"Hey, Jax!" Ribbit called from afar, waving, Kaufmo beside her.
"Guess your best friends are here.." Ragatha chuckled, a hand on her hip.
Jax chuckled, arms crossed. "Not entirely.." He rolled his eyes, ears twitching.
Ribbit gasped, "Ragatha!!" She hopped over and enveloped Ragatha in an embrace.
Ragatha giggled, hugging back.
"What's up, Jay?" Kaufmo stood near Jax, smirking.
"Nicknames now, huh?" Jax returned the smirk. Even if he denied it, it held some fondness mixed in with amusement.
Jax was warming up to them. Even if a little slowly... even if he hung around Kaufmo and Ribbit more.
"Well, I'm gonna head over with Kinger and Queenie... they said they had something important to show me!" Ragatha let go of Rbbit, waving goodbye.
Ribbit waved, watching Ragatha leave.
"So, what did you need?" Jax raised a brow, tilting his head.
"Oh! We were going to the stargazing room! We wanted you to come with!" Ribbit turned around, hands clasped together.
Jax's shoulders relaxed, his eyes softening. "You... wanted me to come?.." He sounded like he didn't believe it.
"Yeah, are you down?" Kaufmo nudged Jax, his smile welcoming.
"I..." Jax hesitated before shaking his head. His guard was still up... but a part of his wall crumbled. "Yeah, okay."
"Yes!!" Ribbit cheered, grabbing his and Kaufmo's hand. "C'mon! We already set up the blanket!"
"Slohow down!" Kaufmo laughed, keeping up.
Jax gulped, an uneasy shiver running down his spine. Why did he want to trust them?
"You've never seen the stargazing room before, right, Jax?" Ribbit asked, hopping over to a door in one of the many hallways in the cirucs.
"Um... no... I didn't even know there was other rooms." He shrugged, slipping his hand out of the frogs grasp.
"Really? Wow. You got a bunch to see then." Kaufmo grinned.
His smile was just so... normal. Like he knew Jax forever.
Maybe... just for a little bit...
Jax exhaled, his shoulders fully relaxing, ears drooping
Just for today.
"Guess I do." He let out an airy sigh, his tone easy-going, more soft.
Kaufmo's smile widened.
"Found it!!" Ribbit announced, opening the door. "C'mon c'mon!!" She quickly ran it.
"Ribbit loves stargazing." Kaufmo suddenly said, walking to the opened door.
Jax's ears perked up. "Really?"
"Yeah. We even put a stargazing adventure into the suggestion box... Caine has yet to do it." Kaufmo chuckled. "Hopefully you'll be with us to experience it."
Jax's chest bloomed with warmth. He... wanted him with them?
He shook his head. "Y-Yeah - yeah, hopefully."
They walked into the room, the door shutting behind them. Jax pupils grew, sparkles shining in his eyes.
The sky was beautiful. The stars twinkled, clouds flowing by... the grass felt soft on his paws, a breeze passing by. He heard water streaming - an oddly pleasant sound.
"Over here!!" Ribbit waved, sitting on the blanket.
Kaufmo stepped forward first, Jax following - still glancing around.
Kaufmo sat down next to Ribbit, Jax sitting in front of them.
"Isn't it wonderful here?" Ribbit leaned back, hands propping her up, looking up at the stars.
"It's..." Jax pulled his knees up to his chest, glancing from the river, to the surroundings, to the sky, to them. "It's nice."
"Ribbit got me into it. So peaceful over here - no chaos." Kaufmo crossed his legs, hands in his lap.
Jax nodded.
Ribbit and Kaufmo talked - always including Jax, the rabbit chiming in a few times, or talking when spoken to.
Watching them laugh... feeling being included - it did something to Jax. Something he never felt.
Ribbit's loud laughter snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oho my gohod!!" Ribbit giggled, leaning back more.
"Shut up! It was one time!" Kaufmo waved a hand dissmissivly, snorting - leaning back - hands propping him up from behind.
"I would've been way more stealthier. Instead of screaming like a monkey!" Ribbit snickered, hand on her stomach.
Kaufmo screaming like a monkey, huh? The thought itself was... amusing.
"WAAAHHHHH!!! WE'RE GONNA DIEEEE!!!" Kaufmo wailed, failing his noodle arms.
"GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!!!" Ribbit screamed, grabbing Kaufmo's collar, shaking him like a maraca.
Jax's shoulders shook, a hand coming up to his mouth as he let out a chuckle. It was quiet, but audible.
Ribbit gasped.
