Always By Your Side and in Your Heart
A/N: After we learned that Bennett is canonly ticklish I had to write a little something with him. I just had to. The story includes some major spoilers for the event storyline, so if you haven’t played it yet, pls skip this story or read it at your own risk.
Summary: Bennett remembers the things he had experienced over the last few days in Natlan and Aether is there, by his side.
Words: 1,651 words under the cut
Bennett could still feel the beat of the party in his body as he sat at the shore, watching the sun slowly disappear in the far, painting the sky red and casting long shadows over the ground. He could feel the soft wind in his face and closed his eyes, listening to the waves and the beating in his chest.
So much had happened since he came to Natlan, so many things he had experienced over the last days. Meeting the Traveler and Paimon again, making new friends with the people of Natlan and enjoying the mysteries and attractions surrounding the Sunspray Summer Resort, learning about his origin and... meeting his parents.
His chest still tingled when he remembered the encounter, his emotions almost boiling over. Never before had he felt so light, so right in place, as if fate had guided him here. A smile lingered on his lips as he thought about all these things, re-playing them in his mind again, and again, and again.
Yes, these last days had been amazing… and yet he felt a light sting in his chest as well. He loved his dads more than anything in the world, but meeting his parents, only to be separated from them again, didn't leave him without any tiny scares on his heart. A single tear ran down his face. He just wanted to-
"There you are Bennett, we've been looking everywhere for you." A sudden, familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Is everything alright?" Aether said as plopped next to him, smiling. "...Y-Yeah, I'm alright, I just wanted to watch the sundown," he mumbled, quickly rubbing his face, hoping the blonde hadn't seen him cry. He had seen...
Aether let out a sigh, but his smile didn't fade. "Don't give me that, you are my friend Bennett... I know when something is bothering you, you don’t have to play the tough one in front of me.” The ash-grey-haired looked at him, blinking. Then giggled weakly. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"
He gazed back at the sea, before he kept talking. "It's just... I miss them..." "You mean your parents?" Aether asked, lying a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. The other let his head hanging a bit. "...It's just... I always wondered where I- ...Why they had- no... I just... don't know..." he mumbled, looking more nervous than troubled.
Aether watched him, he could feel his chest tightened - he hated seeing his friend in pain like that, wanting to do somethi- anything to cheer him up again, if even a little. A sudden memory of him and Asha crossed his mind and he smiled at him. The blonde smiled as he poked his side playfully.
"Bennett! Don’t look so nervous, okay? We’re gonna see if we can figure this out, together! So... Look at me, I wanna see that cute smile of yours again! Come on, show me. Shooow meee~" he teased, wiggling into his flank and the first giggles were already bubbling out of him, unfiltered and innocent.
"A-AetheheEHer- w-wahAhit... ehEHehh~" he laughed, but instead of trying to escape, he leaned onto him. "Hah! Yeah, there it is! Don’t let worry cloud your heart too much, Bennett," Aether concluded, letting his other hand join in as well, as he robbed a bit closer, tickling now both of his sides. The other's laughter continued to fill the air.
"AhhAhahh noOHohoHo, p-plehEhehase... dooHonon't!" The Traveler smirked. "Don't what, Bennett?" he asked, playfully squeezing his hips. "T-TihiHickle meHEheh- w-w-wahAhhit, noHOHo aHHAHAHAAHhaah!" He exploded as he fell for the oldest trick in the world.
"If that's what you want me to~" Aether giggled and gently pushed him into the sand, looming over him as he wormed his fingers into his sides again. His hand found his ribs and pressed-in-between them, sending ticklish shockwaves through every fiber of his body. “HAhAhahAhah whAhAhhAhy!” he managed to say.
The blonde chuckled, not stopping his tickling. “Just because I felt you needed it, am I wrong?” he asked innocently, dragging his hands slowly up and into his armpits. "AhahAhAHAH A-AeHEhther thAht's noHot whaATt- waHHahaiHIhit!" Bennett laughed, his laughter getting high-pitched as the new spot was tickled, clenching his arms to his sides.
However, besides that, he didn’t try to stop him either. Aether had been right. Somehow it felt like it was just the thing he needed right now, and he knew that Aether knew it as well. Though, that still didn’t mean that he could control his reactions to it, even if he wanted to.
"Pffft I- ahahaahHHA I cahAhn't! WahAHAHHH!" he whined, shaking his head in ticklish merriment, pressing one hand over his mouth, muffled laughter coming out of it. He could feel his face heating up, a reddish blush creeping onto is cheeks and the tips of his ears.
