#playing catch

SCP-049 waited patiently for SCP-999 to arrive to his room. He had cleaned up his things to prevent 999 from getting at his tools. Their last visit was evidence enough that 999 was too young to handle such sharp tools. The last thing he would want, was for 999 to hurt someone during one of its curious states. SCP-049 brought out a couple toys he had collected for the last while. These toys included a ball, a kids’ keyboard, and a coloring book with crayons. Though he had played with the toys a little bit by himself, he had specifically collected them for SCP-999. “SCP-049?” Someone called. SCP-049 looked up. “999 is here?” 049 asked. 

“Yes, he is. Are those toys for 999?” Dr. Itkin asked. 

“Yes. SCP-999 is a dog-like creature that resembles the intelligence of a child at 3 years old. I have no doubt that 999 will enjoy these toys.” SCP-049 explained. 

“Very well. Sending in 999 now.” Dr. Itkin said as he clicked a button. The door slid open, to reveal 999 sliding through the door frame. “999!” SCP-049 reacted, opening its arms and kneeling down to its level. 999 slid itself past the toys, straight up to 049 to give him a big hug. 049 happily took the hug, and allowed 999 to knock him over onto his backside. “Oof…Hello, 999. It is a pleasure to see you again.” SCP-049 greeted. 

999 nuzzled the right side of its face and cheek against 049’s mask. “I missed you too, 999. I missed you a lot.” 049 admitted. 

999 opened its eyes and started planting kisses onto SCP-049’s mask. 

“Oh? I did not know you give people kisses.” 049 admitted. 

999 smiled and looked at 049 with starry eyes. It gurgled happily and wrapped its pseudopods around SCP-049 happily. 

“Oh my…” 049 chuckled and hugged 999 back. “I suppose some greeting hugs are required.” SCP-049. 

SCP-999 nuzzled its face further into 049’s mask, hoping to tickle the SCP’s neck a little bit. But 999 quickly noticed that the mask lacked the nerves to make him laugh. So, 999 brought out a 3rd pseudopod and moved it through the cloak’s hood. 

“What-” 049 widened his eyes under the mask as the pseudopod shoved itself down his hood. “W-Wait! Gahaha! NOHO! Nine-nine-nihihine!” 049 reacted. 

999 gurgled happily and closed its eyes, looking almost proud of itself for getting 049 to laugh. 

“Nohoho tihicklehehes! Yohohou knohohohow thihihis!” 049 reminded it. 

“I hope it helps to know that SCP-999’s favorite activity is tickle-wrestling.” Dr. Itkin told him. 

“Ihihi knohohow! Ihit’s kind of obviohohous.” 049 admitted. 

“Though, 999 has enjoyed playing with rubber balls.” Dr. Itkin added. 

Looking around, 049 reached out for the orange ball that was laying on the ground. He had to fight his inner instincts to try and get the ball, which proved to be somewhat difficult. 049 wasn’t used to being tickled anymore. 999 was the only friend he really had these days. 

Finally, 049 touched the ball and gripped the ball with his gloved hands. He waved the ball at 999, hoping to get its attention. “999, look!” 049 declared, shaking the hollow ball. 

999 looked at the ball with starry eyes, and let out something similar to an “Ooooh!” sound. 

“Doho you want to play with it?” He asked. 

SCP-999 clapped its pseudopods together as the third pseudopod removed itself from his hood. SCP-049 let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness…the tickles are over. 049 threw the ball to the other side of the room, and watched as 999 slid across the floor to the ball. The pseudopods caught the ball like a baseball glove, and carried the ball back to 049. Happy with itself, 999 gave it to 049 and did a little bouncy dance. 

049 stared at it, surprised to see it react like that. “Is…that your version of a happy dance?” 049 asked it. 

999 nodded its head and purred. 

SCP-049 chuckled and threw the ball again. “Go get it.” He told it. 

999 slid to the ball and caught it with its mouth this time! 999 carried the ball back to 049 like a puppy, and dropped it to the ground. 

“Let’s try something different.” 049 decided. “I throw it, and you throw it back to me.” 049 suggested. 

999 did a small happy dance as it moved back a little bit. 049 threw the ball to 999, and 999 caught it with its pseudopod again. But this time, 999 threw it overhand back to him. 049 was able to catch it with little issue, and threw it over to 999 again. 999 caught it, and threw it over to 049 once more. 

“Whoa!” 049 reacted, catching it in front of his face. “You nearly hit me.” SCP-049 reacted. “A little softer, okay?” 049 asked as he threw it. 

999 caught the ball with its body, and took it out using a new pseudopod. Then, 999 threw the ball to 049 slightly roughly. 

049 caught the ball again, and threw it slightly above 999, so he could see if 999 would catch it with the pseudopod. But to 049’s surprise, 999 rose itself up and caught it with its gelatin body! The ball floated in the body, looking almost invisible due to the similar color of 999 and the ball. 

Then, 999 lifted itself up, and took in a ‘breath’. Suddenly, the ball shot right out of 999, and went flying towards 049! 

