Shadowheart cursed under her breath then reached out to remove his vest.

“Ah! Wait!” Tav yelped.

"For what, exactly? For an infection to take hold?” She stopped fiddling with his vest and crossed her arms, “Fine! But take the bloody thing off! Your shirt too."

Tav was in too much pain to snap back. He knew Shadowheart was right, but it was difficult to remove his garments in this state. 

“Nine Hells, even Gale didn’t come out of that with something so egregious, how did this happen?” She noted as she inspected the open wounds. 

Tav grinned sheepishly, “I might’ve tried to reason with the beast.” 

“Reason with an owl bear?!” Shadowheart sighed, “did you learn nothing from our last encounter with one?”

“That one had a cub. This one was a lone male taking a nap in our way. I figured we had a better chance of convincing it to let us through. I even tried offering it some food!” 

Shadowheart rolled her eyes, “next time, just wait for the damn thing to leave.” She held up her hands, now illuminated with magic. “Now stay still, this might take a minute.” 

Tav squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to recoil away from the new sensation. 

“Gods, you’re such a baby.” 

Tav growled, “no I’m n– fuck!” He gasped, “be careful!” 

“Shut up. I’m being as careful as I can.”

Tav sucked in a deep breath and let his head fall back, sweat dripping from his brow. He trusted that Shadowheart knew what she was doing, he just wished she would be gentler about it. 

The throbbing pain was soon replaced with a blanket of warmth that rippled gently over his side. Tav exhaled, the worst seemed to be over. Until his nerves were assaulted with a new sensation, one he was more familiar with than he’d like to admit. 

Tav twitched.

“I said stay still,” Shadowheart scolded. 

Panicked, Tav glanced down, the wound was no longer shimmering with blood like before, but he could tell it was still mending. “How much longer is this going to take?” He stammered as wave after wave of magic caressed his side, making him jolt involuntarily.

“As long as it needs to take. Ugh! Tav! Stop squirming!” 

“I’m not!” Tav protested, his voice rising in pitch. He covered his mouth, trying to will his body not to react to the magic’s touch. No, no, no! Not now! Why now?!

Tav was no stranger to healing magic, he’d experienced several times already out in the open alongside Shadowheart and the others. It always came quickly, only leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated. Could it be affecting him like this now that she was using it gradually instead of casting it all at once?

“Wait…” Shadowheart’s magic went still against Tav’s side. “This… this doesn’t tickle you, does it?” 

Tav looked at Shadowheart with widened eyes. He didn’t dare remove his hands from his mouth, so instead, he shook his head in denial. 

Shadowheart narrowed her eyes... then the magic resume its gentle waves. 

Tav whimpered, pressing his hands harder against his mouth but that would not stop the rest of him from writhing.

Shadowheart chuckled, “this is rather adorable, actually. Has this tickled you before?”

The whole camp already knew that Tav was incredibly ticklish, given that Astarion and Karlach had been tormenting him with it ever since it was discovered. So it couldn’t have been much of a surprise to Shadowheart. However, Tav had never expected her to take advantage of it as well. 

“Shadowheart, please!” Tav pleaded, having uncovered his mouth.

“You can take it, Tav. Just a little longer,” there was a playfulness in her tone that made Tav think that wasn’t the case. He needed her healing, so he didn't dare stop her. But then the magic shifted further up his torso...

Unable to help it any longer, boyish giggles spilled from Tav’s lips as warm puffs of magic glided over his rib cage, arms, and neck. He arched his back and trembled in place as the invisible tickles traveled across his skin, erasing any scratch or bruise in their path; changes he wouldn’t notice until later.

But then magic descended again, spinning over his belly, and Tav’s giggling became louder and steady. He felt so giddy and smiled so wide that his cheeks began to ache. Swirling back up his midsection in what felt like a cloud of feathers, Shadowheart’s magic didn’t leave a single ticklish nerve untouched.

Eventually it faded, leaving Tav curled on the tent floor, shaking with residual giggles. 

“Well, you look like you had a lot of fun,” Shadowheart said, sounding amused. 

