Hello, hello! Welcome to my tickle blog, ay! Here you'll find a variety of tickle fics of different fandoms. I warn you that this blog sometimes posts nsfw things (usually fics).
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Just saw your sanji tickle HC and I love them so much.
I can just picture Luffy and Zoro connecting the dots of how much Sanji craves tickles and start offering it for more booze/food
Zoro bargaining like "just one bottle and I'll scratch your feet for a full hour, I'll even get that spot on your knees you love, come on cook, one bottle is not gonna destroy the stock"
Luffy just going at him then stopping suddenly, waiting for Sanji's betrayed face to turn to him to say "if you give me an extra midnight snack I'll keep going" and Sanji looks so torn up and miserable at that he ends up Tickling him to pieces anyway.
Wonder what wold happen if someone tried to tickle him until he was truly all tickled out.
You said this was not for me but I'm inhaling it NDFHSJDFGJNSF
A/N: I'm sorry for the long waaaaait, many things have been happening, someone hold me pls. Thank you for your kind suuuppooort!
Summary: She was gone and Kyle thought he was going to die with her.
Words: 4.4k
The tent was never too big to start with, at least not like Kyle's room back in the palace, but tonight, it felt extremely large and eerily quiet.
Not completely, of course, there were muffled voices outside the tent, footsteps rushing, coming and going, the neighing of horses and people giving quiet orders here and there, but compared to the chaos from earlier, it felt uncomfortably still.
Kyle sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor. His breathing was slow, his eyes unfocused and still a little red at the edges.
Joe was laying on the bed under the blanket after Kyle insisted she needed to rest… Even if he wasn't sure if someone coming back from the dead needed to rest. Either way, and for once, she listened to him, and now she was silently looking at him with worried eyes. Kyle could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't look at her. Her chest tightened a little more at every second in silence.
Joe swallowed thickly. She knew Kyle was not angry. Goodness, she was sure of that, but the opposite scared her even more. Kyle looked hollowed out. Like everything that happened left him empty, mourning even though Joe was back. Really back, but he still looked like he was trying to figure out how to exist afterward.
"Kyle," she said gently. Her voice was so soft, though, so quiet that she doubted Kyle listened to her at all, but he did. Of course he did. His shoulders twitched at that sound.
For a second, he didn't move, so Joe opened her mouth again, trying to call him one more time, but before she could, Kyle sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face before finally turning slightly to look at her.
Joe didn't know if she was glad he did or if it was better he didn't turn at all. She felt something cold swirling in her stomach, uncomfortable enough to make her want to cry. She blinked quickly. Kyle looked older… too exhausted. Almost like he was about to collapse right there. And the more he stared at her, the more wrecked he looked.
Joe had seen Kyle scared before. Seen him furious and panic, but the look in his eyes was a combination of all of those emotions and it left her speechless. He looked somewhat numb, empty in a way Joe couldn't describe. Fragile.
His eyes flicked over her face almost desperately, like he was checking she was still there. Still breathing and real. Color on her cheeks, eyes open and looking at him.
"Hey…," she whispered.
Kyle swallowed hard. "Are you okay?"
The question was a little funny, she almost laughed. Was she okay? Yeah, she just got stabbed, died and then suddenly she's back because she swore she wouldn't leave Kyle ever. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly into the littlest of pained smiles. Before she could answer, though, a weak huff escaped him, but there was no joy at all in his eyes.
This close, Joe could see the tension in his jaw, the faint trembling of his hands. She knew he was trying so hard to hold himself together that it looked exhausting.
"Kyle…" Her voice was basically a soft sigh.
Kyle shook his head once. Not trying to shut her up, more like he physically just couldn't answer back. Joe carefully reached for his hand, her own fingers shaking slightly. This felt like a dream… a bad dream. A complete nightmare. She had almost actually died… She had almost left her canary all alone in this world. That was what pained her the most.
The moment her fingers touched his, he closed his hand around hers immediately. Painfully fast. And it hurt. It truly hurt so bad. Not the pressure, but the desperation in his grip.
Kyle dropped his head down a little, staring at their joined hands. His thumb brushed shakily over her knuckles once, twice, thrice. Like he needed the movement to reassure himself more than her.
"I'm here," she whispered and Kyle's eyes squeezed shut, his brow furrowing because… the problem was that she almost wasn't. She watched his throat bob hard.
"I know," he answered in a whisper too, as if talking hurt as much as thinking. As if he was trying to convince himself that she was right there… and not in the coffin filled with flowers where she was a few hours ago.
Joe knew she was there. Kyle knew it too, but the terror didn't vanish just because reality suddenly changed. Kyle was still afraid, was still sad, even mourning. Suffocating in grief.
Kyle exhaled shakily and leaned forward before he seemed to realize what he was doing. His forehead bumped lightly against hers, his free hand moving to cup her cheek. The touch was almost electric and Joe felt like crying again. Joe hesitated for half a second before bringing her other hand up into his hair, her nails gently scratching his scalp like she's done hundreds of times before.
"Kyle," she said again and the tension in his shoulders tightened for a whole second before easing just slightly. Her touch was like a painful reminder that he almost didn't get to enjoy it anymore.
"I thought—" His voice cracked abruptly, his throat closing before the rest of the words could come out. Joe closed her eyes for a moment.
"I know," she whispered.
"I really thought—" His words broke harder this time, like he was incapable of forming those painful words.
Joe gently carded her fingers through his soft hair. "I'm here," she repeated, a little more certain now that she wanted to comfort him. Kyle frowned, closing his eyes again and leaning a bit more into her, the tip of his nose touching hers.
The room fell silent again, except for their shaky breathing. Joe didn't push him. She could feel how exhausted he was. Not only physically, but deeply, emotionally exhausted in a way that settled deeper than just his muscles. Exhaustion settling deep into his bones.
"You scared the hell out of me," he finally managed to say, voice rough and small.
Joe swallowed one more time and she nodded slightly, barely a twitch of her head. "I know," she repeated softly. "I'm sorry."
Kyle let out a quiet laugh that didn't sound like amusement at all. "You should be," he said, but there was no bite in his words. "You didn't have to protect me like that, what if you—"
That 'what if' hurt more than it should… because it had happened. Joe did die.
"Hey…" she mumbled, but then silence filled the room again.
Joe kept stroking her fingers through his hair. Fingernails slowly scratching his scalp enough to make him calm down even a little. His breathing starting to even out little by little.
"I'm okay now," she said quietly after a while. Kyle didn't answer, because it was still hard to believe it.
Joe gently let go of Kyle's hand to gently cup his face with both hands, encouraging him to look up at her. His eyes were red with exhaustion and a little teary.
She smiled softly at him. "Hey," she whispered again. "I'm not going anywhere."
Something in his expression cracked at that. His chin trembled slightly when he spoke again: "You said that before…"
The words nearly left her breathless, but she nodded. Understanding that if she was in his position, she would have probably followed him to the afterlife. She exhaled shakily and nodded one more time. "And that's exactly why I came back."
Kyle's breath hitched and Joe gently brushed her thumb beneath his eyes. Then, she carefully let go. Her hands gently moving to his shoulders and then his arms.
"Come here," she mumbled, scooting over a little. "Lie down with me."
Kyle hesitated only for a second before letting her guide him into bed. The mattress dipped beneath Kyle as he climbed on beside Joe, adjusting until their bodies were laying against the pillows. For a moment neither of them spoke.
They were facing each other, eyes locked together. Waiting, reassuring themselves. Even now, even with her beside him, Joe could see the tension in him. His breathing suddenly hitched again and again as if he kept repeating that terrible scene inside his head over and over.
Joe being stabbed by a spear. Joe bleeding in his arms. Joe touching his cheek with unfocused eyes… and then, Joe going completely still. It was as if every time he blinked, he saw it all over again.
Joe's chest tightened and she carefully reached over and intertwined their fingers together again. Kyle's hands closed around hers tightly one more time. Clutching her desperately as if that alone would prevent anything from taking her away again.
Joe moved a little closer, Kyle observed her almost without blinking. He looked so tired, so scared and still trying so hard not to show it, but he can't really hide it at all.
She swallowed thickly, lifting their joined hands and pressed a kiss against Kyle's knuckles. "You can hold me," she whispered. "You know that, right?"
Kyle blinked a couple of times. "I am holding you."
Joe shook her head gently. "No," she said softly. "I mean really hold me."
Kyle's jaw tightened a little. He hesitated, not because he didn't want to. He wanted to, but he was also scared to hold her too tightly and make her disappear again. Joe thought he would decline. She thought he was going to pull his hands away, but he didn't. Instead, his expression saddened and then he moved, wrapping his arms tightly around her. One arm wrapping tightly around her waist, the other around her shoulders as he buried his face against her shoulder.
Joe wrapped both arms around him too.
"My sweet canary," she whispered.
The broken breath that left him made Joe nearly sob. There was something different in the way Kyle clung in that moment. He usually held her tightly, warmly and tenderly, but right now, he was holding her desperately. He pressed her against his body as if he could merge their bodies and he could keep her inside him forever. Away from danger. Away from the world and destiny trying to take her away again.
Joe pressed a soft kiss against the top of his head. "I've got you," she murmured.
