Dinner Night
A/N: @otomiyaa Merry Christmas~ As the days are getting colder I wanted to gift you a story that could warm the heart. I decided to go for another round of writing for the universe you created. It turned out to be chaotic but I guess that's also the thing that makes them so loveably.
Words: 1,342 words under the cut
Dinner at the Walters’ place was never quiet, but tonight had a special brand of chaos simmering under the surface. The big wooden table was crammed with plates, bowls, chopsticks, forks, and an amount of food that could feed an army. Hank sat at the head of the table, eating calmly, as if this were any normal family dinner. It wasn’t.
Across from him, the twins were talking - loudly, rapidly, and far too competitively - while their boyfriends sat beside them with very different states of awareness. Axel was contently eating dumplings without a care in the world. Yuki sensed danger and looked like a startled cat. Luca sat between Theo and Josh, clinging to safety like Theo could protect him from his brothers. (He could not.)
“So I’m just saying,” Josh said, slamming his chopsticks down for emphasis, “that Axel’s laugh is objectively the cutest. That little squeaky thing he does? You can’t beat that.” Axel blinked. “I what?” James frowned, offended. “Absolutely not. Yuki’s laugh is cuter, hands down.” Yuki choked on his water. “W-Wait, why am I? No! Don’t talk about that!”
Hank sipped his coffee, eyes half-lidded, already exhausted. Theo raised a finger, mouth opening to chime in, but Josh steamrolled right over him. “Axel has the best reactions!” Josh insisted. “I barely even touch his sides and he goes all-” he broke into high-pitched giggles in a shockingly accurate impression of his boyfriend.
Axel covered his face with one hand. “That is SO not- okay, maybe a little true, but don’t demonstrate it!” James leaned in, scoffing. “Please, Axel’s cute, yes, but Yuki? My boyfriend practically melts. You tickle his ribs? Gone. Reduced to sparkly little giggle dust.” “I DO NOT!” Yuki yelped, turning red immediately. Josh narrowed his eyes. “Oh? His ribs?”
James smirked, enjoying Yuki’s horrified expression. “Worst spot, completely defenseless.” Yuki grabbed his boyfriend’s sleeve. “James. Shut up.” Theo tried again, “Actually, Luca’s laugh is-” “Also!” Josh cut in dramatically, holding up a finger. “Axel’s thighs. Absolute gold. He gets this little gasp-laugh like he doesn’t know whether to laugh or scream.”
Axel slapped both hands over his face. “WHY are you saying this at the dinner table?!” Theo closed his mouth again. Luca snorted a tiny laugh beside him. James fired back immediately, leaning toward Josh with the intensity of a war general. “Oh yeah? Well Yuki has this adorable little squeak when you get his lower back and when you touch his-”
“James!” Yuki hissed. “That was ONE TIME!” Josh grinned, fanning the flames. “So you admit it?” “I admit NOTHING.” Theo tried one last time, leaning forward: “Luca’s laugh is-” But by now the twins were in full debate mode, ignoring everything but each other. Josh gestured wildly with his chopsticks. “No, no, Axel’s laugh is sweeter.”
James waved him off. “Yuki’s is cuter.” “Axel’s.” “Yuki’s.” “You’re wrong.” “You’re blind.” “You wouldn’t know cute if it hit you-” “BOYS,” Hank said, not even raising his voice, but the weight behind it made everyone freeze for half a second. Only half, because then Luca murmured, “Uhm… Theo’s right, maybe we shouldn’t-”
And suddenly every pair of twin eyes snapped toward the brunette beside him. “You think YOUR boyfriend wins?” Josh asked, eyebrows lifting. Theo almost choked on air. “I DIDN’T SAY THAT!” “You kind of did,” James sing-songed. “I WAS TRYING TO- UGH!” Luca sank into his seat. “Please don’t drag me into this.” But it was already too late.
Because somewhere in the midst of the chaos, the twins traded one of those dangerous, silent glances and Theo, who knew those glances all too well, felt dread pool in his stomach. “Oh no,” he whispered, “no, absolutely not. Guys…” “New plan,” Josh said with a wicked grin, “we settle this right here, right now.”
