#ler!bot

Nickel walked back and forth in the cell that the three grouped in, pumping out idea and idea every few seconds for the game.

Balloon was just barely listening, thinking about other things and ways to make Nickels ideas better. Bot didn't care all that much. They thought Nickel was being a little dramatic, especially since there was no challenge today.

"Nickel," Bot spoke up. "don't you think you're thinking to hard about this?" They shrugged. Nickel glared at them. "I'm only making plans. I'm playing it safe, Bot!" Nickel huffed. Balloon sighed. "I think Bot is right. We should just rest for the rest of today." Balloon smiled at their robot friend. They smiled back.

"You two are just lazy! If you don't want to contribute, then I'll plan myself." Nickel huffed, sitting in a corner and thinking. Balloon tilted his head at the coin in concern. "Nickel, please. You're gonna stress yourself out." He pleaded. Bot stood up, walking towards the armless one.

Nothing good ever came when Nickel was stressed. He'd either isolate himself and act depressed, or he'd lash out at anyone who tried to speak to him. It seemed like he might do the ladder if he gets to a bad point, today.

"I am not!" Nickel growled at the Balloon. Bot extended an arm in front of Nickel to shush him. "Calm down, man!" They said. Nickel huffed. "I'm not stressed. I'm thinking for the challenge!" He insisted, looking away.

Bot looked rather unimpressed. Bot looked back at Balloon, shrugging. Balloon sighed quietly, rubbing the side of his head to think of what to do. Then, an idea came to mind.

Balloon had gently poked Nickel a few times, always recieving a squeak from the coin. Balloon never thought much of it until now, and he knew exactly how he'd use it.

He made a "come here" hand motion to the robot, whom quickly stumbled over to Balloon and leaned down to listen to him, as their legs were extended.

"Hey, so.." Balloon looked back at Nickel to make sure he wasn't listening, which he wasn't. Balloon smirked and looked back at Bot, whispering the plan into their ear.

Nickel was staring at a wall in the cell, trying to think of more, better plans. But the more he thought, the worse the plans got, and less they came. Nickel groaned, disappointed in himself.

"Hey, Nickel!~" Balloon walked towards him, leaning down on his knees to match Nickels height while sitting, which Nickel found rather insulting. "What is it, bloated?" Nickel huffed. Balloons smile faltered. Bot shoved Balloon gently out of the way, taking his place while he comprehended the insult. "We've come up with a plan.~" They said. Nickel perked up. "Wha- ya did? You're finally being productive on this team, finally!" Nickel stood to his feet. Bot frowned at the coin before continuing. "Mhm... one to calm you down!" Bot poked Nickels side. Nickels breath hitched, and he stumbled back with a barely-audible squeak. "That won't do us any good, and I DON'T NEED TO CALM DOWN! I'm planning for the challenge, how many times do I have to tell you idiots that?!" Nickel growled.

Balloon popped up from the side, squeezing Nickels side. Nickel squeaked again, flinching away. "Don't do that!" He yelled at Balloon. Balloon giggled. "Do what?" He raised an eyebrow snarkily. Nickel heavily exhaled. "Quit it, you two." Nickel growled at them. "I don't know what you're doing, but its usele-EEEHEHESS- WAIT!-" Bot began rapidly squeezing both of Nickels sides. Nickel stumbled around, holding his breath and trying to glare angrily at the two, but he couldn't for long.

"Aw, it did work! I'm surprised he's ticklish, that's adorable!" Bot exclaimed. Balloon giggled. "Mhm!" He hummed in agreement.

"N-Noho.." Nickel squirmed, eventually falling out of Bots hands. He looked at them angrily before stumbling away so they couldn't grab him. "Ugh! You two are so ANNOYING! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE SO I CAN THINK!" He growled.

Bot extended their arms, pulling Nickel back. They would lay Nickel on his back, tying his ankle in their arm and holding his foot up while using their other hand to hold Nickels head down so he wouldn't squirm away again.

The grip they had on his ankle wasn't tight or uncomfortable, they didn't aim to hurt their friend. It was just enough to keep it in place.

Nickel's face dropped when they noticed what was happening. "H-Hey! No!" He kicked with his free leg, hitting absolutely no one. "Wooooowww, you're trying to kick us?" Balloon crossed his arms. "Hm. Should we make him regret that?" Bot asked Balloon playfully. "Wh- NO!?" Nickel snapped at them, squirming more.