Kyle didn't answer, but Joe could feel the way his fingers curled tighter in the back of her shirt and how his arms tightened around her frame, pulling her impossibly closer to him.
The room stayed dim and quiet. Some quiet footsteps and hushed voices could still be heard from outside. Joe didn't even know what time it was at the moment, but it didn't really matter. Not when Kyle, her beloved Kyle, was nearly trembling against her like a scared child.
Joe rubbed one hand along his back. Slowly up and down and Kyle shivered. Not from cold, but from soft shivers of relaxation. It was as if all the fear was starting to leak out of his body slowly.
"You don't have to hold yourself together just for me," she said quietly, her fingers gently carded through the back of his hair, nails scratching his scalp.
Kyle let out a shaky laugh against her shoulder. "I'm not trying to."
"Liar."
He chose to stay silent and Joe didn't push him to speak, simply kept carding her fingers gently through his hair. She knew what kind of touches calmed him the fastest. The slow scratches near the nape of his neck, fingertips combing through his whole scalp, a hand gently rubbing his back.
Those things melted him almost immediately, but tonight, Joe almost felt like her mere touch was hurting him. Kyle shifted suddenly, lifting his head just enough to look at her. Joe blinked, her heart twisting when she saw him looking at him with such vulnerability in his eyes. The tiredness of a man that went through hell.
"… You died in my arms," he said quietly and the way Joe felt her heart twisting in her chest almost made her get sick.
"You were dead," he repeated, as if he couldn't believe it yet. Or simply didn't want to believe it.
Joe swallowed thickly. "Yeah," she admitted softly and Kyle stared at her.
She could see the way he came back to that moment, reviving it as if it was happening all over again. She tightened her hold around him a little to anchor him back to the present.
"It didn't feel real," he whispered. "None of it did."
Joe moved her hand to cup his cheek, her thumb lightly brushing across his cheekbone. "I know."
"I kept thinking… that it was not real," his voice broke a little. "That you would be okay even when you weren't breathing anymore—"
"Kyle," she whispered, her expression turning sorrowful.
He shut his eyes hard, frustrated, sad, angry. "It was… insane…" he whispered and Joe moved closer to him. Their legs tangled together beneath the blankets naturally, familiar and warm.
She guided his head down against her chest and he melted immediately, pressing his ear against his chest right where he could hear her beating heart. Joe wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"There," she whispered, carding her fingers through her hair again. "Much better."
Kyle let out a loud, long sigh as his body relaxed even more against her, his arms wrapped around her waist. Joe rested her cheek against the top of his head and closed her eyes for a moment.
"I love you, Kyle," she mumbled quietly.
Kyle swallowed, closing his eyes tightly. "And I love you," he answered without hesitation.
Joe held him a little tighter. "I am okay now," she whispered again. "I promise."
Kyle didn't answer and Joe thought that perhaps he still couldn't fully believe it.
She continued softly. "I'm here. I'm with you. You don't have to be scared anymore."
His breath flinched slightly at that, and even though he nodded once against her chest after a while, she could still feel the lingering fear within him, refusing to let go.
They lay there quietly for a while after that. One of Joe's hands kept moving slowly through Kyle's hair while the other rested against his back under the blanket. Kyle's breathing had evened out some more. Not completely over the fact that he saw Joe dying in his arms and then come back to life, but better.
He would still squeeze her between his arms every now and then like checking she was still there. Joe didn't complain, she simply kissed the top of his head or rubbed his back every time.
The room had gone completely still now. The noise outside seemed to fade away entirely, leaving only the soft rustling of leaves and blankets whenever Kyle shifted. Joe tilted her head a little to look down at him still snuggling against her chest. His eyes were closed, but she knew he was not asleep. His brow was still furrowed faintly.
Her poor canary. Her precious angel. His heart swelled with love so strong it almost hurt. Carefully, she brushed her fingers along the back of his neck and Kyle shivered immediately. Not a sudden jerk, just a tiny, sensitive reaction. Joe smiled so softly.
"What was that?" she whispered with a playful hint, knowing exactly what she was doing, and Kyle made a soft sound against her that might've been a hum.
For a moment, Joe only watched him. Warm beneath the blankets and against her. Their legs tangled, his arms tightly wrapped around her waist as he nuzzled her chest like an oversized kitten. Both safe. Both alive. Then, very lightly just because she couldn't help herself anymore, she let her fingers drift lower, just barely fluttering against his side.
Kyle twitched and Joe pretended not to notice as a playful smile pulled at the corners of her lips. A few seconds later, her fingertips brushed along his waist featherlight, almost like she didn't know what she was causing. Kyle twitched again.
"Kyle," she said softly, acting innocent, "you okay there?"
One of Kyle's eyes cracked open slowly and looked up at her. Joe had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from giggling. Kyle narrowed his eye. "Why do you have that look on your face?"
"What look?" Joe asked, her voice wavering with suppressed laughter.
"That look," Kyle repeated, now lifting his face a little more to look at her with both eyes.
Joe's eyes widened in mock offense. "I have no idea what you are talking about~" Just then, she let her fingers wander lightly against his side again, tiny little scribbling motions through the fabric of his shirt.
Kyle inhaled sharply, going stiff under the playful touch. "Joe," he warned.
"Hm? What is it?" she asked with a soft giggle and a little smile started tugging against his will at the corner of his mouth.
"I know what you're doing and that's unfair."
Joe giggled again. "There are literally no rules right now, what do you even mean?"
The sound of her laugh seemed to loosen him further and warmth started to spread inside his chest, slowly overpowering the pain from earlier. Joe smiled warmly, noticing how he relaxed a little more against her.
Very gently, she scratched the same spot again and Kyle's reaction was more evident now. His shoulder jerked up and he let out a soft breath through his nose that sounded dangerously close to a giggle. Joe immediately beamed at the sound and she also felt better, less tense… as if things were slowly coming back to place and the thought nearly made her emotional all over again.
"Oh, that was a very cute sound," she teased quietly.
Kyle groaned, burying his face against her chest tightly. "Shut it."
"Nope," Joe answered as her fingers skimmed through his ribs this time and Kyle let out a tiny laugh against her, jerking away from her touch slightly.
Joe giggled happily. She was keeping it annoyingly soft. Not enough to overwhelm him with ticklish hysteria, just enough to coax her precious canary out of those terrible memories and bring him back to her.
"You're smiling," she whispered affectionately, her heart swelling with love. It felt like she hadn't seen his smile in years.
Kyle made an embarrassed noise that dissolved into giggles when her fingers poked repeatedly at his waist. Joe grinned and giggled too. She could feel the stiffness in his body easing each time another helpless giggle slipped out of him.
"You almost died and somehow I'm the one getting bullied." Even when talking about that he didn't look as upset anymore. Joe was glad.
"You say bullied," Joe said, pretending to think hard as her fingers so gently dug into his lower ribs. "I say being loved~"
Kyle snorted at the sudden touch. It was definitely more firm than the light tickles just a moment ago, but still not terribly ticklish. Joe burst into delighted laughter and Kyle groaned dramatically, although he looked up at her with love in his eyes and a sheepish smile on his lips.
"Oh my~" she giggled. "That was adorable! Oh, you're turning pink."
Kyle groaned loudly, tossing his head back, only making Joe laugh again. She smiled tenderly at him. Ah, she was really glad he was slowly back… she thought Kyle would always carry that grief in his heart… he probably will, but at least he's not drowning in it anymore.
Kyle looked at her again. His eyes searched hers carefully again, not as desperate anymore, just checking. Just making sure one more time. Joe's heart softened instantly. She leaned down and pressed a tiny kiss to his lips. Kyle melted.
"You are really here," he whispered against her lips as if he finally was allowing the fact to settle in his brain.
Joe nodded with a loving smile. "I am."
He closed his eyes for a moment as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. Joe smiled at the contact. Their breaths mingled softly… then, just because she couldn't help herself, she lightly wiggled her fingertips against his sides again. Kyle jolted with a startled laugh.
"Johohoe!"
"I'm here~" she said as Kyle pressed his face against her shoulder when her fingers danced against his ribs once more. He giggled easier this time, sounding alive again too.
At some point they shifted positions entirely. Joe wasn't even sure how it happened. One second Kyle had been mostly curled against her side, and the next he was flat on his back underneath her, breathless and flushed from laughing while she hovered over him grinning and giggling herself.
"Kyle," she said happily, her fingers playing with his ribs relentlessly, "you are so sensitive tonight."
Kyle tossed his head back against the pillows with bright giggles. "Stohohop tohormenting mehehe! I'm grieving!"
Joe laughed. "No, you're not. I'm not allowing it."
Her fingers quickly scribbled down towards his stomach and Kyle squirmed beneath her with bright giggles. "Stahahap!"
Damn it, she loved hearing him laugh. Not only because his expressions were absolutely adorable, but because it made her feel like everything was alright now. "Ah~ your stomach is still very ticklish, hmm?" she giggled mischievously as her fingers fluttered so gently against his belly.
Kyle shook his head. He was nearly laughing into her mouth with how close she was hovering above him. One of her knees rested carefully between his legs to keep her balance and keep him trapped a little. Her hands latched to his body, wanting to draw out every laugh and giggle.
