#lee!kiryu

“Umemiya-san has referred to the town as his family before,” Suo smiled. “Maybe that’s what he means?”

“Maybe!” Nirei nodded. “Apparently it’s an international holiday celebrated on May 24th. This says the holiday apparently started in America and is a day to cherish and celebrate brothers, wether biological or not.” 

The thought of acknowledging someone as his brother made Sakura’s face warm.

Suo tilted his head in thought. “I don’t recall any events being planned.” 

“And I didn’t get any messages about it this morning,” Nirei added, scrolling through his contacts. “Maybe we’ll find out inside?”

“TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY!” 

The members of Bofurin cried out, clapping their hands over their ears and jumping in alarm as Umemiya’s voice blared out of the loud speaker. 

“For fuck’s sake!” Hiragi shouted in the background. “Stop yelling into the mic!”

“Sorry! I got too excited!” Umemiya laughed. 

Sakura glared up from where he’d caught himself after Ume’s yelling had caused him to miss his chair. His face flushed at his classmates’ concerned looks as everyone righted themselves.  

“But today is a special day,” Umemiya said. “Today is a day where we appreciate the brothers in our lives. I consider this town my home and everyone in it members of my family. By extension, I consider all of you my brothers!” 

A blush framed Sakura’s face at the notion.

“Brothers are the ones we can count on and the ones we’re always there for,” Umemiya continued. “They are our friends, loved ones and family, and I feel truly in my heart that if you take a second to look around, you will find brothers in each other as well!”

Sakura felt eyes on him, but despite the warmth rising up his neck he chanced a look to see his friends grinning at him. Well, except for Sugishita. The pink on his face flared and he whipped his head back towards the speaker. 

“Today I want you all to do something fun or share a delicious meal together if you can! Know you have everyone here at Furin. You all are amazing and make me proud every day. I am thankful to have you all in my life!” Umemiya cheered.

By the time he’d finished yapping Sakura thought he was going to start sweating he was blushing so hard.

“Told you so,” Suo whispered, smiling at Sakura’s fluster.  

“You okay, Sakura-san?” Nirei asked. 

Sakura nodded, unable to look at them. Having brothers in his friends? The warmth and comfort in his heart at the thought was almost too overwhelming to bear. His friends and the others he knew at Furin, even the friends he’d made in neighboring gangs made his days. But how was he supposed to be brotherly? Was it spouting off his feelings to an audience like Umemiya? The mere thought had him wanting to crawl beneath his desk. Even if he did gather the nerve, he had no idea what to say without making himself sound stupid. And asking how to be brotherly seemed almost worse—the last thing he wanted was to admit how bad he faired to those who meant something to him. 

Why did Umemiya make a whole holiday out of this stuff?

“Sakura-kun?”

If he’d at least mentioned it before, he would’ve had more time to think!

“Sakura-san?” 

Nah, who was he kidding, he’d still be fucked.

“HEY SAKURA!”

He jumped in his seat. “OI! What?” He snapped, rounding on the voice to find Kurita waving a hand in front of his face. 

“You were totally zoned out,” Kiryu replied as Sakura smacked Kurita’s hand away. 

“You looked really worried, too,” Nirei frowned. “Are you okay Sakura-san?”

“If you’re feeling out of it, I can make you a protein shake!“ Tsugeura offered.

“M’ fine!” He grumbled, blushing slightly. “What’re you yelling at me for?”

“Well duh, it’s our patrol day!” Anzai grinned.

“Yeah, you were the one who reminded us this morning,” Kakiuchi added.

“Oh.” Despite himself Sakura’s blush got worse. “Right.”

“Goodness, Sakura-kun, I thought you’d have the routine down by now!” Suo smiled.

“I do!” He glared. 

Suo’s gaze took on a teasing glint. “Then why are you the only one still sitting at your desk?”

Sakura’s eyes widened and he glanced about the room. Everyone else had already left—well, except for his friends waiting for him. 

Pink dusted his cheeks and he jumped to his feet. “I’m not! Let’s go!” He yelled, only for an impossibly firm grip on his shoulder to stop him in his tracks. 

“Ack!” Sakura gasped. “Why?!” 

“Probably because something is still bothering you,” Kiryu said, brushing pink strands of hair into a bobby pin.

Sakura’s face warmed and he looked away from them but didn’t move to free himself. Anzai, Kurita, Takanashi and Kakiuchi looked at each other. Suo tilted his head and Kiryu and Tsugeura frowned.

Nirei’s eyes widened in realization. “Is it about Brother’s Day?”  

The blush spread to Sakura’s ears. Had he been that obvious? 

The knowing and concerned looks on his friends’ faces only made it worse. They exchanged glances as Sakura clenched his fists.

“You guys…are great…” he muttered, his group looking at him in surprise. “But…”

“But?” Suo asked, relaxing his grip. 

“I…don’t know how to be brotherly,” he finished, eyes dropping to avoid their disappointed gazes.

“What the hell are you even talking about!?” Anzai cried.

Sakura looked up just as everyone looked at him in amused bewilderment.

“Sorry,” Takanashi chuckled. “It’s just that you’re the most brotherly person here?”

“He’s right Sakura-chan!” Kiryu beamed. 

“Wuh-HUH?” Sakura cried, turning a bright scarlet. 

Nirei’s eyes glistened with joy. “You worry about us being safe more than we do!” 

“And are always there to have our back,” Suo smiled, patting his shoulder.  

All their happy faces felt like the sun to his soul, but the rate his blush was increasing he was going to catch on fire.

“Yeah! I’ve got to give it everything I’ve got just to keep up with you!” Tsugeura grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. “I want to be there for my little brothers too!” 

Kurita pumped his fist in the air. “Hell yeah to that!”

“Hey, what do you mean little brother?” Sakura said, his eyes narrowing as he batted away Tsugeura and Suo’s hands. “I’m no little brother! Nirei is the youngest!”

Nirei’s eyes widened. “What! No I’m not!” 

All eyes flew to him and he ducked his head under their gaze.

“But…Nirei-kun…you call us all so formally...” Suo frowned. 

“Oh, we-well,” Nirei said, fidgeting with his hands as pink framed his eyes. “It’s just that I look up to you guys a lot and you help me get stronger every day. It means the world to me…” 

Kiryu gave him a shoulder-hug and Anzai and Kurita gave him head pats as he giggled at their antics.

Sakura had almost turned just as pink as he watched the scene. Knowing that his friends and classmates felt the same as he did brought more comfort than he thought he’d known. 

“Awe this is all so sweet!” Kiryu said, patting Nirei’s shoulder. “But now I can’t help but be curious, who is the youngest?”

“Oh! Let’s see!” Nirei cheered, opening his notebook only to stop on the first page. His eyes widened and he looked up at Sakura. 

Everyone followed, making Sakura flush under their combined gaze. 

“…Sakura-kun?” Suo asked. 

“Huh?! No, the cutoff is April 1st!” He shouted, the color in his skin deepening as their surprise turned to awkward smiles and hushed snickers. 

“Is it correct to assume April 1st is your Birthday?” Suo said with his ever peaceful smile. 

Sakura squinted his eyes, flicking between his friends expressions trying to figure out sneakiness in his tone but finding none. 

“Yeah, so?” he grumbled. 