"Oh-- OH!! YOU LAUGHED!!" she laughed in victory, "Yesyesyesyesyes!!!" She air punched Kaufmo's stomach, the clowns smile fond.
Jax suppressed his giggles, his smile widening. He was already giggly, and seeing Ribbit so... happy and proud she got him to laugh - it made him feel included. Feel... loved.
"Shuhu-- shuhut up!! You-- you cahahaught me off guahard!" Jax shook his head - hands waving in front of him.
Ribbit laughed along, legs crossed, a hand lifting up to her mouth to slightly cover it. Kaufmo let out an airy chuckle.
"A laughs a laugh, I mean.. you gotta start somewhere!" She shrugged, hands on her legs.
Kaufmo smirked, filled with playfulness and amusement. "I'm just mad it was you instead of me."
"Well yeah, you're not funny." Ribbit smirked back.
Jax couldn't argue with that.
He let out a snort, a chuckle escaping before he could suppress it.
Ribbit ler out a laugh, holding her stomach
"Pfft-- D[BEEP!]n it, Jax!" He laughed, "I am funny!"
Kaufmo lightly pushed Jax on his back, crawling closer, prodding at his torso.
"Ihihihi'm sohohorry!! Wahahait!" Jax laughed uncontrollably, his mouth opening to reveal his sharo teeth, one he didn't know he had.
"No way!! He's ticklish and has sharp teeth?! You're full of surprises!!" She squealed, wiggling a finger under his neck.
Jax scrunched his shoulders up, a blush glowing on his cheeks. They... thought his sharp teeth were cool? They didn't find him disgusting? Didn't find his laugh disgusting? Didn't... find him weird?
"Nohohoho!! Quihihihit ihihit!!" He giggled out, his foot thumping against his blanket.
"Awww! Little thumper!" Ribbit cooed, her fingers spidering up to his ears.
"EEK-!! NOOHOHOHOHO!!"
"Oof, bad spot?" Kaufmo chuckled, his fingers starting to scribble on his belly.
"IHI-- EHEHEHEHEHE!!" Jax covered his face, not knowing what to do with his hands.
"Aah, tickle tickle tickle!! Ah goochie goochie goo!!" Ribbit teased, tone loving and teasy.
"DOHOHON'T TEHEHEHEASE MEEEHEHEHE!!" His foot thumped quicker, tail wagging.
"Ooh, he likes ittt!!" Kaufmo squeezed Jax's thighs.
"WAHAHAIT-!! PLEHEHEHEHEASE!!" The warmth came back, fuzzier and bright - a shiver going down his arms. His ears twitched, his smile wide.
"Please what, huh? Use your wordsss!!" Ribbit lightly scratched his ears.
"IHI-- GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Jax hiccuped, his eyes immediately widening and covering his mouth.
The two above him BRIGHTENED.
"You hiccup?!" Her voice rose an octave, scratching faster.
"Hoholy! Do it again! C'mon! Doitdoitdoit!!" He squeezed the bunny's thighs quicker.
> SUMMARY: Stuck in a chrysalis wallowing in self-doubt, Squirm begins to wonder if he even deserves to become a butterfly anymore, knowing he’ll forever suffer being the crybaby he is as a Twisted. Maybe — just maybe — there’ll be a better way of shutting himself up than just a simple tug.
But not if two certain tendrils have anything to say about it — and they can’t even speak.
> CHARACTERS: Twisted Sprout, Twisted Squirm
> WORD COUNT: 4,500
/———————————————/
a/n: this was written in celebration of Sprout’s TOTW update in Dandy’s World! sorry for taking so long to finish writing again! i’ve been making sure to avoid any mistakes in this fic, so this has been in progress a month before the recent TOTW update. hope you still enjoy!!
/———————————————/
this fic is SFW-related. NSFW/kink blogs are not allowed to interact. if you’re uncomfortable with tickling or it’s just not your cup of tea, leave the blog and keep scrolling.
WARNING(S): SLIGHT SELF-HARM (..i think? just makin’ sure), IDENTITY CRISIS
~~~
Poor, poor big ol’ Squirm.
He could’ve grown wings as beautiful as Flutter’s, as elegant as Flyte’s.
A longtime dream of his that he went through trial-and-error to achieve.
But that all turned out to be for naught, as he’s now seeing himself inside a broken chrysalis he can’t come out of, laying on the dusty, long rainbow carpet floor that belonged to one of the diner floors he was currently on.
The area was obviously abandoned, but it seemed weird to him there weren’t any of those mindless Twisteds roaming about. He had gotten used to seeing them enough times to the point things felt… off when none were around. At least that’s the right word for it?
