#ler!roman

~~~

Roman scratched into Virgil’s sides, causing him to flail around, his fight-or-flight instincts kicking the moment the prince’s hands gripped his sides. Roman is laughing alongside Virgil who was trying everything to curl up.

“FAHAHAHAHAHACK!!” “Ooh! Knight in Scary Armor is trying to strike me down! Fear not, Virgil! For I will vanquish your boredom!” “Rohohohoman! Stop- MY SIHIHIHIHIDES!”

Roman sighed dramatically before going to Virgil’s hip bones.

“THAHAHAHAHAT’S WORSE!!” “Tickle tickle tickle, Sparkles~”

Virgil hadn’t even noticed the formation of his purple eyeshadow on his face. So now it was bright as day that he was lying about this. That emo eek didn’t mind the creative aspect’s tickling hands poking and prodding him, even on one of his worst spots.

“You can try to say it all you want but I know the truth~”

Roman’s sing-songy tone made Virgil all the more giggly.

“Yohohohou aren’t gohohoing to let up, huhuh?” “Nope!”

---

"Another day at the most magical place on Earth." Roman said as he and Virgil walked to work.

"It's not the parks, Roman. It's a stupid retail store in a mall." Virgil said gruffly. It was true. Their destination was a crappy old Disney store in a half-empty mall.

"But it's Disney, Virgil. Disney! Aside from working at the actual parks, how could this get better?" Roman almost sang the last sentence, as if this retail job was a magical blessing for them.

"They could pay us more than nine dollars an hour, for starters."

"Oh, come now, Drab and Dreary. Why would you apply if you didn't love the magic at least a little?"

Virgil shrugged. "Cause I get to work with my partner instead of a bunch of strangers."

Roman clicked his tongue and let out a soft "Aw."

Virgil rolled his eyes as the two stepped into the store. It was relatively empty with just a few groups of customers checking out their massive selection of over-priced goods. Just as they were clocking in at the register their manager stepped out of the backroom with a smile.

"Hey, kiddos. Just letting you know, we have a very exciting event today!"

Virgil sighed. An 'event' at work was never good. All he wanted was a normal day. Even better would be a dead day where no one came in and he'd just get to talk with his boyfriend as they stocked shelves. But it was a Saturday, so no dice on it being empty. And now an event? Fucking fantastic...

"Greetings, Patton! What special event is it today?" Roman replied cheerily as always. Normally his sunshine-y disposition was comforting to Virgil. All times except at work. Customer service turned Virgil from a stormy snarky emo into a people-loathing ball of fury.

"In celebration of the live action Lilo and Stitch coming out, Stitch will be making an appearance at our store!"

While Roman gasped in delight while Virgil narrowed his eyes.

"Who's going to be Stitch?" Virgil asked.

"Whoever wants to be!" Patton said.

Roman immediately shot his hand in the air. "Me! Me! Pick me!"

Patton laughed and pointed. "I pick Roman!" He smiled wide as Roman pumped his fist in victory. "Virgil can you go help him put it on while I man the front counter?"

Virgil shrugged, liking the idea of hanging in the back with Roman instead of being where customers were.

"The costume's in a duffle bag behind the plush shelf. If you need help don't hesitate to grab me!"

Roman led the way with an extra pep in his stride with Virgil following behind him.

As they stepped into the stock room Roman quickly located the duffle bag and dug through it, quickly finding the costume and holding it up.

It was a massive stitch head that looked pretty accurate to the show with a fluffy body suit hanging from it.

"Oh. My. STARS! It's so cute! And fluffy!"

Virgil snickered at his enthusiasm but his smile quickly dropped to a frown. "Hold that up so the bottom is just touching the ground."

Roman did as he was told and he noticed it too.

The very top of Stitch's head barely reached Roman's ear. There was no way six foot two Roman was going to fit in that.

"Oh, for goodness sake. I get the chance to be an actual Disney character at a Disney location and I'm too flippin' tall!"

Virgil groaned. "I'll grab Patton."

