Art Credit: From the Official Genshin Impact accounts (birthday art)!
Summary: Durin’s too adorable to not tickle :)
A/N: Sorry it took a while! This was very fun to write, and I admit I got a couple of lee moods while writing this, ehe. I’ll reblog some of my research that I did while working on this fic, but for conciseness, I want to give a big thanks to @kaeyasfavonius for lee/ler Durin headcanons, @chibimochii for lee Durin art and a drabble, @wertzunge for fics of ler!Durin, @blobbirobbi headcanon of Durin’s horns, and everyone’s interest in this fic :) As far as I know, there are no lee!Durin fics and I’m the first, so I’m kind of nervous, but I really hope you all enjoy this fic! Without further ado, enjoy reading!~
Word Count: 2861
Also on AO3!
—
Albedo was peacefully reading in bed, the warmth of Aether's Sereniteapot very welcome versus the freezing temperatures of Dragonspine. He glanced occasionally at his boyfriend, Scara, who was standing and wearing a blanket over his shoulders like a cape, and their dragon, Durin, who was sitting with a pencil in hand and in deep concentration, his tail flicking occasionally. They were at his work desk while Albedo passively listened, deeply engrossed in his book and only catching strings of their conversations ranging from Akademiya work to battle strategies.
“…show you a defensive technique.”
“Scara, wait. Why does it have to be my neck? I’m kinda scahared…”
Those words and…a giggle? Confused and concerned, Albedo looked up from his book towards them.
“I’m just teaching you how to defend yourself.”
Albedo caught the way Scara snickered to himself as he rolled the chair Durin’s on to a more open area in the room and gently placed his fingers against his neck and cupped his chin, catching Albedo staring, who shrank back at being caught.
“Curious?” Scara grinned, knowing the Alchemist was always curious about everything.
Albedo nodded his head, setting his book aside. “Yeah, what are you doing?”
“You’ll see~”
Scara’s voice was full of mischief, and the twinkle in his eyes made Albedo more intrigued.
Durin was biting back a smile and squirming about, cheeks tinted red.
“Thahat tihickles,” Durin mumbled.
“Well, it isn’t supposed to tickle, so try to keep still,” Scara rolled his eyes.
Albedo could hear the blatant lie in Scara’s voice as Scara was trying his best to keep it together and not spoil the surprise too early.
“So,” Scara cleared his throat, putting on a nonchalant tone. “You have your victim in the chair, right?”
“Mhmehemm,” Durin nodded, shivering when Scara’s fingers brushed against his neck.
Albedo got out his sketch book, outlining a sketch of the two, wanting to preserve the memory while taking notes on the side of what Scara was saying.
“Now, you press down on their neck so you have good leverage. Then, you raise their neck—”
“Pfftahaha!”
Durin instinctively brought a hand to his mouth to hide his outburst of sudden giggles as his wings folded inward to protect himself.
“Didn’t I tell you to keep still?” Scara chastised, trying to nudge his wings away, unable to help himself as he fluttered his fingers over them, making Durin squeal and retract them.
“Scahahara!”
“That’s better. Now don’t make me tickle you again~”
That made Albedo roll his eyes, now seeing where his boyfriend is heading. Though the way his partner is keeping Durin in place is a genuine technique that he will file in his memory to tickle Scara for trapping an enemy.
“Now, where were we?” Scara pondered, tapping his fingers on Durin’s neck in thought, making the latter stiffen as tiny giggles flowed from his mouth. “Ah, yes,” Scara remembered, subtly adjusting his fingers. “Now remember to place your middle fingers beside your victim’s throat.”
At this point, Durin’s eyes were squeezed shut, giggles streaming out of him, face flushed to a similar color to his eyes.
He’s adorable, both Albedo and Scara thought simultaneously before Scara continued.
“And then use your…thumb joint thingies? Those are actually called— Albedo, I love you, babe, but we are not doing a full anatomy lecture right now, to press into the temple area and pull up—”
“BWAHAHAHAHA!”
Whatever Scara said after was lost as Durin exploded in laughter, shrieking and frantically pulling at Scara’s hands while his feet kicked out, almost toppling the chair over if Scara wasn’t there behind him.
“S-SCAHAHAHARA! HAHAHAT GUHUHUY! IT TIHIHICKLES! IT TICKLEHEHESSS! OHOHOHO MY GAHAHAHAWD! AHAHAHA!”
“Oh? It does? I didn't realize~” Scara said, innocently, while he continued tickling him.
Durin’s tail swished rapidly behind him, whacking against Scara incessantly as his wings frantically flapped about and his legs kicked out.
“YOUHUHU SAHAHAID IHIHIT WOHOHON’T TIHIHICKL— GAHAHAHA! YOU TRIHIHICKED MEHEHE!”
“Oh, Durin,” Scara cooed. “It was obvious that I was going to tickle you~ ’…a defensive technique’; Pfft. That was such an obvious excuse for me to tickle you~”
Scara angled his fingers a bit, scratching at a particularly sensitive patch of skin on his neck, making Durin roar with laughter.
“AHAHAHA! NOT THERE! NOHOHOT THEHEHERE!”
“Come on, this is good practice for you to try and get out~” Scara teased. “You can do that, right? Since you are an almighty dragon?”
“NOHOHOHO TEHEHEHEASINGGG!!”
“No? I thought you liked teasing. I would even say you like it as much as you like being tickled~”
Scara smirked devilishly before leaning down and placing small ticklish raspberries on the tips of his horns. That, in addition to the tickles on his neck, made Durin completely fall apart.
Scara looked towards Albedo, who wasn’t looking at him, making him scoff.
“Albedo! I was asking you—”
“Tahahahake thihihis!”
With Scara distracted, Durin managed to control his tail and make it curl around Scara’s waist, trapping him and dipping the end into one of his hip windows and prodding inside, earning an undignified squeal from Scara, who immediately let him go.
In a desperate attempt to gain control again, he gave Durin a bear hug and scribbled over his wings, causing the other to cackle and instinctively give his wings a big burst of energy, flying off the chair and taking Scara with him before heading right directly to Albedo and the bed.
“W-Whoa, DURIN! WATCH OUT!”
“OH SHIT!”
A flutter of bed sheets, pillows, feathers, and blankets exploded from the bed as the two crashed into it.
“Owie,” Durin groaned, taking a punctured pillow out of his horns.
Hearing Albedo groan too, Durin gasped, crawling over to him.
"Albedo! Are you okay?!" Durin cried out with concern.
Albedo gave him a light grin, patting himself down.
"Ah. I feel like 10 million mora. Can't say the same thing about Hat Guy, though," Albedo chuckled, winking at him and gesturing towards a hatless Scaramouche.
“Durinnnn!! What was the plan there!?!”
A grumpy Wanderer pulled the dragon's legs toward him, making him yelp.
“I-I didn’t think that far ahead!” Durin sheepishly grinned, scratching the back of his head before gasping when he felt his arms being raised over his head.
“Albedo?!”
“Finally, deciding you want to join in, huh?” Scara clicked his tongue at the Alchemist as he climbed onto Durin’s hips.
“Mm, he almost destroyed my painting…” Albedo murmured, taking off Durin’s gloves, causing the other to get into a giggle fit.
“D-Dohohon't! Ahahalbehehedohoho! Scahahara!” Durin giggled, squirming around, and his wings flapping about.
“We're not even tickling you, and you're this giggly?” Scara chuckled, looking at Durin’s flushed face with amusement. “Hmm, we have to do something about those wings…”
“No! Y-You dohohon't need toho! Stahahay awahayehehehe!”
Durin giggled, hiding himself behind his wings before immediately unfolding them and letting out a guffaw of laughter when Scara scribbled over his lower abdomen.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. We definitely need to do something about those naughty wings.”
He exchanged a glance with Albedo, who nodded with a knowing smirk on his face, before they instantly were at opposite ends of Durin’s wings, spreading them taut before gently tracing the inner membranes.
Durin clutched his sides with his now free hands, scrunching up his face in squeaky, uncontrollable snickers and laughter as Scara and Albedo giggled alongside him.
Albedo glanced over to his side when he felt something brush against his thigh.
“Hmm, oh. A feather…a feather.”
Albedo's eyes lit up in realization. He picked up the feather and twirled it in between his fingers before calling out to Scara.
“Scara! Try this!”