Slowly, carefully, she leaned the rest of her body against him, their forehead resting against each other's. Kyle's breath caught in his throat. Joe kissed his lips, his cheek and then, she was raining little kisses all over his face. "I love you," she whispered and Kyle inhaled softly, melting under her. "I'm here, Kyle. Do you hear me?"
He nodded against her forehead and his hands came to grab at her waist, squeezing her gently just once to make sure one final time that she really was there. Joe smiled and her fingers brushed against his sides again. He twitched and giggled right away.
"Johohoe!" he whispered helplessly.
"What?" she whispered back, smiling innocently.
"It tihihickles!" A tiny bark of laughter escaped him when her fingers fluttered back to his ribs again.
Joe gasped, pretending to be surprised. "Does it? I had no idea~" she said, giggling as she kissed his cheek between soft tickles.
"You're really clingy for someone who died tonihihight."
Joe gasped again. "Wow. Okay. Rude?"
Kyle giggled but then squeaked and laughed when she squeezed his hip once. Joe burst into laughter. "That's what you get."
Kyle whined, but he tilted his chin up to kiss her lips—slow and warm and affectionate enough that Kyle sighed softly against her mouth as their chest ached with unconditional love.
Joe kissed him back again and again. His hands moved up higher against her back, Joe trembled slightly and Kyle pressed her tightly against him as they kissed endlessly.
When Joe finally pulled back slightly, Kyle looked dazed and Joe wanted to eat him whole. She smiled warmly at him before pressing a tiny kiss to the tip of his nose. Kyle scrunched his nose up, looking mildly offended. Joe giggled as she leaned down and pressed another kiss against his cheek again. Then another just beneath his jaw.
Kyle's breath caught instantly. Joe paused for exactly one second before slowly turning her head enough that her lips barely brushed the side of his neck. Kyle squealed so softly.
"J-Joe," he said shakily, laughing already and Joe grinned against his skin.
"Kyle," she whispered against his neck, "are you very ticklish here too?"
Kyle made a strangled sound and tried to squirm under her. "Johoe! Don't!"
She kissed the sensitive spot below his jaw and Kyle jolted so hard he nearly sent Joe flying off him. He let out a helpless burst of laughter and Joe laughed too.
"Oh, I think that's a yes~" she said as if she already didn't know.
She lightly nuzzled her face against his neck and Kyle laughed again, shaking his head and trying to squish her head with his shoulder. His hands landed back on her waist, not quite trying to stop her, simply holding her there.
Joe could feel how warm his skin had grown. He was blushing, giggling his head off even while Joe wasn't even doing anything. A little while ago he looked like he was barely holding himself together, but now he was smiling and laughing and Joe felt like she could cry from relief.
But she didn't, instead, she smiled against his skin and her lips brushed against his pulse point. He tried to cover the spot with his hand, but she lightly scratched his side at the exact time she pressed a quick kiss against the side of his neck. Kyle nearly short-circuited.
"Ahaha! Y-Yohohou ahahare terrible!" he laughed, squeezing her waist, tickling her back.
Joe squeaked before she dissolved into bright laughter against his neck. She tried to push his hands off her, but he held her firmly, his thumbs digging gently into the soft spot.
"KYAHAHALE!"
His own laughter joined her, a little quieter, but warm and playful. For a few seconds they engaged in a messy tickle fight under the blankets, although Kyle was the one doing the tickling and Joe was the one giggling with every squeeze, poke and scribble against her sides and stomach. Joe retaliated once by kissings the side of his neck again and Kyle dissolved into laughter.
Eventually, though, Kyle's hands slowed down and Joe's laughter softened into breathless giggles. They ended up tangled together again almost where they'd started, except now Kyle was smiling warmly against her chest instead of looking like he was on the edge of crying.
Joe wrapped him in her arms, kissing his forehead and the bridge of his nose. Meanwhile Kyle's fingers absentmindedly traced her back underneath her shirt.
"I thought I lost you…"
Joe closed her eyes before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I know…" she whispered, carding her fingers through his hair. "But I'm here, Kyle."
Kyle's arms tightened around her waist. "I know."
This time when he said it, he sounded like he finally believed it.
A/N: @ticklygiggles I wish you a happy birthday~ I hope that the upcoming year will bring you only joyful and good memories. I did think for a while what to gift you, but then I saw you recent reblog with Sunday and just went for that. Have a great day and enjoy this little gift to your fullest.
Summary: Surprise~
Words: 1,896 words under the cut
The soft hum of the Astral Express blended with the distant glow of the stars, as nighttime slowly settled over the train. The compartments of the Express were quiet and empty, except for two figures on their way to Sunday’s room.
Their bodies threw long shadow against the walls, as they walked in the dimmed light, the warm, golden glow spilling from under the doorframe of Sunday’s room, illuminating the red carpet stretching into the hallway, being their appealing guide. Caelus barreled straight through it with absolutely no grace whatsoever.
“Slow down,” Dan Heng sighed behind him, though the complaint lacked any real irritation. It wasn’t like he was exciting for this as well. “I am slowing down,” Caelus insisted while very clearly not slowing down at all.
His raccoon slippers slid noisily against the carpet as he tugged Dan Heng along by the hand. The other hand balanced an absurd tower of snacks against his chest - chips, candy, popcorn, and at least three drinks threatening to topple over at any moment. Dan Heng followed mostly because resisting would probably end with both of them face-first on the floor.
His dragon slippers glided after Caelus’ in reluctant surrender. “You brought way too much for tonight.” “You say that every week and every week it mysteriously disappears,” the grey-haired commented. “That’s because you inhale snacks like a vacuum cleaner.” Caelus gasped dramatically. “Dan Heng, I am wounded.” “You’ll recover,” the ravenhead assured.
Caelus grinned brightly and pushed the door open wider with his foot. “We’re here!” Sunday looked up immediately from the center of an elaborate pillow fort that occupied nearly half his room. “…You built more of it,” Caelus exclaimed excitingly.
The fort had somehow evolved since last week: Blankets draped from stacked cushions and chairs, soft lantern lights glowing underneath the canopy. Pillows surrounded the nest-like center in layers of cream and gold. Sunday sat in the middle wrapped in a blanket, his small wings fluttering faintly behind him at their arrival. Caelus visibly melted. “You made it cozy.”
“I had time,” Sunday answered softly. Dan Heng’s gaze swept over the fort with quiet approval. “Impressive structural integrity.” Sunday looked oddly pleased by the compliment. “I reinforced the left side after last time.” “The collapse was one time,” Caelus defended. “You leaned against it like a dying star,” Dan Heng commented. “It wasn’t on purpose.”
“I know,” Dan Heng said, as he slipped his hand free at last and stepped inside, toeing off his dragon slippers near the entrance. Caelus immediately kicked off his raccoon ones beside them, not even bothering to arrange them properly, before stumbling into the fort with all the elegance of an excited golden retriever.
Sunday laughed quietly under his breath at that. A tiny sound - small enough that it nearly vanished beneath the rustling blankets. Caelus deposited the snacks between them and flopped down at Sunday’s left side while Dan Heng settled on the right. Immediately, Caelus leaned against Sunday’s shoulder. “You’re warm,” he said softly. “You say that every week.”
“And every week it remains true.” Dan Heng reached over to grab the remote before Caelus could lose it in the blankets. “What are we watching?” Sunday tilted his head thoughtfully. “We’ve done action the last two times.” “Horror the week before that,” Caelus added. “You screamed louder than March 7th,” Dan Heng teased, earning a pillow from the other.
“Hey, I was immersed and that monkey jumped out of nowhere.” “You threw popcorn at me,” the ravenhead said emotionless. “That’s because you were laughing at me,” Caelus fought back. Sunday’s lips twitched. Dan Heng then looked between them with long-suffering patience. “A comedy then?” Caelus pointed dramatically. “Dan Heng, you genius.”
Sunday nodded. “That sounds nice.” After fifteen more minutes of indecision and Caelus suggesting increasingly questionable movie choices, he got more god knows where, they finally settled on an old slapstick comedy March 7th had recommended. The lights dimmed further and the movie began.
Within the first two minutes someone onscreen slipped on a banana peel and crashed through a window. Caelus burst into laughter instantly. Not normal laughter either - a full-body, wheezing, chortling laughter. He folded in half against Sunday, cackling loud enough that Dan Heng actually snorted. Sunday blinked at them both. “That wasn’t even that funny.”
“Yes it was,” Caelus wheezed, rubbing a tear of mirth out of his eye. Dan Heng shook his head, though faint amusement tugged at his mouth. “Your laugh is just too contagious.” “That’s because I commit to the experience,” the other admitted, before he shoved a handful of sweet popcorn into his mouth, almost spilling it as another scene got him cackling.
Caelus kept laughing throughout nearly every scene, sometimes before the joke even finished. Dan Heng tried to stay composed at first, then Caelus started making himself laugh harder, and soon even Dan Heng couldn’t stop quiet snickers escaping every few minutes, especially whenever Caelus nearly rolled off the pillow pile from laughing too hard.
Sunday watched them both, smiling - quietly. Every now and then his shoulders trembled faintly, his lips parting around little hollow breaths that sounded like aborted laughter, but every single time, he pressed his mouth shut again almost immediately. Caelus noticed around halfway through the movie.