Within five minutes Patton was now staring at the same predicament in the stock room as Roman and Virgil.

"Well, now, the solution's easy!"

"It is?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, Virgil will wear it!"

"What?!" Virgil half-shouted.

"Easy, kiddo. It's simple! Roman will help you get in it. He'll guide you around the store. You'll give out high-fives and hugs. You don't talk at all. Easy!"

Roman sighed dramatically. "Fiiiiiine. If I can't be cute and fluffy, I'll watch my dear boyfriend be cute and fluffy for me."

"Oh, bite me."

"C'mon, Virge." Patton whined. "Remy's out sick and as the manager on duty I need to be able to work the computers and talk to customers. You're our only hope!"

Virgil rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Oh, good. Thanks, kiddo. See you on the floor!" Patton waved and left the backroom, leaving the couple alone in the back with a Stitch costume.

"Well, Scaramore? Ready to embody Ohana?" Roman said, holding up the suit.

"Do you even know how to get that thing on?"

"I've worn many a costume in my years of theater. I'm sure I can figure it out!" Roman examined the Disney-ified fursuit with a raised eyebrow while Virgil took off his jacket and threw it on the nearby desk, figuring it'd be hot enough in the suit without the jackets help. Thankfully underneath he just had a tank top which was cooler than his usual sweater or long sleeve.

Roman pulled the body while holding the head and the two came apart. The head had two loops hanging from the bottom which the neck of the suit had been stretched around.

"Okay, so, I'm pretty sure these go around your arms. You'll step into the back of the suit when we unzip it, then you put on the head, then the paws."

Roman set the suit and head down and dug through the bag again. "Here's the foot paws." He stood up with said costume item in hand. "They go over your foot and strap onto the bottom. I don't think your boots are gonna fit so take those off."

"Great. Walking around a dirty mall store in just my socks. Wonderful." Virgil groused as he started unzipping his boots.

"Tell that raincloud above your head to move it. You love theater and acting! You may hate the spotlight, but you're not in the spotlight. You're under a giant character mask. You don't even have to smile!" Roman rambled as he continued to examine the costume.

Virgil slid off his footwear and stepped onto the cool tile in his dark purple socks. "Okay, fair point. I can deal with little kids and scowl the whole time and they don't even know."

"There you go!" Roman grabbed the body suit and unzipped the back. "Just step inside and then we'll put on the head."

Virgil grabbed onto Roman's shoulder to steady himself as he stepped into the thick fluffy costume. Roman then helped him shimmy it up his body up to his ribs.

"Now before you put on the sleeves we put on the head and do the straps under your arms." Roman grabbed the mascot head and raised it high. "Sit down on the chair so I may properly gift you your crown."

"Getting to sit at a retail job? Hallelujah." Virgil smirked and sat as he was told.

"Here we go!" Roman slowly lowered the head onto Virgil.

Virgil watched as the world darkened and his peripheral vision disappeared, now staring through two dim eye holes.

"Smells like vinegar in here."

"Vinegar? That's a new one."

Virgil shrugged.

"Raise your arms." Again, Virgil did as he was told.

It was all going well and good, getting into a Disney fursuit, until Roman's fingers swiped at his underarms.

Virgil sharply inhaled and flinched away purely by instinct. Fuuuuck that.

"Virgil? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Princey. Just be careful."

"Are you hurt?" Roman asked and, annoyingly, decided to prod the area very soflty.

Virgil violently jolted away from the touch and shouted. "Just put the fucking straps on!"

"Well that's what I was trying to do when you decided to be a big baby about it." Roman lightly tugged on the straps in his hands, thus yanking on the head of the suit. "Here, let's try again." This time his fingers were so insanely delicate as they wrapped the tight straps around his armpits that Virgil couldn't help the noise that escaped his lips.

Roman paused in the middle of his attempt, his fingers still in his pits. "Was that a laugh?"

Virgil was gritting his teeth trying to pull himself together. "No." He winced at the crack in his voice.

