Badgerisback

All Guest could do was run… in short, unhelpful sprints. He was completely out of stamina and Jason was right behind him. Horror Hotel was oddly hard for Guest. Luckily for him, Elliot was standing by.

Running Elliot’s way, he quickly parried Jason.

“Elliot. Pizza. Hea-“

Jason was already back up and running at Guest, which meant Elliot was gonna have to toss the pizza at Guest.

Ass Guest took off running, Elliot’s pizza ability went off cooldown. Guest saw Elliot ready to throw the pizza and ran in an easy hit area on the middle field. 8 health left and Jason was about to slash and-

Cabin. The last thing Guest saw was a pizza flying directly at Jason instead of him as a machete pierced his skull. Respawning back in the cabin, he was met with Jason’s previous kill, Taph.

“I uhh… was spectating you… saw that pizza throw… Elliot… uh… missed.” Taph spoke in his usual, airy, whispery voice.

“I noticed…” Guest spoke through gritted teeth. There were still two survivors left; Elliot and Builderman. Guest walked over to the survivor table and sat down. Elliot and Builderman probably wouldn’t survive anyway.

Elliot… it was his third time today missing a vital pizza throw. Guest was understandably annoyed. Very annoyed. But how could he blame Elliot? They hadn’t even been… wherever this is for a year. Elliot was probably still new to it. Maybe it all the pressure? Guest was an important sentinel and nervousness can cause slip-ups. But… three times was too much. Elliot missed more throws than he hit.

Guest heard the typical LMS music play. Surprisingly, Elliot was the last survivor. Usually Elliot was targeted for being the most annoying support, so it was nice to see him make it through a round. But as quickly as the music started, it ended, and Elliot reappeared in the cabin with everyone looking at him.

“Hi guys…” Elliot adjusted his cap as most of the survivors left. Guest stayed though. “And hi, Guest…” Elliot looked up at Guest sheepishly.

“Hello, Elliot.” Guest looked at Elliot with expectancy.

“… If- if this is about the pizza, I can explain-“

“What’s there to explain? You missed. End of story. With most of the others, at least. You miss, sure, but you miss more often when MY life is on the line. Is it something I did?”

Elliot was about to deny, but the more he thought about it… Guest was right. He was able to throw pizza at other survivors with perfect accuracy but… when it came to Guest, he just couldn’t hit him with the pizza.

“I mean… it’s not because of anything you did. It’s just…” Elliot couldn’t find his words.

“Just what?”

“… nothing. It- it’s just that I missed, like you said.”

“I call bullshit.” Guest walked up to Elliot, looking down at him firmly.

Elliot knew that look—Guest only looked at anyone like that if he was being absolutely serious.

“Uh… well…-“ Elliot stumbled over his words.

Before Elliot could make an excuse, Guest grabbed Elliot’s hand and dragged him outside the cabin, shutting the door behind him. He let go of Elliot’s hand and sat down on the bench on the porch, patting the seat next to him.

Elliot timidly took a seat. “So… do you want me to apologize-“

Guest cut Elliot off. “I don’t want an apology, I want an answer from you.” Guest looked Elliot dead in the eyes.

“Well… you’re a really… important survivor and… you’re always risking your life, charging into the killer to save someone…”

“And… I mean, that really can’t compare to anything else we are capable of.”

Guest kept his gaze fixated on Elliot, taking in his words. “And that makes you miss basic shots that the little league could make because…?”

Elliot remained quiet and looked away.

“Oh come on Elliot-“ Guest grabbed Elliot’s sides and turned him to face Guest, when Elliot made a small, quiet squeak.

Guest paused, and so did Elliot. Elliot silently prayed Guest hadn’t noticed anything. He could feel his face heating up either way.

“Okaaay… anyways. I’m not letting this go, El. Tell me the truth.”

Elliot breathed a sigh of relief. “Right- the truth… well-“

“The truth about whether you just squeaked or not.”

Elliot inhaled a breath of anxiety. Guest HAD noticed. “Uhm… it just caught me by surprise…” Elliot knew that was a terrible excuse.

“… you’re ticklish.”

Elliot immediately got defensive. “I mean- yeah, but isn’t everyone a little ticklish? It’s just the natural way that the body responds to- EEEEK-!”

Guest poked Elliot’s side. Guest didn’t have a serious expression on his face anymore. In fact, it looked like he was holding back a smile.

“Okay pizza boy, last chance. Your pizza misses me because?”

“It’s uh-“

“WRONG!” Guest didn’t let Elliot finish, instead pinning him to the bench and scribbling all over his defenseless belly.

“I wasn’t fin- IHIHIHIHISHED-!” Elliot’s reaction was immediate, the delivery worker squirming against Guest’s grip. “I WAHAHAHAS GOING TO TEHEHELL YOU-! STOHOHAHAHAP!”

“Please. Knowing you, you’d stutter out a technicality.” Guest kept scribbling on Elliot’s stomach, occasionally pinching his sides.”

“NOHOHOHO I WAHAHASN’T- I SWEHEHAHAHAR! GUEHEHEHAHAHAST-!”

Well, his hammer was mostly okay. Builderman knew he shouldn’t have tried using his hammer to SWING at Jason—he wasn’t a sentinel, he was support! He should have stuck with building sentries and dispensers. Because he didn’t, he was outlasted…

BY ELLIOT! He NEVER makes it through the end of the rounds. He’s always first or second to die—and he lived longer than Builderman. It was unusual, to say the least. But it wasn’t Elliot’s fault. How could he be mad at him? It was just… frustrating, how stupid he was in the last seconds of his life in the round.

While tidying up his hammer, Builderman heard a shrill squeal from… somewhere. At first, Builderman jumped out of his skin. But on second thought, the killers couldn’t get to them, the Cake Monster is still behind (and probably stuck in) wooden planks… how and why would anyone be screeching like that?

He walked out to the main lobby area… nothing. Dracobloxxers was asleep, he couldn’t have been the one who screamed. Builderman looked up the stairs… just Shedletsky and Chance playing DDR. No screaming in that game (usually). Taph was resting, so it wasn’t one of his bombs. Everyone was just doing their own thing. Except for Guest and Elliot. Where were they? It wasn’t like Guest to disappear, and Elliot was too scared to leave the group.

