#ticklefic

Sweet sweet revenge. Vincent was thinking, he's tried to get revenge so many times. But..er..well.. tickle attacks. Haven't been treating him right.

The other day at the mall. He got tickle 'wrecked' RIGHT in public by Samantha.

And again.

Again.

All at different places.

Was it embarrassing?

Okay yea but that's not the point.

"Heheh..I'll definitely tickle her back.."

.

"Okay well. Maybe not in public this time"

.

Vincent 'hobbles' downstairs. "Honeyyyyy! I hurt my knee..again." He 'whines'.

"Seriously?" Samantha walks over. "Sit." She says.

Vincent sits down, so Samantha leans down to check his knee, but right as she does Vincent grabs onto her sides and falls forward off the chair and rolling them over, he then starts tickling her.

"AHAHAH-! HEHEHEHEYHYY! YOHOU LIHIHIEHEHED!" Samantha yelped.

"It was the only ACTUAL way to get you back." He says.

"NOHOHO IHIT'S NOHOHOT! YOHOHOU'RE JUHUST BAHAHAD AHAT IHIHIT!" Samantha laughed.

"Am not!" He said.

"Ahahare tohohohoo!" She laughed.

"Fine fine. Maybe I AM but I still got you right now!" He tells her before stopping.

"Ihif you lie again the next thing you'll be doing is REALLY crying about your knee instead of being able to laugh it off." She says in her no nonsense tone.

He gives a nervous chuckle. "Alright alright. I get it." He says.

"Good." She rolls her eyes.

"Heh I love you.." He says.

"Whatever. I love you too." She says back too him with a smile before hugging him. "Even though you still shouldn't have lied."

"Heh I know I know I'm sorry."

"I'll forgive you if you do the dishes tonight."

"Ffiiiiinnnnee."

He heads off to the kitchen to do the dishes for the night.

Robert was grumbling to himself as he sat in the office on dispatch duty. Dispatching? More like babysitting…The Z-Team has a tendency to goof off or wreak havoc at the worst possible times. It was like looking after a daycare full of power-wielding toddlers. It can be nearly impossible to keep them on the straight and narrow…

But right now…Only one of the troublemakers came to mind: Sonar. The half-bat conman obsessed with crypto and being smarter than anyone else, had gotten high during his break again. Naturally, anyone that gets high on shift has to go to the infirmary to get checked out. So, Robert sent him to do just that. He knew it was a bad idea to trust Sonar to go to the infirmary on his own…But god dammit, he had no choice. He has work to do, and he’s not equipped to deal with someone during a high. 

Oh, how hard the irony would end up hitting him…

“Hey Bobby.” That familiar voice spoke up. 

Robert looked up at Sonar, surprised he was already back. “Hey…Did you make it to the infirmary?” He asked, taking off his headphones and muting the call momentarily. 

Sonar nodded and sat down. “Yeah…I did.” He admitted to him. 

Robert blinked, staring at him. “...And? What did they say?” 

Sonar shrugged his shoulders. “Well…They said I was well enough to be discharged.” Sonar admitted. 

Robert stared at him with raised eyebrows. Well enough to be discharged. “...Are you serious?” Robert asked him. 

Sonar nodded. “Yup, quite serious.” Sonar admitted. 

Robert gently placed the headphones onto the table and held his head with his hands. “And you have no way to get home…do you?” He asked. 

Sonar shook his head. “Nope.” He popped the P. 

Robert let out a long sigh. God dammit… “Great…” Was all that left his mouth. 

“Sorry, Robbie…I’m gonna have to stay until it wears off.” Sonar explained, chuckling. “Cause I may be an idiot, but I’m not stupid enough to go home in this state.” He told him. 

Robert tried to hide the slight smile that filled his cheeks from that comment. In Robert’s mind, he was both an idiot, AND stupid. And to make matters worse, this isn’t the first time he’s gotten high at work. And knowing him…It certainly wouldn’t be the last. 

“Fine.” Robert muttered. “But you’d better be on your best behaviour while I work. You understand?” Robert warned, pointing to him like a Dad disciplining his child. 

Sonar chuckled. “Sorry, no promises.” He admitted. 

Robert’s finger pulled back into a fist…before he dropped it with a resigned sigh. Smartass. “At least you’re honest about it…” He mumbled. 

Sonar smiled more and pulled out his phone for a moment. With that, Robert put his headphones back on. “Sorry, team. I’m back. Sonar had been discharged and showed up in the office.” Robert explained. 

“Wait, discharged?” Malevola asked. 

“Who the fuck discharged him?!” Chase reacted. 

“Yeah, and on what grounds?” Punch-up spoke up. 

“They said everything’s stable.” Sonar spoke up in the voice call. “And they said to head home and make sure someone keeps an eye on me…Which is gonna be Bobbie.” Sonar spoke up in the group call. 

Robert sighed. “Yeah…Great.” 

“Hey, don’t feel too bad, Robert. You’re gonna have company for a while.” Flambae spoke up. 

Sonar smirked. “Yeah…I’m gonna be the best company he’s ever had.” He declared. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, Sonar.” Invisigal ordered. 

“Yeah I know…I’m not planning on it…yet.” Sonar teased, smirking with his bat teeth showing. 

Punch-up could be heard chuckling a little. “How high are ya, bud?” 

Sonar laughed a bit. “Oh you know…the usual amount.” Sonar responded. 

Punch-up stuttered. “That-” 

“Sonar, I don’t mean to be that guy…But the usual amount is zero.” Flambae told him. 

“Oh, then…Very high.” Sonar admitted. 

“How many lines did you do this time?” Malevola asked. 

“Hehe…A little more than one.” He admitted. “I uhhh…may have made an extra long line this time.” He said, sounding proud of it. 

“Oh fuckin’ hell!” Punch-up reacted. 

Robert looked at Sonar with horror. “You’re joking me…” Robert looked ready to punch the guy. “Why would you do that?!” Robert raised his voice. 

“Cause I was stressed! Fuck off!” Sonar argued back. 

“If you were stressed, then you could’ve talked to me, or Chase, or someone else on the team!” Robert shot back. 

“HA! Talk to you, Mr. Walking-ball-of-nerves?” Sonar teased. 

“That’s besides the point.” Robert told him. 

Chase chuckled. “I hate to say it, but Batguy’s got a point.” He admitted. 

“Chase, this doesn’t involve you.” Robert argued. 

“Oh really? Are you sure about that, fucker?” Chase shot back. 

“Chase, it’s not the time!” Robert argued. 

“It appears the fathers are fighting again.” Phenomaman spoke up, making Prism and Punch-up laugh. 

“Y-Yeah, hahaha! Th-They kind of do t-talk like-...Yeah…” Waterboy spoke up. 

Golem also chuckled a bit. “Should we leave them alone?” Golem spoke up. 

“Nah, they’ll hash it out.” Sonar responded. “Watching Robert get mad in 4K is kinda hilarious.”

Robert quickly glared at Sonar, which only made the batguy laugh more. “Guys, he just glared at me like a fuckin’ Dad.” Sonar admitted. 

Invisigal could be heard stifling a laugh, with Punch-up and Flambae also chuckling a little. 

“Robert, you’ve been a ball of nerves ever since the day I met you. Don’t you give me that shit.” Chase argued. 

Robert grumbled. “Please, just drop it.” Robert grumbled. 

“Wait, was he actually?” Sonar asked. 

“Hell yeah, he was! Robert used to overthink everything. If I had a nickel for everytime I’ve had to calm this man down because of his overthinking, I’d be able to retire tomorrow.” Chase explained. 

