a/n: Tighnari's tummy deserves all the love. u . u
★・・・★・・・★・・・★
The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, the sky now painted hues of orange and pink as evening time fell over Sumeru City. Another day over.
Tighnari sighed contentedly as he lay with his head resting gently in Kaveh’s lap, the architect’s nimble fingers tenderly stroking along the soft, fluffy ears that drooped lazily on Tighnari’s head. In Kaveh’s other hand was a small glass of wine, his eyes looking over some plans that rested on the arm of the sofa they sat on.
Cyno was snuggled up close, his cheek pressed against Tighnari’s tummy, and his strong arms draped across the fox’s waist, holding him securely as the three spent a calming moment together.
Alhaitham had already retired for the evening, fast asleep in his bed. Not every night was a cuddling night for the scribe and his partners wouldn’t have him any other way, respecting his wishes.
Their blissful silence was interrupted by a huff from Kaveh, who took a long sip of his wine.
“What’s wrong?” Tighnari’s tired voice spoke from his lap, an ear twitching from the slight jostling movements.
“The client requested some changes, and it just ruins the entire plan I created for them,” Kaveh’s voice was laced with frustration as the hand that was idly stroking Tighnari’s ears now pinched the bridge of his nose. “Now I have to start from scratch.”
Tighnari reached up, the movement stirring Cyno slightly which earned a small sound of protest and started to rub away gently at Kaveh’s frown lines. “No frowning. You should just call it a night and start again in the morning after you’ve had some rest.”
Kaveh sighed and grabbed onto Tighnari’s hand, placing a soft kiss upon his palm before gently lowering it back down. “I wish I could, but with the deadline around the corner, I can’t waste too much time.”
“Nari’s right,” Cyno’s voice mumbled against Tighnari’s tummy, the vibrations almost forcing a giggle from the fox. “Rest is important. You won’t be able to create your best work if you’re slowed down.”
Kaveh groaned. “Fine. I doubt you two will let me get away with continuing now, anyway.”
Tighnari and Cyno shared a same look of smugness at their persuasiveness. Both were stubborn but it did their relationship a lot of good more times than not.
Kaveh finished the last of his glass and gently tapped Tighnari’s nose, which scrunched up. “Come on, let me up, I need to put this in the sink before we go to bed,” his finger then tapped the now empty glass.
Tighnari tried to move, but Cyno kept a firm grip as he groaned in protest at the movement. “Come on, Cyno.”
“Nn.”
“Cyno.”
“Nnn.”
Kaveh knew this wasn’t going to end well, so he squeezed himself out from under Tighnari, who landed with his head now on the plush cushions of the sofa and no longer Kaveh’s thighs. A downgrade in his honest opinion.
The architect then left the room to complete his task of placing the glass and other dishes in the sink. Tighnari leaned up on his arms to look down at the lazy Cyno still gripping onto him.
“Are you not going to let go?”
“Nope,” Cyno almost sounded half asleep, but his grip was quite the opposite.
“Not even if I do this?” Tighnari’s fingers gently scribbled at Cyno’s defenceless ribs, earning a small groan and a muffled giggle as Cyno began to nuzzle his face into Tighnari’s stomach to try and block out the sensation. “Still no?”
“You’re fighting dirty…”
“Well, you’re not giving me much of a choice here, are you?” Tighnari kept his fingers gently scribbling, not enough to get some real laughter from the general, but enough to get him twitching and giggling. “Cyno?”
Tighnari noticed that Cyno had raised his head to then lift the barrier of his shirt that protected the forest ranger’s skin.
“Hey, no, what are you- Hehehey!”
Tighnari broke out into sweet giggles as Cyno began kissing at the bare skin of his tummy. The lummox knew full well that this tickled the fox, and he could feel the smile on his lips as they kiss around his navel.
“Cynoho!”
Tighnari’s tail flicked to and fro, betraying his enjoyment of the situation and Cyno took that as his opportunity to keep going. His lips planting tickly kiss after tickly kiss until the general reached Tighnari’s bellybutton and before he knew it.
“Pffffbbt”
“AHAHA! Dohon’t!”
Tighnari used both his hands to push Cyno’s head back away from his stomach after the offending raspberry was blown into his bellybutton. The grin on Cyno’s face was endearing yet something that Tighnari wanted to wipe clean off.
The general planted kisses up his stomach, up his chest to his chin then lips.
“Time for bed,” he declared, finally removing himself from on top of the fox. Tighnari barely had a chance to sit up before Cyno lifted him up into his arms, bridal style and began to head towards their bedroom.
“How romantic,” Kaveh jokingly commented as he followed not far behind.
Tickletober 2025 - Day 6: Immobile
TickleTober 2025 Masterlist
Link to Art: Tighnari (@RyrmCher), Cyno (@yoichiyo_)
Summary: You stop by Tighnari’s place and tickle shenanigans ensue.
A/N: I know I’m skipping the order of the days, sorryyyy. I’ll admit I’m not confident for some day prompts, so I’m holding off 😓 Anyways, one of the longer fics for Tickletober :) Finally finished this draft I had sitting for 2 years 😅. Hope you enjoy!
Word Count: 2264
Also on AO3!
—
“Hey Tighnari!” you announced your arrival in his home. Said person turned around from his experiment. His ears twitched adorably as he greeted you.
“It’s been quite a while since you came by Gandharva Ville. What brings you here?” he asked.
“To see you, my cute, adorable boyfriend,” you said as you poked his nose and gave him a smile.
He blushed and turned away as his tail lightly brushed against you.
“Y-You big lummox.”
You grinned. You couldn't get enough of seeing how flustered he can get compared to his seriousness around others. You smiled wider, giving him a hug and a kiss on his cheek before going for his lips when he turned back to face you.
“Surely that’s not the real reason you are here. Knowing you, you have many quests ahead of you.”
You pulled back and looked at him with a gleeful smile.
“No, I really came by to see you and Cyno. I've finished everything I needed to do, and I just wanted to spend time with both of you.”
The last of your words muffled as you buried your face into the crook of his neck and hugged him tight.
