#ler!lamb

The Lamb merely ignored Narinder's sarcastic comment.

"That's my point exactly! So, I have an idea!" Narinder narrowed his eyes.

"And this idea of yours is what, exactly?"

The Lamb suddenly got a wicked look in their eyes, causing the former god to stiffen and take a step back.

"The Hells is that look for, Lamb?"

They merely giggled in response and took a step forward.

"You know of the new buildings and their purpose, yes?"

"Of course I do, I helped build them. They're some sort of "Therapeutic Centers" for those having a hard time with things or for those who continue wrecking havoc in the cult that don't seem to respond to imprisonment."

"That's right. Well, I truly believe that you could benefit from a session or two!"

Narinder snarled.

"Oh no, I'm not falling for your lies, Lamb. Do you really expect me to believe that it's all sunshine and rainbows once those doors close?"

"Oh no, of course not! You know Nari, despite the harsh words we sometimes exchange with each other, I don't believe you to be stupid, just as you know that I'm far from innocent, but if I may ask you to recall, these centers aren't just for the trouble makers, they're for those who are struggling with other things, like yourself!"

Narinder was still skeptical.

"Do I have a choice?"

The Lamb giggled yet again.

"Not this time, no, but if you end up despising it, you don't ever have to do it again, I just want you to give it a shot this one time. Who knows? You may end up really liking it!"

Narinder sighed in defeat and followed after the Lamb.

"I doubt that..."

Once the pair had entered the center, the Lamb turned to Narinder.

"Now, we have many different things to do here in order to decompress, but I have something specific I want to try, it's been extremely successful in both stopping trouble makers and helping followers who need encouragement."

The Lamb held out a pair of soft linen clothes.

"Before we start, go ahead and put these on, comfort is a very important part of this!"

Narinder eyed the clothes suspiciously.

"Please, Nari?"

"Fine..."

The Lamb turned away so Narinder could change.

"I'm ready, Lamb."

"Wonderful! Now, to start off, take a seat on the bed."

Narinder sat, eyeing the Lamb.

"We're going to start slow, can you give me your hand please?"

Narinder did as he was told and gave the Lamb his hand.

The Lamb began lightly tracing Narinder's hand.

Narinder closed his eyes, surprised at how pleasant it felt.

"How does that feel, Nari?"

Narinder grumbled.

"Must you insist on calling me that?"

"Of course!"

The Lamb's voice cooed with a giggle.

"It feels surprisingly pleasant."

Narinder finally answered.

"Good! What about now?"

The Lamb trailed their fingers up Narinder's arm.

Narinder shuddered, feeling goosebumps under his fur.

"Fine..."

"And... Now?"

Narinder felt the Lamb's hand press gently against his side, scribbling their fingers.

Narinder's eyes shot open as he reeled back, staring wide eyed at the beaming fool before him.

"What in the Hells was that?! What spell did you cast on me, you damned Lamb!"

"No spells, just a natural curse of the mortal body!"

"Of course..."

Narinder rubbed his face.

"Explain, Lamb."

"Certainly! Here, lay back, I'll be able to show you better that way!"

Why Narinder complied was beyond him, but nevertheless, he laid back onto the bed.

The Lamb gently clambered onto Narinder's thighs, earning snarls of protest from the former god.

"Now, fair warning, in order to show you how this works I have to touch you."

Again, why Narinder didn't fight against the wretched creature's demands was far beyond him. Though he had to admit, curiosity was a very likely culprit.

"Fine..."

The Lamb tutted.

"You're always so grumpy, Nari! Let's see if we can mend that~"

Before Narinder could fire back a retort, the Lamb lowered their hands to Narinder's sides, scratching into his fur.

Narinder's breath hitched immediately, a bizarre fluttery and tingly feeling lighting up his nerves.

Narinder felt this strange urge to laugh as he squirmed, a smile threatening to cross his face.

"Lahamb? What is thihis?"

"Feeling a little giggly there, Narinder?"

The Lamb brought their hands to his belly, clawing lightly.

"Lahahamb! Whahahat are you dohohoing?!"

Narinder squirmed, ears twitching.

"I'm tickling you!"

"Tickling"... That word rang a bell in Narinder's memory.

He remembered Baal and Aym playing when the three of them were stuck in purgatory, back when the two hadn't yet been hardened by the captivity forced upon them.

