#hehehheehe

Kon paused, and Ri looked away, a rare hue of embarrassment in his cheeks. “I said too much.”

“You barely say anything at all.” Kon challenged, sitting up fully and scooting closer to Ri. “Talk to me. What happened?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Last I checked, nothing we do is ordinary.”

“Right you are.” Ri seemed to smile at that- or perhaps his lips merely flattened enough to make his painted smirk stand out. Kon tsked as he concluded Ri wasn’t going to share. Very well, he couldn’t force him to talk about it.

He could however provide a proper relief. “Ri. Put down that vial.”

Said man looked at him curiously, tilting his head. “Why?” When Kon gestured, Ri did as requested. “Fine then. Now what-”

Kon waited, then he lunged.

“Gah! Kon-” Ri yelped as he was wrestled down to the floor below, his wares box pushed safely out of reach from their squabbling hands. “What in the world are you doing?”

“There’s a Mononoke.” Kon spoke severely, and Ri gave him a deadpanned stare. “Really, there is. It’s attached to you.”

“I’m not new to this business, Kon. I can sense when one is aro-mmph!” Any remark Ri had was silenced near instantly by a hand on his waist. Kon squeezed quickly, eyes never leaving the other’s face as his own painted lips grew into a cheeky smile. “K-Kon! Mmmph! S-Stop that at o-once!”

“I must find the shape, truth, and reason for this Mononoke. It seems to be the kind I need to chase out of you- a sort of possession, you see.” Kon brought a second hand to Ri’s waist, doubling his efforts and earning more muffled noises from the other. “The best way to do so is physical force. Don’t resist- it’ll only stay within you longer.”

“Yo-You’re full of i-ihit!” A soft chuckle escaped, much to Ri’s horror. He turned his head away as he grabbed at Kon’s wrists, trying with all his might to pry them off. “Ge-ehet off! Y-You’re ju-hmmhmmmph!”

“I’m what now, Ri?” Kon cooed, spreading his fingers to get at the blonde’s ribs. The spot where his waist connected to his lowest set seemed to be a real good one in times like this. “You’ll have to speak up. I can’t quite understand what you’re saying when you bite your tongue.”

Ri shook his head, both in stubborn refusal and in an effort to ward off the feeling. Kon tsked. Usually this was a great spot to target. Alas- the sash they wore heavily prevented a proper tickle. “Looks like I’m gonna have to try a new approach.”

He kept one hand on Ri’s chest to pin him down while his other hand reached up. Quickly, like a calligrapher with fresh ink, he swiped his fingers up and into Ri’s armpit.

“Hmmph!” Ri spasmed in response, twisting so sharply he nearly threw Kon off of him. The hands batting at his chest retracted, elbows to his sides in an attempt to block him out. Kon positively beamed.

“Oh how delightful.” He teased, pushing Ri some more so he was three-fourths of the way turned over. “Looks like I found the shape.”

“Kon-” Was all Ri got out before said vendor shoved both hands into his armpits, Ri jerked forward with a muffled squeak, shaking against the floors as Kon scribbled and scratched. His legs kicked occasionally- his battle for composure commendable as it was irritating. At least he was laughing now- Kon could hear the softest of giggles between muffled groans and grunts. “Mhmhmhmhmhmmhehehehehehe!”

“There it is! The truth! I’m starting to figure out just what kind of Mononoke this is.” Kon giggled, locking his legs around Ri’s waist as he carried on tickling. He kept one hand under Ri’s arm while the other swooped upward to drag along his shoulderblades, a single finger curling out shapes and words without meaning. “I’ve said this already, but you really mustn’t hold onto it. I know some are so easy to get attached to, but believe me when I say, it’ll be easier to let it go.”

“Thehehehre’s nohoohothing thehhehere!” Ri managed to squeak out, half against the wooden floor as more titters rolled out. “Yooohohohu’re juhuhuhust lohoohohooking fohohohor a rehahhhahson to tohohohorture mehehehehe!”

“Torture? Dear Ri- this is the farthest thing from…well, I suppose it could be considered torture.” Kon mused, focusing his lone finger along a rather awful spot dead center of Ri’s upper back. That got him a small whine and arch from the blonde. “No, that’s not correct at all! This is me helping! I’m eradicating the Mononoke within. We’re just about there..”

