#ler!wise

Wise didn't know why he'd expected a different outcome. He knew he couldn't stand this type of movie and how it would probably cost him that night's sleep, but he still agreed to watch it together with Manato when the invitation came up to him.

Now, here he was: His muscles tensed, rigid as stone while he waited for the next jumpscare to play on the screen. Wise was barely paying attention to the plot at that point, too focused in trying to not make a fool out of himself with his reactions.

Of course, hoping any of this went unnoticed was a far, far stretch. Manato noticed something was off by the first time the monsters appeared, but Wise insisted in finishing the tape whenever he asked about it. And even if he couldn't help but pity the Proxy a little, this was a classic among horror movies, how could he think of stopping it on his own?

It had all the things a good horror movie should have and had been widely praised for its special effects and dark storyline. Besides, the title song had been sung by none other than Asta Yao, which gave it that certain something.

Manato glanced over at the other, who was nervously chewing on his popcorn, eyes glued to the screen, as if he could somehow analyze- and predict its outcome to mentally prepare himself. He was taking this so seriously, he should really relax and enjoy himself.

A light smile crossed the corner of his lips, he reminded him so much of A-Cing and A-Yuet right now, acting just like when they had tried to act cool during the one time they watched a "horror" movie. The Thiren's hand moved before he could think of it and he laid it around Wise's shoulder, pulling him a bit closer to himself.

"...Don't force yourself, Wise. Are you really fine with continuing to watch?" he asked for the umpteenth time, just to make sure the Proxy was enjoying himself as well. The answer, however, was still the same as before.

An hesitant nod, a strained smile and a “Of course” in a shaky voice. Wise already felt proud of himself for not jumping to the roof with Manato’s sudden touch, so he just tried to convince himself he could still make it to the credits.

“We are already halfway into it,” Wise sighed, looking up to Manato and using the moment as an excuse to not pay attention to the movie, “I can finish it.” “Hmm,” Manato arched an eyebrow, the uncertainty in Wise’s words not even close to being subtle.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but a loud sound from the movie captured his, and Wise’s, attention again. The ethereal had just bursted through the front door, making the protagonist gasp and hold her breath as she pressed herself against the wall, hoping to remain unnoticed.

The tension of the scene weightened on the duo’s shoulder, one taking it better than the other. Wise couldn’t comfort himself with just the popcorn anymore, unconsciously pressing himself against Manato and having one hand clinging to the other’s clothes.

Manato only let his arm hang around Wise’s shoulder a bit longer and even leaned a bit forward, eagerly waiting for the end of the scene and, if it wasn’t tucked behind him, his tail would probably be wagging by then.

The movie’s atmosphere seemed to expand beyond the screen, Wise anticipating it as if he was about to become one of the monster’s victims while Manato couldn’t wait for the next bits of action and thrill. The scene went on, the sound of the floor creaking beneath the ethereal’s feet getting quieter as the creature walked off the screen.

The protagonist, with her mouth still covered, shifted slightly, trying to check if the monster was really gone. RAWR!! "HIYAHH!" Wise screamed just as the ethereal popped up from God knows where, right in front of the poor protagonist whose face had turned corpse-like pale upon being eyes to eyes with it.

The air seemed to prickle as time got slower as the beast moved forward. Wise averted his gaze, knowing what was about to happen, and closed his eyes, rubbing his face into Manato's side. He didn’t want to see it. "Nooo!" he screamed in harmony with his digital comrade-in-suffering, who just found her brutal end, the sounds making his hackles raise.

Manato had been surprised as well, his ears twitching as the sudden scream beside him shook him out of his concentration and he looked down at the Proxy. If the whole scenario wouldn't have been due to a horror movie, he would've laughed, finding the situation quite hilarious... whereas he could feel his lips tremble as he suddenly did feel the urge to laugh.

"Pffft... W-Wise hehEhy stoHohop!" he stuttered, feeling bad for kinda laughing at him. Now, to be fair, he couldn't really fight against the ticklish feeling caused by the Proxy himself, who was still eagerly nuzzling his face against his flank, trying to cut out the scene that had already ended and had switched to a more… non-horror-like segment.

The Thiren, unable to withstand the other's touch any longer without going nuts, gently pushed Wise away. "Seriously, you can't be such a scaredy-cat," he mumbled, lying his head to the side and giving him a sheepish smile. Their eyes met and to his surprise, he saw the other biting on his lips all of a sudden, lips trembling before Wise started to giggle.

Did he miss something? The Proxy shook his head, reaching for Manato’s hands that rested against his shoulders. “I’m sorry, I’m really not good with these movies,” Wise sighed, his tone a little lighter and lacking the tension he exhaled moments ago. Maybe he finally managed to relax after seeing that the scary part was over?

“I told you to not force yourself to watch it,” Manato scoffed, frowning a little at Wise’s confession. He knew it from the very start, truth to be told. It had been barely ten minutes since the movie started and the Proxy was already shivering with fear. Still, Manato felt a little guilty now that the truth was revealed, or, rather, confirmed.