There was long terrifying pause.

"Viiiiiiirgil..." Roman wiggled his fingers and Virgil snorted.

"Juhust get thehe fuhucking straps on!"

Roman broke up into a fit of laughter. "You're ticklish. This is tickling you. That's priceless! Old dark and broody over here is tiiiiiicklish~" Roman's fingers picked up their pace, now prodding and fluttering at the sensitive flesh. Virgil's arms shot to his side and he couldn't help but crack up into helpless laughter.

"B-Bahahahastard! Fuhuhuhuck OHOHOFF!"

He couldn't see much, but he could FEEL Roman's shit-eating grin beaming at his expense.

"Tickle tickle tickle-me-emo!" He purred. Virgil felt his face go hot, and not just because the mascot head was warming up.

"Shuhuhut thehehe fuhuhuck uhuhuhup!"

Roman snickered. "You sound the opposite of intimidating. You've got the laugh of a little kid. It's adorable!"

Virgil shot his hands up, gripped Roman's wrists with as much might as he could muster, and pried them from his underarms.

"Alright, fine. We do need to get this costume on." Roman laughed as Virgil took a few deep breaths to smother the last of the giggling.

"I will end you." Virgil glared up at Roman but he couldn't see him past the cartoon alien head.

"Now, raise your arms."

"You're gonna tickle me again!"

Roman chuckled. "No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"If you keep arguing with me I will tickle you again. Just raise your arms, you whiny baby!"

Virgil growled and raised his arms.

As soon as Roman started looping one of the straps under his arm, they slammed down to his side again.

Roman busted up laughing. "Virgil, I swear I'm not trying to tickle you this time."

"Bullshit!"

"I swear to Zeus! Raise them back up."

Virgil groaned loudly.

"If you bring them down again I will tickle the crap out of you."

"Shuuuuut the fuck up." Virgil groaned even louder to a comical degree.

Roman held the straps on his shoulders. "I'm going to loop these around your arms. You are going to KEEP your arms up until I'm done. Alright?"

"Just fucking do it."

Roman quickly wrapped the loops around Virgil's arms successfully! Right before the arms came crashing down. Well, as down as they could be. The straps actually held Virgil's arms up halfway.

"I told you to keep them up!"

"Whatever! They're done, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but I'm not done with you." Roman snickered and began wiggling his fingers up and down Virgil's ribs and sides. "Tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle!" He cooed in a babyish voice.

Virgil exploded into loud hiccupy laughter. "ROHOHO! Yohohou DIHIHICK!" He jolted side to side, and, horrifyingly, found that he couldn't lower his arms enough to fight off the offending fingers. That coupled with the fact that he couldn't even see the damn fingers attacking him made everything waaaay worse. "STAHAHAHAPPIT!"

"Aaaaand... release!" Roman raised his hands, releasing Virgil from the ticklish sensations.

Virgil panted and tried to rub the remaining tingling away but couldn't!

"I am... going... to KILL YOU!"

"You don't mean that." Roman raised and kissed Virgil's hand and Virgil only forgave him a little bit.

"Fucking watch me."

"Alright, alright." Roman said dismissively. "Now stand up so I can zip up the back."

"No more tickling while I'm trying to get in the fucking costume, okay?" Virgil snapped.

Roman stepped directly in front of the stitch head and stared into the eye holes so Virgil could actually see him. "I promise not to tickle you anymore today while trying to get you into the costume."

Virgil supposed that would do. Roman didn't break promises.

"Alright." Virgil stood. "Zip me up, Princey."

"With pleasure, my dear."

As said, Roman zipped him up and put on his hand paws with no more tickling. Virgil actually let himself relax.

Then came the foot paws.

"Give me your foot." Roman had taken a knee and had in his hand one of the giant foot paws. Virgil begrudgingly acquiesced and gave him his foot. As soon as Roman held it, his fingers gently resting on his sole, he jerked back as much as the costume would allow.

Roman laughed. "As I promised I'm not intentionally tickling you."