Tav hugged himself, stuck with a permanent smile and so happy that he couldn’t even think to reply. For once, he didn’t have to suffer through Astarion’s torturous tickles. 

“A word of advice: next time you want to be tickled, I recommend you go a safer route and just ask Astarion to do it.” 

That was enough to immediately snap Tav out of his blissful state, “what?!” He sat up instantly. “No, no, no – I didn’t like that at all!” He forced out an awkward laugh and proceeded to stammer a reply, “Why–why would you–of course I didn’t like it! That’s so utterly foolish! So childish!” 

Shadowheart snorted, “if I had any doubt before, I certainly don’t now.” She wiggled her fingers at him, embracing a playful side Tav had seen only once until now, “does our charming little bard like to be tickled? Hm?”

Tav’s face flushed a dark red. There was no hiding it now, ‘the cat was out of the bag’ and there was no shoving it back in. He scurried to the tent flap to peek outside, relieved to see the others were around the fire, seemingly oblivious about what just happened.

“Okay, fine, I like it,” Tav whispered harshly, closing the tent flap. “But please, please don’t tell anyone else!” He faced Shadowheart, “especially Astarion!” 

Shadowheart raised a brow, “it seems the man already takes advantage of it whenever he can, why would him knowing you like it make any difference? Wouldn’t that make it better?” 

Tav sat back on his legs and looked at his hands, “I’m… I…” He hung his head, struggling to find the words and wrestle internally with his feelings on the matter. Usually he was so quick with words but when it came to this, well, it wasn’t so easy… 

Fortunately, Shadowheart seemed to take pity on the poor bard, “I don’t quite understand. But since you asked, I won’t tell anyone.”

Tav lifted his head and beamed, “oh, thank you. Thank you!” 

Shadowheart shrugged, “consider this repayment for not prying into my personal business, despite your curious nature.” She stood up and smiled at him, “you’ve no idea how much I’ve appreciated that.” 

Tav rubbed the back of his neck, “then I suppose we’re even.” 

Shadowheart lifted her chin, “now, any other wounds need tickling?” 

Tav stood up to look himself over, relieved to see no more bleeding, oozing wounds anywhere nor the stinging pain that accompanied them. “Nope! I think I’m all put together again, thanks to you! Well, aside from my clothes–” 

He froze, realizing his mistake, then stared at Shadowheart, “oh, you’re think you’re so funny, don’t you?”

“You seemed to think so,” Shadowheart winked and left Tav in his tent.

It was a long, tiring day of adventuring. Tav’s bags were bursting with the group’s newly acquired loot. Scrolls and books for Gale, wine and daggers for Astarion, and an oddly specific cheese that Minsc insisted Boo wanted. They trudged over to Shadowheart’s tent and plopped down on her stool with a weary sigh. 

“Tired, love?”

Tav felt two familiar hands rest on their shoulders from behind. They turned and smiled up at Shadowheart. They were still getting used to her new white hair, but she never looked so beautiful. The lighter hair color softened her features. Tav swore she was an angel in disguise.

“Exhausted,” they admitted. They craned their head up for a kiss. “I missed you. You’re like a tall glass of water at the end of a long day..”

She smirked. “Well, that’s certainly romantic. I haven’t heard that one before,” she chuckled and met them halfway to peck their lips. Tav hummed and moved to deepen the kiss, but she pulled away suddenly, putting a finger where her lips were. “Though I hope you’re not too tired to deliver on a promise you made this morning.”

“Never,” Tav kissed her finger, then her palm before she could move her hand away. Grinning, they pulled the cleric into their arms, sitting her down on their lap. “I’m looking forward to making sandcastles later. The date is still very much on.”

Shadowheart giggled, fidgeting in their arms until she was able to straddle them. She cupped their face in her hands and leaned in, her hair tickling their nose. “Good. I’m glad you take your promises seriously.”

It seemed as if she was going to kiss them again. And, with the way they gazed up at her, it seemed cruel to deny them. 

