#lee!alexander

It was a bright summer afternoon in queens, the sun beaming through the windows of Alex’s room.

Alex had invited Josh over to study for anatomy, but after a while the subject got quickly too difficult at every passing question, and the two got bored.

Josh would sometimes sigh a more heavy breath then the last, while alex was busy drumming their pencil on the textbook. The room filled with tense air and silence.

Then Josh broke the tension. “Maybe a snack would help?” He looked up from his book and at Alex who quickly slammed their book and nodded. “Yes! Yes, a snack will definitely help us think!” Desperate to get out of the maddening silence.

They both got up and headed to the kitchen. No one was home but them. Alex’s parents were constantly away with work, so their uncle Ben took care of Alex in their parents absence, and when he died they had only Josh’s folks to keep them company.

So there they stood, rummaging around to try and find anything to make that’s edible.

Josh found a bag of lays in the cupboard and Alex found the rest of the red vines to nosh on. Though the snacks were good, they didn’t do much to help them study.

“You wanna take a bre-“ Alex couldn’t even finish before Josh interrupted, already knowing what they were gunna say. “Yes please.” So they closed and set aside the books, just sitting there doing absolutely nothing.

“I have a question.” Josh got off the floor to sit next to Alex on their bed. “Oh god, not more questions…!” They groaned and flopped their upper body back on the bed, their legs still bent off the edge from their previous sitting position.

“What’s knismesis and gargalesis, and what’s the difference between the two?” Alex’ eyes widened. “Where did he hear about those and why is he asking this, where’s this coming from” they thought.

They decided to ask him these thoughts. “Where’d you hear about these terms?” There was a pause, and then Josh said the one thing that Alex thought would put them in their grave for sure..

“Oh your laptop was open earlier when you weren’t here, and a post talking about those things was on the screen. On tumblr I think it was…?” They could feel the butterflies coming and their face heat up, so they stayed laying down so Josh wouldn’t notice.

There was silence in the air again, silence that Alex didn’t even hear over all the thoughts screaming in their head. Most about how flustered they were and how they’re now in a lee mood because of this bull crap.

“So… are you gunna answer my questions, or just lay there and burn a hole in that one spot on your popcorn ceiling??” They hadn’t even noticed they were zoned out.

“Uhh… right-“ they cleared their throat, preparing for what they were about to say. “Well, knismesis is the scientific term for describing light touch and garalesis is the same but for firm touch…”

They tried their best to make it as vague as possible, so to not start anything or fluster themself.

“Oh, but why were you reading a post about it?” “So many questions, this man!” Alex thought to themselves, trying to come up with a response.

“I uh- wasn’t reading it?- yeah! I was just scrolling and happened upon it.” They now sat up and gave a slightly nervous awkward smile to Josh, hoping he’d buy it. He didn’t.

“Why was it still on your screen then?” Alex averted their gaze, trying to come up with something. But Josh noticed their weird behavior and called it out. “Are you not telling me something?”

Josh was confused by the subject matter why Alex would be omitting the truth about something. What was there to hide in this conversation? It’s almost like they’re embarrassed by something from how red they are.

That struck something in him. Why were they so red? Were they embarrassed? What were they embarrassed about? He knew he had to find this out now, it was too intriguing not to.

“You’re hiding something from me and I wanna know what.” He got closer to Alex, not letting them have any room to breathe or come up with a new excuse.

“What makes you say that??” They looked to the side and nervously chuckled, he was onto them. “Look… either you tell me or I make you tell me.” Alex didn’t know what he meant by that since he didn’t know about the thing, but still got butterflies for some reason.

But they wanted to know exactly what he meant. “And how’re you gunna make me?” They leaned back as Josh leaned closer. “I don’t know yet but when I do I-“

He was cut off by a flinch and a startled squeak. He had poked a finger at Alex’s chest, a little lower than he intended. So low he poked their stomach instead, at the very top where their ab muscles start.

They looked at each other, Josh’s finger still lingering right over where he’d previously poked. Alex tried to stifle a wobbly smile, but failed. Josh caught on immediately.

“I think I’ve found my way~” he teased, looking at Alex, now with a mischievous grin. Their eyes widen as they held up their hands in surrender, and to protect themself.

“W-wahait! Let’s talk about this f-first!” The nervously giggled as they stared at Josh’s hovering wiggly fingers, not focused on anything but that.

They then lost balance and flopped back onto the bed, Josh still sitting right next to them. “Sooo, wanna tell me what you’re hiding now? Or would you rather die?~” he teased.

Josh didn’t know it but Alex’s nervousness was laced with unbelievable excitement. How could he know that, he did find out just now that Alex was ticklish. How could he know they liked it too?

He had a hunch by this point. He saw the way they stared at his hands hovering over them with excited eyes, the wobbly smile they tried to hide but couldn’t, and how they haven’t once said they didn’t want him to tickle them yet.

He could actually almost see a bit of desperation in their eyes, they were practically begging for it. So he did what any good friend would do and acted clueless, finally lowering his hands to their stomach.

