the resentment in his voice couldn't be clearer.
"That's not fair, Yuzi!" cried Kuldeep. "I don't feel annoyed when you and Rohit bhai spend time together!"
"That's different," said Yuzi coolly. "You know perfectly well that it'll always be Virat for Rohit. But you and Manish act like best friends all the time, and..." Yuzi clenched his fists. "Not that I...mind... I'm not telling you not to be his best friend or anything..."
Yuzi didn't sound cold anymore, he sounded plain hurt, and a horrified Kuldeep stared at him, wide-eyed.
Yuzi wouldn't look at him, but Kuldeep still noticed that Yuzi's face had gone white.
"It's not like that, Yuzi," said Kuldeep, almost desperately. "Obviously Manish has been my closest friend--for--a very long time...maybe even my best friend--but..."
The look that passed over Yuzi's face for a fleeting moment brought Kuldeep on the verge of tears.
"...but it's different with you, Yuzi--you and I..." Kuldeep tried to say what he was feeling, but it wasn't easy. "We're not even--not, like, different persons, are we? They all know us as KulCha, not Kuldeep and Yuzi--and... it's like... you're part of me... and... without you, there's no me."
Yuzi looked at Kuldeep finally.
"That sounded weird," said Kuldeep hastily. "But..."
"Without me, there's no you," repeated Yuzi.
Kuldeep nodded.
"Mean it?" Yuzi met Kuldeep's eyes.
"Yes! Don't you feel the same too?" cried Kuldeep eagerly.
"Without you, there's no me," said Yuzi thoughtfully. "You know what, that's exactly how I feel!"
Yuzi's eyes had lit up, and when Yuzi said that, Kuldeep's eyes lit up too. They grasped each other's hands simultaneously, suddenly feeling completely at peace.
"Now I don't mind you and Manish behaving like best friends," said Yuzi generously.
"You shouldn't have minded in the first place," said Kuldeep. "Because without you, there's no me. And without me, there's no you."
It felt particularly satisfying to Kuldeep to repeat that line. Yuzi laughed and grabbed Kuldeep in one of his smothering hugs.
"Without you, there's no me," whispered Yuzi, and Kuldeep, for once, hugged him back just as smotheringly.
A/N: I
Advertisement
- In Serial26 Chapters
WARZONE: Modern Warfare in a Fantasy World [OLD]
This story has been rewritten and has received a hard reboot. If you would like to read the up-to-date/rewritten version please visit HERE instead of this one. Also, please do not forget to join our Discord server.
8 172 - In Serial11 Chapters
Ascension Online
Titan Incorporated, world leader in technology and science, has just released its newest creation and design. Ascension Online. With a surreal 98% realism, Ascension Online is a world of possibilities. One that hundreds of millions are throwing themselves into. Tyler Mori, once known as Akuma in the world of Combart Sports Association, is one such individual. While his goals and motivations are dead, Tyler is a man of unmatched ability. Ability, that shall be pushed to the limits in a game world, where friends are easy to be made, and enemies even harder to kill.