Squirm didn’t know, but all he knew was that he decided to read a book he’d brought over from the library floor to calm down after having been encountered during one of the Toons’ daily runs. He thought maybe looking at something nice instead of eating it for a change would take his mind off of it.
Too bad it’s slowly not working anymore. At this point, was it even worth it restraining himself from devouring books as a Toon if this wasn’t enough to relax him?
Well, it’d be hard to forget that moment either way. He was desperate — desperate to call out to them in need of their help, to reach out to them in need of any sort of comfort they could give. He wanted to apologize for what happened the first time he became a Twisted.
But instead, whenever his eyes laid on a surviving Toon, his mind would fall out of his control.
Any words he attempted to spit out just end up being nothing but trills and shrieks. If he ever struck towards them with his arms outstretched, that was for a different reason — no hugging business, but the (un)intention of taking hold of them until another Twisted came by to do their job. And he never wanted any of them to hurt those he cared about, but his infected mind wouldn’t listen anyway.
Anyone else he wounded he would’ve cried over, but of course, he was unlucky for the victim to be Brightney: the kindhearted Toon who supported him when no one could. The woman who helped comfort him when either Astro or R&D had trouble doing so with all his weeping.
The librarian lamp who taught him about the caterpillars and butterflies; things he now believed he was and could be instead of a ‘bookworm’, as he’d thought himself to be.
He hurt her.
And this happened to him all because he felt ready to become some flying insect.
Why did he care if any of the Toons saw a stray chrysalis in the middle of a safe floor they could go in? Brightney would’ve known he had gone off to make his cocoon, so she’d remind the others it was him in case they were ever afraid or confused. If he had thought about what he was doing for just a little longer, he wouldn’t have gone into the elevator by himself at the right time the Twisteds became inactive just so he’d do what caterpillars did on a mossy floor with ichor on the walls.
He had a feeling the Toons, especially Dandy, saw him as someone who’s unbearable to be around ever since the shutdown — and he was right. What were the odds of th-
…Oh.
Snapping back to reality, Squirm noticed tears of ichor had dropped from his eyes onto the pages, his clawed hand gripping the paper with pent up sadness and frustration.
“Oh…” He groaned, slowly touching his cheek to wipe away his cold tears. Guess it’s that time of day again.
He closes his book before moving his claws up to his ichor-covered antennas and taking a hold of them. And before tears could start flowing out…
He gave them a good, painful tug down. “AGHk-! Owowowowowoww..!”
It almost felt like his brain was being pulled, but then again, he had gotten used to that each time he felt himself about to sob. Even though his antennae were all worn-out from the amount of times this continued, he still did it again almost every chance he got — anything to stop himself from weeping.
Enough pain can stop sadness after all. And speaking of…
Once Squirm felt no more tears welling up, he let go of his antennae that ached from his grasp before placing his hands on his head to lessen the pain. It hurt, but it was worth it.
Of course it’d be worth it, only to a worm like himself.
He’s always acted pathetic, and he’ll continue to be. Forever nothing but a book-eating, weeping patheti-
*PSSHHHH…*
A sudden noise fills his ears — one that sounded too close from where he is. Startled by it, he quickly looks up to see whatever horrifying could be in front of him.
It was… a tentacle? Well, he wouldn’t say it was a tentacle, as it looked more vine-like — a tendril of sorts, one that had risen from a puddle of ichor that wasn’t there before in the ground.
Squirm’s body shook with fear as he slowly moved away from the tendril whilst dragging his book with him. The tendril tilts(?) a little to the left, almost like a curious animal, before giving a small wave to the caterpillar.
The unexpected greeting got Squirm to come to a halt, the Twisted also tilting his head before cautiously going back up to the tendril to observe it.
It seemed… familiar, now that he’s gotten a better look at it. No Twisteds resided here, yet this lone vine-like tentacle was summoned out of nowhere; not to attack, but just to say a simple ‘hi’. The chrysalis-trapped caterpillar scanned his surroundings before looking back at the tendril to figure out something.
The tendril carefully lowered itself down to Squirm’s height to give him a gentle pat on the head. That was enough evidence for him to realize something.
No one else would often be in this diner except…
“Sp-Sprout..?” Squirm spoke to the vine-like tentacle.
It went back up before waving again in an excited manner. Yup, that’s him!
The caterpillar exhaled with relief. “O-oh, I’m so glad t-to see you..! …Uh, well, I can’t exactly see you except for… this. B-but that’s fine anyway!”
