Midnight Mania By Ishqi

Written By – Ishqi
Setting: After the year is over and Shappu confessed.

PS: The dialogues are in Hindi because Ishqi doesn’t speak Marathi. Her love and affection for the show go beyond the language barrier though. When she began watching the show, Marathi was as foreign to her as it could have been but today, she understands everything without needing anything to be translated. Quite commendable, no? <3

Ishqi’s specialty is wit. She can write what you and I cannot imagine. xD.

It was one of those rare nights where neither Apurva nor Shashank were able to sleep. Even
laying close to each other, they continued to toss and turn for a couple hours before Apurva
finally gave up and sat up on the bed pulling Shashank with her.

“Khadoos, mujhe neend nahin aa rahi hai. Kuch karo na!”

“Are… mai kya karu? Mujhe bhi nahin aa rahi hai.”

“Tumse na kuch nahin hota. Acha chalo, hum kuch khelte hai!”

“Khel? Apurva, raat ke 12 baj chuke hai. Itni raat ko hum kya maja masti karenge?”

“Offo Khadoos…mera matlab tha board games!”

“Acha chalo, thik hai. Hum Scrabble khelte hai! Par thoda alag scrabble, matlab tum apni
syllabus ki words ko use karna hoga aur phir hum ek ek word ki discussion karte hai. Usse
kya hoga, tumhari padai bhi hogi toh yeh best hai. Aur vese bhi, padai ke naam lete hi tume neend aati hai!”

“Khadoos, tum na sachme Khadoos hi rahega…boring Khadoos Kutla! Mujhe tumhare jese
boring games nahin khelna! Kuch fun khelte hai na…jese ki….ha LUDO!”

“Kya? Ludo? Aur Ye boring game nahin hai?”

They continue to argue for a few minutes about what to play and what not when Shashank gets
a devious idea to take advantage of the situation.

“Acha Apurva, mere paas ek idea hai. Hum Snakes & Ladders khelte hai!”

“Kya? Khadoos…kitni boring hai”

“Are meri puri baat toh suno! Hum Snakes & Ladders khelenge par ek twist ke saath! Jab bhi
hum ladder pe land karenge…matlab jab bhi hum ladder pe chadenge, hum opposite person
ko ek sawal puch sakthe hai, koi bhi sawal!”

“Khadoos, mai koi padai ki sawal answer nahin karne wali, abhi bol rahi hu!”

“Syllabus ki sawal nahin karunga! Koi aur sawal…koi bhi sawal jo mujhe tumse puchna ho aur jo tume mujhse puchni ho aur hume sirf sach bolna hoga. Ok?

Appu thinks for a while and agrees, “Ok par ek aur change hai. Jese tumne kaha ladder pe land
karenge toh ek dusre se questions puchenge, voh thik hai. Par jab bhi koi snakes pe trap hota
hai na, dusre person ki kahi hui dare usse pura karna padega.”

“Kya? Dare? Ab yeh kya hai? Aur bahut raat hogayi hai, hum ese kuch nahin karenge jisse baki sab uth jaye!”

“Are hum kisiko disturb nahin karenge! Koi bhi dare ho, bus hum dono ki beech ki hogi aur sirf
issi kamre mein. Ok?”

Shashank agrees and goes to bring the board as Appu impatiently waits on the bed for him.
But Shashank took a little extra time as he made sure to get some snacks for them too as he set up the board for them.

“Ek minute Khadoos, snakes and ladders wala conditions tak thik hai, par game jeetne wale ko kya milega?”

“Yeh toh tume decide karna hai ki tum mujhe kya dogi!”

“Kya? Matlab?”

“Matlab yeh ki game toh meein hi jeetunga…mein iss ghar ki champion hu iss game mein. Toh tum decide karo ki jeetne par tum mujhe kya dogi”

“Hmm..voh issliye ki tumne aaj tak mujhse muqabla nahin kiya. Yaad hai na ki meine tume panja mein kese haraya?”

Shashank smiles thinking about the old memories and suddenly an idea strikes his mind, “Thik ke, phir hum apni challenge karte hai. Jo jeetega, usse durse person se jo chayye voh milega, lekin jeetunga toh mein hi! Challenge accepted, Mrs.Kanitkar?”

“Done Mr.Kanitkar!”

One’s mind full of devious thoughts and the other full of childish ones, they started playing.
Shashank was confident he would win but somehow Appu ending up taking the lead as she climbed the first ladder.

“Yes! Abh mein tumse kuch punchga, aur tume sach sach bolna padega Khadoos!….Hmm… kya puchu? Ha! Khadoos, tume Netra Tai pasand hai?”