Robert grumbled. “Chase, please.” He hid his face in his hands. 

“Awww, was Robert a little scaredy kid?” Flambae teased. 

“H-Hey, I was t-too, actually…Hehe.” Waterboy admitted. 

“Don’t tell me he had a fear of monsters as well.” Punch-up asked with a laugh. 

Chase chuckled. “Nah, he was a little too old for that.” He admitted. 

“Guys…I swear to Go-aAH!” Robert yelped as his chair was tipped back. 

“You okay?” Chase asked. 

“The fuck was that?” Flambae spoke up. 

Almost immediately, Robert’s eyes fell onto Sonar, with an evil little grin on his face. “I can think of one monster he might still be scared of.” He admitted wiggling his fingers at him. 

Robert widened his eyes. “Huh? What-!” Robert jumped and let out a high-pitched squeal. Oooh no, this isn’t good. 

“What the fuck was that?” Invisigal asked.

“Looks like Robbie here is a little squealer.” Sonar teased, going for his sides and ribs right away. 

Robert yelped and tried in vain to cover up his middle. “S-Sonar-!” Robert tried fighting him off. “Don’t you dahare!” A stupid smile began filling his face, as a wheeze left his mouth before he could stop it. 

“What the hell am I hearing right now?” Punch-up asked. 

“Wait, is he laughing?” Malevola spoke next, giggling. 

“Heh, I think he is. What’s so funny, Robbo?” Flambae spoke up.

“Sonar…what are you doing?” Chase asked, sounding slightly defeated. 

Sonar was smirking, moving way too fast for Robert to catch up with. “Oh, just tickling him.” He admitted. One of Sonar’s hands was still gripping the back of the chair, while his other hand was tickling the dispatcher wherever he could reach.

“Okay…Why?” Chase asked, confused. “For science.” Sonar responded. “Laughter can lower stress hormones and boost the mood at once.” Sonar explained. “Basically, I’m trying to calm his nerves.” 

“With tickling…” Chase sighed and chuckled a little. “Of all the ways to lessen stress…” Chase could be heard snickering into his earpiece. 

Even with both hands, Robert couldn’t stop his fingers in time. A blush was filling his cheeks in a matter of seconds…And giggles began bubbling out of him almost immediately. “NonoNOhohoho! GahaHAA! Let mehehe goho!” Robert reacted, squirming against the orange chair. 

“I’m sorry, Robert’s ticklish?!” Punch-up spoke up. “Since fuckin’ when?!” 

“Oh my god! Hahaha!” Prism reacted. “This is gold! Go Sonar go!” Prism cheered. 

“Awww…Th-This is k-kinda cuhuhute.” Waterboy spoke up, giggling alongside him. 

“Give him a few tickles for me too, okay?” Malevola spoke up.

“Dohohon’t encourage hihim!” Robert yelled, trying to curl up as best he could in the chair. 

Sonar could be heard laughing alongside him. “Too late, buddy! This is way too funny to pass up.” Sonar reacted with a big smile on his face. 

Chase could be heard laughing. “Hey, hey Sonar: Do me a favor, will ya? Tickle his belly for me.” Chase asked him. 

“WaitNO!” Robert yelled out, his blush deepening slightly. 

“I’ll just lower his volume for the group-” Chase lowered Robert’s volume just as Robert let out a loud shriek.

“GAAHAHAHA! STAHAHAP IHIT! SONARSTAHAP! HEHELP MEHEHEHEEE!” He begged. 

“Should we help him?” Golem spoke up.

“Eh, don’t worry. He’s in good hands here.” Sonar teased. “Well, good hand, actually.” He added, referring to him tickling Robert with one hand. 

“You’re telling me…This pain in the ass has been ticklish this whole time…” Flambae spoke up. 

“Hehehe! Why? Thinking about trying it out?” Prism asked. 

“Oh, you bet I am.” Flambae teased. 

Robert suddenly threw his head back with another shriek, followed by a fit of cackles. “NAHAT THEHEHEHERE! HAHAHAHAA!” Robert shouted. 

“Holy fuck!” Punch-up reacted, laughing. “And Bob says I’M the loud one!” 

“You still are…But Robert is a close second.” Coupe spoke up, suddenly making herself known on the call. 

“Eyy! Hey Coupe!” Punch-up reacted. “Ya hearin’ this shite?” He asked. 

“Yup…hear it loud and clear.” Coupe admitted. 

“Good thing I turned down the volume when I did…” Chase admitted. “You all would’ve lost your hearing.” He admitted. 

“FUHUCK OFF CHAHAHASE!” Robert shouted at him. 

“Hey now, no need to get all smart with me. Otherwise, I might tell Sonar about your little snort button.” Chase mentioned. 

Sonar widened his eyes. “I’m sorry, what?!” He asked, before going right for his belly button. 

Robert snorted almost immediately, causing his blush to deepen even more. “FUHUHUCK!” He snorted again. 

Flambae broke down laughing. “Oho my god, he snorts too?!” 

“Awwww…” Prism teased. “How cute!” 

Punch-up giggled a little. “Miss Piggy joined the call.” Punch-up teased, making the others laugh. 

Robert covered his mouth in an attempt to hide his snorts. “Shut up…” He mumbled, slightly blushing.

“Oh, he’s trying to hide his snorts.” Sonar mentioned. 

“We can still hear them, Robert~” Flambae teased. “You can’t hide your little noises forever~” 

Sonar could be heard gasping. “Flambae, you’ve officially made him blush.” Sonar reacted.

Flambae laughed a bit. “Did I? Didn’t know that was possible.” Flambae teased.  

“I have heard Robert let out shorter laughs or wheezes on occasion, but I have never heard him laugh this hard before.” Phenomaman mentioned. 

“Yeah, this is a rare moment.” Invisigal admitted. 

Punch-up chuckled. “God, this is great. I can even hear Waterboy giggling on his end.” Punch-up mentioned. 

“Ihi can’t hehelp ihihit…Hihis laugh is contagiohohous…” Waterboy could be heard giggling quietly, as if trying to keep his voice down. 

“Awww, ya hear that Robert? Ya got a fan!” Punch-up reacted. 

“Alright, I might have to wrap it up.” Sonar said. “He’s getting a little too red.” He admitted. 

“Aww, really?” Punch-up asked. 

“Right when it was getting good…” Malevola spoke up. 

“Yeah, good call. We wouldn’t want the ticklish bastard to fall asleep on us.” Chase admitted. 

Sonar moved the chair upright, leaving Robert in a disheveled mess against the chair. He was breathing heavily, clearing his throat and trying to fix his shirt. “Holy shit…” He muttered. 

“You alright, Robert?” Chase asked with a smirk. “Shut up…” Robert muttered, earning a laugh from Chase. 

“Well? Did the tickle bat help your stress?” Malevola asked. 

Robert was still breathing. “Ho-...Hold on…*huff*...” He tried to pull himself together. 

“Good lord, did ya kill ‘em or somethin’?” Punch-up asked. 

“No, I don’t think so.” Sonar admitted. “Maybe I went a little hard on him, but…” 

Robert turned to look at him. “You- *huff* You think?...” He muttered back. 

“Yeah…Sorry about that.” Sonar patted his back lightly. 

“You might need to get him some water.” Coupe spoke up.

“Or something to help his throat.” Invisigal added. 

Sonar nodded. “Will do.” Sonar walked off to the vending machine, before getting a gatorade. He walked back to the room, handing it to Robert. “Here you go.” 

