â the tickle tax â
lees!eddy, double d / lers!kevin, rolf àč àŁ âàč àŁ â wordcount : 1950
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The day had started perfectly.
Eddyâs scam had gone flawlessly.
It was a fool proof idea, pitting Kevin and Rolf against each other in a âStrength Tournamentâ. A competition to determine once and for all who is âThe Mightiest Kid of the Cul-de-Sac.â
The entry fee? 50 scents per challenger, and 25 cents per spectator.
Eddy, to sweeten the deal, promises the winner a âcustom-made trophyâ and âlegendary neighborhood bragging rights.â
And now? Now they were filthy stinkinâ rich!
âCan you believe it? A dollar 75!â Eddy cackled, holding the bills to his cheek like it were his first-born child. âWe actually got those buffoons to believe that crap! What a bunch of saps. And we didnât even need Ed to do the heavy lifting this time!â
âI do feel rather guilty,â Double D admitted, nervously adjusting his sock hat. âPerhaps we should return the funds and explain-â
âNo way, Sockhead,â Eddy cut in, slipping the cash into his pocket. âWe earned this. Fair and square. Sorta.â
But even as they basked in their fleeting glory, a shadow loomed. Two shadows, in fact.
From the other end of the cul-de-sac, Kevin and Rolf approached. Kevinâs eyes were narrowed into slits behind his sunglasses, and Rolf was wielding a rake like a war banner.
âUh ohâŠâ Eddy whispered, going pale. âAbort mission.â
âNo time!â Double D squeaked, grabbing Eddyâs arm. âRun!â
They bolted.
But they didnât make it far. Rolf was fast on his long legs. Too fast. And Kevin cut them off with an unexpected leap over the fence with his bike. Within seconds, Double D was on his back, pinned by Rolfâs lean weight, and Eddy was face-down in the dirt, a furious Kevin straddling his legs.
âY-You guys got the wrong idea!â Eddy babbled, wriggling under Kevin. âIt was just a prank! Social experiment! Donât kill us!â
âOh, we ainât gonna kill you,â Kevin sneered, cracking his knuckles.
âOh marvelous,â Double D sighed in relief. âI was hoping this wouldnât end in violence.â
Kevinâs grin turned wicked. âWeâre just gonna tickle you until you cry.â
Double D blinked, wondering if heâd correctly cleaned his ears that morning or if Kevin had really just said what he thought he did. âI-I beg your pardon?â
âYou mess with the bull,â Kevin growled, âyou get the feathers.â
Before either of them could process it, it began.
Kevin dug into Eddyâs sides with both hands, fast and merciless. Eddy shrieked, his limbs flailing like a puppet as Kevin held him down easily with his weight.
âGYAAHAHAHAA! KEVIN! KEHEHEVIN, NOHOHOHOâWAITâWAHAHAIT!!â
âAw, poor scammer boy canât handle a little tummy tickle?â Kevin mocked, zeroing in on the slight chub of Eddyâs waistline. âBet this is where you keep all the lies. Right in this flabby little spot, huh?â
âSHUHUT UUHUHUHUUP!â
Kevin laughed, mean and sharp, raking his fingers up and down Eddyâs ribs like he was trying to sand them down. âDude, youâre so ticklish itâs pathetic.âÂ
Eddy squirmed harder, trying to twist away, but it only made the pudge on his stomach jiggle, which Kevin immediately noticed and honed in on.
âAwwww,â Kevin cooed in syrupy baby talk, slowing his fingers to light scribbles around Eddyâs belly button. âWook at dis soft widdle tum-tum. Is dis where it tickles da most, huh? Goochy-goochy-goo!â
âKEHEHEHEVIN, DOHONâTâ!!â Eddyâs face turned scarlet, the laughter now tangled with flustered squeals. âSH-SHUT UP, YOU FREAKâ!!â
Kevin grinned devilishly. âAw, is da baby Eddeh embawwassed?â he crooned mockingly. âDidnât know you were such a squirmy lilâ giggle bug.â
âIâM NOTâ!! GEHEHEHET OHOHOFF ME, JERK!!â
âOh-ho yes you are,â Kevin said, dipping a finger into his belly button, which made him yelp. âRight hereâs the sweet spot, huh? Just a chubby widdle tickle magnet.â
âKEHEHEVIN, STAHAHAHAHAPâ!!â
Kevin just chuckled darkly, dragging his fingers in tight little circles around the softest spots on Eddyâs sides, right above his hips. âMan, youâve got the body of a cartoon character. What, you hiding a stash of jawbreakers in these baby fat rolls or something?â
Eddy howled with laughter, pounding his fists weakly against Kevinâs arms. âI HAHAâHATE YOHOHOU!!â
Meanwhile, Rolfâs revenge was more⊠calculated.