It was time to break out the big guns. Kon adjusted his grip on Ri so he was property secured within his leg lock. Then he brought both hands up and away from his torso. Ri’s giggles softened some, gasps of air coming between small hiccups as he groaned. “K-Kon…” He fumed, his hand reaching back towards a leg.

“Na ah ah!” He giggled as he attacked, scribbling along the backs of Ri’s ears with one finger each. “I need your reason! Show me, Mononoke!”

“Gaha!” Ri flailed forward, shoulders coming up to try and protect his ears as unrestrained laughter rolled off his tongue. Kon quickly flipped them so he could sit on Ri’s back, carrying on his deadly assault while the other guffawed below. “Kohohohohon, you soohoohn of a-”

“Now, don’t be like that.” Kon teased, one hand carrying on tickling his ears while the other pulled the neck of his Kimono back. There he let a few fingers trace the back of Ri’s neck, earning even more adorable squeaks and yelps. “I’ve obtained all that I need- now I shall slay the Mononoke! Final move- take this!”

“Ko-GAHA!” Ri’s voice was shrill when Kon bit him. Gentle of course- but terribly ticklish. No amount of scrunching or swatting could prevent such a terrible move. It was made even worse when Kon blew a raspberry against his skin. “Gahahhaha! Oohohohkay! Oohohohkay gehheeht off! Gehehhet ohohoff, get ohohoff, KON!”

“Whoa!” The other laughed as he was shoved away, smiling despite himself. He watched Ri joyfully, the way the other slowly tried sitting up as he rubbed at his neck. His ears were adorably red, and he was weakened considerably by the tickles. And yet- Kon finally could see it. The way his lips were pulled upward- that adorable dimple he insisted Ri had standing at attention.

He looked happy. Genuinely happy.

Then Ri caught his eye and Kon realized he was also terribly irate. Whoops.

“Ri- Ri now hold on!” Kon shot up and ran, sprinting around the small room as the other gave chase. “I banished a Mononoke from you- and you got to admit I was right all along- your real smile is incredible! Ri- Ri listen-”

“Come here you ghost looking son of a-” Ri snagged his back, making Kon squeal as he was pulled back. Another wrestling turned tickle fight began, this time with Kon on the receiving end. His shrieks of mirth bounced off the walls, his slippers going flying with his kicks as Ri targeted every spot he could reach. At some point his bandana slipped off, blinding him with snow white hair and worsening the feeling. At least he managed to blind Ri in return when he snagged his own clean off.

By the end of it all, Kon was cackling like a lunatic against the wooden floors, snorts mixing into his mirth as he held his belly. “Oohohoh my god. Yoohohou are such a rehehehvengre seheheheeker!” He cried, grinning at Ri as he sat nearby. He was trying to fix his bandana. Kon naturally made it difficult by poking him in the armpit from time to time. “I’m glad to see you’re still very much you!”

“Prod me again and I’ll break off your finger.” Ri glared, and Kon tucked them away into his Kimono like the good vendor he was. Still, he didn’t sense any real malice from Ri. He smiled as the other finally fixed his hair, pulling the bandana tight and easing back into the wall behind him. “You’re a terror, you know that?”

“And you,” Kon wagged a finger at him. “Were in much need of that. Don’t bother denying it- you know it’s true.”

“I was busy with my wares, Kon.”

“Ri, you’ve organized that entire box at least three times since we’ve been here. Not only that, but you also organized mine- which I do appreciate.” Kon added with a wink. Ri turned away with a low groan. “I’ve been around you long enough to know when you get like this, you need a sense of control. You feel helpless, so you turn to things you know you can fix immediately- whether they need them or not.”

“I-”

“I get it. And I’m sorry.” Kon told him, and Ri fell silent. They sat in a strange silence for a while. Kon suddenly became interested in his floor boards while Ri brushed his bangs back too many times. Eventually, he felt a hand on his back, patting him a few times and making him smile. “What was that for?”

“You had lint. That’s all.” Ri spoke flatly, and Kon hid his growing laughter. “She has seen it.”

“Has she? And what did she say when you smiled?” Kon peeked, fighting for his life at the way a blush creeped up Ri’s collar. The other stood up, clearing his throat as he walked out the door. “She thought it was lovely, didn't she? She was probably as red as you are now, staring at you and picturing the wedding-”

A pillow hit him square in the face, muffling his cackles once more.