“I was fine with just renting the tape.” “I know, I know,” Wise mumbled, reaching for the controller and pointing it at the TV to pause the movie, “but we never really watch movies you like, just the ones for A-Cing and A-Yuet.” Manato averted his gaze, scratching the back of his neck. “These movies are too scary for children, and-”

“Are you calling me a child?” Wise teased, seeing the little nervousness as he caught Manato in the middle of his track of thought. “Ye- no! I mean, it’s just that… you a-are a little similar to them! Your taste, I mean,” Manato explained with widened eyes, shaking one hand defensively in front of himself.

He knew it was a lie, there was no chance his little siblings would be interested in those black-and-white movies Wise liked to watch and talk about. “...and in some other aspects too…” Wise chuckled, Manato was just so fun to tease. “Such as?”

The other thought for a second, hardly thinking how he could talk himself out of it. He couldn't just blurt out what was on his mind without hurting the other’s feelings. Wise could get sulky - another aspect he shared with the kids.

"...Well, you know... you- ahem, ahh yes, you also love sweet popcorn and, hehe, the one movie with the Bangboo knight we watched last week with the kids... you really seemed to be into it as well..." Manato began, averting the Proxy's eyes that were still staring at him. Why did he have to make these reproachful eyes?

"You just love that happy stuff... a-and not the heavy stuff..." Wise's mouth opened and closed a few times. "So, basically, I'm childish, after all, and not made to watch horror, now?" he fake-gasped, biting on his lips so that he wouldn't snicker. Oh, he was gonna savor this, the other was so gullible.

"That's not what I said," Manato panicked, "besides, I was-" "You were?" Wise interrupted him, grinning up at him. Manato looked back at him before realization seemed to set in and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "Hey, were you just trying to set me up now?" he whined, but suddenly started smirking at Wise as thought crossed his mind. Could this work?

"You know, Wise... A-Cing and A-Yuet try to act a bit cocky now and then as well and there is always one thing that works like magic..." he mumbled as he loomed over Wise, Manato’s huge shadow covering his entire body. "Would you like to know what it is?" he said with a playful tune in his voice, cracking his knuckles.

It didn’t take Wise much effort to put 2 plus 2 together and figure out where this was going. He had teased Manato a bit, but he didn’t expect to lead things this way. He just wanted to see the Thiren blushing and being the one embarrassing himself a little. 

“I-I don’t really think I do,” Wise chuckled, leaning on his hands and pushing himself back while Manato stood on his knee right before him. “Manato, y-you’re scaring me,” Wise lied with a wobbly smile on his face, palming around and hoping to find something, anything, to protect himself.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Manato only grinned, not even bothering to hide his excitement as his huge tail wagged behind him. He lifted his hands, fingers curled into claws as he leaned closer, bit by bit, building that anticipation that had Wise shifting around already. “Why are you moving away?”

“B-Because you’re scary!” Wise whined through his smile, his skin already prickling with goosebumps under his clothes. His hand closed around a nearby cushion and he didn’t think twice before throwing it at Manato’s huge figure. “Stahay back! I’m serious!”

“Hah, I’m sure you’re,” Manato grinned, grabbing Wise by one of his ankles and effortlessly pulling him closer. Manato got himself between Wise’s legs and he towered over him. He quickly captured one of the hands swatting at him and took his sweet time moving it up and pining high above Wise’s head.

“But I’m serious too. You need to be stern when talking to cocky, misbehaving children or they won’t listen to you.” “S-Shut it!” Wise giggled already, trying to free himself or push Manato with his still-free hand, whatever worked first and better. “I’m not a kid- I-I’m older than you!” Wise whined, squeezing Manato between his legs.

The other raised his eyebrow at that, visibly amused by his fruitless attempts to stop him. "Says the one who sang along the theme song of a children’s movie," Manato teased, all while he nonchalantly caught Wise’s still free hand and gently pulled it above his head as well, letting it join his other one.

"H-Hey you were als- noHo w-wAhahit Manato- LeHEhet gooHo!" Wise whined, already giggling a bit, as he pulled at his hands nervously, which didn't even move an inch. Duh, of course they wouldn't.

He tried to squeeze his legs together a bit stronger, hoping, praying it would make the other lose his balance, but once again his hopes were shattered by the sheer strength of the Thiren, who appeared unimpressed.

"But I like the sight from up here. Besides, since you aren't a kid anymore, a bit of fun shouldn't be a problem, hmm? Maybe it might help you to handle the monsters..." he said, his tail wagging eagerly when he saw the Proxy puffing out his cheeks at him. 

"...I can handle monsters quite well," he mumbled, his cheeks bright red. "Is that so?" Manato asked. His smile only grew wider at that. Wise was literally asking for it and he would gladly give him what he wanted.

"...You know, Wise, lately it's spooking around here. There is a rumor that a monster is lurking here and it likes to get cocky brats, and I think it has found its next target... Do you know what they call it?" he asked, his free hand hovering over Wise’s body.