He showed the feather to him, making the latter widen his eyes and flinch, biting his lip before regaining his composure in an instant.
What was that? Albedo thought to himself, filing that detail for later.
“I like the way you think, Bedo,” Scara said, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Scara summoned Anemo, bringing some feathers to his and Albedo’s side. He could use his powers to control the feathers to tickle Durin, but he’s 100% sure that the dragon would not survive the onslaught. Better suited for a dumb bee, too smooth samurai, flirty detective, or a smart ass alchemist.
Durin was grateful for the break, pulling in gulps of air before starting to giggle once again when he saw the two readying themselves.
“Wahahait! Plehehease! Pleasepleaseplehehahasehehe!! I'll do anythihing!” Durin pleaded, a glint of nervous excitement in his eyes.
“Anything, you say?” Scara hummed, armed with two feathers, one in each hand, hovering them over Durin’s wing.
“Ahahanythihing! Eep!”
Durin let out a squeak when he felt a feather brush on his other wing, looking at Albedo with wide eyes.
“Oops, sorry,” Albedo apologized, the apology not reaching his face as he smirked.
“Hmm,” Scara pondered aloud, bringing Durin’s attention back to him. “Say you’re the most ticklish person in the world.”
Durin bit his lip. There’s no way he can say that! That’s too flustering! He looked between Scara and Albedo before sighing in defeat.
“You’re the most ticklish person in the world. There, I said it,” he finally spoke with an innocent face.
The shock on Scara’s face was priceless that Durin had to break into a sly grin, and Albedo started laughing.
“Don’t laugh, Albedo!” Scara cried out, being pulled out of his stupor.
“Sorry! Sohorry!”
Scara rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to Durin and, without even giving him the chance to react, started swiping the feathers across his sensitive wing, which he was pinning down.
The reaction was instant as Durin was beside himself in laughter, kicking his legs out and arching his back before falling back down.
“HAHAHAHA! WAHAHAIT! GAHAHAHA!”
“You were really asking to be tickled, huh, bratty dragon?”
Despite his protests, both Albedo and Scara can see that Durin was enjoying himself with the wide smile on his face and bubbly laughter flowing out of his lips, while his tail whipped back and forth between his legs.
“I knew you were ticklish, but not this ticklish,” Albedo said in awe, as he swept the feather over the edges of his wing, making the dragon let out a squeak.
“It does, huh~?” Scara asked with an evil grin. “How about here?”
He reached for a spot on Durin’s wing where he knew was extremely ticklish, thanks to the photo Albedo sent him of Klee drawing on his wing, and suffice to say, it was very effective.
Durin couldn’t think straight anymore, much less complete his sentence. He just knew it tickled so, so bad! It was only feathers, too! Why does it tickle so much!?
“Now imagine if Albedo did the same thing on your other wing?~” Scara teased, bringing him out of his thoughts.
He darted his eyes towards Albedo, seeing how he was slowly lowering the feathers in his hands towards his wing, and that was the final straw before Durin finally gave in.
“OKAY! OKAHAHAY! NOHOHO MOHOHOHORE! PLEHEHEHASE!”
Hearing those words, Albedo and Scara immediately stopped and let him go. He instantly curled up, giggling as he hid himself with his wings.
The two of them slowly approached him before hugging him, staying like that for a while, before the door to the room suddenly swung open, and Sethos stepped in.
“What’s going on he—? Oh! Is this a cuddle pile?! Let me join!”
Sethos jumped onto the three of them, making them let out an ‘oof!’ as they fell over. Scara immediately started whacking at Sethos and scolding him while Sethos repeatedly let out ‘I’m sorry!’ trying to protect himself with a nearby pillow. Durin laughed at the scene they were in, and Albedo looked at Sethos and Scara fondly, chuckling under his breath.
“You are an idiot, Sethos! What if we got hurt?!”
“I’m sawry…”
“Don’t. Don’t give me those puppy eyes.”
“You’ll forgwave me? Wight, Scawa?”
Scara’s face was heating up quick and he jolted when Albedo nudged him with a smirk.
“So?”
“Ugh, you all are insufferable! I forgive you, now stop with those puppy eyes!!”
“Yay!”
“You are such a child.”
“Hmm,” Durin hummed to himself, having finally recovered after his two tickle sessions and catching Albedo’s attention.
“What is it, Durin?”
“I was just thinking,” Durin looked towards Scara, who finally left Sethos in peace. “You seem to be quite a tsundere, Scara.”
Scara sputtered as the other two shielded their laughter behind their hands.
“I’m not a tsundere! And where the hell did you learn that word?! Albedo?!”
“Why are you blaming me!? I didn’t teach him that!”
“Sethos!?”
“Not me, honest!”
Scara pinched the bridge of his nose before tackling Durin.
“Ah!”
“Durin, you have five seconds.”
“I’m not telling!”
“Fivefourthreetwo—”
“You can’t count that fa—*one—*hahAHaST! AHahAhAHA!”
“Now tell me where you learned that word or else.”
“NehEHEverrr!!”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you~”
“Wait! Not the— N-NonononoHOHoho!”
As Durin was tickled once again, Albedo and Sethos looked on in amusement.
“I bet 10 mora that Durin will not give in,” Sethos said after a moment. “What do you say, Albedo?”
“You bet?”
“Yeah. The shenanigans Cyno, Tighnari, Kaveh, Alhaitham, and I get into during Genius Invokation TCG can lead to some…interesting bets.”
“I see. I accept your bet then. 10 million mora says he folds.”
“HUH?! cough I-I see someone’s confident.”
“It’s cause I’m a winning man. See?”
He gestured to Scara and Durin, the latter beside himself in squeals, giggles, and snorts as Scara gently tickled his horns.
“Ready to give in, little dragon?~ I know this is your weakest spot~”
“L-Let’s call off the bet and join in instead?” Sethos asked hopefully because he definitely does not have 10 million mora.
“Sure,” Albedo chuckled, making Sethos sigh in relief.
“Ah, look. Seems like we have two more people who want to join in on the fun~” Scara snickered.
“S-Stahahay bahahack!” Durin giggled at the two new lers.
Sethos feigned hurt as he grabbed a hold of both Durin’s palms while Albedo sat near one of Durin’s wings.
“Rin-Rin, that hurts!” Sethos pouted. “I want to hear more of your giggles!”
“He did curse earlier,” Scara recalled, tracing the ridges of Durin’s horns and making the dragon yelp. “He should be tickled for that, don’t you think, Sethos?”
“Our little dragon cursed?!” Sethos widened his eyes in shock.
“It’s true, I did witness it,” Albedo chimed in.
“Durin, you’re so going to get it!”
Sethos started blowing raspberries on his palms, and Albedo joined in on scribbling his fingers over his wings, and with the added tickles on his horns by Scara, the rush of sensations immediately hit him, igniting the loudest laughter yet from the dragon.
Hiccupy laughter and snorts filled the ears of his ticklers, and they felt their hearts melt at how adorable he was as they slowed down before stopping altogether and hugging Durin tight.
“Never change, Durin.”
“You’re so adorable, little dragon~”
“Sigh, bratty dragon.”
A moment of peaceful silence settled over them before Scara spoke again.
“You still didn’t say where you learned the word tsundere.”
All of them could hear the pout in Scara’s voice, making them all chuckle, and Scara’s face burned a bright red.
“Oh, Hat Guy~” Durin teased, wiggling his wing against his side. “It was Kazuha. He lent me some BL to read because I was curious about love, and I found out about that word.”
Laughter filled the room once again, and Durin leaned into Albedo’s hand, who was ruffling his hair.
“Albedo?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m happy to have been born,” Durin spoke softly. “Thank you for making it possible. I’m happy I have a family that loves me.”
Before Albedo or even Scara and Sethos, who stopped after hearing what Durin said, could say anything, light snores and purrs emitted from the now sleeping dragon.
“I’m glad you are here,” both Albedo and Scara said in unison to his sleeping form with small tears in their eyes before snuggling close to him and then pulling Sethos towards them, who was unsure if he should say something and leave.
“You’re part of this family. Stay.”