“Then that would make you the youngest,” Kiryu said, looking to Nirei. “Unless someone shares the same day?”

“Umm…I don’t think so,” Nirei frowned, flipping through the pages.

“That’s bullshit!” Sakura glared. “If the year starts on April 1st I have to be the oldest!”

“But it doesn’t,” Nirei blinked, squeaking and hiding behind his notebook when Sakura whipped toward him. “It starts on the 2nd!”

Would the others mess with him? Definitely. But Nirei? 

He turned the information over in his head until he turned his back to them and hid his face in his hands. 

“Awe, it’s okay Sakura-chan,” Kiryu smiled. 

“Yeah!” Tsugeura nodded. “Times and dates and stuff can be super confusing!”

“Is there anyone else even close to mine?” Sakura mumbled. 

“Yes, quite,” Suo said, smiling softly. “We are just days apart.”

“Three days to be exact!” Nirei seemed to sparkle as he flipped through the pages once more. “The rest of us have much larger gaps with me and Kiryu-san in September and August, and then Tsugeura-san being the oldest with a birthday in May!”

“What?!” Tsugeura cried. “When did you all get younger than me?”

Suo failed to stifle an annoyed glare, and Kiryu hid his smile with his sleeve.

“What day in May?” Anzai asked, looking over to Kurita. 

“And which in August?” Kurita squinted.

Takanashi and Kakiuchi grinned at each other as Nirei flipped through his notebook.

“The fifteenth!” Tsugeura cheered.

“Mine’s the nineteenth,” Kiryu replied. 

“Hell yeah! Still the oldest!” Anzai declared, holding up his hand. “I’ve got five days on you, Tsugeura!”

“Nice!” Tsugeura said, high-fiving him.

“And I’ve got–” Kurita squinted in thought before smirking at Kiryu. “Fourteen days!”

“I figured,” Kiryu shrugged. “It was the most likely outcome given the date.”

Sakura’s head span as he tried to keep track of who was older than who only for Nirei to pipe up.

“It looks like Kakiuchi-san and Takanashi-san are between Kurita-san and Anzai-san with birthdays in June and July!” Nirei added.

“What does all this stuff even matter?” Sakura groaned, his head beginning to ache. 

“Hardly at all,” Suo replied. “We’re all in the same class in the end.”

“Though you do have to admit,” Anzai grinned. “It is a crazy coincidence that us four out age you guys.”

“Oh!” Nirei gasped, writing frantically. “You’re right! Well, except for Tsugeura-san.”

“True, true,” Takanashi nodded.

“Well, with birthdays all clustered in late spring, summer and early fall, it’s not that surprising.” Kiryu blinked.

“Sure, but it did get me thinking on the holiday, and while we do a pretty good job of backing each other up, there’s one thing brothers do that we’re slacking on pretty hard,” Anzai said. 

“Uhh…” Sakura hesitated, looking between his friends. “What would that be?”  

A sneaky grin overtook Anzai’s face. “Messing with our little brothers of course!” 

His buddies mirrored his grin and Sakura bristled, narrowing his eyes but his friends only sighed. 

“I thought this is what you were trying to do, Anzai-kun,” Suo said, shaking his head. 

Kiryu put his hands up in a shrug. “Same, I’m not surprised at all.”

“What do you mean ‘try’?” Anzai asked, his smile growing as he crept toward them. “That’s absolutely where this is going!” 

“Watch out,” Kiryu beamed. “There’s not really anything you can do to us that we can’t do to you!”

“Well said, Kiryu-san!” Nirei nodded.

Sakura’s eyes darted around at everyone’s increasingly sneaky expressions as they shifted to ready positions.

“What the hell is going on?!” he shouted, raising his arms in defense. “What are we squaring up for?!”

“Pfft! We’re not squaring up!” Tsugeura grinned, shaking out his wrists. “We’re making up for lost time!”

“Alright, what should we do?” Takanashi grinned, scrunching his face up in an exaggerated thinking expression. 

“What if we catch them all and play with their hair?” Kurita smirked, only for Suo to stifle a laugh. 

“How old did you say you were again, Kurita-kun?” He asked, making the others snicker. 

“Who’s side are you on?!” Kurita cried, whirling on his buddies. 

“Heh, I know what we should do!” Anzai smirked. “How about something you never grow out of?” 

Sakura scrunched his face up in confusion and Suo blinked in curiosity. “And that would be?”

“No matter how grown up you get,” Anzai’s smile became wolfish, hands curling into claws with wiggling fingers. “You’ll always be hella ticklish!” 

Sakura’s face flushed and Tsugeura, Nirei and Kiryu’s eyes widened. 

“Oooh! Good idea, Anzai!” Kakiuchi said, tickling the air and grinning at Nirei and Kiryu’s nervous smiles. 

“Oh, I agree!” Suo replied, the others whipping their heads toward him. “But who’s to say we’re not going to be the ones tickling you instead?” He mused, smirking as Kurita and Kakiuchi shivered.

“Oh! You’re right Suo-san,” Nirei grinned. “We have the numbers!”

Mischievousness shone in Kiryu’s eyes as he wiggled his fingers back. “Come on, Sakura-chan!”

“What?! No!” Sakura cried, his blush growing. “Cut the shit, this is stupid!”

Before anyone could reply Tsugeura fell hard onto his knees. 

Everyone flinched as the ground shook and Nirei jumped in fright. “Ts-Tsugeura-san?” When Tsugeura’s didn’t answer he moved to his friend’s side. “Are you okay?”

Silence lingered and smiles disappeared. 

“Tsuge-chan?” Kiryu asked. 

Tsugeura mumbled something under his breath and he leaned closer. 

“What’d you say?” Takanashi frowned. 

“Yeah, man, you good?” Anzai asked, his hands lowering.

Tsugeura took a deep breath and yanked Nirei and Kiryu into a rough hug. “HA HA!” He cheered, jumping up with one under each arm. “I said: ‘GOT ‘EM!’” 

“Tsuge-chan! Why?!” Kiryu gasped, only for fingers to wiggle into his side. “Ahh! Ahahehehaha!”

“Ehehehe! Oho nohoho!” Nirei laughed, Tsugeura grinning as he gently scratched along his ribs. 

“Nice, Tsugeura!” Takanashi grinned, moving towards the remaining pair. “Looks like we might not be so outnumbered after all!”

“What happened to having each other’s backs and all that shit?” Sakura snapped.

“Oh we have your back all right,” Kakiuchi smiled. 

“Yeah, you guys are missing out on all the fun!” Anzai said, jabbing his thumb at Tsugeura.   

Nirei laughed brightly, kicking and twisting in Tsugeura's hold while Kiryu flopped over and giggled toward the floor. The sound sent butterflies fluttering around Sakura’s insides and he could feel the heat creeping across his skin. 

“That’s quite alright, I’m having plenty of fun spectating,” Suo replied. 

“Uh, oh, is someone nervous?” Kurita grinned, wiggling his fingers at them.

“Don’t–Dohon’t mess with me!” Sakura growled, his face tinting pink. 

“We don’t even have to touch him!” Kakiuchi smiled, repeating the gesture.

A bright blush and ticklish smile took over Sakura’s face. “Ahahassholes!” Sakura snapped, a few nervous giggles bubbling past his lips despite his efforts to look angry. Takanashi and Anzai joined in and he smiled helplessly. “You crehehepy mohotherfuhukers! Dohon’t doho that!”