He glanced sideways during another scene and frowned slightly. Sunday’s expression looked strained, like he was trying very hard not to make noise. Another joke landed onscreen. Dan Heng chuckled softly beside them. Caelus barked out another loud laugh. Sunday only made a tiny muffled sound behind his hand. Caelus reached for the remote and paused the movie.
The sudden silence filled the fort. Sunday blinked. “What happened?” The Trailblazer turned toward him fully. “What’s wrong?” he asked with a worried gaze. Sunday immediately looked away. “Nothing.” “You’re doing the thing.” “The thing?” Sunday echoed weakly.
“The ‘Nothing’s wrong while something is obviously wrong’ thing,” Caelus said, crossing his arms to underline his statement. Dan Heng nodded once in agreement. Sunday’s wings twitched nervously before folding closer around himself. “It’s not important,” he almost whispered. Caelus softened instantly.
He shifted closer, voice gentler now. “Sunday…” he laid a hand on the other’s shoulder squeezing it comfortingly, “you can tell us, okay- only if you want to of course.” The other man hesitated, then his wings lifted slightly, enough to hide part of his flushed face. “…I don’t like my laugh.” Caelus blinked, while Dan Heng looked genuinely surprised.
Sunday’s voice dropped quieter still. “It sounds embarrassing.” “That’s ridiculous,” Caelus said immediately. Sunday ducked his head lower. “It’s loud and childish and annoying.” Dan Heng’s eyes flicked toward Caelus. A silent understanding passed between them. The grey-haired began to smile slowly. “Oh,” he said lightly, “so that’s the problem.”
Sunday looked suspiciously at the other, feeling the sudden shift in the air. “…Why are you smiling like that?” “No reason.” “There is definitely a reason, what-” Caelus suddenly lunged sideways. Sunday yelped as his fingers squeezed gently into his sides. “C-Cahaelus!” Tiny startled giggles burst out instantly.
“There it is!” Caelus declared triumphantly, increasing his playful attack. Sunday curled inward with a flustered gasp, his wings beginning to flutter wildly. “W-WaHaHait!” Dan Heng watched for approximately three seconds before calmly setting aside the popcorn bowl and joining in. Sunday looked betrayed. “Dan Heng?!”
“You brought this upon yourself,” the ravenhead informed him serenely while lightly scribbling fingers against his stomach. Sunday folded immediately. Soft giggles spilled from him in quick succession as he tried pushing their hands away. “Stohohop iHit you twoHo! AhhaAHAhaha!” Caelus grinned brightly. “Your laugh is adorable.”
“It ihihis not!” the other managed to say in-between his laughter. “Yes, it is,” Dan Heng said. Sunday’s face turned scarlet. Caelus attacked his sides again while Dan Heng’s fingers drifted higher beneath his ribs, leaving him no change to escape. The double attack from both sides made Sunday squeak, actually squeaked- then the giggles broke louder.
Bright, breathless laughter spilled out between frantic attempts to hide behind his wings. “N-Nohoho! WahahaHahit! EHhhEHEH!” “There it is again,” Caelus said happily. “You sound cute,” Dan Heng added quietly. Sunday shook his head furiously, laughing harder when Caelus squeezed at his stomach. “I dohohon’t!” “You really do,” Caelus insisted.
Sunday’s laughter rose another octave as Dan Heng suddenly brushed light fingers against the sensitive spot beneath his neck. He jerked violently. “DAHAHAN HEHEHENG!” Caelus immediately lost it laughing at his reaction. “Oh my god, he’s ticklish there too!” Sunday collapsed sideways against him, helpless giggles pouring out now.
His carefully restrained composure completely unraveled beneath their gentle tickling. And then he stopped holding back. The sound that escaped him was soft and melodic and bright - a clear, childlike laugh that filled the pillow fort like music. Caelus froze mid-tickle. Dan Heng blinked in surprise.
Sunday laughed harder at their expressions without realizing it, hands flying to cover his mouth too late. “There!” Caelus exclaimed. “That!” Sunday stared at him breathlessly. Caelus looked almost offended on his behalf. “You wanted to hide that?!” Sunday flushed harder. “I told you it sounds childish-” “It sounds beautiful,” Dan Heng interrupted quietly.
Sunday fell silent. Dan Heng’s expression remained calm, honest. “There’s nothing annoying about it.” Caelus nodded aggressively. “You should laugh more!” Sunday looked between them uncertainly. Then Caelus suddenly wrapped both arms around him in a crushing hug.
Sunday let out an undignified squeak as the force knocked them sideways directly into Dan Heng. Dan Heng barely had time to react before both of them collapsed against him in a pile of blankets and wings and laughter. “Caelus,” he sighed. “You’re comfy,” the Trailblazer mumbled, nuzzling more against his friend.
“You just tackled us.” “And I’d do it again.” Sunday giggled helplessly into Caelus’ shoulder. Openly this time. The sound made both Caelus and Dan Heng smile immediately. “There,” Caelus said softly, “see? It suits you.” Sunday’s wings fluttered shyly. “…Maybe a little.” “A lot,” Dan Heng corrected him. Sunday laughed again at that, warm and genuine.
He felt comfortable with it, felt comfortable with the two of them. They didn't downplay it, and even though it was a bit embarrassing at first- well still is, they showed him the confidence in himself that he lacked. Sunday was grateful for that and it really felt to him like he has finally come home… in this comfy bundle of true friendship.
The three of them remained tangled together among the pillows while the paused movie screen glowed softly nearby. Then suddenly the door slid open. “All right, who’s laughing loud enough to be heard from the Parlor-” March 7th stopped dead. Pom-Pom peeked around her leg curiously. The room froze.
Caelus halfway draped across Sunday and Sunday tangled against Dan Heng, blankets everywhere. All three staring at the doorway like startled deer. March blinked once. Pom-Pom blinked twice. Sunday turned entirely red. “I-It’s not what it looks like-”
“What does it look like?” March asked immediately. Nobody answered. Then Caelus snorted. Dan Heng closed his eyes briefly in surrender as a laugh escaped him too. Sunday stared at them both for one second before helpless giggles bubbled out again. Soon all three of them were laughing together. March sighed dramatically, crossing her arms. “Boys,” she declared. Pom-Pom nodded solemnly. “Very noisy passengers.” That only made the laughter worse.
Thank you so muuuuch Maaaaax 😭😭😭😭😭😭 this was so so so precious omg I looooved it!! 💕💕💕💕💕 I still know barely anything about honkai, but it's always nice to read about Sunday getting wrecked 😌😌
A/N: Happy birthday @ticklygiggles!!!! I know I wasn't the most subtle coming up with this, but I hope it can bring you a little joy. You're a really precious friend to me and I wish you just the best. May all your dreams come through and you have lots of happy moments today and every day!
Aaaand I hope you, and everyone else reading this, can forgive me for any OOC moments. It's been a looooong time since I watched HQ, but these two are still one of the cutest in the cast ehehehe
Summary: Bokuto always finds a way to get what he wants, one way or another.
Word count: 1525 words
[Also on Ao3]
"Great job, everyone!" Bokuto shouted and waved his hands above his head as he exited the court. From where that much energy came from was still a mystery, one beyond Akaashi's comprehension. At least he had someone else to help him try to burn that seemingly endless battery. "Keep it up!"
"Bokuto-san, we need to go," Akaashi sighed, his arms crossed as he stopped a few steps ahead of Bokuto. "We will be late if we don't leave now."
"Right, right," Bokuto nodded, but his mind was still set on something else.
Leaving the court with Bokuto was never a clear, simple process. Not when he and Akaashi knew most of the people that they were playing against or training with. Bokuto always took his sweet time bidding farewell or doing some silly small talk here and there. Akaashi felt drained, both physical and mentally.
"Bokuto-san," he insisted, his tone firmer this time, and frowned at his teammate.
"Coming!" Bokuto gasped as he was just about to get distracted again. With one last awkward bow to his friend, Bokuto caught up with Akaashi's pace and stood by his side. "That was fun, wasn't it?" He added, a short giggle under his breath. "I hope we can meet everyone again before the end of the year."
Akaashi peeked at him through the corner of his eyes, his brow archer. "You're acting like a kid. We just finished the match, how are you already thinking of the next one?"
"And they are getting better too," Bokuto continued, his fist clenched in front of his face with enthusiasm, "we will need to step up if we don't want to be left behind!"
"…Are you even listening to me?" Akaashi shook his head. He could guess the answer to that question, way too familiar with the whole thing.
Bokuto was dazed, mesmerized, too hyped up after a 'good game' to pay any mind to something else. Typical.
"We still need to get back to the dorms tonight, so hurry up," Akaashi said and took a step back to push Bokuto into the lockers, all to make sure he wouldn't be lured back into the court by accident.
All in all, Akaashi thought, it was easier to deal with Bokuto when he was in a good mood like this than when he was in a bad one. Despite how draining the game was, they still managed to win and, most importantly, give Bokuto some room to score a few points himself.
As he walked inside, the ace looked around and checked the nearby hallways. Akaashi watched the motion and closed the door behind him, not even trying to figure out what he was after this time. "Did you forget where we left our bags, Bokuto-san?"
"Of course not," Bokuto mused and turned to Akaashi with a cheeky grin on his lips, "it's just that there is no one else here. They went ahead without us!"
