#switch!roman

~~~

“GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE–”

The sound of glass shattering and a loud thud, followed by boisterous cackles didn’t seem to faze the logical aspect. That was a fairly common occurrence. Remus was a prankster, no less than his brother. Maybe it went a bit too far this time. But why not red food dye in the shampoo bottles of the anxious trait so that he would have the same color scheme as his twin.

Logan sighed, knowing the route that Remus would take. He got up from his place on the couch, walked over to the second doorway to the living room that would make them come out to the dining room and waited for him. Just as he calculated, Remus came flying through the doors and right into his arms. The sudden impact caught the brazen figment off guard.

“The fuck?! OH! oh shit~!”

Virgil came into the room, hair still slightly red from the soap.

"May I get an explanation for this?"

Logan was unbothered by the thrashing side in his grasp.

“Remus put dye in my shampoo!” “It was food dye! Honestly! You have no idea how hard it is to put real dye in shampoo bottles and it actually works?! You are just being a sore, fucking loser, Virgey~” “I’ll show you a sore, fucking loser!”

Logan stopped Virgil from tackling Remus to the ground, effectively grounding the latter side before saying:

“Virgil. There’s no need to be violent. However, what Remus did was uncouth to say the least. He should receive a respectable punishment for his behavior.” “Go to hell, Logan! I don’t need to be punished by you two!”

Then Remus thought about it further before a bright smirk spread across his face.

“Unless… of course… you’re into that~ Is this what you wanted, Logs~? The two of you spanking me raw~?”

Logan held Remus’ wrist up with one hand, adjusting his glasses with the other.

“Corporal punishment is not considered to be effective in getting correct and positive results in recent studies. I think a better punishment can be utilized here. Virgil, do you mind getting Remus hips for me? I need to make sure he is secured for this.”

Virgil took hold of Remus, to which the latter figment smirked.

“Oh, so you are both going to strip me? What position would you like, Teach?” “Nope! We are not doing this shit!”

Virgil squeezed Remus’ hipbone, making him scream and cackle for a moment. Logan, still securing Remus’ wrist behind his back, took no acknowledgement of the emerald trait’s motions. Once he was properly secured, Logan put his hands on his ribcage. Logan wasted no time clawing into each individual rib and scratching at the bone itself. Virgil was drilling directly into hipbone all the while Remus was screaming with laughter. The “punishment” went on for about 10 minutes before they stopped. Remus was gently placed to the ground on his stomach.

“I would say that this was a good example of ‘positive reinforcement’. Would you like to experience the other type of reinforcement?”

Logan gave Virgil a look then gazed down at Remus’ socked soles. Virgil grinned, making his way around Remus.

“Nohohoho way, Whale Penis! I’d rahather get impaled by Roman’s sword!” “Nonsense. You would much prefer this method. Most would refer to it as ‘cool down’ rather than call it by its psychological terminology.”

Remus didn’t know what the hell Logan was blathering about but knew that it was probably going to get worse from here. The two started scribbling lightly and rubbing circles into the Duke’s feet. Before he could object to any of that, he melted into the carpet. The three of them never took notice of the figure behind them that was definitely not filming this as blackmail for later. Changing his entire bedroom into a Disney Villain’s wet dream was living his worst nightmare.

When Roman was about to walk away, the singular floorboard that everyone avoided squeaked, getting the others’ attention. Roman’s phone was still on and pointing directly at them to show that it was recording.

“Hey now! Let’s not get hasty.” “Oh, but Roman. You inserted yourself into the situation. I think it is best we show him what real ‘positive reinforcement’ is like.”

Once upon a time a very silly thing happened, and now all of the Sides were friends again. If that seems like an oversimplification, well, Patton sometimes felt that way too.

Of course, nothing about that whole situation- Roman, Remus, Virgil, and Janus being turned into children, with Logan and Patton having to take on the role of parents as they desperately tried to make everything go back to normal- had felt simple in the slightest while it was actually happening. But now that it was all over, after so many confessions, secrets, and long-overdue apologies had been shared, it was honestly surprising how easily the six of them had gotten used to acting like a family.

For example, tonight they were all sitting together on their absolutely massive couch, which was just big enough for all six of them to sit side-by-side with only minor squeezing (which none of them really minded, hence why no one had suggested they get a bigger couch yet). Roman and Remus had worked together to create it-- it was kinda cute, how much they now tried to collaborate on even the most minor of creations.

A movie was on the TV, but honestly, none of them were paying attention to it. Roman and Virgil were holding hands and murmuring lowly to each other, giving each other soft, shy looks as if they were completely alone; Janus and Remus were attempting to throw popcorn into each others mouths, too busy laughing to even notice how loud they were being; and Patton and Logan, each sitting on opposite ends of the couch, were overlooking the entire soft scene with unbelievable fondness.

Every now and then they would catch each other's eyes over the heads of the children-- the other Sides! Not children!-- and smile, tired and fondly exasperated at the others' antics. It was funny how comfortable and familiar the new dynamics around the Mind Palace already were; with Logan by his side, and the others all getting along for the first time in a very long while, Patton felt like this was exactly how things were meant to be.

Suddenly there was a small noise of confusion right next to him. He turned to find Remus holding a popcorn kernel in his hand.

"Uh, ex-cuse me," he said, leaning forward and holding the kernel up threateningly. "Which one of you nerdy prince wannabes threw this at me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Roman replied in a haughty voice. "Did you find that distracting? Having someone throw something at your head while you're trying to enjoy a movie?"

Remus cackled. "I didn't throw a darn thing at you, brother mine. I would never." He finished his sentence with a sickly sweetness, batting his eyelashes.

"Oh, so it wasn't you? What about all of this?" Roman gestured to the blanket he and Virgil had been sharing, which was now covered in popcorn crumbs and kernels.

Remus shrugged, grabbing another handful and popping it in his mouth cheerfully. "Don't know what to tell you, Princey. Maybe Pop-Goes-The-Emo needs to learn how to eat without making a mess."

"Maybe you need to learn how to aim," Virgil shot back. "I don't see how you keep missing Janus' mouth, considering how big it is-"

"Excuse me?" Janus replied, jostling Virgil with his elbow. "Why am I getting dragged into this now? I did nothing wrong."

"You started it!"

"No, Remus started it."

"I knew it!"

"Oh, bite me, you-"

"That's enough, now," Logan interjected, just as Patton was opening his mouth to do the same. A moment of worry seemed to pass over the four Sides causing mischief, but luckily Logan softened his tone and his expression as he continued, "I suspect that this is all in good fun, but I would like to check if anyone is upset about anything that's been said. We can easily pause the film if anyone wants to discuss any crossed boundaries with the jokes."

Virgil wiggled a little on the couch. "Aw, come on, Logan..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, does talking about feelings embarrass you?" Logan replied, making Patton bite his lip to avoid snickering. "Because I think it's rather more important that everyone here feels loved and respected."

Janus scoffed and fiddled with his pajama set. "Of course, because we're so good at respecting one another."

"We do respect you," Patton replied, making Janus flush from the earnestness. "I know that after everything we've been through, we all respect each other, even if showing that respect is a work in progress. But the one thing that never changes is how much we love each other. I love you all so much!"

"Thank you, Patton," Roman droned; he too looked a little embarrassed, but his voice was good-natured. "And I apologize for anything I've said here that was uncouth. It was all intended in good fun."

"Same," Virgil said. "Sorry, Jan. About the thing I said about your mouth."

"Well, I suppose if I must accept your apology..." Janus replied. Logan fixed him with a stern look, and he huffed. "Yes, of course, you're forgiven, Virgil. And I'm sorry as well. Even though I literally don't think I did anything wrong."

"Sorry for being so silly! Can't help it!" Remus chirped. "Don't need any apologies, though. None of this actually pissed me off or anything."

"That's good," Logan replied. "Because you are definitely cleaning up your popcorn mess after the movie is over."

Remus gaped as the others burst into laughter. His lips turned into a dangerous pout, flopping back into the sofa and crossing his arms.

"Aw, come on, Remus," Patton chimed in. "I'll even help you do it! We'll get it all cleaned up in a jiffy!"

"Blah, blah, blah," he muttered, looking for all the world like a toddler put in time out.

It was all on instinct, really; Patton saw a grumpy child, and he knew what to do to fix it.

Before he could stop himself, Patton's hand made a claw shape and he vibrated his fingers directly into Remus' side.

The result was immediate, and extremely loud-- Remus shrieked, launching forward in an involuntary attempt to get away from Patton's squeezing hand. He tumbled forward and landed on the ground, scurrying backwards as he panted from the shock.

"Jesus fucking Christ and all his dick-ciples, Patton, why?" he asked, voice high and shrieky.