The tendril bent down to continue petting him, slightly calming Squirm of his overwhelming stress. While he’s still shaken up from only seeing the tentacle appear and not Sprout, he does appreciate having some company; especially on floors where the emptiness just makes it almost… eerie in a way. But that doesn’t mean he’d like to hang around failed clones of his friends that don’t communicate much.
The tendril lifts itself up to express something, tilting a little bit before pointing at him and his antennas. He didn’t read exactly what Sprout was trying to say, so playing the guessing game may be the only way to understand here.
“A-are you asking if… I’m okay?” Squirm asked, pointing at himself. If he remembered correctly, knowing Sprout, he’s always the one to make sure no Toon is hurt or unwell, so he assumed this is him attempting to sign the question.
The tendril nodding confirmed his guess, leaning down in a noticeably worried way as if Sprout could be wanting to help by letting him speak his feelings.
“Well…” He hesitated, unsure of how to explain his current condition.
Squirm wasn’t much of a sociable Toon, so it was difficult to build up the courage to talk to someone who’d be willing to hear out his own thoughts without scaring them away with his endless crying. Some Toons did try their best with him, but they ended up having to awkwardly comfort him, almost as if he was a… child.
That’s what he thought at least, and he didn’t like it.
He’s always been afraid of disappointing others, but this time was different — the fear still lingers, but he knew he couldn’t keep acting like this forever. There has to be a moment where he needs to change, and this might just be it. If he truly wants to stop looking pathetic, then he’ll have to do what he can.
Even if Sprout wasn’t able to see his problem.
Squirm took a breath before speaking whatever was on his mind.
“N-not really, if I have to be honest… Do you ever get this f-feeling when you’re.. so close to reaching something you’ve wanted for so long, but when it’s too late, that just… disappears? I-it’s somethin’ like that, but… y’know. I just wanted to be like Flutter and her brother, and maybe change for everyone’s sake… not just because I’d like to look beautiful too, but also ‘cause.. I-I wish I could be fixed.” His hand clenched into a fist the longer he spoke, ichor steadily building up in his eyes.
Just keep going, Squirm. Don’t do it yet.
“I was so… distraught to hear that Gardenview was being shut down… I-it’s like losing someone so dear to you, and y-you can’t handle it anymore to where you just… cry and cry. B-but after that, I… couldn’t stop.” Because he thought he was part of the problem. “I couldn’t stop no matter what, even when I wanted to..! Most of the Toons didn’t like me anymore ‘cause I kept at it being a crybaby… and I hate that!” He pounded his fist on his nearby book.
When was the last time he’s ever been angry? Shrimpo probably would even agree this was a rare and rather intimidating sight.
“I wished Delilah and Arthur could find a way to fix this… b-but they’re not even here anymore! I-I couldn’t even figure things out myself, because guess I was too busy CRYING OVER NOTHING! I don’t know if I’m an actual caterpillar anymore if I failed to become a butterfly! All I wanted was to be something else other than a C-CHILDISH BOOKWORM!”
Squirm’s yelling startled the tendril, to which he noticed before his breathing slowed down to calm himself.
Deep breath in… and out.
“…That’s why I left by myself at night.. and came down here to make my cocoon. I didn’t want to do it around everyone else a-and… end up being a problem.”
There he goes again, blaming himself for everything. He did such a wonderful job too, and that is how he ends things off?!
The caterpillar sniffled, glancing down at the carpet now dotted with black tears of ichor streaming down from his eyes. Sprout’s tendril in front of him leans forward a tiny bit, worryingly ‘looking’ at him. Squirm stared back up at it for a minute before turning away with a sigh.
“S-sorry if I scared you… Hang on, l-let me do something real quick…” Here we go again.
His ichor-covered claws grabbed his worn-out antennae before pulling again, making him wince in pain. The agony didn’t bother him too much, but it was a bit annoying to do this all the time so he’d stop crying.
Well, hey, that’s what’s got to happen when he keeps acting so pathetic- Oh c’mon, what now?!
Squirm stopped upon feeling something wrapping around his wrist. He turned his head to the vine-like tentacle that began to rub his palm with the tip, as if to say: ‘Please don’t hurt yourself’.
He was too confusingly focused on it to notice another tendril had risen to do the same, both of them slowly lowering his hands away from his antennae the second his grip on them loosened.
“Whuh-? W-what’re you…” He stammered, watching the tendrils place his claws on the floor before one of them wrapped around his torso to rub his back as comfort, the other gently stroking his head, making sure not to accidentally touch the aching antennas.