The Proxy gulped, his skin tingling with anticipation as he watched Manato’s hand pass inches away from his side, ribs and armpit. The tip of his fingers barely brushed against the surface of his clothes and Wise was already struggling inside Manato’s grip, trying to free his hands.

“I-It’s prohobably something lahahame!” Wise taunted, still finding some room for attitude while he knew the unavoidable fate that waited for him just moments ahead. Manato continued to move his hand, torturing Wise with the ghost touch, with the fear of a strike that never came.

The Proxy pressed his eyes shut, trying to avoid the sight, and Manato let out a soft chuckle at the face he was making. He continued to tease, poking Wise here and there just for the build up’s sake.

When the Proxy stopped squirming and dared to peek through a half-shut eye, Manato saw the opening he was looking for and latched his hand onto Wise’s side, forcing a loud squeal out of Wise’s lips.

“Steady yourself, Proxy,” Manato boasted, his fingers wiggling and clawing aimlessly at the Proxy’s side, squeezing it through Wise’s shirt, “the Tickle Monster isn’t really known for going easy on its victims!” “M-Mahahanato!” Wise whined, lifting his back off the couch before pressing it down with a renewed stream of laughter.

“S-Stohohop! AHaha, t-thihis is stuhuhupid!” Manato’s tail continued to wag behind him, his hand moving to tickle Wise’s ribs before going back down to squeeze the Proxy’s hips. It was hard to pinpoint where it tickled the most, Wise seemed to get more and more ticklish the more Manato’s assault went on.

“Stupid? Your life is at stake here,” Manato insisted, prodding at the spot between Wise’s armpit and ribcage, nudging the soft skin almost viciously and in a way that made Wise want to crawl out of his skin, “you need to fend off the Tickle Monster or you might die laughing~”

"I- IhiHhi cahAn't! EhHEhe noHOhot whHen you're hoHoHld- ahAhhHahah w-w-wAhahit noOHoho tHehere! Wise wheezed in-between his laughter as Manato's hand continued to dance over his side, fingers pressing softly into the soft spots in-between his ribs, emitting more and more laughter from his "prey".

The sensation got especially worse when he reached his lowest rib, worming right into the soft spot. Wise cursed inside, squirming from left to right as far as his situation allowed him to. He could already feel his face heating up and could only imagine how red he must’ve been already.

The other's smirk he could vaguely discern with his teary eyes didn't make the situation any better. "Ohh? You mean right here?" the other asked and focused his attack on said spot, even daring to sneak under his shirt, robbing Wise from the last defense, the last barrier that separated him from an even worse feeling.

Skin touched skin and the reaction followed instantly. What felt like a dozen feathers to Wise before, now felt as if a hundred, sending ticklish shockwaves into every fiber of his body.

"AHAHAHHHA W-WAHAHIT! OHOHO MY GOODOD!! M-MAHANANTOHOHO!" the Proxy laughed, his feet kicking behind him, as he pulled on his arms more eagerly, without any prosperity of course. His legs were kicking and pulling behind the other's back, toes curling in ticklish agony as his high-pitched belly laughter filled the room.

It sounded almost inhuman by now and anyone would've wondered who the real monster was. The Thiren, however, only adjusted his fingers to Wise’s reactions, moving them slower or more precisely.

"Haha, Manato is not here anymore..." he laughed, as his hand formed into a claw and scratched over Wise’s bare belly, "he won't help you~" he teased, his tail wagging as he continued his little act.

Tickling others was much fun, and since it was Wise, he could also be a little more rougher and intensive, never daring to get this serious when playing around with the kids. Each stroke of Manato’s fingers pushed Wise’s shirt up more and more, giving him more spots to tickle and room to explore.

He switched from Wise’s stomach to his hips, then back to his sides and up to his ribs again. At that point, Wise was already starting to accept his fate as the Tickle Monster’s next fatal victim. He felt the strength leaving his limbs and his muscles tiring out from the struggling.

“M-MAHANATO, PLEHEHEASE!!” Wise cried, again, hoping his pleas would reach the other for a change this time. “I C-CAHAN’T BREHEHEATHE!” He threw his head back, going into a hysteric fit as Manato only changed his attention towards the Proxy’s outstretched, vulnerable underarm.

Wise didn’t even know he was that ticklish, but the feeling of Manato’s fingers digging and tickling that soft spot right in the crease was unbearable, maddening even.

“You shouldn’t waste it speaking nonsense, then,” Manato advised, his tone still filled with playfulness as he pressed down at Wise’s wrists, making sure he wasn’t going anywhere. “Save it for your escape, Proxy!” What escape, Wise thought, trying to peek back at Manato from his teary eyes.

He was never taught how to fight this type of monster and didn’t even have the time to prepare. This was a one-sided, unfair fight from the start! Wise shook his head, pulling at his trapped wrists one last time as if it was going to be any change. “M-MAHANATO! I GIHIHIVE! PLEHEHEASE!”

“O-Oh,” Manato perked up his ears like something about that cry was different from the others. As fast as it started, he let go of Wise’s hands, planting his own on each side of the Proxy’s head. Manato watched, in silence, Wise’s chest wave with each ragged breath and his face turn from really, really red to just flushed. 