Maybe Builderman was just looking into it too much. Guest and Elliot were probably just minding their own business, and the scream was probably nothing. But still… it didn’t feel right just to sit on Builderman’s mind. Maybe he’d check outside.

Guest stopped for a moment to let Elliot breathe, but still kept him pinned to the bench.

“Now, I want you to tell the truth.

Elliot shifted uncomfortably, still not fully accepting his fate. “Well…”

Guest poked Elliot’s side again.

“EEE- okay-… I get nervous. You’re not an important sentinel, you’re the important sentinel. I idolize you and what you do but… I can only wish to be as brave as you. Like I said before. It’s… it’s like seeing a celebrity. You don’t know how to act.”

“You think of me… as your idol? What’s so idol-worthy about me?”

“Well…” Elliot stuttered on his words. “You’re brave, always putting yourself in danger to save others. You always manage to SOCK killers in the face…”

Guest stared at Elliot and blinked. All of the things Elliot said were true. And Guest was a really important sentinel, one of the most effective at his best. He couldn’t deny that.

“I guess. But so are you, Elliot. You’ve managed to heal survivors right when they needed! You just… need better aim.”

“Currently, it’s not that good…”

Guest wiggled his fingers over Elliot’s stomach, but did his fingers into his waist to represent ‘missing.’

“What do y- AH- WAHAHAHA- WAHAHAIT!”

“But with a little practice…” Guest’s fingers wandered back on Elliot’s belly. “Your aim could improve greatly!”

“GUEHEHEHEST- STOHOHAHAHAP! I GEHET IT!”

“And after some time…” Guest shoved his hand under Elliot’s arms. “Maybe you’ll even hit milestones!”

Elliot let out an undignified shriek. “NAHAHAHAHA!”

“No? Why not?”

There it was again. That scream. It was DEFINITELY something now. And it HAD to have something to do with Guest and Elliot. Builderman walked back out to the main area of the cabin. Builderman stepped outside and…

He was met with quite the show. Guest leaning over Elliot, who was pinned to the bench, skittering his fingers all over his midriff. Elliot was completely hysterical.

Guest stopped to look up at Builderman. “Hey, what’s up?”

Builderman opened his mouth and then closed it. “I… what?”

Elliot was still having after-giggles. “B-buihihilder- you- you gohohotta help me-!”

“He- he doesn’t need any help. I’m just teaching him about how to aim properly!”

Builderman went silent. This was Guest tickling Elliot. The one who outlasted him in a round. Builderman decided he was still salty.

“Doooo you want any help?”

Elliot was quick to protest. “Wha- why- DON’T HELP HIM! I’m being TORTURED over here!”

Guest pretended not to hear him. “Yeah, sure.” He went back to Elliot’s belly and sides, spidering his fingers over them while Builderman held Elliot’s arms up and skittered his fingers under them.

“Nononono-“ and Elliot screamed. “EEEEEEEAHAHAHAHA! STAHAHAHAHAHAP-! GUHUHUHUHUYS-! PLEHEHEASE! HAHAHAHAHA!

Guest and Builderman went for about another minute before stopping.

“Okay, he’s had enough.” Guest took his hands off Elliot. Reluctantly, Builderman followed.

“Youhuhu… you guys are pricks…”

Guest patted Elliot on the head.

“Well, get better aim.”

Idkkkkk it still feels short but whatever

||AN: THIS IS NOT A SHIP FIC PLEASE DONT TREAT IT AS SUCH!!! i was close to scrapping this but I FINISHED IT!! I KEPT MY PROMISE!! I HOPE U GUYS LIKE IT!!||

“HAHAHA, ARE YOU KIDDING!? I HATE THIS STUPID JO-O-O-O-O—“

Noli yelled in his static voice as a fist as strong as metal slammed into his face. Guest leading Two Time away after delivering said punch as he lead them inside Yorick’s house out of sight

“I thank you for your service.” Two Time praised with a nod, stabbing the ground multiple times to create their ritual circle for respawning. “The Spawn has good fortune awaiting you soon.”

“Uh.. don’t mention it.” Guest replied awkwardly with a small nod.. He had never made an attempt to really interact with Two Time outside of rounds, mainly cause they themselves made no effort to really talk with anyone.. However, the longer he watched them, the way they struggled a little with imbedding the blade into the ground, the way they looked at it with eyes that told a story they ached to forget.. it really did remind him that that was exactly what they were. A kid… not legally, but in his eyes.

His instincts flared back up as he heard the familiar music of the killer come into earshot. “Stay on guard.” He mumbled to Two Time, who nodded as they peeked out the door to try to spot Noli before he spotted them.

“..I believe the attacker has—“ Guest practically snatched Two Time away from the door as Noli’s clone suddenly appeared in front of it. Guest holding his breath as he held Two Time close to his chest, the sound of the clone’s glitched out taunting sending both fear and anger spiraling throughout his body. Finally, he was allowed a sigh of relief when the clone didn’t detect them and vanished… it being only now that he realized he had grabbed them around the waist, something he preferred not to do.

Just as he was about to remove his hands and mutter an apology, he noticed that Two Time’s face held a smile.. one shakier than they’d normally wear.

..It didn’t take him long at all to realize what was really happening. For Roblox’s sake, he was a father! How could he not realize?

“..Are you ticklish, Two Time?” He asked softly, his voice lacking accusation or teasing. The cultist lacking a response.. until they nodded slowly.

“..Okay.” He mumbled with a weak, reassuring smile. “I’ll avoid that then.”

The round came to an end, all the survivors being teleported back to the lobby and going about their business as usual. Two Time, on the other hand, acted.. rather different. Instead of attempting to talk with Dusekkar again about aiding his abilities to the spawn or praying in the corner, they sat on the couch and rested their head on the arm, thinking hard—too hard about the interaction with Guest…. They had nearly forgotten tickling as a concept, lacking any contact for so long that.. things like that just slipped the mind to make more room for the spawn…

..They didn’t like when this happened. When they experienced things that they had forgotten about, and were forced to think about how much they longed for it.