But kiss them she did not. Tav had already closed their eyes, had already pursed their lips, only to be left wanting. They opened their eyes, confused, and Shadowheart’s smirk broadened. 

“Tonight, then. Do not keep me waiting.”

Oh, she could be cruel. But honestly? Tav wouldn’t have it any other way. 

When night fell, and the rest of their companions were engaged in their own plans, Tav found Shadowheart in the same clearing where they previously spent the night. It was quiet, save for the chirping crickets or the sound of the waves lapping at the shoreline. Shadowheart didn’t turn around immediately when they approached. It seemed as if she was lost in thought; her eyes scanned the water for something, and whatever it was, Tav didn’t see it. Tav cleared their throat. 

“Everything okay, love? You aren’t having second thoughts, I hope?”

Shadowheart finally turned around. She shook her head. “No. Just getting lost in my head again. But, we can talk about it another day.”

It warmed Tav’s heart to know that she finally trusted them enough to talk to them. It made their love that much more cherished to them. Tav nodded understandingly. There was a beat before Shadowheart arched a brow, making a turning motion with her hand. 

“Well, don’t just stand there. Turn around.” 

Tav blinked and, chuckling, did what she asked. They folded their hands behind their back while they waited for her to disrobe. Shadowheart hummed, amused. 

“You’re not even trying to peek?” She feigned bewilderment, letting her cloak fall from around her shoulders. “I’ll admit, I’m a little offended.”

Tav faced a decision: take Shadowheart’s bait, or behave themselves? Their mind pulled them in two opposite directions. 

Look at her. 

Don’t do it. 

Do it!

Don’t--

Oh, to hells with it. Tav slowly turned to face her.

“You just asked me to﹘”

Discarded clothing hit them square in the gullet before they could finish. Tav tumbled back a few steps with a surprised yell. Unlike before, Shadowheart wore a purple bikini, the likes of which they found at Carm’s Garms. She looked good in any color, but purple was her color. 

“You’re lucky all I had to throw was my clothing,” Shadowheart’s laughter carried on the wind as she hurried to the water. Now that this wasn’t her first time swimming, she felt more confident to enter the water on her own. Tav tossed her clothing somewhere on the sand, stripped to their own swimwear, and chased after her. 

Tav was a seasoned swimmer, so it didn’t take long for them to catch up. They moved through the water like a fish, or a mer-folk, and gave her a good splash the second she turned around. Shadowheart sputtered and recoiled, hair now soaked. 

“Hey!” She shouted and palmed her face, wiping the excess water away. Tav grinned.

“You’re lucky all I had to splash you with was water,” Tav playfully echoed her and splashed her again, laughing at her indignant squeal. The ex-Sharran’s expression darkened into something mischievous.

“You’re going to pay for that.”

Suddenly, she lunged at them. Tav screamed and brought their hands up to defend themselves. Water and hands were flying until her slender fingers prodded into their tummy. Tav screamed even louder before giving way to startled laughter. 

“Nahahaha! S-Shihihit! Ah! Shadowheheheheart!” Tav squealed and alternated between batting at her hands and keeping themselves afloat. “Nohoho! I-I only splashed youhuhu-!”

“You did. Two times in fact.” Shadowheart kneaded her thumbs into their hips, and they laughed louder. She kept it up even as they tried to grab onto her hands. “I think I’m owed more than a little payback.”

“Nohohot tihihihickles!” In truth, Tav didn’t mind tickling, and Shadowheart knew it. It’s just that whenever she got her hands on them, she could be wicked, a situation that seemed likelier the more she scribbled away at their hips, sides, and tummy. Tav flopped around like a metaphorical fish out of water before an escape opportunity presented itself. The water and their squirming made it hard for her to maintain a firm grip, so when they were able to slip away, they swam towards the shoreline as fast as their legs would take them. 

“Oh no you don’t!” 

Tav heard her swim after them, and they weren’t ten steps onto the shoreline before she tackled them down. She easily pinned them on their back and hummed.