Something about that sight made his stomach stir up with butterflies. He clenched his hands slightly and gulped, his tail still wagging as he watched the Proxy recover. “T-Thahank you…” Wise gasped, not even bothering to move his hands as he simply laid his head back and relaxed, looking back at Manato with the corner of his eyes.

“W-Well,” Manato coughed, trying to get back into the playful, confident attitude from before as if he didn’t nearly drool over the Proxy just now, “guess y-you’re not a Tickle Monster survivor. That makes one more thing in common with A-Cing and A-Yuet, heh…”

Wise listened to him, taking in deep breaths as he began to calm down more and more, the last tingles of the previous attack finally subsiding. "...Meanie... you went all out. I bet you’re never this harsh on them when playing the Tickle Monster," he pouted, crossing his arms stubbornly. It wasn't like he hated it, no, definitely not.

He enjoyed the, well... attention the other had given him and it wasn't like Wise was unfamiliar with the treatment of said monster, wasn't he an older brother himself, after all? Even if by mere seconds, but those were details, details.

He had done it multiple times in the past as well and would probably also do it in the future whenever Belle would get cocky or wouldn't share her snacks with him. It felt nice being the one on the receiving end for once, but he wouldn’t admit it. He had a bit of pride, after all, especially after what he had said.

Manato however, couldn’t help but smile at the Wise's childish acting. He couldn't really explain it, but his instincts told him that the Proxy wasn't speaking honestly with him and the fact that he went straight into denial-mode only made him cut- ahem, well, all-to-similar to the children he already knew.

Manato shifted a bit, just so that Wise could get a bit more comfortable. "...That doesn't sound like you hated getting visited by the Tickle Monster, does it?" he said, matter-of-factly, and the expression he got from Wise was priceless.

Wise’s eyes opened wide as if he had been caught off guard. "T-That's not- I was just... Don't make things up now, idiot," he stuttered, and, without really thinking, pressed his hands into the Thiren's lower sides, squeezing the spot in hope it might distract or even cause a reaction out of him. “It’s rude to assume things like that!”

“W-Wihise! Ahah, w-wahait! Ahahagh, o-ok! Ok! I gehehet it!” It didn’t take long for Manato’s panicked giggles to come out. He quickly closed his hands around Wise’s wrists, prying his hands off his body and pulling them back to a safe distance.

He watched Wise’s fingers wiggle at him, as if not satisfied with just a small laugh, but he wouldn’t have that - not when he was still savoring the taste of having the upper hand. “Easy there now,” Manato chuckled at Wise’s pout while fighting back the Proxy’s little tugs at his trapped hands.

“You can’t tickle the Tickle Monster, that’s not how it works. You have to run and hide, Proxy.” “Oh please,” Wise scoffed, leaning forward and looking up to Manato’s face, the distance between them closing dangerously, “I doubt you never let A-Cing and A-Yuet have their way with you.” Manato flinched and a nervous, quiet smile pulled at his face.

Well, it may have happened once or twice, yes, and he mostly pretended the whole time just to make the kids happy… Wise was a whole different case. Manato coughed, trying to regain a serious, composed facade. “That’s diffen-”

“It’s not,” Wise interrupted, managing to pull his hands free before place them just below Manato’s chest, his fingers poised to attack but still hesitating, almost as if waiting for something. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? I have a lot in common with them, it shouldn’t be any different now, right?” “P-Proxy,” Manato gulped, swaying back a little.

The corner of his lips were already twitching and his tail started to wag again behind him. Why did it sound so… different? He looked at Wise’s eyes, both gleaming full of expectation, and gulped.

There were, indeed, a lot of similarities between Wise and the kids. The way they were oh-so-afraid of horror movies, their liking for cheerful and cutesy things and how they would fail (most of the time) to escape the Tickle Monster… but this felt like something new. Manato was sure he never felt something like this before, not for the kids and not for anyone else.

“So?” Wise cooed, just loud enough to snap Manato back into reality. He smirked at him, giving the sides of his large chest a gentle poke just to rile him up. Manato gulped, his throat suddenly dry and with a bunch of words stuck in it. He could simply pull that wobbly, groundless smile back into his face.

“I-I guess… It’s only fair, right? I’d hate to see you get disappointed like them too…” “Great,” Wise smirked, his hands scratching down at both Manato’s sides, forcing a surprised squeal out of the thiren’s lips, “let’s see if you’d make any better as the ‘survivor’.”

Wise pressed his head back, laughing his soul to heaven and back when Lighter’s hand moved down to his hips again. “LIGHTER, PLEHEHEASE!! I’M DYIHIHING HERE!!”

“That’s no way for a fighter to speak, manager, you shouldn’t yield just after a couple hits,” Lighter chuckled, his grip around Wise’s wrists tightening while the tickled moved back up to the proxy’s sides.

Wise’s feet had already kicked all the cushions off the couch in their aimless flailing and his throat was as dry as the soil near Blazewood. Wise lost count of how many times he asked ‘please’, tried to yield or to call uncle, but it was clear that none of those mattered for Lighter. He was a champion defending his title, after all, how could Wise expect any mercy from him?