Robert opened up the gatorade and drank back a bunch of it quickly. “F…Fuck…” He muttered, swallowing one last gulp down before placing it onto the table. 

“You’ll be fine, I think.” Sonar declared, patting his shoulder. Suddenly, a yelp from Sonar with a slight bottle sound could be heard over their speaker. 

“Uhhh…What was that?” Malevola asked. 

“Revenge…” Robert responded with a smirk. 

Sonar grumbled. “Gatorade…On my suit…” He muttered. 

Flambae wheezed and tittered. “Did Robert just throw gatorade at you?!” Flambae asked. 

“Yyyyup.” Sonar admitted. 

“Yeah…And you deserved it.” Robert admitted. 

Chase chuckled. “You better now, Robert?” He asked. 

Robert grumbled a little. “Chase…When it’s break time…I am making you regret ever speaking.” Robert warned. 

Punch-up snickered a little. “Oh no…” 

“Ohoho! you’re fucked now, grandpa.” Invisigal reacted. 

Chase grumbled. “Shut the fuck up. You’re not getting anywhere close, ya hear me?” Chase warned.

The sound of the headphones being placed down, followed by a creaking chair could be heard through the background. “Robert? Robert, what-?” Chase gasped as he heard the door open. “FuckFUCKROBERT!” Chase made an ungodly shriek as his earpiece fell out of his ear while being tackled to the ground and absolutely destroyed by Robert on the ground. Chase’s laughter could be heard quite well, despite where the earpiece had landed, leaving the others laughing and cheering on Robert through the phone call. 

Note to self: Never talk about a co-worker’s weaknesses without expecting some payback. 

----------------- By the way: I have a couple new fandoms I'm willing to write for! -The Amazing Digital Circus -Pragmata -Dispatch

Darkness. There was so much darkness that it was almost humbling, much in the way that being disoriented and unaware of your surroundings does to a person and makes them long for the times where they knew up from down. This kind of darkness was not unknown to the man, but he seldom was ever on the receiving end of it. No, he was usually the one to induce such feelings in others, especially his ‘experiments.’ So when he tried to open his eyes and darkness and disorientation overtook him, it was a bit of an understatement to say he was surprised. 

He was Umbra, however. He did not show such weak feelings as fear to the unknown as other reapers would in his predicament, so when he finally pried his heavy eyes open and was met with dizziness and a dimly lit room, he did not panic. Instead, he looked around until his eyes adjusted and he narrowed them, a somewhat irritated look taking over his features. 

“Ah, so we’re doing this game,” he scoffed, his mouth curling into a small sneer. “Not sure how you got the drop on me, but I gotta hand it to you. Not many people get to do that.” 

He did not know who he was talking to, but he assumed whoever captured him and took him to this place could hear him. He looked up after trying to move his arms, and he saw that they were suspended over his head in chains. He himself was seated in a decently comfortable chair, but he noticed right away his leg outstretched in front of him and his feet secured in what looked like medieval stocks. He gave the smallest head tilt at his predicament. 

‘Torture,’ he thought, scoffing again. He knew this day would come. Since shedding his old life as Zayne Pembroke and taking up his true self as ‘Umbra’, he knew he was bound to make some enemies. Some enemies who probably would go to great lengths to hurt him, considering what he was trying to do to the whole of reaper society. He had become infamous around various headquarters, and he knew there were many reapers dispatched to take him out. 

Still, interrogation did not cross his mind too often. His honest thought process on the whole thing was that someone would just try to kill him as quickly as possible, to stop him from what he was doing. Why go through the trouble? Not to mention there was no pain they could inflict on him that he had not done already to his own body. 

He smirked to himself, feeling like he knew he was probably going to have to activate Regeneration pretty hard after this was done. 

‘Let them try to hurt me,’ he thought to himself. ‘I just come back ten times stronger.’ 

“You seem awfully smug for someone who got captured.” 

A voice spoke behind him, and he looked side to side to try and see the owner of said voice. He did not have to look long, however, as the person came into view on his right. He raised an eyebrow at the man who stood at his side, his confusion palpable on his face. 

He was a pretty thing, with long blond hair and glasses that complimented his bright blue eyes. More importantly, however, were the fuchsia horns that protruded from his head and the tail that waved idly behind him. 

“A demon?” Umbra said, narrowing his eyes as he looked him up and down. This definitely was not expected. “Huh, neat. Did my infamy go all the way to Hell?” He gave a sneer. 

“Oh darling, don’t flatter yourself,” the blond laughed, using a gloved hand to brush some hair out his face and the other to be placed sassily on his hip. “I’m not a full demon. I’m just a very special and rare case for a reaper.” 

“Oh,” Umbra pouted, his disappointment showing immensely. “I figured it was too good to be true that beings from other realms wanted a piece of me.” He sighed dramatically and looked away. “Maybe one day I’ll get that level of fame.” 

“I mean,” the blond snickered, leaning over to get closer to his face. Umbra turned to him, scowling as he entered his personal bubble. “Don’t get it twisted; you are in Hell right now, in my personal, paid for by Beelzebub himself's dungeon. So you’re not here because the reapers want you here.” 

That last part got his attention, and he turned to look at him curiously. “Why do the higher ups in Hell want me, then?” he smirked. The blond demon smirked right back, showing his fangs. 

“Because you’ve been a naughty little rogue reaper,” he laughed, reaching out to pat at Umbra’s face. He flinched in disgust, trying to move his face away. “I was once part of Purgatory’s reapers, doing their bidding. But now I’m Sven the interrogator, working for the Princes of Hell on matters pertaining to Hell, and right now, you are a matter to be dealt with.” 

“Oh, what did I do wrong, Svennie?” he sneered, his cockiness rising by the moment. The nickname did little to deter the blond demon, and instead his grin widened. 

“Well let’s see,” he started, putting a finger to his lip cutely as he looked away. “You genetically alter reapers and turn them rogue, and then set them free to wreak havoc. Tell me, do you even know where your little pets go when they leave you?” 

He turned to Umbra, his smirk never leaving his face, but now a quiet anger was simmering beneath his surface. Umbra blinked slowly, cocking his head in a manner that said ‘continue.’

“They sometimes wind up here!” Sven did a little wave with his hands, pretending to be surprised. “Oh goody! And do you know what happens when they’re left to their own devices?” 

“Oh I can answer that!” Umbra chuckled darkly. “They go and infect others. More rogue reapers to wreck havoc on others.Why do you think I let them run off and play?” he grinned, relishing in the words that Sven was telling him. 

“Yeah, about that,” Sven sighed, putting a hand to his forehead theatrically. “The ones that aren’t dealt with immediately do exactly what you say; infect others. I know you don’t care, but the number of damages to places in Hell from your rogue reaper experiments is getting pretty high and rather expensive. And when things get expensive, our princess of greed Mammon tends to blow up over spending the money. Do you see where I’m going with this?” 

“Oh, but of course I do!” Umbra gave him a knowing sneer. “You’re here to take me out, or to maim me because I’m causing problems for the citizens of Hell with my rogue reapers. Easy enough to piece together.” He chuckled. “So, you're gonna kill me? I hope you make it hurt! I hope you make it agonizing.” 

His cockiness stayed even as Sven laughed him off, waving a hand. It was slowly turning to annoyance as he felt he wasn’t being taken seriously, but Sven turned back to him with a grin that made his own smirk falter a bit. 