“To answer your question,” Suo replied, smiling as Sakura clapped his hands over his eyes. “I am not nervous at all.”  

“And why is that?” Takanashi asked. 

“Because you can’t catch us,” Suo smiled. “Right, Sakura-kun?” 

Sakura started, whipping his head toward Suo and blushing furiously in realization. “Ah yeah, r-right.” 

“Awe come on, you guys want to play too!” Tsugeura grinned, speeding up the fingers tickling Nirei and starting to poke at Kiryu’s ribs.

Kiryu kicked in protest and Nirei squealed. 

“Nohohaha! Nahat the pohohokes!” Kiryu giggled, only to squeak as they were replaced with ticklish pinches. “EEK! NOhohoho! Thahahahat’s WOhohorse!”

“I can tell by both your smiles that you want some tickles too!” Tsugeura called, taking a sturdy stance and worming his fingers under one of Nirei’s and one of Kiryu’s underarms.

“Sakura~” Anzai taunted, him and his friends smiling at the simultaneous scream and newly hysterical laughter coming from the captured duo. “Time to laugh your head off!” 

Sakura blushed brightly and turned to tell off Anzai but he was already mid-pounce. Air caught in Sakura’s throat and a strangled shout left him as he grabbed Anzai by the shoulders and they crashed to the ground. 

Suo’s eye widened at Sakura’s swift takedown and Anzai laughed maniacally. 

“Can’t catch you my ass!” he snickered, hovering over Sakura and scribbling his fingers into his stomach, making the younger boy yelp and yank the tickling hands from his skin. 

“Neheheh! Noho!” Sakura grunted, trying to push Anzai off only for him to smirk and put his full weight onto Sakura’s legs. “You! Youhou bahahastard!” 

“Come on, I’m only trying to tickle your belly!” Anzai grinned, making Sakura turn as pink as his namesake. 

“Dohohohon’t cahahall it thahahat!” He cried, his strength lessening with each giggle. 

“Awe then what about tummy?” Anzai smirked, inching his fingers closer. “Tickles for your tum tum?” 

“Yohohou fuhuhucking weheheheirdohohAH! AHAHAHA!” Sakura cackled, throwing his head back as Anzai raked his nails down his middle. 

“See? All better!” Anzai teased, laughing at the wobbly half-glare his victim attempted before bursting back into hysterics.

“And then there was one.” 

Suo’s gaze snapped toward the voice to see Takanashi, Kurita and Kakiuchi sneaking toward him. 

“It’s your turn, Suo!” Kakiuchi said, grinning at how his smile became a little strained.

“Don’t think we forgot about you,” Takanashi added.

Suo forced himself to relax. “No need to trouble yourselves.” 

“Awe, but we’re feeling left out!” Kakiuchi replied, him and Kurita circling around to his right and left. 

His leg tensed to step back but that would trap him closer to the wall. He needed to go forward. 

The trio started to close in and he couldn’t help but death-grip his hands behind his back. He needed to wait until the absolute…last…second! 

His assailants hadn’t even finished reaching before Suo cut between Takanashi and Kurita and stood at the center of the room. 

“Oooh!” Kurita grinned. “Looks like Suo wants to play after all!” 

“Only entertaining you and your childish antics,” Suo replied, but he couldn’t tear his eyes from their hands. 

“We’ll see about that!” Kakiuchi snickered, trying a scribble to his neck only for him to duck back and narrowly sidestep Kakiuchi’s pokes. 

Suo chanced a glance toward the door only to yelp. The fingers that prodded his ribs were grabbed and before he could think he’d splayed Kurita flat on his back. 

“OKAY THATS IT!”

Nirei looked up amid his giggles to see Takanashi and Kakiuchi chasing Suo around the room with playful fierceness in their eyes while Anzai continued to tickle the daylights out of Sakura.

“Wait, wait, hold on!” Suo said, his peaceful smile overwritten by a wobbly one. “You were the ones who started this!”

“But you throw your brother to the ground!?” Takanashi asked, throwing his arms wide to block him in while Kakiuchi dodged around the desks Suo tried to put between them.

“Over a little rib tickle?” Kakiuchi smirked, wiggling his fingers. 

“N-Noho!” Suo replied, clapping a hand over his mouth a second too late.

Takanishi’s grin doubled in size. “Uh, oh, Suo! Was that a giggle I just heard?”

With more fluttering around his insides, Suo didn’t dare open his mouth. Until Kurita barreled toward him on all fours. 

“AH! WaHAIT wait wahait!” Suo cried, scrambling around and over furniture. 

“Wow, they’re going crazy!” Tsugeura awed, shifting his hands to Nirei and Kiryu’s sides.

“WAhehehahaha!” Nirei squealed, trying to twist away from Tsugeura’s fingers. 

Kiryu flailed, laughing at tickles and Kurita chasing Suo like a gremlin. “I’m dyhiHIHIHING! I’m dehehehehead I’m dyhyhyhying!” 

Tsugeura chuckled, his grip loosening slightly. “You’re okay!”

Nirei’s eyes widened in realization and he squirmed with purpose.

“I haven’t even gotten your worst spot yet!” Tsugeura snickered.

“Yehehehehet?!” Kiryu cried. “Tsuhugehehe!”

Tsugeura opened his mouth to reply and fingertips suddenly scribbled across his knee. The result was a squawk and a surprised jump. “WAH! Wahahahuh?” He looked down to see Nirei’s hand squeeze above his kneecap. “EEHehehe! Nirehehehei!” 

“Yehe! Yehehes!” Nirei cheered as Tsugeura’s grip loosened further, letting his other arm slip free and using both hands to lightly scribble behind his knee. 

“AHAHEE!” Tsugeura yelped, leaning to the side to pull Nirei up and away from the spot. “NOho! Dohohon’t tickle!”

“Yeheheah rihight!” Kiryu cried, pulling his arms from Tsugeura’s loosened hold and feathering his fingers on the back of his thigh. “Youhou tickled us first!”

“NAHAHE!” He laughed, leaning back the other way only for Nirei’s knee tickles to resume. “GUHUHUYS! NOHO! I’M GOHOHONNA–”

Nirei and Kiryu’s shouts joined his as all three of them crashed to the ground. They all groaned from the impact, Tsugeura just barely catching himself from landing on top of them.

Suo heard the guard drop from the exit and swept back toward it, not daring to turn his back to his assailants. He deflected all their scribbles, pokes and jabs like he would in combat, his smile becoming more confident as their attempts grew desperate. Suo was only one step from freedom when an impossible weight settled above his ankle. He looked down wide-eyed to find Tsugeura grinning up at him, his hand holding his leg in a firm grip. His gaze snapped up to three wickedly smiling faces and six sets of spidering fingers. Suo threw his arms up and his gasp ended in a panicked shriek as Kurita, Kakiuchi and Takanashi tackled him into the hall. 

“GOTCHA!” Kakiuchi yelled, trying to finally tickle Suo’s stomach only to be poked there himself.  “EHE!”

“You’re only making it worse for yourself!” Takanashi grunted, him and Kurita grappling for Suo’s arms as Kakiuchi gently scribbled his middle. 