Calling it “hysteria” wouldn’t make justice to the noises Lighter was drawing out of the proxy when his gloved hand decided to sneak under Wise’s shirt and tickle his bare skin. 

Lighter raised his eyebrows at the reaction, catching a few glimpses of that forced, desperate smile on Wise’s face while he prodded between each bone of Wise’s ribcage. “It sure looks like it tickles, huh? Should’ve thought twice before picking up this fight, manager ~” He teased again, trying to get some comprehensible speech out of the other, but Wise seemed just too busy to think of anything else.

Saying he wasn’t fond of Wise’s laughter, smile and blushing cheeks would be a blatant lie. A ugly, nasty lie. And could one really blame Lighter for taking the chance when Wise started to poke his sides and stomach in the middle of their movie? If that wasn’t an invitation to ‘fight’ back, then what else would it be?

“P-PLEHEHEASE!!” Wise laughed, arching his back off the couch when Lighter shoved his hand all the way up to tickle the proxy’s armpit. “J-JUST STOHOHOP!!”

“But you’re no-” Lighter stopped, snapping back from his daydreaming and spotting the last thing he wanted to see on Wise’s face: tears. “D-damn it,” he gasped, quickly letting go of Wise’s wrists, “are you ok, manager?”

This was bad, really, really bad. He got carried away, forgetting this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Now that he thought about it, what if Wise wasn’t actually smiling just now? All that laughter was a forced reaction? One that Lighter carelessly exploited for his own amusement… My, what has he done?!

“...w-whahat?” Wise asked, taking some deep, needed breaths and letting the air back into his lungs for the first time in a while. He still had that dazzled, drunk-like look on his face, barely aware of his surroundings.

“Manager, does-” Lighter hesitated, freezing the hand that was about to reach for Wise midair. Damn it, damn it, damn it! “D-does it hurt? I didn’t- I didn’t mean to…” Of course, but what was a brute like him expecting, he thought.

This should’ve been a cute, romantic moment between couples - just like in the movie they were watching - but he ruined it and now Wise was crying!

“H-hurt?” Wise asked, slowly sitting back up and wiping the small tears of mirth off his lashes. “No, it just- just tickled. A lot, in fact, hahah,” Wise giggled, running a hand through his hair, unaware of the concern concealed behind Lighter’s glasses.

“Do sugarcoat it, manager,” Lighter furrowed his brows, taking one of Wise’s hands into his. His skin was probably sore after all the abuse from his rough hands - or, even worse, what if he broke one of Wise’s ribs while tickling him? What if all those squeezes and prods left bruises?” “I-I can help you- no, better, I can call for hel-”

“L-Lighter,” Wise giggled, stopping the other from getting up from the couch. He still found this whole situation way too amusing, even kind of cute - despite not really understanding it. “What are you talking about? I’m fine,” Wise scoffed, cocking his head to the side. 

“Your body,” Lighter’s lips quivered slightly. He settled his hands down on the couch, lowering his gaze, “did I hurt you?”

“...huh?”

“You can be honest,” Lighter sighed, his fingers clenching into a fist. “When- when we were playing now and, well, I was tickling you, was I too rough? Did it hurt?”

“What? No! Lighter, I’m fine,” Wise chuckled, reaching to cup Lighter’s cheek. He removed the other’s glasses, meeting his gaze full of worry and guilt. While this seemed like the silliest of concerns for Wise, he could tell Lighter was serious about it. Dead serious.

The man sighed, his shoulders slouching as he finally relaxed a little. “...right,” Lighter reached for one of Wise’s hands, gently holding his wrist before nuzzling into his palm. “I just got carried away and thought I… I overdid it when I saw you crying.”

Wise blushed a little, taken aback by the explanation. How should he take it? Did he look so frail that Lighter thought he could hurt him with tickling? Or was it that Lighter cared so much that even tears of laughter made him worry?

“Don’t be stupid,” Wise hissed shyly, weakly pulling at his hand only to find it stuck in Lighter’s grip - again.

“Are you mad at me?” Lighter asked and, for a moment, Wise could see dripping doggy ears on top of his head. “Let me at least make it up for you, manager!”

“L-Lighter!” Wise gasped, even more flustered at the whole scene. “I-it was just tickling, a play fight. T-there’s nothing for you to make up to… I was the one who started it anyway and-”

“Then,” Lighter interrupted, leaning a little forward and bringing Wise’s hand close to his chest, “tickle me back. We would be even then, right? I promise I won’t fight you off this time!”

Wise went silent, blinking a few times while processing Lighter’s words. He, in fact, was the one who started the said fight by tickling Lighter first, but he never really planned to win it. In fact, he knew from the start it would be a losing battle - he just didn’t expect it to be that bad of a defeat.

“T-tickle you?”

“Yes, isn’t it what you wanted? Like in the movie we were watching,” Lighter nodded, with at least a part of his usual attitude seemingly recovered. “Please, manager? You are not going to leave me hanging, right?” Lighter stared at Wise with pleading eyes, bringing his hand up to his lips and planting a kiss on his knuckles. “It’s the least I can do, no?”