Narinder had watched them play, wrestling each other to the ground and all of a sudden, whichever twin was pinned would be desperately laughing and pleading for mercy.

During one of these playful interactions, Narinder had spoken up, quizzing the young warriors on what they were doing.

---

"We're having a tickle fight!"

Baal spoke up, in his typical cheery demeanor.

"A... "Tickle fight"...?"

The god asked.

The twins looked at each other, how were they going to explain this to someone like the god of Death?

"It's something that mortals do to play and bond with one another, be it between siblings, friends, or romantic partners."

Baal explained.

"Ticking is something that causes a person to laugh uncontrollably because of the strange tingling feeling it creates."

Aym chimed in.

"I see... How does one win in these "Tickle fights"?"

Baal briefly considered the question.

"Just get the other person to yield, I suppose."

"Yeah, just like this!"

Before either of them could react, Aym launched himself at his brother.

"Oh cohohome on! Whyhyhy mehehe?!"

Aym snickered.

"Because, you're way more ticklish than me!"

"Thahahat's so not truhuhue! You're just strohohonger than mehehe!"

Baal swatted at his brother helplessly.

"Same difference."

"Sahahame difference my ahahass!"

Narinder watched the two with mild interest before an idea struck him.

He shifted, causing his chains to rattle and catch the attention of his bodyguards.

"Master? Are you okay?"

Aym asked cautiously.

Narinder lowered his hand to the ground in front of them.

"Come."

The two looked at each other before gently stepping forward, only to lose their balance and fall back into Narinder's palm as soon as they were off the ground.

Once they were more face to face, Baal spoke up.

"Master? What is it?"

Narinder merely stared for a moment before lifting up his other hand to better cradle the two.

He gently lowered his nose to their tiny bellies, being cautious not to harm or drop them as he nuzzled his nose playfully against them.

"Wahahait! Mahahaster!"

Baal melted into giddy laughter immediately, his tiny hand pushing lightly against Narinder muzzle.

Aym on the other hand, stiffened, with his arms locked firmly at his sides and his face locked in a taught expression, fighting back a smile as his shoulders shook with barely contained laughter.

Eventually, both boys burst into hysterical laughter as Narinder mercilessly tickled them.

Narinder had certainly won the tickle fight that day.

---

"Nari...? Narinder, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Narinder was snapped back into reality by the Lamb's concerned voice.

He suddenly became aware of the dampness of the fur on his face, had he really begun crying? Humiliating...

"I'm fine Lamb, just a memory."

"Oh, really? I wouldn't have thought that you would have a memory about tickling."

The Lamb let out an awkward laugh.

"You can thank Baal and Aym for that, they're the ones that introduced me to this foolish concept to begin with."

"That's so sweet! So you remember what it is now?"

"Yes, I would say I do."

"That's good! Are you okay though? That memory seemed to hit you pretty hard."

"I'm fine, Lamb."

"You miss them, don't you?"

Silence.

"It's okay if you do Nari, I'm sure they miss you too."

The Lamb placed their hand on Narinder's arm.

Narinder scoffed and pulled his arm away.

"Don't attempt to flatter me, Lamb. They do not miss me. They were stripped away from their mother by Shamura for me, to be imprisoned alongside me from a tragically young age, they do not miss me, they are likely thrilled to be free of me."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I do."

The pain in Narinder's voice was surprisingly palpable.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?"

"Ooookay, so no."

Narinder merely glared in the Lamb's direction.

"Do you mind if we continue? It might help you get your mind off things."

"I... Wouldn't be opposed."

The Lamb beamed.

"On one condition."

The Lamb's smile faltered.

Narinder leaned forward, his mouth brushing their ear, and his breath warm and taunting against their skin.

"I get to return the favor tenfold~"

The Lamb's ears fluttered, butterflies erupting in their stomach at the teasing-and rather attractive-chuckle that passed Narinder's lips.

Narinder pulled back, enjoying the way his former vessel squirmed at the idea of being captured in his clutches yet again.

"I suppose that's a fair trade."

"So we agree?"

"Yes. I would say we do."

"Good~"

"But first, it's your turn."

Narinder growled, he'd wipe the smugness from their face in time.

The Lamb took his hand once more.