Theo’s eyes widened, James and Josh cracked their knuckles dramatically, Luca squeaked giving a pleading look to Theo, Yuki looked ready to flee the table, and Axel continued eating dumplings like nothing was happening.
The room fell silent for half a breath, then everything exploded. “GET THEM!” Three chairs scraped violently over the floor. Three- no, two boyfriends yelped as they tried to make their escape. Three Walters launched into action, ready to prove that their boyfriend had the cutest laugh among them.
Theo dove after Luca, catching him first. Luca squealed and stumbled backward onto the couch, Theo following him down, fingers spidering into his sides. “NOHOHO THEOHOHO!” Luca burst into giggles instantly, curling in on himself. “Why meheehee?!” “Because you’re the only one I can catch!” Theo yelled back as Luca dissolved beneath him.
Across the room, the real chaos began. James tackled Yuki before he could even reach the hallway, dragging him down gently but efficiently. The ravenhead shrieked, kicking his legs uselessly as James settled above him. “NONONONO JAMES WAIT!” “Ribs, right?” James said with a smirk, wiggling his fingers. “DOHON’T YOU DARE!” But he did.
Yuki arched off the floor in a squealing, musical laugh that filled the room immediately. “JAHAHAAMES! I’M GOHOHONNA KIHIHILL YOUUU!” he cursed, but the threat lost its value as his laughter bubbled out of his lips. “You sound so adorable,” James said sweetly, unswayed. Meanwhile, Josh turned toward Axel.
The other glanced up lazily, mid-chew, but you could clearly see his eyes sparkle with excitement. “Oh, are we starting now?” “You didn’t even TRY to run?!” Josh demanded. Axel shrugged. “I didn’t want to.” Josh lunged. Axel burst into bright, breathy, high-pitched giggles the instant Josh’s fingers dug into his sides, not even trying to resist.
“Haha Johohoshy! Waaait! I’m- I’m eheheating!” “Are you now? You’ll live!” Josh declared triumphantly, pulling him into his lap as Axel laughed and squirmed helplessly, legs kicking under the table as Josh fingers danced over his sides and wormed in-between his ribs.
The three scenes overlapped into a pure, messy storm of laughter, shrieks, and chaotic declarations: “Luca’s is CUTEST, listen to him!” “No way, Yuki wins by MILES!” “Axel’s laugh is literally HEAVEN, accept it!” None of the three brothers was giving in, using all their knowledge and skills to tickle the cutest reactions out of their other half.
Theo, who had at last gotten into the spirit of things, poked at Luca’s tummy, making the younger boy yelp and kick adorably. “I- I CAN’T- THEOHOHO!” the black-haired pleaded, laughter spilling out sweet and bright. “Stohohop- nohohot THERE!” “You have the cutest laugh,” Theo muttered, tickling him mercilessly anyway.
Yuki was cackling high-pitched chortles, tears of mirth streaming down his face as James fingers squeezed both his thigh and waist. The police officer tried to break free, but the other had his legs embraced with his own and the tickling made him unable to think clearly. "WAH J-JAHAHMES just waiHait until I- aHA! NOHO!" "It's so cute when you try to fight back Yuki~"
Josh was still having Axel on his lap, nuzzling his neck with kisses and whispering things into his ear that made the blonde’s red face only redder. "AHAHAh Joshy, don’t stoHop!" The fingers that had sneaked under his shirt, squeezing his bare stomach now, made his face heating up and Axel had to be careful that not something else would heat up as well.
In the middle of this pandemonium, Hank sat at the table, still calmly sipping his coffee, watching as three boyfriends were reduced to puddles of giggles.
Axel wheezed hysterically in Josh’s arms, Yuki thrashed on the floor under James and Luca curled on the couch, red-faced, shrieking with laughter under Theo. The twins were arguing louder than the laughter they were causing. “He’s cuter!” “No, MINE is!” And Hank, in the eye of the storm, exhaled a long, deeply put-upon sigh.
He set down his mug, looked at the ceiling, then muttered under his breath “…I really need to start tickling them more often. It’s the only way I’m ever going to keep these rascals under control.” Another chorus of laughter erupted behind him. Hank took another sip, deadpan. “…Starting tomorrow.”
