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Chapter 3

Damage Control

Between Hearbeats

Abhishek had always imagined playing for ICT would be tough. The pressure, the expectations, the grueling training sessions.

But nothing—absolutely nothing—was as exhausting as dealing with Virat Kohli as his captain-slash-angry-older-brother-in-law-in-the-making.

Because ever since the truth came out, Virat had made it his personal mission to break him.

“Another lap, Sharma! You’re looking sluggish.”

“Your footwork is sloppy today. Focus!”

“Do you even know how to hold a bat, or do I need to call my sister to remind you?”

The team, of course, loved every second of it.

“Oh man,” Ishan said, barely containing his laughter as Abhi finished his fifth extra lap. “Virat’s really making you work for his approval, huh?”

Abhi groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Approval? This man is trying to kill me.”

Shreyas grinned. “You’re lucky, dude. If you weren’t on the team, he’d be plotting your actual murder.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Abhishek muttered. “Laugh it up.”

But as much as Virat’s “extra training” was brutal, Abhi refused to complain.

Because if this was what it took to show Virat he was serious about Meera? He’d do it.

No matter how many laps he had to run.

Meanwhile, Meera was on a mission of her own.

She knew her brother. Virat wasn’t just mad—he felt betrayed. She had hidden something big from him, and he wasn’t the kind of person who forgave easily.

So one evening, she ambushed him in his home gym.

Virat was lifting weights when she waltzed in and plopped down on the bench beside him.

“Nope,” he said immediately. “Not talking about it.”

Meera huffed. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

Virat set down the weights and gave her a look. “Meera.”

She sighed. “Fine. It’s about Abhi.”

Virat grabbed a towel and wiped his face. “Not interested.”

Meera crossed her arms. “Bhai, come on. You’ve been making his life hell.”

Virat shrugged. “Not my fault he can’t handle a little extra training.”

“A little?” Meera scoffed. “You had him do ten extra sprints yesterday!”

“Good for his stamina.”

“Bhai!”

Virat sighed, rubbing his temple. “Meera, you hid this from me for three years. That’s not something I can just let go.”

She bit her lip. “I know. And I’m sorry.”

Virat looked at her. Really looked at her. She meant it.

“…Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally asked.

Meera hesitated. “Because I was scared you’d overreact.”

Virat scoffed. “Well, obviously. But did you really think I’d… what? Lock you in your room and forbid you from seeing him?”

She gave him a pointed look.

Virat groaned. “Okay, fine. Maybe I would’ve been dramatic at first.”

Meera smirked. “See?”

He shook his head. “I just… You’re my baby sister, Meera. I’ve spent my whole life protecting you. And then I find out—” He sighed. “It just hurt that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”

Meera’s heart clenched.

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “I do trust you, bhai. I just didn’t want to lose both of you.”

Virat was quiet for a moment. Then he sighed. “I still don’t like it.”

Meera smiled. “I don’t need you to like it. Just… don’t hate him?”

Virat exhaled. “He’s a good player. And a decent guy.”

She grinned. “That’s the closest thing to a compliment I’m ever going to get from you, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t push your luck.”

But as she left, Virat couldn’t help but smile a little.

Because despite everything, he had to admit—

If Meera was happy, maybe Abhishek wasn’t the worst choice after all.

But after

One Final Test

The next day, Abhishek found himself facing one last challenge.

After practice, Virat tossed him a bat. “One-on-one. You and me. Right now.”

Abhishek frowned. “Wait, what?”

The team immediately crowded around.

“Ohhh, this is gonna be good.”

“I bet Virat’s gonna destroy him.”

Meera, watching from the stands, facepalmed. “Bhai, really?”

Virat ignored her. “Let’s go, Abhishek. One over. If you can hit one ball past me, I’ll stop making your life miserable.”

Abhishek smirked. “And if I don’t?”

Virat grinned. “Then you run ten more laps.”

The team cheered.

Abhishek exhaled, gripping his bat. This was it.

Virat bowled his first delivery—a wicked in-swinger. Abhi barely defended it.

The second ball—a fast bouncer. He ducked.

The third—a deceptive slower one. Abhishek mistimed and missed.

The team hooted. “He’s playing with you, man!”

Abhishek gritted his teeth. Focus.

Fourth ball—full toss. Abhi swung hard and—

CRACK.

The ball soared past Virat, bouncing to the boundary.

The entire team exploded.

“NO WAY!”

“HE DID IT!”

Meera jumped up and cheered.

Abhishek smirked, resting his bat on his shoulder. “So. Guess that means no more extra laps?”

Virat sighed dramatically. “Fine.”

The team whooped.

Abhishek grinned—until Virat stepped closer and muttered, “But if you ever hurt my sister, I will break your bat over your head.”

Abhi gulped. “Understood.”

Virat clapped his shoulder. “Good.”

And with that, he walked off, leaving Abhishek both relieved and slightly terrified.

Meera ran up to him, grinning. “That was amazing!”

Abhi sighed. “I swear, your brother’s trying to kill me.”

Meera laughed. “Welcome to the family, loverboy.”

Abhishek groaned. “Why does everyone call me that?”

And as the team erupted into laughter again, Abhi realized—

Maybe, just maybe…

This wasn’t the worst way to start his career after all.

<⁠(⁠ ̄⁠︶⁠ ̄⁠)⁠↗

That night, Meera found Virat sitting alone in the garden, looking up at the sky.

She sat beside him. “You okay?”

Virat sighed. “Yeah. Just… still processing.”

Meera smiled. “I know it’s weird. But Abhi really loves me, bhai.”

Virat glanced at her. “Yeah. I can see that.”

She grinned. “So… you’re really okay with this?”

He exhaled. “I’ll tolerate him.”

Meera beamed. “I’ll take it.”

And as she hugged him, Virat sighed dramatically.

“Sisters,” he muttered. “More trouble than they’re worth.”

But deep down, he knew—

He wouldn’t trade her for anything.

✧⁠*⁠。

That is it of today I hope you guys like it and I'm open to suggestions so if you want any specific scene to happen then please do tell me.

(Moving on from now it will be more like oneshots of them while continuing with the story.)

That's all for today

Bubyee🤍

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