“EhehEHA! NOHOhoho!” Suo cried, kicking his legs in protest only to loudly squeak when Takahashi spidered his hand up to his neck. “EEHEE! PLEHE! PleheheHEASE!” 

“After talking all that shit?” Kurita snickered.

“And causing all that trouble?” Kakiuchi added, lightly dragging his fingers up Suo’s side and making him hiccup in his laughter. “If you ask me you’re getting off easy!”

Suo laughed in reply, trying to kick at Kurita as he gently scribbled under Suo’s arm. 

“I’ll say! You fucking decked me!” He smirked. 

“Sounds like we got all of you!” Anzai snickered, poking and squeezing any tickle spot he could reach while Sakura just laid there, all energy to fight gone as giggles spilled out of him. 

Anzai looked up as Tsugeura wrapped Kiryu and Nirei into a big bear hug and wiggled his fingers into their necks and shoulders. The air filled with their giggles and Tsugeura’s chuckles added to the mix as they tickled him back in an attempt for release. 

“Well, I’d say it’s time for the big finale!” Anzai stilled his fingers and smiled with glee as he pushed Sakura’s shirt away from his stomach. “Ready?”

“Wuhuhuh? Whuhut thehe hehehell?” Sakura glared, only for Anzai to take a comically large breath and blow the biggest raspberry onto his belly. 

Sakura erupted into loud, desperate cackles as he pushed Anzai’s head away.

“Are you telling me you don’t like raspberries?” Anzai laughed. “You’re turning the same color as them so I figured you would!” 

Sakura clenched his blushing hands into fists and swung at him. “IHIHI’M GONNA KIHIhihill yohohohou!”

“Awe, you can’t do that to your big brother,” Anzai replied, flashing the cheekiest grin as he dug his fingertips under Sakura’s arms. 

Sakura didn’t deny it, but only because he was laughing too hard, and definitely not because of how happy it made him that someone wanted to be so silly and gentle with him. 

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!” 

Before Sakura could process the shout, the underarm tickles stopped and he was pulled up into a hug.

“Senpai!” Anzai cried, patting Sakura’s head. “Our little brothers were bummed out and we were just cheering them up!”

Sakura looked up to see Kaji fuming in the doorway and his face burned. 

“Guys have been worried and looking for you! ” Kaji shouted, making Nirei and Tsugeura flinch as he rounded on the Suo and the others in the hall. “Let him go and get off your asses!”

Sakura blushed down to his neck as he fought out of Anzai’s embrace. Tsugeura finally released Kiryu and Nirei and they helped him up. Anzai snickered in amusement as he stood, offering Sakura a hand. He huffed, but took it anyway. Kaji caught Sakura’s gaze and the slightest blush tinted below Kaji’s eyes as he turned to leave. Everyone moved toward the hall, dusting themselves off as they moved after their senpai to catch up with the rest of their team. 

“So,” Anzai whispered, flashing a grin. “That was fun.”

The small room of Sakura’s apartment was crammed with balloons, homemade garlands, lots of food from Café Pothos, and people. It was his sixteenth birthday and the first guests - consisting of Kiryu, Kaji, and Nirei - had already arrived.

The others were still missing, but that hadn’t stopped the early arrivers from “invading” his place, filling it with the decorations and getting comfortable, sprawling across the floor, snacks stacked on the low table Sakura had gotten as a gift as well the first time his friends had visited him.

“Yo,” Nirei chirped, looking at his phone. He squinted at the latest message in their group chat. “Suo and the others are stopping at a kombini first. Shouldn’t be too long.” “Perfect,” Kiryu said, reaching into a small bag beside him, “that gives us time for this.”

With a grin, he pulled out a slender bottle with a decorative label - amazake, soft-pink and cold with condensation. “Got this for you Sakura. Happy birthday~” he cheered. The dual-haired blinked, surprised. “Oh… Thanks,” he said, eying the gift curiously. “Wait, is that what I think it is?” Nirei asked, leaning forward with a glint in his eyes.

“You brought that amazake? The one from the seasonal line?” Kiryu smiled slyly. “Let’s just say I added a little surprise to it. Nothing bad - just…a little twist,” he said with a wink. Now Sakura and Nirei were both eyeing the bottle with interest. “What kind of twist?” Sakura asked cautiously, nose wrinkling with curiosity. He had never tried amazake before.

Kiryu just waved a hand, already pouring four small plastic cups. “Drink first, guess later,” he giggled and looked over to Kaji who had been sitting a bit offside since their arrival, one leg crossed over the other as he watched the three of them - at least he had had the decency to put down his headphones, that were now resting on his neck.

“No thanks, I’m fine over here. Suite yourselves,” he mumbled. “You're missing something big, but well, no pressure, man~” Kiryu shrugged his shoulders, dividing his share on the other three cups, before he handed the drink to the other two. “Here you two, enjoy~”

Sakura was side-glancing at the platinum-blonde-haired and Nirei looked like he wanted to say something but quickly focused back on Sakura, bowing as the pink-haired handed him his share. The three clinked glasses with lighthearted cheers and downed the drink.

It was sweet, smooth, and just a touch warm going down. It even prickled lightly on Sakura’s tongue a bit. Whatever Kiryu had added, it didn’t taste off - in fact, it gave the amazake an unexpected kick. But within minutes, it became clear something was up.

Sakura’s cheeks flushed, the pink crawling up to the tips of his ears, and Nirei was already giggling at nothing in particular. The two of them leaned toward each other, swaying just slightly. Kaji eyed the whole situation suspiciously, glad that he didn’t take the sip and checked his phone. Where the hell were the others?

Kiryu leaned back smugly, watching his handiwork unfold. “You two good?” “I feel funny,” Sakura mumbled, head lolling just a bit. “Not bad funny…just…” “Tipsy,” Nirei supplied, snickering. “Kiryu! What the heck was in that drink?” His grin widened, and he turned to the source of his confusion - Kiryu, who suddenly looked a little too innocent.

“C’mon, tell us!” The pink-haired raised his hands in mock surrender. “Nothing serious, alright? Just… a fermented rice enhancer. It’s still amazake. Just… special,” he told them. “YOU PUT WHAT IN IT!” Kaji almost shouted as he sat up, but got completely ignored by the freckled boy, who was in his own little happy rainbow world.

“Special my butt!” Nirei laughed, crawling over and jabbing Kiryu in the side. “Spill it! Hehe~ Or I’ll make you!” he giggled, overly excited. “W-Wait, no-!” Kiryu burst out, jerking away as the blonde’s fingers made contact. But the other’s ears had already perked up.

“Ohhh? So you are ticklish!” Nirei crowed delighted, making a mental note to add this into his notebook later. “No, I’m noHot!” Kiryu tried to push him off, but Nirei had him cornered, scribbling his fingers along his sides once more. Laughter exploded from the usually composed teen as he twisted in vain, caught off-guard by the tipsy ambush from his friend.

“Nirei! You little- hahaha! St-StoHop!!” “Tell us what you put in the drink!” he slurred. “I alrEHhedy tohoHold you!” he whined, sending pleading looks to Kaji who did not like where this situation was leading to. No, you idiot, don’t look at me! Hurry up everyone, the situation is going out of hand.