It wasn’t until they saw Guest pass the room with a look of concern plastered on his face that they swallowed their thoughts and sat back up.

“Your assistance last round was crucial to our success. The Spawn will forever hold you high in its image” They spoke, Guest nodding slowly with an unsure expression as he slowly sat down next to them with a grunt. “..Yeah, Thanks..” He mumbled, looking down at Two Time, his expression not faltering despite their calm one

“..If someone ever does something that upsets you, you should tell that person that. You know that, right?”

“..Yes, I am aware?” Two Time responded with a slight squint of the eyes, their usual tone wavering a little in confusion. “..And you should tell me if I were ever to do something to upset you.” He stated, avoiding bluntness but revealing his reason for his concern. Reading people had always been a cakewalk for Guest, and it didn’t take a full scale investigation for him to determine that Two Time’s gestures hinted towards something bad going on in their mind..

“No no, wait- you didn’t do anything to upset me, I promise—“ They quickly stammered with widened eyes, their tone bleeding out of their normal formal sounding one. Which, although it relieved Guest of his concern, opened a new one up.

“Okay, okay.. thank you for letting me know.” He quickly assured them, holding a hand up. “But.. and you don’t have to answer me. Is there anything else that might be..”

“..upsetting you?”

Two Time averted his gaze, instead focusing it forward with pursed lips. “..Yes.” They eventually mumbled with a small nod. “..But not anything I’d want to converse about.” And to their surprise.. Guest simply nodded “..Alright, that’s fine. Well.. just hang in there, alright? I’ll be here if you need help.”

He was about to sit up to head elsewhere whilst waiting for the next round, however was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm. Turning around to see Two Time with a new expression.. nervousness?

“..What happened earlier, with the.. the, uhm..” They tapped their finger nervously. “..T-word..?”

“..Tickle?” He raised an eyebrow. “Yes! Yes, uhm.. you see, it’s not..” For the love of the Spawn, why couldn’t they get this out!? They could participate in murderous rituals and yet couldn’t ask for a simple request.. “..I don’t.. view it that..”

“..Canyoutickleme—?” They forced out with a wince, Guest’s eyes widening. He knew how vulnerable they were being with them, and he undoubtedly was going to do it.. but he couldn’t resist having just a *little* bit of fun.

“..Could you say that again? I didn’t catch it.” he asked as he pointed to his ear, panic rising in Two Time a little as they bounced their knee nervously.

“..canyoutickleme?-“ They repeated, somehow even quieter this time. Guest stifling a smile as he took a seat next to them. “I don’t have super hearing, kid. You gotta speak up.” He encouraged, a small smile bleeding onto his features. A direct contrast to Two Time, who looked like they were about to combust. Finally being able to blurt out,

“Can you tickle me?”

Guest couldn’t contain the big smile that spread across his face. “Yes, I can tickle you.” He chuckled, pulling them a little close as he let his fingers gently skitter along their side. And, as he had hoped, it didn’t take long for the cultist to start filling with giggles that shook their shoulders and made them place their hand on Guest’s.

“There you go.. Now let’s work on getting all these giggles out, alright?” Guest’s fingers worked their way to Two Time’s belly, opening a new hole for giggles to spill from them as they leaned back on the couch, Guest’s fingers only following. “Ihit- it tihickles-!” They chirped through giggles, earning a fond smile a place on Guest’s face.

“Really? Anything else you wanna let me know?” He asked, his smile evident into his tone. “I-Ihi dohon’t knohow!” Two Time whined back, hands darting up to hide their face as Guest laughed softly and gently tugged at their hands. “C’mon, don’t hide that smile from me..” He cooed, his fingers switching to slow traces that brought color to Two Time’s pale face.

“Do you wanna keep going?” Guest asked as a quick checkup, fondness with a mix of concern painting his face. However, fondness soon took over it all at Two Time’s nod. “Plehease..” They giggled, their head falling on Guest’s shoulder who adjusted them to be comfortable.

“..As embarrassing as it is to admit it, despite being in the army.. I forgot how many ribs are in the human body.” Guest mentioned casually, however Two Time’s eyes grew large within a matter of moments. They recognized those words.. those exact words in Azure’s voice… And it wasn’t long until their face was beet red and their mouth was moving rapidly with stammered out propositions that made Guest laugh.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t mind helping me remember, would you?” And with that his fingers found their way to their ribs, wasting no time beginning to pinch at each one as Guest counted up. Almost in unison, Two Time LOST IT. All the pent up giggles that shook inside them bursted out in loud, belly laughter that defied their character, legs kicking and hands desperate to latch onto Guest’s to escape from the tickly sensations.

“Eight, nine, ten, eleven.. and twelve!” Guest chimed as he finished off, leaving Two Time a mess. “Now then.. I should count the other side, right?”

“THERES TWENTY FOUR!! I-ITS THE SAME ON BOTH SIDES!!” Two Time practically shrieked, earning a wheeze out of Guest as he squeezed their shoulder. “Ihim joking, I’m joking! No need to freak out..” He reassured the cultist, whose previous blush only returned stronger at the realization of their pointless exclamation… But despite it, a smile crossed their face looking at Guest—a genuine one.

“..I’m not sure how I’ll ever be able to repay you for this..-“ They admitted, Guest smiling more as he ruffled their hair. “You don’t have to, kid. If you ever need a pick-me-up, don’t ever feel afraid to come to me. Understand?”

They nodded, smile still staining their features as they rested their head on his shoulder.

“..You could.. cough uhm.. count the other side if you want..” They mumbled casually, a bright smile spreading on Guest’s face as he pulled them Into his lap.

“I hoped you would say that.”

What did they feel?

Nothing?

Everything?

They could not tell at this point. They could not grasp it. All they knew is that it did not feel good. Not at all.

Why? Just why? The same question kept rotating in their mind. Earlier, they were fine. Content. So why are they like this now? Why?

Everything feels wrong. So wrong. They hated this. Hated this strange uneasiness that came to them out of the blue. Subtle enough to feel like they're just faking, just imagining it... yet prominent enough to crave for it to stop. It only caused their mind to spiral all over again. To sink deeper and deeper into things they'd rather not remember. The things they've done. Maybe this was their punishment? They deserved this.