Josh didn’t move them though, he just laid them there. Occasionally twitching them, just to get a flinch and a strangled squeak out of Alex.

“Mmmm, just do it already…” they groaned into their hands that lay over their face. “Oki doki, if you say so!” And with that, he was given the go ahead.

He started scribbling and spidering his nimble fingers up and down and all over his friend’s tummy, giving occasional pokes to their bellybutton just to see what’d happen.

“Nahaha! Ehehehe! Ihihit- Hehehaha!” They tried but couldn’t say the dread word, it always did give them butterflies just to hear someone say it. Which is exactly what Josh did at hearing their failed attempt.

“It what? It… tickles? Does iiiittt… tickle? Is that what you were gunna say?~” he teased, giggling a little at their laughter mixed groan, seeing the flush go to their ears.

“Nahaha! Shuhut uhuhup!” They kicked their feet a little, squirming around but not moving away from the wiggling fingers.

Josh dramatically gasped at this, putting a hand over his heart in offense. “How DARE you tell me to shut up! Alright, that’s it!”

He lifted their shirt up just enough to see their tummy, and he inhaled, ducking down towards their stomach to give them a nice big raspberry right in the middle of their tummy.

“Waitwaitwa- NAHA-!” They shot their head back, kicking their feet more rapidly now, their laughter going more wheezy and silent. Josh knew it was time to stop.

He sat up and patted their stomach before giving it some rubs to help the phantoms, and put their shirt back down, grinning at the giggly tickle drunk aftermath.

“So, you gunna tell me what got you all embarrassed?” He gave a soft poke to their side for emphasis, resulting in a small flinch and breathy giggles.

At this point, their dignity was basically gone, so they didn’t care anymore. “I was embarrassed cause you kept asking me questions about my laptop screen and stuff…”

“Oh, well why was that embarrassing? All I saw was a post about knismesis and gargalesis. Not like I saw porn hub pulled up or anything.” He laughed, patting their shoulder for reassurance.

“Heh, yeah… but- mmm ok I may have lied earlier…” they admitted, fidgeting with their ring their mom gave them and looking away.

“Why? What about?” He sat back on his elbows to be more at eye level with Alex. “Well, knismesis and gargalesis aren’t just soft and firm touch…” they explained still shy about it.

“It’s specifically the scientific terms for light and firm…” they trailed off, glancing at him then at their stomach to non verbally communicate the word ‘tickle’.

“Tummies?” He tilted his head, genuinely confused. They got a bit red at the word they chose for stomach, but brushed it off. “Nooo, what you just did to me!” The tried to explain.

“Tickling? Light and firm tickling? That’s what you were so embarrassed about me finding out?” They got butterflies at the word and didn’t respond, just nodded. Josh smiled. “Could they get any sweeter??” He thought.

He giggled. “Well, I think that’s a little adorable that it was that you were trying to hide. What? Do you like it or something?” He finally confronted them about it, poking their neck to prove how cute they are.

“EEhehe-! Mahaybehe…” they batted at his hand, scrunching and leaning away on reflex.

“So that’s why you were reading the post! This is some sorta hyperfixation of yours, huh?” He kept it up, knowing they didn’t actually want him to stop.

“Yeheheah…!” The still scrunched, but squirmed closer to the touch instead of away. “Sooo, which is your favorite? I mean, I think I can already guess…”

He smiled at his friend’s bright sweet smile and noticed their liking to this more. They however didn’t answer the question, instead they just grabbed Josh’s other hand and put it on their stomach.

“Awww! You like the light touch, huh?” When they nodded, Josh felt like he was gunna explode from cuteness aggression right then and there, and started gently spidering over their stomach, resulting in bright bubbly squeaky giggles and precious feet kicks.

And so they laid there for the next few hours, tickling and chatting, and teasing. Josh couldn’t help himself-

Jesus Christ! How long has it really been? Hours? Days? Maybe a few weeks? Who knows, Alex has been in the same room for a very long time now. Writing essays isn’t as easy as he made it seem.

With James Maddison’s realization of what the papers portrayed, he instantly got out of there, not to mention his reoccurring illness. Along with John Jays, but it didn’t matter!

As Alexander looked up from his work, papers scattered every which way and books piled up and tangled the pages folded into themselves, he sighed before hearing the door knob to his study turn.

“Uh- busy! Occupied!” He slurred out in sleepiness.

“It’s a study, not a restroom!” Angelica giggled watching him fix together his desk.

“Angelica, it is lovely to see you here but I am not in any time to take breaks!” He set his papers in order looking up at her.

“shame, the old Alex would’ve stopped everything for me”

“The old Alex was also not married, or had a job, and the old Alex would’ve been too poor for you anyways!” He mocked, watching her expression change, he immediately apologized.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m dealing with a lot-”

“No no, I can see that. It’s ok, I’m not hurt.” She smiled as she stood behind him placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Jeez what am I gonna do!” He complained out loud as he rubbed his eyes.