8 93 - In Serial96 Chapters
Indomitable Marvel
-This is a wish-fulfillment story that is in the MCU universe and will follow the MCU in my own way. The goal is to blend my story in and around the MCU. -It will be a while, a very long while before I get to the actual MCU storyline. -The story may seem a bit slow depending on what you're after. -Updates will be slow. -He does not start op. -Be warned I'm a below-average writer, I need to work on my details and wording, and probably everything else. Expect quality fluctuations. -((( Useful feedback is much appreciated. ))) -This will have a harem since my last story didn't have one. --Expect badly written lemon scenes. They will be marked for an easy skip for those who don't want to read it. If you can handle all that, then welcome aboard. -The Asgardian Theoric is about to get a second chance. [[[ https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Theoric_(Earth-616) ]]] -The story starts before the MCU where he will grow his abilities on his way to becoming indomitable. -1st volume: Prologue -2nd volume: Troll War - (ch.12-59)-3rd volume: Hidden Forces - (ch. 60-???)-4th volume: Olympians-5th volume: Mutants-6th volume: MCU-7th volume: Darkness???-8th volume: ??? ___________________________________To help answer some questions people might have. - No beast companions and as of right now no plans for beast companions. (But then again Hela does have Fenris...)- No kingdom-building,- The beginning of the story puts a lot of people off because I didn't go the normal route people would like, and they don't tend to like the troll arc.- He also starts a little rash and seems a little weak because his powers easily drain him, some of this is explained later though and fixed by Gaea, but many miss this and only concentrate on the fact that he isn't being and doing what they think he should.- I should also explain that he has some memories that were locked away and then deleted because of his rashness. This was simply a way to end the whole locked memory thing, the Acanti soul was a plot point to give him future memories of the MCU, beyond that it served no more purpose so I got rid of all the other useless knowledge, He was in no way nerfed as some would like to believe.- I made him a little more emotional then I would like at the beginning, it was my attempt at trying to give him a personality after being criticized for the lack thereof in my last story. - Ruthless? I don't think so, I'm going more the route of a fair Mc. He'll do more of an eye for an eye type stuff, gender does not matter to him when it comes to this.- While the harem isn't the end all be all goal, it's true that he's going around getting women.- I do have a story beyond the harem though and will not focus too heavily on the harem beyond the obvious. Mostly he just goes around sleeping with them and beyond that is anyone's guess whether they stick around or not, I do try and make it feel a little more real, but it is a harem. ___________________________________ -I have also posted this story on Royal Road and Wattpad.
8 95 - In Serial14 Chapters
Becoming The Wolfman
Hello everyone. I’m an avid reader but I’ve never tried writing my own novel to be published. So I’m going for it on Royal Road and let's see what happens. Prologue My story begins while working as a Security Officer. I’m Bill501 aka the Wolfman as I have about 15 different Wolf tattoos. Not that you would know it since I have to cover them all for work. I’m sitting at my desk waiting for lunchtime and greeting all the employees in the building as they walk by. All the sudden I have a splitting headache and I’m trying not to show it because I don’t have sick time and I don’t want to go home sick and lose money. Suddenly a screen comes up but it just looks like floating text. It says Welcome to the System. Hell I read at least 5 novels a week that start that way so I’m like hell yeah so worth the headache. I’m over here saying status and character screen and anything else I can think of to bring up my stats and it doesn’t do shit…. 15 minutes later I get a message that says loading…..
8 128 - In Serial25 Chapters
Omnipotent's Ascension
Lenin had always been restricted in the use of power. Being looked down on from birth up until middle school. But now he's in highschool, and there's nothing going to stop him. From cultivators to mages, telekinetic master, race lord's and other practices. Lenin decides to ascend and protect his loved ones. He would normally laze around, but with the coming threat to those he loves, what would he do? A novel about different races, and powers. With magic, qi, prana, plasma force and other forms of energy. It also has a unique cultivation theme.
8 201 - In Serial27 Chapters
Hornless
Adarra is a land ruled by a cruel minotaur empire. Kreet, the mountain kingdom, prevents vile lycan from spreading to the human cities beyond its walls. As humans and half breeds rebel, the wolf plague spreads mysteriously across the land causing chaos to run rampant. Anula survives an attack on her city, but is captured. Her people are dead or enslaved and she must survive the horror and cruelty of her captors. As a dark stain on his royal blood for his primal, blood thirsty urges, Draxz is denied the minotaur throne in favor of his younger brother Rurak. Giving in to his anger, he continues down his path of bloodshed. Aύok’s land is a wasteland, his ancient people starved of food and culture. As king of the druid elves, Aύok decides its long past time that his people claim back their land. If he fails, he and his people will perish. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I try to update at least one chapter a week.
8 200