They would never stop blaming themselves.

Because they hated themselves more than anything.

They didn't even register someone had entered. Not until they heard that familiar, echoing voice.

"...Breeze?"

He recieved no response. They sat hunched over on their shared bed, arms tightly crossed, nails digging into their skin... Eyes unfocused, staring blankly at nothing. Their whole body completely unmoving. Frozen in place.

Immediately alarmed by the sight, he hastily approached closer. He sat down directly in front of them, resting his body on the mattress. The four vine-tentacles which protruded from his back drooped down around him, highly alert, just in case he had to stop them from any dangerous behavior...

"Breeze... Hey... Look at me."

His worried tone had a slight hint of demand to it. He was very familiar with situations like this by now, but... it always pained him the same to see them in a state like this. He had to get through to them.

"Talk to me, please... Are you not feeling well? Did anything happen?"

Their mind raced. It's him. Why did he even care at this point? They're nothing but a burden that he would be better off without. Not deserving of the care he insists on providing them with. Not after what they've done to him. It's all their fault. He should just let them rot. Let them die.

"No... nothing...I don't- urgh...no...I don't know...I-I don't-I don't know- okay?!"

Frustrated, they snapped back at him. That... seemed to pull them back into reality. They immediately felt horrible. He's only trying to help, and they start talking to him like this...? They did not deserve him. Not one bit. They couldn't look at him, pulling their legs closer to their chest, burying their head further in-between. They wanted nothing more than to disappear altogether...

But... Azure didn't take any offense to their tone or mannerisms, no... it only made him even more determined. He knew they didn't mean for it to come out so aggressively... they were simply not in the right state of mind.

"Nonono...shh, shh...It's okay... Don't agitate yourself further..."

He moved one of his flower-covered vines closer to them, making it carefully pet their back, trying to see if they're fine with being touched right now. Their anxious breathing slowed down a bit... They seemed content with it... good. He already had an idea in mind as to what could help with their current state. They really needed a distraction, something for their mind to focus on instead... Something that yielded a great result everytime he'd previously done it. He swiftly rearranged a few pillows, before trying to console them, get them to sit up again...

"Breezy... my nightshade... I'm not mad at you, not at all...shh... I understand your frustration, you're evidently not feeling well... I'd like to help you with that, okay?"

He patiently coaxed them to reveal themselves again. They avoided any eye contact, staring down at their knees.

"...I-I'm...No...I'm...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

The weak, hushed voice they spoke in... How shaky they were, how they felt guilt for even such a small thing... It made his heart ache so bad.

"Sweetie, no... Hush now, it's okay... it's okay... don't apologize. There's no sorries needed. Just follow me now, alright?"

He guided them to lay down on their back - to his relief, they obliged without issue, even if he noticed their hesitation. He adjusted the cushions a bit further to ensure the environment was as cozy as it could be. Next, he wrapped a tentacle around their legs, gently binding them together to prevent any accidental harm that might come from their usual, happy kicks. He loved seeing them, it's just... they were quite strong. And sudden. He scooted closer, his much taller frame carefully sitting down on their snuggled up legs, facing them directly.

They could already guess what he'll do, feeling their heart beat even faster, seemingly getting a bit nervous just thinking about it... Why did he still want to do this? Even after they acted awful like that...?

"Ah, I... think you know what's coming already, hehe...

You need this right now. It's okay."

Azure kept reassuring them, knowing how much self-doubt and hatred plagued them in moments like these - exactly why he was dead-set on his goal right now. He gave them a loving headpat before speaking up once more.

"I won't prolong this then. Is it alright to start now? All comfy?"

He tilted his head to the side while asking, softly smiling at them with his zipped mouth. His gentle, purple eyes looked at them with immense care. Even his hat had a fond, yet slightly saddened expression on it... Following a brief moment of waiting, he recieved a quick, shy nod in response. They couldn't stop their tail from swishing around impatiently... That told him everything he needs to know.

"Got it, sweetheart... Just relax now... It'll do you good, I promise.

As always, if it becomes overwhelming or unpleasant at any point, just say the word, okay?"

As he finished speaking, the tip of the vine that hugged their legs, along with another free one, started softly brushing against their soles, occasionally shifting to a more scratching motion. It felt...nice... He knew they liked the unique feel and texture of his extra 'arms', often clinging onto or idly playing around with them whenever they were near him. And they seemed to like it now, too...

"Aah...h-hm... he...hehe..."

Along with a tiny gasp, some stifled giggles were already earned by that first move. At the same time, he carefully lifted their shirt up, just enough to place his claws on their stomach. Despite how they may look at first glance, they were not very sharp, making them essentially perfect for this... His fingers glided over their skin like a serene breeze... a familiar, soothing feeling. They really tried to hold back, but...

"Pfft...aaw...eheh- h-hahah- o-oh my...aaahahaha- oh my Spaaawn- nuuh-heehehe...!!!"

They just... couldn't help it anymore. Even if they still had their doubt on whether they really deserve this affection, those thoughts were starting to slip away. They already broke into a soft, quiet laughter that warmed Azure's heart... He felt their body tense up involuntarily to even the lightest touch, before relaxing and giving into it over and over again. Any of their involuntary kicks were negated by the vine that kept their legs wrapped up, along with his own weight.

"That's a lot better..."

He spoke warmly, relief washing over him upon observing their reactions. He knew this would work like a charm, help them let go of the stress they felt... Continuing the motions, he kept a watchful eye on them - their eyes were closed akin to a content kitty's, their free arms placed over their chest, fidgeting around, not even trying to pry his away... and most importantly, that growing, genuine smile...

"Gosh, hehe... do you even know how adorable you are...?"

With awe, he uttered that sweet phrase that ran through his mind everytime he managed to put them in this state. It was a sight he'd never get tired of. And he only just started...

"Nooooo- I'm-ah-hehehe- noo-nohohohot..."

Lightheartedly, they tried to dismiss his comment. It made them even more flustered than they already were... And yet, he was quick to make his point clear again.

"Nono, hush now... you absolutely are, my nightshade."