"I told them to," Akaashi nodded and walked towards their locker, "you didn't look like you were going to leave after just one game. I said I'd wait for you and that they could go back early if they wanted."
"Did I take that long? We were just playing around!"
Akaashi couldn't help himself but let out a small chuckle. He looked at Bokuto next to him and the difference between them felt like never before. He was tired, his muscles were aching and even thinking felt like a hard task after a whole evening of planning plays, one after the other.
Meanwhile, if it wasn't for his damp uniform, no one would be able to guess if Bokuto spent the day running and jumping around or simply leisuring at the nearby park. Truly the Fukurodani Academy's ace.
"Most people get tired after 'playing around' like that…" Akaashi said gently as he pulled the training bib over his head, "or after trying to keep up with you, Bokuto-san," he added.
"Eh?" Bokuto scoffed and mimicked Akaashi's motion, but pulled his shirt along with the vest over it. "But you don't look tired, 'Kaashi," he teased and sat back on the nearby bench to watch Akaashi take off his clothes. "You're even taking care of me right now."
"That's what makes it exhausting, Bokuto-san," Akaashi teased and looked over his shoulder to meet Bokuto's gaze.
Silence quickly settled in, but there was no need for words. That still-crude, but warm feeling that they shared spoke in their place and both Bokuto and Akaashi found themselves smiling to each other. Right now, they could, but Akaashi was too responsible to even think of risking it. He shook his head, chuckling quietly at Bokuto's frustrated reaction when he turned his face away.
"B-But, 'Kaashi—"
"No, Bokuto-san," Akaashi hummed and started to pull up his shirt. "We're going to be late if we take any longer."
"You're no fun sometimes," Bokuto groaned and pushed himself up, ready to oblige to Akaashi's orders, but his eyes refused to move from Akaashi's frame. "You need to worry less, they are too busy out there to mind us here anyway."
"Mhm, but it's still a 'no', Bokuto-saHA— h-hey!"
Akaashi widened his eyes, both because of the sudden touch against his side and the volume of his own voice. He took a step away from Bokuto and stared at the offending hand, frozen on spot, with Bokuto's finger still extended out. "Bokuto-san, you— sigh, don't do that—"
"Don't do what?" He insisted and threatened to move his hand again towards Akaashi. The playful, energetic smile had faded into an eerie, almost serious expression and Akaashi didn't like the look of that, not one bit. "If my boyfriend doesn't want to give me a kiss, why do I need to listen to him?"
"B-because it will cause a scen— wahait!" Akaashi pressed his back against the locker's door, desperately trying to free his arms that were still stuck in the shirt above his head. He realized a little too late how he got himself tangled in his own clothes and Bokuto wasn't the kind to let this type of opportunity pass unbothered, much to Akaashi's demise. "I-I'm serious!"
"So am I," Bokuto grinned at Akaashi's nervous smile, "I can help you with that if you give me what I want."
"D-don't start acting like a spoiled kid," Akaashi retorted, looking down at Bokuto's hand and then back up at his face. "You know we cahahan't— ahHAh, n-no! Bohokuto-sahahan!"
"C'mon, 'Kaashi'," Bokuto purred as he latched both his hands on Akaashi's waist. He rubbed circles with his fingers, drawing out that rare, melody laughter out of his poor, ticklish boyfriend. "Just pout your lips like this ~"
"G-gehehet off mehe!" Akaashi laughed, trying to flail around and lower his arms as much as he could. The more he squirmed, the tighter the cloth seemed to wrap around his joints, making it impossible to not make a fool out of himself — a bigger one, in this case. "I-It tihihickles, you— agh, nohoho!"
"You're the one making things harder," Bokuto teased, his face inches away from Akaashi's. He could steal all the kisses he wanted there, but that just wouldn't feel the same. He needed it to come from Akaashi, to be kissed and not to kiss. "We can stay here all night if you want to ~"
Bokuto couldn't even remember what was waiting for them back at their dorm. All he could think of now was how warm and soft Akaashi's skin felt to his touch, how nice it was to rub it and squeeze it and how pretty Akaashi looked and sounded laughing himself silly like that. Bokuto moved one hand lower to tickle Akaashi's hips and his smile widened when the laughter became twice as loud. "Ooh, it's bad here, right?"
"Y-YOHOHOU KNOHOW IT IS!!" Akaashi cackled, nearly headbutting Bokuto in a renewed laughing fit, "dahaham it, t-thihis is so unfahahair!"
Akaashi felt his knees going weak, as if they were about to collapse at any given moment. If he gave in, wouldn't he just spoil Bokuto even more? What sort of behavior would this encourage? But, still, he was tired and it tickled so bad—
"F-FIHIhine! Fihihine!!" Akaashi groaned through the laughter, shaking his head and clenching his trapped hands. "J-just stohohop! I wihihill kiss you!"
"Will you?" Bokuto beamed, his fingers stopping dead in their tracks, but still holding Akaashi's body like a plush toy. "Really?!"
"Y-yohou're so lahame, Bokuto-sahan…" Akaashi sighed and sighed. He felt his heart beating fast inside his chest and the shivers running down his back, but didn't dare to go back on his word. He leaned forward and, in that awkward pose, he pressed his lips against Bokuto. "Ah… there, happy?"
"You're the best, 'Kaashi," Bokuto grinned, poking his side and making the other guy jump. "Easy there ~ let's get you out of it. We need to get ready soon or the others will get worried!"
Akaashi rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything back this time. There was truly no winning against the ace, and Akaashi was more than happy to lose to him whenever he could.
A/N: Aaaaaa I'm so sorry for the long wait omg, I've been a tad busy irl, so I'm sooorry. I hope you enjoy this one as always! Thank you for your very kind support!!
Summary: Kyle is jealous and Joe is having none of that.
Words: 4k
It started small. It always did, but, as always, it escalated before neither of them could stop it.
Joe was walking beside Kyle. It was late at night already, but she insisted she wanted to go see the festival happening in town and eat street food together with Kyle. She begged him for days, throwing her best puppy eyes and showing a perfect behavior for the prince. For once, Kyle had agreed to go with her, to protect her, more than anything, he had said, but Joe could see right through him. Who would have thought things would start to get… awkward not ever two hours after they had arrived.
Joe, as dense as usual, didn't immediately notice the changes. The way Kyle's humor soured as the night went on. Didn't notice how he started to retreat into himself. How his warm, happy expression quickly turned into an annoyed frown.
She only noticed until she let out a soft giggle. Just a quick, bright sound when she remembered something someone said a few minutes ago.
"That man with the fire tricks was very funny, right?" She said brightly. "He even made that trick for me! I was not expecting it, but he was acting a little weird. Still, it was super funny. What do you—what?" she cut herself off, finally noticing Kyle.
"Nothing," he said shortly, not even glancing her way. "Are you ready to go? The carriage is waiting."
Joe huffed out a breath through her nose, already tired. She rolled her eyes. "Are you serious, Kyle?" she asked, trying to keep the tone of her voice steady to not fuel his anger, but she could feel her blood boiling. "You're doing the thing again."
Kyle frowned even more, finally looking at her. "What thing? I'm not doing anything," he said, defensive.
"You are!" she claimed as they kept walking towards the car. The calm, easy night, turning into something heavy. "You always get all weird and quiet, and then pretend nothing is happening, but it's clear that—"
"I'm not doing anything," Kyle insisted, the edge in his tone more obvious. He rolled his eyes too.
"—you're just jealous!" Joe continued speaking over Kyle's words.
Kyle's shoulders squared as he tensed because of Joe's words. He opened his mouth, a soft sound leaving his throat as if he was about to say something, but then he closed it again.
"I am not jealous."
Joe groaned. "My goodness, please just don't start this," she said, stopping just behind some tall bushes to hide from the people around, Kyle following her. "Did you seriously get jealous because of that guy?"
Kyle bristled, but he let out a short, humorless breath. "Yeah, right," he said sarcastically, crossing his arms above his chest, although it was obvious that he was, in fact, jealous. "If you're going to say stupid things, then let's just go back."
Kyle started to walk again, not caring that she was leaving Joe behind.
"Kyle."
He stopped a second later, turning towards her, already looking like he might yell. "What is it?"
"Don't speak to me with that tone," she pointed at him, frustrated and angry as well. "And don't say I'm saying stupid things because I am not!"
Kyle huffed. "What tone? What are you even talking about?"
"That tone!" she repeated, approaching him and poking his chest. "That tone as if you're trying to make me take the blame when I clearly have done anything for once."
Kyle's jaw tightened. "I'm telling you nothing is happening, but you insist on making a big deal out of this," he said through gritted teeth.
"You are making a big deal out of this!" she said, flailing her arms a little. "You're jealous because I interacted with a random guy for three seconds!"
"I'm not—" he cut himself off, frustration clear in his voice. "You just don't get it."
"Then explain it to me!" she said, sharper this time. "Because from where I am standing, it just looks like you're picking a fight over nothing. Again."
Kyle's eyes narrowed. "I am not picking a fight," he said tightly.
"Then what do you call this?" she gestured between them. "Because it feels a lot like the last five times this has happened!"
"That's not—" he shook his head, sighing. "It's not the same."