The caterpillar froze in place for a second, but he accepted the comforting gestures and hesitantly embraced the first tendril, assuming this could be what Sprout was trying to do here. The vine-like tentacle responds by moving across the back of his head, kind of like an arm.
“…Thank you.” Squirm gratefully spoke in a quietened tone, his body becoming less tense the longer he and the tendrils hugged.
It sometimes surprised him that, despite how he regularly was and looked throughout his days of being a Twisted, the self-aware ones who turned before him had the audacity to act… welcoming towards him — acting as if he wasn’t the same Toon whose sobbing they got tired of, they’d invite him to whatever activities were going on, to which he declined, thinking they weren’t taking a second to think how they’d end with him around.
That thought was disconfirmed with things staying calm even as he participated, and while he wasn’t used to being treated like this…
He’s still glad to feel involved. And besides, Astro was around to interact with them normally, so why shouldn’t he?
And he made the right decision in doing so, as from what he could recall what happened weeks ago, Gigi and some others had attempted to help him get unstuck from the ceiling, not realizing he already learned how to control the ichor from his broken chrysalis — he even tried to tell them this too, but seeing as they were too busy with their methods that kept failing comedically, he let things play out for some entertainment till hours had passed by.
Just reminiscing about it makes him giggle.
…Wait, what?
Squirm found himself in a giggly fit due to a ticklish, feather-like sensation underneath his chin, which caused him to immediately scrunch up his dewlap neck. “Eehehehehe! H-hehehey! What'd you do thahat for?”
Sprout’s tendril in front of him tilted to the side, pointing at him before tracing a curve in the air. If that didn’t mean what the caterpillar thought it did, then he wouldn’t know what else.
“You… th-thought I should smile more..?” He asked, slightly growing nervous of whatever his strawberry friend had planned.
The vine-like tentacle shook up and down as a nodding agreement, subtly nearing towards him with playful intent.
“Um, w-well, I don’t think th-that’s necessary! I’m already… f-feeling better, so…” His face grew warm as he frantically glanced his eyes around to avoid looking at the tendril any longer. “Cohould you let me go, p-please?”
Knowing that the second tendril was still wrapped around his torso, he begins to crawl away from the first one while attempting to shake off the tentacle as he backs up. The tendril in front beckoned him before pointing at his book that was left sitting there as a way of saying ‘Don’t forget this’.
“Ihi’m not falling for th-that, Sprout! Y-you can keep it if you want, because there’s n-noho way you’re- WAUgh!” The other tendril that had unwrapped itself — which Squirm didn’t notice — unexpectedly flipped the caterpillar Twisted over onto his back.
Ohh, he’s done for…
He watched with giddy anticipation as the first tentacle slowly sunk into the ichor puddle, disappearing along with it before coming back out of the floor next to him. The tip teasingly curled in and out to resemble a gesture that looked like a flexing finger, which was something similar Sprout would’ve done if he were to show himself already.
OHH, HE’S REALLY DONE FOR.
“Nohoho, waihit! P-pleheheease, Sproahahout, y-you don’t have to doho this..!” He makes an effort to push himself back, only to realize something wasn’t letting him budge; that turned out to be the second tendril now coiling around his torso again, this time to prevent his escape.
Now desperate, Squirm defends his stomach with his hands. “Dohohon’t do this, plehease! Y-yohou know how ti-ticklish I am th- Eeeehehehehe! N-nohohoho, Sprohohouhut!” But the hidden cook had other ideas, as one of the vine-like tentacles began fluttering against the bottom of his chin.
Giggly squeals poured out of his mouth as he tried to protect his spot from the tickling tip again, except… he instead lifted his head up out of instinct, unintentionally allowing more room for the tendril to lightly scratch.
“Q-quihihit ihihit-! Aieehehehee! Puh-plehehease behelieve mehehe, Sprout! Ihi dohon’t neheheed thihis!” He pleaded, gently grasping the tendril with one hand to move it away, while continuing to protect his stomach with the other.
Big mistake.
With the opportunity arisen, the tendril still wrapped around him struck, sneaking under his broken chrysalis to start tickling away.
“WAIIHIHIHIT-! NoHOt theHEHere — AHAnywhehere bUt THEHERE! NOOHOhohoho!” Squirm exclaimed, lightly slamming his hand on the floor.
The first tentacle leaned in to seemingly observe his blushing face, playfully tilting to the side before quickly scritching his chin for amusement. He could definitely tell Sprout was telling him: ‘Look at that cute smiley face of yours!’.