049 quickly jumped out of the way to save himself from the fastball that had moved his way. He fell to the ground as the ball bounced off the wall, ricocheting, and hitting 999 right in the face! 049 looked up at 999 with shock, worried 999 got hurt. But 999 just sat there…staring off into space with the rubber ball in its cranium. “Oh dear-” 049 ran up and pulled the ball out of 999’s head. “Are you alright?” He asked. 

999 looked up at 049, with an innocent little smile on its face. It gurgled happily and stretched itself up, surpassing 049’s height by a long shot. 049 was dumbfounded. What…in the world was 999 doing?! 

The creature of jelly suddenly surrounded his body, and engulfed him within its orange body. The only thing that was not engulfed was his head. “Uuhhh…999?” He called. 

The creature looked down at 049, with an innocent, but secretly wicked smile on its face. And then…049 began to feel tickly sensations on his belly, neck, ribs, even his feet. 

“Uuuhuhuhuh- HeheheHEHEHEHAHA! NIHIHINE-NINE-NIHINE! NOOOHOHOHO!” 049 shouted. 

999 just gurgled and cooed, jiggling its large body around playfully as it tickled him. 

049’s body flopped around, going from a standing position to a sitting position. His arms and legs were flopping around inside the gelatin-like substance that was SCP-999. “IHIHIT’S SOHOHO TICKLIHIHIHIHISH!” 049 yelled at them. 

“999, please don’t tickle him for long.” Dr. Itkin ordered. 

999 gave the camera something similar to a human’s thumbs up with its pseudopod, before looking at 049 again with that same ‘innocent’ smile. 

“WHAHAHAHAT HAHAHAPPENED TO PLAHAHAHAYING BAHAHALL!?” 049 asked, confused.

999 just shrugged its gelatin shoulders. 

“It looks to me that SCP-999 just wanted to play something else.” Dr. Itkin mentioned to him. “YEHEHEAH, IHIHI KNOHOHOW THAHAHAHAHAT!” 049 shouted back. 

“Now now, there is no need to be snippy with me.” Dr. Itkin told him. “Such behavior is not tolerated here, and there will be disciplinary actions against you if you act out too much.” Dr. Itkin reminded SCP-049. 

“OHOKAHAY, OKAHAHAHAY! IHIHI’M SOHOHORRY!” He told the doctor. 

“Apology accepted. Have fun~” Dr. Itkin teased into the microphone, before a small bit of feedback rang through the room. 049 immediately sensed he knew what this feedback meant: He’s all alone now…being mercilessly tickled by 999. And while this would’ve annoyed him to no end…something in his mind was beginning to shift. 

It didn’t help that 999 was now starting to emit comforting smells of bread fresh out of the oven. It smelled heavenly and started to make him feel hungry…but the hunger for such a thing, couldn’t really be satisfied due to the time period he was in. It was…almost a heartbreaking reality for him. Though, he knew 999 didn’t mean to make him sad when he emitted those smells. And truthfully, he really couldn’t be sad right now with all the tickling he was experiencing. 

“NINE-NINE-NIHIHINE! THIHIS IHIS CHIHILDIHIHISH! AHAHAHAHAHA- PLEEHEEHEEHEEASE!” He begged. 

999 must’ve noticed something was off…because 999 stopped the tickles and looked at him with…a worried face? 

049 took in deep breaths to recuperate from the laughter fits he had experienced. He looked at 999 with relief, mixed with a little bit of confusion. “Hohow…how did you…” He started to ask. 

999 brought 049 up onto a standing position, and let 049 escape from its grasp. When 049 fell out of the orange body, he practically flopped onto the ground in pure exhaustion. It looked like 049 couldn’t keep himself on his feet for very long. 

Wanting to apologize to 049 for overdoing it, 999 slid up to him and wrapped its pseudopods around him before nuzzling its cheek into 049’s chest. 049 seemed to appreciate this action. “Th…thank you, 999. Thahanks.” He told the creature. 

999 gurgled happily in response and continued to cuddle its tall friend. 

“Thank you for your consideration, 999.” Dr. Itkin told the creature. “We will reward you with some candy as a midnight snack.” The doctor told 999. 

999 looked over at the snack box, and heard a package of skittles land in the snack box. 999 looked up at the camera, before hanging its ‘head’ for a bit. 

After a few minutes of thinking, 999 looked over at the snack box and took out the skittles and…handed 049 the bag…

Wait, what?! 

049 looked at 999. “You…want ME…to have the candies?” 049 asked. 

999 nodded its ‘head’ and gurgled happily in response. 

049 looked down at the skittles, before gently ripping the package open. He pulled a red one out and stared at it. “A…comfit?” 049 asked, mistaking it for a fruit, nut or seed covered in sugar. Curious of its taste, 049 put it under the mask, and chewed the candy. It was a little chewy, but super sweet! Holy- it was SO SWEET! It was like he had eaten 5 tablespoons of honey all at once! It felt like he may throw up from how deafeningly sweet this one tiny piece of candy was!