"It is exactly the same," Joe insisted. "You get weird, then close off, and get angry at me from doing absolutely nothing!"
"I didn't say I was angry with you."
"You don't have to say it," she said back. "It's clear that you're angry with me!"
Kyle tensed a bit more at that, but her words only made him more defensive. "I am not angry with you," he repeated, not even looking her in the eye.
Joe let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Stop denying everything I say! You are so—" she stopped talking, pressing her lips together as she looked up at him with her brow furrowed. "You know what?" she said, throwing her arms up, giving up completely on this argument. "I won't do this again."
Kyle's stomach dropped at that, but he freezes on the spot, watching Joe starting to walk away, lifting the skirt of her dress so it wouldn't tangle with her feet as she stomped away from him.
Joe shook her head. "If you're gonna be jealous over literally nothing and then act like it's my damn fault, that's—" she gestured vaguely with one hand before lifting her skirt again, frustrated beyond words, "—that's on you, Kyle."
"Joe—"
"Why can't you trust me?" she said, not even turning back to look at his face. "When have I done something that made you think I would choose anyone over you?"
Kyle froze for a hot minute before he took a step forward towards her. "You didn't—" he sighed, taking another step. "It's not that—"
"No, Kyle. I don't want to listen to you right now," she said firmly.
"Joe," Kyle said, rushing towards her. "Joe, please. I—" he captured her hand before she could walk away completely. "Listen, please."
"You want me to listen to you, but you, many times, don't listen to me."
She tried to pull her hand away, but he held her firmly. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to keep her in place and prevent her from leaving. Joe didn't turn right away. She was still annoyed—still so annoyed—but something in his voice didn't match with the argument anymore. It was not sharp nor defensive. And something inside Joe started to soften despite herself.
Kyle didn't let go, not even when she stopped completely. He kept his hand around Joe's wrists, like he was waiting to see if she would shake him off. When she didn't, he let out a soft exhale, his shoulders relaxing only a fraction.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. Even the sound of silence around them is different. Less explosive, but still heavy, in a different way.
Kyle took a deep breath and finally opened his mouth to start talking:
"I am sorry," he said softly, the tension in his face gone completely. "I am truly sorry," he repeated. "I—I just… It's just… I know it's stupid" he sighed, frustrated by how hard it was for him to talk about this.
Joe closed her eyes for a second. Damn him. That's the problem. Not the jealousy itself, or at least not entirely… It's the way he said things like that afterwards. Like he already hated himself for it before she even could get the chance to be completely angry.
Kyle shifted nervously, his hold loosening just a bit. "It's not that I don't trust you…" he admitted, running his free hand against his face. "… I'm scared… that you'll leave… me. S-Sometimes… Sometimes i see stuff like that and my brain just—"
Joe rolled her eyes and finally glanced back over her shoulder. Big mistake.
Kyle looked genuinely miserable. Not dramatic or manipulative… just completely frustrated… and with big, regretful eyes that made Joe feel her irritation crumbling… which annoyed her even more.
"My goodness," she mumbled under her breath.
"W-What?" Kyle asked immediately, tensing again.
Joe turned toward him fully this time, and when she did, he let go of her arm. Joe stared at him for a long while. Kyle stared back, shifting nervously under her gaze, like bracing for another round of yelling and arguing.
She finally spoke and Kyle tensed a little, startled. "But why do you think that?! It's stupid! And you know it!" She stomps her feet a little. "You make me so angry! Why would I ever want to leave you, Kyle?!"
"I- I know… I'm sorry, yes? I really—I already said it's stupid, but I—" he sighed. How could he explain all of his thoughts and insecurities to her? How could he put all of his fears into words so she could understand?
But he didn't need to… because she knew it. More than anyone, even himself, she knew it. She stared at him for a long moment again, then she sighed too, shaking her head a little. Frustrated and angry with herself because she had forgotten him already… or at least she was close to do so.
"You are so silly, Kyle," she mumbled, but there was no anger in her voice. "How could I possibly leave you," she growled. "You make me so— agh! You need help! This jealousy thing—" She flailed her arms around, gesturing vaguely around them, "it's getting ridiculous!"
Kyle groaned, already defensive again. "Joe, I—"
Kyle stopped talking and blinked in confusion, surprised when Joe suddenly moved forward. He took an instinctive step back, but then opened his arms, ready to receive her in a tight hug, but a hug was not in Joe's thoughts. At all. Both her hands darted forward and latched to his sides and she started to tickle them with quick squeezes and pinches up and down their length.
Kyle jerked violently at the sudden contact, and then let out a startled sound that was embarrassingly high. He tried to push her hands away from his body before he dissolved into loud giggles, his cheeks flushing bright pink like the little flowers around them.
"Wahahait! Whahat ahahare you d-dohohoing?!" He asked, curling on himself as he giggled and squirmed. "Johohoe!"
"Shut it!" Joe said, pouting, her cheeks puffed out as her fingers moved with expertise up and down his sides. "This is your punishment for thinking the most silly things! You're so dumb! Dumb, Kyle!"
"I'm n-nohohot—Thihis is n-nohohot—ahaha! Wahahait! Okahahay! Okay!" His giggles turned a bit louder as Joe's hands started to move towards his ribs. He shook, his cheeks turning pinker the more he laughed. "Johohoe!" I'm duhuhumb! I r-reheheally ahaham!"
"I know!" she answered, but didn't slow down.
His hands kept trying to push hers away, but she kept changing spots. In one moment, she was kneading the soft skin between his ribs and hips, and at the next, her thumbs were rubbing deep circles against his hips and moving up towards the hollows under his arms, fingers dipping in with just enough pressure to make him squeal.
"Stahahap! Thihihis is nohohot fihihixing ahahanything!" he laughed, reaching for her wrists, but only managing to expose his armpits to her wiggling fingers even more.
"Oh, is that so?" Joe asked, her lips pulling up into a smirk. She already felt lighter and a little less angry, quickly enchanted by Kyle's reactions. "Then I guess I will have to tickle you even more until you learn that I will not ever leave you! Dummy Kyle!" she declared, her fingers speeding up, touching all of Kyle's tickle spots in a flurry of pokes, squeezes and scribbles.
Kyle laughed, curled on himself a little as he pushed at her wrists, but he was already weak from the tickling, his brain overwhelmed by the electric pulses rushing to it. He took a couple of steps back, but Joe easily followed him, her fingers not faltering for even a second.
One minute ago they were arguing. Now Kyle's face is bright red while he tries—and absolutely fails—to shove her away without actually hurting her.
Joe started to laugh too. She couldn't help it. If Kyle laughed, she laughed. If Kyle cried, she cried. If Kyle was jealous… she would tickle the jealousy out of him from now on.
"Look at you," she teases with a giggle, following him as he backs away again. "Grumpy, jealous Kyle is gone now it seems~ are you learning anything right now?"
Kyle jerked hard again when she scribbled her fingers across his stomach. "AHAHA! JOE!" he squealed.
"That is not an answer!"
Kyle could barely answer her at that moment. He kept trying to twist away, catching her wrists for just a second before she slipped free again. The more he laughed, the more Joe could feel the remnants of the argument dissolving, along with her anger and frustration.
Not disappearing completely. She was not going to let Kyle out of the hook so easily. But the tension was definitely loosening… which was good because she was this close to slap him across the face five minutes ago because of that stupid attitude of his.
So this was better. Much better.
"Ohohone m-mohohoment, plehehease!" he giggled breathlessly.
"Nope," she said, relentless in her attack. "Have you learned your lesson? No more jealousy!"
Kyle groaned loudly through his laughter, trying to cover his face for a second out of pure embarrassment.
"Nuh-uh, no hiding," she scolded, taking advantage of the opening, her fingers spidering mercilessly along his ribs.
Kyle yelped, stumbling into a wall near to them. "JOE! Stahahap!" he laughed, trying to cover his ribs with his arms. "Why dohoho y-you ahahalways end uhup tihihickling mehehe?!"
Joe hummed, her fingers not slowing down at all. "Mostly because I like listening to you laughing… but right now because I'm punishing you."
"Y-You ahahare insufferable!"
"And you are too jealous for your own good."
"I'm n-nohAHA!"
His words collapsed into laughter when she squeezed his hips unexpectedly. Kyle shrieked, nearly losing it completely on the spot. He ducked his head, shoulders shaking with each giggle, hands desperately trying to block her while laughing far harder than he probably wanted to.
Joe looked at him. Really looked at him, and something warm twisted in her chest. The defensive posture is gone, his brow is furrowed still, but his lips are spread into a bright smile.
"Oh yeah, do you feel the jealousy leaving your body already?" she laughed, poking the softest part of his belly just to make him squeal.
Kyle's hands moved again. He was trying to push her away again, but this time, instead of grabbing her arms, he reached out and squeezed her sides, accidentally tickling her back.
Joe squeaked, and immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes widening in surprise, her cheeks blushing slightly.
Kyle froze. Joe froze. Both of them were staring at each other. Kyle's expression changed from confusion, mostly toward himself because he actually tickled Joe back, and then realization.
"Oh~," he said and Joe took one slow step backward.
"Do not, Kyle," she said immediately.