Patton was very aware of how all of the Sides were looking at them-- both in shock at Remus' outburst of laughter, and to see how Patton would react to his language-- but Patton didn't care. Something warm and familiar was rising in his chest, and he smiled lovingly down at Remus.

"What, you think I don't remember how to cheer you up?"

There was a beat, and then everyone else had a brief moment of fond embarrassment as they realized what Patton was talking about. They didn't talk about it much, about how Patton and Logan had taken care of them all when they had magically transformed into children, but it was never forgotten, even though the rest of the Sides (including Logan) still found the whole experience a bit awkward.

Patton turned to the others on the couch, his smile growing as they squirmed. "Come on, don't you all remember?"

He had only meant to keep teasing them, but at that moment Virgil's eyes widened to the size of quarters, and without further ado he shot up from the couch as well, jostling Janus at the same time and making the snake Side fall against Patton.

"No, I know that look, and I'm not doing this," Virgil insisted as he stepped to the other side of the room. But his eyes were bright, his cheeks were getting flushed, and there was a smile on his face that was obviously becoming harder to hide.

Patton bit his lip. "Oh, you don't wanna do this? That's alright-- what about you, Janny?"

And with that, Patton reached down and grabbed Janus as best as he could around the waist, curling him into the crook of his arm and mercilessly tickling his stomach with one hand.

"Wait wait wa-ait!" Janus gasped, hands shooting down in a desperate attempt to pry Patton's away from him. "Nnnno, Patton, this is ridiculoussss ahahahahaha! Nohohoho!"

"Aw, Janus remembers!" Patton cheered. A nervous giggle forced its way out of Remus' mouth, still on the floor as he watched his boyfriend getting tickled. Roman narrowed his eyes.

"Look what you've started," he accused, pointing a finger at his brother. "Patton's never gonna let go of this now!"

"Oh, piss off, Pissy!" Remus snapped back, a manic smirk on his face. "You started it, throwing popcorn at my head!"

"You're right," Roman said. "I should've thrown the bowl."

Remus gasped, affronted, and before he could stop himself he reached out to grab Roman's ankle with one hand, his other hand clawing down the sole of Roman's foot with reckless abandon.

Roman made a noise in between a gasp and a squawk. "No!"

He yanked his foot back, but miscalculated, and suddenly he felt rather than heard Logan's breath get knocked out of him as Roman's knee collided with the logical side's chest. Roman flushed a little; he didn't realize he'd been leaning so far into Logan's side.

"Sorry, Logan--!" His voice was cut off with a small squeak by Logan suddenly wrapping his hands around Roman's calf, holding his leg in place.

"Where are your manners, Roman?" he asked. His face looked normal, but his voice was laced with something that made Roman want to giggle just hearing it. "I believe you owe me an apology."

"I already di-ihihhid!" Poor Roman couldn't even finish his sentence before Logan started squeezing all over his trapped leg, from the back of his calf to just above his knee to the soft squishy parts of his thigh. Now both his and Janus' laughter filled the room, along with Remus' delighted giggles as he watched from the floor. Virgil was still standing in the corner, tugging on his hoodie sleeves and failing to hide his shy smile.

Remus narrowed his eyes at the emo Side. "You're just gonna hide out in the corner like a scaredy-cat, huh, Vee?"

"Fuck off," Virgil snapped back, but the effect was lost with how flustered he sounded. "You're not getting t- you're just sitting there, too!"

"I'm not just sitting here!" Remus shot back, scrambling to his feet and facing Virgil with a Cheshire smile. "I'm saving my boyfriend!"

With that, he lunged to Virgil, managing to grab the anxious Side even as he hissed and jerked away from Remus' grasp. Remus tightened his arms to hold Virgil against his chest, and dragged him over to Patton's side of the sofa.

"Special delivery!" he announced. "Care to swap a snake for a spider, Patty Cake?"

"Plehehehease!" Janus squealed, giggling like crazy

"Hm," Patton mused, smiling up at Virgil, "normally spiders scare me, but I think that one looks like a real cutie pie!"

"Patton- fuck off, Remus!" Virgil shrieked; Remus pushed him forward into Patton's lap, and as soon as Patton released Janus to catch Virgil, Remus was yanking Janus onto his feet and dragging him back across the room toward the safe spot. Still giggling, Janus gripped Remus' arm to stay upright as he caught his breath.

"Thank you, darling."

Remus preened and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Anything for my boo!"

"Ja-nus!" Virgil said. "You traitor- ahahahahaha!" His words were lost as Patton began haphazardly squeezing his sides and stomach, his large hands moving too quickly for Virgil to block.

"Plehehehehease!" Roman squealed; he'd tried to crawl away from Logan, but it was hard with how the logical side was rapidly switching between pinching his thigh and his stomach. He pointed a wobbly finger at his twin. "Rehehehemus!"

"Sorry bro-bro, but I ain't coming anywhere near you right now," Remus replied. "Someone else is gonna have to save you!"

Roman shook his head, forcing his laughter down just long enough to yell, "Logan get Remus!"

Logan chuckled lowly. "Oh, interesting. You think it's Remus' turn?"

Roman nodded desperately. Logan cast his eyes up to Remus and Janus, holding hands with nervous, giddy smiles on their faces.

"Hmm..." Logan said. All of a sudden he released Roman and stood up from the couch in one fell swoop. He wasn't much taller than Remus or Janus, but the way he rolled his shoulders and stretched made them feel very small.

"Remus, come here," he said simply.

"No!"

Logan took one step forward. "Remus..."

"Fuck no!" Remus stepped backwards, dragging Janus along with him.

"Come here-" was all Logan could get out before the chase began. Remus darted around the couch, Janus giggling madly in his wake, and Logan followed with an uncharacteristic playfulness.

Roman, catching his breath, managed to point and laugh as Remus ran. "Your turn, Dukey!"

"Fuck off!" Remus shrieked. Suddenly his heels dug into the floor, yanking Janus to a stop; Logan had reversed direction, and was now coming towards them head on. The two of them screamed, both in fear and delight, and darted in the opposite direction.

"Come on, Professor!" Roman called like a sports spectator. "You can catch them! Go for Janus first!"

"Excuse me?" Janus gasped. He paused just long enough in his running to flick Roman's ear.

"Hey!"

"Haha, nice!" Remus crowed. "Good job, babe!"

"Be nice, Janus..." Logan called. He managed to get close enough a few times to trail his hand across Janus' back, making the snake Side yelp every time.

"Nope, I'm out!" he called, yanking his hand out of Remus' grasp. He immediately stepped to the side, out of Logan's reach; lucky for him, the logical Side seemed dead set on catching Remus now, and they continued to run and duck around the furniture.

"Woah!" Patton said when Remus accidentally jostled his legs as they ran by. "Careful, kiddos!"

"Pahahaton," Virgil groaned. His face was dark and there was an adorable dimple on his cheek that just made Patton wanna coo. "We're not-- not kids!"

For a moment, Patton slowed his squeezing tickles as he readjusted Virgil, nearly pulling the other Side on his lap.

"Wanna know a secret?"

Virgil looked up at him, confused, and squeaked as Patton leaned his head down.

"You're always gonna be my kiddos, Virgey," he whispered in Virgil's ear. Virgil's blush couldn't get any hotter, especially when Patton began snuffling all over Virgil's neck and ears.

"Nahahaha!" he whined, feet banging on the floor. "Hehehehelp!"

He leaned his head against the back of the sofa just in time to catch Janus' eye as he continued to move in wary circles around the room.

"Jan!" he squealed. "Plehehease!"

Janus looked at his brother's face and softened like a wet tissue.

"Patton, honestly," he said, moving forward to stand next to the couch, "I think this... mortifying experience has gone on long enough, don't you?"

Patton looked up at him as he continued to tickle Virgil's sides. "Nope!"

"Perhaps it's time we let this game come to a conclusion?"

Suddenly Roman was behind Janus. "Perhaps not." And with that, he pushed the snake side over the arm of the couch, making him fall face first directly into Patton's lap.

"That's for flicking my ear!"

Patton made a noise of delight that was barely audible with human hearing. "Oh, thank you for the gift, Roman!" He shifted in a way that implied years of practice until he was holding both Virgil and Janus on each of his legs. His arms wrapped around their midsections and began haphazardly tickling their tummies in unison.

One would think that Janus and Virgil were actually biological brothers, the way they both clutched Patton's arm and threw their heads back in laughter in the exact same way.

"Janny!" Remus cried, looking both delighted and affronted that his brother had pushed his boyfriend directly into Patton's tickle trap. His steps faltered, just for a moment, but that was all it took before Logan could grab him around the waist and drag him (not so gently) to the floor.

Logan smiled like a mad scientist who'd brought his creature back to life. "Got you."