Wise cringed slightly, unable to take his hand away from Lighter this time. It was a cute attitude, yes, but so uncalled for… Still, how could say no when Lighter had that look on his face? “...A-alright, I’ll do it, then.”

Nearly sparkling at the mere sound of those words, Lighter reached for Wise’s with his free hand and pulled the other back down with him. The proxy couldn’t help but let out a small gasp, his hands resting on top of Lighter’s chest as he tried to support himself.

“Don’t hold back, manager. I’m a toughie, I can take it,” Lighter nodded, watching Wise steady himself on top of his lap. He crossed both arms behind his head, rolling his shirt up and bit and exposing some of his lower stomach in the process.

It was hard for Wise to not get distracted from the main task at hand. With one hand on each side of Lighter’s chest, the proxy couldn’t help but give the muscles a gentle squeeze - feeling them with just a skin tight shirt on the way felt much better than with a heavy biker jacket.

“Oi, manager,” Lighter chuckled, “that doesn’t tickle, you know?” He joked, not that he would really mind having Wise fondling with his chest, but he wouldn’t lose the chance to tease him for that either.

“Right, tickling,” Wise muttered out loud, stopping his fingers from committing any other inappropriate act. “Where are you ticklish, Lighter?”

Of all the things that just happened, this was what seemed to puzzle Lighter the most. “Dunno,” the man sighed, looking up to the ceiling as he tried to recall the last time he felt someone touching him so lightly. “On… my neck?”

Wise frowned, unsatisfied. “Just that won’t do,” he scoffed, tracing a finger down Lighter’s torso, feeling each and every one of his muscles. His eyes shifted back and forth between the other’s body and face, carefully watching him in an attempt to capture any reaction. “Do you feel anything if I do this?”

“Not sure,” Lighter said while closing his eyes, his position barely shifting if it wasn’t for his chest waving with each breath, “try a little harder, manager.”

Those words made Wise flinch, almost as if waking something inside him. Lighter still had his eyes closed, his body open to Wise, almost as if he was just about to drift to sleep. Did he trust him that much?

Still, he was already way too into it to turn down such an opportunity. “Alright,” he said, bringing his other hand into action and getting a hold onto Lighter’s waist. Wise pinched the spot, pressing his thumbs down on the soft meat and rubbing circles into the-

“Ah!”

Wise’s head shot up, looking up from Lighter’s lower stomach to his face with widened eyes. Funny enough, Lighter seemed just as surprised, almost startled by the sudden sensation. Wise smirked.

“What about now?” He said, repeating the motion and even skittering his other fingers around Lighter’s lower sides. Wise felt that massive body shift under him and his heart skip a bit at the sound he heard next.

“I-it tihihickles,” Lighter giggled, furrowing his brows and scrunching up his nose while a restrained smile took place over his lips. Lighter pressed his chin down at his chest, his elbows faltering as his instincts yelled at him to lower his arms and stop whatever was causing this.

But he listened neither to his instincts, nor to his better judgement. “It dehehefinitely does!”

“Good,” Wise nodded, moving his hands towards each other and tickling Lighter’s stomach, watching it tremble as more and more giggles spilled from his lips. “You’re quite sensitive, Lighter.”

Yes, he was. Lighter pressed his knees together, crossed one ankle over the other behind Wise’s back and even clenched his hand around his hair. One of these things had to make that growing urge to laugh more bearable, he thought. “I knohohow!”

Wise chuckled, continuing to tickle around those toned abs while deciding where he should try next. “And not only on your neck,” he teased, poking Lighter’s ribs on each side and making the man jolt with surprise before dissolving into that soft, but held-back laughter again.

“D-do yohohou lihihike it, manahahager?” He didn’t know why he insisted on speaking - maybe it was just another attempt to distract himself. Yet, for some reason, he didn’t exactly hate that feeling - maybe because Wise was the one providing it.

“Why does it matter? You won’t become less ticklish if I say I don’t, right?”

“I cohohould try!”

The proxy rolled his eyes, drilling his fingers in the spaces between each bone of Lighter’s ribcage. Exploring a Hollow seemed easier than making this man crack up. At that point, Wise would be breathless, with his heart pumping blood at the same rate as the motor in Lighter’s motorcycle.

“It’s not fair, you’re holding back,” Wise whined, pushing one of Lighter’s elbows back to claw at the exposed armpit with the other, tickling it as best as he could, “there’s no way you are just this ticklish.”

“B-buhuhut- ahAhaha, it stihill tihihickles, mahahanager!” Lighter laughed, turning his face away to avoid Wise’s gaze upon him. He felt hot around the collar and airheaded, making it even harder to think about the right words to say. Was there anything for him to say, though? Should he even say anything?

While these thoughts spiraled inside his head, the tickling slowed down, eventually coming to a total halt. Missing that swirling sensation that came from it inside his stomach, Lighter slowly opened his eyes, turning his head back to face the proxy.

“S-satisfied already, manager?”