“Kill you?” he scoffed. “Maim you? Gosh, what do you take me for, some two-bit serial killer?” He put his weight on one leg and his hands on his hips as he stared him down, and Umbra’s own confusion was mounting by the second. “We don’t do that here, because we don’t need to do that here. There’s a reason I’m the royal interrogator, and it’s because I've mastered methods that actually work.” 

Now it was Umbra’s turn to laugh. Throwing his head back, he laughed in mockery at the blond, who did not bat an eye and instead waited for him to finish. 

“Was that to scare me?” he chuckled darkly. “Oh, I’m so sure you have ‘masterful’ methods of getting information! Please Princess, I’ve seen it all! No matter what your idea of hurting me is, it’s not gonna work.” 

He leaned back in the chair, a cheeky sneer on his face. 

“You can’t hurt me in a way that matters.” 

“Are you done?” Sven said after a moment, playing with his hair as he gave a cute little smirk. “I’m glad you think so highly of yourself that you think you have it all figured out, but I’m pretty damn sure you haven’t figured it out quite yet.” He giggled, hands on his hips. Rolling his eyes, Umbra let out a groan. 

“Ugh, just get on with it then!” he scowled. “What fun is it if I can’t push my own interrogator’s buttons?” 

Sven let out another small chuckle, a deviousness attached to it. Umbra cocked an eyebrow, his own look of sass dampening a bit. 

“Oh sweetie,” leaning over, Sven got once again close to his face. “It won’t be my buttons you’ll be pushing. But I’m excited to push yours.” 

Umbra narrowed his eyes, but he was not quite sure what his words meant…yet. Sven straightened himself out and stood up tall, giving the rogue reaper a cruel looking smirk. 

“As excited as I am to start, however, I’m not without mercy,” he giggled. “So let’s throw it on the table then! I’ll let you go right now, no questions asked, if you stop letting those reapers loose. Sure, I’ll be sad I don’t get to work on you, but that’s the whole reason you’re here! So, what’s your verdict?”  

Umbra paused, a weird look on his face, until he sputtered and once again threw his head back and laughed. 

“Oh, we’re doing this?” he said incredulously, barking out another mocking laugh. “This is the route we’re going down? You think that you can just drug me, capture me, and threaten me with some torture methods that you’re gonna make me change what I’m doing? It would be funny if it wasn’t so trite!” He barked out another laugh. 

“Here’s my answer! Fuck you!” he snickered. “Do whatever you want to me. Like I said, you can’t hurt me in a way that matters, and that includes whatever ‘methods’ you think are so masterful that I’ll change my tune. Try me.” 

There was a pause as Sven looked at him intently, and Umbra matched his gaze. However, the shit-eating smirk returned to Sven’s face as his eyes narrowed, and a calmness overtook him as he hovered over Umbra. The way in which he was unfazed by Umbra’s words unnerved him a bit, considering the rogue reaper was so used to others being intimidated by him, but he was not going to show an ounce of weakness. 

Finally Sven shrugged and leaned down, leveling his head to Umbra’s. “I’m actually really glad you said that, Zayne,” the name that left the blond’s mouth made Umbra short circuit for a split second, his mouth hanging open a small bit and loaded with a heavy handed insult, but Sven cut him off before he could say anything. “Because judging by what I know about you and your powers, I have a hunch you’re going to be very fun to play with. So let’s begin then, shall we?” 

Umbra went to snap out a response, anything to try and cut down this high and mighty persona, but whatever words he was going to say to lash out with were cut short in his throat as Sven reached a hand behind the chair, out of view, and slowly squeezed his fingers into Umbra’s ribs. 

The sensation, coupled with the unexpectedness of it, sent Umbra visibly jolting in the chair. His body lurched to the side, trying against his will to get away from the offending hand. His eyes widened, his cocky smirk replaced with a confused frown that was twitching dangerously in the corners of his mouth as it felt like electricity was shot through him. His words caught in his throat and he tried to shout out an insult, but a deep fear of losing his composure kept his mouth shut. 

Sven loosened his grip and held his hand back, smirking an even bigger Cheshire grin on his face as Umbra whipped around to glare at him. The cockiness from before was gone as he tested his bonds, pulling hard to try and get his hands free, but to no avail. 

“You look angry,” Sven chuckled. “Were you expecting pain? Like I said, I don’t do that. I find this works so much better.” 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Umbra snarled. “This is your trump card?” 

“Yes, yes it is,” Sven said, smiling cutely. “I’m a master tickler. I have a one hundred percent success rate with all my victims because I’m very good at what I do. And you’re angry because you’re-”

“No I’m not!” Umbra snapped out. “Do you actually think I, Umbra, would be weak to something so childish as tickling?” 

“Yes, because I know you are.” Sven’s words rang out and turned his blood cold, and he tried to keep the angry look on his face to hide the deep, deep fear that started bubbling in the pit of his stomach. “But since you’re totally not ticklish, you won’t mind me doing this then.” 

Once again he had little time to react as the blond reached over, this time spidering his fingers over his belly and using his other hand to pinch at his side. 

Umbra let out a garbled cry, clamping his mouth shut as his skin shivered and jolts of tickly sensations danced around his upper body. He twisted his head to the side, suddenly digging his claws into his hands as he tried so very hard to shut the sensations out, but as Sven did not stop his skittering fingers, Umbra started to lose his battle with himself. 

He bit his tongue as sputtering sounds resembling giggles started to leak out of his mouth, and he clamped his eyes shut as his body shook. Sven made a ‘tsk’ sound and pressed harder, and soon enough Umbra felt any resolve he had crumbled as Sven targeted more spots. Cute, high pitched giggles escaped him as he shook with mirth, and it only made Sven’s wicked grin grow wider. 

“S-stop it!” he choked out, letting out a squeal as Sven went for his navel. “You can’t dohohoho this to me!” 

“Oh, I can’t?” Sven laughed himself, grinning cruelly at him. “Why not? Are you going to stop me? Because it looks like you can’t do much other than laugh.” 

Umbra tried to snarl out an angry reply, but he was too afraid of opening his mouth more than he already was due to his laughter. Between Sven’s quick changes in areas he was attacking, and the sensitivity of the spots themselves, Umbra’s laughter came out in uncontrollable bursts. 

“You see Umbra, my hunch about you was right from the get-go,” Sven snickered. “I know about your regeneration powers, and I had a hypothesis about them when it came to your….sensitivity. I know you’ve put your body through some brutal stuff and pain doesn’t faze you, something you rightfully can be proud of. Yet, all the rebuilding to your body…have you ever thought about how it affected your senses? You see it, don’t you?” Sven reached a hand up to dig under one of his arms, making him shriek. 

“You come back stronger each time you regenerate yourself, and all of your senses come back even stronger. All of your senses. Think of all of that freshly healed, overly sensitive skin you now have. I had my hunches that you were ticklish before your powers, but I’m so very tickled to see that it’s only gotten worse for you.”

The tickling, coupled with the truth that Sven was telling him, was making him lose his mind at that moment. He tried to throw insults his way, just to shut him up, but he couldn’t do more than cackle madly.

Yet, as soon as it started, it stopped. Umbra took the moment to inhale some air as he looked to the side, panting as he tried to regain his senses. He whipped his head around to glare at Sven. If looks could kill, the blond would have been murdered on the spot, but instead he stood there looking pleased with himself. 

“You get it now, don’t you Umbra?” Sven chuckled darkly. “I don’t have to hurt you with cliché torture devices. You’re so deliciously ticklish that just those few touches were enough to render you breathless. Not that I’m complaining, you’re much cuter that way.” 