"You promised not to tickle me at all. Purposeful or accidental."

"It's not my fault you're so damn ticklish!"

Virgil gave a hilariously over dramatic groan, trying to cover up his embarrassment. "Just be careful, dammit!"

"I am TRYING."

Roman grabbed the edges of the foot paw and quickly slid it over Virgil's foot, only tickling him a little bit, which was still enough to garner a squeak.

"One more paw and you're fully ready to get out there."

"Thank god."

One more quick slide of the paw and one more snicker and the costume was on!

Roman stepped back and admired it all. "I can't believe Stitch himself is blessing our store with his presence."

Only for Roman would Virgil ever do this...

"Ohana means family." Virgil said gruffly. Roman positively BEAMED. "Family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten."

Roman squealed and pulled Virgil in for a giant hug. "That was adorable!" Roman made another squeal of delight. "This is the best day of my life."

"Don't get used to it."

Roman pulled away and grabbed Virgil's hand. "Now let's get out there and meet some guests."

As Virgil was guided through the hall leading to the sales floor, he understood why he needed someone holding his hand. He couldn't see shit.

When they were on the floor he rarely saw a kid before Roman pointed them out. He'd see a small circle of the area with people passing him by and hear something like. "Hello there! Do you want to get a picture with Stitch?"

Virgil would crouch down and search for the child, find them, and offer a high-five or hug. Then pose with the kid for pics.

It was indeed hot in the suit. He was starting to sweat with all the fur and insultation as they walked around and interacted with guests.

After Stitch's allotted time and after Virgil's feet with no support started to ache standing and walking on hardwood, Patton let everyone know that Stitch was leaving for now and to say goodbye to him. Virgil waved silently and was led back to the backroom.

"You did amazingly, Stormcloud. How was it? Did you have fun?" Roman asked as he led him to the stock room.

"Not the worst way to spend a shift. And I got paid for it, so, that's nice."

"Wonderful. Now for our next order of business." Roman unzipped Virgil's back, pulled off his hand paws, and pulled the body suit to around his waist. Virgil then sat in the chair, ready for the head to be removed as Roman moved in front of him.

"I can't wait to be out of this th- HEY!" Virgil yelped as Roman fluttered his fingers at his exposed pits.

"What's the matter?" Roman snickered.

"You promised-"

"I promised not to tickle you while you were getting IN the suit. I said nothing about getting out."

"You motherfucker I swear-" Virgil was cut off when Roman started tickling every inch of him he had access to, his underarms, his ribs, his sides... "Ihihihih'm gohohohonna kihihihill yohohohohou!"

"So you've said."

It didn't take long for Romans tickling fingers to find Virgil's belly.

Virgil absolutely HOWLED with laughter as soon as Roman attacked it.

"Ohoho! Did I find your tickle spot?" Roman teased.

Virgil was going insane. Sure, the tickling itself was bad, with embarrassingly hysterical laughter being punched from his gut with every breath, but his inability to defend himself even a little or even fucking SEE the tickling was driving him nuts. All he could do was thrash in the chair he was practically being straddled in.

And when Roman's hand slipped under his shirt and a finger dipped into his navel, Virgil SHRIEKED.

"CRAHAHAP! STAHAHAHAPPIT!"

"Why would I? You seem like you're having fun. I know you're smiling under there!"

"FUHUHUHUCK OHOHOHOFF!"

In the hall, a door opened with a squeak.

"Kiddos?"

The tickling sensations stopped.

"I don't know what's going on back here but can you please not scream? Me and a couple customers were worried."

Oh god.

"Sorry. Virgil's just so ticklish it's hard to get him out of costume."

Oh Virgil was MORTIFIED.

Virgil stomped his foot hard on Roman's toes.

"OW! What the Hell was that for?"

"For tickling me, you ass!"

Patton broke up a fit of giggles. "You guys were having a tickle fight?"

Virgil's face was burning and he was so glad it was covered.

"A very one-sided fight, yes." Roman agreed.

