“You’ve never been tickled gently before, have you?”
“We both know this soft shit is not my style, Specs. I like it hard and fast, you know that!”
“Hm. Your body is much more familiar with jarring, abrasive sensations, which could have served to make you less susceptible to any sort of physical touch. However... I don’t think that is true.”
“... Seriously? That’s your play? One little feather?”
“...”
“Uh, you’re barely even touching me, genius.”
“I am aware.”
“... How long is this gonna take? I’ve got-- work to do.”
“Earlier you were insistent that you would be happy to partake in this experiment no matter how long it took. Have you changed your mind?”
“Kinda, yeah. This is really b-- boring.”
“Is our conversation not interesting enough for you? I could change the topic, if that would keep you from feeling restless.”
“Sure, yeah, whatever.”
“Do you know what exactly I am testing today, Remus?”
“If you can make me laugh with a stupid feather?”
“Not quite. I’m merely attempting to locate the exact areas on the human body where knismesis is the most effective. I specifically asked you to help me because you insisted you were not sentive to such light tickles. I believe we both may have been wrong about that assumption.”
“It’s not-- not that bad.”
“Good to know. It will get worse, however. Already you’re slipping-- we can both see it. Aside from the data I’m getting from monitoring your vitals, your external reactions are all too telling. Your face is getting red, most likely from repressing your laughter. You have consistently moved away from the feather no matter where it touches you. And for this entire experiment, a grin has been growing on your face that I don’t believe you could suppress if you tried.”
“I--”
“The stomach is an ideal spot for knismesis, because the human body has evolved to protect the vital organs underneath for outward threats, such as insects. That is what the mind translates the feeling of the feather into, but without the panic of any real threat. It’s a rather effective technique to heighten the body’s natural sensitivity.”
“... Mhmm.”
“Shh, it’s alright. Please don’t strain yourself. I don’t want you to get hurt attempting to subdue your body’s natural reactions. Just relax, and breathe, and focus on the tickles.”
“Hnng.”
“I see. Mentioning the word ‘tickle’ has weakened you, hasn’t it? Interesting-- I’ve never noticed you being particularly susceptible to this type of teasing before.”
“I’m not--”
“Perhaps I will use the information to assist in the experiment. Allow me.”
“No!”
“Tickle, tickle, tickle, Remus. Feel the feather tickling up and down your tummy, so slowly and so gently. Does it tickle very badly? I think it does, based on how much you’re wiggling and squirming back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...”
“Nahahahaha!”
“There we go. What a good ticklish test subject. Just let it all out, Remus. Feel how tenderly the tips of the feathers tickle your tummy. I belive I’ve found a tickle trail right around the middle of your stomach... do you have a ticklish belly button? I think you do, Remus. Tickle, tickle, tickle...”
“Somewhere else! Somewhere else!”
“Interesting. The fact that you’re begging for relief from the lightest stimulation against your belly indicates that this is rather ticklish for you. Normally it takes much more to make you desperate enough to beg. How enlightening.”
“Logahahahan!”
“I suppose I will leave this spot, for now. Besides, we still have much more data to be collected. For example, let us say that you have two feathers traveling up your sides...”
“Ahahahahaha! Nohohoho!”
“Oh, is that a particularly ticklish spot for you? To be tickled right here on your sides-- fascinating. Your body’s movements back and forth seem completely involuntary, considering that you keep moving despite knowing that any movement would result in more tickles on the opposite side. I’d ask you to stay still, but I think we both know you’re far too ticklish for that.”
“Stop teasing! No more teheheheasing!”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. We have been taking this rather slowly. Tell me, Remus... what do you think it will feel like when these feathers reach your bare armpits?”
“I dohohohon’t-- nahaha! I don’t knohohow!”
“Oh, let’s imagine it together, shall we? Your arms are tied so high over your head, and you can’t move your torso more than an inch to either side. Imagine what it will feel like when these soft, fluffy feathers travel up, up, up... until they finally come to rest in your armpits. And when they reach your armpits, do you think they will tickle?”
“Yehehe-- yehehehes!”
“So do I. The reason your armpits are ticklish, interestingly enough, is because that is where the axillary veins are located. Your body will wiggle and squirm and do everything in its power to cover up such a sensitive spot. Imagine how terribly ticklish it will feel when you have no choice in the matter.”
“Nohohoho!”
“Shh, it’s quite alright, Remus. No one else will ever know how ticklish you are to such light, feathery touches. It can stay our little secret. But I do need you to do just one thing for me.”
“Lo-gan!”
“I need you to laugh.”
“Na-ahahahaha! Logan, Logahahahan, nohoho!”
“Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle... does it tickle terribly, Remus? Hm? Does it? On a scale from one to ten, how ticklish do the feathers feel in your armpits?”
“T-- tehehe-- ten!”
“A solid ten? How interesting. It seems your underarm sensitivity may actually rival that of your brother’s, provided your armpits are being tickled by incredibly tickly feathers. Perhaps one day we can introduce makeup brushes to the experiment and record the differences in your reactions...”
“Nohoho, p--plehehease, please!”
“And now, with the data we’ve already acquired from the experiment, we can build upon to introduce new variables. For example, what will happen when the feathers dance all over your ticklish armpit and your ticklish tummy at the exact same time?”
“Puh-- plehehe-- Logahahahahaha!”
“Remus, I must honestly say that I’m impressed. You may be the most feather ticklish person I have ever seen.”