Kyle straightened a little despite still breathing heavily from laughing. "Joe~"
He lunged at her. Joe let out a loud startled shriek and ran away just in time, Kyle's hands barely brushing her side as she grabbed the skirt of her dress one more time so she didn't trip with herself.
"Kyle! W-What are you dohoing?!"
Kyle reached out again, fingertips touching her arm just barely again. He was grinning. "What do you think I'm doing, hmm?"
"Stohop!"
Joe darted away, laughter already breaking out of her despite herself. Behind her, Kyle laughed too, but differently now. Not helpless and too high to be his laughter, but dangerous.
"Why are you running? You can't take what you dish out?" he teased from behind her, chasing her around like a dumb kid.
"That's- That's diffeherent!" she yelled, a little breathless already from laughing and running. "You- You were being so annoying! Why do you even get jealous?! That's just so stupid!"
Kyle groaned behind her. "Now you really are just tempting your luck!" Kyle sped up and Joe let out a loud shriek as she also tried to run faster.
She nearly tripped over herself with a rock, but quickly regained her balance as he laughed brightly, her cheeks were flushed and she was starting to sweat just a little. Kyle followed immediately, gasping a little when he saw Joe nearly falling, and then sighing in relief when she recovered. He was breathless still from being tickled and now for running around, but he was also, somehow, recovering fast.
"Stop chasing meee!" Joe squealed. "This was your fault!"
"My fault?" he purred with a smirk.
"Yes! You were the one acting like a dumb kid!"
Kyle laughed once in pure disbelief. "Oh, now I definitely have to get you."
Joe widened her eyes. "O-Oh no…" she said immediately.
They way he said that… she knew that tone so very well, and knew that she was in big trouble—however, Kyle wasn't acting like himself at that moment. He was usually nearly scared of being too close to Joe for more than two seconds. Extremely shy, that adorable prince… but now? Where did he go?!
Joe kept running around, using trees as barriers that Kyle quickly broke through. They both laughed, and Kyle actually managed to catch the back of her dress for half a second before she twisted free with another shriek of laughter. But Joe had the sudden thought that Kyle was simply letting her think that she was faster than him… her suspicions were true.
"Stop running!"
"Noho!"
Joe could hear him gaining on her, probably tired already of letting her win. She immediately regretted every decision she made in the last five minutes. Because this was not her sweet, precious, shy Kyle… this one was too confident! So terrifyingly confident. Joe risked a glance behind her and instantly regretted it. He looked genuinely determined now, and unfortunately for her, she was growing tired.
Kyle suddenly caught her around the waist before she could dodge again. Joe burst into helpless laughter right away, even before Kyle started to do anything, as the momentum carried them both forward, almost making them fall face first on the ground. Kyle barely managed to keep them both upright, one arm locked around her middle while she twisted uselessly trying to escape.
"Kyle!" she gasped between nervous laughter. "Kyle! Don't you dare! It was your fault from the beginning!"
Kyle chuckled, tightening his hold when she nearly slipped free again. "I was going to be nice," he purred against her ear, making her shiver, blush and giggle.
"You weren't!"
"Not anymore," he said quietly, his lips pulling into a smirk. "I am still jealous."
Joe groaned loudly. "Oh my God, are you serious right now?!"
"And," Kyle continued over her, "I suddenly am remembering all the times you've been a little pain for me, Joe… From the very beginning. So I kind of have several minutes of suffering to make up for."
Joe's eyes widened. Did he just say several?! "Y-You—! I- I'm sorry? Wait! That's not even fair! This is not about me, but about your—AAAH!"
Her pleads dissolved into loud laughter when Kyle's free hand latched to her side and started squeezing. A loud shriek teared out of her as his hand scribbled mercilessly against her side, causing her to nearly collapse against him.
Kyle giggled quietly. "Oh? You're very ticklish, huh?"
Joe tried to squirm away, but Kyle's arm around her waist held her securely against him while his other hand continued its work.
"Kyle! Kyahahale!" she giggled brightly, shaking her head. "Lihihisten to mehehe!"
"Nope," he said, continuing like she wasn't dying in his arms right now. "Since you like teasing me so much, it's only fear that I return the favor, don't you think?"
Joe grabbed desperately at his wrists, trying to push him away, but she was giggling too hard to put any actual strength into it. "Ahahaha! P-Plehehease!"
"Please what?" he mumbled with a smirk as his fingers dug gently into her ribs.
Joe squealed, tossing her head back against Kyle's chest as he carefully pinched and dug into each bone until Joe was nearly hysterical.
Kyle giggled softly. "Could it be that you're more ticklish than me?"
Joe shook her head, but couldn't talk back from how hard she was laughing. Ah, she really set this up for herself, huh? Who would have thought her mischief would come get her back eventually—no, who would've thought Kyle would actually get her back!
"AHAHAHA STAHAHAP!"
"Ah~ so it's right here?" he giggled, his fingers digging against her highest ribs, near her armpit. "That's very ticklish, huh?" he teased, grinning as he leaned forward a little so he could see Joe's smiling face.
Tears of laughter twinkled in her eyes. Her smile was nearly splitting her face in half and her cheeks were flushed bright red. She looked adorable… too adorable, Kyle's hand against her ribs faltered a little as he was awestruck by her beauty.
"AHAHAH! Kyhahale! Plehehease!" she begged, looking up at him with one teary eye and Kyle's breath hitched in his throat, slowing down completely. Joe blinked, confused and breathless. "A-Are you actually stopping?"
Kyle looked at her for a long moment before he chuckled softly, his smile turning mischievous again. "Oh? Do you want me to continue? Okay."
"N-NO, KYLE! W-WAIT!"
His free hand immediately went for her stomach this time and Joe nearly lost it. Her knees buckled so fast Kyle barely had time to catch her properly before she collapsed straight to the ground.
"STAHAHAP"
"Nope," he said simply. Joe could hear the grin on his lips even without looking at him.
Kyle almost never looked this smug around her. Usually, there was hesitation into everything he did around Joe. Self-consciousness, second-guessing, fear of being pushed away and pushing too much. But right now? He looked thrilled. Like he was enjoying himself and actually having a good time. And even though Joe was laughing her head off, she was somehow also happy about this… but that still didn't make his hand tickle any less.
Kyle clawed at the middle of her stomach, right around her belly button. His fingers scribbled against the sides of her belly and poked gently, but persistently across the soft skin between her hips.
"Thihihis is torture! AHAHAH! W-Wahahait uhuhup!" Joe shrieked, doubling over as she hit his arm around her middle.
Kyle giggled. "I already gave you a break, you know?"
"Thahahat w-wahahas nohot a breheheak!"
"I wasn't tickling you, so it definitely was a break," he declared with a smirk, his hand moving to squeeze Joe's waist and she squealed with more bright laughter.
Eventually, Kyle started to slow down completely. Joe was too red-faced and her laughter was turning a little wheezy, so he decided to show some mercy. He wrapped his other arms around her waist and held her firmly against his chest as Joe caught her breath.
He leaned his chin against her shoulder, watching her from the side as she leaned against him.
"Th-thahat was t-terrible and so unfahair!" she gasped.
Kyle let out a soft chuckle. "Congratulations. You have survived." He grinned, but it was gentler now, so painfully lovingly Joe almost wanted to groan.
She pouts, crossing her arms. "You think you can win just because you act cute? That's not nice! Also… stop being jealous, that is so dumb."
Kyle froze for a fraction of a second before he chuckled again, shaking his head a little. "It is dumb… but I don't make any promises," he whispered close to her ear before pressing a kiss to her cheek.
Joe rolled her eyes, but she was smiling a little. This was exactly what she wanted. Not a stupid argument… Kyle exhales slowly.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Joe sighed. "I know… I know you're not trying to be a jerk… but you seriously need to stop." She wiggles between his arms to turn around to face him. "Can you at least try?"
Kyle nodded a little. "I will try."
Joe narrowed her eyes, but she eventually smiles and chuckles softly. "Let's go, Kyle. It's getting late."
Kyle smiled back, his eyes softening as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "Yeah… let's go."
And just like that, the heaviness from earlier finally dissolves completely.
A/N: So I finished 4.1 and they gave me, like, 8 new ships to try. This is one of them and I hope I managed to make Sunday justice because he is a cutie and I made him work like a mule according to my yearly report
Summary: Sunday asks Dan Heng to help him escape March and Caelus
Word count: 1741 words
[Also on Ao3]
Key after key, Dan Heng continued to type the new entry into the data bank. With all the time he spent away from the Archives thanks to Amphoreus' expedition, there was now a pile of content to upload into the bank. Besides that, some of the notes Dan Heng managed to drag back were so old that their started losing their meaning, making him work twice as much to figure out what to write in each entry.
Thrice as much if you counted the amount of times he had to stop because of distractions that came from outside the Archives' room.
The sound of loud, hurried steps could be heard from all across the Express. Not long before that, it was someone's scream, like a beast in agony, followed by heavy thuds that echoed over the place.
It certainly wasn't the conductor, Dan Heng assumed, and it should be fine to cross Himeko and Welt's names out of the suspects' list. He sighed at the conclusion, 'who else would it be?' he thought.
While he wished he could just ignore the running around and chatter, he couldn't stop himself from being aware of it. After all, there was still the chance that, whatever it was, it would end up as his problem as well — and if he did, he was better to be ready for it, at least.