"Okay, kiddos. Just keep it down, and do get him out of the costume soon. I expect traffic to pick up a bit." Patton chuckled and left. As soon as the door opened and shut Virgil punched Roman in the shoulder.

"Ow! Oh, you're asking for it now."

Virgil held up his hands. "We're supposed to be quiet!"

"Guess you'll just have to stay quiet cause we're not done. You still have foot paws to take off." Roman said smugly. "But, first. I need to see your smiling face."

Virgil glared, though he knew his boyfriend couldn't see it.

"Which means..." Roman tapped his finger at Virgil's underarm.

Virgil let out a reluctant whine causing Roman to chuckle in amusement.

"You can take it." He said and grabbed the velcro part of the straps. "Ready?"

"No!"

"Too bad."

Roman didn't even pretend he wasn't trying to tickle him. That bastard took his sweet ass time pulling the straps around his armpits while skittering his free fingers at the exposed skin.

Virgil's core was starting to ache from laughter and it was getting on his nerves.

"There!" Roman raised his hands and Let Virgil slam his arms down ot his sides and catch his breath. "Now let's see that pretty face."

Virgil would've given anything to have pulled himself together to give Roman the mother of all scowls.

Instead Roman got to see his burning face with a shaky wobbly smile plastered over it.

"Awwww, there he is."

"Your days are numbered."

"You know, Stitch still has to get his foot paws off."

Virgil narrowed his eyes.

Roman did the same.

The two were still.

Then they both launched for Virgil's feet. Roman grabbed one, yanked it close, and began spidering his fingers at the socked sole underneath the paw. Virgil immediately fell out of the chair cackling.

"Shhhhh. Don't wanna scare the customers do we?" Roman cooed.

Virgil instantly slammed a hand over his mouth, trying desperately to smother his never-ending hysterical laughter as he pounded the floor with his free hand.

"Tickle tickle, my dear. I just want you to know..." Roman leaned in close to his partner's ear. "I am NEVER letting this go."

"Stohohohohop! P-PLEHEHEHEHEASE AHAHAHAHA!"

And his foot was released. Virgil yanked his foot back and reached down to rub his sole. The bodysuit around his waist and foot paws made it difficult but he was desperate enough to make it work.

"Alright, Captain Giggles, let's get you out of the suit for real." Roman gripped the two paws and yanked them off with one swift motion.

"I'll take it from here!" Virgil growled.

Roman laughed and stood back with his hands up in a mock surrender. Virgil shakily stood up and shimmied the suit off his body.

Finally. Fucking finally. He was completely out of the damn suit.

"You!" Virgil turned and pointed at his partner with a snarl. "You are so dead."

"Aw, come now. Don't pretend you didn't have fun."

"In no fucking universe was that fun."

"Psh. You love it when we mess with each other." Roman jabbed a finger at Virgil's chest. "And I know you. I know when you're serious and when you're playing. That was play fighting. Don't pretend I'm wrong. I know I'm right."

Virgil scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

The two were alerted with a squeaking open and close of a door.

"You kiddos about finished? We got a bit of a rush." Patton entered. "Oh, and I hope you had fun, Virgil. Cause Stitch has three more appearances today! Roman will you help Virgil get dressed again in about an hour?"

The two looked at each other. One with fear, One with absolute delight.

---

Virgil sighed as the round was coming to a close.

He didn't know why he agreed to go on this game show with Roman and Janus but here he was. It was pretty anxiety inducing to go on a gameshow where the game changes every episode so he had no way to prepare for it.

Lucky him, they were all on the lie detector episode. The best part was watching Janus get marked as lying pretty much every round and losing points. Thankfully so far the questions hadn't been too invasive. Some mildly embarrassing stuff like 'do you cry at movies' which had been a reluctant 'yes' from him, a confident 'of course' from Roman and a vehement 'no' from Janus which immediately got clocked as a lie.