Tighnari broke into a smile and hugged you tighter, while giving you a peck on the head.
“I’m glad to see you again, baby.”
He pulled away from you and was walking toward his experiment table, but suddenly turned around and rushed back towards you, hugging you from behind.
“You know, forget my experiments. My attention is all on you now,” he playfully growled against your ear, and he planted little kisses along your neck and cheek.
“Nahahahari! Thahahat tihihihickles!” You giggled and felt heat rise to your ears and face as he gave you affection. He peppered you some more and ended it with a kiss to your lips and nuzzled against your cheek.
“I missed you.”
You melted at the sound of his voice as he led you to the bed and both of you cuddled for a few minutes with Nari stroking your head, lulling you into a peaceful calm.
“Nari~ I’m home! Where are you!”
Tighnari’s ears perked up, and a smile etched itself on your face, realizing whose voice it was.
Both of you saw Cyno walk into the room, eyeing the experiment table with confusion when he didn’t see Nari, and everything on it was a mess. His eyes roamed across the room, seeing if there was anything else out of place, and his eyes landed on two big pointy ears.
“Nari!”
He ran up to him but stopped short when he saw you. His eyes widened in recognition, and he continued to run over, smiling all the while.
“My cuddle bug!”
He reached out to you, but Nari hoisted you away.
“Heyyy!” Cyno pouted as his boyfriend pulled you away from him.
“I’m not finished yet. Wait your turn, you lummox.” Tighnari stuck out his tongue and pulled you closer to himself.
“Hmph! I’ll cuddle with them no matter what!”
You chuckled at your boyfriend’s declaration, and he looked at you with a playful glare.
“What are you laughing at!?”
“Nothing! I’m not even laughing. See?”
“Still, you were chuckling.”
“Hehehe.”
“Now that was a giggle, baby.”
Nari looked at you two fondly and chuckled. “I love you both so much.”
Both Cyno and you looked at him.
“I have noticed, though, that you…,” he nods at you, “…have never laughed in our presence. Why is that? Only chuckles and giggles.”
Cyno sat at the end of the bed and looked at you curiously.
“It’s not my fault that you guys suck at making me laugh,” you said. You notice that both of them widen their eyes at your statement, and they look at each other, then back at you, a glint in their eyes that makes you uneasy.
“Is that so~?” Cyno asks, crawling over to you, and you feel the hairs on your skin stand on end and your breath hitch at Cyno’s tone. He eyes you like you are his prey, and you squirm, but Nari tightens his hold on you, forcing you to look at him.
“Do you wanna take that back, darling?” Tighnari asks above you with a smirk, still gliding his fingers through your hair. You shiver as both your lovers look at you in a way you have never seen them before.
You debate on whether you should take it back or not, but ultimately…
“Nope, not at all,” you tease. “It’s true you both suck. Nibbles here,” you glance at Nari, “has lame nature facts, and you, Raspberry,” you eye Cyno, “have mediocre puns.”
To top it off, you stick out your tongue at them. You mean it all in good fun and know they won’t do anything you don’t like, but the evil smirks they gave in response made you regret a little bit of what you said.
“Ohh, you are so going down,” Cyno said as he cracked his knuckles and grabbed onto your hips.
You gulped before letting out a squeak upon feeling yourself slide off Tighnari’s body and onto the bed.
“We will make you laugh to our hearts’ content, ticklish one~” Tighnari teased.
You widened your eyes at the realization of the predicament you are in, and tried to twist away, but they kept you pinned down.
They lifted their fingers and hovered over their respective spots, and you immediately started giggling.
“Wahahahait! Dohohohon’t dohohoho ihihit!”
Both of them smirked and looked at you in amusement as you giggled just from them hovering over you.
“We haven’t even started yet, you big lummox.”
“You really are ticklish just to be giggling from this, huh?”
Your face felt like it was on fire, and your ears felt the same. You tried to cover your face with your hands, but Nari pulled them back and settled on top of your arms.
“Ah ah ah~ No hiding that pretty face of yours, love~ We want to be able to see that big smile of yours and hear that sweet laughter you haven’t shown us yet.”
You feel like you are about to combust, and they haven’t even started tickling you yet! Both of them suddenly dropped their fingers on you, but not tickling yet. Your giggling and struggling increased, the anticipation driving you crazy.
Cyno blew on your belly, and Nari blew into your ears, and you jolted with a shrill of giggles, squeezing your eyes shut as you squirmed.
“Please what, hmm?~”
“What are we going to do?~”
Suddenly, you heard their deep growly voices against your ears, and you snapped your eyes open, seeing them looking down at you with predatory gazes. You turned away, but no matter what side you turn to, they lightly blow on your ears and whisper into them, making you look back at them and giggle uncontrollably.
“Youhuhuhu knohohow whahahat!”
“No, we don’t know. Isn’t that right, beloved?”
“Yeah, so why don’t you tell us?~”
Their piercing gazes and deep voices drove you up the wall. Your impending fate lay in those fingers, and you couldn’t bear it any longer.
“Tihihihickle mehehehe!”
“As you wish~” They whispered into your ear before going all in. Nari dug in your armpits, while Cyno zeroed in on your navel, and you lost it.
You twisted and turned wildly and even tugged at your arms, but Cyno and Tighnari have you at their mercy, or lack thereof, as they continued to wreck you with more vigor at the sound of your laughter.
Then you felt Nari pull away and couldn’t help but be snarky.
“Ahahahaha, thahahat’s ahahahall youhuhu gohohot? Youhuhu suhuh-AHAHAHAHA WHAHAHAT AREHEHEHE YOUHUHU DOHIHIHING!? THAHAHAHAT’S NOHOHOT FAIRHEHEHE!” You shrieked when Nari used gentle tickles in your left armpit, while rough ones in the other, causing you to thrash your head wildly against him.
“All is fair in love and war, my love~”
“GEHEHEHET OUTTAHAHAHA THEHEHERE! AHAHAHAHA!” You helplessly cackled as your other boyfriend took the chance to straddle your hips and start squeezing them. “CYNOHOHAHAHAHA!”
