“Tall, dark, and Emo, hear me out before you run away! I know you don’t like them all that much but just— flowers. What if I compromised, and we did just one? Just one wouldn’t be too much!”

“Flowers? Really? That is THE MOST CLICHE thing to bring to a date. He’ll get slapped. Or pre-dumped.”

Roman pouted. “Cliche? It’s like you’re criticizing my very being! I wasn’t talking about any old flower, we’d only get the most perfect, unique flower. I’d go with Logan through the memory, and be sure to pick one with a real meaning to it!”

“Booooorrringggg.” Virgil scribbled something on his list and dangled from the tree.

Roman frowned, throwing himself on the ground and looking up at Virgil. “Well, I don’t suppose YOU had a better idea,” he pouted.

“... Pay for the meal with the money we would’ve spent on the flower and actually treat him right instead of using cliches to win him over. Just a thought, though, right? I don’t have any better ideas than the PRINCE.”

“Well, of COURSE we’re paying for the meal! I didn’t even know that was a point in contention. I’m arguing for meal AND a flower! We’ll treat him right AND romance him! And I do like your ideas... sometimes.”

“I’m touched.” Virgil said sarcastically. “Also, it’s going to be hard romancing him when we could-“ He looked at his list. “Order the wrong thing and not have the guts to tell the waiter to change it because we don’t want to bother them.”

“Ugh! See this, this is when I do Not like your ideas. Even if it gets to that, we can handle one poor meal in the pursuit of love—- OR! Or I can make a joke about it! Between me and Patton we’ll make a joke that will blow his socks off!”

“Don’t blow his socks off. It’s the first date. Consent and all that.” Virgil smirked. It seemed like he was almost TRYING to annoy Roman.

Roman suddenly had an idea. He stood up. “Oh, come on, you know my idea’s a good one.” He reached out, his hands held like claws, just over Virgil’s ribs. “Admit it. You like my idea.” Roman smirked right back at Virgil.

Virgil’s eyes widened and he shot himself back up on the branch. “Dohon’t.” He pulled his legs up, too.

“Nope!” Roman said, rocking his weight from his heels to his toes excitedly. “I’m waiting right here until you admit my idea is the best. And I can wait allll day~”

“How do we even know this dude likes flowers??”

“Who DOESN’T like flowers???”

“Some people!” Virgil shifted on the creaking branch.

“Oh, really? Who?” Roman shifted, with the creaking on the branch, he needed to be in position to catch Virgil in case it fell.

“Me.” Virgil scooted away from him. “They’re stupid. If you’re getting your SO something, get it from the heart. Don’t get them plants that will wilt in a few days time.”

“Flowers ARE from the heart! Each one has a special meaning, a special message, and putting them together artfully shows your care, and if you’ve spent money on them then it shows that you’re willing to spend money for the one you love. And they do wilt after a few days, but that just gives you more chances to show your love!”

“That’s dumb. I want food.” Virgil gave up and jumped from the tree.

Roman was in almost the perfect position, he only had to move a bit to catch Virgil. “Well, I’m not denying the appeal of an edible present, but you’ve still got to admit that my idea is the best.” 

He shifted Virgil in his grip so that his hands had access to his sides, fully intent on tickling the admission out of him if he wouldn’t comply.

“Roman! Lehet go!” 

Virgil groaned inwardly. He was already giggling? This was going to suck. 

“Ooooh, no, Stormcloud. I’m not letting go until you say that my idea is the best.” Roman wiggled and scratched his fingers at Virgil’s sides.

Virgil squeaked and pushed Roman’s hands off of him. “Nonono- Rohoman! Roman, I’ll hurt you, seriously.” His tone seemed concerned, rather than threatening.

Roman set Virgil down on the ground, sitting on his thighs and trapping his hands underneath his knees. “Can’t do anything like this~!” Roman smirked. “And now I can get you as much as I want!” Roman tickled 

up his sides and over his ribs.

Virgil fell into hysterical giggles, bucking and squirming to try and throw Roman off.

But Roman was stronger than Virgil, and knew how to use it. All Virgil’s squirming did was edge his shirt up and turn his hair into a massive flyaway mess. 

“Come on, Virge~ all you’ve got to do is admit my idea’s the best~” Roman gave a positively evil smirk. Virgil never, not once let his stomach show, and Roman had a sneaking suspicion he knew why. “Or else I guess I’ll have to push this button here.”

Virgil’s face went a light crimson as he shook his head frantically. “It doesn’t do anything! No use! Don’t push it. It wastes your time.” He tried to object.