And stay, Sethos did as a comfortable silence settled over them before following Durin into the land of dreams and sleeping alongside him~
a/n: yes I know, 'another one?!' yes. They're back again. I have so many fics lined up but I finished this one first, so here it is. Soft cuddles and Albedo's small revenge. Enjoy! 💚
★・・・★・・・★・・・★
Albedo’s head rested on Kaeya’s chest, allowing his gentle touch to stroke through soft, blonde locks of hair. The rhythmic stroking soothed and lulled Albedo into a state of pure relaxation, it must have been a rare sight to behold.
Albedo didn’t usually require sleep, due to his circumstances as a synthetic human, but he allowed himself fleeting moments of relaxation such as these ever since Kaeya introduced him to gentle and soothing touches.
Kaeya once compared his longings for affection to a cat, which made Albedo laugh. It was an amusing comparison and one he didn’t take offence to.
A contented sigh left his lips in which Kaeya replied with a gentle kiss to his temple. Another thing the Alchemist grew to enjoy the feeling of, he could practically feel himself nuzzle into the affection.
Kaeya’s other hand slipped under the hem of Albedo’s dark blue shirt to trace delicate patterns across the smooth skin of his back. The sudden cold contact of Kaeya’s hand to his skin startled him at first, causing a noticeable flinch that he couldn’t conceal.
“Sorry,” Kaeya mumbled against his temple and Albedo could feel the smile on his lips. Albedo couldn’t bring himself to be in any way bothered by the action, because the feather-light touch sparked a pleasure that danced along his spine.
Albedo’s hand gripped tighter onto the front of Kaeya’s shirt, a silent plea to continue.
The tender caresses and intimate gestures were still new to Albedo. Unfamiliar yet exciting sensations that made his heart flutter in a way he had never known before meeting Kaeya. He told himself this was all for research purposes, which always made Kaeya amused for some reason.
Albedo pondered for a moment and realised that it seemed selfish of him to be receiving all this divine attention. After all, Kaeya too had a long day at work, so it would only be fair for him to mimic these relaxing gestures.
The Alchemist’s hands travelled down to the hem of Kaeya’s shirt, lifting and slipping his hand under from the front. He felt toned abs under his fingertips and tried to mimic the gentle patterns that Kaeya gave to his skin.
He felt a flinch, which he assumed was the normal response, as it happened to him too when Kaeya did the same thing. However, as he kept up the gentle movements over Kaeya’s stomach area, he noticed that Kaeya’s belly twitched under his touch.
“Albedo,” Kaeya chuckled lightly.
“Hm?”
“Yohou’re beheing mean.”
“How do you mean?” Albedo craned his neck up to lock eyes with the captain. “I am returning the gesture. Am I doing it wrong?”
“Nohot exactly,” Kaeya withdrew a hand from the blonde’s hair and brought it down to halt his wrist. “It tickles when you do it there though.”
“I see,” Albedo gazed down at the placement, and he did see a point, the stomach area on a person’s torso is sensitive to light touches. He should have known that from Kaeya’s many gentle touches and purposeful tickles there in the past.
The polite thing to do would be to move spots. But then, how could he let an opportunity such as this escape him? Instead of withdrawing his hand, his fingers began to wiggle a lot faster than before along the abs of Kaeya’s tummy.
“Ack! – Whahat, nohoho!” Albedo couldn’t help but feel his face warm up at Kaeya’s charming laughter. It was truly a beautiful sound, and he started to see why Kaeya always tickled him for such reasons as ‘to hear your beautiful laughter.’
It all made sense now.
Feeling unusually playful, Albedo sat up from his position on Kaeya’s lap and rearranged himself to straddle him. Both hands were now under Kaeya’s shirt and tickling his skin effectively, wiggling fingers over his stomach and sides.
“Hahahaha! – Ahahalbedhoho!” Kaeya gasped between laughter, wiggling beneath the smaller male as he was trapped beneath him. Albedo could hear Kaeya’s feet stomping the ground behind him, a desperate attempt to counter the ticklish feeling, he deduced.
He had to admit, this was a lot of fun. He couldn’t help the smile upon his own face as he watched his dear captain wiggle and laugh because of his tickles.
“You were right, this is very rewarding,” Albedo commented casually which left Kaeya exasperated by the audacity.
But he forgot who he was dealing with. Kaeya would never let him keep the upper hand in these occasions and Albedo found himself almost in the blink of an eye flipped over onto his back, looking up at a looming Calvary Captain.
“I…” Albedo smiled, almost sheepishly. “don’t suppose this makes us even?”
“Not quite.”
Albedo’s laughter echoed throughout the room as Kaeya’s fingers descended onto his sides. He really should have known better, but it was moments like these that made Albedo feel just that little more human, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Very important ask for the resident Albedo lover. Do you have any tickle hcs that you really really love for him? :3
LET'S FUCKING GOOOO I GET TO RANT ABOUT ALBEDO TICKLE HEADCANONS OMG you made me the happiest just by asking this and now you've triggered my yap fest. THANK YOU VEE. IM SO HAPPY
Look at that pretty face. I was itching to mention some headcanons I have of him and now you gave me the chance heueheuheh
As a lee first and mostly because I love him as a lee:
This is a collective thing we've all agreed on when it comes to him right?? Neck: Ticklish. Especially that little birthmark. It has been mentioned quite often but PLEASE some nuzzles there and he's all giggly (tickles or kisses around his ears would get him giggling softly too).
Breathy giggles. My favorite of them all. There's plenty of clips of his ENG VA giggling and they're just everything to me, I'd like to think he also giggles like that.
When it comes to reactions, I feel like if you get a bad spot he wheezes and then quietly hiccups. (There are plenty of clips to back it up).
I have one thing to say. He also wears gloves to cover those pale hands and rarely takes them off. TICKLISH. PALMS. A few kisses there and he's giggling quietly.
If you're a very close friend or more, he would let you tickle him just to indulge you or because he doesn't mind, even if he doesn't explicitly show it. We've seen how capable he is: if he wanted to stop you, he totally could...
Buuuut he wouldn't even really say "stop". He would maybe say "wait" or come up with excuses through his breathy giggles, claiming he has more important matters to take care of; but not really drawing a firm line to stop the shenanigans. Both because he's too kind for that and because the attention is unfamiliar to him... so he just lets it happen.
If it's a person not-so-close to him he wouldn't let it slide and kindly ask to stop, yes. He's pretty reserved after all.
He cannot take baby talk. He's usually so calm and collected, so serious about his tasks. I feel like a little bit of sweet talk with tickles would get him all bashful and blushy.
Lastly, as a ler:
There isn't much to say about this at all because it's so very obvious. He's very curious when something catches his attention, he'd over-analyze your reactions. "Ah, where does it tickle more? Hmm, interesting..." we all can tell and picture how he would be like. Studying you.
I don't think he'd be ruthless, rather thoroughly amused and careful not to push it. He's so calculating and careful after all.
Overall he's unbelievably sweet and there's already another tk drawing of him in process,,, (bevause I love him yes thank you)
Genshin Impact - Xiao, Aether, Albedo and Wanderer
A/N: First things first, I want to thank @eliankrios for his support, patience and - above all that - his trust. This is my first big project in a good while and I think (and hope) that I managed to do a good job so... yeah.
I'm not really used to larger fics, but before I noticed, I was already reaching the word count. This was trully a ride, hahah. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, my dear, faithful customer!
Summary: One day away from starting the next cycle of his journey, why not gather a few friends - and a special person - to hang together?
Word count: 6605 words
Aether sat down and placed a bunch of letters on top of his desk, spreading them out in a fan. He couldn’t help but feel the expectation building up inside him, hoping for a positive outcome.
A couple weeks ago, Aether decided to promote some sort of gathering with his friends. A little farewell party before heading out to the next cycle of his adventure - after all, who knows for how long he will be away in Natlan?
So, with this thought in mind, Aether used his bestest writing to invite the ones he held dear over. Delivering the letters across all the continents he visited so far was a tough task, but Aether knew it would be worth the effort. Not only his friends, but he was also inviting him over, so of course he had to do each and every thing in his reach to make it work.
Back to the present, the replies to his invitations began to arrive, one after the other. The different seals in each stamp showed where they were from: Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru and Fontaine. Aether sighed, picking up the first one and carefully ripping it open.
His eyes scanned over the words written down, beaming with excitement with the positive answer by the foot of the page. A sense of relief and happiness filled his heart by the time he opened the second letter. And the third… well, the traveler pouted, maybe not everything would work out, after all. The fourth and fifth balanced each other out: both answers surprised Aether as they came as the completely opposite of what he had anticipated.