Shashank’s racing mind gets a hard brake at the questions, “Apurva, ye game hum dono ki beech hain na toh tumhari Netra Tai iske beech mein kaha se aagayi? Aur mujhe tume kitni
baar bolna padega ki voh sirf meri assistant hai, mujhe tum pasand ho!….Aur ha agar tum apni Netra Tai ke baare mein baat karne wali hu toh mein khelna band kar dunga!”

“Acha ok sorry, esi questions nahin puchungi…ab tumhari turn hai.”

“Meri nahin, tumhari turn hai ab answer karne ki.”

“Jo puchna hai puchlo Khadoos!” Appu lifts her hands as if she is in court. “Main sirf sach
bolungi aur sach ke siwayi kuch nahin bolungi”

Shashank smiles as he sees her and was about to ask a fun question, when he is suddenly
reminded of a past incident that always made him wonder, “Acha Apurva, tume yaad hain, jab shaadi ke baad tum meri office aayi thi jab mujhe ghar aane mein late hua aur tume laga ki mujhe kuch hua hoga?….Tab toh humara beech esa koi rishta nahin tha na, toh tume meri itni fikar kyu ho rahi thi?”

“Are bola tha na. Voh Mai aur Sua Aai aur baki sab pareshan ho rahi thi toh isslye mai bhi…”

“Jhoot nahin Apurva…sirf sach bolna hai. Sach sach batao, tume meri itni fikar kyu ho rahi thi
aur mujhe kuch hoga ye soch kar tum itna kyu ro rahi thi?”

Appu hesitates and tries to avoid answering but Shashank doesn’t let her divert the topic,

“Acha ok, mujhe tumhari fikar ho rahi thi kyunki agar tume kuch hua hota to mei kya karti?”

“Par kyu? Tab toh mein tume bikul pasand nahin thi right?”

“Kisne kaha, sirf tume esa lagta hai, baaki sab ko pata tha, even Dada Kaka ko bhi pata tha, ki
mujhe tum kabhi kabhi pasand ho. Par tum to tum ho! Hamesha mujhpe chillana tha na!
Khadoos Kutla!”

Shashank smiles sweetly looking at a pouting Appu. He knew they came a long way from
where they started and if he was honest with himself, he always loved her some part of her but just refused to accept it even to himself.

They continued the play and Appu rolled doubles on doubles and quickly surpassed Shashank but he also caught up as he climbed a ladder.

“Yes…ab phirse meri turn hai! Hmm…Apurva, mujhe batao tumhari biggest dream kya hai?
Matlab tume kya chayye life mein? Kuch karna ho, kahi abroad jana ho?”

“Hmm…actually meine already Baba aur Anjali Vartak ke saath kayi countries gayi hun toh
mujhe kahi aur jaane ki dream toh nahin hai, par ha mujhe humesha se Goa jaana tha! Meri
saari friends mujhe humesha bolte hai ki Goa mein party karne ki maza ki bahut alag hoga.”

“Ok, phir hum chalte hai kabhi Goa.”

“Really Khadoos. Tum bhi aaogi mere saath? Wow kitna mazza ayega…puri family Goa mein
masti karegi!!!”

“Puri family???” Shashank asks shocked as his honeymoon dreamland comes to an end. But
as he looked at an overexcited Appu, he knew that there’s no arguing about it now and
decided to get ready for Honeymoon Family Picnic Part 2. Although, maybe if he talked to Dada Kaka and bring up how expensive it would be, he might still have a chance to salvage his dream! He continued to plot in his mind and they played and Appu climbed a ladder to catch up to him.

“Acha, Khadoos, simple sa question hai, tumhari dream kya hai? Aur ye mat bolna ki tumhe bahut bada scientist banna hai and all. Voh toh tum vese bhi ho. Uske alawa koi dream?”

He grinned wide at her praise and as he looked at her, he knew that there’s only dream of his
that is left unfulfilled still. “Tum!”

“Huh? Main kya?”

“Meri sabse badi dream ab sirf tum ho. Tumhare saath rehna hi ek bahut badi dream lagta hai mujhe Apurva!”

She looked at his smiling face, speechless for a moment before the blush started to creep him.
“Dekho Khadoos, ye cheating hai, tum mujhe distract karne ki koshish kar rahi ho. That’s not
allowed!”

“Are question tume pucha na, maine toh bas sach bola” He looked at her flustering to say
something and decided to give her a break, for now at least. “Ok chalo meri turn, aur lagta hai
main jeetne wali hu Apurva!”

But his words were for naught as he quickly fell into the mouth of a snake and lost his lead!

“YES!! Pehla dare mai tume doongi Khadoos!”

“Oh god! Ok per yaad rakhna hume sirf iss kamre mein rehna hai…aur koi shor nahin honi chayye. Agar baki sab uth gaye na, toh hum dono ki class lagegi.”