“Coochie coochie coo, tickle bug~,” Cyno cooed at you as he wreaked havoc on those very ticklish hips of yours and the occasional squeeze of your sides to keep you on your toes.
“AHAHAHAHAHA! N-NOHOHOHO TEHEHEHEASING! AHAHAHAHA! WAHAHAIT NAHAHAHARIHIHIHIHI! YOUHUHUHU SNEHEHEHEAKY FOHOHOHOX!” You giggled and whined as they switched up tactics, throwing you off guard and into more giddy laughter.
Tighnari and Cyno both smiled at you in endearment with mischievous glints in their eyes. They slowed down a bit, seeing the sign that you needed a breather.
“Hahahaha…hah…hah. Hehehe,” you breathed as your body felt heavy with exhaustion. “Youhuhu guhuhuys arehehe mehean,” you pouted, but the grin on your face showed how much you enjoyed it than you cared to admit.
“You started it,” Cyno rebutted as he crawled his fingers down towards your thighs and lazily skittered over them and back to your hips, repeating the process over and over.
“You ready to apologize yet, baby~?” Nari asked as he followed Cyno’s lead, stroking your neck.
You giggled in response to their touches and snuggled closer to Nari as a smirk started to form on your face.
“Mmm…Nah.”
“I knew you would say that.”
Tighnari suddenly pulled you up flush against his chest with his arms wrapping around you, making you blush and squeak out in surprise.
“H-hey, what are youhuhu— Nohohoho! Nahaharihihi!” You cackled as he suddenly snuggled into your neck, and his furry ears tickled you.
“You are so ticklish and cute for your own good, love.”
Cyno followed suit, crawling up towards your sides and lightly scribbling against them.
“GAHAhahaha! Hehehehe! Cynohohoho!”
“I think you mean Cyyehehehes. Tickle tickle tickle~”
You giggled and squirmed as they tickled you, but then you got an idea. It was a dangerous one, but you wanted to give it a shot. Since Nari hoisted you up, you were able to move your hands behind Nari, giving you the perfect opportunity to tickle him anywhere you can reach.
“Whahahat thehehe!?” You grinned in triumph as Nari started giggling, and you began to squirm your way out of Nari’s grasp.
But you forgot oneeee small detail…
“AHAHAGH, NOHOHOHO! AHAHAHAHA! CYNOHOHOHO!” Cyno’s hands moved swiftly towards the space between your armpits and ribs, and he drilled into them, making you laugh in mirth and fall back against Nari.
“Don’t worry, my sweet, Nari! I will protect you!”
Nari quickly recovered from your attack and rolled his eyes at Cyno’s comment.
“You are a real lummox, you know?”
“But you love me nonetheless~ :P”
“Hah, I can’t deny that, but let’s deal with our troublemaker now, hmm?”
“Yes, let’s deal with them~” You gulped, hearing Cyno’s deep, dominating voice. That voice always shakes you to your core. “You have angered the tickle monsters. You know what we do to those who anger us?~”
“HAHAHAHAHA! PLEHE- AHAHAHAHAHA!” You could only shake your head and roar with laughter as Nari joined the fray again, tickling your armpits with devastating precision, and Cyno began circling your belly button.
“Well, let’s show you.”
Cyno and Nari looked and nodded at each other, and slowly descended.
“3.”
“NAHAHAHA YOUHUHU GUHUHUYS!”
“2.”
“PLEHEHEHEASE I WIHIHIHILLL DIEHEHE!
“1.”
Nari suddenly began nibbling on your neck and ears, while scribbling against your armpits. Cyno started going to town on your hips and giving out raspberries over your navel and anywhere he could reach.
“BWAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHA!! I- AHAHAHAHA! HAHAHA!”
“Aww, look at you~ Your laughter is music to our ears, isn’t that right, Nari?”
“Mhmm, and look at the way they’re squirming~ Feels soooo ticklish, doesn’t it? Who’s making who laugh now?~”
“Still salty about them sneaking their fingers on you? Y’know what they call a salty—”
“Cyno, I’ll make you sleep on the couch if you finish that joke.”
“Fineee. You’re no fun.”
They not only cooed at you but were casually bickering as if you weren’t laughing your head off.
“I’M SAHAHAHAWRY! PLEHEHEHEASE! YOUHUHU BOHOHOHOTH MAHAHADE MEHE LAHAHAUGH!”
“Oh? Was that an apology I’m hearing?” Cyno smirked, not slowing down his tickles.
“And admit you always want to cuddle with my tail.”
“WHAHAHAT! NEHEHEHEVER!”
“Suit yourself.”
Nari massaged your ribs and nibbled your ears, while Cyno simultaneously blew raspberries on your navel and traced your quick bout of defiance suddenly disappeared.
“NAHAHAHAHA! OKAHAHAY! I LOHOHOVE TO CUDDLEHEHE WIHIHITH NAHAHARI’S— AHAHAHAHA! TAHAHAIL! AND YOUR PUHUHUNS AREHEHE THEHE BEHEHEST CYNOHOHOHEHEHEHE! PLAHAHAHSE!”
“Can you say that one more time?~”
“IHIHI LOHOHOHOVE CUDDLIHIHING WIHIHITH YOUHUHUR TAHAHAIL NAHAHAHARIHIHIHI! AND CYNOHOHOHO— GAHAHAHAHA! YOHOHOUR PUHUHUNS TIHIHIHICKLE MY FAHAHANCY! MEHEHERCY! I GIHIHIHAHAHVEHEHE!”
Your two lovers slowed to a stop, peppering you with kisses and massaging the ticklish sensations away.
“Your laugh is pretty cute, y’know,” Cyno softly spoke. “You should laugh more.”
You felt yourself blush at that, hiding your face instinctively.
“It’s true, your laughter is a beautiful symphony. I wouldn’t mind hearing it more.”
“Oh, you two, stappp.”
Both of them laughed before all of you settled in bed into a cuddle pile. Nari wrapped his fluffy tail around both Cyno and you, making you giggle lightly and Cyno chuckle.