“Did you really think I’d let you escape?” Shadowheart rested her hands on their rib cage, subtly curling and uncurling her fingers against the bones. Tav squirmed, giggling nervously. They tried again and again to sit up, but she wasn’t having it. “You should’ve known better than to start a fight that you couldn’t finish.”

“I was just--hahaha! Just plahahahying!” Tav squeaked and curled inwards, giggling madly. Shadowheart grinned. 

“I see. Well then, this is how I want to play..”

Shadowheart dragged her nails up to where their ribs met the start of their armpits. She’d follow the same path and return to their ribs instead of digging into the hollows, intentionally toying with them. Tav thrashed and arched their back, squeaking and giggling. The volume of their giggles would change depending on where she went; soft giggles as she moved to their armpits, loud giggles when she skimmed over their ribs.  

“Ohohoho gahahaha! Nohoho!” Tav flinched and threw their head back when she slid her fingers up and down their ribs at an intentional slow pace. “Geheheht off mehehehe!”

“Oh? You’ve never complained about me being on top before,” The cleric smirked and gently clawed at the spaces between the ribs. “Quite the opposite, in fact.”

Tav thrashed and tried to roll onto their side. Their cheeks flushed under the glow of the moon. 

“Thahaht waahahasn’t the sahahame!” They made an attempt to argue, only to wheeze when she squeezed further down their torso. This time, she traced patterns over their sides with her nails, occasionally poking at their belly. Tav’s legs kicked against the ground as their giggles picked up to laughter. 

“Not all too different. Here you are, beneath me, making the most adorable sounds..” She cooed and moved her pointer finger in small circles along their belly. “I can recall many a night where you did the same.”

“Shahaha! Shadowhehehehart!” Tav bucked their hips and squealed as she pinched the side of their belly. They knew what was coming, and the ticklish anticipation weighed on their bones. “Plehehehease! I’m sss—ahhh!”

Shadowheart toyed with them for long enough. She suddenly worked her nails up and down the length of their tummy, kneading and scritching, and Tav screamed. They threw their head back again and cackled. Amidst their laughter, she quietly chuckled. “Hmhm, adorable.”

If Tav’s cheeks flushed any more, they were sure they’d catch on fire. Her hands dipped lower to their hips, another awfully ticklish spot, and she kneaded over the bones. Tav bucked their hips and laughed harder. 

“NOHOHOHO! D-Dohohn’t—tahahahaha!” Tav tossed from one side to the other, but her hands stayed put. “I’m sohohohohorry!”

“Sorry enough that you’d splash me twice?” Shadowheart lightly scoffed. “Unlikely. I think you can give a better apology than that.” She gave what could be called encouraging squeezes just a hair above the hip bones, then jumped back to their sides and tummy. Tav dipped further into hysterics. 

“I cahahahan’t,” Tav’s loud laughter dropped back to giggling as Shadowheart slowed her determined tickling back into softer, teasing strokes. Her fingers creeped up to their armpits and, even with them keeping their arms down, she was able to prod into the hollows. 

“Maybe you just need more encouragement,” Keeping one hand scritching into their underarm, Shadowheart swiveled her head and brought her braid over her shoulder. Surely she didn’t mean to-

Then they felt it. The tip of her braid stroked over their tummy, sides, and hips in featherlight strokes. This time, Tav’s squealing laughter could most likely be heard by the denizens of Baldur’s Gate. They inadvertently snorted as they helplessly writhed and bucked underneath her. Somehow, her braid felt even more ticklish than a feather would have been. 

“Keep laughing like that, and someone’s bound to hear you in the Elfsong..” Shadowheart smirked and dug her thumb into their other armpit, hair braid moving in circles around their navel. “You’ll have our friends wondering why making sandcastles is so entertaining.”

Tav’s eyes shut from the force of their laughter, trapping the mirthful tears. Eventually, Shadowheart eased off of them, tossing her hair back over her shoulder when they were just a puddle of giggles. They panted and looked up at her.

“You’re ehehevil,” Tav accused, still giggling and now blinking away the tears. She laid beside them and pecked both of their cheeks.