Sakura giggled from the other side of the table, watching the duo with stars in his eyes. “He’s relly tiklisch…” he murmured. Then he turned, wobbling slightly, and his eyes fell on Kaji who was really trying to make himself smaller now, pulling his legs close, his toes wiggling nervously. He tensed as a pair of gold / black eyes fell on him. “W-What?”

“You neva laugh,” Sakura said, his voice airy, “you’ alllwaysss so serious.” Great, that’s it. Kaji’s brows rose. “Sakura, don’t-” he warned. But Sakura, clearly emboldened by the warmth from the drink and Nirei’s influence, lunged toward him and poked his side, making him twitched. Sakura blinked, then he poked again.

“Nngh- Stop that,” Kaji hissed, sliding back, until his back hit the wall, leaving him no more space to escape. “You are ticklish!” Sakura gasped. “No way!” he exclaimed, crawling closer to his visibly restless becoming senpai. “I am not- hffh!” But his words cut off with a laugh when Sakura launched his fingers into his ribs, fluttering experimentally.

Kaji twisted away but didn’t try to grab him, his face quickly turning red - whether from fluster or ticklishness, even he didn’t know. Nirei was still wailing with laughter at Kiryu’s expense, poking under his arms and grinning like a demon. “Yo, Kaji! Kaji ehe~ Sakuraaa got you too?!” he bubbled out.

“Y-Yoou star- Pffft noHohot thEHehre, h-hEhehy,” the platinum blonde hissed, caught between trying to stay stoic and desperately needing to get away from the dual-haired’s attempts to tickle him, before latter action sent him to the ground. “You make funny sounds~” Sakura babbled happily as he continued to wiggle his fingers.

He had found Kaji’s stomach and was now exploring the newfound spot that got these “funny” sound out of him. “This is amazing!” Nirei grinned, straddling poor Kiryu, who had turned into a giggle ball as his fingers danced over his torso, tickling every spot they could reach. Kiryu tried to catch his breath, his face already turning red as well.

“S-StoHohop I- ahAhahha I c-can’t hahaha!! Nirei, y-you’re druHuhunk!” “So are you!!” Nirei shot back. Kiryu was about to retaliate when a knock and the click of the door stopped everything. “Hey,” Suo’s voice rang out, “we brought food-”

He stopped dead in the doorway, followed by Taiga and a few others. The scene before them was nothing short of absurd: Kiryu sprawled half over a cushion, shirt rumpled and face flushed, Nirei half on top of him, giggling madly. Sakura had Kaji pinned at the waist while the older teen looked like he’d seen a ghost - and was fighting laughter, terribly.

“…What the hell did we miss?” Suo asked, one eyebrow raised high. Everyone froze, then Nirei collapsed into laughter again, falling onto Kiryu’s lap. “P-Party!!” he cheered, before laughing more. Suo sighed, walking in and shutting the door. “You two always get into something when we’re not around.” Taiga snorted. “Looks like a tickle war, awesome.”

Unless by his own awareness, of course.

Despite his surprise effect being blown, Kiryu jumps in front of Suo and does jazzhands into the other boy's face, pouring all the theatrics at his disposal into it. “Boo!”

Of course it gets him nothing more than the usual smile. That was to be expected, but still it's a bummer. Anyway, plan B.

Suo holds the door open for him, then they step out into the sun together and saunter through the yard. The weather is beautiful for late fall and Kiryu plucks a leaf out of Suo's hair to throw it up and blow it away, then he turns to smile at his friend.

“Knock knock.”

The mildly amused arch of Suo's eyebrow is pretty cute, but unfortunately not what Kiryu is looking for. “Who's there?” At least he's playing along.

“To.”

“To who?”

“No, to whom.”

Oh, the not so cute eyebrow arch. He should have known that jokes involving correction of Suo's grammar wouldn't land well. Or any knock-knock-joke, really. Plan C!

“What exactly do you think you're doing?”

Oh. Oh no.

Kiryu quickly pulls his hand back from Suo's side and raises both of them in defense, giving Suo the sweetest smile he can muster with the sudden panic rushing through him. He saw Suo tickle Sakura so many times, he just kind of assumed that Sakura would have had to retaliate at some point. Of course that was stupid. Of course a guy like Suo, of all people, wouldn't be ticklish. Goodness, how stupid.

“Nothing, why?”

The eyebrow again. This arch is strangely familiar, but Kiryu can't quite place it. Maybe he shouldn't have spent so much time trying to interpret it, then he might have gotten away.

“WahAIT! Suhuo, Ihihi'm sohohorry!”

“I bet you are.” Suo quickly backs him against the wall, right next to some of the upperclassmen walking out of the building and only regarding them with fond grins. Kiryu doesn't even have the capacity to feel embarrassed with Suo scratching away at his lowest ribs–why does this tickle so much? Swear to god, these spots weren't as ticklish just two weeks ago!

He tries to squirm away, but Suo blocks his path so effectively that he can't do much but grab onto the other boy's arms and laugh. “Suhuhuo!”

“Sakura set you up to do this, didn't he? Nirei tried earlier this week.”

Kiryu shrieks when Suo manages to shove a hand up into his armpit and scratch against the sensitive skin there.

Suo just smirks. Again that damned mild amusement. “Maybe next time.”

“HAHAHAYATOHO, WAHAHAHAIT!”

“No!” Nirei cried, making their eyes widen. “Sorry, I–I mean we’ve been through some scary things and I felt nervous but didn’t feel bad during any of them. But scary stuff like this makes me shaky and sick to my stomach and it’s just the worst.” 

“Hmm, those symptoms don’t sound pleasant,” Suo frowned. 

“Everything okay?” Enomoto asked, presenting even more options. “Sorry, I didn’t think our class would bring so many.”

Nirei looked hopefully towards what he held only to sink in disappointment. 

“Uh, hey,” Sakura asked. “Are there any non-horror movies?” 

“No, but that was kind of our idea! Thought it would be a good bonding experience,” he smiled.

“And I–I agree wholeheartedly!” Nirei nodded.

Sakura narrowed his eyes at him. 

Suo watched him carefully. “Are you sure?” 

“Yes, it–it should be fun,” Nirei swallowed. 

Enomoto furrowed his brow. “Then why do you look like you’re going to be sick?” 

At this point Kusumi had wandered over to the group and immediately frowned at Nirei hearing Enomoto’s comment. 

“Nirei unfortunately seems to experience distress watching horror movies,” Suo said, gently patting his arm. 

Enomoto winced, hissing through his teeth. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry man, we didn’t know.” 

“It’s okay,” he wilted. “I understand it’s supposed to be fun, and I want for our friends to have a good time more than I’m afraid to do it.” 

Sakura frowned at Nirei. He did look like he was going to be sick, and they hadn’t even picked one yet! He’d been excited for this “lock in” or whatever too…

“Is there anything specific you don’t like?” Sakura asked, putting a hand behind his head. “Maybe we could, I don’t know, do something to make it not as bad?”

Kusumi put a hand to his chin.

“Umm…well, just sitting there and feeling so isolated. And the noises...” he shivered. 

“Would sitting in the middle help?” Suo asked. 

“You’d have two classes of Furin to keep you company that way!” Enomoto smiled. 

“Ear plugs and subtitles?” Kaji asked, making Sakura, Nirei and Enomoto jump at his sudden appearance.