You couldn’t ask for any better partners, you thought to yourself, smiling before falling asleep, not before feeling two lips on either side of your cheeks and a whisper of ‘I love you~’
✮ First of all, he‘s a skilled lee (if a thing like that even exists?)
✮ As the General Mahamatra he obviously knows how to defend himself, escape or atleast hide his reactions
✮ However, sometimes he does get a little bit cocky and thinks that the same escape tactics he‘s used since forever are still going to work. (Not with Tighnari tho, that guy has seen it all and knows exactly how to keep Cyno from running away)
✮ Most of the time he will still try to make jokes despite getting tickled to tears and most of the time they will be even unfunnier than usual because he can‘t even think straight anymore and just says complete nonsense.
✮ I don‘t think he‘s much of the begging type. He‘s the General Mahamatra afterall, he shouldn‘t be seen begging others to stop a harmless tickle attack.
✮ This might be a bit off-topic but I think he‘d definitely let others tickle him if he gets a TCG card in return.
✮ He‘s most definitely a huge fighter. It‘s not that he wants to get away, he‘s just used to fighting all kind of attacks because of his position. But of course he‘d never hurt his ler.
✮ He‘s also not much of a verbal lee. He‘s just laughing and that‘s it. No cursing, no complaining, no begging, just giggles.
✮ Personally I think his most ticklish spots would be his waist and armpits (just the spots that aren‘t actually exposed because of his outfit. A general would never leave his weak spots exposed afterall.)
✮ I kinda doubt he‘d really get lee moods but if one does hit him, (like once in a blue moon), I think he could admit that honestly and either tell Tighnari straight up or start a tickle fight with him and Collei.
✮ He can also take a lot of tickling before it‘s obvious that he‘s had enough. When he‘s finally completely tired he‘ll still be very giggle afterwards.
✮ His main lers would probably be Tighnari, Collei, Kaveh, sometimes Alhaitham, Sethos and maybe Albedo (when he visits Sumeru).
✮ I also believe that Cyrus tickled him a lot when he was still a kid.
✮ He‘s a lee that gets flustered quite easily because he doesn‘t know how to react besides from making a stupid joke.
✮ But my personal headcanon is that the first time he got really embarassed is when he was „fighting“ Sethos, who then accidently tickled him and since then never let that topic go.
✮ I also believe that depending on the situation, he either will or won‘t try to hide his reactions. In a tickle fight he definitely would, so he can win but when he‘s just playing around with his friends, he won‘t hide anything.
✮ His laugh sounds pretty low but also a little bit hysterical sometimes.
Ler:
✮ Honestly I see Cyno much more as a ler than a lee
✮ Like, he loves making his friends laugh and whenever his jokes don‘t have the desired effect, he‘ll just tickle them instead
✮ His main lee would definitely be Tighnari but he definitely also tickles Sethos, Kaveh, Collei and maybe also Hat Guy sometimes. (However, he‘s actually very careful around the latter.)
✮ Also, he‘d definitely secretly love to just reach out and lightly tickle Tighnaris ears but he rarely does that since he doesn‘t want to risk making his best friend uncomfortable.
✮ I also believe he‘s the type to kind of narrate his own tickle attack like:
„I‘m coming to getttt youuuu!“
or
„Ooh? Found a bad spot!“
✮ He wonders where he should tickle his lee next as well, only to pick a completely different spot in the end
✮ Chasing his lee is also one of his favourite parts of tickling and he can actually be pretty scary when he‘s chasing someone. They‘ll instantly know they are done for.
✮ This is another one of my personal headcanons, but I also believe that at first he felt a bit shy about tickling others but after some time it just became normal to him and now he justmentions tickling in casual conversations even if he doesn‘t plan to tickle the person he‘s talking to.
✮ He‘s also a very observant ler and always takes mental notes of his lees reactions
✮ I also firmly believe that when he‘s sparring with Sethos he doesn‘t want to use tickling to win because he thinks it would be too unfair but then does it anyway just to annoy the latter a little bit.
✮ Just a small side - note: In terms of strength he‘s literally way above any lee. He‘s strong, smart, fast so whenever his victims act cocky and feel like they have a realistic chance of escaping him, it‘s just him messing with them andmaking them think they could actually win.
✮ Also, tickling as an icebreaker when hanging out with new people? Definitely! (I can imagine something similar might have happened when he first hung out with Alhaitham).
Conclusion: Cyno is like 65% ler and 35% lee. He uses tickling as a way to lighten the atmosphere whenever his jokes fail him (which is basically most of the time).
He has a lot of experience with being a ler and especially loves playfully tormenting Tighnari and Sethos. Sometimes they take revenge which Cyno can handle quite well but overall he‘d probably prefer to be the ler.
———————————————————————————————————
Guess who wanted to make more headcanons and then disappeared for a month? Yes, of course it‘s me. It‘s always me.
Anyway, I hope you like these silly little headcanons. <3 I‘m gonna take a nap now.
a/n: Holy crap. Guess who's back. Genshin Impact revived me. This is insane. I tried very hard to write these 4 in character, as I haven't played Sumeru yet (and probably won't get there for a while </3). Reblogs are super appreciated, hope you enjoy!!
warnings: None that I can think of, aside from some of-age drinking. This is a SFW tickle fic. Don't like it? Don't read!
☆☆☆
It had happened during their bi-weekly meet-up.
The chosen destination for that weekend was Tighnari's home, deep within the nature of the Avidya Forest. While it was somewhat of a trek from Sumeru, Alhaitham and Kaveh never minded, and Cyno already visited regularly.
Together, the four gathered, sharing food and drinks as well as updates on the happenings around them. Collei appeared for a greeting, exchanging a few words before retreating to her hut for the night.
Later, they transitioned from the cozy dining room to Tighnari's living room. Cyno and Tighnari occupied the center divan, the space between them shrinking as their alcohol consumption grew.
Alhaitham migrated to his favorite armchair, the current novel of his interest propped in a hand. As much as Kaveh complained about it, he could still acknowledge how the scribe stayed present even as he read, occasionally pitching into the conversation.