“Methinks the Virgil doth protest too much,” Roman teased, giving the bellybutton a poke.

Virgil tried to pull his legs up and spewed out a little burst of laughter.

Roman’s grin got even wider. “Aw, does this tickle? This little button I’ve found?” Roman gave a series of pokes in a circle all around Virgil’s bellybutton, finishing by dipping his pinky finger inside and swirling it around.

“SohoMEOnE’S gohoNNA see!!” Virgil pulled at his wrists. His face went a deep red.

“Oh, little Tickle-me-Emo is embarrassed. You know how to make it stop.” Roman grinned down at Virgil’s bright red face. Since he had full control in the imagination, he grew vines up and around them, twining into a closed bubble that couldn’t be seen through. “Unless you don’t want it to stop~”

Virgil, now being closed off from society, fell completely limp in a little pile of bubbly laughter. 

Virgil was stubborn, and that was just a fact. He wouldn’t say Roman’s idea was better even if he had to sit like this for the rest of time. But, that didn’t sound too bad.

Virgil went limp, and Roman was almost worried for a minute, but he was still happy and bubbly and giggling. Roman grinned, and shifted to a more comfortable position. Virgil could get out of it easier, but he was all puddly at the moment, and he couldn’t get through the vines without Roman anyway. 

Roman traced little curlicues on Virgil’s stomach, his fingers dancing close, but not quite into, his bellybutton.

Virgil seemed genuinely happy, which was rare. Being the embodiment of anxiety, he usually wasn’t anything other than worried.

Roman felt very pleased with himself. It was decidedly not how he had anticipated the interaction going, but that didn’t make it any less pleasant. He kept tracing for several minutes, moving up over the ribs sometimes, or down over the sides,

Virgil’s giggles were sounding more loopy every second. He was still thoroughly enjoying it, but he also looked close to going to sleep because of the gentle tickles.

Virgil falling asleep? Now that was just not allowed. Roman used one hand to hold his bellybutton stretched out and open, and conjured a feather, swirling and fluttering it mercilessly.

Virgil shrieked and sat up quickly, trying to stop the feather.

“Uh uh, no, you aren’t getting out that easily!” Roman said, growing two of the vines up out of the ground on either side of Virgil’s chest, to twine together and hold him down to the ground. “You’re in my world, now, Virgil.” 

Roman started dragging the feather in a long, slow spiral, starting from the outside edge of Virgil’s stomach and heading inward.

Virgil’s laughter, as the feather drew inward, got higher and higher pitched.

Roman was laughing himself now, getting closer and closer. But just before he reached it, he snapped, swapping the feather for a softer, more tickly one. He rubbed the end between two fingers, spinning the feather directly inside Virgil’s bellybutton.

All Virgil could do, at this point, was dissolve into hysterics as he was driven closer and closer to insanity.

Roman swirled the feather for only a few more seconds. He didn’t want this game to be over quite yet. He went back to the light tracing, giving Virgil a bit of a break.

Virgil pulled one of his hands out of Roman’s hold and rubbed his bellybutton.

“Are you too ticklish for that spot~?” Roman teased, letting Virgil rub away the tickles. He’d get back to that spot soon enough. “I wonder where else you’re ticklish?” He squeezed and dug his fingers in around Virgil’s hips.

Roman discovered that, while it didn’t make Virgil laugh as much, hips were a key melt spot.

Virgil was melting into a little puddle again. “Who would’ve guessed our resident Emo could be so adorable~?” Roman cooed.

“Ihihi- mm-“ Virgil lost the ability to form coherent words.

“You’re what?” Roman asked, teasingly wiggling his finger just over Virgil’s bellybutton.

“Hmhmhm- Y-" Virgil pulled his other hand out and covered his face.

“What~? I’m afraid I just can’t understand you~” Roman said, dropping his finger down to trace a small circle around the bellybutton and then back to wiggle teasingly. “What did you say?”

Virgil whined and pulled down his shirt, holding it there for as long as he could.

“Now, no one said that was allowed,” Roman said, grabbing both Virgil’s hands. He was able to hold them with only one hand since Virgil had been so thoroughly melted by all the tickling. He sloooowly rolled Virgil’s shirt back up, letting out a low chuckle at the little squirms. He traced feather-light circles around and around the bellybutton. “Now, what were you saying?”

“Youhour ihidea...” Virgil was cut off by a river of giggles.

Roman laughed at the stream of giggles, but it just wasn’t enough laughter. He twisted his finger down into Virgil’s bellybutton, wiggling and twisting and tickling as best he knew how.