"Wait wait wait wait fuck no--" was all he could get out before Logan dug into his stomach with rapidly vibrating claws. Remus screamed, feet drumming wildly on the floor as Logan tickled him to pieces.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuhuhuhuck!"

"Language," Logan chastised lightly, like nothing out of the ordinary was happening at all. "Everyone else has had a turn, Remus. This is only fair."

"I don't need a tuhuhuhurn! This is-- hehehey!"

Remus couldn't even finish his protests before another pair of hands made their way to his sides. His eyes shot open only to see the smirky, snarky face of his twin hovering above him.

"Oh, we could never leave you out of the fun, dearest brother of mine," he sang, squishing randomly on any part of Remus' torso that he could reach. "I thought you liked playing silly games?"

"Go easy on him, Roman," Patton called out; he'd mostly stopped tickling Virgil and Janus, and was now merely holding the two of them as they got their stray giggles out. "Don't hurt him!"

"Oh please, he loves this," Roman replied. Remus screeched in indignation.

"Bullpoopy!"

Roman raised an unimpressed eyebrow. He shot his hand underneath Remus' jaw to scratch his nails along his neck, and Remus squealed, head scrunching into his neck like a desperate turtle.

Logan let out a small laugh himself, slowing down his tickling as everyone watched Remus fall into the most helpless giggles any of them had ever heard.

"Oh, goodness," Patton whispered, clearly delighted. Virgil was outright snickering at his friend's demise, and Janus' was watching on with a hopelessly romantic expression on his face.

"This is what you get for starting it all!" Roman declared, every inch of him clearly full of mirth. Logan peered down at Remus' bright red face, and brushed a bit of hair back from his sweaty forehead.

"Is that a very ticklish spot, Remus?" he asked. "Don't be afraid to tell me. I'll merely keep a note of it for later."

Remus shook his head. "I-- I--"

Immediately, Logan and Patton made eye contact. Remus sounded more wheezy than he had a moment before.

Their mouths opened at the same time, but to their surprise Roman had already pulled his hands away, a worried twinge in his eyes as he watch Remus calm down.

"Are you okay?" he asked immediately. "Did I go to far?"

Remus coughed once, causing Virgil and Janus to look even closer with matching nervous frowns to see if he was okay.

"I..." Remus said slowly. "I'm..."

Silence, for a beat.

And then Remus attacked: sitting up, pushing Logan away, and body slamming Roman until he was flat on the ground, all in one swift move.

"I'm gonna get you, Ro-Bro," he hissed, and there was nothing but giddy joy in his voice as he began tickling his brother right back.

Everyone in the group jumped as Roman screamed, loud, at the surprise tickle attack. There was a scrabble of limbs as the twins wrestled, shouts of laughter filling the room and making everyone giggly again.

"Play nice, boys!" Patton called out. Remus looked up, his tongue poking out of the corner of his cheeky smile.

"Yes, Daddy!" he replied. The he immediately dove down and blue a raspberry against Roman's tummy. The other side shrieked yet again.

"That's not nihihihice!"

Remus cackled evilly, and Patton considered stepping in himself to give that stinker a taste of his own medicine, but before he could move someone else beat him to it: Virgil, who wiggled off Patton's lap and onto the floor, crawled over to the two wrestling Sides, and attacked Remus' ribs with a flurry of fingers.

The snort that Remus released cracked through the room, and now he was the one laying on the floor, writhing helplessly as Virgil attacked him.

"I got you, Princey," he called over the fray, smirking at his boyfriend as Roman caught his breath. "Now hurry up and help me finish him."

Roman grinned brightly. "With extreme pleasure."

He dove in as well, and between the two of them Remus was well and truly screwed, batting at the four hands that were now wrecking him from every side. He tried to give back what he was getting, but it was just too easy to overpower him.

Logan's chuckles were low, but Patton could hear them despite the noise in the room. The two locked eyes and shared a secret smile before Logan's eyes drifted over to Janus, still half-sitting on Patton's lap.

"What about you?" he called. "Don't you want to help Remus?"

"He got himself in that mess," Janus said, cheeks flushing again as he looked at the tickle fight in the middle of the room, "and I'll have nothing to do with it."

Like a horror movie jumpscare, Remus shoved his upper body towards the couch, making both Janus and Patton squeak with surprise.

"Yes you will!" he said between giggles, and before anyone else could react he grabbed Janus haphazardly and yanked him backwards, making them both tumble back onto the floor-- and into the middle of Roman and Virgil's tickle attack.

"Human shield!" Remus screamed. He locked his hands behind Janus' back, keeping his boyfriend trapped on top of him.

"Wait-- no! No, no, Remus, nohohohoho!"

But it was too late: Roman and Virgil took no time at all diving in to tickle Janus all over his back and sides as he shrieked and squealed and squirmed.

"Evil!" Janus shrieked, trying desperately to push off of Remus' chest. "No-- no kisses until you letmegohohoho!"

Virgil cooed, leaning closer to Janus' ear. "Aw, you don't wanna kiss your boyfriend? Sucks for you, Jan." He finished the statement with leaning over to press a kiss to Roman's cheek, causing their respective brothers to make noises of disgust.

"You're dissssssssssgusting!" Janus gasped through his laughter. He gathered his strength and shoved Roman away from his little brother, drilling his fingers into Roman's ribs as the other side fell back on his haunches.

"Nah-- ahaha-- no!" Roman gasped. He keeled forward, grinning and giggling against Remus' stomach. Virgil tried to reach forward to push Janus' hand off of Roman, only for Remus to easily grab the anxious side's wrist and hold his arm out for Janus' other hand to dive under with wiggling fingers.

Around and around and around it went-- hands and fingers and curses and teases and giggles flew. Roman blew breathless raspberries against Remus' tummy while Janus fought to keep his fingers vibrating wildly under Virgil's arm. In turn Virgil dove down to scrabble his nail's blindly against Janus' back, while Remus did the same on either side of Roman's neck. The peals of laughter rose and melded into one loud happy harmony, and it wasn't long before the four of them were breathless with giggles, tickling without even seeing who they were attacking.

It was messy, chaotic, and perfect. Just like their family.

Patton wasn't sure when things had started to slow down. All he knew was that there was a sudden drop in the volume of the twins laughter-- it seems they had finally tired themselves out, and were now panting heavily from their disheveled positions on the living room floor. Virgil's giggles still rang through the air, albeit less desperate and more happy than anything else, until Janus relented with one final squeeze to his brother's belly before he, too, flopped back to the floor.

There they lay, those four Sides, curled like pretzels in a giant puppy pile, catching their breath and letting their last few giggles peter out. Patton took the time to examine the room: furniture shoved out of place in the mad scrambles to escape the tickles, the couch cushions were pulled out and squashed against the floor, and there was popcorn everywhere. He made eyes with Logan, expecting to see that familiar chagrin he knew so well, but was instead greeted with a look of nose-wrinkled affection.

"Blankets?" he mouthed, and Patton grinned. He reached over and grabbed one of the blankets they'd been using on the couch, and without warning threw it over the four Sides on the floor.

"Ah!" Virgil yelped first; he was the only one who saw it coming, but that half-second warning wasn't enough to save him or the others from getting absolutely draped in the oversized blanket. "D-- Patton!"

"Hm?" Patton said, grabbing the other two blankets and flinging them on the pile with ease. "Can't hear you!"

Someone was giggling again from inside the pile, probably Remus. Janus emerged first, his hair adorably mussed.

"Patton. Why."

"You looked so comfy! I wanted to help!"

"You could've helped us off of the floor."

"Aw, but you looked so cute down there." Patton giggled, lightly kicking at Janus' shoulder, causing him to hiss with displeasure.

Logan gave a light laugh. "You all did just play a very strenuous game." He reached out and patted a random ankle that was sticking out of the pile; it jerked back in over-sensitive self defense, Roman's gasp of laughter giving away its identity.

"Remus started it," came his muffled response. Remus blew a raspberry, worming his way out from underneath the covers.

"Oh, please, I didn't do shit! It was Pattycake!"

"Yes, it was!" Patton said proudly. "And I'd do it again!" Without warning he slid himself onto the floor and grabbed Remus around the waist, holding the squawking Side in a tight hug.

"My little kiddos," he cooed, and yes he knew he was laying it on thick but that was part of the fun. "Having so much fun together! It makes Logan and I so happy when you all play so nicely, I'm very proud of you--"

"Fine okay enough!" Janus shrieked; Virgil was reduced to desperate hissing as Roman buried his face in his hands. Remus pretended to gag, but Patton could feel how tightly he was returning the hug.

"Alright," Logan said warmly, silencing the group. "Let's regroup. Roman, Janus, will you fix the pillows and blankets, please? Virgil and Remus, go get some more snacks-- preferably ones that won't make a mess when thrown."