Almost as if he wanted to prove it, he proceeded to ramp up the 'attack', now tickling gently at their sides as well. To keep them engaged, he constantly alternated between different movements - sometimes slowly running his fingers up and down, sometimes scribbling around in a more unpredictable way... even softly squeezing them. He could feel how much healthier in shape they've become when he did that. How they gained more weight compared to early days... it made him proud. He moved up a bit, trying to feel their ribs... less prominent, too. Their tail kept excitedly moving from side to side, a lot less stiff than how it used to be.

"Nuuuuhuuuuh- hehee...nooohohoooo...!!!!! Azuu-uehehee-Azuureeeheheh- aahaha-"

They were enjoying this a lot, having fully given in... he was having lots of fun, too. He found it so sweet how even amidst their silly laugh, they still wanted to call out his name. He himself couldn't keep a sincere smile off of his face right now... Breeze tried to cover theirs up, though, making him shake his head in playful disapproval. He took ahold of their hands, effortlessly pulling their arms off to the side, holding them up in the air, before speaking up in order to reassure them.

"Awh, shh... don't you hide that pretty smile now. No need to be ashamed, sunshine..."

The pause in the affection on their waist gave them some room to breathe, yet it left them a little disappointed... that didn't last long, however. Two more of Azure's tentacles hovered closer, beginning to run along their underarms, back and forth... Still holding their smaller hands in his, he felt how their grip on them tightened in response to the tickles...

"You're doing so well, hehe..."

He chuckled, gently rubbing their hands with his thumbs, observing intently... He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness whenever he saw those scars which littered their arms, even if majority of them were healed by now. They still inflicted that upon themselves. And... he never wanted that. Heavy regret washed over him... Wishing he could've been there for them sooner. Or even... prevented everything altogether... If only he pried further, learned the truth about their 'ascension'... he could've saved both of them. But why? Why didn't he...?

"Awwh- awwhahaha- ehehe- Ahahazuu- Azuuureeehehe-!!!!"

...Their laughter snapped him out of that train of thought. No... he needs to focus on the present. On them. They're here now, safe and sound with him. That's what matters.

"...Yes, dear? Is something wrong?"

Perhaps influenced by his previous thoughts, a sudden bit of concern grew in him, wondering why they were calling his name again... Did they want to tell him something? Was this too much...?

"Nooohoho- aaahehe- I...I lo-ooho- I loove yooou...!!! Ehehee-"

...Quickly enough, those words lifted that weight off his chest, soothing his slight worry. It was a pleasant surprise to hear, filling his heart with so much pride and joy... He leaned down to give them a little kiss on the forehead, making them let out another giggle.

"Awwh, Breezy... I love you lots, too... More than anything in the world, hehe..."

He decided to let their arms down and move onto the next spot. The two tendrils now made their way towards their neck area, wiggling gently against their skin, trying to get to all the nooks and crannies... Breeze hugged onto them while being taken care of, feeling their slight squishiness that they liked so much. They instinctively tensed up their shoulders, as if trying to protect themselves... even if they didn't actually want this to stop. The soft nightshade petals that coated his vines provided an additional, light sensation to the mix...albeit unintentional.

By now, all their previous horrible thoughts turned to mush, washed far, far away by the waves of comfort that their partner's affection brought upon them. Exactly what he intended from the start. They trusted him so much in order to allow him to even do this, caress them all over like that... they would not react well if anyone else tried. Being a heavily touch-repulsed person, contact always caused them mild annoyance at best, intense discomfort at worst. He was well aware of that fact, but... he was a major exception to it. His physical closeness brought them much needed relief from their troubled mind. Even if they sometimes struggled accepting it, believing themselves not worthy... they really do crave it. They craved it all this time, missed his presence beyond measure... Azure felt the same way about them, unbelievably grateful he could hold them again... Help them heal after everything they had to endure.

He cupped their cheeks in his hands, his thumbs repeatedly brushing over them, knowing they were ticklish even here... Feeling them lean into the touch, he continued to poke around.

"You're beautiful, sweetheart..."

He uttered that with honest adoration, wholeheartedly taking in the sight of their features, their delighted expression... he can't get enough of it. When he placed another soft kiss on their nose, they only responded with more endearing giggles.

Soon, Azure deemed the job done for this side. He aided them with turning over, their body now entirely flipped around, laying on their stomach instead. Their arms held onto the pillow they rested their head on, reflexively hugging it tighter once he resumed his tender loving care...

The open-back shirt they were currently wearing undeniably gave easy access to that area... a canvas for him to paint on. He began lightly scratching all over it, drawing various patterns and shapes with his clawed fingertips. One vine slowly slid up and down their spine... from the back of their neck, all the way to the base of their bony tail. They momentarily flinched upon feeling the touch there, though not out of pain - it was simply extremely sensitive, along with the spots where their spawn wings sprouted from. He always made sure to be extra careful with those places, as too much force applied could feel unpleasant for them... However, if done just right, it proved to be very beneficial and soothing instead. Taking care of them was important due to the chronic ache and itchiness they still felt there... having your flesh and bone contort into new appendages isn't something the body gets used to easily. The countless times he had to witness their transformation back in that hellhole... not a pleasant sight at all to remember. But he shook off that thought. Again, he had to focus on the present.

He shifted his attention to their shoulders, relieving the tension they still held in their muscles by providing a gentle massage, occasionally catching them off guard by briefly switching to a more ticklish motion. Proceeding to move further down, he finally reached the wings. Very lightly and methodically, he started rubbing the areas with just the right amount of pressure, tracing slow, lazy circles on them... With the tentacle, he did the same for their tail, which ceased its prior wagging, now resting off to the side in relaxation.

"Aaaw...hm... mmmhm... h...hehe...aawww..."

Their laugh shifted into a bunch of sweet, content hums. It felt incredible... If they could purr, they'd be whirring like a car engine right now. It's as if he was pouring out his love for them through every move, every touch... and they could feel it.