"You have a very cute laugh, let me hear more of it~" Aether teased, carefully grabbing his wrist and pinning it over his head. "Hello there~" he said and wiggled his free hand into his unprotected armpit once more. The action made the ash-grey-haired explode into a new wave of uncontrolled, cheerful laughter.
"Ahhahahah thaAht's cheHehating, noOHohoo!" he laughed, tears of mirth running down his flustered face. His free hand now tried, really tried to grab the tickling one, but Aether just intertwined their fingers and pressed his other hand above his head as well, scratching with his fingers over both his hands now. "AhAhahahah t-tiHIhickles…soOHoh…muHUhuch~"
"No way, your hands are ticklish as well? That's so cute~ Coochie coochie coo~" Aether sing-songed, wiggling his fingers over Bennett's trapped palms and the back of his hands, sliding over the skin with slowly motions. He could feel his hands tremble and the action even caused a light snort from him.
"Does it tickle, do you want me to stop?" he asked, making sure to stop his tickles for a second, to give the other a chance to catch his breath. "NooHoho plEhehase noHoto yeEHhet!" Bennett giggled, squeezing his eyes shut. He wanted to feel this lightness just for little bit longer.
"You really want me to continue?" "YeEHehHes!” the other laughed. The Traveler's heart melted and he bend down, nuzzling his head into the creep of his neck, tickling the spot as well. "You really making it easy not to hold back, Bennett~"
The reaction followed instantly and Bennett bend his head adorably to the side. "ToHoho ucuUCh, pleHehase swiIHitch spHohots," he laughed and the blonde giggled. The nuzzling on his neck was already bad enough, but the blonde strands brushing against his chin and nestling around his ears made it so much better worse.
"Too ticklish for you own good, hmm? Well, how about here then?" Aether teased, suddenly letting go of his hands, using the momentum to wiggle both hands into his sides and stomach again - the thin t-shirt granting him almost no protection. He could feel him sucking in his stomach, but it only resulted into belly laughter and chortles - Adorable.
Not able to control himself, Aether even sneaked a hand under his shirt and poked a finger right into his belly button, which turned out to be his death spot. "AhAhahaAhh o-HOhokay, okay stoHOhoop. AhAhhahaHAh AehEhehter plEhehehase!" Bennett whined and Aether finally relented, giving him one last poke before he sat back, watching him slowly calm down.
Bennett panted heavily, his chest rise and falling, and stretched out both his arms to the side, as he slowly opened his eyes, gazing up into the starry sky. "Your okay there, buddy..." Aether mumbled, feeling a bit worried. "Yeah, I'm fine... t-thanks," he said, looking indeed a bit better now.
The blonde let out a relieved sigh and ruffled though his hair, making him giggle once more. "H-Hey stoOHopt that~" He waited a few moments for him to calm down, before he spoke what was written on his heart, what he wanted to share with him.
"...Your parents loved you Bennett, more than anything in the world... and no matter how much time will pass that will never change," he began, "I know how much it hurts, trust me... but..." he lied a hand on the other's chest, just above his heart, "they will always be there, right by your side, and I will be there as well..." he said. "You won’t be alone again, never!"
Bennett felt tears filling his eyes and quickly pulled his headband down, to hide the tears, sobbing lightly. Aether lied down next to him, grabbing his hands and squeezing it. "I'm- *sob* I'm grateful... t-thank you so much Aether, for everything," he whispered, squeezing his hand as well. Aether smiled warmly at him before he looked up into the starry sky as well.
"We might not see each other all the time, but we share the same sky and if you ever feel lonely, you just have to look up to the stars, knowing that wherever you are, I, your dads, our friends… and your parents will always be watching over you..." he told him and felt a sudden tingle on his shoulder as the other nuzzled against him.
"… Just for a minute, please…" "Of course, as long as you want…" "Thanks for… being by my side…" Bennett mumbled, feeling how all the heaviness inside him had faded. "You’re welcome, Bennett." The two of them laid there for a few minutes longer, talking about everything and nothing before Bennett sat up again, an honest grin on his face.
"Hey Traveler, don’t think I’ll let you get way with tickling me…" The blonde gulped, but didn’t really mind. After all, he could see the other smile again, and he didn't even need to tickle him this time. "...Come at me if you dare to~" he challenged, and as the waves continued to hit the shore, a new laughter joined in into this symphonic orchestra of nature.