Patton watched as the other Sides, with good-natured grumbling, began working together to get their movie night back on track. It made something heavy in his chest get a little bit lighter.

He started when he realized Logan had joined him back on the couch, this time sitting right next to him. The two locked eyes, unable and unwilling to stop the soft smiles growing on their faces. Logan fumbled for Patton's hand, and he turned it over so they could lock their fingers together.

Remus had placed down a tiny collection of tools to help him get the job done. He had an old fashioned timer, and plenty of energy to let out. “Okay. You ready?” Remus asked. Roman had looked at the tools for only 2 seconds…and was already a giggling, blushing mess. “Ohoho nohoho…Cohome on, why did you have to bring those into the game?!” Roman asked. 

“Because it’s funny! And I need a way to win too.” Remus argued playfully back to him. 

“Buhut you do! For heaven's sake, you have nails!” Roman reminded him. “...Well yeeaah…” Remus mumbled, blowing on his nails playfully. “But you know me. Tools are a good addition to a game like this!” Remus told him. 

Roman bit his lip. “Ihi guess…” he muttered. 

“Alright.” Remus slammed his hands onto either side of the carpet. “Your goal is to keep your arms up for as long as possible. If you drop your arms for any reason, then you get 5 minutes of additional tickles.” Remus told him. Roman tensed up, and covered his mouth. “Ohono…” He mumbled. 

Remus smirked and wiggled his fingers at him. “Does that mean you’re ready?” Remus asked. 

Roman let out a sigh to calm down, and lifted his hands up above his own hand. “Okay. Ready.” Roman replied. 

Remus nodded and started the stopwatch. “Go!” Remus touched his fingers down on Roman’s armpits the moment the stopwatch began. Roman jumped and froze in place, his surprise evident on his face. “OH-” Roman gasped and squeaked helplessly as he felt both sets of fingers gliding down his armpits to his ribs. “eeEEEEHEHEHEEEEK!” Roman shouted. 

“Kiiitchy kitchy koooo~” Remus teased, bringing his fingers uuuup and doooown his ribs. “Let the tiiiickles completely destroooy yoooouu.” Remus teased. 

Roman clenched his fists and shook his head. “Sssstahahahap!” Roman reacted. 

“Are you going to keep going for a while longer?” Remus lowered his fingers down the armpits to his middle ribs. “Or…Are you going to give up and lower those arms for me?” Remus asked with a big, evil smirk as he raised his fingers back up to his armpits. Roman’s arms finally fell down, crushing Remus’s hands under his armpits as Roman giggled helplessly on the ground. “Hehehehehehe- Dahahahang ihihihihit.” Roman yelled. 

Remus gasped as he removed his hands and stopped the stopwatch. “Success!” he exclaimed, before cracking his knuckles. “34 seconds!” Remus declared. “Now for the most ticklish 5 minutes of your life~!” Remus declared next, before turning on the timer. “5 minutes starts NOW!” Remus shouted as he started skittering his fingers all over Roman’s belly and sides. Roman wheezed rolled onto his side, laughing and cackling loudly as he tried to cover up his ticklish spots. “WAHAHAHA! COHOHOHOME OHOHOHOHON!” Roman shouted. 

Remus smiled. “Coochy coochy coochy coo, Ro-Ro~!” Remus teased. “Which side tickles more? Left side?” Remus squeezed the left side.

Roman gasped and squealed, shaking his head as he snorted and giggled. “PLEHEHEHEHEASE!” Roman pleaded. 

“Oooor the right side?” Remus asked next, squeezing his right side. 

Roman snorted and giggled, covering his mouth with his hands. “MMMM! MMMHMHMHMHMMM!” He screamed, all muffled. 

Remus smiled and turned Roman onto his back before taking in a deep breath. “Raspberry incoming!” Remus yelled before blowing a raspberry. 

Roman screeched. “WaitWAITWAAHAHAHAHA! NAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Roman screamed, unable to stop Remus no matter what he tried. “PLEEHEEHEEHEEHEASE! HEHEEHEEHEEHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Roman cackled super loudly. 

Remus giggled and looked at the timer, right as it went off. 

[BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP!]

Remus turned off the timer and rubbed his hands together. “Now: Another round of ‘arms up’?” Remus asked him. 

Roman was too busy giggling and holding his knees in fetal position, to answer Remus’s question. “Hehehe…Hohohohold ohohon…” Roman muttered. 

“Still alive?” Remus asked. “I didn’t kill you, did I?” He asked. 

“Nohoho. Yohou didn’t.” Roman replied. 

“Aww fuck…I failed my one mission in life.” Remus muttered, annoyed. 

Roman giggled a little more and rolled himself over onto his back. “Alright. Another round!” Roman declared, placing his hands above his head. 

Remus chuckled and readied his hands. “Round 2?” Remus clarified. 

Roman nodded. “Go for it.” 

Remus clicked the start button on the stopwatch before touching his hands into his armpits again. “Tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle~!” Remus teased, fluttering his fingers in the hollows of his armpits. 

“OhoHOHO NAHAHAHAHA! HEHEHEHEHEEE!” Roman laughed, struggling to keep his arms up. 

“You struggling yet, Romulus?” Remus teased. 

Roman nodded his head while clenching his fists. “Yehehes! Whahahat doho yohohou thihihihink?!” He asked. 

“I think you’re too ticklish to survive this game.” Remus admitted. 

“FIHIHIGHT MEHEEEE!” Roman shouted back. 

“Okay!” Remus removed his fingers for a moment, and started moving his index fingers closer and closer to the hollows of Roman’s armpits. Roman widened his eyes and looked back and forth at the fingers. He could see them visibly getting closer to his armpits, knowing he would have to make a choice to either risk getting destroyed with tickles and being unable to cover up his armpits, or lower his arms down and get another 5 minutes of tickles. 

Roman held his breath and tensed up, awaiting the fingers in his armpits. Remus noticed his moment of bravery, and decided to have a little fun. He brought his fingers back and grabbed a tool from the tiny collection. Adjusting it, Remus brought the tool up to Roman’s belly button, and clicked the button. 

BzzzZZZZZ! 

“GAH!! HAHAhahahAHAHA!” Roman cackled, clenching his fists again and shaking his head left and right helplessly. “NOOOHOHOHO FAHAHAHAIRRR!” Roman shouted at him. 

“All is fair in a game of ‘Arms up’!” Remus replied with a smirk. 

Roman finally threw his arms down to cover up his armpits. Remus pulled his fingers out and stopped the stopwatch. “45 seconds! You beat your first record by 11 seconds!” Remus reacted. 

Roman was hugging his arms, unable to contain his giggles as he kicked his feet like a ballerina. 

Seeing Roman’s feet kicking like this, gave Remus an idea. He grabbed the hairbrush from his collection and brought his foot into a headlock. “5 minutes of tickles, starts NOW!” Remus started the timer and spun the hairbrush in his finger before ‘brushing’ his foot. 

“Wait, WHAT?! eeEEEHEHEHEEEK!” Roman yelled, kicking Remus’s back with his other free foot. 

“Goodness, I forgot how ticklish your feet are!” Remus reacted, continuing to brush the arch of his foot. 

Roman pulled on his foot desperately as he struggled to overcome the tickles. It was usually really, really difficult to get out of Remus’s grip when he’s overcome with motivation. And this time was no different. He held his head with his hands and shook his head wildly, unable to explain just how ticklish his foot was. Remus knew this very well, and happily exploited this fact often. 

But as if it couldn’t get worse…Remus pulled out a blending pencil and started poking it right in between his toes. And OOOOOH MY GOD, did that ruin the man! Roman had gone completely silent after only a couple pokes! His toes were just way too ticklish to be touched, let alone tickled! 

[BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP!] 

Roman went completely limp the moment he heard the alarm go off. He could not be more thankful to hear such a sound. The most annoying sound in the world…was like beautiful piano music in his ears. He thanked the stars he hadn’t died at the hands of his brother on this blessed day. 

“Another round of arms up?” Remus asked him. 

Roman shook his head persistently. “Nohoho. Nohoway. No way…” Roman replied. “Not again.” 

Remus tilted his head. “R-Really?” He asked. “Not even a little?” He clarified. Roman shook his head. “Nuh uh! You’re brutal as a tickler.” Roman replied. 

Remus’s face began to soften slightly. It began to dawn on him that maaaaybe he was tickling him a little too harshly. He began to think of ways to make it up to his twin brother…Maybe…

Maybe some revenge is in order? 

Remus switched out the electric toothbrush head and placed it down in the pile. He pushed the tools over to Roman with a big smile, before laying himself down close by and placing his arms above his own head. “Okay. Your turn!” Remus told him. 