“Actually, yeah,” Nirei nodded, blushing slightly. “I think those would help.”

“I’ll go get earplugs.” Kaji turned away, but Kusumi waved him down, wrapping himself in his arms. 

Kaji nodded. “Good idea.”

“We could take that guy in no time!” Takanashi smiled. 

Cheers and agreeing chatter sounded through the group, and Nirei smiled as he received reassuring pats on the weighted blanket draped over his shoulders. 

“Just pick one!” Sakura growled. While glad his friend no longer seemed about to keel over, he was losing his patience.

“So you don’t think we could totally deck that mask-wearing wackjob?” Takanashi squinted. 

“Any of you could beat some idiot!” Sakura huffed. 

Kurita put a hand to his chin. “Then how would it be scary?” 

Sakura grit his teeth. When he was chosen as class captain he didn’t he think choosing a damn movie would be so hard. 

“He has a point…” Kiryu blinked. “Maybe we choose one where the antagonistic force isn’t something human?”

“Ah!” Tsugeura snapped, flashing a smile. “How about The Ring?”

Everyone turned stare at him with varying degrees of confusion. 

“Uhh, Tsugeura?” Anzai asked. “The monster in that movie is, you know, a ghost?”

Tsugeura gasped, his face blanching as he shrank behind his classmates. “No way! I’ve seen that one before!”

“Then what was the story about?” Suo asked. 

“It was about…about…huh,” Tsugeura frowned, scratching his head. “You know, I can’t actually remember.” 

Sakura narrowed his eyes and Kiryu shook his head. 

“What’s the holdup?” A second year called. 

“Yeah!” another grinned. “You all afraid of getting scared?” 

Class 1-1 looked back at their senpai seated in the gym behind them.

“The whole point is to be scared,” Suo replied, smiling politely. “We’re just looking for the option with the best potential.”

“What you mean?” 

“Some of the choices would troubling, but with our collective abilities, would be easy to deal with,” he said, his expression darkening. “We’re trying to pick one that will provide the best…entertainment for everyone.”

“Oh!” They replied, giving him a shaky thumbs up. “O-Okay! makes sense.”

“Give ‘em time! It’s partly our fault for bringing so many options.” Enomoto called, nodding at Suo. 

He returned the nod and turned back to his classmates with his peaceful smile. The class grinned back at the spooked expressions of their senpai before continuing their discussion.

Enomoto leaned over to Kusumi. 

“We really should’ve limited how many we brought, as nice as it was so many to contribute, 21 movies is a lot,” Enomoto whispered. 

Kusumi barely looked up, his fingers flying across his smartphone as their class chat swarmed with messages. He looked down at the texts before grinning. 

“Kusumi,” he sighed, shaking his head. “That’s going to be madness!”

Kusumi grinned, putting a finger to his lips and looking to Kaji who looked up from his phone and leveled his eyes at them. 

After a few more minutes of deliberation, the first years decided on the movie Saw. The movie turned out to be an excellent pick, even the toughest in the room became uneasy from the gruesome traps the characters of the movie faced. For those who had seen it before it was almost worse seeing their fellow Tamon members’ reactions and knowing what came next. 

Deep into the film, the two classes had condensed into the center of the gym. Everyone was huddled close, gripping shoulders and leaning against each other in assurance. Nirei found himself between Sakura and Suo, holding the sleeve of Sakura’s jacket as he sat behind one of Suo’s crossed legs. With his classmates seated in front of him and his senpai at his back he was having a much better time than usual, but it was still scary! Sakura was to his left, his face half-turned away from the screen as if bracing for a hit while definitely not letting Tsugeura clutch his shoulder for reassurance. Suo sat on Nirei’s right, looking calm as ever save for the slight wince on his face and the pant-leg wrung in his fists. Kiryu watched from behind his sleeves and would lean into Suo’s shoulder whenever things got intense. Sugishita tried and failed to glare as he watched from the edge of the room.   

Everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen, jumps and shouts sounding whenever a victim met their demise. A new character found peril and the entire gym went quiet. Each breath of the protagonist sounded through the space as they reached their hand towards a pitch-black hole. Just as their fingertips brushed the darkness, Suo jolted. 

Kiryu and those next to him jumped and those who didn’t looked over as he clapped his hands over his mouth. Nirei looked up in worry, becoming more concerned when Suo bent all the way to the floor with unnatural flexibility. 

Tsugeura paled and Sakura’s eyes widened. 

“S-Suo-chan?” Kiryu whispered. “Are-Are you okay…?” 

He shakily reached for his shoulder and Suo cackled into the floor. Everyone in class 1-1 looked at Suo in abject horror…until he sat up.

“STAHA! StahahahaHA!”A big smile spread across his blushing face as he desperately reached behind him. Nirei and Sakura followed his flailing arms see Kusumi crouched just out of Suo’s reach, grinning as his fingertips dragged ticklishly up and down Suo’s sides. Behind him, a sea of second years’ playful smirks and devious smiles glinted in the darkness as they reached towards them with wiggling fingers. 

Sakura’s face turned bright pink and the eyes of the first years became wide as dinner plates. Except for Suo, who laughed helplessly into his hands. 

“GET ‘EM!” 

Kiryu bolted, barely ducking past a reaching hand as the elder class rushed their kohai. Screams of panic then laughter filled the air as he leapt over his classmates only for a pair of arms to wrap under his.

He squeaked in surprise as he was pulled up off his feet and turned to face another second year. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” his senpai grinned, curling his fingers into claws. 

Kiryu wasted no time, throwing his arms up and twisting his body to slip out of his hold.   

“Hey!” His attacker cried, barely missing his jacket as he ducked away. “You sneaky noodle! Get over here!” 

A wobbly smile came over his face as he dodged reaching hands. They probably won’t fall for that again!  

At the onrush of second years, Tsugeura jumped to shield Nirei who, unable to hear the laughter and missing playful cues in the darkness, had ducked into his blanket. Sakura and Suo tried to follow Kiryu’s lead but were pulled back. 

Kusumi’s arm wrapped around Suo’s waist, forcing him back down on his crossed legs. His eyes widened in panic and fingertips resumed tracing his hips. Trapped and already weakened, he batted at Kusumi’s hands and giggled into his lap while Sakura unstuck his cheek from the gym floor. 

“What the hell?!” he snapped, looking back at the offending hand. 

Enomoto smiled back at him, tightening his grip. “Didn’t mean to trip ya, why’d you run?” 

Sakura’s blush returned. “Y-You guys were the ones being all creepy and shit!” 

“But we were watching a scary movie and you weren’t running from that?” he asked.

“EEK!” Suo cried, making Sakura jump as he reached for Kusumi. 

Kusumi only grinned and continued to drag his nails super slowly up his side. “Noho! NohoHAHAhahat  thAHAHAT!”

As others’ hysterical laughter joined Suo’s, Sakura’s stomach became fluttery and he started to feel…sparkly.

“Uh oh, you’re looking a little…ticklish, maybe?” Enomoto smirked.

Sakura’s blush grew down his neck and he looked towards the exit. Instead of the gym doors, there was a barricade of stacked desks with Kaji seated atop them. Just watching it all go down?! The sparkling sensation spread across his body, and he’d never been so tempted by the fire alarm in his life. 

