Nakul is standing in a corner with his 5 year old son Shatanik in his arms, both of them couldn't stop giggling as they remembered the prank they pulled...

Pranking was fun, but hiding after that is a very difficult task, especially when you prank the person who always saves you from others... But what can he do, his little boy wanted to prank his mother, and he himself had pulled a lot of pranks on his Matas during his childhood, so he couldn't deny his son that happiness.

That's when he heard her angry voice "Aryaaaaa....." He wouldn't regret the prank, but now that he remembered the past, he should have thought more. In his childhood his Matas wouldn't scold him but they used to be angry at his pitashree for helping him. And now he isn't the kid, so he understood what would happen next...

" Let's go Shata, your mata will find us here and we'll get in trouble." He said and his little boy nodded his head. He turned around to find himself face to face with a very angry Draupadi.
" You already are in a lot of trouble Arya!" She exclaimed.

What can he do but give a sheepish smile. " Priyeee..." He tried to sweet talk his way out of this, but his Nitya knows all his tricks. " You wouldn't escape Arya, you are teaching pranks to our little innocent kid". Innocent!? He was the one who came up with the prank, I thought as I turned to look at him. Shatanika looked back with innocent eyes that he inherited from his mother, as if he doesn't even know what a prank is.

" Great, my son learnt all my tricks before I could even teach him, shouldn't I be proud? But he just put me into more trouble. Hey Mahadev, save me" He grumbled.

Draupadi gave a last glare as she took Shatanik into her arms and went towards the family room. As she turned her back on him, a childish smirk replaced the glare as she planned her revenge. Poor Nakul, only god could save him now.

Nakul decided it is better for him to let her cool down a bit before he tried to talk to her. So he went to the garden to take a stroll.

At the same time in the family room Draupadi was explaining her plan to her Arya Bheem, Arjun, Sahadev and her sister Subhadra. Her Arya Yudhishtir sat nearby reading some scrolls. He smiled as he listened to the plan, he liked to see Draupadi being excited as a child. Being born from the fire as an adult she didn't enjoy her childhood, and he loved to see her living it now...

He knew each of them brought out a different aspect in her. With him she's the Dharmapriya, she gives him new perspectives to think. With Bheem and her together, the family will never be hungry. While with Arjun her interest to learn weaponry comes out, and Sahadev brings the scholar in her. But when she's with Nakul, that's when he can see the aspect he loves the most, her childish side. Being the queen she's known to be strict. But she's always a child at heart, and bringing that out can only be possible when she's with her family, and Nakul himself being the prankster and little kid of their family tends to help her live the childhood she always wanted.

As he was thinking this, she approached him with a sweet smile and said " Arya, promise me that you won't save Arya Nakul this time, you always support him and he always escapes without punishment." " Yes jyesth, today is the limit, he spoiled my favourite food, he changed the sugar used in my kheer to salt and you know I love the kheer made by Draupadi, but when I put the first spoon in mouth" Bheem shuddered at the thought of the taste. " Yes jyesth, he always pranks everyone, it's time we prank him too, please don't save him from us this time jyesth" requested both Arjun and Sahadev. While Subhadra just smiled.

" Fine, enjoy your prank, I have some work in the court, I'll be back soon", saying that Yudhishtir stood up and went to court, shaking his head at how his brothers still act like kids even when they have kids of their own.

"Let's go Arya, today we need to show him how it feels like to be pranked" She said.

"Yes jiji, this time I'm with you", said Subhadra.

" So when he comes back let's act as the whole food tastes bad because of his prank." She continued.

" Arya Bheem you give him the angriest look, Arya Arjun will glare at him and Arya Sahadev, you complain about how hungry you are. Subhadra, you just give him a disappointed look. He'll definitely feel bad".

Hence the planning went on.

Everyone did what they were assigned and slowly they all made their way to the dining hall, and sat down. They all kept their food aside and mixed sugar in all of Nakul's curries and salt in all his sweets.

When Nakul entered, he expected Draupadi to be angry, but when he saw all his bhratas and even bhabhishree Subhadra staring or in most of their case glaring at him. He gulped and looked at them, asking his twin what the matter is. But even Dev wouldn't say anything.

What happened? Surely something is wrong and everyone thinks it's his fault. But what? With a puzzled look slowly he sat down and started eating, and that's when he understood the problem, he might have forgotten to replace the sugar and salt in their right places and now everything that should be sweet is salty and vice versa, poor Nakul, he can't eat anymore.

"How are you all eating this?" he asked, though he soon realised his mistake as Bheem who was giving the angriest of stares came to him looking scarier than ever. "Because of you I couldn't eat a single thing, and I'm very hungry, this instant you have to make everything for us. Without anyone's help, we'll guide you, but you have to make everything on your own" he ordered.

Looking at his bhrata, so angry, he couldn't say anything but nod his head. And thus began his work in the kitchen, poor him, he had to cook everything again while his bhratas tried to hide their laughter. Panchali felt bad, but her Arya Sahadev said that sometimes it's necessary to do things like these.

