Force of Gravity • NM

•35•

The evening began innocently enough. Rebekah had insisted on a "girls' night," something she hadn't done in months due to her pregnancy. She decorated her room with soft fairy lights and had snacks, movies, and pillows scattered everywhere.

Naira, although reluctant at first, was charmed by Rebekah's excitement. They spent hours talking about everything under the moon—childhood memories, the baby, even hypothetical names if Henry turned out to be a girl. However, pregnancy fatigue eventually won out, and Rebekah dozed off mid-sentence while telling a story about her first crush.

Naira smiled fondly, adjusting the blanket over her. She leaned in to snap a quick selfie, her goofy grin contrasting Rebekah's serene, sleeping face. She sent the picture to Stefan with the caption: "Your baby mama is out cold. Sleepover success!"

Satisfied, she decided to grab a glass of water before turning in herself.

As she padded into the Mikaelson kitchen, the faint clink of glass against wood caught her attention. Kol was sitting at the counter, a bottle of whiskey in hand and an amused smirk on his face.

"Ah, the little human," he greeted. "What brings you to the land of the living at this ungodly hour?"

"Water," Naira replied, opening the fridge. "Unlike you vampires, I actually need to hydrate."

Kol chuckled. "Suit yourself. Although..." He slid a glass across the counter. "You could trade that water for something far more exciting."

Naira hesitated. "I've never actually... drunk before."

Kol's eyes lit up mischievously. "Never? Oh, love, we have to fix that."

Before she could overthink it, Kol poured a small amount into a glass for her. "Just a sip," he encouraged.

One sip turned into two, then three, and before long, Naira was giggling uncontrollably at one of Kol's ridiculous impressions of Elijah.

Somewhere between their fourth and fifth laugh-induced hiccup, Naira had a bright idea. "Kol," she said, eyes sparkling with mischief, "we should set up pranks for everyone. You know, spice things up around here."

Kol grinned. "Naira, I think I love you."

Their plan unfolded with the chaotic brilliance only a drunk duo could muster:

They switched out all of Elijah's impeccably tailored suits with some casual flannels and jeans.They rigged Finn's wardrobe so that when he opened it, a shower of glitter would rain down.They replaced the central wolf in Klaus's prized painting with a cartoonish doodle of a puppy wearing sunglasses, that Naira painted.They replaced Rebekah's secret stash of chocolates with vegetables, labeling them "Pregnancy-approved snacks!" They even pranked Kol himself, writing "I love Taylor Swift" in lipstick on his mirror.

The next morning was a symphony of chaos. Elijah emerged first, his brow furrowed as he stared at the flannel shirt he now wore. "Who," he began slowly, "is responsible for this atrocity?"

Kol doubled over with laughter while Naira hid her face behind a pillow.

Next was Finn, who let out a startled yell as glitter exploded around him. "What in the bloody—Kol!"

Rebekah waddled into the kitchen, glaring at the tray of broccoli and carrots in her pantry. "If I don't get my chocolate back, someone is dead."

Then came Klaus. His roar of indignation could probably be heard across Mystic Falls. "Who defiled my painting?!"

By the time Damon and Stefan arrived, they found Kol and Naira sitting amidst the chaos, tears streaming down their faces as they laughed uncontrollably.

"Naira," Damon drawled, arms crossed, "what the hell did you do?"

"I'm an artist!" Naira declared dramatically, pointing at Klaus's painting.

Kol raised his glass. "To our fearless leader!"

As the group finally gathered in the parlor, trying to piece together the prank spree, Rebekah couldn't resist teasing Naira.

"Alright, little troublemaker, let's hear it. What else is in that head of yours?"

Naira leaned forward, her eyes wide. "You know," she slurred, "Klaus and Stefan would make a great couple. Like... 'Klefan.'"

The room fell silent for a moment before erupting in laughter.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Klefan? Really, love?"

"Absolutely," Naira insisted. "You'd be the brooding power couple of the century."

Rebekah groaned, covering her face. "Stop. I can't unsee it now."

Stefan shook his head, amused. "And here I thought Damon was the wild one."

Klaus smirked, leaning closer to Naira. "For the record, you're my troublemaker, love."

Naira grinned, poking his chest. "Good. But you're still not off the hook for ignoring my genius art skills."

Kol raised his glass again. "To Naira, the true chaos queen of the Mikaelsons!"

The room echoed with cheers and laughter, a rare moment of unbridled joy for the fractured family. Even Klaus couldn't help but smile, his gaze soft as it lingered on Naira.