Wise smiled, shaking his head. “It’s no use - I can’t beat the champion, even in a tickle fight,” he said with a giggle, leaning forward until he could nuzzle his nose against Lighter’s, brushing his lips over the other man’s before giving them a small peck.

“So,” Lighter sighed, finally lowering his arms and wrapping one of them around Wise’s neck. “Does this mean you forgive me? For making you cry and all?”

“Not yet,” Wise muttered, making Lighter widen his eyes. “We have to finish this movie first”, he winked and Lighter nodded, letting out a small, shaky sigh of relief. He laid his head back, turning his attention to the TV while feeling Wise rest on top of his chest.

When they first got there, he tried to spot any weird looking package or object out of place, but everything looked as he left it that morning.

Then, when Wise said there was no gift, but rather a plan — to make it different from last year —, Lighter's curiosity only grew larger. He could understand the worry from the proxy — being forcefully dragged (read: kidnapped) to Blazewood by Burnice and Caesar right after Christmas probably wasn't the best experience one could have. He couldn't exactly say he didn't enjoy waking up to a tied up Wise on his birthday either, but the circumstances were… not ideal.

When Wise dragged him to the shower and pampered him with all kinds of fancy products, Lighter asked if the whole gift thing was some sort of "spa day" — a half-right guess, according to Wise.

Finally, when they got back to Lighter's room and realization dawned on him, Wise was already sitting in front of him, way too determined to be stopped.

"You don't have to, manager," Lighter sighed, water still dripping from his and Wise's hair. "You already got me a nice jacket for Christmas, you're spoiling me with anything more than that."

"So? That was for Christmas, not for your birthday," Wise huffed, rolling his eyes. His picked one of Lighter's feet, his thumbs caressing both sides of his ankle. "This is for your birthday," the proxy said with a smirk, leaning to plant a kiss on top of Lighter's bare calf and sneak a glance under the robe that Lighter was wearing.

"You're overdoing it, manager," Lighter sighed, feeling the heat around his collar and on his cheeks. He could feel a shiver running up his leg, every single nerve reacting to Wise's touch.

Wise rolled his eyes, moving his fingers and starting to rub circles into Lighter's sole. "Stop complaining, will you?" He mumbled. He needed to focus — he only had time to watch a 20-minutes-long tutorial, after all, and some details were already escaping his memory's grasp. "Does it feel good?"

"Yes, it… it does," Lighter said, his voice a little quieter than usual. Wise attempted massage didn't feel bad or hurt, but… it tickled. Quiet a bit, if Lighter were to be honest. "Y-you don't have to be so gentle, though."

Wise nodded, his thumb swiping up over Lighter's arch and then pressing under his toes. The proxy bit his inner lip, focused enough to barely notice Lighter's gaze upon him.

Lighter's breath hitched and pitched with each stroke and rub. Instead of relaxing, he was tensing more and more with each touch, trying to hide the wobbly smile behind his hand. His body begged him to pull his leg away, to make Wise stop that maddening, light tickling on his foot, but how could he? This was his boyfriend's gift, after all, even if it made him want to laugh like an idiot.

"I-I thihink that's enohough, managhAHA!" Lighter cackled, slapping his palm over his lips as Wise dragged his nails across his sole, supposedly by accident. "M-manager!"

"Sorry!" Wise gasped, freezing on spot like a kid about to be scolded. "Are you ok?"

"Y-yes, just— agh, d-don't touch me like that. It tickles," Lighter sighed and finally admitted it, his shoulders relaxing again. He saw Wise nodding, a small smile on his lips. Was it because nothing bad happened or..?

"That's a relief," Wise smiled and interrupted that track of thought. He lowered Lighter's foot back into his lap and quickly picked up the other, shattering Lighter's ideas of pulling his legs away on the process. "Let's continue, then. We still have another three steps of my birthday plan for you to go through."

Seeing the upset frown on Wise’s face, a lighthearted chuckle broke the silence between the two men. “I’m sorry ~,” Harumasa cooed and Wise could swear that there was some mockery hidden in those words, “I’m such a disappointment, ain’t I?”

“Don’t say that,” the proxy sighed, shaking his head before resting his arm on the couch’s backrest, “it’s just hard to believe.” 

Too hard, actually, to the point that Wise could cross his heart and hope to die on it. Asaba Harumasa, elite agent, part of the armed forces under H.A.N.D., member of the Hollow Special Operations Section 6… couldn’t, for medical reasons, be tickled?

Wise heard this absurd merely moments ago. He and Harumasa were watching a movie (yes, cuddling together on the couch, but that’s not important *caham*) and, on the screen, one character tickled the other. A brief, short-lived moment, mostly irrelevant to the plot itself. Still, that scene lingered just enough inside Wise’s mind and sparked a question, the question.

‘Are you ticklish, Harumasa?’ Wise had mumbled with his cheek still pressed on top of Harumasa’s chest, his words barely distinguishable from gibberish. ‘Yes, but don’t do it,’ was the other’s plain, calm answer.