Kaveh, who was (unsurprisingly) the most intoxicated of the group, took to plopping down on the floor near Tighnari. He held his head up in his hand, cheek resting on his palm as his elbow sat on the couch cushion. Kaveh's body held a comfortable buzz, and a lazy smile laid claim to his lips as the hours passed by.
And then something unusual happened. Somewhere between the friendly conversation and the alcohol, Cyno had miraculously managed to get a smile from Tighnari with one of his jokes.
The fox’s ears twitched, tail swaying in contentment behind him as he tried to bite back a grin.
“Ah! Tighnari smiled!” Kaveh called out with amusement, considering how often Tighnari’s expression soured as soon as Cyno started a tangent.
“Quiet, I did not.” Tighnari protested, bringing up a padded hand to cover his mouth; the crinkle of his two-toned eyes was still very much visible, and Kaveh chuckled softly.
“You are smiling. Was that a good one?” Cyno said. With Cyno, it was always somewhat unclear whether he was genuinely looking for feedback or was acting oblivious on purpose. It seemed to be a little bit of both.
“Absolutely not! Your puns are never good.” Tighnari turned away, huffing.
“Really? Maybe if I keep trying, I could get you to laugh, too.” Cyno said coolly, a small smile on his face as he inched closer towards Tighnari. The fox's ears twitched in alarm, and he began scooting back.
Kaveh had to move his arm just before Tighnari's back hit the edge of the settee, and he glanced to see Alhaitham sporting a skeptical expression.
“I'm not afraid to kick you out again—get away from me! I don't like that look on your face.” Tighnari replied, his grin growing shaky as Cyno trapped him. If he really, truly wanted to escape, he'd have no problem doing so. And yet, the wagging of a large black tail left no room for doubt.
“I just want to hear you laugh, Nari.”
“I swear to the Archons, I will bite you.”
Kaveh watched as the two went back and forth, an amused smile coloring his expression. He couldn't help but chuckle softly; it wasn't often he got to see this playful side of his companions, but it was always a pleasant surprise.
It was reassuring to know even the General Mahamatra and the Forest Watcher could let loose every now and again.
The two stared at each other for a tense moment, having an argument solely with their eyes. Tighnari’s expression was nervous and defensive, while Cyno's was amused and attentive.
“If he actually bites you, I will not be helping with the first aid.” Alhaitham commented, returning his attention to his book. And yet, even he kept glancing up occasionally, eyeing the couple with curiosity.
“Cyno.”
“Nari.”
A second passed. And then another.
And then Cyno pounced.
A squeak snuck past Tighnari's lips, his ears flattening to the side as he attempted to grab Cyno's wrists. He was, unfortunately, unsuccessful; Cyno knew his body almost better than he himself did, and knew exactly where Tighnari left himself open to attack. Such was the curse of sharing such a strong bond.
“Cyno! Do NOT—wahahah!’
The matra managed to strike where Tighnari couldn't defend, latching onto the fox's side and squeezing. Tighnari squirmed as he tried to kick Cyno away with little luck.
“See, you're already laughing. I haven't even told my next joke yet.” Cyno said, his eyes crinkled with fondness.
“Be quiehehet! Gehet off of mehehe!”
A light flush found a home on Tighnari's cheeks, and his laughter had his sharp canines on full display. While he definitely smiled more than Alhaitham or Cyno, it wasn't often Tighnari truly laughed like this.
For some reason, Kaveh's stomach flipped. Why was he getting flustered?
Instinctively glancing towards Alhaitham, Kaveh was met with a look. Not just any look, but the one that says, “I've noticed something you haven't.” If Kaveh wasn't tipsy, he might have been able to see the scribe's faint smile. Instead, he furrowed his brows in confusion, and Alhaitham simply looked back down at his book. That jerk.
“Cynohoho!” Tighnari giggled, actually giggled, his laughter a higher pitch than his regular voice.
It was surprisingly bubbly and boyish. To make matters worse, when Cyno reached his stomach, Tighnari showcased a product of his hybrid genes; he started squeaking, cute little sounds littering his mirth and making his flush turn three shades darker.
“Cy-yes.” Cyno replied, ironically monotone as he scribbled his nails over the soft fabric of Tighnari's tight shirt. The sound of the fox's tail could be heard thumping into the cushions of the sofa.
Tighnari couldn't help but throw his head back, his smile wide and happy. When Cyno got tired of fending Tighnari's hands off, he swiftly picked up both of the other's wrists with one hand, holding them up and to the side.
Tighnari protested loudly, nearly leaning off of the sofa as Cyno scratched at his ribs.
“Plehehease! No more!” Tighnari giggled, and Cyno finally released his hands. Tighnari quickly brought his legs to his chest, shooting Cyno a deadly glare. The fox started pushing the other away from him with a socked foot, and Cyno laughed quietly.
“Lummox…” Tighnari mumbled under his breath, though his grin never truly faded. His cheeks were flushed a lovely pink, and his fluffy tail continued to move happily behind him.
“Sorry.” Cyno replied, looking a little sheepish. It seemed like just then he had remembered they had guests, and while the general wasn't one to get embarrassed often, his cheeks were dusted crimson.
“I can't believe you got away with that unscathed, honestly.” Kaveh commented, his lips curled with a fond grin. Tighnari's glare quickly transitioned to the blonde, and Kaveh huffed a laugh.
“Oh, he's going to get it. I'm just not sober enough right now.” Tighnari replied, and even Alhaitham laughed under his breath at the way Cyno tensed.
Just like that, it was over, and the conversation flowed naturally into other topics. The rest of the night was just as pleasant, and Kaveh fell asleep that night feeling warm with affection for his friends.
~~~
For some reason, Kaveh could not stop thinking about it.
Not in an uncomfortable sense; if anything, the display was quite cute. A testament to how close Cyno and Tighnari truly were, and how close they felt to Alhaitham and Kaveh to be so open with them present.