So far, Albedo, Xiao and Wanderer agreed to come over, while Kazuha and Lyney had to decline his request: one thanks to The Crux’s sailing plans and the other to his busy agenda. Still, managing to bring these three, with him included, was enough to fuel Aether’s imagination, dreaming of the day of the gathering.
He looked down at the letters, his mind now wandering to the second matter: what was he going to do with those three together? Thinking about it, would they even get along? Well, surely about was an easier person to be dealt with, but Xiao and Wanderer…
Aether shook his head. He shouldn’t be expecting the worst. What if they ended up enjoying each other's company? Or even became friends? Yes! The traveler stretched out his arms above his head, crossing his hands behind his head as he stared at the Serenitea Pot’s ceiling. He couldn’t wait for the day to come!
…
Well, they were talking to each other, at least. Not in the way Aether expected - or wanted, for that matter - but, still, a conversation, he supposed.
Clenching his hand around his cup, Aether peeked left and right, hoping to spot any improvement in his guests’ mood. So far, however, Albedo was the only one to be enjoying himself, it seemed. He sighed, a faint voice inside his head already telling this whole meeting was a bad idea.
It’s not like he could say things went downhill from the very start. At first, with just him and Albedo - the first one to arrive -, everything worked out just fine: they had a little chat, Albedo tried out one of his dishes and even complimented Aether on the whole idea. It, indeed, felt like it was about to work out amazingly.
However, it seemed like his plans shattered in front of his very own eyes from the moment his second and third guest arrived - both at the same time, coincidentally. As soon as Xiao and Wanderer landed eyes on each other, animosity and an ominous feeling began to fill the room.
For some unknown reason, they did seem to get along. Aether couldn’t recall a time where they could possibly have interacted before and, being in his right mind, he wouldn’t consider inviting them both together if he knew about any of this - so why do they seem to… hate each other?!
Still, at first, Aether tried to think that it was just his impressions. After all, they wouldn’t be at each other’s throats for the whole night, now, would they?
They would. In fact, they were still at it.
There was no need for words when the two anemo users stared at each other like that, silently threatening their opponent and throwing daggers with their piercing looks. Aether could barely breathe as the tension began to get to him. It felt like they would start to throw punches if Aether took his eyes out of them for a single second!
Suddenly - breaking the silence like a rock thrown at a peaceful lake - Albedo hummed, clearly pleased. “The tea is really good, traveler,” he said, taking the cup away from his lips as he lowered it, “where did you say it came from again?”
Aether’s jaw dropped. ‘My savior’, he thought, coughing to clean up his throat before proudly holding his cup up. “From Fontaine! It might be a bit too sweet, but I really liked it, hehe… I ended up getting a couple more, so drink as much as you want, ‘Bedo!”
“Huh, ‘a bit too sweet’?” Wanderer scoffed, leaning back in his seat and cocking his head to the side, throwing Aether a teasing stare. “You have such a childish taste, traveler. I bet you even added sugar to your cup, didn’t you?”
“A-ahah,” Aether giggled nervously, blushing slightly. He indeed added an extra sugar cube… “Well, I just-”
“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t like it,” Xiao interrupted drily, his arms crossed in front of his chest while his brows furrowed. Uh oh. “Aether had all the trouble in preparing it for us. It’s rude to complain like that.”
“X-Xiao, it’s not that ser-”
“So what? Why are you even hurting in his place?” Wanderer snapped back defiantly, barely shifting in his place if not for his head tilting back - moving it just to look down at Xiao.
This was bad. Really, really bad. Aether looked left and right, trying to utter something to ease the tension, but ending up just getting interrupted before managing to utter anything. He didn’t even know if he should step in at that point - what if they thought he was taking a side? Even worse, what if they wanted him to take a side?!
While Aether lost himself in a flurry of thoughts, with one idea running over the other, Xiao and Wanderer continued their ‘little’ bickering, getting more and more flared up with each other.
“You should show proper respect to your host - especially if it’s someone as Aether,” Xiao hissed, leaning forward in his seat as if ready to jump at Wanderer’s face within the next seconds.
Still, the other guy didn’t seem like he was planning to back down. “I can talk to him however I want. We are friends and he doesn’t mind. Why should I listen to you?”
“Apologize to the traveler. Now.”
“Or what, Yaksha?” Wanderer grinned. “Want to take it outside? I can b-”
Clap!
“Ahem.”
The two stopped, widening their eyes in surprise and turning their attention to Albedo, who still had his hands together. He also managed to call Aether’s attention, who watched him with expectant eyes - almost as if begging him for a solution. Someone as smart as him surely could come up with something, right?
“I didn’t plan to step in, but it doesn’t seem like you two will figure it out peacefully,” he sighed, his eyes scanning the room from one side to the other, making eye contact with Xiao and, then, with Wanderer. “Am I right?”
The two guys looked away, one puffing out his cheeks while the other clicked his tongue. Why did it feel like he was dealing with two kids..?
“He started it,” Xiao mumbled, saddened to see how distressed Aether was at the whole scene. “He was being rude to Aether.”
Wanderer sighed, rolling his eyes, “exactly, to Aether. Not to you. He doesn’t even care, you are the only one complaining.” Just as he finished speaking, Wanderer also shot a glance at Aether’s face and, despite his attempts to conceal his emotions, it was clear that it also bothered him.
However, even when they were aware of the consequences of their bickering, it didn’t seem to be enough to appease the mood. In a blink of an eye, they were about to start the whole discussion all over again.
So, for the second time, Albedo decided to meddle in their fight. “Do you two really wish to fight each other so badly?”
The unfriendly duo huffed, keeping themselves quiet, but clearly agreeing with Albedo’s statement.
“Sure, you can fight, then.”
“A-Albedo?!” Aether gasped, what was he even trying to achieve by allowing such a thing? Did he want to take notes on the results of Xiao and Wanderer’s falling out?! “N-no, you can’t fig-”
“But,” Albedo continued, skilfully capturing the attention of all the people in the room, “to prevent any harm to be done, you’ll have to solve this through a contest. And, whoever wins, gets to be ‘right’ about this matter. Good enough?”
Silence quickly sat in the room. Albedo could be a really mysterious - if not confusing - person when he wanted and, at times like these, it was almost impossible to figure him out. What was he even planning with this ‘contest’?
“Why would I even joi-”
“Fine for me,” Xiao abruptly cut Wanderer’s speech, looking at his possible opponent. “I can do it, no matter what it is.”
Wanderer gritted his teeth, growling quietly as Xiao managed to easily get into his nerves. “Ok, let’s do it. I can’t wait to hear the Yaksha begging for my pardon.”
Albedo smiled, looking at his side to meet Aether’s eyes. “Would you like to join as well, traveler?”
“H-huh? Me?”
“Yes, you can take part in it too,” Albedo nodded. “If you win, then they both shall apologise to each other.”
Aether furrowed his brows slightly, taking the offer in consideration. Certainly, winning on their terms would probably prevent Xiao and Wanderer from getting into another fight so it should be worth the try, right?
“Alright, I’ll join you guys too!” Aether clenched his hands, excited. This was getting interesting. “So, what’s your idea, Albedo?”
“Yeah,” Wanderer added, “what’s the ‘contest’ about?”
“Endurance.”
…
“What?” Xiao, Aether and Wanderer asked, almost in unison.
Albedo chuckled, taking back his seat and elegantly crossing one knee over the other, ready to start his explanation. “So, the main goal here is to prevent you,” he pointed to Xiao, “and you,” then at Wanderer, “to hurt each other. My proposal, then, is an endurance test. Whoever lasts longer, wins. Simple as that.”
“And how exactly do you plan to test our endurance? Making us run around the house?” Wanderer mumbled, supporting his head on his hand as he looked at Albedo.
“By tickling you,” Albedo said with a smile, contrasting the unsettled faces of the other three. “Whoever takes the longest time to yield, wins.”
It didn’t take long for a pink hue to cover everyone’s faces. While Aether’s eyes widened and his whole body tensed up with a shiver running up his spine, Wanderer looked away, trying to hide his blushing cheeks by pretending to cringe at the idea. Meanwhile, Xiao fiddled in his seat, trying to find courage to face such a trial while telling himself that ‘it was for Aether’.