Umbra could feel a vein start to throb in his head as he wore an expression of pure hate. The corners of his mouth twitched in a wicked, but forced grin as he stared Sven down. He did not want to admit it, but the whole ordeal had wounded his pride badly. He tried to calm down, to quell his raging anger, but when he spoke next, his words came out dripped in malice. 

“You better pray that you're far from here when I get out. Because I promise I'm gonna make you regret every choice you've made so far.”

His words were meant to strike fear into the blond halfling, but instead Sven laughed loudly, even hiding his laughter behind one hand. 

“Oho, such big scary words from the edgy reaper!” Sven giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m in no danger. But…” He moved from his position at his side to stand in front of Umbra at the stocks, and for once fear gripped the rogue reaper as it dawned on him one very important detail. “I think the danger is just starting for you, my friend.” 

His toes twitched as he winced, realizing how well secured they were in the stocks and how vulnerable he was. He gritted his teeth in an angry grimace, but his demeanor turned subdued as he realized it was not going to end well for him. 

As if he was able to read his mind, Sven tentatively dragged some fingers down one sole, and the reaction was immediate. A shriek escaped Umbra as he tried and failed to pull his foot away, and instead buried his face in one of his raised arms as he laughed loudly. 

He got a reprieve after a few minutes and he continued to giggle into his arm as he tried to will away the sensation, but his eyes shot open in terror as he soon heard a soft buzzing sound. He whipped his head to look at Sven, his eyes wide and his expression blanched as Sven played with something in his hand. 

“Oh sorry,” Sven smirked. “Had to make sure I replaced the batteries recently. You know how it is,” he grinned wickedly, holding up the tool he was currently playing with. “These are such a wonderful tool for putting haughty reapers in their place.” 

Any expression of sass left Umbra as he eyed the electric toothbrush in Sven’s hand. His eyes traveled to the toothbrush, then to his own feet, and his expression turned to pleading apprehension. 

“OK listen,” Umbra frowned, his ego ruined as he was about to start begging. “I said some mean things before, I know that…but come on now, I’m not that bad!” he chuckled nervously as Sven’s smirk only grew. “I-I can learn my lesson!” 

“Aw, begging is such a good look for you!” Sven cackled. “Hmm, your feet must be really bad if your tune has changed so drastically.” 

He winced and ended up closing his eyes as he tried to prepare himself for what was to come. Memories of his past life flooded him as he remembered all the way back to a simpler time, back to when he was alive even. All the times the people in his life would tickle him, but how quickly he would fold and resort to begging if they even got near his feet. Memories he thought he had buried and killed along with his old self, Zayne. 

No, the reality was that weakness followed him all the way to his rebirth as Umbra. 

Sven clicked his tongue as he waited for more witty remarks from Umbra, but when none came, he shrugged and grabbed his left foot, pulling the toes back as he turned on the toothbrush and got to work scrubbing between them. Umbra nearly jumped out of his skin as he screamed, his laughter coming out in shrieks that almost couldn’t be called laughter. 

“NOHOHO DON’T!” he cried out, shaking his head side to side as he squealed and screamed with mirth. “PLEHEHEASE NOT THAT!” 

“Not what, this?” Sven stuck his tongue out in a cheeky manner as he moved the brush to get the sensitive skin under his toes. “Hm, nah, I’m having too much fun.” 

He bucked in the seat, his hands going taught as he tried to pull at the chains holding him. All he could do was bury his face in his arm again, but this time his eyes were squeezed tightly shut as tears streamed down his face. 

He had no idea how the blond figured it out, but he had picked a torture method to inflict on him that was possibly the worst thing he could do to him. The injuries that Umbra had inflicted on his body, the bones he had broken…even the self-inflicted injuries to see what limits he could push his body to…

None of that even came close to the ticklish agony he was in currently. Pain meant very little to him, but this? This was just cruel. Not only was he killing him with such a silly weakness, but he was also killing his pride as well. The great rogue reaper, Umbra, brought down by tickling. 

‘I bet Mortem would love to see this,’ the thought entered his mind before he could stop it, and he wanted to scream at himself for even mentally saying the man’s name. Perhaps his mind was turning to mush from the tickling. He was not sure what was up or down anymore, and the original disorientation that woke him from his drug induced sleep was comically coming back to him as if to mock him from earlier. 

When Sven used his free hand to attack his other foot, he decided to throw any shred of his pride that was left away. 

“OK, OK!” he shrieked, his scream laughing having made his voice go hoarse. “YOU WIN! I’LL STOP! NOW PLEHEHEASE STOP! I’LL DO ANYTHING!” 

As soon as those words left his mouth, the torture stopped. Sven pulled his hands back and turned the brush off, but the smirk never left his face. Umbra was wracked with ticklish aftershock feelings, and he continued to giggle as he held his head down. His cheeks were tear stained and he felt light headed, but more than anything else, he wanted to run away. 

He was angry, angry at himself for allowing this oversight in his own weaknesses. He could not believe that this random reaper halfling brought him to his knees by tickling of all things, and he was already plotting ways to end this blond’s existence. 

Sven did not give him the chance for revenge, however, because he got up to stand behind Umbra. He shuffled around on what he assumed was a table, for he had not lifted his head to look back to him yet. 

“I’m so glad you decided to see things my way, Umbra!” Sven sing-songed behind him. “You see, I always get my way, and I can and have broken the best of them. You don’t need to convince people with violence or any of that messy business. You just need to know how to exploit the smallest of weaknesses and make them into the biggest weaknesses.”

Umbra lifted his head, wanting so badly to say something snarky or cruel to get back at him, but he was not allowed the chance to, for as soon as he did, Sven slipped a cloth over his face. His eyes went wide as he tensed up and before he realized it, the room started spinning and he could feel himself start to lose consciousness. 

—

Once again, darkness and disorientation overtook his senses as a groan left the reaper, his mind and body returning to the world. He thought he heard a voice calling out to him, and he wrapped an arm over his eyes as his head began to pound. Soon enough, though, the voice got louder, and it was calling his name. He snarled and threw out his arm, trying to hit whatever was disturbing him, resulting in a yelp and a whine. Slowly his eyes opened and the familiar settings he knew before greeted him.

He sat up quickly, realizing he was on his old, beaten up couch in his warehouse. He looked himself over, and noticed nothing wrong or out of place with his body. Then he remembered the yelp and turned, seeing his right hand man Casper nursing his arm as he pouted at his boss. 

“Casper…” Umbra muttered out, and he grimaced as his throat was a bit sore and scratchy from the past ordeal. “How did I-”

“I found you outside the warehouse, boss!” he said, perking up. “You were out cold so I took you in and put you where you are now. You’ve been sleeping for a few hours now.” 

Umbra scowled and looked around, rubbing at his temples. “Did you see anyone around me?” 

“Negative, boss!” Casper said, looking sad. “I didn’t see anything, just you. Are you OK? You went out to get some supplies but I was getting worried you didn’t come back, and then I came out and saw you were passed out. Did something happen?” 

“No,” Umbra waved him off. “I was experimenting with a new drug I made and tried it on myself, hence why I was passed out. Ya know, just taking a nap.” He giggled at his own joke, but Casper looked at him in slight fear. 

“Dang boss, you gotta be careful!” The DJ reaper danced and hopped from one foot to another. “But I’m glad you’re OK! Are we gonna be doing any experiments tonight?” 

Umbra paused, the events from earlier flashing before his eyes. He looked around, then back to Casper and grinned. 

