#lee!mattholomule

[randommusicalfluff]

@lopsicle @squealing-santa

Surprise!! I was your secret Santa!! I love this pair so much so I jumped to draw them 🫶🏾🫶🏾

[anxious-lee]

Where's That Smile? || A Gustholomule Tickle Fic

Summary: Gus notices that Mattholomule is especially grumpy while they're fortifying the Illusionist Graveyard and tries to put a smile on his face. This is a tickle fic, you all know where this is going 😏

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It wasn't that off-putting that Mattholomule never smiled. Admittedly, it would have been more startling if he did. He must have been destined to be a miserable little agent of chaos. But still, everyone has to smile sometimes, it's witch-nature. It's uncontrollable and contagious, like a yawn. A yawn but for happiness. Mattholomule must be capable of smiling, and Gus was going to prove it.

Luckily enough, he had the perfect setting. Him and Matt were spending their Saturday like they usually did, continuing to reinforce the Looking Glass Graveyard. It had become an unspoken agreement, that they would return every weekend, and work till the sun went down. It was a lot more fun than it sounded. They laid out illusion boobytraps and pranks to frighten off unsuspecting looters. And of course, they needed to be tested. Matt would "accidentally" trigger the traps and scream dramatically to make Gus laugh. But all the lab rat offered in turn was a smirk, which was not the same as a smile.

On that particular Saturday, Mattholomule hadn't even given him that. He seemed deflated and irate, whereas his usual self was at least a little cheeky. Gus wasn't about to let his new friend go home with the blues. During one of their breaks, he plopped himself down next to Matt where he sat on a bench, and turned to face him.

"You alright? You don't seem like yourself", asked Gus cautiously.

"Why? Did I forget to tap my heels during my peppy musical number?", was Matt's reply, abundant in sarcasm.

"You don't have to be such a jerk, you know. No one's here to make fun of you." Gus's feelings weren't hurt. He willingly spent time with Matt despite his cold cover, but he was concerned about his cru-friend. His friend. The boy who used to be his enemy, now his friend. His new friend. The one he was worried about. Yep.

Mattholomule gave a small sigh and averted his gaze to the ground. He spoke as kindly as he could, "I'm fine, Augustus. Nothing happened. It's just one of those days, you know."

The illusionist decided not to acknowledge the decency Matt showed him, for fear he would revert back out of nervousness. Instead, he lightened the tone.

"Maybe I could help cheer you up!"

The boy next to him rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious! C'mon, there's gotta be something I can do to make you smile!", Gus grinned.

"You're sweet, magician boy, but I don't need cheering up", Matt's voice suddenly took on a gruff, melodramatic tone, "My soul is cold, rock-hard, untouchabLE-"

His monologue was interrupted by a double poke to his sides, courtesy of Augustus 'fed up with your bullshit' Porter. To be perfectly honest, Gus didn't actually know what he thought would happen. But seeing his cocky friend jump at his touch gave him an idea. This would definitely make him smile.

"So you're suuuurrree nothing can make you smile~?, the illusionist teased.

Matt had a bad feeling about where this was going, and summoned the strongest grimace he could muster.

Gus slowly pinched up and down the boy's sides, "Are you suuuurree you're not... ticklish?"

Mattholomule was in deep water now. This was the last thing he wanted to happen in front of his cru-friend. His friend. The boy who used to be a nuisance, now his friend. His new friend. The friend who was sitting very close. Yep. His face grew red and he turned away, hoping the boy in question wouldn't notice.

But oh he definitely noticed!

Gus grinned with excitement, "Ohhhh I think you are~! I think you wanna laugh~"

The sparkling sensations on Mattholomule's sides were starting to get to him. His chest shook with suppressed laughter as the corners of his lips turned up.

"I think I see a smiilllee~!", teased Gus.

Matt shook his head sternly. He was not about to be humiliated in front of Augustus Porter of all people.

"No?", asked Gus dubiously, "Guess that means I have to do this!"

At that moment, he scribbled his fingers all over the poor boy's torso, scritching and scratching over his belly and sides.

Mattholomule doubled over, flopping right onto the ground like a fish.

Gus roared with laughter at the less-than-graceful whale breach and followed after him, tickling him still.

"I know this tickles! I'm not gonna stop until I hear a giggle. I'm going to tickle you all day if I have to~"

Poor Matt was barely keeping it together. He clapped his hands over his mouth to keep any noises in. The illusionist took notice of this.

"Are you embarrassed?? It's just me. I want to hear the real you. Pleeeaase??", Gus cooed affectionately.

Mattholomule's face burned like the sun. He COULD NOT believe this was happening to him. He was embarrassed beyond help. But at the same time, he knew Gus's words were spoken out of sincerity, and he knew if he really asked, Gus would stop. Maybe this dork really did just want to make him happy. Even still, Matt hated his own laugh. It made him sound like a loser.

Gus paused for a moment and made a show of pretending to be puzzled.

"Hmmm... oh I know! Your giggles must be buried in your belly! I better dig them out~", the illusionist said as he lowered his wiggling fingers toward their target.

As they clawed softly into the front of the Mattholomule's tunic, Gus could've sworn he heard a few jittery giggles muscle their way out the former bully's lips. He almost had him.

"C'mon Mattyyyy, cootchie cootchie coo~"

Hearing that corny petname after so long caught Matt off guard, and in that brief moment of flusteredness, the dam broke.

He couldn't fight it if he tried. He giggled so hard his body shook. He squeaked and squealed and squirmed and even snorted unintentionally, causing him to try to hide his face.

Gus was beaming with glee. He hadn't expected the bully's laugh to sound so... sweet. It sounded like a child's almost, which made sense considering they were children. It was the happiest noise he had ever heard.

He wasn't blind, though. He could see that Mattholomule was feeling vulnerable and embarrassed right now (which as to why Gus couldn't understand. His laugh was so charming, who made him feel like he needed to hide it??) and smiled assuredly down at him.

"Awwww Matty~! There's nothing to be ashamed of. Your laugh is adorable! It suits you..."

Gus was being honest with him. Matt could hear it in his voice. His words brought a rush of relief throughout his body, which just made him laugh more. This wasn't actually that bad. It felt really good to laugh like this, even if he still thought it sounded stupid. At least Gus didn't think it sounded stupid.

Mattholomule bubbly giggled, not only because he was still being tickled, but also he had never felt so safe and carefree in his life.

Eventually, Gus had to stop. The poor boy had started to wheeze. They laid together in the dirt, the loopiness in the air slowly fading out.

Gus was the first to speak.

"I promise not to tell anyone. This'll be our secret."

"Thanks, Gus. I appreciate that", Mattholomule said warmly, still smiling from ear to ear.

He looked over to find that his wonderful friend was already staring agape at him.

"What?", queried Matt.

The illusionist suddenly bore a grin almost as big as Mattholomule's. "You just called me Gus."

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FIRST TICKLE FIC! WOOO 🍾! Of course there is still room for improvement, but I had SO much fun writing this! Hope you like it!