“COhOHOME OHOn, IHi’m noHOT THAHat CUHuhUTE! Y-yohO’URE jUHUst SAHAying THIHIHIINGS!” Although he now kept his chin scrunched into his dewlap neck, hiding his face in his hands wasn’t really helping — if at all — with stopping the tendril from attacking his stomach with the second one.
It freely poked around his abdomen, earning some squeals out of him, while the other continued its light fluttering. All the caterpillar could do at this point was rock side to side, unable to hear his own thoughts due to his laughing.
It’s strange, really, that experiencing this much positive emotion is… unusual to him, but when you’re a Toon who not only cries 24/7, but also worries over even the smallest things, it does start to make sense. Did he actually need this after all if the tickling managed to not overwhelm him and instead cheer him up? It’s hard to think about it in the middle of what’s happening right now.
…But maybe it’s for the best.
The second tendril finally stops its fluttering and moves away from Squirm’s stomach, giving him a chance to catch some air while his giggles lessened but still persisted. Puzzled, he peeks through his claws to see whatever the tentacle could be doing.
“Is-ihis it ohover alreheheady..?” He asks, admittedly with a small hint of disappointment in his voice.
The tendril momentarily stared (…from what he was able to interpret) at him, the suspense slowly making the caterpillar nervous — everything had gone quiet, leaving only distant sounds of functioning machinery in the ambiance, and the Twisted’s squeaks that were still being caused by the first tendril underneath his chrysalis giving his stomach ticklish pokes from time to time.
Was Sprout trying to anticipate him again, or was it something he said? …He didn’t make this feel too awkward, did he?!
“S-sorry..! I-Ihi wahas just w-wohondering ihif you were f-fihinisheEEEEAAHAHAHAHA-! NOhOHO- *snrk!* SPROHOHOHOUT, wHYYYHAhy *snrk!* THEHEHERE?!”
Apparently not! The second tendril had gone right for his underarm, catching him off guard with its quick scritching.
Squeaky laughter bounced off the walls once again, now accompanied by little snorts as Squirm attempts to close his arm down, but fails due to how unbearable the ticklish sensation was.
The vine-like tentacle underneath his cocoon stops its poking, leaving his stomach alone to take a look (even though it has no eyes) at the caterpillar. It tilted slightly to the left, its tip curling in and out, possibly as a part of the words Sprout was trying to convey. Now Squirm couldn’t exactly understand this one right at the moment, though his best guess is it’s supposed to be the question: ‘You having fun?’.
…Honestly? As embarrassing as it is, he already has an answer to that.
“YEHEHES, I-IHI’M HAHAHAVING FUHUN, *snrk!* IhiF-IHiF thAHAT’S W-WHAhAT Y- *snrk!* YoHOU’rE SSAHAYING!” He chortled, hitting the floor with his ichor-covered palms as small tears of mirth began to form in his eyes. “BuH-bUHUHUt PLEEAHAHAESE, D-DOHON’T *snrk!* DOHOHO THIHIS TO MMEHEHEHEEE! I CAHAN’T TAHAKE MOhORE THaN OHOHOHONEE-! EEEHEEHEHEAHAAAH!”
The second tendril finally ceases its onslaught, sparing him from any more tickles to let him breathe. While Squirm took his time getting air back into his lungs, it carefully unwrapped itself from his body before stroking his head.
“Ahah… Ohoho goodnehess..! I’m stihill okahahay, buhut you’re… yohou’re too good at this!” He complimented, reassuring Sprout first, just in case he ever had the thought that he went too far with his tickling.
The tendril briefly shook as an expression of happiness before giving his chin one last tickle, causing him to let out a squeak as he giggled. He could’ve sworn he heard a distant chuckle from somewhere, but he assumed it was just the effects of him still recovering from Sprout’s tickle attack, which sounds… believable enough(?).
Squirm attempts to roll over back onto his stomach, only to be reminded — much to his annoyance — by his struggling that his legs were technically gone, so it was difficult to change positions with a chrysalis stuck to him ever since.
“…A-a little help, please..?” He asked shyly, to which the tendrils obliged; one carefully slithered under his back to slightly move him up, allowing the other to help turn him over with ease. “Thanks.”
The Twisted took his time shifting his position, using his hands to turn himself around before backing up a few inches to actually face the tentacles. “And, uh, th-thanks also for cheering me up… I can’t believe this helped me actually feel better…”
One of the tendrils slowly leaned forward with a ‘look’ of suspicion towards what he could’ve meant, tilting to the side a little.