Roman blinked in surprise and was taken aback. Was…Was Remus…giving him the tools…to tickle him? Roman looked down at the tools, before looking back up at Remus. “R-Really?” Roman asked. 

“Yeah! I wanna play too.” Remus admitted. 

Roman narrowed his eyes at him, before crossing his arms. “How do I know you won’t attack me the moment I tickle you?” Roman asked, well aware of Remus’s usual methods of cheating. 

Remus summoned a red ribbon around his wrists and placed them above his head. “There. No tickle-backs.” Remus replied. 

Roman rolled his eyes. “I know you too well…you’re perfectly capable of tickling me, even if your hands are tied.” Roman reminded him. “Well…” Remus thought for a moment…before letting out an awkward chuckle. “Okay, maybe that’s true. But…give me a chance.” Remus told him. “This is your one time to get me back. Take it, or you may lose that chance.” Remus told him. 

Roman hesitantly scooted himself up to Remus. He slowly picked up the feather duster that was hidden amidst the collection, and fluttered it on his belly with great uncertainty. Remus’s giggles filled the room for a little bit. This was his attempt to show Roman that he wasn’t playing him. He was going to let him tickle him. 

Remus’s laughter was enough to convince Roman to keep going. He slowly grew a smile as he fluttered the feather duster on his belly and sides more, before moving up to his armpit. The moment Remus guffawed at the armpit tickles, Roman was fully confident. He picked up the stopwatch, and clicked the start button. Roman was going to take advantage, and completely wreck this man with every tickle tool he had at his disposal. 

Roman and Logan had only been dating for only around six months when winter rolled around. The second the clock struck midnight on November 1st Roman was in full Christmas mode. Christmas was his all time favorite holiday, how could it not be? There were presents, and loud decorations, and cuddling by the fire, and hot cocoa, and the people he loved most. But his favorite person in the whole wide world, his boyfriend Logan, was Jewish. So he didn’t even celebrate Christmas! He’d probably never even had a proper Christmas, and wasn’t that a sad thought to be having at midnight. So Roman resolved that this year he was gonna make Logan experience Christmas. All the good non-religious bits, anyways. Christmas had never really been about God for Roman anyways. He more enjoyed the family and community aspect of it all.

Unfortunately, both Logan and Roman were absolutely swamped with schoolwork and activities for the entirety of November. Roman was starring in the fall play, and Logan was working hard with his team to get their phenomenal rubber band car ready for the Physics Olympics. Between their busy schedules and Thanksgiving, the two barely even saw each other. Come December, however, a rejuvenated Roman set his plan into action: Operation Make-Logan-Experience-Christmas.

Step one: Decorate the house.

On December 3rd, Roman invited Logan over with no explanation. When Logan pulled into Roman’s driveway he was surprised to find the guy looking extremely frustrated as he furiously attempted to untangle a massive string of lights.

“Ro? What’s going on? Are you ok?” Logan inquired as he exited his car. Roman dropped the lights, a huge smile blooming on his face,

“Hey! You made it! I’m just trying-and failing-to untangle these lights…haha. I wanted to show you all the joys of Christmas since, yknow, you’re Jewish and all. So I figured we could decorate my house together and then drink cocoa?” Logan huffed out a small laugh. His boyfriend was adorable.

“Sure”, he replied with a grin, “Hand me the lights”. He then proceeded to untangle them in one smooth motion, smirking when Roman’s jaw hit the floor.

As the hours wore on, the work was getting agonizingly slow. Especially for Logan who didn’t understand the point of putting lights on the house to begin with. It wasn’t practical; why were they doing it? So, when Roman stretched up to wrap a string of lights around a tree branch, Logan quickly wiggled two fingers in each of Roman’s underarms, eliciting a small shriek. Roman immediately whipped around, light pink dusting his cheeks.

“Dohon’t”, he giggled, voice wavering slightly. See, Logan didn’t get mischievous often, he found it childish. But, well, he was really bored. And maybe Roman was cute when he was tickled or whatever, shut up. Roman tentatively reached up again, and again he he found tickling fingers in his underarms, forcing him to slam his arms down with a squeal. The cycle continued a couple more times before Roman finally whipped around and tackled Logan, squeezing his sides with vigor.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ROHOHOHOMAN PLEEHEEHEEASE IHIM SOHORRY STAAHAHAHAAP”, he squealed.

“All right, all right,” Roman relented, “but only because we need to finish these decorations”. And as much as Logan hated to admit it, the decorations did end up pretty great in the end. They were loud and obnoxious and garish and PERFECT. This whole Christmas thing was actually pretty fun, and Logan thought the concept of Roman showing him his favorite parts of the holiday was pretty cute. And that’s what sparked Logan’s newest idea: Operation-Make-Roman-Experience-Chanukkah.

Which is how Roman found himself at Logan’s house on December 18, the first night of Chanukkah. Roman honestly didn’t know much about the holiday, so he was pretty excited. Logan’s family, of course, were delighted to have Roman over. Logan’s grandparents, although not fully understanding that the two boys were dating, were supportive and excited regardless. Roman watched as Logan’s dad lit the shammash with a fire stick and Logan got to light the first candle. Not being religious or motivated enough to actually dig out the yamaka’s, all the male family members simply placed a hand on their heads as Logan’s grandfather recited a prayer. Roman didn’t understand a word of the Hebrew, but he enthusiastically exclaimed “Amen!” with everyone else at the end. The family then sat down for dinner, where Roman proclaimed latkes to be his new favorite food and then proceeded to eat half the platter. After an incredible dinner, they sat on the floor for a rousing game of dreidel. Barely 10 minutes in Roman was losing quite spectacularly. Logan’s grandfather was winning again; no one could quite figure out how he always won a game entirely based on luck. Logan himself had quite a sizeable stack of chocolate gelt in front of him. And maybe Roman was feeling a bit mischievous, sue him. So he sneakily-not-so sneakily stole Logan’s stack of the biggest coins and slid it over to his meager pile. Logan merely gave Roman a side-eye and stole the coins back, but the glint in him eye told him Roman was SO getting it later.

And get it he did, because as soon as Roman and Logan were able to sneak away to Logan’s room, out of earshot from the adults downstairs, Logan wasted no time in pinning Roman to the bed.

“Eheheheh what?” Roman questioned.

“You stole from me. Now it’s time to pay” Logan replied dramatically whilst wiggling his fingers in the air. Romans eyes widened comically at the sight,

“You wouldn’t”.

“Oh I would”. With that Roman burst into laughter, which was only strange for one reason: Logan hadn’t actually started tickling him yet, which sent the shorter man into a flurry of giggles himself,

“ihi hahaven’t eheven tohouched you yehet”.

“Shut up” came the embarrassed reply.

“I’m gonna count to 10”, Logan proclaimed, much to Roman’s horror.

“1”

“nonono wait please don’t”

“2”

“Logan wait please I gave it back”

“3”

“It was a joke! I didn’t mean it! Please I’m sorry!”

“10.”

And with that, Roman couldn’t say much else as he had quickly descended into hysterics as Logan dug mercilessly into Roman’s ribs. He couldn’t even complain that Logan had skipped 4 5 6 7 8 and 9. That didn’t stop Logan from talking, however.

“Aww does that tickle? Is my Prince just sooo ticklish he can’t even handle just a few tickles on his wittle ribs?”

“I bet you’re sorry now. Was my gelt really worth this?”

“Can you stop laughing? I’m trying to talk to you. how rude!”

Roman meanwhile was dying as fingers were now spidering all over his tummy, leaving the poor boy in stitches.

“This will not end until you apologize for the stolen goods”

“Nehehever”

“Fine. I guess I’ll have to use drastic measures”. Logan’s hands began steadily creeping back up, awakening Roman’s ribs from their much deserved nap. They didn’t stop there however, a terrifying fact that Roman was coming to realize.

“No no no nohot there nohot there pleaheahease” he babbled helplessly, “I cahan’t tahake ihihit”

“Aww, but I thought you liked this Ro. Any last words?”

“Fuck you!” And those truly were his last words for awhile as Logan wormed his hands into Roman’s underarms and vibrated his fingers like ticklish shockwaves pulsing into Roman’s core. Roman was in the clouds. He couldn’t feel his surroundings and his eyes were squeezed shut. He could barely hear his own hysterical laughter over the deafening buzz of fire in his nerves. He couldn’t comprehend anything besides how much it tickled. The sensation blurred reality until he found himself wishing it would last forever while simultaneously needing it to stop that second. It was like oxygen that suffocated. He couldn’t stand it, but he needed it, more than he ever thought he’d need anything. But the feeling was quickly approaching “suffocating”. Fortunately, it suddenly stopped. Reality rushed back through him. Dull tingles racing through his body, soft sheets under him, warm and grounding Logan on top of him. Hands were on his face, in his hair, making sure he was okay.