Double D was squeaking and wriggling like a spider before Rolf had even touched him.
âOhhh, Double Lee,â Rolf cooed, his fingers barely grazing under Eddâs chin. âIs Rolf mistaken, or are you of the tickle-blooded variety?â
âI-I assure you this is wholly unnecessary!â Edd gasped, trying to slide backwardâbut his legs were trapped, and his arms pinned under Rolfâs knees. âWe could d-discuss this l-like gentlem- EHEHN! AHEHEE!â
Rolf had begun scribbling gently in his armpits, using only a few fingers. It was slow, deliberate, and torturously effective.Â
âAha! There it is! The squeaky laugh of the guilty!â
âROHOHOHOLFF! PLEHEHEASEâ OHOH THE HUMANITYâ⊠w-wait⊠ihihit isnât that bad, in all honesty.â Double D admitted, appearing rather sheepish at his dramatic reaction.
âNot bad?â Rolf looked mock-hurt. âOh, but Rolf has not yet begun to tickle!â
His hands skated lightly across the spot between his armpit and ribs, then trailed to the bottom row of ribs. With precise, featherlight movements, he spidered his fingertips across Double Dâs stomach, eliciting high-pitched gasps and breathless giggles.
âEek! Nohoho! Thahahatâs wuhorse than rough tickling!â Double Dâs laughter was gentle and breathy, much like his usual impish giggle that he typically hid behind his hand.
âAhh, yes. The delicate tickle always pierces the brain, Double Lee.â
Double Dâs laughter was so soft and melodic that it was almost pleasant, if he werenât dying of embarrassment.
Meanwhile, poor Eddy was kicking like a madman under Kevin.
âDUDE! DOHONT! YOHOUâREâYOHUâRE GONNA BREAK ME!â
Kevin, smirking wide, slipped his fingers up into Eddyâs armpits. He barely grazed the sensitive skin, his fingers stilled and remained there.
âNOOOOOâGAHAHAHAHAD!! GEHET OHOHOUT OF THERE!! IâLL DO ANYTHIHIHIHING!!â
Kevinâs laugh was sharp and sadistic, amused that he didnât even have to move his fingers to make Eddy crumble. âAnything, huh? Even apologize?â
Despite Eddyâs hysterics and desperation, he still couldnât bring himself to atone for his behavior. He shook his head through his mirth, shaking the tears off his cheeks.
âIâm not hearinâ an apology, dork.â Kevin probed, his fingers wiggling a little deeper into the pits.
âIâM SOHOHOHORRYYYY I SCAMMED YOU!!â
Kevin nodded, satisfied, but didnât stop. âNot enough. Beg.â
âPLEHEHEHEASE, YOU FLAT-TIRE LUNATIIHIHIIC!! IâLL GIVE THE MONEY BAHAHACK! IâLL GIVE YOU DOUBLE D TOO!â
âWHAT?!â Double D shrieked.
Rolf chuckled warmly, now ghosting his fingers across Double Dâs feet. âYou are already mine, Double Lee. Accept your fate.â
âNAHAHAT THE FEET! ROHOHOLFF, IâM WEARING THIN SOCKS!â Double D wailed and scrunched up his toes in a futile attempt to protect his overly sensitive soles.
âRolf knows.â
Rolfâs grin deepened like heâd just caught a prize hog. âAh, but these thin socks⊠they offer no protection at all, yes? Almost as if begging Rolf to tickle.â
âI BEG YOU, ROHOHOHOLFF- DONâT!â Double D squealed, toes curled so tightly that his socks wrinkled around them. âI-I NEED THOSE FOR BALANCE! ANDâAND ARCH SUPPORT!â
âArch support?â Rolf echoed with mock gravity. âRolf shall support them himself!â
He fluttered his fingers across the bottoms of Double Dâs socked feet, tracing the shape of his arch with maddening precision.Â
The reaction was immediate.
 Double D squeaked like a rusty hinge and tried to buck Rolf off like a bronco, having fully lost his composure at this point, but he was firmly pinned.
âNAHAHAHAHAT THERE!! ROHOHOLF, THAHAHATâS BARBARIC!!â
âBarbaric!?â Rolfâs fingers slowed to an insufferable pace, swirling just beneath Double Dâs toes. âYou insult Rolfâs tickle technique? You wound me!â
Double D screamed into his hands, trying desperately not to kick in fear of causing Rolf any bodily harm, even though he was sure he didnât have the physical strength to do so. âYOHOHOU DONâT UNDERSTANDâTHE FEET ARE SACRED!â
Rolf leaned in, âOh, Rolf understands perfectly.â He said as he gripped the cuff of Double Dâs perfectly tucked socks and began peeling them back, agonizingly slow.