And, just like that, no one dared to object to the idea - each of them with their own reasons to not do so. “It’s settled then,” Albedo said as he clapped his hands together, his eyes scanning the whole room while a subtle smirk planted itself on his lips. “Is there anyone that would like to go first?”
That question seemed to spark a whole new level of anticipation among the ‘contestants’. Eager eyes shifted back and forth between one and another, trying to read who was going to make the first move.
A sharp inhale, then, directed everyone’s attention to Wanderer. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just get over with this stupid contest already,” he groaned, throwing a deadly glare to the other three as if daring one of them to even lift a finger towards him.
And as expected, his silent threats seemed to do the trick for Aether while, as for the Yaksha, it seemed to make him hesitate - after all, he wouldn’t want to start a fight in front of the traveler again. However, during the few seconds Wanderer occupied himself with keeping an eye on them, Albedo made his move.
“AH!” Wanderer squeaked like a toy, quickly shooting his arms down and pressing them against his body as hard as he could, trying to stop Albedo’s hands from climbing his ribs any further. “Y-you- fuhuck! G-grhrr, I wihill f-fuhucking kihill you!!” He growled, leaning his head back into the chair rest, but further into Albedo’s grasp.
“You’re allowed to laugh, though. I think I forgot to mention that,” Albedo mused, his index fingers poking at different spots in Wanderer’s ribcage, prodding at the little spaces between each bone in search for a sensitive spot that would make him crack. “Just say ‘yellow’ when you can’t take it anymore and I’ll stop, ok? That’s also what will count as ‘yield’.”
“I d-dohon’t need a fu- pfft, d-damn it! A sahahafe word! I’m n-nohot tihihicklish!”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Albedo mocked, digging into the back of Wanderer’s ribs with his thumb. Getting behind him was proving to be awfully convenient for him, he thought while making little notes in his head about Wanderer’s ticklish spots.
It was a sight to behold, from Aether’s and Xiao’s point of view. Albedo made touching someone like Wanderer seem easy, even casual, completely tickling his way through the threats and curses.
“You’re pretty ticklish here, right?”
“N-NOhohoh!! G-gehehet off, ahAHAH!!”
If it weren’t for the fact that they were up next in the line to get that treatment, it would be a pretty amusing scene to watch. As expected of Albedo, it seemed that every tweak of his fingers, every poke and every stroke were planned, calculated. Wanderer didn’t stand a chance as no matter what direction he arched or twisted his body, Albedo would already have his hands ready to welcome him with more tickles there. “Yohohou jehEHEHerk!! It tihihickles!”
Albedo simply scoffed a laugh and continued with the ‘contest’s trial’, his digits kneading at Wanderer’s lowest set of ribs. “Of course it does, that’s my goal.”
But despite how hard he tried to make it tickle or how bad Wanderer claimed it to be, he was still not yielding - which meant it wasn’t time for Albedo to stop or let him go yet. A small pout took place in his lips while he pondered if he should try a different spot or, maybe, look around Aether’s place for a quill or a brush?
Then, feeling the gazes of his audience upon him and the current contestant, a different idea popped up in Albedo’s mind. Right, why didn’t he consider asking for some helping hands before?
“Would you like to join us?” Albedo suggested, cocking his head to the right while one of his hands managed to sneak under Wanderer’s arm, managing to tickle the smooth skin with the tip of his digits even with Wanderer clasping his arms down as hard as he possibly could. “Oh, did I hit a good spot?” He mused, looking down to the one squirming in his grip.
“NOHohohoh!! I-it’s ahAHAHahwful!!” Wanderer whined, his feet kicking up as he threw himself back in his seat, hoping to make Albedo lose contact with him, even if it was just for a split of a second.
Back to the other two, they pondered about Albedo’s offer - after all, that seemed to be a double edged knife: if they did join, that meant Wanderer would also get to join when it was their turn to get tickled? But wouldn’t that also mean they had the chance to make him surrender faster? Well, it was worth the shot, Xiao thought, while Aether only considered that it would make things more fun - and that should be enough to outweigh the cons.
Wanderer - too busy laughing and squirming in his seat, trying to fend off Albedo’s skilful fingers - barely noticed the two figures walking towards him. Not only that, but it wasn’t like any other sound besides his giggles could make it out of his mouth at that time.
All he could pay attention to was Albedo’s fingers trying to move and wiggle their way further up his torso, still managing to tickle him under his arms even when he tried so hard to protect that spot. Each move sent that awful signal that made him want to smile and laugh through his nerves and straight into his brain, over and over.
He wasn’t even human, so why was he so sensitive?
Suddenly, that and other inquiries that crossed his mind lost all the room they had inside Wanderer’s mind. With his eyes still pressed shut, he could only feel - as focused for a brief moment - that Albedo’s hands managed to… multiply? Wait, that didn’t make any sense. If he was tickling his armpits, then who the hell was holding him down by his waist?
Oh.
“W-wahahait!! I didn’t sahahay you’d gehehet to join!” Wanderer whined, pulling his knees up close to his stomach as his in a vain attempt of stopping Aether from joining in. “GeEHEhet ahaway frohohom me!!”
“Stop squirming,” Xiao groaned coldly, grabbing one of his ankles and forcing him to stretch out his leg, “Albedo said we could join. You weren’t already thinking of yielding, were you?”
“Don’t be mean to him, Xiao,” Aether said, but didn’t complain about the extra room Xiao provided him. His fingers roamed freely, wiggling over Wanderer’s lower sides and stomach.
“YOHOHOU!! AHahAHaha, y-you suhuhuck!” Wanderer laughed, scrunching up his shoulders and thrashing his head left and right.
Albedo tickling his armpits and ribs from behind, Aether playing with his middle like an instrument and that stupid Yaksha holding his legs down. This couldn’t possibly have gone any worse, Wanderer thought while a wide, careless smile bloomed into his face.
“Tickle tickle tickle! ~” Aether cooed, repetitively poking Wanderer around his navel, circling his stomach and even going down to tease his sides as well. “I think I’m better than Albedo at tickling you, won’t you agree?”
“That’s bold coming from you, traveler,” Albedo snapped back, “I would say he is barely feeling your hands.”
It was hard to even process what was happening around him. Wanderer’s body mostly moved out of reflex, barely having room to ponder about his actions. He arched his back, tried to kick his feet up and even twist his torso, swatting his hands at any ‘threat’ within his reach. “S-stohohop it!! Y-yohou ahHAHare all s-so- aHAHaha, so l-lahahame!”
If this was how things went, Wanderer could probably achieve a decent score with much effort. However, there was a missing piece that he failed to notice: Xiao. The Yaksha, while keeping Wanderer’s legs held down, watched the whole scene carefully and plotted his strategy - the main goal was to defeat him, after all. Why show him any mercy?
“I tohohold you to stahAHAHAH!!”
Aether and Albedo widened their eyes as his laughter soon rose a pitch. Maybe even two. To their surprise, the ‘best tickler’ wasn’t Aether nor Albedo, but Xiao. “This is the weak spot,” Xiao muttered, his eyes coldly staring at Wanderer’s laughing face. He kept one of his legs outstretched while, with his free hand, he squeezed the spot just above Wanderer’s knee, sending him into hysterics.
Simple. Effective. Even a bit cruel, if you asked Wanderer. The tickling from Albedo and Aether even slowed down a bit, but Wanderer’s laugh only seemed to grow more and more frantic.
“NOHOHOH MOHOHOREHEH!! AHAHAhah, f-fiHIHIHINE! AHAH ~” He whined, desperately trying to pull his leg out of Xiao’s grip, “Y-YEHEHEHELLOW!! StahAHAH-”
Clap.
Xiao lifted his eyes from Wanderer’s to Albedo’s face. The alchemist had a pleased smile on his face while holding his hand out in front of his chest.
“A-ahah… ah… y-you freheheak…” Wanderer cursed through tired giggles, his body going limp on top of his seat. His disheveled hair sticking to his forehead while his chest waved, trying to catch up his breath.
“Well, that wraps up our first round,” Albedo explained.
A cocky smirk took place in Xiao’s lips as he looked down at his main opponent, almost as if mocking him. Meanwhile, Aether’s eyes opened wide, beaming with excitement and anticipation - as that was probably what would wait for him. “H-how long was it, ‘Bedo?”