"Aw, to late for that!~" Balloon stepped forward, raising his hand over Nickels sole. Nickel curled his toes and tried to pull his ankle out of Bots grip, failing. "I'm sorrr...soo...urghh.." Nickel whined. "I'M SORRY!" He forced himself to blurt out with a cough. "I-I'll stop trying to plan! I'll calm down! Just not there, pleahase.." he quieted down when an anticipation giggle slipped out despite the fact neither of the two have tickled yet.

Bot smiled softly at Nickel, then Balloon. Balloon giggled and slid a single finger down Nickels sole.

Nickel squeaked and flinched heavily, attempting to squirm away with no success. Bot realized they didn't have to hold his head down, so they let go and instead raised their free hand over Nickels foot, wondering whether or not they should also tickle.

"D-Don't!" Nickel squeaked out, still squirming. His face was pretty red, and he looked a little nervous and embarrassed.

Bot wiggled one of Nickels toes, causing him to squeak again. He snapped his mouth shut, trying desperately to hold back laughter. Despite that, it was practically impossible for him to hide his smile and flushed face.

Balloon got up and moved up towards Nickel himself, sitting on his hips and looking down at the giggly, flustered coin. Balloon didn't exactly know why he was so red... was it the tickling?

"Are you flustered about the tickles?" Balloon subconsciously asked out loud. Nickel squeezed his eyes shut and tried to sound angry when he spoke. "N-No! Why would I be?! That's stupihid..." He bit his tongue to hold back giggles. Balloon smirked and began gently tapping and rubbing the ridges on his sides that coins had. "These are you're milled edges, right?" Balloon tilted his head. "I thought Nickels didn't have those, hehe." He said. "Oh, that's because I'm SPEHEHEHCIAHAHAIAL- NAHAHAHAHAHAHAHOHOHO!- BOHOHOT! LAY OHOFF!" Nickel wheezed, squirming more. Balloon looked rather shocked, and he stopped tapping. He looked behind him at Bot, who was gently scratching Nickels sole with some slight force. She stopped after not to long, instead tracing under Nickels toes. Balloon smiled and looked back down at Nickel, whom was biting the insides of his mouth and kicking the ground with his free leg, anything to keep quiet and distract from the tingly feelings.

Balloon decided he should finally try to include himself more in Nickels "torment". He chose one specific ridge, gently pinching and scratching it. Nickel giggled rather high-pitch, shaking his head to try and throw Balloon off, which, of course, didn't work.

"You're a lot more sensitive than I thought!" Balloon exclaimed, scratching the reeded edge gently. Nickel snorted. After a moment, Nickel huffed, moving and trying to bite Balloons finger. "EEP!" Balloon pulled his hand away, stopping the scratching. Nickel was still giggling because of Bot, but had an easier time holding it all in now. "Serves you rihight.." Nickel said with a bit of pride.

Balloon stared at Nickel with a rather unimpressed expression.

"...alright, then." Balloon leaned down to Nickel. "If you bite me, I'll bite you!" Balloon gently pretended to bite Nickel's side aggressively. Instead, he was gently nipping and blowing little raspberries. "W-WAHAIT! Nohohoho, NAHO!" Nickel squealed.

Balloon adored how giggly and embarrassed Nickel acted, but with all that, he seemed... like he enjoyed this a little more than he let on..? Balloon also loved this moment for how much of a contrast it was to season 2. Nickel used to despise Balloon. If you ever told Balloon back in that time that one day, he'd be tickling Nickel for all he's worth because he was stressing himself out, he'd never believe you. Especially with the absurdity of it in general...

"NAHO MORE! NO! STAHAP IT! PLEHAHAHASE! I PROMISE, IHI'LL QUIT PLAHAHAHANNING!" Nickel shrieked.

Bot slowed their tickling before coming to a complete stop, tapping Balloons back to silently give him a sign to stop.

Balloon looked behind him, realizing and sitting up. He looked down at Nickel with a soft smile, gently rubbing the spot where he kept blowing raspberries to help get rid of the leftover tingles.

Nickel shook his head, breathing hard and gently rubbing his foot on the ground to remove the ghost tickles since Bot had let it go.