7 days

One Year Later

December 2023

POV: Ishaan Kishan.

‘ OH MY GOD, YOU GOT ME A PUPPY?’ Ishaan screamed.

‘ Ssshhhh. You will startle it…’ Shreyas laughed.

Ishaan rolled his eyes at Shreyas and turned his attention back to the brown basket on the coffee table. A cute fuzzy, chubby little golden retriever puppy stared at him from under the checkered blanket. He gently took it out and brought it close to him.

‘ Hi baby …’ he whispered.

Shreyas and Ishaan both sat on the living room floor of Ishaan's apartment. One year had passed since Ishaan and Shubman separated. One year which felt like eternity. Ishaan was determined to die without Shubman and it took him months to come to terms with what had happened, months which was a struggle for everyone in his life. He had slowly recovered thanks to shreyas who was hell-bent over making his smile again.

‘ Aww you are so fuzzy and so cute!’ Ishaan said, nuzzling the puppy's face.

Shreyas watched the interaction with a smile on his face.

‘ Let me play with him too,’ Shreyas pouted and extended his hands.

Ishaan gently gave the puppy to him.

‘ Be careful…’

‘ I know..I know’

The puppy wagged its tail and barked as it stood on its hind legs on Shreyas's lap and rested its paws on his chest. Shreyas laughed as the puppy licked his face and tried to climb on his head.

Ishaan rested his head on his folded arms and looked at Shreyas. This was probably the first time Ishaan  has ever really looked at Shreyas. He felt a warm fuzzy feeling spreading through his body, as he heard Shreyas’s laugh ring through the house.

‘ Did his laughter always bring me this much warmth?’ Ishaan questioned himself.

‘ What should we name you?’ Shreyas asked cutely.

‘ Pancake!’ Ishaan squealed.

Shreyas burst out laughing.

‘ Pancake?? Are you serious???’

Ishaan pouted and took the puppy from him and snuggled it against his chest.

‘ Yes…it's so cute. Look at how golden and toasty he looks,’ Ishaan mumbled.

Shreyas laughed again and slid closer to Ishaan so he could play with the puppy too. Ishaan felt his heart skip a beat.

‘ Pancake Kishan Iyer?’ Shreyas asked.

‘ Iyer?’ Ishaan looked confused.

‘ Well yeah, he's my baby too. You don't think so?’ Shreyas looked taken back.

‘ I guess so…’

" Good…daddy will buy lots of toys for our little Pancake," Shreyas smiled and scratched behind the puppies ears.

Ishaan felt startled as Shreyas brushed against his hands. He hesitantly raised his gaze and looked at Shreyas again.

Shreyas who was always there for him. Shreyas who had moved in with him to take care of him, when he couldn't care less about himself. Shreyas, who had wiped his tears and hugged him tightly. Shreyas who had cooked him warm meals and spoon fed him. Shreyas who used to take him out in the middle of the night to satisfy his ice cream cravings. Shreyas who held his hands till he fell asleep. Shreyas who helped him find the motivation to work again, to challenge himself. Who had convinced him to take a one year contract in London. Shreyas, because of whom he got to walk the runways he had always dreamed of. Because of whom, Ishaan was now the face of Ralph Lauren, with posters of him plastered everywhere. Shreyas, who had spent thousands of dollars and flew to London, simply because Ishaan called one night, drunk out of his mind, crying about missing home. Shreyas, who had pieced Ishaan back together, not caring about the sharp edges that might make him bleed.