No, Kaveh wasn't upset about it. He was, however, suddenly reminded of a memory long forgotten. Back when things were hopeful. Back before he and Alhaitham…
Anyway. It had been a couple of days, and the event just wouldn't leave his brain. But why did he care so much? It was just tickling, right? Plus, there was no way Alhaitham would let him… no. Best not entertain the thought. He probably doesn't even remember, Kaveh told himself.
“I can't focus when you keep shuffling like that. What's the matter?”
Kaveh was snapped out of his daze by a deep voice. It resonated from the body behind his, where he lay with his back to Alhaitham's chest as they cuddled on their divan. He flushed faintly, as if Alhaitham would be able to read his current thoughts.
“Ah, it's nothing you need to worry about. I'm just thinking about… things.”
“Things?” Alhaitham asked skeptically, and Kaveh didn't even need to turn around to know the scribe was raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, things. Don't make it into a big deal; I'm fine, truly.” Kaveh defended. He adjusted so that he was lying with his chest against Alhaitham's, blonde hair curling around his face where his head sat near Alhaitham's shoulder.
All he got from Alhaitham in response was a quiet “Hm,” and Kaveh figured that was the end of the discussion. He traced one hand idly over the scribe's chest and collarbones, less sensually and more so to keep himself occupied.
“Does this have to do with Cyno tickling Tighnari during our last visit?”
Kaveh spluttered, feeling his face flush. He propped himself up to face Alhaitham, his eyebrows furrowed.
“What!? How did you know that!”
“I didn't. I simply made a guess based on observations. Like how you reacted as it happened, and how you've often been lost in thought since. More than usual, at least.” Alhaitham replied before shutting his book with one hand and placing it on a side table.
Uh oh. There was no avoiding this now.
“You—ugh! You're infuriating.” Kaveh pouted, not actually angry but more so embarrassed at being read so easily. “I'd appreciate it if you didn't invade my thoughts.”
Alhaitham laughed quietly, and Kaveh couldn't help but smile. Then, he sighed, deciding to come clean.
“Alright, so maybe I was thinking about what happened. But it's not because it upset me or anything of the sort. It's charming to finally see them so happy together.” Kaveh said, his expression becoming fond without him knowing. Alhaitham hummed, signaling his attention.
“It just… hmm, how do I word this? I was wondering if… you'd ever let me do that.”
“Tickle me?” Alhaitham asked, his tone somewhat incredulous.
“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds weird!” Kaveh whined in response, definitely not pouting.
“You seem to love blowing things I've said completely out of proportion. I was just clarifying.” Alhaitham had the gall to roll his eyes, and Kaveh stuck his tongue out childishly in response. Were there any spectators? They may have gagged at the domestic scene.
“Fine, whatever. Yes, that is what I meant. It… looked fun. It actually reminded me of our Akademiya days, y'know?”
“And why would you expect me to just let you, exactly?”
“Ugh!” Kaveh groaned, gently smacking his hands onto Alhaitham's shoulders where he propped himself up. “Why can't you ever just do anything nice for me!?”
“And ‘something nice’ consists of… allowing you to pin me down without a fight? That doesn't seem very logical.” Alhaitham replied. Despite his dull tone, his hands shifted down to keep Kaveh in place by his hips, making sure the blonde wouldn't fall.
“Oh please, you're acting like I'm asking to tear you apart. It's just tickling!”
“According to that logic, you would be required to let me do the same were the positions reversed. It's just tickling, after all.”
“You—!” Kaveh flustered, glaring at his partner. As if Alhaitham didn't already know how he lost control of all motor functions when tickled. “This isn't about that! You wouldn't let me, not even once?”
“I don't see why, no. You don't get anything in life without working for it. You of all people should know that, oh Light of Kshahrewar.” Alhaitham said. The way his round lips were curved just a tad told Kaveh the scribe was teasing him.
“You are the worst, you know that? I miss when you were still my cute little junior! You were so much more agreeable back then.” Kaveh shot back, not really meaning it. He wouldn't trade anything for the man Alhaitham grew into, even with how long it took for them to reunite.
Before Alhaitham could respond just as sharply, something rapidly came to mind. Kaveh couldn't help but blurt it out, a smile spreading across his face.
“Oh my gods, do you remember the day I discovered you were ticklish? We were studying together at your grandmother's home, weren't we?”
“Why would I bother to remember something like that?” Alhaitham replied in his usual clipped tone, but the flush spreading across his dark cheekbones gave him away. Kaveh felt overcome with affection at the sight.
“You are such a liar! You had just gotten those accursed soundproof headphones, and I was trying to get your attention. But when I poked you in the back, you yelped.”
“I did not yelp.” Alhaitham replied far too quickly, and Kaveh would swear up and down the other was trying not to pout.
“You did! You went ‘ah!’ and scared the life out of me! When I asked what happened, you kept insisting it was nothing, but your face was all flushed.” Kaveh continued, watching with a wide smile of his own as the corner of Alhaitham's mouth twitched upwards.
“I do not need a recap. In case you've forgotten, I was also there.” Alhaitham said, and Kaveh let out a giddy laugh. It really wasn't often he could catch Alhaitham off guard. In fact, it was almost always the other way around. He was not letting this opportunity go to waste.
“Oh? I thought you said, and I quote, ‘Why would I bother to remember something like that?’ Did you not?” Kaveh replied, his impression scarily spot on.
Alhaitham turned his face away, as if not responding would get Kaveh to cease his teasing. (It absolutely would not.)
“I misspoke. I don't often forget things; I simply didn't think it was worth discussing.”
“Hah! The Akadeymia Scribe? Mixing up words?” Kaveh laughed, “So you do remember the way you blushed brighter than a Pyro slime? When I squeezed your sides, and you started giggling? You were so adorable back then, you couldn't even push me away…”
“Kaveh…” Alhaitham mumbled, finally bringing a hand up to cover part of his face. Kaveh was relishing the feeling. He would have to get to the point soon, before Alhaitham got fed up and found some excuse to escape.
“You know, I wonder if your reactions are the same…” Kaveh purposely trailed off, bringing his palms down from Alhaitham’s shoulders to his chest before inching lower. Alhaitham quickly caught his wrists, but did little to push Kaveh away.