“I-I’m not trying to insult myself again, p-promise! It’s just that…” He halts for a second before resuming. “Usually it takes more than just some comforting to keep me from being sad all the time. And d-don’t get me started on the ‘eating books’ thing… What good does that do i-if it means I also have to eat something that belongs to someone? I’d be sad, but also angry too if my favorite book was eaten…”
The tip of the second vine-like tentacle was laid on his shoulder as Sprout’s way of expressing his support to Squirm, which the caterpillar was able to interpret.
“I know it’s normal to do things that calm you down when you’re stressed… B-but if I remember right, I already have a ball specifically for that! I-I shouldn’t be using a Toon’s stuff for myself w-without permission, I’d already been sticking to leaves to avoid situations like that..!” Again, it was a weird feeling to experience any other negative emotion other than sadness for him. But if he’s really being allowed to share his bottled thoughts with a Toon (…or Twisted — self-aware, of course) who actually bothers to hear him out like a certain teacup, then he finds it amazing how refreshing it feels.
He sighs. “I appreciate you trying to help, though. Again, thank you… You’re a good friend, Sprout — e-even though you don’t really see me the same way.”
His eyes dejectedly looked away to the side, like he was expecting to be proven wrong in the end; but he already knows he’s been disliked for understandable reasons, so he wouldn’t put it past Sprout to get tired of his crybaby attitude.
…Okay, maybe he shouldn’t think stuff like that. Think positive thoughts, Squirm; what’s a good thing you know about yourself?
Surely it can’t be that you’re forever a failure of an inse-
“Ehehehe!” A tickle under his chin snaps him out of it before his thoughts could worsen. Sprout must’ve somehow noticed he was spacing out and thought he was self-loathing in his head again, as evident from what he said earlier. “I’m okahahay, Ihi’m okahay! I-I was just, uh… d-distracted by something! Yeah! L-look, Ihi’m not ready for more yet!”
The tendril that had tickled him just ‘stared’, as did the other, almost like Sprout was… unamused? Shocked? With the lack of gestures like the first time this happened, it became harder to tell what the hidden cook was feeling or saying at the moment. But then, in the middle of his confusion, he realizes…
He said ‘yet’: the word Sprout managed to hear.
He could’ve said anything else like ‘please’. Instead, it was ‘yet’.
Guess him having fun being tickled wasn’t enough proof.
“…Ihi mean, a-as long as I have time to.. c-catch my breath, I…” He stops, his face beginning to grow warmer as he tries to build up the courage to get the sentence out.
The tentacles drew near at a slow pace, but not too close, with the second tendril on the right teasingly curling its tip in and out. Of course, this only embarrassed Squirm further… But what else is keeping him from saying it?
The caterpillar glanced away, nervously tapping his clawed fingers on the carpet floor. “I-I don’t mind… another round.”
He shuts his eyes and hesitantly, yet gently takes hold of his antennae to lower them down in front of him in an attempt to hide his blushing expression, now awaiting the moment those tendrils tickle him silly again.
…Aaany second now.
…Maybe Sprout’s trying to catch him off guard agai- Oh.
Unless he briefly noticed a fading puddle of ichor, the vine-like tendrils had seemingly vanished without a trace after Squirm opened his eye to take a peek. Confused, he lets go of his antennas before looking around.
“…Sprout? Y-you still here..?” He called out, hoping for a response from wherever he’s hiding, or a tendril to at least come back up for a sneak attack.
…But only silence remained, and it left him wondering if his acceptance had actually made him sound weird unlike before. But that couldn’t be true, right? Those tentacles undoubtedly looked like they were anticipating him on purpose earlier! Sprout wouldn’t have done something like that if-
*tsh, tsh*
…What was that?
Squirm’s antennae somewhat perked up upon him hearing a sound, albeit not as much due to it being distant, but it was still noticeable.
The caterpillar shrugs it off, however, convincing himself that it could’ve just been whatever type of working machinery making that in the background.
*tsh, squelch, tsh*
His assumption was immediately disproven as the sound began to approach, startling him into snapping his head side to side.
“H-hello?!” Squirm searched for where the noises came from whilst exclaiming, now faintly shivering with fear as thoughts of a Twisted or two having moved to the floor he was on slowly filled his mind.
But he shook his head. No, that can’t be right — a common Twisted’s footsteps don’t sound like that! Most of them are more on the quiet side, stealth-like. “I-if that’s you, Sprout, then… y-you better come out! I said I’m ready for more!”
Actually, now that he thinks about it…
*squelch, tsh, tsh*
Those noises are footsteps!
But why’re they starting to sound like they’re coming from right behind him?
“Indeed you did, buddy~!”
