No Sad Lions!
A/n: Hi! This was so fun to write! Also, it's my first time writing for all three of these characters, so I'm so sorry if it's ooc!
Word count: 1.9k
Warnings: Tickles, and a bit of angst in the start! If I need to add anything, please let me know!
Lee: Gaming and Chongyun
Ler: Chongyun, Xingqui, and Gaming
Prompt: C'mom, Smile!
♡~~~♡~~~♡
So there Gaming sat, thinking of his mother once again. Thinking of all the ways he could have messed up, or did mess up. Why couldn't he have been better? No, he can't think like that. He's supposed to be the happy one, why couldn't he act like it? He took a deep breath; fretting over everything now wouldn't change anything. But still, he found himself ready to sob. Was it all his fault?
Gaming startled when he heard a branch snap. "Who's there?" He quickly rubbed his eyes and stood up. "Show yourself!" Just in case, Gaming summoned his claymore, preparing for the worst. Have treasure hoarders been stalking him?
Oddly enough, a young boy with blue hair, maybe 16, stumbled out from the brush around him. "What the- are you okay?" Gaming rushed over to the boy, checking for injuries.
"No, no! I'm okay, don't worry about me!" The boy said, "I heard crying, I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
"Oh, yeah, that," Gaming stopped, suddenly aware of a stray tear running down his cheek.
The blue haired boy took another step towards Gaming, "We'll, What's wrong? Maybe I can help?" He seemed worried, despite the two never meeting before, it seemed like he cared.
"Oh, I-i um…" He choked back a sob and forced a smile, "I'm fine! No need to be so worried! We don't even know eachothers names yet!"
The stranger frowned slightly, "I'm Chongyun, an exorcist in training. What's your name?" He tilted his head and smiled sadly.
"I'm Gaming, I work as a guard." His facade dropped for a moment, showing Chongyun how truly upset he was.
"So, Gaming, how can I help? And don't say you're fine, I can tell you're not." Chongyun poked the other's stomach to make sure his point got across, noticing the slight flinch he gave.
"I- I don't know. I wouldn't want to burden you!" He insisted, wiping his eyes to rid them of further tears.
Chongyun frowned once again. "Would I be a good person if I let you sit here in sadness? Let me help, please."
Gaming tried to keep it together. He really did. However, he collapsed back onto the log he was sitting on earlier and cried. He didn't know why he let himself be so vulnerable in front of someone he just met, but he felt he could trust this Chongyun kid.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm here, okay? Do you want to tell me what happened?" Gaming nodded but it took him a second to gain his composure. Chongyun waited patiently, rubbing his back while he took deep breaths.
"I'm sorry, i-i don't usually break down in front of people I just met." He barked out a hoarse laugh. It sounded really upsetting. "I just… thought about someone who was important to me. I kept telling myself it was my fault. I… I've never… I don't usually think like that. It's scary."
Chongyun gave a weak smile. Gaming hated how it felt pitiful. Why did he tell him that?
"I can understand that. Self doubt is a weird thing, and I hate it. Whatever happened, I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong. Even if you did, if they loved you, they should've forgiven you."
But she didn't. That was all he could think. But then again, she didn't really get the chance.
"Thank you. I appreciate it, really. I'm sorry I put that burden on you, I really shouldn't have."
"You know," Chongyun started, "you say sorry too much. Telling someone your problems isn't a bad thing. Actually it can be really helpful!"
"I know, I just don't like to share my problems, heh. Sorry for being stubborn."
"You just proved my point! You say sorry way too much. And you're frowning so much, too! C'mon, smile!" With that, Chongyun shifted to face Gaming, and started poking around his belly.
"Wha- hehey!" Gaming curled around Chongyun's hand, making no attempt to escape or even suppress his adorable giggles.
"Awe, there we go! That's a lot better." Chongyun gave a real grin this time, laughing along with the guard.
"Why thihis? Hohow dihid you knohow?" He questioned, trying to turn away hoping Chongyun would at least go for a different spot.
"Well, I saw your reaction when I poked you earlier, so I kind of just assumed this would work. Ah ah ah, get back here," Chongyun grabbed the other by his waist and brought him into a backwards hug, Gaming's back against his stomach. He then switched to squeezing Gaming's sides.
"Ihi hahad hoped yohou dihidnt sehee thahat." His head slouched forward as he blushed.
"Mhm, I usually hope for the same when-" He clamped his mouth shut, realizing his mistake.
"Oho, soho yohou've been throhohough thihis tohoo?"
Chongyun turned red himself. "Uhm, forget I said a-anything!" He stammered. He moved his hands to Gaming's ribs, scribbling gently and hoping it would be a good spot. And oh boy he was right.
"Ah! Wahait! NOHOT THEHERE!" He squealed and threw his head against Chongyuns shoulder.
Hmm, Chongyun thought, he looks kind of cute like this. (A/N: PLATONICALLY GO AWAY SHIPS) "There's one way you'll get out of this," he sent a squeeze to the olders lower ribs, "and that is by promising two things."
"Ah! Ohokay, cohonTIHINue."
"One: stop saying sorry for telling me what was wrong. You doing that was a good thing." Gaming groaned at this. "Two: just keep your smile, it looks good on you."
Chongyun took one hand away from Gaming's torso to spider the back of his neck, drawing out a squeal and a couple snorts, followed by him scrunching up his shoulders.