“Ok ok, tum apni shirt utar do aur apni aankhein band karo.”

“KYA?” Shashank started grinning broadly after a moment of shock.

“Jesa mai keh rahi hu vesa karo na…shirt utar do, vaha chair par baith jao and phir aankhein
band karo! Mai abhi aati hu!”

Appu ran out the room before he could respond. But for once, he wanted to follow her
instructions and did as he was told, leaving his upper body bare to the cold night air. But the
goosebumps on his skin weren’t from the air but in anticipation, wondering if his fantasies were about to come true soon!

He put his hearing to use and sensed Appu coming back into the room with something in her hands. He was tempted to open his eyes but he decided to control himself for just a little
longer. He could feel as Appu put something on the table and come stand in between his legs. As he eagerly waited for a kiss or a hug or something, his desires were literally doused as he felt chilling cold on his body. Shashank jumped out of his chair and opened his eyes to see a
giggling Appu with ice cubes in both hands.

“Ye kya hai Apurva?”

“Tumhara dare!! Mujhe ye ice cubes tumhari puri body pe lagani hai…Ice bucket challenge
suna na, vesa hi ice cube challenge hai yeh. Aur jab tak mai ye complete nahin karungi, tum
bilkul bhi hil nahin sakthe ok? Varna punishment milega Khadoos!”

He fisted his palms as he stood there and watched Appu run the ice cubes all over his upper body and arms. The cubes might have been ice cold but his blood was raging hot at her
innocent touches, and the innocent girl in a woman’s body in front of him didn’t even realize what she was doing to him as she enjoyed what she thought was a punishment for him.

“Yes, hogaya!! Good job Khadoos, tumne dare acche se complete kiya!…Ab meri baari hai.Chalo continue karte hai….Khadoos?”

Shashank was still lost in the ghost of her touches and had to be snapped out of it as she
called for him multiple times. So focused on controlling himself, he barely paid attention to
what she was saying as she rolled the dice. But perhaps luck was in his favor for once, as she
too ended up in the mouth of a snake. He immediately snapped to attention and before Appu could even react on her bad luck, he was in front of her with a hand stretched out to her,
“Dance with me”

“Kya? Yeh hai tumhara dare? Mujhe tumhare saath dance karna hai? Yeh toh bahut easy hai
Khadoos.”

“No, baki sab ki tarah nahin. Tum mere saath meri choice ki gaane par dance karogi aur jese
mein tume instruct karta hu, vesa hi dance karogi. Yeh hai tumhara dare”

Appu tries to object that she was the better dancer of the two but Shashank paid her no
attention as he quickly brought out his phone and played a song, just loud enough for them to
hear in their room but slow enough that the voice wouldn’t travel out.

He pulled Appu towards himself, giving her a twirl so that she falls on him. He places both her hands to rest on his bare chest as he grips her waist and pulls her body impossibly closer to his.

Koyi nahi hai kamre me
Kya hasin mila hai pal
Aaj shararat karne do
Kaam baki karenge kal

Shashank runs his hands from her waist up her body towards her neck, making sure to caress
every part of her he gets to touch before gripping her face around and pulling it towards himself.

Koyi nahi hai kamre me
Kya hasin mila hai pal
Aaj shararat karne do
Kaam baki karenge kal

Appu snaps out of the daze he sent her into and decides to play with him in return as she tries
to step away.

Jao baba jao aise naa behkao
Hosh me aa jao pagal naa bano tum

Shashank quickly pulls back into him again, trapping her in his arms as he peppered kisses
along her left wrist up her arm and then back on her right.

Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum

He releases her arms and runs one hand on her back, tightly gripping her waist with the other while her nails dig into his chest. He pulls his hand on her back lower, and tries to run into
under her top instead. But Appu pushes him away teasingly and runs around the chairs.
Shashank quickly traps her in a corner and stalks toward her with a devious grin on his face as Appu tries to look for an escape.

Khidkiya kahe parde gira do
Iss tarah se naa mujhko saja do
Mujhe jane bhi do naa
Hai kasam tumhe yu jid karo naa

He pulls in into himself again, her back hitting his chest and traps her arms within his as he
rests his chin on her shoulder.

Kaisi yeh majburi
Kis liye hai duri
Ho bade diwane
Hai mujhko yeh malum

He slowly runs his nose along her bare neck, going towards her cheek and giving it a light
peck, before twirling her around to face him. He gaze lingers at her lips as he leans forward to try to trap them.

Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum
Dilbar shikdum shikdum

Appu quickly put her hand in the way and laughs, “Excuse me, Khadoos. Tum abhi jeeti nahin ho, jo prize mil jaye. Abhi game baaki hai. Aur tumhari turn hai.”

