#ler!march

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Lately, Himeko finds herself paying extra attention to Sunday specifically out of the whole crew.

The halovian has been an official member of the Astral Express for quite some time now, and he’s truly become an irreplaceable part of the family. Yet… he can still act rather shy when it comes to spending time with them.

Although it’s definitely not caused by him being uncomfortable around them— she still can’t help herself from worrying a bit. She wants Sunday to know how loved he is amongst the crew, and for him to be comfortable talking about and doing anything around them.

“Are you sure you don’t want to play? They were practically begging for you to join.” Himeko asked Sunday softly, motioning to Caelus, March and Dan Heng who were currently engaged in this new Penaconian card game. A game, that the trio tried desperately to have Sunday join in on.

Sunday glanced up from his book for a moment to look at the trio causing a ruckus from the other side of the express cart, before turning to Himeko with a gentle look. “Yes, I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong, it looks like a lot of fun… but I'm loving this book you recommended to me, Ms.Himeko.”

Sunday smiled, the book resting on his lap while he spoke. “I’d really like to discuss it with you once I’m done reading it, actually. And well, the quicker I finish it, the quicker I can.”

Himeko's eyes softened at that, returning the gentle smile Sunday always seemed to wear. “I’ll be looking forward to that, Sunday.” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, before turning forward to sip her coffee, staring out at the stars.

Sunday returned to his book immediately, looking rather content with himself as he read. After a few seconds, Himeko found she still couldn’t stop watching the boy from the corner of her eye, feeling a bit puzzled by her own unwavering concern.

She loved discussing literature, and other classical subjects with Sunday, of course. But deep inside she hopes to see Sunday bond with the express more playfully, kinda like how the trio act around each other. Not only like friends, but family too.

Though, she supposed that if Sunday is alright, then she shouldn’t stress.

She just really can’t help it…

Himeko was pulled away from her thoughts when she heard an overdramatic “no!” being yelled from across the room. Eyes travelling over to see Caelus immediately cover his mouth with his hand, eyes wide as he shoved a card tightly against his chest.

“What? What is it?!” March laughed at his reaction, “What does it say?”

Dan Heng snickered too, narrowing his eyes at the boy who sat next to him. “Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”

The game they were playing had a punishment game system, where whenever one of them lost, they’d have to draw a card from the pile with various different punishments. So far it has been only innocent, such as; rhyme everything you say for the next 10 minutes or, play using only your left hand for the next round, silly scenarios.

So of course Himeko was lost on what type of punishment would get Caelus reacting like that.

Well, whatever it was, it left Caelus both giddy and nervous. “I don’t think I wanna play anymore…” he laughed, shaking his head at the two while still shielding the card.

March laughed while Dan Heng rolled his eyes fondly, reaching out for the card. “Oh, give me that!” He joked, ripping it out from Caelus’s hold; only to break out into a shit eating grin as he read the contents.

Of course, that only made March more intrigued, looking back and forth between Caelus’ wobbly smile and Dan Heng’s grin. “What is it?” She questioned again, and Dan Heng playfully turned the card around for her to read, giving Caelus a smug look.

March instantly snickered.

Get tickled for one minute, in big bold lettering. It read clear as day, which explained why Caelus— who was extremely ticklish, was panicking so much. “Only you would pull a card like this.” Dan Heng laughed, amused by Caelus’ predicament.

“Guhuhuys— let’s talk about this…?” He pleaded half heartedly, putting his hands out in front of him to hopefully defend himself. Unfortunately, his words didn’t mean much to the two.

March dove for his stomach, poking and skittering her nails under his hoodie, while Dan Heng went for his armpits, worming his fingers under his arms to scribble in his hollows.

“AHAHahahaha! Noooohohohoho!” Caelus broke out into contagious laughter immediately, followed by Dan Heng and March’s own happy giggles as they messed with him. “Thihihis is sohoho unfahahair!” He yelled, curling over.

Himeko giggled from the sidelines, and so did Welt.

Observing their banter Himeko leaned back happily, glad to see the youngsters having so much fun. This thought had her glance back at Sunday, wishing he’d join in on stuff like this too.