“Thanks..Logi. That was- fuck”

“Anytime Ro” Logan smiled softly before slipping back into his “mad” voice,

“That’ll teach you not to steal from the great professor!”

“Oh yeah?” Roman questioned as he picked himself off the bed and switched their positions with admittedly little resistance from his boyfriend.

“I think you’ve got a lesson of your own to learn teach.” He said before lowering his voice to a low whisper,

“No-one messes with the prince and makes it out unscathed” And then Logan was in hysterics as the tables turned, fingers on his neck, his ears, his sides all tickling with too much vigor for someone who’d just been tickled to hysterics themselves. The sensations were simultaneously too much and too little, altogether overstimulating while his body kept craving more, more, more as he leaned into the touch instead of away, a fact which Roman was all too eager to point out.

“Aww enjoying yourself there Logi-bear? Is the great professor enjoying his wittle tickles?”

“NO! I HAHAHATE YOUHOUHOO”

“Do you now? I’m not hearing a stop~” At that Logan fell silent because truthfully he was enjoying the affection from his boyfriend. That’s what the holidays were about, after all. Not candles, or decorations, or silly games with spinning tops and chocolate. They were about creating silly memories with the people you love the most. And as he was laughing himself horse, Logan hoped Roman would be there to make these memories with him for many more Christmases and Chanukkahs to come. Because Roman brought happiness and laughter into Logan’s life. And Logan didn’t want to stop laughing for a long time. And so he wouldn’t. ;)

I hope this is okay writing wise. I don’t really know what I’m doing but I’m doing my best.

“You may have no doubts,” Virgil said airily, tugging Logan’s shirt up. “But I do.” 

He was only allowed to use one tool, and fingers counted, but instead of fingers, he’d chosen a feather. He could still use his hands for other things, but he had to use the feather for tickling. Not that that was a bad thing, Logan was extremely feather-sensitive, and Virgil had ten whole minutes to work in. 

He started swirling the feather around Logan’s stomach, but aside from slight squirms and twitches, he got no reaction. 

“Aww, look at you, you’re starting to move already,” Virgil cooed. “This doesn’t tickle, does it? I even started somewhere easy.” 

“It doesn’t,” Logan said firmly. 

“No, of course you aren’t affected by the tickles,” Virgil said, swirling the feather on Logan’s side, and noticing the subtle shift away from it. “This may be a very tickly feather, but Logan just isn’t ticklish.”

Virgil kept the feather on just the one side while he started searching for his next target. The imbalance of it would make it harder for Logan, and Virgil wasn’t chancing loss. Not this time. 

Finally he moved the feather up under Logan’s chin. Logan locked his jaw tight to avoid any moving or giggling, but his smile was steadily growing, and the briefest sound slipped out when Virgil brought the feather just behind his ear, sawing the delicate bristles back and forth. 

“Aww, is Logan feeling giggly from the light tickles?”

“Mmmm,” Logan said, clearly intended to be a no. 

“Oh, you are?” Virgil cooed. “The little bitty ticklies are starting to get to you?”

Logan looked away from him, his jaw twitching with the effort to hold still, and his face turning a pretty pink. 

Well, it was time to up the ante just a bit. 

“Let’s have these arms come up, Lo,” Virgil said, giving Logan an evil smirk. 

They were both dressed in tank tops and shorts, so when Logan raised his arms both his armpits were exposed. Virgil was loving this game more and more. Only he could make Logan move, or else Logan lost, and Virgil was doing his best to ensure that that was what happened. That Logan’s pride in suggesting such a stacked game would get its comeuppance. 

Virgil dragged the feather down slowly from elbow to armpit in a way that would have Princey squealing and pulling away. But Logan just closed his eyes, setting his face tighter and holding still aside from a number of tiny muscle twitches and small puffs of air. 

Virgil glanced at the clock, to see that he only had two minutes left. No! He couldn’t lose! He would get Logan to laugh! 

“Alright, time to roll over,” Virgil said, his worry bleeding into his voice and ruining any teasing effect. 

Logan did roll over, but he had a self satisfied smirk on his face. Virgil moved down the bed, attacking the backs of Logan’s knees with the feather. 

Finally! He had a reaction. Logan was letting out whines, his legs twitching almost convulsively, but he wasn’t laughing, and this didn’t count as moving. 

Virgil sat on top of Logan’s calves, dragging the feather down the sole of one foot. The whine became much louder, and Virgil suspected that Logan was just yelling into the pillow to stop himself from laughing. He fluttered the feather up and down, and under toes. 

Logan was fully squealing, but somehow managing not to laugh, and with Virgil on his ankles, he had to do much less to keep still. 

“Tihime!” Logan yelled. “Tihihime!” He burst into giggles and laughs. 

No. Nonono. Virgil was NOT giving up that easily. He attacked Logan’s feet with both hands, scribbling all over his soles. 

Logan shrieked with laughter, twisting and jerking and begging for Virgil to stop between breaths and giggles. With him so caught in laughter, he couldn’t get away, or stop Virgil, and Virgil knew well what would happen when he did, so he didn’t let up. 

One hand was scribbling and the other was sawing the feather below and around Logan’s toes. 

“Nohohoho! StohahahahaAHH!”

Virgil pried back his toes to scribble with the stiff end of the feather, and sent Logan into a series of desperate shrieks, before he managed to pull one foot back and shoved Virgil with it. 

Logan was collapsed on the bed in giggles, and Virgil ran. Out of the room, and racing around the mind palace. He had to find somewhere to hide, before—

“Viiirgil~,” Patton called. 

Virgil knew that tone of voice. Logan had a failsafe. And it was Patton. 

Virgil ran. 

He suddenly heard footsteps chasing behind him. 

He let out a shriek as hands caught his waist, pulling him into a hug. 

“Nohoho, Patton, please! Let me go!”

“Aww, it’s not me you have to worry about, kiddo,” Patton said cheerfully. “I’m just taking you back to Logan.”

“Noho, Patton, have mercy, let me escape! I’ll do anything!”

Patton started pulling him towards Logan’s room. “Anything? Well, Lo might not like it, but I’d like a tickle toy just as much as he would. I could just keep you for myself.”

Patton’s hands around his waist squeezed, and Virgil burst into giggles. “Nohoho!”

“Awww, I guess back to Lo you go then.”

Patton finally released Virgil at the doorway to Logan’s room. Logan was just sitting up, his face red and teary, but with the brightest smile and missed hair. 

“Ihif you’ll lock the door, Patton,” Logan said. “Thank you.”

“Oh, no problem, Lo!” Patton said cheerfully, closing the door and trapping Virgil with Logan. 

Virgil spun to try and twist the handle before it could lock, and stopped short at the black bands circling his wrists. 

“What?”

“Oh, those,” Logan said, his voice smooth now that he had recovered. “I had Roman make them for me. They appeared as soon as you tried to run.”

Virgil looked down to see that they were not only on his wrists, but at several points all along his limbs. They felt like soft, stretchy fabric. “What are they?”

“Restraints,” Logan said simply. “They respond to my mental commands.” 

Virgil suddenly felt them tugging him forward a step. “Wha-at— no! These aren’t fair!”

“Oh, of course not. That’s why they only appeared after you both broke the rules and then tried to run. Now why don’t you come lay down?”

Virgil hesitated, an excited buzz settling in his gut. Well, if he was about to be tickled hysterical, going into in a lee mood was certainly best. 

Logan clicked his tongue several times, shaking his head. “After all you’ve done, you don’t want to hold back now.”

Virgil shivered, a smile growing as he laid down on his stomach. At least for the moment he’d protect his worst spot. As soon as he was settled, he found he couldn’t move any farther. At least, his legs couldn’t. His arms seemed quite free. 

“I suppose I’ll give you the same consideration you gave me, and I’ll start somewhere easier.” Logan said, sitting over Virgil’s ankles the same way Virgil had done to him. “Thankfully, you’ve given me very few limitations. I suppose you didn’t think you’d lose. I believe I’ll begin with a pen.”

Virgil could twist his body enough to see Logan conjure the pen, and send him an evil smile. “Do try not to scream.”

And then Logan started writing on Virgil’s feet. 

Virgil was already fully keyed up, and it only took a second for that to release into loud laughter. He pounded on the bed with his hands, thrashing his upper body back and forth, but his ankles and legs were held immobile, and Logan had a solid grip on the foot he was currently writing on. 

“I’m listing your crimes,” Logan said calmly. “You’ll be here all night, and I’d rather not have to explain them over again every time.”

Virgil squeaked and laughed entirely at Logan’s will for several long minutes, before he stopped to give him a break. 

“Would my precious tickle toy like a break for water?”

Virgil turned red right up to his ears, but he nodded. 