“Of course we are, my little DJ!” he laughed wickedly. “Nothing has changed!” 

He got up, starting to walk towards one of the back rooms. 

‘He said not to let them lose anymore,’ Umbra thought, grinning to himself. ‘He never said anything about stopping the experiments.’ He grinned his usual Umbra grin, pushing the back doors open as being greeted with the sight of his lab. 

‘I wonder how a halfling reaper would do under corruption,’ he chuckled darkly as his mind started working overtime. 

The sun rose high over the farm as a man stood in his field, pushing his plow through the soil, his only companion a lone, but excitable yellow lab. The heat was a little subdued for the morning, but still bore down on the man as he worked. He was none the wiser to the very dark crow that watched him from his own fence, its eyes a very odd shade of steely gray. In an instant, the bird was off, flying off into the distance and disappearing, but to the trained eye one would see it had flown through what appeared to be a portal.

Back between the realms the crow flew, avoiding pocket dimensions that belonged to other gods as it swiftly landed into a portal that was all its own. In a poof of black smoke, the crow dissipated and turned into a man, well, what would semi-qualify for a man at least. Antlers sprung out of his mop of black hair and a long cloak adorned his figure. His skin was gray as ash and a skull like pattern adorned his face as he sat down, letting out a sigh in his own room.

Mortem, the Grim Reaper sat in his own dimension, away from the hustle and bustle of Purgatory and the living realm, away form his reapers and even his family as the room came into being. It was a beautiful but cozy little room, tucked away from other beings where the Death God could relax and take his time feeling like a person and not like he ruled the dead. A giant oak desk sat in the corner of the room as did an old leather couch and a leather recliner that he was currently sitting on. Many a books lined the walls and it was clear he studied alchemy by the tools and writings left on the desk.

He let out a small huff as he thumbed through a book, his leg crossed over the other as he sat in silence, loving his very little alone time. The book would have been quite enjoyed in that moment had a voice not cut through the silence.

"Someone's brooding again," a voice from the corner of the room said. Instead of jumping in surprise, Mortem simply closed the book and sighed, putting it down and swiveling the chair to look behind him at his 'guest.'

"I have to give you credit, Alacritas," he said, a small smirk playing on his lips despite his annoyance. "You seem to always know when I'm here and how ot find this place."

"I have this dimension memorized," the God of Life said, appearing in a white puff of smoke on the couch, legs also crossed as his arms hung over the back of the couch. "But it's also not like you made it hard to find."

"I didn't," Mortem said, tapping the sides of his chair impatiently. "I just made it to hide away when I need alone time. Like now."

The Green Sower did not take the hint, or if he did he didn't bite, for his smirk only grew and he moved to lean his chin in his hand as he looked him over.

"Or you go here when you need to brood, I've seen it many a times," he chuckled, running a hand though his long hair. "I just figured you could use some cheering up, and as my oh-so charitable self I decided to lend my oldest friend a hand!"

"I'm not brooding," Mortem huffed out his own laugh, a low sound that almost didn't register as a laugh. "I'm thinking. I'm lost in thought. I do this, you've seen me do this."

"Yes, and I also see you when you're sad and broody," the Life God told him. "And this is definitely one of those times. Your kids even see it too, but they usually avoid you in this time, don't they?"

He didn't know how to answer that one, even though he knew it to be true. Instead he turned back to his desk, fumbling around with some papers.

"Mort," Alacritas started, leaning back on the couch. "When was the last time you smiled? Laughed even?"

"Just now, you just heard it," Mortem replied, not even bothering to turn around. He was growing wary of these games Alacritas liked to play with him, although sometimes he was happy for the company. Thousands upon thousands of years of being alive, if one could even call what the creation gods had as being 'alive', and it was bound to get lonely at times. Alacritas, being the oldest, knew this better than anyone. They only really had each other in all the realms, and it was something only gods even older than them could understand.

"No I mean like really smile," the other god sat up straight, pouting cutely. "I haven't seen it in so long."

"Nothing to smile about in my life currently," Mortem sighed, rolling his eyes at his own 'joke'.

"Oh he's a funny man!" Alacritas barked out a laugh, finding an idea. "OK, jokes it is. Why did the crow cross the road?"

"Al, please," Mortem let out a groan, once again opening a book to hopefully drown his friend out with.

"Say it, Mort, you know you want to." He could hear the grin in the other man's voice as he tried to force him to take the bait, and just to shut the Life God up he sighed and did just that.

"To get to the other side. So funny I forgot to laugh." He huffed, running a hand down his face. "Al I adore you, but your jokes need so much work."

"Alright tough guy, plan B then."

"What's plan B- Ah!" He was not prepared to Plan B, for what it seemed to entail was a small portal that Alacritas had opened on his side of the room, stuck his hand through, and had opened another small portal right next to Mortem's side with his own hand reaching through to pinch at said body part. The Death God didn't even see it coming, and a wobbly grin already made its way onto his face as he tried to push the offending hand away. "Al, please! Don't, don't no please you know I'm deathly ticklish!"

"Of course I know," Alacritas smirked, and Mortem was sure if he could turn around and see his face it would be an absolutely devious look. "That's why I'm resorting to tickling you to get you to smile."

"I'm fihihihine!" He gasped, feeling another hand reach for his arm, a portal right above his head. "You little-You've mastered portals I seehehee!"

"Thank you for noticing!" The other god retorted, two portals opened in front of him with his arms through them. Like an maestro orchestrating Mortem's own demise, one hand held his arm above his head as the other free one attacked under his arm, finally fully breaking him and making him collapse in his chair in mirth.

"This isn't fair!" he choked out, giggling madly as he tried to weakly bat at the other's hands. "Al, no please!"

"Oh come on now, it's a good look on you ya know," he laughed. "Laughing de-ages you. You're always so sad looking all the time, like a lost puppy. I'm tired of it, and if I have to sneak in here to tickle you to tears to fix it from time to time I'm going to do it!"

Mortem couldn't even find words to answer that as he tried too curl away, the offending hand finally stopping its attack on his underarm. Yet, it didn't seem over yet as both hands now went to attack his hips, making him nearly squeal with laughter and buck in his chair. Alacritas couldn't help but find the display endearing.

"Who knew Death Gods were so ticklish, hm?"

From off the desk, a suspiciously black quill feather started floating, flittering right over to the side of his head and flicking along his jawline and stopping at his ears.

"Aahahehehehe! Oh, oh, Al, please not the ears you knohohohow better!" his laugh felt raspy and breathless as he cackled, almost like it hadn't been used in so long. Alacritas wanted to hear nothing but the sound. He tried in vain to get away, and yet part of him didn't ever want this to stop. He was right, it had been much too long since he had laughed and smiled.

'My smile died the day with Unus…'

"Oops I guess forgot, silly me!" He giggled, skittering his hands up his sides and into his ribs. Mortem's laugh went silent at a few points, and the Life God knew when a good thing was probably too much. He eventually pulled his hands away from the portals, and they disappeared with his removal. However the feather kept at his ears, switching sides for a few more moments while Mortem scrunched up his neck and tried and very much failed to capture the sneaky thing. When the attack was finally finished, he leaned back in his chair with a loud huff and panted, trying to catch his breath. He finally rolled it around to face a very smug Alacritas on his couch.

"Was that…really necessary…" he breathed out.

"Judging by the actual color in your face, I say yes!" That only added more of a blue blush to all the way to his ears, and he coughed sheepishly into his hand as he looked away, but he couldn't keep the small smile off his face.