Confusion then rushed through her as soon as she looked at the angel. Faced with a slight surprise, she noticed that Sunday’s wings had started twitching rapidly. A sight she had never seen before, she was of course, very intrigued by it.

Her mouth opened to comment, but closed soon after, deciding to study him rather than inquire. Which is when she saw another thing, Sunday had stopped reading his book.

His eyes weren’t moving along with the scripted lines, they were just staring dead center at absolutely nothing, a little widened as well, as if he himself was panicked. His stature was so tense, and was that some blush rising to his cheeks…?

Himeko thought the behaviour was odd. Still, after years of being around the Astral Express trio, she was able to make a decent estimate on what was happening. She’d of course have to test her theory first, just to see if she’s right.

When they stopped tormenting Caelus, the three returned to their seats and continued playing, immersing themselves in the card game again. Sunday’s wings stopped twitching too, and those book pages went back to being flipped every twenty seconds.

Welt, who was on his phone suddenly coughed, and Himeko instantly perked up. “Oh no, Welt, do you have a tickle in your throat? I have cough drops.” Himeko offered to Welt kindly, and sure enough… she saw it again, Sunday’s wings twitched.

Welt waved his hand, shaking off what he believed was a genuine offer. “No no, just a bit dry… but I’m alright.” He reassured, and Himeko nodded.

She couldn’t stop there of course. She spoke to Welt again, taking out her phone, “Y’know, March sent me this video the other day, and I was just tickled, she always finds the silliest videos.” Himeko started, and Welt, who was unaware of what she was doing, simply smiled and asked her to send it to him.

“Ahh, I really need to cut my hair.. It’s way too long, it keeps getting caught in my dress and tickling my back.” She commented out loud to herself, pulling her hair in front of her shoulders.

Twitch, twitch, twitch. Every time she said the word, his wings began to twitch. Her theory was basically confirmed now, her evidence also backed by the blush on his cheeks that was getting redder by the second.

There was absolutely no denying it.

Despite being so obvious, Sunday had no idea she was saying the word over and over again on purpose, so he must’ve thought he was hiding his reactions perfectly. “Tickle, such a fun word.” She said one last time, unable to help herself.

March then whipped her head around, a confused smile tugging at her lips as she looked over at Himeko. “Why do you keep saying that?” She giggled slightly, Dan Heng & Caelus were too engrossed in the card game to have noticed anything.

Himeko hadn’t realized March was listening either, but wasn’t thrown off by it at all.

“Saying what?” Caelus pried, getting distracted by March’s wonder and not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

“Tickle.“ March repeated, Himeko watching Sunday’s wings twitch even more after hearing her say it.

Caelus’ face took on a fake pout, “Whaaa?? Himeko, are you trying to make fun of the torture I just endured?!” He complained, his hand dramatically holding his heart like he had been shot.

“Torture my ass.” Dan Heng rolled his eyes, giving Caelus a couple squeezes to his sides and watching the boy squirm away with a peal of laughter.

During this entire exchange, Sunday felt like he was gonna die of embarrassment. Hearing the word made butterflies swarm, seeing it happen made breathing seem difficult. His cheeks were surely as red as a tomato by now, yet all he could do was hide his face in the book he was way too distracted to even read.

March looking their way saw his wings, tilting her head to the side. “Sunday? What’s going on with your wings?” She questioned, gaining the joint attention of the crew as they all looked over to him.

This only made Sunday’s wings twitch more, his mind racing. “I-I…” He stuttered, removing the book from his face and trying to answer the best that he could. Yet… as soon as the three saw his pink cheeks and skittish look, their interest turned almost devilish. “Sorry, they just— do this sometimes.” He explained poorly, looking off to the side.

“Is that so?” Dan Heng questioned, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. The situation even managed to gain Welt’s attention, with all eyes now on the halovian.

Himeko was positively beaming at how well this was playing out— all she needed was to enact the final push, looking at Sunday with a playful smile. “Really? Sometimes? Or is it just when someone says tickle?”