"We'll start from the beginning, okay?"

"Very well."

The soft scratching against his palm made Narinder close his eyes, and his ears lower slightly.

"This doesn't seem to tickle you very much, does it?"

"No, it's more pleasant than anything else."

"That's good, and this?"

The Lamb trailed their fingers up his arm.

Narinder shivered.

"Slightly..."

"And this?"

Their fingers fluttered against his neck.

"Krrk!"

"Hehehe, Well that answers that!"

"Shuhuhut it, damned Lahahamb!"

"Aww! You're such a pretty kitty~!"

Narinder growled through his laughter. He'd get his revenge in time, he was known for his patience after all, he could wait.

"Your belly seemed to be a good spot before."

The Lamb massaged their wretched fingers into his fur.

"Lahahahamb!"

"Yeesss, Nari~?"

Their hands drifted towards his sides.

"Dahahamn you!"

"Already there, kitty."

Narinder slammed his fist onto the bed as his sides were pinched and squeezed at.

"Fuhuhuhuck you, you stuhuhupid creature!"

The Lamb gasped dramatically.

"Alright Narinder, that's it! I've had enough of your attitude!"

The Lamb launched himself at Narinder, burying their face in his neck and blowing a big raspberry, all while clawing into Narinder's ribs and armpits.

Narinder screamed, his tail whipping around wildly as he thrashed.

"WHAHAHAHAT IS THAHAHAT?!"

"It's called a raspberry!"

The Lamb repeated the action.

"AHAHACK!"

Narinder desperately wanted to tell the Lamb to stop, but he held his tongue. Tenfold.

"It works really well on bellies too! Watch!"

The Lamb eagerly buried their face into his stomach, blowing the biggest raspberries they could possibly manage.

Narinder thrashed, cackling.

To his dismay, the Lamb began to growl and nibble at his stomach.

Tenfold, tenfold, tenfold...

"LAHAHAHAMB!"

"Yes, Nari~?"

That smug little...

"Use your words, Narinder. Come on, you can do it!"

Narinder grit his teeth, he would not dignify the Lamb's taunting with a response.

"Tsk... Narinder, this is supposed to improve your attitude! Come on, laugh for me, love~"

Narinder despised the heat that flooded his face upon hearing the pet name.

The Lamb continued the attack, squeezing his hips,-which were very ticklish, they both found out-down to his knees, and inevitably, they made it down to his feet.

"Aww! Look at these big ol' paws!'

They began to gently scratch and scribble at his paw pads.

Narinder snorted unceremoniously and fell into hysterics, grabbing onto the sheets in desperation.

"Ohohoho! Seems like we hit the jackpot~! Tickle, tickle, tickle, Nari! Kitchy kitchy coo! Look at your pretty smile!"

Narinder wheezed, taking the pillow from behind his head and instead using it to hide his face.

"DIHIHIHIE!"

"Rude! Don't hide your face from me!"

The Lamb scratched at the space between his toes.

"AHAHAHA!"

Narinder screeched into the pillow. Tenfold...

"Narinder... Move. The. Pillow."

The Lamb scrubbed at his feet with as much fervor as they could manage.

"NEHEHEHEHEVER!"

"You know Narinder, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you're starting to have fun."

"SHOHOHOVE OFF, YOU FOHOHOUL LAHAHAMB!"

"You sound really funny when you're yell-laughing through the pillow like that."

He could hear the smile in the Lamb's voice. Good, let them have their fun, the more they did, the more it would come back to bite them in the ass.

"That being said, let's drop the pillow, okay?"

Before he could respond, the Lamb attacked his armpits and biceps.

"Tickle, tickle, pretty kitty."

"PFFHAHAHAHA!"

Both the Lamb and Narinder were shocked by his reaction. One amused, the other, slightly horrified.

"Oh wow... your arms, huh?"

Narinder merely grunted, not making eye contact.

The Lamb said nothing, reaching up and scratching down Narinder's arms from the elbows down.

Narinder's nose scrunched-adorably in the Lamb's opinion-as he let out a snort.

"HAHAHAHA! FUHUHUHUCK!"

"Goodness Nari, such foul language! There are kits around!"

"LIHIHIKE I GIHIHIVE A SHIHIHIT!"

"Narinder!"

The Lamb began to squeeze Narinder's biceps, massaging deep into the muscles.