“What a shame you'll never be able to find out.” The scribe replied, tightening his grip on Kaveh's wrists when they reached his sides. Kaveh couldn't help but snicker; his pink lips curled into a smirk.
“Is that so?” Kaveh's hands tightened in response, fingers pushing into the soft flesh of Alhaitham’s waist. The scribe tensed.
“Kaveh. This is your last warning.”
“Hmm,” Kaveh hummed, feigning thought. “I think I'm willing to take my chances, my dear junior.”
Before Alhaitham could pull Kaveh's hands away, the blonde began tickling his sides. The thin fabric of Alhaitham's shirt did little to protect him. Although he was much better at suppressing reactions than Kaveh, there was no way to hide the way his body arched forward, or the way his lips curled upwards, nose scrunching in an attempt to suppress noises.
“Well, now that’s not fair! Let your senior hear your lovely laughter, Haiyi!” Kaveh complained, fighting the faint push against his wrists. It almost felt like Alhaitham had forgotten how to use his hands, considering he was hardly fighting back. Either that, or he was enjoying himself. The thought had Kaveh grinning.
However, Alhaitham couldn't suppress a quick “hah—!” before his mouth clamped shut as Kaveh’s nails danced over his toned torso. Alhaitham's legs twitched around Kaveh, curling towards himself involuntarily.
“Now where else were you ticklish…” he pondered aloud, observing the way Alhaitham’s eyes widened minutely, “Oh! I believe this was a good spot.”
Kaveh’s hands skirted downwards, and when they squeezed repeatedly at the tops of Alhaitham's thighs, the scribe finally broke.
“No! Kaveh—!” He gasped before deep, breathy laughter fell from his lips, teal eyes squeezed shut.
“Aha! I was right!” Kaveh cheered, batting Alhaitham's hands away as he continued to torment that area. Alhaitham’s shoulders bounced as he endured the tickling for another minute or so, and Kaveh couldn't tear his eyes away from the way the scribe’s face was lit up with mirth. It was infatuating.
“I wish you would smile more. It's beautiful.” Kaveh said softly, and it seemed as though Alhaitham’s blush got even darker.
Finally, he fought back, grabbing Kaveh's wrists firmer than before as Alhaitham pulled the offending hands away from him. Kaveh yelped at the sudden force, nearly falling backwards out of Alhaitham's lap.
He did fall backwards, however, when hands larger than his own latched onto his waist and squeezed.
“Ahah— no! Wahait!” Kaveh cried out, but those hands still followed him. Alhaitham pressed forward, nudging aside Kaveh's legs that were attempting to protect him.
It appeared that Kaveh bit off more than he could chew this time. Because while Alhaitham did laugh when tickled, Kaveh's reactions were multiplied tenfold.
That is to say, he was far more ticklish.
“I warned you. These are the consequences for starting a battle you couldn't win,” Alhaitham said smoothly, though a flush still colored his cheeks. “Now I wonder if your reactions are still the same, Senior…”
“Don't you dahahare! Haitham!” Kaveh begged, but it was no use. He had made his bed.
It wasn't hard for Alhaitham to fend Kaveh's hands off. Partially due to a minor difference in strength (not to say Kaveh wasn't as strong, per se, but the lack of self-care certainly didn't help) and partially due to the fact that all Kaveh's body knew how to do when tickled was squirm around. His hands simply gripped anything he could reach, the current target being Alhaitham's shirt.
“Now you want mercy? You seem to have had quite a bit of fun torturing me.” Alhaitham replied, and Kaveh shrieked when hands moved down to knead at his hips.
“Nohot there! I cahan't!”
“Hm. It seems you are just as ticklish as you were in the Akademiya. In fact, I wonder if it's possible to grow even more sensitive with age.”
“Shuhut uhuhup!”
“Quite rude for someone who has made no attempts to stop me.” Alhaitham's flat voice commented, though he couldn't suppress the small grin on his face as he was reminded of just how lovely Kaveh looked like this.
“You—!”
Kaveh cackled, unable to do much more than slap at Alhaitham's hands with one of his own, the other having reached up to cover half of his heated face. He threw himself back onto the cushions beneath him, shaking his head back and forth as if that would bring relief.
Kaveh's laughter was contagious, a sort of throaty sound littered with an occasional hiccup as he inhaled. Alhaitham was unbelievably fond of it, and although it may not have shown on his face, the scribe's heart fluttered in his chest.
That laugh increased in pitch when Alhaitham massaged Kaveh's lower ribs, and fell into hysterical giggles when the attention was turned to his stomach. Hands found their way underneath Kaveh's white blouse, scribbling over bare skin, and the blonde nearly fell off the divan.
If Kaveh was quick when tickling, his hands agile and sporadic, then Alhaitham was the opposite. The scribe was meticulously thorough, each movement calculated to elicit the most desired reactions. It was terribly effective.
“Ohokay, ohohokay! I give! Haitham, please—!” Kaveh finally conceded, immediately falling limp on their sofa when Alhaitham's hands stilled.
Kaveh's hair was a mess from thrashing, and his chest rose and fell quickly as he let out any leftover giggles. His arms lay crossed over his stomach, a weak form of instinctual protection.
“For how sensitive you are, I'm surprised you held out for so long.” Alhaitham said, and his expression could only be labeled as completely whipped when Kaveh peeked one crimson eye open to look at him. Kaveh felt lightheaded from the sight of it.
“You—you be quiet! You're horrible!”
“Am I now?”
“Yes, you are! Absolutely evil! The bane of my existence!”
Alhaitham crawled forward from where he was kneeling between Kaveh's legs, holding himself up on his forearms. He brought his face to Kaveh's, touching their noses together as he smiled. He leaned in, shutting the blonde up with a quick kiss before he pulled back slightly.
“Did you forget you were the one who instigated? I recall warning you. Multiple times, actually.”
Kaveh practically pouted, turning his head away so that Alhaitham was nosing at his cheek. And yet, the smile on Kaveh's face remained, and his chest felt weightless with such an intense affection.