Tsugeura looked up, surprised to not have been hit in the chaos. Nirei was also unharmed, but clutching the blanket tightly…with his eyes closed. Before he could figure out how to check on Nirei without scaring him further, fingers scribbled into into his neck. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders and trying to wave off the hand only for it to move under his arm.

“Hehehey!” He laughed, turning to face his attacker and grabbing their wrist. “What’re yohou–”

Three second years grinned at him and all six of their hands descended on him at once. 

Booming laughter filled the gym. “WHAHAHA! WHYHY Ahahare YOHOHOU TIHIHICKLIHIHING?! THIHIHIS WHAHAS suppohost to BEHEHE SCARYEHEHEE!” 

Kiryu chanced a glance as he dodged to see Tsugeura losing his mind as three guys held him down. The only other still up was Sugishita, who was cornered but using menace alone to keep them back. Sakura was beet red dying of laughter in Enomoto’s lap, but Suo should’ve been up before he’d turned to move! He looked like he was trying to get away, yet he still sat there...crosslegged…Kiryu’s eyes widened. He’d only sat that way so he could help Nirei feel safer. 

Kiryu winced as Suo’s laughter escalated to downright cackling. 

Aaaaahh crap. 

He bit back a nervous giggle and turned hard on his heel, leaping over several of his classmates. A hand took Suo’s wrist and he looked up in panic only to grab onto Kiryu’s arm like his life depended on it. Kusumi almost lost his grip and had to abandon tickling Suo to tightly hug his middle. There was no way they were going to catch Suo again if he escaped now! 

“Oh, hey Kusumi!” 

Kiryu paled and Kusumi smirked as arms wrapped around Kiryu’s middle and lifted him off his feet.  

“Got here just in time!” 

Kiryu shivered at the smile in their voice and tightened his grip. 

“Come on, time to let go!”  

He clung to Suo, dragging him and Kusumi across the floor. One of the second years turned from Tsugeura to dig his fingers under Kiryu’s arms instead. A panicked squeal left his lips and his fingers slipped. Kusumi chanced a squeeze to Suo’s sides and the two lost their collective grip. Suo dissolved in laughter once more, and Kiryu flailed wildly, kicking his feet and pushing at his senpai as he wrestled him to the ground. 

“Lively one, huh?” Another upperclassman grinned, helping Kiryu onto his stomach on the floor next to Suo.

“Yeah, and he ran all the way over to Kusumi by himself,” the first agreed, poking up and down Kiryu’s side to make him squeak and giggle. “He must want to be tickled pretty bad!”

“Eheheek! Nohoho! I’m nahat reheheady!” He laughed, kicking the ground as his arms were put behind his back.

“Need some more help, vice captain?” 

A squeak cut through the quiet and Nirei hesitantly opened his eyes. The lights were on and there were backs turned to him. He scrunched his face up and took his earplugs out.

“WAHA! NO! DOHOHON’T START OHOVEHEHER!”

“EHEHEHAHA! IT’S SOHOHO BAHAHAD!”

Nirei looked over to see Suo and Kiryu pinned on their stomachs by two of their senpai while Kusumi dragged his nails agonizingly slowly up each of their sides. Their faces were both flushed, but not as much as Sakura’s. His blush had spread to his hands, which were curled into fists and weakly hitting Enomoto’s shoulder. 

“Just too ticklish for your own good, huh?” he chuckled, massaging small circles into Sakura’s stomach as he cackled.

His classmates were scattered across the gym and laughing hysterically under their senpais’ hands. Even Sugishita was curled against the wall, smiling brightly as he batted at two pairs of teasing fingers. 

“NIREHEhehehe!” Tsugeura wheezed, making him jump. “HehEHEH! HEHEHE! HEHELP!” 

The two backs facing him turned and his senpai smiled as they drilled their fingers into Tsugeura's abs. 

“Hey, bud! Doing okay?” 

“Oh, umm, yes?” Nirei blinked, flinching at a particularly loud squeal. “What–uhh, why is this happening?”

“Why not?” The other grinned, patting his classmate on the shoulder and scooting closer to Nirei. “Alright buddy, lets get a smile out of ya!”

Uh oh. 

A nervous smile appeared on his face. “Th-That’s okay,” he tried, pointing to himself. “Look, I already am!”

The upperclassmen shook his head and inched a finger at him. “Come on, now! You know what I mean,” he grinned. 

Nirei did, and anticipatory titters bubbled past his lips as he shrunk back into the blanket.  

“Awe man, don’t hide!”

But he only pulled the blanket closer.

“Alright then, I’ll find a spot, hang on a sec…” He poked around the blanket until Nirei jumped and squeaked. “Ah! Right here?”

Fingertips gently scribbled through the blanket into Nirei’s upper ribs and he giggled brightly. 

“There we go! Look at that smile, huh?” 

Nirei squeaked, blushing from the tease as his laughter intertwined with the rest of his class’. 

“Wasn’t part of this exercise for them to come up with a peaceful activity?” Mizuki asked. 

“Oh, was it?” Momose winced. “I thought they were just supposed to have fun and not be violent!”

“I think either of those would be fine,” Umemiya smiled.

Him and the Heavenly Kings had broken away from the 3rd years’ patrol when they’d gotten a notice of concern from a passerby that there might be trouble at the school. They messaged their class captains, but none had responded. Though they walked with purpose, they weren’t too worried. If something bad had happened, their captains would’ve tried to reach them first. 

Momose smiled sheepishly. “Okay, well, it might’ve been mine, but they said they would let our neighbors know to not be alarmed!” 

“Why would they need to do that for?” Hiragi frowned.

Momose chuckled slightly. “Ahh…a, umm, a color war?”

“Oh! That sounds so fun!” Tsubaki beamed. 

“Outside, though, right?” Mizuki asked. 

“Of course!” Momose replied. “They also made sure they weren’t using pigments that are bad for the environment!”

“That might be one source of the noise!” Umemiya laughed. “Now I’m curious, what did the rest of your first and second years end up doing?” 

“Mine are having a dance party in the cafeteria!” Tsubaki grinned. 

“Tech lab video and tabletop game night,” Mizuki said.

“Movie night in the gym,” Hiragi replied, turning to Mizuki. “Makes sense Momose and Tsubaki’s groups would be away from their phones, but a game night?” 

Mizuki pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “When you get really into it, things can get…intense.”

“Haha! Fair enough!” Umemiya nodded, only to stop short. The five had turned into the school yard and there was a distant sound of screaming. The five looked at each other before running through the school doors towards the noise. It grew louder as they entered the hall to the gym. 

“Who has a movie night with the light on?!” Momose asked.

“I don’t know!” Hiragi huffed, gritting his teeth. It always has to be his teams causing trouble! 

They got to the doors but they didn’t budge. The five crowded around the windows in the doors to see…definitely not a brawl. Everyone was on the ground, second years hovered over the first years, fingers wiggling, scribbling and poking any tickle spots they could reach as the first years laughed their heads off. 

“You sure they weren’t making a movie?” Tsubaki grinned. 

“Positive,” Hiragi sighed, rolling his eyes and knocking on the window. 

Kaji looked behind him and nodded his head in greeting. There was a shout and his head whipped to the source before charging at a fleeing Anzai. The poor boy backpedaled before trying and failing to dodge Kaji as he tackled him to the ground. 

