Breaking the tough guy act
The night was quiet, and the glow of the TV cast a soft light across the living room as Rory and Jess sat together. Jess was on the floor, leaning against the couch, his arms crossed as he half-watched the screen. Rory had her legs stretched out beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder, fingers absentmindedly rubbing at the muscles there.
“Long day?” she asked, her voice gentle as she watched him sink back against her touch.
“Something like that,” he muttered, letting out a sigh as her fingers pressed into his shoulders.
“Well,” she said, shifting closer and bringing both hands to his shoulders, “consider this my contribution to your evening.” She started working her thumbs in small circles, easing the tension out of his muscles, letting her hands trail down to his shoulder blades, moving in firm, steady strokes.
He relaxed, a faint, contented smile creeping onto his face as she worked. “You’re… pretty good at this,” he murmured, his usual guardedness slipping slightly.
Rory grinned, leaning in as she pressed her palms over his back, working along his spine.
As she let her fingers wander lower, moving down toward his ribs, she felt him tense up unexpectedly. Her thumb brushed a spot just beneath his shoulder blade, and Jess’s whole body gave a sudden twitch, a quick, half-smothered laugh escaping him.
She paused, brow raised, her lips curving in a curious smile. “Jess… are you ticklish?”
His face went blank, his voice a careful deadpan. “No.”
“Really?” she said, clearly not buying it. She let her fingers trail back to that spot beneath his shoulder blade, barely pressing, just grazing the surface. He flinched again, his shoulders jerking up as he fought to suppress a laugh.
She raised an eyebrow, intrigued, her hands moving down his back in soft, teasing strokes. “Because it sure looks like you are.”
He shook his head, attempting to shrug her off, but there was a faint flush rising in his cheeks, and she could see his jaw clenching as he tried to keep steady. Not one to be deterred, Rory slid her hands along his back, this time letting her fingers drift slowly, almost playfully, down to his ribs, just brushing against the edges. She could feel him tense beneath her touch, his shoulders stiffening as a reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
“Rory…” he said, his voice low and almost pleading, his usual cool demeanor breaking as he squirmed ever so slightly.
“Oh, don’t ‘Rory’ me,” she teased, her fingers continuing their gentle exploration, tracing light, delicate patterns down his back and sides, testing each inch of skin with barely-there touches. “You might be tough, but I’m guessing you’re also incredibly ticklish.”
“Think what you want,” he muttered, his voice strained, but the way he kept trying to hold back a smile was giving him away. She could tell he was fighting hard to keep his cool, but every time her fingers found a particularly sensitive spot, a small, helpless laugh would slip out, his shoulders twitching involuntarily.
“Alright, if you’re really not ticklish, you won’t mind this,” she said, letting her fingers drift lower, lightly tracing over his ribs. Her fingertips grazed up and down, barely touching, but enough to make him squirm uncontrollably, his laughter breaking free as he tried to shift away.
“Rory!” he gasped, his breath catching between laughs as he shook his head. “I… I didn’t even know I was…”
He stopped, realising he’d said more than he’d intended, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“You didn’t know you were ticklish?” she asked, her tone full of surprise. “How’s that possible?”
He shrugged, looking away, his voice low and guarded. “Guess it’s just… not something I grew up with.” There was a pause, a flicker of hesitation, before he added, “I didn’t exactly have the kind of childhood with… stuff like this.”
Rory softened, her fingers moving gently now, her hands rubbing in slow, soothing circles along his back. “That makes sense,” she said, her voice soft as she watched him relax again, leaning into her touch. She let her fingers drift slowly up his back, keeping her touch light and comforting.
He took a breath, his guard easing slightly as he admitted, “And, you know… my girlfriends, they weren’t exactly the… playful type.”
She kept her hands on his back, letting him settle, her fingers brushing soothingly along his shoulders. “Well,” she said with a soft smile, “I think we should change that. Starting now.”
Before he could protest, she traced her fingers back down his sides, this time lingering just a bit longer over each rib, dipping her fingertips just below his shoulder blades and tracing gentle lines over his ribs. Jess tried to stay still, but he could feel his resolve slipping, his laughter bubbling up as her fingers found every sensitive spot.
“Okay, okay,” he said, his voice half-amused, half-exasperated as he twisted, his face flushed with laughter. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Maybe just a little,” she admitted, grinning as she kept her fingers mostly on his back, working gently along his shoulders and down his spine, but dipping down occasionally to his ribs just to make him laugh and squirm. She could feel him trying to stay calm, but each time her fingers drifted to his sides, he couldn’t help but react, his laughter spilling out as he twisted, helpless under her touch.
Then, she let her hands slide even lower, gently grazing the edges of his hips with her fingertips. Jess let out a strangled gasp, his laughter turning desperate as he twisted and squirmed, his body writhing under her hands as he struggled to maintain any sort of composure.
“Rory! no, seriously,” he managed between helpless giggles, his voice breaking as he gasped for breath. “Please!…. stop…. Ahhhhh!”
But she only laughed, enjoying his helpless reaction, her fingers dancing over his hips as she watched him crumble, his face flushed, eyes bright with laughter he couldn’t hold back. His body shook as he tried to twist away, his laughter echoing in the room, his usual brooding facade shattered.
“Rory…” he gasped, his voice barely more than a breathy laugh, “I’m… I’m begging here!”
Finally, seeing him completely undone, Rory relented, lifting her hands and resting them gently on his shoulders, letting him catch his breath. She smiled, leaning over to press a soft kiss to his temple.
“Alright, alright,” she murmured, her voice soft and full of warmth. “I think I’ve made my point.”
Jess took a few deep breaths, still chuckling softly as he looked up at her, a slightly dazed, half-smiling look in his eyes. “Yeah, yeah… you win,” he muttered, but there was no bitterness in his voice, only a quiet, reluctant fondness. And for a moment, he let himself simply relax, sinking against her, his usual guard down as they shared this soft, unexpected moment together