#switch!mercy

"You're asking me," Moira deadpanned, "if I believe in paranormal phenomena?”

Angela nodded, bringing a hand up to loosen her ponytail until her hair fell softly onto her shoulders, striding towards their bed and sitting atop it next to Moira. "It's a perfectly normal question to ask."

"To ask a child." Moira scoffed.

Angela giggled. "So you don't believe in ghosts?"

Moira set her book down on her lap, giving Angela a knowing look. "I believe in science, Zeigler."

Angela titled her head to the side, looking up in curious thought before directing her gaze towards Moira again. "I think ghosts are real."

Moira raised an eyebrow, the tiniest of a grin hooking her lip upwards. Indulging in her absurdness, Moira nodded her head downwards, speaking with a dot of amusement in her voice. "Do tell why, dear."

Angela shrugged her shoulders, the soft smile never leaving as she explained her reasoning. "I've been watching a lot of ghost hunting shows lately."

Moira had to let out a laugh at her sentence, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh please. You know those acts aren't real. It's all just lousy entertainment."

Angela leaned back against the headboard, shaking her head in disagreement. "Not with all the equipment they use! Those things are the real deal."

Moira stared at her with a incredulous gaze, eyebrows raised in astonishment at her gullibility. "You are the exact audience they target, Angela."

"They're real!"

"They show you want you want to see. It's all nonsense."

Angela crossed her arms, assuming the same position as Moira and narrowing her eyes towards her with a small and challenging smirk. "How do you know ghosts aren't real?"

Moira let out a huff of a laugh. "Science has already proved they aren't. You of all people should know that."

"Hmm. I'm not convinced."

Moira couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had to be joking, right? But knowing Angela, as she did so very well, she could be allured to such foolish ideas easily. A softer smile replaced her little grin, and she patted the bed next to her.

"Dear, you are so naive."

Angela scooted closer to Moira until their shoulders were touching, a delicate and sweet manner, and rested her head gently on her shoulder. Moira laid her hands neatly against the sheets in front of her, looking up at the ceiling as she spoke.

"Any paranormal encounters are simply human error. Electromagnetic field disturbances affect the brain, which can cause easy miscalculations."

Angela hummed. "There's things out there that no science can explain."

Moira shook her head softly, smile growing with a breath out of her nose as she grabbed her book and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. "I can't believe I think of you so highly."

A tiny giggle echoed from Angela's lips, and a content silence fell over the two of them, Angela nestled into Moira's side. Moira closed her eyes, relaxed against the headboard and enjoying the soft moment between them. It wasn't very often they got to be like this, with their work and all. So they never took these easier nights for granted.

Moira was torn from her thoughts with a sudden and intense sensation to the middle of her side. She jumped the slightest bit, eyes opening wide and head turning towards Angela with narrowed brows.

Angela raised her head to look at her, face laced with concern. "Are you alright?"

Moira shot her a look. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

Moira stared at the doctor with a quizzical look, studying her face. Angela stayed concerned, eyebrows dropping the slightest bit in confusion, with neutral lips that didn't move. Her hands rested in her lap, so after a brief pause, Moira shook her head.

"Nevermind."

Another silence fell over them for a minute or two before Moira felt the same, sharp sensation, this time on her upper side. She stiffened with a hitch of her breath, snapping her attention towards Angela again.

"Just what exactly are you doing, Angela?"

Angela put her hands up in front of her, raising her eyebrows at Moira's accusation. "I'm not doing anything!"

"You're poking me."

The tiniest of a smirk played at Angela's lips, and she looked up into Moira's unimpressed eyes.

"Maybe it was a ghost."

Before Moira could scoff and come up with a sarcastic comeback, Angela quickly sat up and positioned herself on top of Moira's legs, hands moving strikingly fast and sending well-placed pokes to her sides.

Moira jolted, a gasp being the only noise coming out of her mouth before she fell into tiny growls and titters. An involuntary smile quirked on her features, and her hands rushed to grab at Angela's, thin fingers wrapping around her wrists.