Dan Heng shook his head and turned back to the screen, deciding to make some more progress while he still could. Eyes back to the screen, his fingers moved in sync to register each reference and note he managed to gather around the subject, threading a delicate track of thought—
"P-Please! Leave me alone!"
Dan Heng barely had time to notice the Archives' door opening behind him before that desperate cry reached him. He turned around, startled, and found Sunday with his back pressed against the door, his fingers clenched against the small panel that controlled it, as if it would make the lock stronger, harder to crack.
Whatever happened outside, was enough to scare Sunday out of his usual composure. He looked terrorized, seemingly stressed in a way that Dan Heng didn't remember ever seeing before. "Sunday?" Dan Heng frowned, his voice low with concern as he slowly approached the other man. "Are you hurt? Did something happen?"
"A-ah!" Sunday gasped, slowly recovering the awareness of his surroundings again. "M-mr. Dan Heng, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disrupt your work. I—"
"That's not important right now, you look… scared. Are you really ok?"
Sunday pressed his lips into a thin line, hesitating. His wings fluttered closer to his face and Dan Heng could nearly see the struggle into finding the answer for that question. "Sunday?"
"Y-yes, I'm… perfectly fine. I'm sorry for making you worry, it's just that— ahm, well, d-do you need help with the data? I can help you update the bank."
He didn't buy it, not in the slightest. Dan Heng arched an eyebrow and stared at Sunday for a few seconds, his suspicion clear. As silence settled between them for a few more seconds, Sunday also figured out that his excuse wasn't going to work and lowered his head slightly, even more embarrassed than before. The halovian sighed, his shoulders scrunched up as if he was trying to hide behind his wings.
"Can you tell me what's going on? I might be able to help if you do."
"To be sincere, mr. Dan Heng, I was just hoping I could… stay here with you for a while. Just a few minutes should suffice."
Now that was something Dan Heng could believe, even when one question remained unanswered. "You can, yes, but… why?" Dan Heng cocked his head to the side and gestured, inviting Sunday further into his room.
He watched the way the other man timidly nodded and started to put the pieces together inside his head. "Is… there a problem waiting for you outside?" Dan Heng guessed, a slight smile pulled at the corner of his lips.
Sunday lifted his head and turned back to Dan Heng. He stared at him for a few seconds before an awkward giggle escaped his lips and his wings fluttered with a little less tension. "You're really so observant, mr. Dan Heng," Sunday muttered, his cheeks still warmed up. "One could say that, yes…. there is a 'problem' waiting for me outside and the archives seemed like… a good place to hide."
"What are they up to this time?" Dan Heng sighed, his eyes drifting to check on the locked door before moving back to Sunday. "I assume the noises I heard earlier came from you? Are they bullying you?"
"N-no! Ms. March and mr. Caelus were nothing but kind to me," Sunday gasped, waving his hands in front of his chest. "Hmm, how should I put it? They were a little 'too playful' and I felt a bit… overwhelmed", he continued after he calmed down.
Dan Heng couldn't help but scoff a little at the comment, the whole thing far too obvious and expected. It wasn't hard for him to see himself in Sunday's shoes if he reminisced about the first weeks after Caelus boarded the Express. Him and March could be quite the combination, indeed. "Well, they usually don't dare to come here when I'm working in the bank. You're safe."
"T-thank you, mr. Dan Heng. I promise I won't disturb your work… any further, that is," Sunday bowed and Dan Heng chuckled, shaking his head.
"It's fine, I needed a break anyway. And it was hard to focus with those two causing a fuss, I was planning to wait until things calmed down anyway."
Something in that comment made Sunday flinch and the motion didn't go unnoticed by Dan Heng. Did he say something wrong? He tilted his head and Sunday quickly picked up the clue. "Ah, no, it's just that…" Sunday stuttered, and faked a small cough, "I think I'm the one to blame for that. I apologize."
"You? How so?" Dan Heng asked, genuinely intrigued much to Sunday's demise.
"This is a bit embarrassing to admit, mr. Dan Heng, but ms. March and mr. Caelus found out I'm rather… sensitive and decided to tickle me. I might have overreacted and that was probably the noise you heard before I stormed into the archive."
As Sunday lowered his head and fixed his eyes on the ground to finish the explanation, that new bit of intel made the gears inside Dan Heng's head start to turn. There was something oddly familiar with that scenario — as he himself was put through the same predicament in the past.
He could still remember the dumb explanation Caelus and March came up with back then, picking some sort of "initiation" as their excuse to try tickling him, even if he was the oldest passenger between the three of them. Dan Heng sighed and looked at Sunday. He bit his lip, considering an option that he never had until now.
"You should've said it sooner, Sunday," Dan Heng shook his head and scratched the back of neck. He was almost decided to do it, but part of him still hesitated. That would make him the same as the others, but wasn't he, anyway? "I think I could've helped you out sooner if you did."
"Ah, but you were working on the data, mr. Dan Heng, I shouldn't… even be disturbing… you..?" Sunday lowered his voice as he noticed the playful glint in Dan Heng's eyes. Dan Heng took a step forward and Sunday took one back, his back pressed against the nearby bookshelf. "M-mr. Dan Heng?"
"Yes, Sunday?" Dan Heng purred, and finally dropped the collected facade. A small smirk pulled at his lips, his hands already lifted and poised to strike. Sunday shook his head and his wings fluttered nervously. "Once we get through this, those two won't bother you anymore."
"N-not you too!" Sunday squealed in anticipation, holding his arms out in an attempt to defend himself. His legs were already failing him, unsure if he should try to dart left or right. Even if it was just one person instead of two, something told Sunday he was in much more danger locked up alone with Dan Heng that being chased by March and Caelus. "P-plehease, don't!"
"I didn't do anything yet," Dan Heng teased and amused himself with how much Sunday struggled with the anticipation. He took another step, getting Sunday perfectly cornered in his room. Without one last warning, Dan Heng took a larger step and managed to wrap one arm around Sunday, trapping him into a hug.
"NOHohoh, l-lehehet me go! Mr. D-Dan Heheng!" Sunday giggled, way more than Dan Heng thought he would. He tugged at Dan Heng's arms, trying to both free himself and push the offending hand away. "Y-you trihihicked me! This ihihisn't fahahair!"
"I didn't, did I?" Dan Heng chuckled.
Sunday was surprisingly… weak in physical terms. Dan Heng was barely struggling to hold him in place and even less to sneak his hand past Sunday's hands, tickling the man's side and stomach. Sunday laughed brightly, stomping his feet and curling his body forward in another fruitless attempt of escaping Dan Heng's grip. "Yohohou're a lihihiar! AHahah, y-you sahaid I wahas sahafe!"
"And you are," Dan Heng continued, "March and Caelus wouldn't dare to come here right now." Dan Heng reached for one of Sunday's wrists and held it out of his way. He moved his hand to tickle Sunday's ribs and hummed as the other's laughter seemed to rise another pitch. "Ah, I see why there were pestering you now. You're really ticklish."
"AHAhahaghh— ahah, p-plehehease, refreheain from making suhuch cohomments!" Sunday whined, unable to fight it as Dan Heng held his hands pressed together.
He was really no better than Caelus or March, Dan Heng thought. Sunday's wings fluttered and flapped unconsciously, even slapping Dan Heng on the face once or twice as their owner struggled and laughed, and yet, all Dan Heng could think of was if there was a way to make Sunday laugh even harder or where else he would be ticklish. Was this why they were so fond of torturing him?
"Right, I shouldn't be saying these things," Dan Heng chuckled,feeling Sunday's wing hitting his cheek. "Let's just make sure they won't come bother you again."
"Yohohou ahahare j-just as teheherrible, mr. Dan Heng— aHAH, WAHAHAIT!!~"
Hello everyone! I am so so so happy to announce that I'll be accepting commissions again *screams*
I managed to fix the situations going around and we're all good to continue ehe
You can check my ko-fi right here
Also, there has been a tiny update on the prices, so please make sure to check that out or ask me directly!
Again, thank you so so much for your endless support, everyone! You all were so so kind in your comments in my last post about me closing commissions. Thank you so so kindly for thaaaat, I was really happy ♥
I'll be reblogging this post tomorrow morning/afternoon, so please don't be surprised to see me around again!
I forgot to reblog this... I have a waiting list now! (Thank you to my kind commissioners 💕💕), so if you're interested, please send me a message and we'll figure it out!
Hello everyone! I am so so so happy to announce that I'll be accepting commissions again *screams*
I managed to fix the situations going around and we're all good to continue ehe
You can check my ko-fi right here
Also, there has been a tiny update on the prices, so please make sure to check that out or ask me directly!
Again, thank you so so much for your endless support, everyone! You all were so so kind in your comments in my last post about me closing commissions. Thank you so so kindly for thaaaat, I was really happy ♥
I'll be reblogging this post tomorrow morning/afternoon, so please don't be surprised to see me around again!
【木雕 (Mu Diao, Wood carving】
Using wood as paper, using knife as pen. Through relief and openwork, artisans carve with varying depth and flow, reawakening the life within ancient timber. As a traditional craft passed down for thousands of years, wood carving is often used in architectural decoration, where it carries forward folk beliefs and aesthetic traditions in beams, rafters and lattice windows.