“I can’t say it yet, traveler,” he chuckled, “I don’t want anyone trying to push themselves beyond their limit just because of a silly game. So, let’s just stick with the rules for now, yes?” With that said, Albedo slowly walked around the chair, letting Wanderer rest while looking at Xiao and Aether, “should I decide who is going next, now?”
If it weren’t for Wanderer’s heavy breathing, the room would have been engulfed by silence again. However, just as Albedo was about to say something else, his attention shifted from the pair of “upcoming contestants” to the one next him. “Wanderer, what are you-”
“The Yaksha is going next,” Wanderer said as he got up, walking towards Xiao with bloodlust in his eyes. Did he really remember the goal of this contest was to not use violence?! “Come here!”
“G-get away from me!” Xiao groaned, trying to step back just to be tackled down into the soft carpet. Before Aether or Albedo could express their concern, Wanderer was already… tickling him. “S-stohop it! I dohon’t want y-you to doho it!” Xiao whined, kicking up his feet and swatting his hands at Wanderer's in a rather careless manner - it was not like he would bother himself with trying to not hurt him by accident.
Wanderer, with a wicked grin spreading over his face, continued to knead into Xiao's sides, determined to break him into laughter as soon as possible. “What do you mean? You wanted someone else to tickle you, you freak?” He mocked, pushing his hands away before dig into his lower stomach.
“S-shuhut it!! This ihihis nohohothing!” Xiao laughed out loud, caught off guard by the sudden change of spots. A faint blush began to spread over his face as he realized Aether had been watching him all this time. “I c-cahan tahahake it,” he boasted, almost as if trying to impress the traveler.
Wanderer, however, wasn't going to let that slide off easily - he was also one of the contestants, after all. “Suit yourself, Yaksha,” he muttered, half annoyed by Xiao's stubbornness, half amused by the whole situation.
Xiao was fighting not only one battle, but two. One to restrain himself from laughing, to make that revengeful tickling a bit more bearable and last the longest among them - or, at least, longer than Wanderer. The second was to maintain a collected image in front of Aether - the one he was ‘fighting’ for. It was just a childish, stupid game, not something that could beat a Yaksha. It was just tickling - he could, and would, take it, yes.
“I-ihihit’s useless!” Xiao mumbled through gritted teeth, trying to mock Wanderer’s attempts to crack him up. “Yohohou are teheherrible at this!”
And as much as he would hate to admit, seeing Xiao taking it so well was starting to get on Wanderer's nerves. He tried tickling his sides and ribs, scratching his stomach and even pinch his waist, but couldn’t find a spot that really worked: all he could get from Xiao was those quiet, annoyed chuckles. “It doesn’t sound like you agree with that, Yaksha.”
“Are they always this competitive?” Albedo muttered to Aether with a surprised smile on his face, unable to do anything but be amused by the whole scene. “I didn’t expect they would take it so seriously.”
“W-well, they never hung together before,” Aether chirped, scratching the back of his head in surprise. At least no one was getting hurt and they were… enjoying themselves? Having fun? Something like that, he thought. “But I think it’s a good thing they… are sort of getting alo-”
“Hey, you two,” Wanderer groaned with a frown, “aren’t you going to help me as well? Or did you suddenly decide to not get involved?”
“H-hah, I knehehew you cohohouldn’t do it b-by yohohourself,” Xiao taunted again, a confident smirk taking space in his lips amidst the restrained giggles. He, however, kept a tight grip around Wanderer’s wrists, limiting a good amount of his moves. “You ahahare not up fohor the tahask!”
“Shut it, Yaksha,” Wanderer groaned, growing frustrated. He moved his head left and right, switching his attention between Xiao and the other duo, “I’ll make you eat your words, j-just you- ugh, let go,” he hissed, yanking his hands out of Xiao’s wrists before latching them at his sides again, making the latter arch his back and kick his feet as a loud fit of laughter nearly broke through his throat.
Aether and Albedo couldn’t help but to snicker at the scene. Nodding as if in some kind of silent agreement, they decided to join Wanderer’s efforts in making Xiao laugh.
Albedo first positioned himself behind Wanderer’s, further restraining Xiao’s legs. Despite the whines and protests, he managed to pull off one of his boots and pin his leg into the soft mattress to scribble over the socked sole with his free hand. Albedo’s fingers wiggled upwards, stroking from Xiao’s heel up to his toes.
As for Aether, he took upon himself the task to take care of Xiao’s hands, taking a seat right next to the Yaksha’s head and allowing him to use his lap as a pillow. With a bit of Wanderer’s aid, he managed to pull Xiao’s hands up, exposing more of his torso for Wanderer’s merciless tickles. For some reason, having Aether holding his wrists down was flustering him the most among everything that was happening around him.
With the ticklish feeling running back and forth all over his body, Xiao thrashed his head, pressing it further into Aether’s lap as he laughed brightly. His free leg kicked and his back arched - his defenses had, indeed, crumbled. Still, the whole point wasn’t to make him laugh, but to make him surrender.
“T-thahAHAH- that’s unfahAHAhair!!” Xiao laughed, a faint red shade covering the whole extent of his cheeks. “L-lehehet go, trahAHAhaveler!” He pleaded, his hands clenched into fists while he desperately tried to pull down his arms, only to have Aether stopping him midway and pinned down again
“Not so cocky now, eh?” Wanderer grinned, his fingers digging into the side of Xiao’s ribs while his thumbs prodded at the spot below his chest, determined to find that spot, that sweet spot that would make Xiao apologize for nagging him. “Tsk, just yield already, stubborn Yaksha,” Wanderer groaned, quickly shooting his hands down to pinch Xiao’s sides, “you are clearly at your limit.”
“It would be wise to not push you to your limits, Xiao,” Albedo said, barely bothering himself to look back at the whole scene as he was too entertained with Xiao’s foot trying to squirm away from his fingers. “If you feel like it, just say the word.”
“I’m doHOHOhon’t neh-HEHEHEH NEEHEHED IT!”
The three sighed, something giving them the feeling that Xiao would rather have his brain melted by the laughter than admit defeat. “Oh, Xiao, why are you always so stubborn?” Aether chuckled, his fingers itching to do a bit more than just holding Xiao down… but, if he were to join, he should pick a good spot - but where?
His eyes roamed from Xiao’s flushed cheeks down to his neck, then up to his ears and to his arms, which were held up next to his head. Oh. Aether smirked, letting go of one of Xiao’s hands and reaching out for his exposed underarm, clawing at it with his free hand. “Come on, Xiao ~ I know it tickles too bad, even for you ~”
Just as expected, Xiao bursted into a louder fit of laughter as soon as Aether joined the efforts into cracking him up. The Yaksha’s banged his free hand against the soft mat underneath him, clenching it into a fist.
His cheeks and the sides of stomach were hurting from laughing so much and he couldn’t even make some meaning out of the conversation that was happening around him. It tickled so, so bad… Xiao pressed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the tickling, but each second of that electric feeling running all over his body felt an eternity. He couldn’t take it.
“AHAHAHAH, YEHEHELLOW!! YehEHEHEllow, plehehease!!” Xiao barked out among his cackles, turning his laughing face to the side and trying to bury it into Aether’s legs to hide his blushing cheeks. It took his brain some solid seconds to process that the tickling was over and, after all that “torment”, he was free.
“H-hehe, are you ok, Xiao?” Aether hummed, brushing his hand through Xiao’s head and wiping out the little tears that clung to the corner of his eyes.
“Tsk”, Wanderer pouted, totally not jealous of the little aftercare the Yaksha was receiving, “it’s just tickling. What kind of warrior would he be if he can’t take it?”
Albedo chuckled, but spared Wanderer of the reminder that he was the one laughing his head off just moments ago. “Don’t be mean, he did a pretty good job at this round,” he added, sliding off Xiao’s legs, “now… there is only one contestant left, right?”
That comment seemed to switch something inside Wanderer and Xiao’s heads. While Albedo displayed a playful smile, the other two locked their gazes into Aether’s face, one from below and the other in front of him, the latter just a half-a-Xiao away. “A-ahm… wait a second, I-”
“You’re not going back on your word, right?” Wanderer said with a smirk on his lips, already moving off of Xiao’s lap. Before Aether could even think of arguing back, the Yaksha was already sitting back up, staring at him with his golden eyes.
Aether swallowed, already accepting that there would be no way out for him this time. “F-fine, you cahAHA! W-wahahait a second, Xiao!”