After a moment Alacritas was about to say something, but a vacant look on Mortem's face gave him pause as his eyes turned black. It was done in a flash, and his eyes returned to their normal state as he looked up, a small, thoughtful look on his face.

"See something?" The Green Sower said, tilting his head to the side.

"My farmer was supposed to kill himself today," he said, tapping his fingers to his lips. "But something stopped him. I think it was his dog. I was going to make him a reaper. Oh well, I guess fate has other plans. Maybe he'll live to old age now."

"How wonderful," Alacritas beamed, his hands twisting in a hugging motion. "See, good things can happen! There's plenty to smile about in these realms. We should celebrate the life of the farmer."

"One life?" Mortem actually laughed, hiding his mouth behind a hand. "I guess…you're right. To the farmer that lived."

"That's better," Alacritas smiled genuinely, his expression softening as he saw the smile on Mortem's face. "That's the Mortem I love and miss."

The words hit like a freight train, making the Death God turn to the other, a deep blush on his face as a sheepish look overtook him, but the quiet adoration radiating off him was palpable. Finally getting up from his seat, Mortem got up and sat next to Alacritas on the couch, taking one his hands in his own and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you," he said quietly. The other nodded, a big grin on his face. Mortem was about to say more when he felt a squeeze at his side, making him yelp again in laughter. "Al!"

‘so, how do your ribbons work, anyway?’

Gangle, from where she was curled up on one of the open-space sofas, jumped with a squeak. She only just managed to grab her sketchpad before it fell to the floor.

‘Jax!’ She exclaimed, hugging the pad to her chest protectively. ‘Y-you scared me…’

Jax scoffed and leant over the back of the sofa, cocking his head. ‘Everythin’ scares you, Gangers, nothin’ new there’

Gangle shifted away and tried to glare, although it fell pitifully flat, what with her sad mask plastered on her face. If anything, she just came across…pathetic. ‘Don’t…don’t call me that’ she inched back even further, trying to create distance.

She knew, really, that the best course of action would be to get up and simply walk away; but her meek and down-trodden demeanour held her back. Not to mention she was terrified of what monstrosities Jax could be capable of if provoked.

The most she could manage was yet another awkward shuffle. Her ribbons curved around the armrest of the sofa and suddenly, there was nowhere else to go.

The claustrophobic feeling was exacerbated by the fact that with every flinch or attempt to curl back, that purple menace would hover juuuust a little more. His smirk grew and his eyes narrowed as he got closer…

And closer.

And closer.

And-

‘What do you want?!’ Gangle couldn’t take the tension a second more, already an anxious personality as is, never mind with Jax in the mix. It wasn’t a secret that he got some kind of…rush? Thrill? From tormenting her any chance he got. Zooble, bless her, would usually step in, but- Zooble wasn’t here right now.

Nobody was. They’d been called to one of Caine’s wacky adventures, and usually Gangle would join, but after hearing some fast-paced nonsense revolving around ‘man-eating puppies’ and ‘cavernous lairs’, she very quickly opted out.

She hadn’t expected her tormentor to opt out too. He probably only did it to get her alone. Bastard.

‘What, I can’t just wanna hang out? Why do I gotta want something?’ Jax’s shit eating grin expanded cartoonishly wide and he rested his cheek in his hand. ‘Gosh, Gangle. You’re soooo paranoid’

‘I have ev-every right to be’ A small attempt at assertiveness that held no weight behind it with how Gangle drew up her knees and hugged her sketchpad tighter.

Jax suddenly vaulted over the backrest and landed surprisingly gracefully on the cushions next to her, practically looming over her shaking frame. ‘Yeah, yeah, whatever’ He sighed and dismissed her statement with a wave of a hand.

‘Look- I know what you’re thinkin’’ His other arm, draped over his knee, raised slightly and he waved both hands whilst putting on a (rather grating) falsetto. ‘Oh nooo, here’s Jax, coming to use me as a kite again’. He dropped the mocking act to point at her with a smile, ‘which, by the way, was very funny’, before jumping right back into the mimicry. He used one hand to form a ‘sock puppet’ shape and spoke through it- ‘And may I add just how good-looking he is!’.

He let out an obnoxious ‘HA!’ at his own joke, slapping a knee. ‘Wow! Thanks, Gangle! I had no idea you felt like that!’

Gangle had been watching the display with sheer bafflement. ‘…I…I don’t sound like that’.

What else was she supposed to say? This was probably the longest she’d been in such close vicinity with the rabbit without being tied into knots, or threaded down a drain, or being forced to chase after him to get her comedy mask back.

‘Uh, yeah, you totally do’

‘I do not!’

‘’I do not!’’ He mimicked again, flapping his hand. ‘That’s you’.

‘Anyway! As I- or, rather, you- were sayin’’ he put both hands under his chin, crossed his legs and hunched forward. ‘I’m not here to fuck with you this time. I just wanna chat, y’know?’.

Gangle blinked and squinted at him suspiciously. She tilted her head like she couldn’t quite understand. For a moment her and Jax just stared at each other. She hated how relaxed he looked. How smug. Resentment needled under her skin that her bully got to walk around so at ease whilst she lived in the fear he put her in.

So, excuse the fuck out of her if she didn’t quite believe he’d just popped over for ‘a chat’.

‘…A chat about what?’

‘Well, more a question than anythin’ else’

‘Okay, fine, a-a question about what?’

Jax rolled his eyes, laughing in disbelief as if she had said something wildly socially unacceptable. ‘Oh my god, Gangers! I literally said before!’ He leant impossibly closer. Hunched so dramatically that Gangle could see the very top curve of his spine. His hands under his chin interlocked fingers and he gave a look that was anything but friendly. ‘How do your ribbons work?’

The theatre character took a few beats to remember that Jax had, in fact, asked that at the very start. It wasn’t her fault it slipped her mind; being in fight or flight mode tends to loosen the ol’ short term memory.

‘O-oh, yeah. Right’ she unhooked one slender ribbon-arm from around her sketchpad and held it in front of her. She waved it and the two circus members watched as the dainty-looking material flowed and snaked in the air. Gangle pulled her eyes away from it and instead to Jax, who’s intense stare made her more than a little self conscious.

Wrapping the arm back around her sketchpad, she cleared her throat softly and looked away.

‘So, uh- what is it you wanted to know? Exactly?’

Jax blinked out of the trance the ribbon had put him in. Quickly adorned his face with that same cocky expression, just in case Gangle had thought him a bit too interested.

‘Well, y’know- how they work’ He gestured at Gangle’s frame with both hands, like his bizarre question should’ve been answered ten minutes ago and this was all a very strenuous waste of his time. ‘Like, how do you even move? Circus logic, or ya think there’s gross cartilage in there? Real flat? Oh- D’ya feel when the breeze lifts under them? Can you even feel at all, or do you just guess and act accordingly? Would ya want even more so you could be some kind of f<BOING>d-up ribbon octopus? If I cut you in two, would you become two Gangles? Like a worm?’

Gangle tried to keep up but the questions kept coming, ridiculous and honestly kind of uncomfortable in their abnormal nature. She wanted to ask what the fuck went through Jax’s head for him to even think about cutting her up and seeing if she ‘multiplies’, but something told her that would be the worst thing to do right now. Instead she looked around like assistance would spawn out of nowhere, (not an usual event with the cartoonish Circus logic, honestly), but nothing did.

