A Tumbler Full of Tales - ICT and beyond (ON HOLD)

The Defeated Captain - (Virat centric. Jaddu, Mahirat)

A/N - Except for the main event rest of everything is non-Canon. There will be mentions of drinking and some strong language. Nothing is canon and no disrespect is meant.

May be a little triggering. Hope you have a good read.

The snow was falling hard and fast; Virat was dragging his feet through the dusting of the white powder, his eyes trailing over the empty streets. His cap was pulled low on his head and the humongous leather jacket dwarfed his slight frame.

The strains of 'Silent Night' were reverberating through the lonely roads, probably playing in a nearby church. The melodic strains were making melancholy rise through Virat, but yet he could not manage to shed a tear.

It had been a while too; often he could barely draw in a breath. He would feel the sobs gathering at the base of his throat and despite all his efforts, he could not push them out. He kept swallowing around the grief and his heart felt leadened.

Silent night, Holy night

All is calm, All is bright

Virat raised his numb hands to his cheek, finding it conspicuously dry. The cold was seeping through all his layers of clothing, making him shiver violently. He pulled out a small flask from his pocket, stared at it for a good long minute, but then placed it back, unopened.

He kept walking and as he couldn't go too far away from the resort, he kept circling the same area. But with each turn, he would keep noticing something unique, something different, and little by little his thoughts grew silent.

"Veere?"

Virat turned and smiled. "Woke up so soon, Sir Jaddu ji?"

"It is evening, Veere. Why aren't you picking up your phone?"

Virat patted his pockets and came up empty. "I probably left it back at the resort."

"Probably?" Jaddu arched an eyebrow. "You do realize that in this single moment, you emulated our Mahi Bhai and dearest Rohit at the same time; you are talented, my friend."

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace.

He had missed a few lines but the timbre of the last word held and Virat's heart quivered with empathized grief; for a great long time, he had not felt such peace.

Almost since the lockdown.

Jaddu had fallen in step with him and Virat found his shoulder brushing against the man's every couple of seconds; it was a surprisingly comfortable feeling. He had vehemently protested when he had been informed that Jaddu would be joining him on this impromptu vacation.

It had taken all of Anu's rather commendable skills to convince him and finally, she had put her foot down. The constant bubble of downcast desolation which had surrounded Virat since the T-20 World Cup of 2021, lifted to some extent in this stark, lonely, yet breathtaking surroundings.

"Want to go up on one of the hike trails?"

Jaddu was pointing towards a dirt road leading beyond the main street and with a nod, Virat agreed. The trail was a little steep and after a few long minutes of laboring uphill, he started to enjoy the slight pain shooting up his legs and welcomed the catch in his breath.

Recognisable challenges were always welcome and Virat silently celebrated his victory as he successfully climbed up to a point where the land flattened out; it had been a while.

"Felling good?" Jaddu gasped; he was bent over with his breathes coming out in huffs and puffs.

"Yeah." Virat quirked his lips and shot a half-grin at his friend. He looked around, taking in the visage of the snow-capped mountains stretching over the expanse of the landscape, resembling a painting more than reality. Taking in lungfuls of ice-cold air, he allowed it to settle down the irritation clouding his mind.