Sunday had a full body reaction to her call out, one that all of the express crew were happy to witness. His wings tensed visibly before twitching nonstop, his eyes widened, his blush grew, and finally… a smile adorned on his cute face.

“Ms.Himeko…?!” He gasped, all the pieces coming together as he realized she had him all figured out since the beginning. As well, that her repeatedly saying that word was totally on purpose.

His head whipped back to face the three, butterflies growing in his stomach as a panic he couldn’t quite describe started to set in. “Tickle.” Caelus tested, eyes brightening when Sunday’s wings did one big flustered flap before returning to the twitching.

“No way.” Caelus smirked, leaning in. “Don’t tell me, Sunny, are you ticklish~?” He questioned without hesitation, his tone so very evil.

“He has to be, there’s no way he’d react like that to just hearing the word tickle if he wasn’t.” Dan Heng added fondly, also giving Sunday quite the playful glare.

March rose to her feet, analyzing the angel. “Well, Sunday? Are youuuu?”

All of their comments were frying his brain, “N-No I’m…!” He looked to Himeko and Welt for help, but they were grinning too, waiting for him to answer.

Sunday looked at the exit, and realized; he could totally run away right now, and escape this unraveling situation.

I mean, it’s not like they would chase after him. Sunday rushing to leave would be a clear indication that he isn’t okay with that kind of touch. So why wasn’t he getting up and leaving? Why instead of ending a moment where he is fated to get tickled, is he wrapping his arms around his middle, already giddy with anticipation?

His book was set to the side, arms defending what were clearly his tickle spots, frozen in place. Surely, he wasn’t looking forward to this, was he..?

He took a sharp breath before he finally responded. “No, I’m not… not at all…” He lied through his teeth, a nervous giggle slipping past his lips.

They were all on the same wavelength— it only took one shared glance between Dan Heng, March and Caelus before they all lunged out of their seats, charging for Sunday who made no effort to jump away, his wings still shaking.

Caelus suddenly lifted him up in his arms, Sunday’s heart dropping to his stomach at the gravity shift, before he focused back on what was happening. Caelus dropped him gently on the floor before the three of them all hovered playfully over him, “You ready?” He teased, his knees inches away from Sunday’s head as he raised wiggling fingers.

Sunday was flustered out of his mind, “W-Wait! Just like this?! Surely you—”

March’s nails began skittering up his sides, ending his sentence short as Sunday bursted out into the cutest fit of giggles. “AAhahahahaha! Mihihiss M-Mahaharch!” He squeaked, his wings now flapping, almost akin to a dog wagging its tail.

“I can’t believe they’ve never bullied you like this before.” Dan Heng snickered, calling them bullies as if he wasn’t currently clawing at Sunday’s tummy and making him squeal.

“You’re so ticklish!” Caelus commented fondly, endeared by just how happy Sunday’s face looked right now. It was so cute, an expression he didn’t think tickling could cause on the mature halovian.

Caelus dug his fingers under his jaw, gently fluttering his fingers. Sunday laughed more frantically as a result, his shoulders scrunching up. Soon after, the frantic laughter slowly melted into these sweet, airy giggles when both March and Dan Heng softened their tickling.

“Eeehehehee! Plehehehease!” He giggled, his head tipping back with laughter, squirming side to side despite it doing nothing to stop the tickles.

“How ticklish are you… here?!” March called out playfully, her touch switching to soft fluttering along his other set of wings, the ones on his back that he always used to hide.

Sunday absolutely lost it.

He squeaked loudly before collapsing into a fit of desperate laughter, the sound flowing past his lips endlessly like a waterfall. He wrapped his back wings tightly around his waist, all his energy zapped from just a few wing tickles, no longer squirming.

Sunday was now curled into a squeaky ball, his legs kicking out against the carpet. Dan Heng was still easily able to scratch at his tummy, while Caelus helped March tickle his wings.

“NAHAHahahat thehehere! Wahahahait!” Sunday pleaded without meaning a single word of it, pounding a fist on the floor hysterically.