A familiarly deep and hoarse voice spoke, causing Squirm to freeze in place.
Not with fright, but with giddy anticipation of what comes after.
Summary - While their contestants are busy, Four takes the opportunity to play with his co-host.
Word Count - 760
Note - This fic was written for Day 1 (Anticipation) of Tickletober 2025.
-
Four and X were at the Pillary Ruins, watching their contestants compete in the current contest.
The pair sat together in the grass, with X absent-mindedly swinging his legs. His attention was split between watching the contestants and daydreaming.
That is, until he caught a sudden movement in the corner of his eye.
In a brief blur of blue, Four had quite literally slid behind him. X, not thinking much of the action, returned to his daydreaming and semi-observing of the contestants.
He was quickly pulled back to reality again, however, when Four’s hands snaked around to his front, coming to rest on his lower two nubs.
X tilted slightly back in a vain attempt to view the other. “Four?”
“What is it, X?” He heard Four respond.
“What are you doing?”
“Mm nothing.”
“Oh, alright.” X sat back upright, his legs remaining still as he registered the slight warmth from Four’s hands against his body.
Just then, Four’s hands scrunched into X, quickly returning to their original position a few seconds later.
X jolted, startled by the feeling. “Ah! Four!”
“What?” Four replied from behind once more.
“What did you just do?”
“I already told you, I’m not doing anything.”
“Hmm,” X considered the claim, “okay, if you say so.”
X remained suspicious. Despite not actually seeing anything, he was sure that he had felt Four move. He glanced down, subtly keeping his eyes trained on Four’s hands, which were currently motionless.
Not a minute later, however, X watched as Four scrunched into him, twice, in rapid succession.
“Aha-!” A laugh was forced out of X. “Fohour!”
“Hrrngh, what is it this time?”
“I know that was you! I caught your hands moving!”
“Well then,” Four growled, “if you’re so certain…”
Four began relentlessly scrunching his hands into X, who fell backwards into him, laughing.
“Fohohour! Wahait!”
“Is this what you prefer, X?” Four taunted, keeping up the action.
“Nohoho! Stohop ihit!”
Four switched from scrunching to rapidly scribbling against the yellow surface.
“How about this?”
“AHAHA! WOHORSE! HAHA!” X cackled, waving his arms in the air.
“Kitchy-koo~”
“NOHO! NO TEHEASING!”
X squirmed around in Four’s hold, unable to evade his scribbling fingers.
Eventually, starting to feel slightly overwhelmed, X gripped Four’s wrists, prying them off and holding them away from his body. Four made no effort to stop him.
Still lying back against the other, X regained his breath, Four’s hands remaining stationary in his grasp. He soon felt Four’s arms retract and allowed his own to flop to the ground.
After resting in silence for a while, X suddenly gave a small start. He had felt a poke to his side, right in the spot between his two nubs. It was shortly followed by another poke to the opposite side.
“Ehe, Fohour, stop it.” X giggled out as a third poke landed.
“No.” Four hummed, poking X a fourth time.
Before he could respond, a barrage of pokes were suddenly launched against X’s sides.
“Ehehe! Nohoho!” X attempted to move away, but Four yanked him back.
He then lightly pinched X’s sides, keeping hold as X started to squirm. “Boop.”
“Aah! Lehet goho!” X squealed, wriggling around to try and free himself.
“Struggling will only make it worse.” Four commented, giving his sides an additional, small squeeze.
“Nohoho! Relehease me!”
Four grumbled. “Fine, if you insist.”
He then let go of X, allowing the other a moment of respite, before raising his hands and sharply tasing X in the sides.
“EHEEK!” X shrieked, reflexively kicking out his legs. The action caused him to slip and fall back, landing directly in Four’s lap.
Opening his eyes, X was greeted by the sight of an upside-down Four smiling down at him.
“Hello X.”
“Hi Four…” X sighed, a tired smile on his face.
Four’s hands began to descend towards him, fingers wiggling.
X quickly intercepted, clutching Four’s wrists.
“Noho! No more.”
“You sure?” Four grinned, wiggling his fingers once more.
“Yehes.”
“Okay.” Four pulled his hands back, planting his palms on the ground as he watched X sit up.
Righting himself, X felt a hand land on top of him, patting him shortly thereafter.
“Want to get ready for when they finish the contest?”
“Yeah!” X exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. “Let’s do it.”
The pair of co-hosts then set to work, planning for the remainder of the episode.
Each of them genuinely cared for the other, which was evident in the small moments they shared together, away from the action. Neither one would trade their chaos-filled relationship for the world.
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