âW-WA-WAITâR-ROLFâPLEASE!â Double Dâs voice cracked with sheer panic as his bare heels were exposed to the cool air. âI-I HAVE DELICATE SKIN CONDITIONS!â
âAnd Rolf has delicate intentions,â he whispered devilishly, slipping the socks off completely. âAhhh. Like potatoes straight from the garden. So smooth. So scrub-worthy.â
Double D clapped his hands over his face in secondhand embarrassment. âTHAHAHATâS NOT A COMPLIMENT!â
Rolf ignored him and started a slow, deliberate tickle, one finger sliding up the center of Eddâs sole while the other danced at his heel.
Edd shrieked like a teakettle. âEEEEEEEEK!! THAHAHAHATâS THE WOHOHORST PART!! ROHOHOLF!! YOU SAID YOU WERE DONE!â
âRolf says many things, Double Lee. Some of them true. Some of them ticklish lies.â
He pinched gently at the soft skin beneath Double Dâs toes, and the poor boy nearly ascended.
âTHIHIHIHIS IS INHUUUUMANE!!â
âTruly, Rolf should be arrested,â the farm boy agreed with a sage nod, though he didnât stop. âBut alas, this is justice.â
Double Dâs laughter melted into breathless, high-pitched giggles. His feet twitched helplessly in Rolfâs grasp, toes splaying and curling with every calculated scratch and swirl of a fingertip.
âIHIHIHIâM GONNA LOHOHOSE MY MIIIND!!â
âI think you lost it when you agreed to Eddyâs scam,â Kevin called over with a grin, now lounging lazily atop a thoroughly wrecked Eddy. âShoulda known better, dork.â
âDOHOHONâT LAUGH AT MEââ Double D tried, before a squeaky hiccup escaped his mouth.
Rolf froze. âWhat was that?â
âW-Whahat?â Double D blinked rapidly, trying to recover his composure through his hiccuping giggles.
âThat noise. The hiccup. Do you always do that when the tickles reach your brain stem?â
âI-I donât knohohohow!!â Double D wailed, kicking again as if he could burrow into the dirt and disappear.
âInteresting,â Rolf said solemnly. âRolf must investigate further.â
âNOOOOOOO!!â
Double Dâs face flushed red as his laughter turned breathy and helpless. âIâM SOHOHORRY! PLEHEHEASE! IâLL NEVER LIE AGAHAIN!â
Finally, after several long minutes of cruel, hysterical punishment, the tickling stopped.
The boys lay in the grassâsweaty, twitching, breathless wrecks.
âWhuhâŠwh-what caused you to finally desist?â Double D mumbled, blinking dizzily.
Kevin pulled a small camcorder from his back pocket and gave it a little wave. âBecause we got what we came for.â
Eddyâs eyes widened. âWhuhâŠâ
âOh yeah,â Kevin grinned. âWe filmed the whole thing, Impractical Jokers style. You begging. Screaming. Sounding like little girls. And your worst spots being revealed. This babyâs going straight into the blackmail vault.â
âNooooo,â Eddy groaned in humiliation, hiding his face in his hands.
âAnd you,â Rolf said, gently patting Double Dâs cheek, âhave the sweetest laugh Rolf has ever heard. Rolf will cherish this footage.â
âOh, the indignity,â Double D muttered, mortified as he tried to hold onto his decorum.
Kevin leaned in close. âYou two ever gonna scam us again?â
âWe wonât,â Eddy and Double D said in perfect unison, with Eddy crossing his fingers behind his back mischievously, undeterred even by torture.
Kevin stood up, satisfied. âCool. Then maybe we wonât make copies,â He said, narrowing his eyes. âMaybe.â
Rolf stood as well, brushing himself off as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. âCome, Kevin. Let us celebrate justice with Rolfâs perfectly aged goat cheese. Is quite good for digestive system, yes.â
âWhatever you say, man.â
The two walked off, leaving the boys crumpled in the grass.
Eddy turned to Double D, already recovered enough to start the blame game. âThis is all your fault.â
âMy fault?! Youâre the one who-â
They paused. Looked at each other. And each saw an expression of dread on the other's face.
âWe have to get that recording back,â they said in unison.
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a/n: goodbye earthlings! àčàŁ ââđžàčàŁ ââ














