Unexpected, but Not Unwanted
Lee!Siffrin, Lers!Isabeau, Mirabelle, Odile, and Bonnie
AN: Hi chatters, here’s my tk contribution to ISAT. This takes place post-Act 6, but there are no spoilers mentioned for any major plot points. Still, I recommend playing the game first if you want to understand the full story! Oh but also Siffrin got a new hat sometime between Act 6 and now. Okay, have fun reading! AN-AN: Finished this at like 1 in the morning so it progressively gets shittier.
Touch.
Siffrin hadn’t had proper physical touch in a while. Maybe a head pat from Odile, or a high five from Mirabelle or Isabeau, stars, Siffrin wouldn’t even mind a couple of play punches from Bonnie if it meant skin-to-skin - or clothes - contact. Simply put, the amount of touch-starvation that Siffrin is going through… Well, let's just say it’s not small.
The party was on their way to Bambouche to ask Bonnie’s sister to bring them along on some adventures, but it was starting to get dark so they decided to set up camp in a safe-looking field for the night. The tents were already up, Isabeau and Siffrin in the first, Mirabelle and Bonnie in the second, and Odile in the third. The group was sitting around a fire, telling stories and joking around while Bonnie made dinner.
Siffrin really wanted to ask for some sort of affection right about now, maybe a quick hug or just leaning against Isa. Were they going to ask for it though? Of course not, don’t you know how embarrassing that is??? So he sat there on the convenient log, lightly hugging himself. Even after all the loops ended, it’s still hard to believe you’re real sometimes.
Isabeau noticed Siffrin looking a bit off, so he scooted a bit closer and laid his hand on Siffrin’s, accidentally startling him. They unintentionally pulled their hand back, before slowly putting it back on Isabeau’s. They pulled their hat down a bit to cover their embarrassment. “Aw, d’worry Sif, you’re good.” Isabeau chuckled.
“Hdshd” Siffrin sputtered quietly, looking down into his cloak. ‘Stars, you’re so stupid. It’s just a simple handhold. This is what you want, stop making it seem like you hate this.’
“Sif, you wanna hear about that one time Mira got chased around by a chicken while we were staying the night in this farmer’s barn?” Isabeau asked, tipping up Siffrin’s hat to look at him.
“What-?! Oh, Isabeau, that’s okay, really-!” Mirabelle turned to look at Isabeau, her eyes slightly widened.
“No really, I insist that we should tell it. Don’t you wanna hear it, Sif?” Isabeau grinned.
“Oh, uhm, yeah, sure! But know that I have great egg-spectations.” Siffrin winked while he and Isa cracked up, Mirabelle rolled her eyes, and the Age Alliance stared at each other, judging the first two.
“That was horrible, Siffrin.” Mirabelle snickered. “But since it’s a story about me, I think I should be the one to share it.” She shot a jokingly menacing glare at Isabeau, who shivered. “So, anyways, back when it was just Isabeau and I, we got off the path we were following. Luckily, we managed to stumble upon a nice rural town, and this farmer had offered to feed and shelter us for the night. I didn’t want to bother him with all that, but Isabeau insisted we took up the offer, and there we were. Now…-”
The adults listened around the fire to the story, with Siffrin starting to zone out as a habit from the loops. It’s something that the rest could catch onto pretty easily, so Isabeau reached his arm around and lightly grabbed Siffrin’s side, pulling them closer to him. The shorter uncharacteristically (but absolutely in character) let out an abnormally high and loud squeak, almost figuratively jumping out of their seat. Siffrin awkwardly looked around, before sinking into their cloak.
“Siffrin, are you alright? That was quite a, uh… noise you made there.” Commented Odile, quirking an eyebrow at the younger one.
“Yeah Frin, you sounded like a little girl!” Bonnie teased from the mini-kitchen setup.
“Fsdhndsitwasnothingdon’tworryaboutit-” Mumbled a flustered pile of cloth. In reality, that touch tickled. Like, really tickled. Like, stars how can someone be that ticklish to jump like that after a small nudge tickled. Just don’t be suspicious don’t be suspicious don-
“Are ya sure, Sif? I didn’t accidentally hurt you or anything, did I? I know I’m a big, strong, handsome man and all.” Isabeau giggled, flexing a little.
“Yeahjustuh… carry on… with the story. It was just getting egg-citing.” Siffrin snickered, trying to cover up the embarrassment on his face while the laughter and groans waved in.
“Right, well uhm…” Mirabelle started again, “So Isabeau and I were getting ready, fixing the hay and blankets to make two makeshift beds, and this chicken just came out of nowhere! I ignored it for a bit, trying to get ready to sleep, and then it pecks at me?! I mean, really-? Anyways…-”
Again, Siffrin was starting to zone out, so Isabeau did the only sensible thing, being the same as last time! Siffrin squeaked again, now being followed by a quiet giggle before it was cut off by a bite down on his lip. Ow…
“I know the story’s funny, but it’s not that funny, is it?” Mirabelle asked, with a questioning look on her face.
“No, no, it’s not that, just uh… when Isa pulled me over it…” Siffrin paused, thinking of an excuse.
“Oh, wait did I startle you again, Sif-? I’m sorry!” Isabeau apologized. “I should’ve gotten your attention again beforehand.”