“No,” Xiao muttered in a quiet, almost serious voice tone while he shyly pawed at Aether’s exposed sides, kneading into any patch of skin he could reach.
Truth to be told, Aether would have to deal with both him and Wanderer tickling him from the start if it weren’t for the way Xiao looked at the other two - like a wild animal fighting for its territory. Still, Aether was too busy laughing and trying to defend himself to notice those bits of possessive behavior. “You shouldn’t have agreed to this, traveler,” Xiao hummed, his words as firm as you’d expect from a warrior, but still… gentle somehow. “You’re too ticklish for it, it’s unwise.”
“I wahahanted to try!” Aether giggled, letting himself be handled by the Yaksha and comfortably placed on Xiao’s lap. With one arm around his back, Xiao continued to tickle Aether, smiling fondly as he managed to hang this close to the traveler. “X-Xiahahao,” Aether whimpered, scrunching up his shoulder, “n-not my ehehehar!”
“But I’m not tickling you there, I’m just breathing,” Xiao chuckled, his fingers dancing around Aether’s stomach while he nuzzled his face against the side of Aether’s neck, “I told you, you’re too ticklish for this contest.”
While Xiao insisted on teaching and lecturing Aether about the sensitive spots in his body, Wanderer and Albedo exchanged glances, watching from afar as Aether laughed out brightly. “Doesn’t this count as going too easy on him?” Wanderer pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he sulked against the couch.
“Let him have it,” Albedo sighed with a slight chuckle, “and I’m not talking about the traveler,” he added quietly, making Wanderer arch one of his eyebrows. Well, at least someone in the room knew how to read in between the lines, after all. “Besides, don’t you think you’re taking this competition a little too seriously?”
“What?” Wanderer huffed, entertaining himself with the conversation while Aether’s laughter grew in the background, “do you expect me to compete for the second place? Someone needs to teach that Yaksha his place.”
Albedo laughed, covering his lips with the back of his hand in a charming manner. “Well, if you say so,” he shook his head, returning his attention to Aether - who was already blushing from laughing. For some reason, Xiao was also blushing just as much, if not more, while tickling the traveler.
“Xiahahahao, n-not thehehere!” Aether giggled, tugging at Xiao’s wrists and leaning his head back into Xiao’s shoulder while Xiao pinched and squeezed his waist, prodding at the soft spots just above his hip bones. “I-it tihihihickles too bahahahad!”
“I-it’s supposed to,” Xiao nodded, resting his chin by the side of Aether’s neck and allowing him to sink deeper into his embrace, “but you’re d-doing quite well, traveler. I expected you to tap out much faster than thi-”
“It’s because you’re going too easy on him,” Wanderer interrupted with a smirk, pushing himself back up into his feet and walking towards the little couple duo. Xiao frowned, too greedy to share his precious traveler with that… guy.
“I know how he likes it,” Xiao snapped, making Aether groan in embarrassment. Did he really need to say that out loud, the traveler thought, but didn’t voice it. “Unlike you, it seems.”
However, against what he expected, Wanderer chuckled at his snark. He shook his head and clicked his lips, almost as if spotting a fatal flaw in Xiao’s method. “That’s the problem. He shouldn’t like it, right? He needs to beg!”
“AHAHAH!!”
Xiao widened his eyes as Aether bursted out in a loud, unrestrained fit of laughter - and only then he realized the traveler was only giggling all this time, and not laughing for real. “He is pretty ticklish all over, all somewhat the same,” Wanderer scoffed, pushing his hands under Aether's arms and clawing at his ribs and the sides of his chest, “you need to go harder or you’re not going to make any progress.”
As much as he hated to admit, Xiao couldn’t deny that Wanderer seem to be… right. Could he actually have been going easy on Aether all this time without notice?
Despite the little bickering happening around him, Aether could only mind the fact that it tickled. Xiao’s gentle, playfully tickles around his stomach and hips made him feel lighthearted, made his heart flutter. Meanwhile, the restless, almost maniac-like touches from Wanderer’s fingers around his ribs made his head spin and even made his chest hurt a little from the lack of air. “A-AHAHAHALBEDO,” Aether cried out, pressing his arms down against his sides as he tried to protect his vulnerable torso from the tickles that seemed to come from all sides, “HEHEHELP MEHEHE! AHAHA!!”
“I can’t,” the alchemist said from the distance, his voice barely audible among the loud cackling, “you didn’t say it yet.”
Right, the word. That word. Aether shook his head, gritting his teeth as he tried to gather strength to say it. “Y-YEHEHE- AHAHAH!! Y-yehehell- hhahAHAH, I CAHAHAN’T!”
“Come on,” Wanderer mocked, “it’s a simple word, how come you can’t do it?”
“I’M TRYHIHING! AHAHAH, PLEHEHEASE!” He whined, shaking his head while tears of mirth clung to his lashes, “Y-YELLOW! YEHEHEHELLOW!”
Wanderer grinned triumphantly and Albedo sighed in relief, but Xiao pouted slightly, feeling like his fun was ruined by that other guy - even though he was still glad he managed to have Aether for himself, even if for just a bit.
“A-ahahah… o-oh my…” Aether giggled, nearly melting over Xiao as the tickling finally came to halt. His head was spinning and he could swear he almost ascended to Celestia right there and then. “T-thihis was fun, heh…”
“It’s not supposed to be fun, it’s a competition,” Wanderer corrected him, that self-assigned superiority back in his eyes. “Now, alchemist, who wo-”
“Wait,” Aether stopped, shaking his head as if to force himself to recover, “it’s not over yet,” he smiled, taking one last gasp of air to stead his breath. “It’s Albedo’s turn now.”
“What?” Albedo blinked in confusion, pointing to himself with one of his hands as if to emphasize his shock. “But I’m not participating,” he said while letting out a small giggle, trying to hide his nervousness.
“How come?” Wanderer added, reading through Aether’s intentions and deciding to encourage them for once, “it’s only fair you get a turn too, this was all your idea, after all.”
Albedo’s eyebrow twitched slightly while his body leaned back into the couch, the apprehension growing within his chest. “M-my idea to solve your conflicts, I’m not part of the deal. W-what would I even win by beating you?”
“That’s up for you to decide,” Xiao added, standing up again before helping Aether to get back into his feet, “but I agree you should participate.”
Aether looked at Wanderer, at his right, and then at Xiao, at his left. He didn’t expect them to join or support his plan - he only wanted an excuse to tickle Albedo, after all - but this whole ‘contest’ thing seemed to, indeed, have made them closer. “Get ready, ‘Bedo! ~”
“A-Aether!” Albedo gasped, trying to get up in a hurry to evade Aether, but only managing to get a few meters away from the couch before being tackled down by the traveler. “S-stohop!”
“I didn’t even start,” Aether laughed, straddling Albedo’s back before starting to tickle his sides and lower ribs. “Show them how it’s done, ‘Bedo!”
Damn it. Of all the things that could’ve happened, a turn of tables against him - with even Xiao and Wanderer fighting on the same side - was the last one Albedo expected. “Nohoho! I dohohon’t wahahant to pahaharticipate!”
Aether smirked, shaking his head, “too late for that! But don’t worry, I’m rooting for you,” he said, letting out a short giggle while trying to move his fingers towards Albedo’s armpits - an attempt the alchemist promptly blocked, stopping to flail his arms and using them to try to protect his body instead. “You two,” Aether called out, looking over his shoulder, “aren’t you going to join?”
Xiao and Wanderer nodded, walking towards where Albedo had been restrained, “of course, he is the ‘most promising contestant’, after all, “Wanderer commented sarcastically.
“W-wahahait! Yellow! I-I quihihit!”
“That’s not acceptable,” Xiao added in a cold voice tone despite the warm, playful smile on his face, “you’re clearly not being fair with us. You should always give it your all, no matter the circumstances.”
“Nohoho! W-what ahahre you two doin- aHAHAH! H-hehehey, lehehet me go! ~” Albedo laughed, feeling some more weight against his legs before the new sets of fingers began to roam and tickle any spot they could find around his legs. If they were already so determined to tickle him, Albedo didn’t even want to imagine how they would react when they found out that there was no true winner - after all, he had never timed their turns to begin with.