She runs away towards the bed, leaving his frustrated self in the corner. He controls himself and looks towards her and decides to end this game quickly so he can claim his prize, but looks like he will have to wait as he once more fell into the snake pit.

“Yes! Ab meri baari Khadoos!”

Steeling himself to bear some more torture at her hands, he asked for his dare.

“Tume apni baalon mein mujhe ek ponytail banane doge.”

He shook his head to make sure he heard her properly as he was brought back to earth and
asked her to repeat it.

“Ha, mujhe tumhare baalon mein colorful rubber band lagani hai!”

“Dekho Apurva, mein esa kuch nahin karne wala”

“Ye cheating hai Khadoos. Dare hai toh complete karo na.”

“Ok chalo, hum ek doorse ko ek free pass dete hai, koi bhi dare ya truth ko escape karne
keliye. Aur ab mein apni pass use karunga…koi aur dare dedo par ye wala nahin.”

“Ok then, terrace se jump karo.”

“KYA???”

“Dekho Khadoos, tumne already apni pass use kiya hai. Ab agar tum mujhse pyaar karte ho, to
ya toh mujhe rubber band lagane do ya phir terrace se jump karo, choice tumhari hai!”

He smacked himself at the amount of vexation his wife gives him and agreed to let her tie a
ponytail instead. “Ok fine, ponytail lagado, but ek sharth hai. Ye baat iss kamre ke baar nahin
jayegi, aur Kukki Gang tak toh bilkul nahin! Got it?”

Appu instantly agreed and went towards the dresser to grab her supplies as he resigned
himself to his fate and sat waiting on the bed. As Appu designed his hair and left a ponytail on the top of his head, he tried to convince himself that he chose the lesser of the two evils as at
least this game would end soon and he can get to the real game.

They quickly continued to play again and Shashank tried to gain the upper hand but within two turns, it proved futile as Appu surpassed him and reached home. As soon as she won, she stood up on the bed and started jumping and screaming in delight. Shashank tried to calm her down, afraid that the family would wake up but who could control an overexcited Apurva Vartak Kanitkar?

Before he could even think of what to do, the whole family came running into their room as
Appu had left the door open before. They pulled short of the couple and stood there in shock looking at their Junior DK in a new avatar. One person started giggling and quickly tried to control themselves but it was enough to send everyone in a roar of laughter.

Shashank stood there confused at why they were laughing so much when he was expecting
yelling. Appu, on the other hand, was enjoying the family’s happiness and decided to add to it
by making sure they knew that she had defeated the so called reigning champion of Snakes & Ladders in the Kanitkar house.

Sua Aai quickly collected herself and turned into Shashank, trying her best to keep a straight face to scold him, “Shashank, yeh kya hai? Itni raat ko koi games khelta hai kya?”

“Are Aai, mujhpe kyu chilla rahi ho? Apni ladli Appu ko bolo. Vese bhi, galti aap logon ki hai
kyunki ye Shistha ladki nahin, choti bacchi hai!”

Kukki controlled himself and tried to talk “Voh toh hume dikh raha hai Shashank, aur tum kitni bade ho voh dikh raha hai.”

DK and Mai quickly ushered out the outrageously laughing family out of their room, ignoring Appu’s confused calls from behind. Shashank walked towards the door and quickly locked it, and took a deep breath to control himself. Before he could say anything to Appu, his phone and Appu’s phone pinged and he looked into it to see that Kukki had sent a message in their family chat group.

He opened the message to get the shock of his life as he saw a picture of himself bare-chested
with a ponytail on his head. And the caption underneath just made him blush even more “Nayi avatar mein bahut acchi lag rahi ho Shashank!”

He quickly closed the message and pulled his hair free of Appu’s hairstyle and closed his eyes, already imagining all the teasings he would have to bear tomorrow or for probably the rest of his life. Appu’s giggles broke into his thoughts and he instantly turned towards her with a glare. When she saw his expression, Appu tried to control her giggles and explain herself.

“Dekho Khadoos, meine kuch nahin kiya. Meine kuch nahin kaha kisise. Aur vese bhi, game mai jeeth gayi toh mujhe jo meh kahungi vahi hoga.”

She backed herself up towards the bed as he stalked towards her like a predator, “Prize toh
mein baad dedunga tume, lekin pehle mujhe aaj itni torture karne ki tume punishment milini chayye!”

This is a one shot – a piece of fanfiction – written on the characters, Shashank and Apurva from the show named Thipkyanchi Rangoli that airs on Star Pravah from Monday to Saturday at 10 p.m.

Do share your feedback in the comment section. <3