He thought his heart was about to burst from the overwhelming fondness he felt for them. They were just too adorable, too precious... He couldn't help himself anymore, deciding to deliver one final 'attack'. He took his hat off, thus losing his ability to speak, patting her as he settled her down. He shifted his position, practically laying down on top of Breeze - holding himself up a bit using his tentacles, though... in order to not crush them with his full weight. With his claws, he reached for their sides and gently scribbled on them again, simultaneously peppering little kisses all over their back... The zipper attached to his mouth unintentionally tapped against their skin with each quick peck. The long braids and hair made of vines did the same, shifting everytime he moved his head around.

"Aaweeheheee- Azuu...ueheheee- Azuuure- whaahaha- whaaahahat are yooou- uuahah- dooohohoing...!!! Daawww... aawwhahah...hehe..."

They burst out into another stream of happy giggles and coos... Azure only hummed and chuckled quietly in response. He nuzzled his head against them, his hands now changing their method to soft kneading. They melted into a little puddle of pure joy in his arms, barely even able to form a coherent thought anymore... He repeated the motions for a little while longer, before deciding to finally let them get some rest, feeling them grow a bit tired now. After all, cuddles are in order after such a thorough session of affection...

He made a change in his position again, resting on his side... Breeze was soon pulled close to him, encircled by his arms. They locked eyes with him - those slow blinks signaling how comfortable they felt right now - before curling up, snuggling their head against his chest. Once they settled in, his tentacles closed in, gently cocooning them... the feeling akin to being wrapped up in a living, weighted blanket. They disappeared near entirely in their beloved's embrace, only their head poking out... it was unbelievably cozy. He was well aware how much they loved this, how therapeutic this - and everything prior - was for them.

The room was quiet and peaceful... One of Azure's vines repeatedly pet their head, idly playing around with their fluffy, messy locks. Without words, the silent lullaby hummed by him communicated that it's okay - even encouraged - to take a nap right now, if they so desire. And so they obliged, shutting their eyes... It didn't take long for weariness to start taking over... The conditions were ideal for it. Their beloved's coziness that enveloped them was lulling them into a state of full relaxation, their breath turning slower and steadier, slowly drifting off into their well-deserved rest... In this moment, their tortured soul was at complete peace. Something they once thought they would never get to experience again... yet here they are, proven wrong.

Even as everything became hazy... one final thought still echoed in their mind.

Maybe, just maybe...

This was the true blessing they were meant to recieve.

♡

i die of death now. bye

You were in a bad mood. It wasn’t anything Ryland or Rocky did to make you that way. At least not them specifically. You had just woken up on the wrong side of the bed and every little minor inconvenience was building up like a bomb inside of you.

Perhaps it was the stress of trying to figure out why the ship’s spin drives were acting up, leading to them being stuck in the middle of their journey towards Tau Ceti-E. You had gone out multiple times to survey the ship’s exterior, examining every little spin drive connected to the thrusts. You silently cursed Dimitri for making a thousand and nine spin drives. This was the same as counting every blade of grass on a lawn.

Nothing was visibly wrong with them, it had to be an internal mechanical issue then. Maybe it was shut down for a system update or something?

With this present issue making you wrack your brain for solutions, Ryland and Rocky’s duo idiocy made it hard to stay focused. You could hear their bantering every time you walked through the lab, their stupid little tangents about time dilation and relativity were getting mixed up in your head.

Rocky had accidentally bumped into you at one point with his ball while you were writing down notes and equations on the white board, causing you to streak a line through some of it. Rocky hadn’t seemed to notice his little mishap until he was sent rolling across the lab by a sudden kick from you.

He called out your name in a panic, confused by what had happened but you were already stomping out of the room. Ryland wasn’t safe from your foul attitude either. He was slurping up a cup of ramen while walking down the corridor and you just happened to be right around the corner when you collided.

“Oh shoot! Sorry— I didn’t see you there,” he swiftly apologized.

Ramen broth had spilled on the front of your jumpsuit and your face twisted in a scowl. “Fucking hell,” you spat, trying to wipe off the stain.

You shoved past Ryland, knocking shoulders and he watched you retreat in bewilderment. He’d never seen you act like that before. Sure you could get a bit snippy here and there, especially when you hadn’t eaten all day, but that was a bit over the top. He soon found Rocky still stuck upside down in his ball when he entered the lab and realized he wasn’t the only victim of your strange behavior. The two came to the conclusion that you were in a very bad mood today.

“Need do something. Need talk,” Rocky said, stomping one of his legs.

“I’m not sure talking is the right solution here, buddy. It could end very badly,” Ryland replied. His hands wrung themselves in a nervous habit, pulling at the joints as he tried to think of ways to clear the misunderstanding.

“Well, what happened, not nice.”

Rocky seemed rather upset about being treated poorly like some elder mad at the young generation for being disrespectful. It was a little funny how adamant he was about it but Ryland agreed that you needed a way to blow off some steam before you blew up and everything else on the ship.

“I know, I know. But I think we need to go with a different approach. Find a way to help them relieve some stress,” Ryland explained. “They’re working very hard to try and fix the ship’s issue, we should offer some help of our own.”

Rocky hummed in thought, his head tilted down slightly. “Relieve stress. Make happy? Question.”

Ryland nodded. “It is beneficial for humans to find ways to cope and relieve stress. Or else it could affect their mental psyche and even lead to bodily injury.” That made Rocky less mad about the recent incident and more worried about your wellbeing.

The two began to concoct a plan in order to help you feel better and turn that foul mood around. It wasn’t easy. Ryland was a simple guy and was happy with almost anything, while Rocky still struggled to understand human emotions and why they were so finicky.

So they decided to work their way up.

Plan A: a compliment.

“I like your shirt.” Ryland pointed out the new clothing you branded after changing out of the ramen stained jumpsuit.

You just gave him a sideways glance. “Had to change because of someone.”

His smile dropped. Awkward. “Oh. Right.”

Plan Failed.

Plan B: a present made with love.

Rocky slowly rolled himself over to you at the table, being careful this time not to run into you.

“Rocky have gift.”

You looked up from the laptop, raising an eyebrow at the Eridian. He shifted from leg to leg nervously before pushing forward a medium sized model made of xenonite. You leaned down to pick it up. It was a model of the Hail Mary, very detail-oriented with almost all of its exteriors crafted to a t.