Sigh, at least they seemed more friendly towards each other now, Albedo thought while trying to sound “genuine” enough in his attempts of yielding between his laughter. This was going to be a long - but fun - night…
Aether wasn’t sure how he had managed to get the ever stoic chief alchemist of the Knights of Favonius to play windtrace with him. Call it that traveler charm, and Albedo’s ever growing infatuation with him, but hey, anything to get that guy to loosen up.
Albedo was mainly known for his genius when it came to alchemy, and apparently his awful seeking skills, Aether thought to himself.
He couldn’t help but snicker behind a crate as he peaked over, observing a lost and frustrated Albedo. Deciding to play cheeky, the traveler exposed himself to the alchemist. Only to run out of sight when he was about to be caught. They kept up this cat and mouse chase, Albedo always being a handful too short of tagging the traveler. Aether wasn’t the (in)famous traveler for nothing.
If Albedo wanted to win, he needed to step up and fast. Determined to wipe that smug smirk off the traveler’s face, he flung himself towards the blonde. Sending them both tumbling across the ground, leaving a satisfied Albedo hovering over a mischievous traveler.
“Finally… I won this round” he said, as if he forgot all of his previous losses, the alchemist couldn’t help but smirk proudly. “Y’know, I think I deserve a reward after that stunt of yours”.
Before Aether could even ask what he meant, a high-pitched squeal forced its way out of his throat when he felt gloved fingers scribbling across his exposed stomach.
“Wahahait!! Not that! Albedo, plehehease!” his desperate pleading echoed in the open space, not doing him many favors as the alchemist’s smirk grew more smug. Making Aether’s cheeks flush at the sight.
“Heh, just as I thought. This smile suits you way better than that cocky one~” his fingers started squeezing and kneading the traveler’s hips like dough, sending him into further hysterics.
“Nahahahao! I’m sorry! Quit ihihit!” Aether whined like a toddler through his giggle fit, his hands ever so weakly grabbing at Albedo’s. Of course, the alchemist quickly picked up on the lack of force.
“I don’t know… something tells me that you’re enjoying yourself~” Albedo brought his tickly fingers back to the exposed belly, delicately circling his index finger around the blonde’s navel.
“Eep! Wahait! Not there! I’ll dihihie!” Aether’s expression grew nervous yet full of childlike giddiness. He really did a bad job at hiding his enjoyment.
Albedo couldn’t help but chuckle at his victim’s dramatics. If anything, it encouraged him to dip his finger into the little button, giving it a few playful swirls.
“heeEEYAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHOHO—” Aether’s laughter grew silent. His hips desperately bucked in place before falling limp. His eyes were squeezed shut, started to glisten with small tears. Cheeks as ripe as apples, and that smile. That dazzling smile that has managed to capture the hearts of everyone in Teyvat, especially this alchemist.
After staring in awe for a bit longer did Albedo finally finish the ticklish torment. Watching as Aether took greedy breaths, that toned chest heaving with each one he took.
“You okay?” the alchemist couldn’t help but ask in such a soft tone, reaching over to brush back some of the messy strands of hair that got all tousled during the spectacle.
Aether nodded up at him with a bright smile, giving a thumbs up. Albedo could feel a genuine smile of his own forming. What a rollercoaster of events today was, but one thing was for certain. Albedo was so glad he agreed to tag along.
A/n: Yall this is so lazy, I'm sorry! Definitely not my best fic. I hope yall can somewhat enjoy this rushed whatever this is and not hate me for disappointing yall 😔.
Switch: Albedo, Kaeya, and Diluc.
Warnings: Tickles and horrible plot! Let me know if I need to add anything!!
♡~~~♡~~~♡
“Who's the better sibling?”
The question caught both brothers off guard. Diluc rolled his eyes, arms crossing in response. Kaeya just chuckled. Obviously they both thought of themselves as the better one, so an appropriate answer would be hard to find, if ever at all.
“I don't believe I'm able to answer this without hurting someone's ego,” Diluc finally said, shooting a glance toward his brother.
“Oh, I don't think I'd be the one with the hurt ego, brother,” Kaeya shot back as he playfully shoved the redhead.
Albedo's confusion only grew. He just wanted answers for research on siblings, and Klee was too young to help him out. So obviously the next best thing would be the brothers that never talked to each other. How perfect!
“So…? I'm confused, to be honest with you two.”
“Uh, it's a little complicated. You and Klee don't have these issues since she's so young,” Kaeya answered.
Albedo stared blankly for a moment. “..what issues?”
Kaeya fought back a laugh, but Diluc lightly punched him. “It's something of a rivalry?”
“Rivalry? So you don't… like each other? I thought family was about unconditional love, or at least something of the sorts?”
“Love him? He's practically unlovable.”
“Hey! I know deep down in that frozen heart of yours you still love me! Oh oh oh! Maybe you can use your vision to unfreeze it!” Kaeya joked, poking at his brother's side.
Diluc jumped, sparking light in Kaeyas eyes, and confusion in Albedos.
“What was that?” Both asked, one in genuine curiosity and the other in a teasing manner.
“Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Oho? And I thought you would've grown out of it by now,” the younger teased as he grabbed for his brother once again.
Diluc stepped back, crossing his arms again. “No! I will not be lowering myself to your childish antics, Kaeya.”
“Um, not to be a bother, but I am rather curious what these ‘childish antics’ are,” Albedo spoke once again, this time with a bit more of a smile on his face.
“Oh, you haven't figured it out?”
“Kaeya, don’t-” the redhead interrupted.
“Diluc is ticklish.”
“Kaeya- I will make you pay off your tab if you keep this up-”
Said knight rolled his eyes, “I'll pay it if it means I get to do this again.”
Kaeya then lunged at the older man, taking him by surprise and, in turn, knocking him to the floor. There were a couple threats thrown before Diluc was pinned to the floor with the cavalry captain sitting on his thighs.
“Kaeya I will-”
“Laugh for the first time in years? Yeah you will, I am so glad you pointed that out!” He said, placing his hands on Diluc’s stomach.
“Can I just ask something really quickly?” Albedo poked in, sitting by Diluc’s side.
“Ask away!”
Diluc groaned. He tried to sit up, but instead got pushed back down by the blonde. “Can you show me what ‘ticklish' is? I've never heard of it before in my studies.”
“Why of course. Watch and learn, hehe.” With that, Kaeya began roughly squeezing his brother's sides. In response, Diluc sucked in a breath and bit his lip.
“I thought you said this would cause laughter?” Albedo questioned, tilting his head slightly.
“It will, he's just being stubborn,” he smirked and moved his hands up to the redheads ribs, scribbling into them.
There was a muffled yelp as Diluc brought one hand up to cover his face, the other pushing at Kaeyas hands.
“No no no, you will not be hiding from me!” Suddenly, there was a hand tickling away at Dilucs upper ribs and underarms. Said man choked on a laugh and grabbed Kaeyas wrists, successfully shoving them away and flipping his brother onto his back.
Both the blonde and the knight looked taken aback. Kaeya gave him a wonky smile. “No hard feelings, right? It was all fun in games?”
“Absolutely not.” Then, Diluc pinched away at the other's lower ribs, to which there was a slight scream.
“Nohoho! Dihiluhuhuc!”
“Oh, so it does make one laugh? I wonder why that happens…” Albedo said, looking at the floor for a second before suddenly pouncing on Diluc and pinning both the brothers to the floor.
“Whahat is thihis?” Kaeya asked, considering if it was worth it to try and sit up. He eventually decided against it.
“What do you think you're doing, Albedo?” The redhead snarled, however
there was no malice behind it, thanks to the hand that was resting on his ribs.
“Conducting research,” he said before he started to tickle both the brothers mercilessly. Kaeya definitely did not squeal, and Diluc definitely did not nearly scream.
It went on like that for at least five minutes, with Albedo occasionally teasing them whenever he found a good spot. Once he let up, Kaeya immediately sat up and lunged at the blonde, the older following his lead once he realized what he was doing.
They both eventually fought him to the floor, Kaeya sitting on his waist and Diluc holding his arms.
“What? What are you doing?” Albedo half-asked, tugging lightly on his arms.
“Revenge. If we have to deal with it, you do too!” Kaeya laughed, drilling into his sides. Albedo yelped, giggling into his shoulder and kicking his legs behind the one on his hips.
“Nohoho!” He cried.
Kaeya only chuckled and shook his head. “You had it coming.”
Diluc raised his eyebrows. “You're one to talk, aren't you?”