“AH- YOUR IDEA IS B-!!” Virgil jerked at his arms and shut his eyes tightly, letting all of his laughter flow out.

Roman kept tickling for a minute, but finally relented. He removed his hands and just smiled, taking in all of Virgil’s laughter. Laughter that he had caused.

Virgil’s arms fell to his sides. But, Roman realized, he wasn’t rubbing away the tingles.

Roman’s smile got bigger. He positioned his hands again, but doubted he’d need them. “I’m afraid I didn’t quite hear you a minute ago. It seemed you were going to say something about my idea?”

“Youhour idea... is mildly better thahan mine.” Virgil crossed his arms.

“Oh?” Roman smirked. He leaned back slightly. “I’m pretty sure that means I get to keep going.” He reached his hands back and tickled Virgil’s knees.

“Ihi said it!!” Virgil kicked at him.

“Oh, no you didn’t!” Roman said triumphantly, moving to get better access and where Virgil couldn’t kick at him. “You have to say that my idea is best.”

“Roman, you a*s!!” Virgil pushed at his back.

Roman gasped. “Virgil! What would Patton say? I simply cannot allow this.” Roman started squeezing up and down Virgil’s thighs and calves, paying special long attention to tickling behind his knees every time he passed them.

Virgil seemed out of it, now. He laid back, not doing anything to stop Roman. He was tired. Really tired.

Roman stopped. Virgil looked exhausted. He moved to lay down next to him. “You about done, Stormcloud?”

“Mhm...”

“Well, I don’t want to tickle you completely to pieces, but I will keep my word. I must insist that you admit to my idea being the best.” Roman leaned over and blew a tickly stream of air at Virgil’s ear.

Virgil hummed. “Whatever... I’ll think about it when I wake up.”

“I bet you’ll wake up pretty quick if I go after your tummy again,” Roman said, setting a finger just over Virgil’s bellybutton, only very slightly touching. “Come on, say it and I’ll let you go.”

“Maybe I don’t wanna say it.” Virgil looked very smug.

“Maybe I don’t want to let you go,” Roman retorted, returning the smug look exactly as he skimmed his finger veeery lightly over the giggle button.

Virgil smiled and scooted back. “Fine, then. Just let me sleep first. Hey, could you summon an air mattress?”

Roman grinned. “Nope. I certainly don’t mind keeping you, and I’ll get you the most comfortable bed in my kingdom to sleep on if that’s what you want, but you aren’t going to sleep until you’ve admitted to my idea being the best.” Roman flicked his wrist and a large feather fell into his hand. “Don’t think I’m above pinning you down and using the feather again.”

Virgil squeaked and stood up, backing into the vines. He turned and pulled at them.

Roman jumped up too, giving a playful growl as he picked up Virgil and wrestled him to the ground again. “Clearly you aren’t too tired for more tickles, since you had so much energy to try and run away.” 

Roman pinned Virgil’s hands and pulled up his shirt again, skimming his fingers across his belly with more purpose. Finally, he readied the feather, spinning it with his fingers just over Virgil’s bellybutton. 

“Last chance, Stormcloud.”

Virgil bit his lip and covered his face. “Mfmf mfmf mf mfm mfmf.” He mumbled, squirming in place.

“I’ll be honest, I have no idea what you just said,” Roman said flatly. He fluttered the feather. “Guess that means more tickles!” 

He cupped one hand around the bellybutton, to hold it still and taut, and spun the feather around with the other, dipping it in and out, over and over, spinning the whole time.

“YOUHOUR IDEA IS BEST.” Virgil burst out through laughter. He grabbed at the vines with one hand to brace himself.

Roman snapped the feather away. “Ah, it’s music to my ears.” He clapped once, and they were immediately transported to the most comfortable bed in his kingdom, which happened to be his own. He flopped on his back onto the bed next to Virgil. 

“Ah, that was more fun than I’ve had in a long while!”

Virgil fell onto the bed in a little heap of giggles. “... Ihi didn’t mean it.” He said, still stubborn as ever. Roman just said he had to say it. Not that he had to mean it.

Roman laughed. “I figured.” He closed his eyes, enjoying the giggles, and looking forward to a short nap before they had to get ready for the date. “I suppose we’ll have to do this again some other time, then.”

“Not if you can’t catch me.” Virgil closed his eyes, slowly drifting into sleep.

Roman smirked. Oh, he’d find a way. Maybe if Virgil was naive enough to wander into the imagination again. Trees could be made to catch and capture, after all. But for now, he’d take a nap, his mind replaying all the giggles and squeaks and laughs.