There are times when one should never mess with Brynne Rao.

And then there are times when Aru Shah and Aiden Acharya specifically decide to mess with Brynne Rao.

In their defense, the pissed-off version of Brynne is A-terrifying, and B-hilarious. Well, depending on whose side you were on.

For Aru and Aiden, being Brynne's sister and best friend, respectively, they was safe from the more serious physical injuries, which meant they could instead focus more on pushing her buttons.

Aru had named it Operation Cream Bee. The plan was simple. Everywhere Brynne didn't expect there to be whipped cream, there was whipped cream messily slapped on by the two. They didn't use shaving cream, because, well, where was the fun in not being able to eat the item you were pranking with?

Brynne's towel? Whipped cream.

Her closet? Whipped cream.

The pantry? Whipped cream.

Her shoes? Whipped cream.

Her wind mace? Whipped cream.

The oven? Whipped cream.

Every sink handle and doorknob? You guessed it, whipped cream.

The only place that didn't have whipped cream covering it was the fridge. The one place where the whipped cream was supposed to be.

When they was done, Aru carefully cleaned herself up and sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone like she didn't have a care in the world. Aiden was across the room, editing photos on his computer. It was only Brynne, Aiden, and Aru at home at the moment, as everyone else had gone to the Night Bazaar for errands. Which made it the perfect time for their prank train to pull into the station and run over Brynne in the process.

Brynne had slept in, as she so often did, but Aru suspected she'd be up right around-

"ARU!"

Annnndddd there she was.

Brynne marched downstairs, still in her pajamas, whipped cream splattered just about everywhere on her.

"ARU, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Aru almost choked holding back her laughter, while Aiden kept his practiced poker face on.

"I didn't do anything!" Aru said. Then she looked at her sister and almost choked, again. "Shiva's underpants, what happened to you?"

Brynne glowered at her. "You're so dead, Shah."

Aiden couldn't hold it any longer and burst out laughing. He calmed down soon enough, and the click of Shadowfax sounded.

"Ammamma, don't you dare-" Brynne threatened.

Aiden blinked innocently. "What, me?"

Brynne spluttered indignantly. "Just- agh, whatever. You two are in for it now... I need to take a shower."

Aru snorted.

Brynne stormed out of the room after saying, in a deep menacing voice, "I have more than one towel."

After she left, both Aru and Aiden burst out laughing.

At which point a blue elephant marched in and grabbed them both with her trunk.

"BEE!" Aiden shouted. "Lemme go!"

"No can do, losers," Brynne's voice said.

As they struggled, the elephant lumbered over to the coat closet, opened the door, shoved them inside, and locked it.

"HEY!" Aru shouted.

Through the tiny slits, she could see Brynne's feet, back in their human forms.

"Payback, dear sister," she said evilly. "Have fun!"

Aiden rammed his shoulder against the door, but it held fast. "Ow!"

"Oh, and by the way," Brynne added, a bit too jovially, "I put an enchantment on that door. It ain't budging. See ya!"

The two could hear her footsteps retreating.

Aiden facepalmed. "Remind me to never help you prank someone again."

"Nah, I don't think I will."

Aiden fake glared at her. "Okay then, genius. Find a way to get us outta here."

Vajra sparkled on Aru's wrist. "Back up."

"I can't."

Aru blasted the door with her lightning bolt, but it didn't open.

Aiden rubbed his eyes. "You're going to blind us, Shah."

"But I didn't," Aru said haughtily.

"You almost did."

"Well, can you do any better? I don't want to be stuck here all day."

"Yeah," Aiden huffed. "I have to finish my photos."

"You and your photos..."

"What about them?"

"Oh, nothing."

Aiden narrowed his eyes, but Aru ignored him.

"Can you pick the lock?" Aiden asked.

"Uh, no."

"You don't have a hair clip or something?"

"Fresh outta hair clips."

"Damn, okay," Aiden reconsidered. "Maybe we could use a shoe?"

"A shoe? For what?"

"I dunno."

"What was the point then?"

He shrugged, picking up one of Nikita's heels from the floor and poking Aru with the tip. "This point."

"Shut up, Wifey."

Aru shoved against the door with all her might, to no avail.

"I tried that," Aiden reminded her.

"Thank you, Mr. Helpful," Aru grumbled.

"You're welcome."

Aru glared at him, but he just smiled innocently. She forced her gaze away.

"Something wrong, Shah?"

"Yeah..." she drawled. "I'M STUCK IN A CLOSET!"

"No duh. I'm stuck in a closet too, and I'm not screaming."

Aru snatched Nikita's shoe and poked him aggressively. He swatted it out of her hand.

"Rude."

"I'm rude? You poked me with a shoe!"

"You did the same."

"You're an idiot."

"You're a bigger idiot."

"No you."

"No you."

"No you."

"No you"

"No-"

Brynne's voice cut Aiden off. "Well, lover's quarrel, hm?"

Aru jumped, then banged on the door. "Let us out!"

Brynne clicked her tongue. "Should I though?"

"Yes!" Aiden said.

"Mmm..." There was a pause, like she was considering it.

"No."

Aru punched the door again. "Lemme out!"

"One condition," Brynne said.

"I don't like the sound of-" Aiden started.

"Fine! Anything!" Aru said.

"You two start dating already. Seriously, all your oblivious flirting is slowly killing my brain cells. And Mini's, and Sheela's, and Nikita's, and Rudy's, and Boo's."

Aru choked. "We do not flirt!"

"Ah, if only you could hear yourselves from an outside perspective," Brynne mused.

"I told you," Aiden muttered.

"Also, I read your diary, Aru."

"You WHAT?"

"Chill out, girl. It's not like I saw your deepest darkest secrets. Oh wait, I did."

"Let me out so I can punch you," Aru growled.

"So, you gonna do it, or what? I could always walk away and leave you there for the rest of the day."

"You wouldn't-" Aru said.

"Okay then, bye!"

"Fine!" Aiden shouted. "We'll do it!"

Aru looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "We will?"

Brynne snickered. "Prove it."

"Sorry," Aiden whispered.

Aru was about to ask For what? when he leaned forward and kissed her-

-right as Brynne swung open the door.

When they pulled away breathless, Aru noticed Brynne grinning, no longer covered in whipped cream. Her phone pointed straight at them.

"Hey!" She said, trying to snatch it, but Brynne sidestepped.

"See ya, suckers!" Brynne hollered, racing up the stairs to her room.

Aiden stared at Aru, his face red. "Uh, what just happened?"

The same heat rose to Aru's cheeks as he stared at her. "I dunno... but at least we're out of that damn closet."

Reposted from a collab account