“I was wondering if your wings were ticklish, clearly they are.” Dan Heng joked, noting it down in his mind.

“Sunny, you are sooo cute!” Caelus giggled, saying what all of them were thinking.

Amongst all the laughter, Welt and Himeko were happily watching them play around, talking in a hushed tone. “If we told the “us” from Penacony that this is how our relationship with Sunday would turn out, would they believe it?” Welt whispered to Himeko, of course… not wanting Sunday to hear them talk about a past he’s grown from.

Himeko giggled, “Oh, they’d think we were crazy.” She added, before looking back down at the four lovingly. “Though… I think we’d also believe such a possibility to be super cute.”

While they chatted, Sunday was laughing without a care in the world, and it felt comforting. Is that an odd way to feel? Sunday wasn’t quite sure.

Truth be told, Sunday hasn’t been tickled like this since he was a kid, this feeling definitely felt foreign. His reactions were nothing new however, in the past, even back when he was head of the oak family, he’d get all embarrassed as well whenever he’d see tickling happen, or the word being spoken aloud.

His wings— always twitching uncontrollably.

Perhaps, deep down he’s been craving this playful affection for far too long, and seeing it happen between the Astral Express members only made him more touch-starved for it.

This was yet another example of Himeko looking out for her kids, by somehow knowing exactly what Sunday needed before he even did. She was just beyond happy to see him laughing so freely, her worries being lifted with every laugh they drew out of him, though of course… She was quick to save the halovian when he was clearly getting all tickled-out.

Not that she had to though— when Sunday was looking tired, their tickles quickly became so unbelievably gentle, which warmed her heart further. How the hell did she manage to get so many genuine sweethearts on her crew?

I really go back and forth with these two in terms of ticklishness and who’s more ticklish. On one hand, March just shines with Lee potential. Like a large part of me is all for March just being ungodly ticklish literally all over, like no part of him isn’t sensitive. It fits with his over the top and dramatic persona. He has to do everything at %110 and that includes being ticklish.

And then for Healy, I was initially of the opinion hes not super ticklish, prolly barely at all and if so it’s only in one place. Hes a tough bruiser who beats up people for money, he’s a loner who isolates himself, and he has killed before. Being ticklish just doesn’t match his persona.

… but those are just these characters outward appearance. And what I love about this movie is it shows that these characters, that should fit into one initial box, don’t fit those at all. If you look deeper you see they are multi layered and not at all what they seem. March is a detective and former police officer, but he’s not a good person. He drinks, he’s irresponsible, he fails and makes mistakes, and hes got morally grey ethics. Hes loud and not composed. He lies. He gives up.

And Healy the bruiser is deep down, quite soft. He likes children, yes he beats up people for money but a lot of the times it’s to help those who are more vulnerable, like children and young women. Yes he killed blue face, but he did it to protect his partners kid that he just literally met. Hes loyal to a fault, hes a hard worker and will follow a thread to its completion until hes sure the objective is done. And when Holly begs him to spare the life of the man who tried to hurt her and her father, he listens to her. Hes soft spoken most of the time, quiet and doesn’t talk much.

And that leads me to my main point. These men don’t fit their outward personas and typical character stereotypes, thus why would they for these headcanons about their ticklishness?

So, dear readers, I ask you to consider this:

What if my initial thoughts are backwards. What if March, this ADHD, erratic, clumsy, frantic, dramatic guy, is barely ticklish at all.

And what if his tough, quiet, loner bruiser partner is secretly excruciatingly ticklish.

And it embarrasses and pisses Healy off to no end. Bc it shouldn’t be like this.