“What you always do, write and be you!” She began to squeeze, causing a jerk.

“Y-yeah? Well what if-” he rambled but was interrupted, Angelica took notice of the sudden movement from earlier but kept it to herself

“There’s no what if’s, your wife, think of Eliza. Think of you son, your daughter, your friends. They believe in you!” She squeezed again, getting the same reaction from before.

“R-right right, well you really do need to put those talking skills of yours to good use.” He joked trying to brush off the tickly sensation buzzing through his shoulders.

“say, I have an idea on how to get you chirped up and out of frown town!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yup!” She happily took his ‘oh yeah’ as a go ahead to start her experiment.

Quickly darting to his ribs, Alex melted into his chair, kicking and rocking back and forth.

“A-Agenicahaha!”

“Feeling better?” She asked, only laughter responding back

“I take that as a no,”

She moved up into his armpits, a louder tone in his laughter raised as he hugged his sides and laughed freely.

It was a nice overcast day in Salem Massachusetts and “Elizabeth’s antique and pawn shop” was having a surprisingly slow day.

Liz was dusting some of the displays while Kelly was polishing her plastic. Alex on the other hand was sitting in one of the old cushioned grand chairs trying not to fall asleep.

Alexander had stayed up scaring people at the motel at all hours of the night and then got no sleep.

Elizabeth gave him a loving look then cleared her throat. “Would you be a dear and get up? You’re drooling on my good chairs.” She got a little more stern at the end.

Alex groggily got up wiping away sleep from his eyes and yawning a bit before phasing through the floor. He let out a startled noise.

“Hey! Watch where you’re falling! I could’ve chipped…” Kelly looked at Alex annoyed as he got up.

“Sorry, I phase when I’m tired. It’s a ghost thing.” He tried to explain, but she just rolled her acrylic eyes and walked away.

Liz seeing this looks at Alex concerned. “I think you need to go to bed, dear…” She tries to take his arm and guide him to the lounger in the back, but he lightly shoves her away.

“I’m fine, I don’ need sleep! I’s the middle of the day anyway. The only people who sleep now are babies, an I’m not a baby!” He tried to sound stern but his speech was too slurred to be intimidating.

“Hun, I think you need rest. You can’t talk properly and you’re phasing uncontrollably.” She raised her voice a bit more.

She was serious about this, and like the kid he is, Alex had to protest and not listen to her.

“I don’ care… I’d rather phase then listen tuh you anyway.” He turned his head and crossed his arms like a stubborn toddler.

Luckily for Elizabeth, she had 153 younger relatives growing up, and knows how to deal with stubborn toddlers. Or 12 year old boys-

“Either you go to bed right now, or I make you…” She looked at him with playful anger, but it still made Alex nervous regardless.

Alexander already had a pretty good idea of what she meant, but just had to ask this question anyway. “Oh, an how’ll you make me??” He’d regret that later…

Elizabeth gave him a smirk before reaching over and poking his side briefly. But the reaction was still everything she had hoped for.

He jumped and covered his side, hugging himself with a wobbly smile. “Aye-! Hehehe! W-whahat was that fohor??”

“That is how I’m making you…” she walked forward a bit and hugged him from behind, and started wiggling her fingers on his stomach.

“EEhehhehe! Stahap! Thihis ihisnt fahair! Ehehehe!” He curled in and tried to cover his face, but Liz wasn’t gunna let that happen.

“Nooo don’t hide! I’ve never tickled you before and I wanna see allll your reactions!~” for never tickling him before, she sure knew how to give him butterflies.

“Ehehe! Noho! Shuhudduhup!” No matter how much he made it seem like he didn’t want this, he was still enjoying every minute of it.

--Because you would think “oh he’s a ghost and can just phase through her to get out of this!” But notice how he’s purposely focusing on not phasing, and staying solid enough for her to touch him—

She gasped. “How dare you tell me to shut up! I’m gunna teach you to respect your elders!” She then started squeezing up and down his sides.

“AHEE-! Hehehe! EEhehehehe!” He was having the time of his life, and of course one look at that bright and happy face and she knew it too.

“Oh my goodness, you’re just like a squeaky toy! I squeeze you and you squeak!” Just then she squeezed his ribs and sure enough he squeaked.

“Ihi gehet ihit! Nohow stahap tahalking!” His started to turn a nice light pink, as the few butterflies in his stomach turned into a flurry of them.

“Oh, is the baby cranky? I know how to fix that!” With one big inhale she blew a raspberry right on his neck.

He lost it. “NAHA! Nahat thehe neHEcCK! EEEEhehehehaha! Stahaha!” He started to giddily stomp his feet on the floor, not knowing what else to do with himself.

She let up a little, only softly fluttering her fingers over his stomach and sides to keep him giggling. “You ready to sleep now?”

“Ehehe… Yehes plehease…” he jumped. “EHE! Hehey!” She had briefly pinched one of his ribs. “Hehe sorry, couldn’t resist.” She smiled at him.