抖阴社区

Chapter 23 - The Weight of a Crown

217 23 3
                                        

  Vanya’s POV

The morning sun hadn’t fully risen when her alarm buzzed at 5:45 AM.
She blinked awake, eyes still heavy with sleep, and the first thing she did—out of habit, out of longing—was to check her phone.

A message was already waiting for her.

> Shubman: Good morning, Vanu 🌞

Her heart softened instantly.

She typed back quickly.

> Vanya: Good morning, Maan. You’re up early?

His reply came before she could even put the phone down.

> Shubman: Couldn’t sleep properly. First day of the Test. Nervous maybe.

She smiled faintly, imagining him sitting on his hotel bed, rubbing his face, hair messy.

> Vanya: Captain ho… nervousness toh hona hi hai. But you’ll do great.

Three dots appeared.

> Shubman: Say it properly.

She rolled her eyes, smiling.

> Vanya: You will do amazing, Captain Gill.

> Shubman: Better 😌

She giggled.

Then—

> Shubman: Video call? Just for 2 mins?

She sighed, but her fingers were already hitting accept.

His face appeared—fresh after a shower, hair wet, wearing a white training jersey. The early morning light behind him made him look unreal.

“Good morning,” she said softly.

“Hmm,” he hummed, smiling gently. “You look sleepy.”

“I am sleepy.”

“You look cute.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you trying to distract me?”

He leaned closer to the camera slightly.
“Always.”

She blinked away a blush.

He continued, softer, “Today is important for me… talk to me for a minute?”

“I’m right here,” she whispered.

His smile eased, shoulders relaxing.
“I’ll call you during lunch break if possible.”

“Okay, Maan. Play well.”

He nodded like a little boy being told to do his best.

“Bye, Vanu.”

“Bye, Captain.”

He shook his head, smiling, then cut the call.

She stared at her screen for a moment longer before getting up.

---

Shubman’s POV

He dropped the phone beside him and sat still for a moment, breathing slowly.

Her face.
Her voice.
Her words.

He needed that.

Nerves prickled at the edges of his mind—first home Test as captain. A senior role, Expectations, Pressure.

He got ready, wore his blazer, and headed downstairs to meet the team.

As they walked to the bus, Bumrah nudged him.
“Tension?”

Boundaries Of The Heart ??Where stories live. Discover now