When March finds out Healy is ticklish it’s the best day of his life. It prolly happens on accident, an accidental swipe of a hand or grabbing a side for balance, and Healy’s reaction is too strong and potent to not be anything but that conclusion, and March is also no dummy, deep down. He knows exactly what just happened before Healy can even get a protest out (or a threat), and starts exploiting it immediately, much to Healy’s embarrassment. And to make matters worse, when Healy tries to retaliate, using his superior strength to stop the probing hands and add his own, he has to face the humiliating conclusion that he is way more ticklish than holland fucking Marsh, who isn’t even laughing bc of the tickling Healy’s trying to do, but bc of that same conclusion. It shouldn’t be like this. Healy takes one look at March and thinks this ridiculous man cant possible be not over the top ticklish while Healy is. It’s not fair

Anywho, that’s a scenario I really like. But, as much as I think this scenario is funny and adorable…. I mean, just look at Holland March. The man is totally ticklish, I cant not imagine him so.

So a compromise: March is moderately ticklish, and we keep that same hilarious premise/strange power dynamic by having Healy still embarrassingly more ticklish than March. But a key point is, while Healy is more ticklish, March’s reactions are more over the top. Despite him just being moderately ticklish, it doesn’t matter. He’s only ticklish in a few places but he’s so loud and dramatic, flails and screeches and cusses up a storm. Healy might be ticklish in way more places and possibly just all over, but he’s good at keeping his laughter in when he’s really trying. However when he does crack, his laughter is husky, low, and starts quiet but gradually gets louder. It’s more rumbles and round-cheeked smiles than the screeching and screaming that Holland does.

———

“Come on, show me what you’re reading!” March narrowed her eyes on her target. Her finger tips barely grazed Dan Heng’s sides. He let out cute noises of held back laughter, biting his cheek as his face heated up.

“St-Stop— March!” He gasped as she decided to dig into his sides gently, pinching the skin with full intent to make the male break into laughter, she felt a sense of achievement as Dan Heng bursted into a small fit of giggles. Holding his book closely while his other hand shoved at his friend's shoulder.

You decided to pass through to the main lobby, but stopped in your tracks when hearing that (frankly, adorable.) noise of laughter coming from Dan Hengs room. Well, he said you could come in anytime, right? Wouldn’t hurt to check in. Softly opening the door, you could hear the noise getting louder. “What's going on?” You laughed fondly, Dan Heng’s cheeks only blushed a deeper red.

“Nohohothing! Dohohont fuhuhurther my embarrahahassment!” Dan Heng was now rolled on his stomach, clutching the book as March drilled into his hips.

March let out a noise of disagreement before speaking, “It's not nothing! I walked in and saw him reading something… and when I peaked over his shoulder to see, he jumped away! He's totally hiding something…” March suddenly gasped as if she realised something drastic, tickling his hips more roughly.

“Wait a minute…is it lewd?! Are you reading a lewd book?!” He shook his head in denial, still booming with laughter, that stubborn streak still shining through as he refused to let go. In all honesty, you'd be lying if you said you weren't curious about the book after hearing her explanation…

“Need some help?” You couldn't help but ask, your question instantly caught his attention as his smile widened in nervousness. Dan Heng soon began to squirm, trying to escape the situation. “Not so fast, Dan Heng.” You grinned, locking your hands onto his book as he rolled onto his back trying to hold onto it. Still laughing, his arms raised in an attempt to keep hold, which completely exposed his underarms in the process.

March took the opportunity and dug under his arms. The reaction was instant as a loud squeak escaped Dan Heng’s lips, followed by hysterical laughter as he let go. His arms locked against his sides, and March got completely engulfed in tickling her friend. “Lets see…” you muttered over his laughter, opening the book. You were met with a guide…

You let out a hushed giggle once reading the title, looking at March who was completely distracted tickling Dan Heng. ‘How to deal with immature friends.’ The title read.

Well, from this situation— he wasn't wrong for looking at a guide like this. But deep down you knew if you told March, she would've just tickled him more. You decided to save your friend from that possible fate, slipping the book into the shelf and taking out a new one. “Hmm, that's odd, March. It's just a regular old book.” You flipped it towards her.

March stopped her attack to look, her eyebrows furrowing. He took this moment to catch his breath. “No way! There must be something hidden in the pages, I’ll be right back! I must Investigate~” you both watched her skip away.

Now that March was gone, the only two left were you, and an exhausted Dan Heng. “You alright?” You quickly questioned, offering him a hand to stand up.