“No, Isa, it’s not that, it just……… it tickled,” Siffrin muttered, attempting to avoid any eye contact from his family.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that, Siffrin,” Odile spoke, leaning in slightly.
“It just tickled, that’s it…” Siffrin muttered again, slightly louder than before.
“Frin, you’re so crabbing quiet! Speak up!” Bonnie exclaimed.
“I said it tickled, okay?! Stars…” Said Siffrin, who was now covering their heated face with their hat. ‘Why are they so blinding insistent..?’
“...What?” The group collectively questioned.
“Nothing, never mind, just, uh- story! It really, uhm…beaked my interest?” Siffrin gave a wobbly smile. ‘Stars, that one was bad, even for you.’
“No, we can’t never mind that, Sif! You? Ticklish? That’s so adorable!” Isabeau grinned. “Wait, so that means if I…” Without any warning, Isabeau snuck a hand under Siffrin’s cloak, gently squeezing their sides, eliciting a squeal.
“KYA- Isahahahaha-!” Siffrin giggled.
“Oh, well isn’t that an adorable discovery,” Odile smirked, mentally taking note of this.
“Oh, Frin must be really ticklish then, eheheh!” Bonnie smiled, dropping the snack prep they were doing and heading over to Siffrin. “Where else are you ticklish, huh?”
“Nohohohohowhere! Nohohohohoho-!” Siffrin laughed as Bonnie began to squeeze their knees. ‘Stars, this is so embarrassing..! Yet… you don’t really mind...’
“Awh, kitchi-kitchi-coo, Sif~” Isabeau teased, wiggling his fingers along Siffrin’s torso.
“ISAHAHA, SHUHUHUSH!” Siffrin shook his head quickly back and forth, trying his best not to focus on the words coming out of Isabeau’s mouth.
“It wouldn’t kill Siffrin if I were to join in, right?” Mirabelle asked Odile. The latter just shrugged in response.
“Wahahahait, Mirahahaha!” Mirabelle walked up behind Siffrin, softly fluttering her fingers along his neck. She had thought that a soft touch wouldn’t overwhelm him too fast, but the scream that Siffrin let out said otherwise.
“Bad spot?” Mirabelle giggled.
“YEHEHEHES!” Siffrin shrieked before falling back into hysteric giggles. ‘Really though… you don’t hate this. Stars, this might be the greatest thing yet… Might be.’
“Hmm, Frin, I’m gonna do a hy-to-fe-sis like Dile!” Bonnie started. “I think that if I tickle you here, you’re gonna start laughing more!” Bonnie positioned their hand under Siffrin’s knees, getting ready.
“Wahahait- Bonnie- Bonbon- we can tahahALK ABOUT THIHIHIHIS!” Siffrin squealed as Bonnie started tickling again.
“See, I knew it!” Bonnie said proudly.
“OHOHODILE! HEHEHEHELP!” Siffrin pleaded. ‘She doesn’t have to, though…’
“Well, if you’re asking…” Odile got up from her spot, walking over to the group. “Isabeau, Mirabelle, Boniface, do you require my assistance?”
“TRAHAHAITOR!” Siffrin squeaked.
“Not exactly, Siffrin. See, you had just asked for help. Not that I should specifically help you.” Odile gave Siffrin a teasing smirk.
“Ooh, Madame Odile, you should get their stomach!” Mirabelle smiled.
“Oh yeah, M’dame! Try there!” Isabeau seconded.
“Well, if you both are so kindly offering,” Ignoring Siffrin’s begging, Odile started tickling Siffrin’s stomach. Squeezing, spidering, poking, you name it, it’s happening.
“NYAHAHAHAHA- *snrk* ODILE IHIHIT TIHIHIHICKLES!” Siffrin snorted. The four paused what they were doing, staring at Siffrin with a light in their eyes. “Ehehehehehe… whahahat? Whahat is it?” ‘Oh, is it over..? Stars… NOT THAT YOU WERE ENJOYING IT, OR ANYTHING.’
“You… just… snorted?!” Bonnie gasped. “Dile, Dile, make him do it again!”
“Whahahat-? Wahahait a sehehECOND- GUHUHU- *snrk* - HUYS! NAHAHAHA- *snrk*” Siffrin shrieked again.
This went on for a couple more minutes. Just so much tickling. Soon, Mirabelle noticed Siffrin starting to get tired, so she motioned everyone to stop. The group took a step back to give the poor traveler space, while he curled up into a giggly ball.
“D’aw… but Sif, we didn’t go too far there, right? I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?” Isabeau asked, kneeling down to Siffrin’s height on the log. Siffrin shook his head no, the party letting out a quiet sigh of relief. ‘Right, you never told Bonnie or the others about how you actually feel about touch…’ While the rest of Siffrin’s family started chatting, Bonnie served up dinner. Samosas with potatoes… meh.
Isabeau sat down next to Siffrin, running a hand through their disheveled hair. “But really though, Siffarooni. You okay?”
“Yeah… I’m fine Isa. Just uh… not used to that, is all.” Siffrin smiled, unconsciously leaning into Isabeau’s touch.
“Cool, cool… Y’know it’s funny. You never asked for any of us to stop-”
“OH THESE SAMOSAS ARE REALLY GOOD YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB BONNIE-!”
‘But really. You wouldn’t mind if this happened more often. It was unexpected, yes… but it wasn’t unwanted. Of course, you can tell your family that another time.’