He could move now, and sat up to let the rest of the giggles out. Logan handed him a bottle of cold water. 

Logan stroked a hand through his hair, and Virgil leaned into the touch. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” Logan said, “but this is nowhere near over.”

Virgil flushed darker, ducking his head over his water bottle. He’d been in a Lee mood all week, only briefly driven out by the challenge Logan had given, and now back in full force. He was going to enjoy this far more than he would ever let on. 

From outside, he heard a happy squeal that couldn’t be anyone but Patton. 

“I do believe we will all have quite the enjoyable evening,” Logan said. “Are you about done with your water break?”

Virgil nodded, handing the half-empty bottle back. He laid down on his stomach, still trying to keep Logan away from his worst spot. 

Once again, as soon as he was settled, he found that he was unable to move his legs. 

“I do believe I will work backwards from the way that you went,” Logan said thoughtfully, and Virgil felt a feather slowly drag up his bare calf and settle just behind his knee. 

“No, I seem to remember something better than a feather for you,” Logan said, and suddenly Virgil was launched into laughter as Logan brushed two soft makeup brushes on the backs of his knees. 

It was too much, but Logan knew that, and moved the brushes down over his calves, where it was more relaxing than ticklish. 

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Y— noho.”

“No? Are you lying to me, Virgil?”

“Nohohoho!”

The brushes moved back up, just on the edge of where it would tickle like mad. Virgil was giggling his heart out, not even struggling. 

“Are you sure? Why don’t I ask one more time, are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yehehes!” 

The brushes moved up, moving slowly, but perfectly calculated to send Virgil into wild laughter.

Once Virgil’s laughter got a bit wheezy, Logan set the brushes aside, rubbing softly with his hands. Virgil melted into the bed, giggling. 

“I find it perfectly endearing how much you enjoy being tickled,” Logan said, his tone calm and fond. 

Virgil couldn’t even find it in him to protest. Because it just felt so good! Even at his very meanest, Logan knew when to stop, and he’d usually stop a few steps before it. 

“It’s such a wonderful thing I have you all night,” Logan said proudly, skittering fingers over the backs of his knees to make Virgil squeak. 

“But I think it’s about time to move on to better areas, don’t you? Be a good Lee and roll over for me.” 

Virgil’s stomach quivered, even though he knew it was last. 

“If you don’t, I’ll have to make you, and I don’t think you want that, Virgil.” Logan said, his voice a mixture between stern and amused. 

Virgil rolled over, revealing his bright red face and excited smile. 

“Oh, there we go! Such a good little Lee. And now let’s get these arms up.”

Virgil picked his arms up, and then they were stuck there. 

“Oh, that’s excellent, Virgil! I believe now would be the time for positive reinforcement. You remember what is next, I’ll let you choose what tool I use.”

Virgil could barely decide. Did he want light tickles, or rough tickles? Nearly unbearable, or only giggles, or somewhere in between?

Not to mention, Logan wasn’t exaggerating, Virgil had agreed to being a tickle toy for the whole night if he lost. Maybe he’d had just as much pride as Logan had in making the game. 

“A feather.”

“Ah, I see,” Logan said, picking up a feather in each hand. “I do love your sweet giggles.”

Each feather traced delicate shapes directly in his hollows, making Virgil squirm constantly, soft giggles pouring from his lips. 

There was a soft knock at the door. 

Logan didn’t change the way he was tickling at all. “Come in.”

Patton, his face red and happy, came into the room, immediately cooing at Virgil. 

“Aww! Can you make him go back and forth?”

Logan smiled. “Certainly.”

He fluttered the feathers a little faster, focusing on one side and then the other, making Virgil squirm from one side to the other with bright laughter. 

“Lohohoho! Stahahap!” 

But Logan didn’t stop, turning calmly to Patton as if the wriggling, giggly side beneath him didn’t exist. “What did you need?”

“Oh, I came to say that dinner’s ready.”

“Hear that, Virgil? Dinner’s ready. Would you like to get up now?”

“Yehehes!” Virgil squealed. 

Logan snapped away the feathers, and Virgil’s arms were released. He curled them around his torso, letting out the last of the giggles. 

“Dinner came at an excellent time, Patton,” Logan said, climbing down. “It saves a perfect warm up, and then the best tickles for after.”

Virgil flushed darker red, sitting up. His ears and chin, and then his belly. Why hadn’t he added more places when tickling Logan? Anticipatory tingles ran through him even as he knew he wouldn’t be getting tickled until at least dinner was over. 

The dinner table was full of spontaneous giggles, bursting out with seemingly no provocation. From what Virgil could tell, Patton had been tickled before dinner, and Roman would be getting it after. But that didn’t stop Roman from teasing him. 

“What’d you do to get those?” Roman said, grinning, and looking at the restraints. 

“You will find a complete list of his crimes written on his feet,” Logan said cooly, which made Virgil blush again. 

“You’re gonna get wrecked too, Princey, you can’t say anything.” 

“Oh, but I’m going to check out those feet first,” Roman said, grinning brighter. 

Virgil shifted to be partially behind Logan. “I’m not your tickle toy, you don’t get to pick.”

Logan smirked. “I’ll allow it.”

Virgil’s mouth fell open. “Lo!”

Logan pet his head. “I can’t be all sweetness to you, not after you wrecking me unfairly.”

“I wanna see too!” Patton piped up. 

“Of course,” Logan said calmly, turning his attention back to his dinner. 

Virgil ate very slowly, trying to lengthen the time. But that just meant that Roman and Patton’s predatory gazes were fixed on him for several minutes. 

The instant the last bit was gone Patton pounced, tackling Virgil to the ground, and making them both burst into giggles. 

Roman grabbed his ankle. “Oh look! It says ‘if you’re reading this, tickle me’.”

“It dohoes not!” Virgil yelled. “Logan!”

“Oh, dear, I seem to hear something, but I can’t tell what it is,” Logan said. 

Roman grinned, digging into the soles of Virgil’s feet. 

Without anything to hold him down, Virgil’s squeal was accompanied by violent kicking, and soon Roman was forced to admit defeat. 

“Oh, let me see too, Virge,” Patton said pleadingly. “I won’t tickle you.”

Virgil grumbled and blushed, but didn’t try to kick at Patton as he looked at the writing on the bottoms of his feet. 

“Oh, dearie my, Virgil, you’re gonna have a long night.” 

“Yes. And now I will take him to begin.” Logan said, smiling proudly. 

Virgil blushed. If there was any way for them to doubt how much he enjoyed himself, the way he followed Logan without hesitation ruined it. 

“Why don’t you sit here on the edge of the bed,” Logan suggested. 

He slipped one hand into Virgil’s hair, making him melt almost instantly, and then started teasing a feather around his ears. Virgil was giggling soft and light, not moving at all, and leaning into the hand in his hair. A deliberate flutter beneath his chin had him looking up. 

“I-I’m ready to be tickled now.” 

“Oh? Then lay down, on your back this time.”

Virgil laid down, and there was a tugging at his wrists and ankles to pull them out taut and hold them there. 

Logan rolled up his shirt, and Virgil was already giggling. He skimmed his finger in a circle just around Virgil’s bellybutton, which was by far his worst spot. 

Virgil sucked in a breath, squirming from side to side. 

“Oh, no, this is too much movement. I’m going to restrain you further for this part, they will vanish when I’m done.” Logan said, looking up to Virgil’s face for confirmation. 

Virgil nodded slightly, nervously. 

Two more bands appeared, one around his hips, holding them down and still, and another around his ribs. It didn’t hinder his breathing in the slightest, but wiggling was certainly a lost cause. 

“There we are,” Logan said. “Would you give me a good attempt to wiggle free? I must know the parameters within which I will be working.”

Virgil tried to wiggle, but it didn’t work. 

“I meant an attempt in earnest,” Logan said firmly, his hands hovering threateningly over Virgil’s belly. 

Virgil tried harder, arching his back and squirming as much as he could. He felt some of the restraints tighten just a little more, and yet they weren’t at all uncomfortable. Leave it to Roman to come up with something absolutely perfect. 

“Well done, Virgil. And now, I regret to inform you, especially with how eager-to-please you’ve been, is when I will get my revenge.”

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat, and he thrashed, trying to get away, but he had done a good job helping Logan to force his body, or at least his belly, into perfect stillness. 

Logan’s finger touched down, circling around his bellybutton and sending lightning flashes of tingles through Virgil. And he couldn’t squirm either toward or away from it. 

He was expecting a spiral inward, and ruthless tickling of his weakest spot, so he was very surprised when the circle stayed exactly where it was. The anticipation was sending his sensitivity through the roof, but the actual touch wasn’t quite enough to have him laughing on its own. And it kept circling. And circling. Around and around in its torturous journey, not tickling, but so close the threat of tickles could constantly be felt. 