The worst part was when they were all told to say something wholesome about themselves, which meant Virgil admitted that he checks on his roommates at night to make sure they're safe and sleeping well. The resounding 'aw' from the crew and his contestants had him blushing the slightest bit.

"Final question of the round!" The host announced. Roman sighed in relief but Janus and Virgil eyed each other, knowing this last question would clearly be the most intimate.

"Virgil. Are you ticklish? Bonus points if you can tell me where." The host eyed them with a smug smile.

Virgil suppressed the urge to curse out the writer of that one and instead mustered his most convincing poker face with a firm 'Nope.'

"Hm. Machine?" The host turned to the machine which lit up red with a loud buzzer sound. he studio broke out into snickers. "Machine says it's a lie."

"This is bullshit. Lie detectors don't exist. Whoever's controlling this is just trying to embarrass us." Virgil growled, glaring at the damn thing that was probably just cardboard and a lightbulb.

"Ooh, someone's getting defensive." The host chuckled.

"I'm not getting defensive. I'm just stating facts." Virgil crossed his arms with a grimace. Little did he know that Roman had abandoned his post and was sneaking up behind him. Maybe if he had been more perceptive he would've noticed the host's giddy grin and eager eyes or the anticipatory smiles of the crew behind the cameras.

Roman latched his hands on Virgil's sides and quickly started squeezing and scribbling.

Virgil gasped and burst into helpless giggles as he desperately pushed on the offending hands.

"Oh, sorry, what was that about not being ticklish?" Roman grinned with victory and satisfaction at the blushing giggly man coming undone at his touch. His heart fluttered at the high-pitched hysterical giggles flooding out of his mouth.

"Ooooh, called out on your lie by your fellow contestant!" The host announced. The studio was awash in amused chuckling, even from Janus.

"Okayokayokayokahahahay! Ihi'm tihihicklish now gehet off!" Roman stepped back and put his hands up in the air with a smirk.

Virgil panted a bit, trying to catch his breath, as he rubbed his hands at his sides which were still tingling after the attack. He rolled his eyes at the machine lighting up green, indicating that yes, he was ticklish. As if it needed to be confirmed.

"Do you wanna admit where for bonus points? The host grinned.

"Gee, where do you think?" Virgil's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Maybe right here?" Roman asked and quickly skittered his fingers along Virgil's side, causing the younger man to burst into giggles yet again, but this time he stumbled to the side away from the tickling.

"Yeah, fine, okay, my sides. I better be earning those damn points."

The host snickered. "You earned them."

His podium dinged with an update to his score.

"Roman. Your question: Are you ticklish? Bonus points for tickle spots."

"Indeed I am. My underarms are horrifically sensitive."

Virgil rolled his eyes at Roman's lack of shame and the audible ping letting them all know the points he gained. Then he got a small smirk. He quietly stepped closer to Roman and shot his hands towards the unprotected tickle spot.

As soon as he made contact, Roman spun around and grabbed his wrists. "Oh no you don't." Virgil's eyes widened as Roman yanked his arms close with one hand and used his other to scribble across his sides and belly.

"NAHA! Rohohohoman yohohou DIHIHICK! Stahahahappit!" Virgil managed to squeak out some comprehensible words between fits of laughter.

"Oh! Attack was dodged and counterattack made. Poor Virgil, he's just not having a good day." The host narrated as if at a sports match.

The studio again was full of amused snickering at Virgil's expense.

Roman quickly relented and released Virgil's arms. Virgil immediately clutched his stomach as he tried to smother the last of his giggle fit. When he glanced at the crew behind the camera all smiling at him he felt his face flush.

"Janus. Your question: Are you ticklish?"

"Not at all."

The machine, predictably, lit up as a lie.

"Hm. Machine says you're lying."

"Roman I see you scheming in the corner of my eye if you try anything I'll replace your shampoo with black dye."

Roman raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not worth it."

"That's no points for Janus. That ends the final round!"

Virgil sighed. He had made it through the game but it took him being tickled on a show that would be on a streaming service. Not the best trade, but too late now.