You were impressed to say the least. “Thanks, Rocky.” You turned the ship around and examined all its parts. And then you stopped to stare at the engines where the spin drives were. Rocky managed to even capture every little detail of the spin drives. This would’ve made any lego or diorama nerd ecstatic. But for you—you just got pissed off by the reminder that you still had no idea what was wrong with them.

You slammed the model on the table and went back to aggressively typing on the computer. Rocky flinched at the loud clatter, his legs trembling as he rolled out of the room.

Plan Failed.

Plan C: a little bit of pampering and special treatment.

You were sitting on the pulled out bunk with a bag of Milano cookies between your legs. You were just staring at the wall in thought while munching on the cookies one after another.

The sound of footsteps and the rumbling of Rocky’s ball entered the dormitory. You didn’t bother to look over at them.

“We brought more snacks.”

“Have special treatment!”

They crowded around you on the cot, a pile of chips and candies dropped on the padded flooring. Ryland stood behind you while Rocky rolled back and forth in front of your dangling legs.

“We decided to offer you a little massage, y’know, to help you relax,” Ryland said, rubbing his hands together.

“Rest legs on Rocky ball,” the Eridian jigged up and down cheerily and you wondered if he was that excited to be used as a foot stool.

You felt Ryland’s hands clamp over your shoulders and his thumbs began pressing between your shoulder blades. Rocky situated himself underneath your legs, but he was quite bad at staying still. The octagonal shape of his xenonite ball rolled against the muscles of your legs like one of those foam rollers.

“Does it feel good? Is it relaxing?”

“Rocky ball feel good? Question.”

God these two never knew when to shut up. You sighed quietly, attempting to tune them out. The massage wasn’t too bad, Ryland surprisingly knew all the right spots to press. His thumbs shifted a little high, digging into the base of your neck.

You tensed. Ryland took that as a sign for muscle tightness and rubbed deeper into the tissue. Shit. It tickled. Rocky’s ball even nudged against the back of your knees and you jerked them up out of reflex. No way, you were not going through with this.

You pushed yourself off the bed and stumbled away. “I just remembered something—thanks for the massage.”

Ryland watched as you scurried out of the dormitory, eyeing the way you cupped a hand over the back of your neck. Rocky seemed to deflate at your escape, dropping to his knees as he whined.

“No work.”

“I guess not.”

Plan Failed(?).

You sat in the pilot's chair in the cockpit and stared at the multitude of screens around you. The answer to your problem had to be here. Though, if you were honest, that wasn’t the only problem you were facing. Ryland and Rocky were acting very weird, like more weird than usual. Maybe they thought you were mad at them and were trying to make it up to you. Which wasn’t the case at all. You weren’t mad at them.

But thinking back, you realized you weren’t exactly the nicest towards them. You had kicked Rocky and shoved Ryland after they had both bumped into you by accident. You knew they didn’t mean it. You were just so frustrated with the ship that you let your emotions cloud your judgement.

Cupping your hands over your face you finally understood how rude you had been. You acted like such an asshole all because you couldn’t keep yourself in check. God, you had to apologize before you ruined your only source of friendship in this vacuum of space.

As you chewed on your finger contemplating how to approach them, a timid voice called out your name. You spun around in the pilot’s chair.

Ryland stood at the entrance of the cockpit, bracing against the edge of it. “Hey, can we talk?”

Your stomach plummeted. “Oh—um, sure, I guess.” Fuck you were not ready for this. You hated to admit it but you were bad at confrontation, especially admitting when you were wrong. But so was Ryland, so maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Ryland walked closer and you saw Rocky behind his legs, crawling cautiously. He stopped about a foot away and you fidgeted in the chair.

“I— we, noticed you’ve been really stressed out about the whole spin drive thing and we realized we haven’t really been much help. We’re sorry. If there’s anything you need us to do, please tell us. Even if it’s something small, anything to lift the weight off your shoulders,” Ryland spoke softly, gesturing to both him and Rocky.

The Eridian nodded in agreement. “Rocky help. Need make friend happy, less stressed, else bad things.”

Oh. They were worried about you. And here you were acting like a complete piece of shit because you couldn’t ask for help. You lowered your head in shame. “You don’t have to apologize. I shouldn’t have taken out my frustrations on you.” You scrubbed your hands over your face. “I acted like a total dick because I wanted to solve the problem myself and not drag you into it.”

A pair of hands wrapped around your wrists and pulled yours away from your face. You felt a gentle pat on your knee and looked up. “Don’t be silly. We know you didn’t mean it. We’re glad you at least recognized your faults as we did ours. That’s all that matters. We can work out the problem together.” Ryland flashed you an empathetic smile, his expression soft and full of understanding.

Your eyes flickered between Ryland and Rocky before letting out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, thanks. I’m sorry about earlier,” you murmured. “I’ll make it up to you guys.”

Ryland and Rocky looked back at each other then faced back at you. “How about we just continue that massage. You really look like you need it.” You swallowed. You didn’t want to turn them down but…

“Uh— okay.” If making it up to them meant kissing your dignity goodbye, then so be it.

All three of you headed back to the dormitory. Your bed was made and prepped prior, the snacks still stationed on the floor. Ryland gestured for you to lie down. You hesitated. You can do this. You took a deep breath, and then laid face down. You curled your arms around the pillow, propping your chin up.

“You really don’t have to. I swear I’m feeling better,” you said as a last ditch effort to avoid future embarrassment.

Ryland waved a hand in dismissal and climbed on top of you, sitting on the back of your thighs. “Massages are the best way to relieve tension both in your mind and body. Just let us do all the work and you just lay there.”

“Yes, Rocky give best massage!” You saw Rocky out of your peripheral standing next to your legs.

“Okay…”

You braced yourself, squeezing the pillow tight as you pressed your face into it. Ryland hands went to work, kneading and rubbing along your shoulder blades. It would’ve felt great, had it not tickled unbearably so. You had to hold your breath from the way his thumbs dug into that small part of your lower back. He slowly continued the circling motions upwards, making sure to rub into the spaces between your ribs. Even the gentle prodding at your thigh from Rocky’s claw through his xenonite ball sent ticklish jolts through you.