Hiragi grit his teeth. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“It’s alright!” Umemiya laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “They seem to all be having a good time!”

“I dunno,” Momose frowned, putting a hand to his chin. “Those are the credits, right?”

“Yes,” Mizuki nodded. “And we got that notification almost twenty minutes ago.”

“Hehe, that would explain why Sakura’s so red,” Tsubaki smiled, wincing. “As adorable and easily flustered as he is, I’ve never seen him blush across his entire body like that before.”

“Ahaha! Yeah,” Umemiya smiled, putting his hands on the door. “I guess we should probably to get them out of there.” 

The other four nodded and followed suit.

“Alright,” Mizuki said, centering his gravity. “One, two—”

A loud crash sounded through the room and everyone in the gym looked towards the doors. Desks fell from on top of each other and Umemiya burst into the room. His four friends followed behind. Hiragi crossed his arms and the second years stilled their hands. Tsubaki put his hands on his hips and the other three raised their eyebrows at the Tamon second years with varying expressions of amusement. 

As soon as the tickles stopped, class 1-1 was scrambling to their feet, tripping over themselves and others as they raced for the exit. Their shouts of freedom were quickly overtaken by the second years’ laughter. 

“Alright, alright!” Hiragi called, unable to keep from smiling slightly at his kohais’ grinning faces. “Stop looking so damn proud of yourselves. Who the hell’s idea was that?” 

Heads turned to the center of the room and Kusumi smiled and waved at them. 

“Of corse,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Well, you all better watch your backs.”

“Do you intend to dole out a punishment?” Mizuki frowned, eyeing the second years and a route to escape. They were grossly outnumbered and he’d rather not experience what they’d walked in on.  

“Don’t need to,” Hiragi sighed. “There’s no way in hell class 1-1 is letting this go.”

The second years looked at one another.

“Oooh, yeah!” Tsubaki giggled. “There’s some serious tickle monsters in that class.”

“For sure,” Umemiya nodded. “Alright, lets get back out there!” 

The pair slowed, disappearing behind the designated blind spot as the ride rounded the corner. They waited until the passengers’ screams were a little further before stepping out of their hiding place. 

“Well…that was effective it seems,” Suo said, trying to brush hay from the robes he wore. 

“Mmm,” Kiryu nodded. “I didn’t think it was scary enough to get so much hay thrown at us though.” He coughed and stuck his tongue out. “Think ah gah some in mah mouth.”

“We might have the groups that came before us to thank for that,” Suo sighed, looking himself over. “As nice as these costumes are, the fibers take hold of the hay too easily. And the sudden appearance effect won’t work if they see floating hay before we even move.”

Kiryu waved his sleeves experimentally, but he was right: most of the straw pieces stayed stuck in the opaque and slightly shimmery fabric. “We might need to help each other get it off then,” Kiryu said, turning to Suo and gesturing to the hidden chairs for them to rest on during less scary runs. “May I?”

“That’s very kind,” Suo nodded, taking a seat. “I’ll help you nex–” Words died on his tongue and he closed his mouth as Kiryu gingerly began pulling out the hay. His touch was gentle—too gentle—sending ticklish sparks across his skin as his nimble fingers lightly plucked at his shoulders and back.

As casually as possible Suo raised his hand to his mouth to hide the smile slowly growing as Kiryu neared his ribs. To his relief he went about pulling pieces off his sleeves before politely tapping his elbow. 

“There’s still some caught between your arms and sides, Suo-chan,” Kiryu said softly. “Can you move your arms up a little?”

“…You’re kidding.”

“No,” Kiryu smiled, wincing. “I’m not trying to, I swear.”

At the realization he’d noticed his ticklish predicament Suo turned away to hide the tint on his cheeks and reluctantly raised his hands to be level with his head. 

Kiryu tried his hardest to pull pieces free of the fabric without touching Suo, but the ghost touches made it worse, snickers bubbling past his lips as he did everything in his power to keep still. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Kiryu said, gently moving Suo’s elbow away when a particularly tickly touch made him pull it down. “But gosh, I didn’t know you were this bad!”

Suo’s face flushed scarlet and he hid behind his hands as a steady stream of jumpy giggles left him. “Juhuhust! Hehe! Get it oveheher wihith!”

“Trying,” Kiryu smiled softly, moving to his front and increasing in speed at his request only for him to giggle harder. “Still trying not to, but you sure are making it hard not to just go ham.” 

“Juhuhust fihihinihisheheHEEP!” Suo squealed at fingers gently poking at his neck. Before either of them could think he was on his feet with both of Kiryu’s wrists in his hands. 

“I-knew-it-would-be-bad-so-I-saved-it-for-last!” Kiryu rushed out, staring at him wide-eyed. 

Suo looked down and, true to his word, there were hay fibers gripped in his fingertips. His costume was also miraculously free of hay. 

Suo hummed in thought before his serene smile returned. “That it was,” he nodded. “Sorry about that!”

He released his wrists and Kiryu sighed in relief only to freeze when Suo motioned to the chair.

“Now I can help you,” Suo smiled, almost too innocently. “Why don’t you take a seat?”

“Aha, right,” Kiryu nodded, sitting down and tensing up as Suo walked behind him. 

Suo clicked his tongue and placed two fingers on each of his elbows. “Arms away please.”

Kiryu shivered, but obliged. “You’re really going to milk this, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about!”

“Suo-chan I was really trying not to!” 

“Maybe, but you did tease me though. But don’t worry! I won’t return the favor.”

Before Kiryu could answer Suo’s blunt fingernails glided over his back like a comb. He jumped harshly, giggles erupting from his chest at the sensation. 

“Wahahahahait! Nohohoho!” Kiryu tried to pull forward but Suo firmly gripped his shoulder to keep him in place. “Whahahahat thehe!?  Suohoho-chahahan!” 

“I’m trying to be more efficient so you don’t have to suffer as long!” Suo beamed. “Each spot only needs one pass so it’ll be over quick!” 

The long ticklish strokes had already gone over the entirety of his back, but were nearing his sides. Kiryu giggled harder at the realization, pulling his arms in tighter. Suo shook his head and took one of Kiryu’s elbows to raise his arm and rake from his underarm to his hip. 

A snort left him and Kiryu tried to stifle his laughter in his free hand only for Suo to take it from him and repeat the pass on his other side. 

“Hohoholy crAHAHAHAP! STAHA!” Kiryu cried, trying so hard to lean back from Suo he had to step on the chair’s leg to keep it from tipping. “STAHAHahaha! SUOAHA-CHAHAHA! PleHEHE! PLEHEHEHASE!"

“There you go!” Suo grinned, removing his hands and stepping back from him. “All done!”

Kiryu gasped for air, after-giggles leaving him as he looked down at his outfit. Though torturous, the method was effective. 

“What do you think?” Suo asked with the smallest glint of mischief.

“I think,” Kiryu breathed, smirking as he stood. “That if you get more hay on you I’m going to use your method instead.”

“Hmm,” Suo smiled, his gaze narrowing. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“Better not get hit with hay then,” Kiryu sang. His phone buzzed and he took it into his hand. “Got another scary one coming.”

“Alright then,” Suo said, turning for their starting point as Kiryu followed behind.