Chapter Text
Lemon Drops
1. Lemon Drops
"Lemon drop, anyone?"
"What?"
"Lemon drop, Virat?"
"What exactly is a Lemon Drop, Jinks?"
"A sweet, Kohli. Do not expect you to relate to it."
"Aww, Sharma! You do not need to go out of your way to show how much you love me."
MS Dhoni groaned, and bent his head further over the newspaper. There were some interesting things being printed about his boys and what better way to spend a lazy morning than to be up to date with the gossips.
"Lemon drop, Mr. Dhoni?" Virat sassed and held the glass jar right under MS's nose. "What are you reading there? Trying to by-heart the paper?" He laughed at him own not-so-great humour.
"Just a rather spicy take about how Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has been spotted with three different girls during the same party. Well, three for Jaddu and two for you Virat. Wow, I am impressed."
"What?" Virat squawked and pulled up the edge of the paper glaring at the completely out of focus photo. "It does not even look like me!"
"Could be you or Jaddu, but the news stands. Three girls? Really?"
"Of course not, Mahi Bhai! Since when do you believe journos?"
"I don't but you have to agree that it is a fun read. And what are you doing with Jinks' Lemon drops?"
"He grabbed the entire jar," Ajinkya spoke up. He had curled up on the bed, and was fiddling with his earphones.
"Of course he did. Do you even like Lemon Drops, Virat?"
"He doesn't, Bhaiya," Rohit volunteered.
"I swiped them for you!" Virat chewed on his words. "I know you love them."
"And Ajinkya wouldn't have shared them with me?"
Virat lowered his voice. "He can be mean when he is in a mood!"
"Oi Cheeku! I am not in a mood!" Ajinkya grumbled.
"You have been gorging on sweets! You are in a mood!" Virat waved the tiny jar, again, under MS's nose. "Come on, bhai. You love these little balls of diabetes! Have a couple!"
"Is that how you market things? Nice to know. One competition less." MS selected, not two, but four of the little candies and popped one immediately. "Aha. Nothing quite like a Lemon drop."
"You are such an Albus Dumbledore." With a goofy grin on his face, Virat looked on affectionately. "Our Father Hogwarts."
"What a stupid moniker!" MS went back to the paper. "Just try to keep your noses clean, you younglings. Stop giving the media such free content. And order some soup for Jinks, Virat. I believe he is coming down with a cold. Hence, the grumpiness."
"I am not being grumpy!" Ajinkya's protest was overlooked and a petulant, "Yeah. Keep ignoring me. Took all my lemon drops too," made them all smile at tandem.
"Here Jinksie; some mint drops. You will like them." MS lobbed a packet to his player. "And get some shut eye."
"And my lemon drops?"
"For the rest of the Team," and before Ajinkya could grumble again, he added, "I will buy you some more, but only once you get a little better."
"This Virat will steal them again," Ajinkya raised a token protest but the grumbling ceased.
"I will make sure he doesn't, Ajju." Rohit pulled at the jar and grabbed hold of a fistful of the tangy candies but had to let go of a few when his fist got stuck courtesy the jar's narrow mouth. "Stupid jar."
"Of course; curse the jar instead of your insatiable craving for anything sweet."
"Of course, Virat; exactly why I do not go around to seek you out."
Virat glared at his friend, frowned some and then yelled, "Mahi Bhai! Rohit is troubling me!"
"Solve it on your own, Casanova! Today, I solemnly swear I am upto no good. It is my day off from babysitting your lot."
A pause and then, "We are not babies! And MS? Bah humbug!"
"God bless us, everyone!" MS murmured and grinned unrepentantly; It was turning out to be a good day.
And he popped another Lemon Drop into his mouth, smacking his lips at the taste.
"I am as happy as an angel. I am as merry as a schoolboy."
A/N - As I said, this book will lighthearted with only coziness. Or so is the plan.
You love to hear from you people.
Take care and Gracias.