"A-Angela! N-no..."

"Let's lay this disagreement to rest," Angela giggled.

Moira stuttered with tiny gasps, sucking in breaths of air at the downright ticklish sensations travelling up her sides. It wasn't very often Angela indulged in her sensitivity, but when she did, she was ruthless.

Her hands strayed up her sides, growing near her ribs and prodding at the lowermost bones. Moira's hands stayed at Angela's wrists, trying with all her will to push them away.

"Thehere's no disagreement. I'm-aha! I'm rihight!"

Angela shook her head with a grin, leaning forward slightly and pinching her ribs with a bit more pressure. Moira's head fell back against the headboard, eyes shutting and mouth closing with the challenge of not letting any embarrassing sounds out.

"You can never admit when you're wrong, huh?"

Moira huffed through her nose, shaking her head and doing her best to give Angela a serious look. This was clearly affecting her though, as little titters could be heard behind the tight, thin line of her lips.

"Giving the silent treatment now? I believe I have a remedy for that!"

Angela's hands climbed up her ribs, digging her fingers into the spots she knew were extra sensitive on Moira's torso. They landed on her highest ribs, one hand pinching while the other scribbled deeply.

Moira arched her back, regrettably, as it only furthered the touch of Angela's fingers. She slammed it back down against the soft pillows behind her, lips cracking into a smile and small giggles making their way out.

"Ehehenough!"

"Aww, you should smile more, love!"

The tiniest of a blush appeared on Moira's cheeks, one only that Angela would be able to notice, so she cooed and kept up with her two different methods on her ribs. "Those giggles could cure anything!"

"Ahahangela!"

"Yes, Moira?"

Angela didn't allow Moira to say anything, instead choosing to hear her more of her rare laughter. Even with Moira's hands pushing on her own, it didn't deter her movements, so she brought her hands down to Moira's hips and planted harsh tweaks to the bones.

She knew this was her weakest spot, and she wasn't afraid to use it in various situations, especially when she wanted to win a debate.

Moira sucked in a deep breath, a sound just short of a cackle escaped from her throat, with hearty laughter echoing off the walls. Her head was thrown back again, back arching with her heels digging into the soft mattress, while her hands rushed to shove and tug and do anything to stop Angela's fingers. Angela giggled innocently, easily working against Moira's hands and continuing with her precise pinches.

"I give! I gihihive!"

Angela slowed her fingers until they eventually came to a complete stop. She smirked in victory, keeping her hands still against Moira and giving her a look of confidence and 'I told you so.'

Moira caught her breath, eyeing Angela skeptically and tidying her disheveled clothes. She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head disapprovingly. Angela leaned back, still giddy and letting out a little giggle. "You should really get that sensitivity under control."

Moira smirked at her. "Oh, should I? I hear that laughter is quite contagious."

In an instant, Moira's own hands were on Angela's torso, fingers wrapping around her waist and sending relentless squeezes to her sides. Angela immediately fell into bubbly giggles, arching her back at the sudden touch and squirming above Moira.

"W-wahahait!"

"Hmm?"

Angela tried to move away from Moira's hands and off of her legs, but Moira only smirked further and strayed her fingers towards her back. She dragged her nails up Angela's spine, and scribbled them back down along the sides of her back, earning a squeal and more heavy giggles. The contact on her back made Angela lurch forward, falling onto Moira's chest exactly as Moira had hoped. Moira brought her knees upward, effectively trapping the doctor in her lap.

"Mohohoira!"

Moira grinned slyly, amusement clear as day in her voice. "Yes, my dear?"

"Nohohot thehere!"

Moira hummed in confusion, sliding her nails up her back once again, making Angela shiver and arch against her hands. "Do you mean here?"

Angela nodded against her chest, hands fighting to reach behind her and grab at Moira's nimble fingers. Any pleas that tried to stutter through her giggles were lost above a squeak as Moira's fingers travelled up to the base of her neck and fluttered against the sides of it.