“Hmph, whatever!” he replied, before turning back towards Alhaitham. He slung his arms up over the scribe's shoulders, linking his hands together lazily. “It was worth it to hear your laugh, either way.”
Alhaitham simply huffed in response, the heat from his cheeks evident. Kaveh couldn't judge; he wasn't faring any better.
Alhaitham moved forward to catch Kaveh's lips again before dotting ginger kisses across his face. His nose, his forehead, the swells of both cheeks, his jawline. After a moment, Kaveh laughed out a soft, “Quit it!”
The blonde tugged Alhaitham down on top of himself, his whole body coddled with a warmth so comfortable, so safe. Like his favorite blanket from childhood, or a cup of chamomile tea late into the night. He felt completely and utterly content.
“I love you, habibi.” Kaveh mumbled, cuddling into Alhaitham's neck. He heard the other chuckle quietly before Alhaitham replied,
“I love you too.”
Kaveh would have to thank Cyno and Tighnari later for reminding him of such a wonderful fact about his boyfriend. For now, he felt far too cozy to do anything else.
A/N: Hello hello everyone! Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year!! 🥂✨️ I hope everyone is doing well, and if someone isn't, I hope that 2025 will be kinder to you ❤️ Today I'm here to deliver my gift for @duckymcdoorknob because I'm the one and only squealing santa for this amazing person anf super talented writer!! It's a honor to write something for you, especially because I've been reading your fics ever since before I created an account here! You're a source of inspiration for everyone, dear... stay amazing and Buon Natale 💚🤍❤️
PS. A huge thanks to @cantsaythetword for hosting this amazing @squealing-santa !! You did an amazing job, thank you for giving us the possibility to partake in this beautiful event 🥹🩵
DISCLAIMER: This is a tickle fic. If it's not to your taste, I don't suggest you read it.
It wasn't meant to go like this... it wasn't meant to go like this at all.
Tighnari kept staring at his friend, not knowing what to say next.
The situation wasn't that complicated, he just had to complete a dare...
[FLASHBACK TO 30 MINUTES PRIOR]
"Cyno, I'm absolutely exhausted... I yield, please show some mercy!" The fennec fox pleaded, his tail thumping nervously on the floor.
It was the 10th match of Genius Invokation TCG he played with Cyno, and the 10th match he lost.
He really needed a change.
It was in that moment that Cyno proposed a few rounds of truth or dare, just to get to know each other even better and have a good laugh together.
Tighnari wasn't too fond of the idea, but he was desperate to stop playing TCG enough to accept without hesitation.
Things seemed to go pretty smoothly for a while... until the fox picked "truth" and a much-dreaded question came.
"Are you ticklish?"
The poor Amurta graduate tried to change topic by immediately switching to a dare, but Cyno was too cunning, too curious and most importantly too mischievous to let go such a fundamental topic that easily, which is why he chose a very specific dare for his friend: "I dare you to raise your arms for five minutes straight, so that I can get the answer to thw question I asked you by myself."
[END OF THE FLASHBACK]
And there Tighnari was, undecided about what to do.
Stop playing? Cyno would ambush him. Answer the question? Cyno would use that info immediately, just to verify, obviously...
Raise his arms? A literal death sentence, unless he managed to hold back his laughter.
He decided to risk it all and go with the third option, hoping that his friend would get bored by the lack of reaction, so he raised his arms all the way above his head, exposing his torso.
There was no way that a forest ranger like him wouldn't be able to handle a little tickle, right?
Oh how wrong he was...
The moment Cyno's hands came in contact with his sides, he wanted to crawl out of his skin and screech. He'd never realized that those fingers were so nimble, strong and gracefully merciless.
"Hm- hmpfff-!" A few sounds came out and didn't go unnoticed by the General Mahamatra, who somehow seemed to know how to make this whole ordeal as unbearable as possible.
"Come on... laugh a little more, I don't understand if you're ticklish or not" Cyno purred, clearly in his element whenever it came to annoy Tighnari.
"Am I hurting you? Do you need me to stop..?"
The black-haired guy felt the immediate need to reassure his friend, so he muttered a quick "N-no..."
If only he could've seen Cyno's ominous smirk when he gave that answer...
"Oh well, if you don't need me to stop, I don't see why I should~"
"Nononono Cyno be reasonable, d-don't do anything dumb you'll regr- AAAAAEEHHH-!"
The unlucky fennec fox didn't even have the time to protest when ten mischievous fingers reached his lower back, right at the base of his tail.
"HAHAHAHAHA CYNO PLEASEEE MOVE ALREHEHEHEADYYY!" He scream-laughed on top of his lungs, trying to crawl away... only to have the General Mahamatra sit on the back of his knees to keep him pinned to the ground.
"I am already moving, Nari." The white-haired guy stated as if it was obvious, "Don't you feel my fingers move right here?" He poked the area he was targeting just to enjoy the squeals of his friend, "Should I move a little faster?"
He didn't even wait for an answer, he started scribbling all over the sensitive area at full speed, hoping that no one would come after hearing the glass-piercing screech made by the forest ranger.
After a while, he decided to show some "mercy" and change spots, targeting Tighnari's palms, where he had smooth, soft pads like foxes have.
Is it really mercy if the second spot is worse than the first one, though?
It was no secret that Tighnari never let anyone touch his pads, due to their sensitivity, and he was right to do so, because the lightest, softest caress had him in tears, to the point that Cyno decided to have actual mercy and stop the assault.
The Spantamad graduate gave his friend a minute to recover, then he scooped him up in his arms and gave him some needed ear and scalp scritches, which never failed to make the dark-haired guy melt.
"I guess my question has found a certain answer," Cyno stated after a few minutes, "you are deadly ticklish... too much for your own good." He concluded, chuckling at the irritated thump that Tighnari's tail made.
Another five minutes passed, and both friends were absolutely relaxed when the fennec fox's eyes fluttered open, gazing at his friend's peaceful features.
"Hey Cyno, can I ask you something?" Tighnari asked while wrapping his arms around the General Mahamatra.
"Sure, go ahead." The white-haired guy replied without even bothering to open his eyes, feeling completely safe where he was.