After a long time, Nakul completed cooking and completely tired went to his room to freshen up. Seeing his room gave him a mini heart attack. Where are all his mirrors? He couldn't find them on the wall, nor in the cupboard, all his mirrors are missing. "Oh god why are all the bad things happening to me today" he prayed and decided to take a calm relaxing bath. After which he came to his cupboard to wear his fav lucky clothes, they might help him. But when he took them out, his maroon angavastra looked bright pink and his green dhoti looked like coal is rubbed on it. He was so confused and angry he called out to the animals in his room to know who did it, but not a single creature responded. This is too much he thought, coming out of the room in his now colourful attire, with all the colour on his clothes getting on to his face and hands.

Everyone started laughing while he stared at them. He slowly went to them, his hands behind him. Everyone except the sharp eyed Gandivdhari were too busy laughing, when suddenly colour rained on them, everyone except Arjun got coloured, "If I get coloured everyone else should be coloured too" said Nakul

"But I am still fine Anuj." said Arjun with a smirk. But it was replaced with a cautious look when Nakul laughed and said "Not for long bhrata." But it was too late as Subhadra poured fistful of colour on Savyasachi as she ran and hid behind her jiji.

"Subhadra" shouted Vibhatsu. As both the sisters laughed. Thus started the colour fight, that day it looked like holi came early to Indraprastha.

When Samrat Yudhishtir came for dinner, he expected everyone to be done with the pranks. But he didn't expect to enter a warzone full of colours flying everywhere, soon he was covered from head to toe in colour. No one knows who is in which team, everyone just threw colours at each other as they enjoyed and laughed like a happy family. Forgetting all the worries, leaving up all the thoughts for some other time.

That is when Samrat Yudhishtir found his Anuj Nakul hiding with him behind a tree in the garden.

" Sorry Nakul, but I promised that I wouldn't tell you about the pranks unless you ask me, so I couldn't help you." Said Yudhishtir. " It's ok jyesth, I know they'll prank me from the start, I understood that when Nitya came after me after the kheer prank instead of bhrata Bheem. I was sure that they were planning something, so Drau stopped bhrata Bheem. And I went to the garden so I could give them time to plan their prank. And even after knowing I went with it. And bhabhishree Subhadra always kept me informed, that is how she left the colours for me in my cupboard after she went with her part of destroying my favourite clothes" he said.

Yudhishtir was staring at Nakul, "These are the times we can see the child in Nitya, her eyes filled with pure joy, her mouth curled into a childish smirk and laughing out loud without thinking about any rules and restrictions. That is how she should be jyesth, and I'll do anything for that, even if it means I get pranked." He said with a calm smile, while his eyes had a note of satisfaction on seeing his priye happy.

" We all want the same thing Jyesth, her happiness. If we all are the five fingers of the hand then she's the palm. Together we can do anything, and for her we will do anything."

" All the five of us are dedicated to her and we promise that she'll always be happy, her smile is the light that keeps our life illuminated, her laughter is the sound that is music to our ears. Her tears are the flood that will end everything. Our lives would be meaningless if we let tears stain the face of the lady who sacrificed a lot for us." Said Yudhishtir.

Parshati walked towards them smiling, along with the other three Pandavas as they started teasing Nakul, who in return teased them.

" I really am lucky to be part of this family arya, where everyone is so pure at heart just like kids", she said as their kids came running in, "Mata we are hungry" shouted Sutasom, while Prathivindhya tried to control his siblings from running around and creating a havoc in the already messed up garden. Subhadra also brought her toddler Abhimanyu with her, who just started walking, whom Arjun instantly picked up into his arms.

"Let's go kids I'll feed you all with my own hands", she sent them towards the dining hall as she turned towards her Aryas, "Come on everyone" she called.

"You have to eat the whole salt kheer Nakul, u spoiled my food, so now it's your turn".
"Not fair bhrata Bheem, it was Shatanik's plan, I just helped and I also made everything again, you guys already punished me, so no more punishments".
"By the way bhabhishree, you are the best partner in crime."
"Subhi!!! Were you helping Arya Nakul again?"
"Both of these pranksters will always help each other."
"Look at him priye, he's already walking, soon I'll teach him archery".
"Bhrata he's still 1, let him grow up."
"But kids grow so fast jiji, look at Vindu, feels like I was just playing with him yesterday and now he is taking care of his brother ".
"Very true Subhi, I wish they can stay kids a little longer".
"Arya look at your younger brothers, they are fighting infront of food"
" Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev, eat properly, there are kids here who are better than you," and the chat went on.

As the dinner was going on - Nakul couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, as happiness filled his heart. All of this is possible because of one person, the one to keep the whole family together, happily forever. The heart of their family Draupadi ❤️.

"I promise you Nitya, you will never miss being a child, because, with us you will always be one"

─── •✧✧• ───

Hence proved:- The childish prankster can be mature for his family, while even the queen who is strict and has to follow rules can be childish with her family...

Every person is a mix of many emotions, but the best ones are always brought out by the family...❤️

I hope you liked it...🥰

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Have a nice day!!!

Love

-- Ashwini...★