"Ah. I suppose you're not above the silent treatment either."

Angela's hands shot up to her neck, fingers trying to tangle in Moira's and deter their movements. Moira grinned and took it as the perfect opportunity to dash her hands to Angela's ribs, spidering her long nails on top of them.

Another squeal was emitted from Angela's wide mouth, her giggles turning into laughter as her sensitivity increased. Her hands rushed down to her sides, doing their best to squeeze against Moira's hands in protection rather than in defense.

It was fruitless though, as Moira had no problem in reducing Angela to a squirming mess in her lap, a pleasant, yet evil grin on her lips. She tilted her head down to peer at Angela's face. Her eyes were squeezed shut in ticklish delight, the wide smile never leaving her face, with a hue of pink dusting her cheeks. Moira's grin turned softer. She was so beautiful.

How she managed to get lucky enough to have her in her arms, Moira would never know.

A high-pitched squeal drew her out of her thoughts, and she focused back on her fingers, which had mindlessly crawled higher near Angela's underarms. Her grin melted into another smirk, and she pressed her fingers deeper into the skin, vibrating them softly and making Angela screech before pouring out boisterous giggles.

"MOIRAHA-"

"Aww," Moira cooed, "so helpless and weak." And cute, she thought.

Angela shook her head against Moira, arms still pressed tightly to her sides. The sensations were unbearable; Moira knew how to drive her to pieces so easily. But with the little strength she had left, she fought against the urge to crumble and inched her hands towards Moira's ribs, landing on them with the utmost precision and digging her fingers in.

Moira's breath hitched and her hands faltered, unsure of whether they should continue their onslaught or protect her torso. She decided on bringing a hand down to fight off Angela's hands while keeping one locked on prodding her underarm.

"D-dahahamn you!"

Through her own giggles, Angela persisted, scribbling her fingers in further and relishing in the laughter that leaked from Moira's lips. "Ihi'm not the ohonly one who's weheak!"

Moira growled through her laughter, twitching underneath Angela's precise hands. "I-I wihill not fahalter!"

The two continued with their antics, one gaining the upper hand before the other struck in the right spot to get a squeal and titter. Their earlier debate was long forgotten. A pinch to the ribs, a squeeze to the hips, or a flutter to the neck, they both endeavoured for each other's laughter. In the end, Moira had taken the lead, with one hand digging into Angela's underarm while the other scribbled keenly against her lower back.

Angela writhed in Moira's grasp, the maddeningly ticklish sensations making her chest explode with shrieks intermixed with cackles. Trying to tickle Moira back was lost in her hazed mind, overcome with the need to protest and protect herself.

"MEHEHERCY!"

Moira smirked, "Why yes, that is your name."

"PLEASE! Mohohoira!"

With a snicker, Moira stopped all her daunting movements and allowed Angela to catch her breath. Angela rested stiff against her, giggles spilling from her lips at the phantom sensations still affecting her. Moira brought her hands up to her back, laying a gentle, yet firm hand on her back and rubbing soothingly, helping the doctor rid of her giggle attack.

"You wihin."

Moira grinned. "You can try again another time, hmm?"

Angela hummed agreeingly, melting into Moira's warm hands and relaxing against her embrace. She positioned herself to lay against the scientist more comfortably, nestling her head against Moira's chest and closing her eyes with a content sigh.

Moira kept a hand on her back and brought the other one up to smooth out Angela's hair, combing her fingers through it and gently removing any tangles that were created due to earlier's playful wrestle. She placed a chaste kiss atop the crown of her head before leaning back and resting her own eyes with a soft smile.

Angela had a delighted smile of her own, basking in the gentle affection from her lover. She let out a short yawn with the slow rise and fall of her chest. Her head rested cozily against the center of Moira's chest, ear pressed against it and lulled by the soft thud of her heartbeat.

The two of them remained like that, a calm and reassuring silence lingering over them in the dim light. They wanted to stay like this forever; basking in each other's warm and mellow hold. It was only a matter of time before they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.