#dushashana

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 7 is up!

Excerpt:

[Arjuna] catches up to Karna at the landing and together, they make their way down the hallway. The smoke is somehow worse this time around, and every step feels like the last. There’s no sniping – neither of them have the breath to spare, but they keep throwing dirty glances at each other. The fire, instead of dying down, has grown even bigger, and little flakes of ash and wood float about in the air.  Karna peers into one of the rooms on the left, and Arjuna hears him wince. The door has collapsed, and a bar of wood burns diagonally across, making it impossible to get inside. Arjuna pokes his head behind Karna’s shoulder, waits for his stinging eyes to adjust. Through the pall of smoke, he makes out a prone figure sprawled on the ground, clad in white.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[herawell]

do you really think duhshasan is the one to actually blame for vastraharan? i mean modern retelling always label him as a "pervert" but actually i don't think he's really to blame? i mean he was just following the orders of karna and duryodhan. ppl could say but "he should've opposed it" but then nobody except vikarna actually opposed that. and in hindu mythologies it's quite a recurring theme that "devoted" younger brothers follow their elders blindly so,,, is there any other evidence of duhshasan being a pervert or just a popularly hated character? because i don't get it at all ;-;

He dragged Draupadi into the sabha by her hair, after she begged him not to and told him that she was on her period, and kept pulling and pulling her sari until he was so exhausted that he swooned. He may not have taken any particular 'pleasure' in the act, but he was very much complicit and guilty.

Also, there have been younger brothers in Hindu mythology who don't follow their elders blindly, such as Vibhishana and Sugriva. Kumbhakarna and Indrajit didn't necessarily have any personal malice against their brother/father's enemies and may have even been nice/'good' at heart, but they still chose to follow him into war and lost their lives for it.

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 9 is up!

Excerpt:

“Bhaiyya!!” Subhadra exclaims, running up to Krishna and giving him a hug. “Arjuna says he likes likes me.” Silence. Arjuna is not even half as virtuous as Sita, but he prays for the earth to swallow him up anyways. “I told him I like like him too,” Subhadra adds, noticing the non-reaction to her declaration. At this, Krishna laughs. “You’ve known each other for how long?” “Almost a week!” “So… less than a week.” “No! Almost a week!” Krishna laughs harder. “Give it time, Bhadre. If you still think the same, then I will talk to Mata, and Arjuna will have to muster the courage to ask Aunt Kunti.” Arjuna manages to find his tongue. “What?” “Later. First, our three hospitalized musketeers need rescuing. Wake your friends, I’ll find your doctor.”

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 6 is up!

Excerpt:

Krishna flicks away an imaginary speck of dust from his clothes. His voice is studiously nonchalant when he speaks. “Certain things have happened that now compel Duryodhan to be rather nice to you.” “What,” Arjun asks, so flat that it is not even a question anymore. Swinging his legs over the parapet, Krishna settles down on them, spinning his flute in his hands – the picture of utter unconcern. Despite himself, Arjun has to marvel at his daring – a fall from the roof of Varnavrata is a one-way ticket to Yama’s Halls. “Hey,” Arjuna says, question forgotten. “Don’t sit there, it’s not safe.” “No?” Krishna’s eyes twinkle with amusement. “My dear Arjuna, you do not understand at all! A mortal feels truly alive only on the brink of death.” Arjuna can’t help but roll his eyes. “Be that as it may, I would rather you weren’t on the brink of death. Come away.” Krishna just laughs. He swings around, so both his legs are dangling on the roof, and then leans back towards the gaping void behind him. “Make me,” he taunts, and Arjuna thinks he is going to have a heart attack.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 8 is up!

Excerpt:

Ashwatthama sighs. “That is Arjuna,” he explains, exasperated beyond belief. “They put me in the middle so you two don’t kill each other. Unfortunately, he doesn’t need a feeding tube despite getting roasted like a chicken, so I have to put up with his prattling.” “I can totally kill him!” Arjuna calls over. Karna cannot exactly see where his rival is, but he is not going to let such slander stand. If it ever came down to a fistfight, he would definitely win! He makes his stance clear by a drawn out, “Nnnnnnnnhh!” “He says no,” Ashwatthama translates for Arjuna, and then turns back to him and like the traitor he is, says, “Sorry Karna, but I think roast chicken will win over feeding tube with broken limbs.” “I am not a roasted chicken!” Arjuna whisper-yells.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 10 is up!

Excerpt:

“I have always fancied myself a sleuth,” he says at last, stretching on the moment like a rubber band, “and thankfully, now I have enough resources to do it. Bheem, did you know many CCTV cameras retain footage even after they’re destroyed?” Bheem startles at being addressed. Krishna repeats the question without being prompted – Bheem has a tendency of not being able to process questions the first time around. “No…” he says slowly, and frowns. “Why?” “That night, you were seen entering Arjuna’s room shortly after he left it. A few moments later, you came out, went to see your mother, and then, returned to your room. Why is that so?” “Hey!” Duryodhan interrupts before Bheem can reply. “Who gave you the permission to view private footage from my hotel?” Krishna laughs. “You are not the only man of means in this room. I too have my sources.” “And those sources,” Bhishma notes icily, “are illegal. You are not the police, Krishna.”

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATER!AU FIC

Chapter 4 is up!

Excerpt:

“We cannot just trust them like that!” Bheem protests at last. “Why not? Aren’t you all family?” Draupadi asks. “Is there some kind of internal issue I’m missing here?” Yudhisthir rubs the back of his neck. “We have had problems before. Our uncle is not particularly fond of us.” “That,” Arjun cannot help saying, “is the understatement of the millennium.” “We have an audience,” Kunti reminds them primly.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[blackknight-100]

MAHABHARAT THEATRE!AU FIC

Read: on AO3

Summary: The Pandavas and Kauravas are rival groups, held together by rapidly thinning bonds of family and a love for theater. At the crux of their artistic enmity is the Pandava star Arjun and the Kaurava star Karna - but will their quietly blooming friendship be enough to settle the family rivalry?

Featuring: The Pandavas, Karna, Dury-Dushy-Ashu, Kunti, Dushala, Draupadi, and the cutest cat ever!

Written for @kurochans-world , Happy birthday Didi!

Special thanks to @melancholicmonody and @ronika-writes-stuff for helping me out!