“You okay?” Ryland’s voice rang in your ears.

“Hm?” You managed to mumble out without your voice cracking.

“You’re pretty tense. Does it hurt?” His fingers lightened the pressure and you’re not sure if that made it better or worse.

“Friend okay? Question. Heart rate elevated.” Rocky pointed out.

“I—hic!—fine!” Shoot.

Ryland’s hands paused and you started to sweat.

“Um—on second thought, I don’t think it’s working. Let’s stop hERE—!” A squeal ripped from your throat at the sudden fingers digging into your sides. “WAhait!!”

Ryland had the biggest grin on his face as he watched you flop around. “I knew it. This is why you ran away so fast earlier. You’re ticklish.”

Your face burned red. “N-not truhue!”

“Oh really? Then I guess you won’t mind if I continue.”

“Nonono don’t you dare— GRAHACE!!”

You flailed helplessly under his weight as he resumed his attack. His hands clawed up down your torso, his thumbs pressing deep into the bottom of your ribs while the rest of his fingers dug into your sides. You twisted and tried to push yourself up but Ryland was too heavy for you to be able to buck off.

“Grace? Man, you’re still grumpy. It’s okay, we can fix that.” You could practically hear that shiteating grin of his.

Every time you lifted off the mattress, his hands would sneak to your stomach, scribble along the plush skin around your waist and you would drop right back down. He even tugged the back of your shirt up and would skitter his nails from your hips all the way to your armpits.

You squealed and cackled and wailed, making the most inhumane noises Ryland had ever heard. “If anyone heard you they’d think there was some kind of space monster wrecking havoc on the galaxy.”

“Friend sound like thing that eat Eridians,” Rocky’s voice chimed in through your laughter. You had forgotten about him for a second.

“ROHockyhy!! H-hehelp!” You pleaded, twisting on the bed.

“Yeah, buddy, you should help. The legs and feet are good tickle spots on people too. Just watch.” Ryland demonstrated it by reaching behind him and rapidly squeezing along the back of your thigh. You screeched, almost kicking him in the face when he scratched at the back of your knees.

Rocky chirped excitedly at the newfound information. “Rocky tickle!”

“Rohocky nOho!”

“Rocky yes!” Ryland laughed. He turned around to hold down your legs for Rocky to get a chance at tickling you, pinning your ankles against the mattress.

Rocky couldn’t do much but gently wiggle his claws through the xenonite barrier against your sole. It didn’t tickle that much but the featherlight touch was enough to make you giggle into the pillow, your toes scrunching up. It only lasted a couple seconds before Ryland decided to tickle the back of your knees causing you to shriek.

“GRACE!”

“What? I’m helping.”

“Stohop hehelpihing!”

Ryland gasped. “You don’t want me to help? That’s not very nice! And here I am trying my very best to make sure you’re relaxed and at ease!” Despite the fact he was doing the complete opposite.

“Ihi don’t nehehed ihit!!” You barked out through gritted teeth.

You heard him click his tongue and the tickling on your legs stopped. You wheezed in relief, panting heavily to catch your breath. And then you felt the shift of weight back on your thighs, large hands settling flat on your back. Fuck, fuck, shit.

“N-no, no, wait— Ryland—Ry, cmon! I-I’m relaxed! Please!” You begged, clawing at the mattress desperately. Sadly for you, your pleading words went straight over his head.

His thumbs rubbed deep circles on both sides of your spine, just below your shoulder blades. His other fingers curled into the spaces between your ribs, alternating between massaging and wiggling. You just about lost it. Loud, hysterical cackles resonated from your lungs at the electrifying tissue massage that set your nerves on fire. You couldn’t think about anything else but how badly it tickled.

What felt like an hour was only a two minutes of pure tickle torture. You couldn’t move, your whole body went rigid, stuck in a perpetual state of silent laughter. Your eyes squeezed shut, mouth wide open with no sound coming out.

Eventually Ryland gave mercy and lightened his touch. The pads of his fingers now tracing small circles over your sides. You almost forgot how to breathe when you gasped for air, greedily gulping it down.

“What do we say now?” His voice murmured right into your ear.

You snickered and scrunched your shoulder. “Ihi’m sohorryyy…!”

He chuckled in response. “And?” He lightly dug his thumb into your back.

“THAhank yohou!!” You squealed.

The tickling stopped and you finally—finallyyy were given relief. Your nerves buzzed from the aftermath, tingling and trembling at the phantom tickles. You giggled tiredly, face squished against the mattress. You didn’t even notice your pillow had fallen off the edge of the cot.

“Feeling better?” Ryland asked, his tone softer and genuine.

You nodded, still giggling. He laughed at your delirious state and helped roll you over onto your back. You couldn’t stop the smile permanently stretched across your face and swung an arm to hide your flushed expression.

“That was ahawful…” You breathed out.

“You say that, but I know you enjoyed yourself. You needed that laugh.”

You peeked beneath your arm to see Ryland’s dazzling smile, his eyes filled with so much warmth you couldn’t help but feel shy from his attention. Your hands flew down to your face, feeling the heat radiate off your cheeks. “… it helped.”

“Humans done playing? Question. Rocky fix ship.”

Ryland and you looked up at Rocky now standing by the hatch of the dormitory. You lifted your head, propping yourself up on your elbows. “What do you mean?”

“Rocky fix spin drives. Statement. Works.”

You nearly shoved Ryland off of you as you sat up fully. “What?! How?!”

Rocky shimmied in his ball and straightened his legs like he was showing off. “Rocky read manual!”

You just stared at him. He squeaked happily before rolling away. Ryland and you looked at each other. You flopped back down on the mattress with a groan, pulling down at your face.

“A rock figured it out before me.” You glanced up at Ryland. “… sorry again.” Now you felt worse about how you acted when there was such a simple solution.

Ryland huffed. “You’ve already been forgiven. Don’t get all depresso on me.” He tweaked your side with a pinch and you let out your own little squeak, swatting at his hand. He grinned. “Besides, now I know exactly what to do to turn that frown upside down.”

A blush rose to your cheeks and you shoved weakly at his chest. “You’re never letting me live this down.”