Oh, but why shouldn’t he? Why shouldn’t he tickle Harumasa to tears right there and then?

As if controlled by some sort of bigger, incomprehensible force, Wise felt the need to tickle Harumasa at that exact moment. The agent’s words had barely made it inside WIse’s brain and he could already picture all sorts of scenes - Harumasa laughing, blushing, hiding his giggling face behind his hands…

He had to do it!

The proxy, then, moved his hands - his fingers trailing up both Harumasa’s sides at the same time, lightly grazing and wiggling against his skin through the thin fabric of his shirt - and, seconds later, wise could already feel the grip around his wrists, stopping his hands in their tracks and holding them away from the other man’s body.

“I asked you not to, proxy,” Harumasa repeated sternly, his golden eyes leaving the movie aside to look down at Wise’s face.

“Why? Are you that ticklish, Harumas-”

“Because I will get hurt.”

Maybe it was the dead-serious tone in Harumasa’s voice or the (fake) concern in his eyes when he said that, but Wise’s mind went blank. He expected a plea, an angry facade or even some silly excuse… but ‘get hurt’?

The agent, then, explained that his body couldn’t stand being tickled - not because of its apparent sensitivity - but because of his health’s condition. 

“My lungs are too weak to let me properly breathe while I’m… under such stress, not to mention my heart could literally explode trying to keep up with it!” It did sound serious, a bit convincing, even. 

Wise did think about arguing back, saying how Harumasa could tear all sorts of horrors from the hollows apart effortlessly, and, therefore would be able to stand a bit of tickling, but fighting ethereals and protecting citizens sounded like a much better use for his energy than getting tickled just to please the desires from a single proxy’s heart.

“But what if I am gentle?” Wise suggested, back to present, still trying to find a way into it.

Harumasa’s only answer was a sigh. “That’s not how it works,” he mumbled, softening his tone to add to the dramatic charge of his act, “before we notice, my skin will be covered in bruises, I’ll be coughing like dying man and my heart will be as good as a broken bangboo left-” 

“Okay, okay, I get it…” Wise interrupted, waving a hand close to his chest in the hopes of sparing himself from any other gruesome detail of the consequences of tickling Harumasa. Still, that was starting to sound a bit… too much.

“I’m glad you understood it, proxy,” Harumasa smiled, pushing his body up for a brief moment just to wrap his arms around Wise’s neck and drag him back down with him right after. “I really wish I could experience such a thing, but you know how my life is extra diffi- p-prohoxy?!”

 Before Harumasa’s act could come to an end, a strained chuckle interrupted his line. With widened eyes, he looked down at Wise’s face - inches away from his - as if hoping that the source of the sensation that just crept up his spine was a mere accident.

“Yes?” Wise grinned slightly, his chin resting by the top of Harumasa’s collarbone.

Harumasa could feel his throat closing, the pressure inside his mouth as his teeth gritted, and his muscles tensing up while Wise’s thumbs rubbed into his lower ribs. “I-I thohought you- ahAH - w-would spahare me of suhuch pain!”

“Wrong,” Wise clicked his tongue, feeling encouraged by the reactions he was managing to draw out of the other guy.

It didn’t take more than a couple seconds for Harumasa to understand that Wise managed to see through his act. That whole discourse may have fooled Seth and Soukaku, but it definitely didn’t seem to work on Wise, the agent noted mentally.

“W-Wise, wahahait! I was seheherious! AHah, plehease, let m-me explahahain!” Harumasa whined, one of his hands reaching for Wise’s while the other latched onto Wise’s shoulder, trying to push him away. None of these attempts, however, had the desirable outcome.

Harumasa couldn’t help but smile - genuinely, this time - as Wise’s fingers wiggled and traced his ribs and the sides of his chest, searching for any ticklish spot like a carrot program collecting data from a hollow. “Your body seems to be handling it pretty well, huh?” Wise teased, as cheeky as possible.

“It’s nOHOhot!!” Harumasa whined, kicking his feet on one end of the couch and pressing his head back on the other. “W-Wise, plehehease!! AHAhah! ~”

“Wait, are you ticklish here too?” 

“W-wahait, not thehEHE-”

“...”

[The next day]

“Asaba-kun, you don’t expect me to really approve another leave this week, do you?” Yanagi sighed, looking at the papers her colleague had handed her. “What are these symptoms even supposed to indicate? Cheek and abdominal pain, labored breathing…” 

“Y-you don’t need to read it, vice-captain, just sign it” Harumasa groaned sheepishly, standing next to her desk, “I don’t even need it to be long this time, it’s just so I can get checked and make sure my condition isn’t getting any worse.”

Yanagi looked at him with the corner of her eyes, over the lenses of her glasses. She wasn’t convinced. “Please, vice-captain! It’s been like this since- since yesterday! It’s hurting so bad that I had to put up a battle this morning just to come here and talk to you!”

“...sigh, I hope you already have the compensation for this in mind, Asaba-kun. But, of course, you may go see a doctor.”

“Thank you, vice-captain! You’re the best!” Harumasa cheered, springing back into life as if cured just with the idea of getting a day off.