"Well? What's it gonna be?" Chongyun slowed to just tracing absent-minded shapes on his sides and lower ribs.
"Ihi wohont say sorry ahand ihill keheep the smihile… buhut uhm…"
Chongyun took his free hand and patted the olders head, "You don't want me to stop do you?" He smiled and craned his neck to look at Gaming's face. He was beet red and attempting to hide his face in his hand. He mumbled something Chongyun couldn't make out.
"What was that?" He asked patiently.
"Cahan you plehease keep dohoing ihit?"
"Since you said please, I guess I could." Chongyun picked up on the tickling. He drilled his fingers in between Gaming's ribs, causing a shriek and adorable laughter. "You have a cute laugh, too! I could listen to it allll day!"
This went on for a couple more minutes, Gaming laughing happily and Chongyun cooing quietly. This came to a quick end, however, when Chongyun suddenly squeaked and fell back. Gaming took a couple breaths, confused, he turned around to see Chongyun in a similar situation to what he was just in.
Another blue haired boy had come from the brush and grabbed Chongyun. He had dragged him to the ground and was drilling into his underarms. "Hi! I'm Xingqui, I figured you could use some help." Gaming stared in awe, for someone who had been complimenting his laugh, he had a nice one himself. Gaming found himself wanting to hear more. Xingqui must have taken notice to this. "Would you like to try?"
Gaming nodded aggressively, watching as Xingqui grabbed Chongyun's arms and trapped them above his head with his knees. Chongyun was now laying on his back, his head hidden in his arm as he flushed.
"He's all yours, stranger!" Gaming grinned, sitting on his knees next to the younger.
"Where should I start, Mr. Expert?" Gaming joked.
Xingqui laughed, "Sides or stomach is where I usually start. It works pretty well for revenge, too." Chongyun squawked.
"Traitor!" The two talking like Chongyun wasn't there flustered him more than even just being in this situation. He was sure he'd die from embarrassment.
The two boys laughed before Gaming began poking the youngers stomach, just as he had not too long ago. He started to laugh softly, but it was muffled because of his face in his arm.
"Well aren't you just precious?" Gaming teased. He switched to squeezing his sides.
"Ahare yohou reheahally gohonna doho exahactly whahat ihi dihid?"
"Really? You started this whole thing, dear Chongyun? How surprising." Xingqui cooed. Chongyun groaned, he knew this would come up.
"Oh really? Is it rare he starts tickle fights?" Gaming asked, skittering his fingers from the blue haired kids sides to his stomach.
"Very. You should've seen the time Zhongli tickled him for being too sad. It was like pulling teeth to get him to fight back." Xingqui recalled. Chongyun kicked out his legs, his face turned a deeper shade of red.
"Oh? Can I hear that story?" Chongyun whined audibly, but Xingqui ignored him.
"Yes! That's my favorite story about my dear friend here. So, we had been walking around Liyue Harbor after a rather rough journey there, and Chongyun had been upset about not finding any demons to exorcize. We passed by Zhongli drinking some tea, and I went to go talk to him about Chongyun being upset while he got tea himself. I asked him what to do and he said he'd cover the problem."
Chongyun squirmed especially difficulty; he knew all too well the next part in his friend's story, and it was embarrassing. Unfortunately for him, his attempt to shut Xingqui up just led to him drilling his underarms again. He screeched and started to cackle.
Xingqui continued his story, "So, Zhongli brought Chongyun and I to grasslands just outside the city. He tackled Chongyun to the ground and tickled the sadness right out of him. I have to say, seeing old man Zhongli tackle and tickle someone was not what I expected when he said he'd help."
Gaming began to claw at Chongyuns ribs. "Wow, I didn't think Mr. Zhongli had it in him! That would've been a sight to see for sure! So did he end up fighting back?"
The poor laughing kids eyes widened. He shook his head as he laughed, "Nohoho! Thahats Aha scahary stohory!" He kicked his legs so much Gaming had to sit on his thighs just for his safety.
"Gosh, you're a kicker, aren't you? So, about that story?" Gaming teased.
"He tried to fight back, but it ended with both of us falling at Zhonglis mercy. He tried to sneak up behind Zhongli while he was drinking tea one time, he got one small gasp out of the old man, then he chased us into the grasslands again and got us both, haha!"
"So you're ticklish too?" Gaming had stars in his eyes.
"Well, yes, but not nearly as bad as Chongyun is."
"Shuhut uhup!" Chongyun laughed, his face was as red as a tomato.
Xingqui and Gaming gasped in sync, "How very rude."
"I wasn't that mean when you did this to me!"
"Thahats nohot thehe sahame! Thahat what one agahainst ohone! Thihis ihis twoho agahainst ohone!" He pouted. Not very well, but he gave it his best shot; kind of like when he went against Zhongli.
"Ohokahay! OHOKAY! Ehenohough! Stohohop!" At the word, both boys stopped their attack and made sure the boy was okay. Chongyun had sat up and fell into a hug with Xingqui.
"Do you need water? Or tea? I can go fetch some really quickly!" Gaming offered.
"Noho no, I'm okay." The younger said, slightly falling asleep in Xingquis arms.
"The journey back to Liyue Harbor is long. Stay in Chenyu Vale tonight. You can stay at my place!" Gaming smiled and laughed slightly. Two new friends today. All because of him being sad. Maybe sharing his feelings wasn't such a bad thing after all.