"AHAHACK LAHAHAHA- LAMB!"

"Oh wow! Your arms are so strong! No wonder you're so good with the heavy duty tasks!"

The worst part of that statement was that it sounded genuine.

"Such strong, ticklish arms for a strong handsome god."

Narinder lowered his ears, heat flooding his cheeks.

"DOHOHON'T MOCK ME WIHIHIHITH THAHAHAT TITLE DAHAHAMNED LAHAHAMB!"

"I'm not, can't a vessel worship their patron god?"

Oh. oh...

That also sounded genuine.

That actually made him feel really good...

Huh...

The Lamb's attack slowed to a halt.

Narinder took advantage of the break to curl into a ball on his side.

"Did you like that, Narinder?"

They ask, curiously.

"Like what? You tormenting me?"

"No. Me saying that, did you like it?"

"Why are you asking? To mock me?"

"No. I'm asking because you seemed to really relax when I said it."

Narinder blinked.

"Did I?"

"Uh huh, you did."

"What if I did...?"

"Then that's fine! Like I said before, I never felt like you were stupid, also... I did enjoy our time together, back before... everything. I really did value you, and I still do. I just... I didn't want to die... again... I had already died several times sure, but each time I did, except for the first, I knew that you'd resurrect me. So when you told me to sacrifice myself... I felt... hurt, scared, angry, because I loved you. I knew that you probably didn't feel exactly the same, but I thought you at least cared about me in some compacity. So... when you told me that I had fulfilled my purpose and told me to just lay down and die, I just couldn't. Not after I had fought so hard to survive, not after I had committed all of those heinous acts, not after I had so many followers depending on me. I couldn't. I still felt awful though, I wanted to free you, I really did! That's why I kept you alive. Not to mock you, not to torture you, but because I love you. All of it, the robes, the high ranking status among the flock, the nicer hut, all of it was to treat you well, to give you as much freedom as possible while still keeping both of us alive! I know that you probably don't believe me, but... it's true. So, if you like hearing me say those things, hearing me show affection, then I will."

Once the Lamb finished their ramblings, they looked at Narinder.

Narinder was staring at them, with wide eyes, well... wide eyed for him at least, and a locked jaw.

The Lamb sighed.

"I'll leave you alone... Normally there's a massage as an aftercare to help relax muscles and help people come down from the high so to speak, but, I don't know if you're in the mood right now... Feel free to take a nap, I'll lock the door again and keep the sign on 'occupied'. Come out when you hear the supper bell, okay?"

The Lamb made a move to leave, but had their hand grabbed.

"Finish what you started, Lamb. If you want this process to assist me, it likely needs to be completed."

The Lamb gawked.

"We don't have all day, Lamb. Not to mention, you tormented me for over an hour, I daresay I deserve it. Of course, I suppose I could just command you to do it, if you truly still view me as your patron god, it should be no issue for you."

The smirk on Narinder's face was both smug and playful.

The whole thing was so jarring for the Lamb, that they merely let out a little laugh and sat back down.

"Okay. Lay down on you're stomach and get comfortable."

Narinder did so.

The Lamb began to massage Narinder's shoulders, pressing deep into the muscles.

Narinder let out a sigh.

The Lamb moved to his neck, working out the knots they found.

They then moved to his arms.

"Lahahamb..."

Narinder spoke in a low growl.

"Sorry, that wasn't intentional. I'll go to the rest of your back."

The Lamb moved down Narinder's spine to the muscles of his lower back.

"Lahamb..."

"Your back too?! Sorry, not intentional."

"Right..."

"Hey! I'm serious! It's not my fault you're this ticklish!"

Narinder didn't speak.

The Lamb continued the massage for a while before calling it good.

"There, how was that?"

"Pleasant."

"Good! I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! Go ahead and rest, okay? I'll come get you when it's time for dinner."

"One more thing, Lamb."

The Lamb turned, waiting expectantly.

Narinder approached them slowly, leaning down to whisper in their ear.

"Tenfold~"

Narinder leaned back, relishing in the way their eyes widened, and their face flushed, their ears twitching, and smiling nervously.

"Right... Of course. Well, I'll see you at supper, okay bye!"

Narinder watched the Lamb scramble away with a satisfied smirk on his face.