Virgil was caught in a strange limbo, wanting both more and less tickles. But it was awakening his Lee mood, turning it from the bear that had been growling all week into a dragon. 

“A-are you going to-to tickle me?”

“Not yet. Did you know, the longer I stay here, your sensitivity will continue rising?”

Virgil let out a whine. “Please?”

“Please what, Virgil?”

“Please tickle me?”

“I’m afraid not. Not yet, anyway.”

Logan just kept circling, his face impassive, not caving into to any of Virgil’s pleading, and merely offering facts about tickling, and how much more it would tickle once he reached the little bellybutton. Minutes stretched on, the tingles growing and growing, until Virgil was nearly writhing, trying to get closer to Logan’s one finger and actually get tickled. 

“Logan, please! Anything, you can tickle me with anything you want, for however long you want, I don’t care! I want to be tickled, please!”

“You certainly are getting desperate,” Logan commented. “Do you suppose that this would be sufficient revenge for me?”

Virgil whined desperately. He wanted to be tickled! He wanted to be wrecked until he couldn’t breathe and then some! He could barely remember what he’d done for Logan to get revenge for. “Please!”

Logan flicked his wrist, and a bottle of baby oil fell into it. He poured some directly inside Virgil’s bellybutton, letting it overflow and trickle over his belly in tickly streams. All Virgil could think was ‘Finally!’.

But it wasn’t yet. Logan smiled at him evilly, staying with his circles. Virgil could’ve screamed. Several minutes, or were they years, later, Logan’s finger edged closer, spiraling inward. 

Virgil took a deep breath, and he needed every bit of it. He’d never guessed anything could tickle as much as that one finger did, finally applying pressure right at the rim of his bellybutton. He was shrieking with laughter, with nothing soft building up to it. And then Logan picked up a small makeup brush, just the size of his bellybutton, and swirled it down inside. 

Virgil SCREAMED, and his laughter went silent almost immediately. But that wasn’t where Logan stopped. He knew where the line between silent laughter and couldn’t breathe was, and he kept that one brush swirling until Virgil reached the line. 

He rubbed his hand over Virgil’s belly firmly, clearing away tickles and spreading the oil evenly. In the middle of this Virgil found his voice again, laughing deep belly laughs from just the residual feeling. 

And then he looked like he might be done. He tapped the extra restraints and they disappeared, and all the others loosened. 

“Nohoho, tihickle me mohore,” Virgil begged. 

“More? Are you certain?”

Virgil nodded vigorously. 

Logan took the brush, swirling it over Virgil’s belly. Virgil broke into wild laughter, as happy as he thought it was possible to be. 

For a while Logan switched back and forth between the soft tickles of the brush, and kneading Virgil’s tummy with his hands, both methods causing streams and streams of laughter to come out. 

Logan smirked, and that was the only warning before the brush was tickling the inside of his bellybutton again. 

Virgil could now move his arms and legs almost freely, but the restraints somehow pulled him back if he tried to stop Logan, and he could do nothing but thrash in the amazing feeling, almost too much, and definitely screaming his head off. 

Logan dragged the brush out slowly, and down across Virgil’s pantline, which had him wailing in blissful agony. 

He rubbed his hands over Virgil’s belly firmly, rubbing away tickles. 

“I believe I see now why Patton delights in pushing you to where I had previously thought was too far. I’ll give you a short break, and we will continue afterwards.”

Logan helped Virgil sit up, and get water, dropping his persona entirely to be absolutely certain that he wasn’t going to far. 

“Oh, no, the circles were too far. That was torture. The tickling is amazing.”

Logan flushed just slightly at the praise. “I’m pleased that this is a mutually enjoyable experience.”

Virgil finished off the water and went to use the bathroom before coming back, readily laying down and pulling his own shirt up. 

“See now you’ve ruined my opportunity to tease you more,” Logan said, painting figure eights in the baby oil with the brush, and bringing out bright laughter. “Perhaps I should invite Patton and Roman back in. They certainly have no shortage of teases in them. Not to mention, I believe they finished a while ago.”

Virgil was laughing too hard to answer, his hands batting at the air ineffectively. 

But soon there was Roman’s laughter and Patton’s cooing joining his laughs in filling the room. 

“You just can’t get enough, can you?” Roman teased. 

“It seems not,” Logan agreed. “I’ve called you to offer each of you a turn, provided you comply with certain guidelines.”

“Yeah, sure, like what?” Roman said. 

“This little lee,” Logan said, squeezing at Virgil’s sides and making him jolt and snort. “Is quite over sensitive at the moment. Any tickles must be of the lighter variety, though that will not by any means lessen the reactions.” 

To prove this, Logan slipped the brush back into his bellybutton for a few seconds. Virgil was thrashing violently, shrieking laughter. 

“He is unable to interfere with your tickling, but I would request that you not attempt to pin him down any further.”

“Alright, sounds good.” Roman said. “Can I use some more of the oil?”

“That is acceptable.” 

Logan traded places with Roman, who smirked down at Virgil. “Hello there, Giggles, ready to go hysterical?”

Roman moved his hands up to Virgil’s armpits, and the restraints held his arms up. He could keep them up in the air, or above his head, or anywhere in between, but he couldn’t close off his armpits. 

Roman poured oil into each one, and then picked up the makeup brush. “We have to have an even coat, Virge.”

Virgil certainly went hysterical. His feet were kicking, and his head was thrashing back and forth, laughter pouring from his throat. 

“Can I have a turn now?” Patton asked, bouncing up and down. “I want to play with his little giggle button!”

“It’s more of a scream button at the moment, Padre,” Roman said, but he got off of Virgil, giving him a chance to catch his breath. 

Virgil was finally beginning to feel sated, the dragon no longer roaring, and beginning to shrink. 

Patton sat on his hips, staring down at his belly hungrily. “Poke!” He said in a bright voice, poking his finger on Virgil’s bellybutton. 

Virgil let out a short shriek, and then laughter. 

“Poke, poke,” Patton said, sending his fingers poking randomly over Virgil’s belly. “Poke, poke, poke.”

He pulled his hands back. “And a tickly!” They darted down, scribbling over Virgil’s belly. Virgil laughed so hard it went silent before Patton stopped. But he wasn’t done. 

“A poke. A poke poke poke!”

Virgil squealed louder with each poke, as they seemed targeted now to more sensitive places. 

“Pokey poke poke!”

“Patton, perhaps not—“ Logan started. 

“And a tickly!” Patton said, scribbling all over. 

Virgil’s laughter went silent faster this time, and Logan pulled Patton away, taking his place. He rubbed over Virgil’s belly, clearing away what tickles could be cleared away. 

“Ihihi’m dohone,” Virgil said. 

Logan snapped, and the bands disappeared. 

“You did absolutely amazing, Virgil. You’re always my favorite lee.”

“Ihi’m all of yohour favorite Lee.”

“You bet you are, Virgil!” Patton said. 

Roman chuckled. “You certainly like being lee better than any of us do.”

Virgil was hit with an intense wave of exhaustion. 

Logan moved to his head, and stroked a hand through his hair. Virgil melted, and the sleepiness very nearly won. He looked up at Logan. “Stay w’ me?”

“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else,” Logan said, gently carding through his hair. 

~~~

"One Mississippi! Two Mississippi! THREE Mississippi!" "Stohohohop counting in Missihihihihissippi’s!"

Roman huffed again after “losing his place” and started over.

"One Florida Gator, Two Florida Gator…" "IHIHIHIHI SWEAR, ROMAN!"

Roman huffed impatiently.

"Fine then!"

Roman summoned an assortment of brush tip markers, pulling up Janus’ dress shirt even further. He marked himself to make sure that the tips were working. He applied the first number, shouting out:

"Uno!" "ROMAHAHAHAHAN! STAHAHAP TOUCHING MY BAHACK!" "Dos! Tres! Cuatro!" "STOP SPEHEHEHAKING IN SPANISH!!" "I! II! III! IV! V!" "WHAHAHAHAT THE HEHEHEHELL!!"

Janus couldn’t take anymore of this counting nonsense and shoved the fanciful trait off him while simultaneously summoning his extra arms.

"Let’s see how much you like counting~" "Wait, Jan! I take it back!" "Null. Eins. Zwei." "Thehehehe hehehehell?! Yohohou can speak Geheheherman?" "Oh, excuse my misunderstanding… Un. Deux. Trois. Quatre." "Ihihihihi didn’t say switch languages!" "Oh you meant for me to say it in Swahili, didn’t you?" "Ihihihihihi swhehear, Jahahan!"