God, how long was this adventure?! There wasn’t necessarily a concept of time in the Circus, excluding some strange clock-like structure Caine set up in one of the long hallways to ‘appease the humans and their weird fascination with getting old’- completely obsolete, given the whole point of the Circus was that there was no permanent pain, aging or death.

But regardless! This definitely felt a lot longer than usual adventures. Surely the gang should be back by now?!

‘Jax, I-’

‘Wait, hell, I can’t believe I never tried this!’ Without any warning, Jax shot a hand forward.

Into the nests of Gangle’s ribbons.

It was a feeling like no other. Gangle shrieked with surprise and the sketchpad went flying. Her legs reflexively kicked out at the intrusion, and looking down, she saw with horror- Jax’s gloved hand inside her middle.

It made sense that it could happen- she didn’t exactly have a solid body. Her ribbons simply spooled downwards. No organs or insides or even skin. It was almost akin to the trope of putting an arm or leg through a ghost.

But that didn’t mean it should happen!

Especially not when it felt like…like…

‘Jahahax!!’ An alarmed giggle left her mask before she had chance to stop it. Jax was grabbing at the ribbon on the other side, scrunching in handfuls, far too close for comfort when his ears momentarily stood stiff and he shot his head upright to stare Gangle right in the face. Gangle had one hand over her mouth like she was shocked such a noise came from her.

They were practically nose to nose.

‘The f<SQUEAK>k was that noise?’

Gangle just shook her head.

Jax slowly looked down at his hand, still grabbing a fistful of ribbon, and gave it a light squeeze.

Gangle jolted and muffled a panicked laugh into her hand. ‘Mmmph! No! Nohoho!’

Her other arm came to push at Jax’s chest.

The rabbit stared down at his fist in disbelief. His eyes slowly made their way back up to Gangle’s, and the Theatre-esque character felt her heart drop when a wonky smile grew on Jax’s face. His eyebrows rose and he snorted.

‘Ha- haha! No way! Nooo WAY!’ He fell into giddy tittering, little ‘heehee!’’s spilling out between words. ‘You’re f<BOING>in’ ticklish?!’

Gangle pushed with renewed vigour, using her other hand now for more leverage. This was bad. This was the worst.

This was possibly the bad-worst-awful’est thing that had ever happened to her in all her years of being prisoner in the Circus. All she knew is she had to get away right the hell now, or she’d be in for a very unpleasant time.

‘No! I-I’m not!’ A few cartoonish sweat beads appeared on her forehead when Jax gave a ‘mmhmm’ with half-lidded eyes. His cocky grin said it all. ‘It hurts! That’s all! You’re literally grabbing my- my skin! Of course it hurts!’

The fist grabbing the ribbons didn’t move. Jax positioned himself slowly, using his free hand on Gangle’s shoulder to stabilise himself so that his knees were caging her between himself and the armrest. ‘Yeahhh, I bet it hurts. That why you giggled like an embarrassed schoolkid? Because it hurt? Gangle got an ouchie?’

Ugh, he was insufferable.

Gangle breathed hard and gave a nervous smile. She could feel Jax’s hand pull at the ribbons again and again, too light to induce laughter, but enough that each time triggered a horrible ticklish tremor.

This was just her luck. Of course Jax would find this out. Heck, this was her first time finding out too! She hadn’t even been tickled much back in her human body, never-mind this warped digital hellscape.

‘I-I’m serious, Jax! You’ve had your fun, okay?’ Her voice wobbled, the anxious smile having become an involuntary real one from the tiny ticklish shocks that Jax kept pulling from her. Literally and figuratively.

Jax chuckled lowly, the hand on Gangle’s shoulder snaking in-between the coils and taking the egde of a ribbon between thumb and finger. He rubbed it in light pinching motions and Gangle fell into high pitched giggling. The fist holding a handful of ribbon let go, only to join the other and pinch along the length of a coil where a human body’s waist would be.

The pinching tickles were awful. Sharp and tingly, impossible to ignore or tune out. She couldn’t even pretend it hurt now, arms flailing uselessly and helpless to stop her laughter.

‘EEK!’ She kicked out and tried to roll away but Jax’s knees were braced on either side, and the armrest behind her wasn’t about to flicker out of existence. She was well and truly trapped. ‘St-stohohoHOHOHOP! STOPPIT! AHahahHEHEHE!’

‘So, on with the questions’ Jax continued casually, tapping the fingers of one hand up and down a length of ribbon that coiled from her middle to her neck. His other hand came down to where her ‘hips’ would be, alternating cruel little pinches between each sides, maddening in the way that was impossible to adjust to.

‘NOHOHohoHOHO! NohOHOHO MOHOHohore Que-QUESTIOHOHONS!’

‘Ohhh, c’mon, weepy. If ya answer ‘em, I’ll stop. Scout’s honour’

Gangle could hardly think straight, but the promise of this torment stopping was enough. ‘FINE! FIHIhihIHINE!’

‘Didja know y’were so, stupidly ticklish?’

Gangle could feel her face get even hotter. It’s like Jax knew the exact question to ask to get her melting from fluster. Why her?! What did she do to deserve this?!

‘STOHOHOHOP! PLEAHAHAHASE!’

‘Didn’t answer my question, pal!’

‘HihihIHIHIHI!’

Her ribbons fluttered and flailed with no direction before trying to wrap around Jax’s upper arms, pushing as hard as she could. Jax couldn’t help but think the ribbons were somewhat captivating. The way the light bounced off them, the different hues of red that flashed with each desperate movement. He’d never been a particularly huge fan of art or ‘the finer things’ whilst in the Circus- instead, focusing on deluding himself into believing none of this was real and taking to mischief and violence- but this was new.

He’d never tickled a Circus resident before, so he never really ‘took them in’, as nonsensical as it sounded. A punch, a shove, a push into a hole or equally unappealing crevice- none of the physical contact he made with the other members required a specific focus. It was simply a matter of ‘see victim’, ‘assault victim’, ‘walk off’.

This was different. From this angle, and spending such a duration up close, he really could appreciate how fascinating those ribbons were. They felt soft but firm, and surprisingly strong for what they were.

Gangle, meanwhile, was laughing harder than she had in…probably her entire time at the Circus. She could hardly wrap her head (her mask?) around the fact she was being tickled. By Jax.

Although, what with the rabbit’s love for making her suffer, she supposed it was bound to happen at some point. Even Jax would run out of violent, painful ideas.

'C'mon! Just answer the question and I'll stop! Did you ever think you'd be so ticklish?'

Gangle tried to hold out, tried not to give him the satisfaction, but he was craning his neck in a way that very much looked like he was about to take a bite into a ribbon. And she could only imagine how much more awful that would’ve felt.

‘OKAY! OKAHAHAHAHAY! NOHOhohoho! I dihihidn’t! No-nohohow stohoHOHOP!’

Jax felt a vague sense of disappointment that she’d cracked so easily, but he wasn’t surprised. She’d folded for less.

It didn’t mean he had to stop, though. When had he ever held a promise in this place?

‘Okayyyy, next up-’

Gangle, through the ticklish agony, felt her heart drop. No way! No way was he still going?!

She didn’t know why she was surprised, honestly.

‘WHA- NOHOHOho!’

Jax briefly held up a finger. ‘Don’t interrupt!’ Before burying it right back within the ribbons. ‘Does it feel worse if I do this?’ He scratched at a particularly sensitive bundle, fingers skimming over the fabric. ‘Or this?’ His other hand used two fingers to drill into where her armpit would be, vibrating into the ‘flesh’.

Gangle honestly couldn’t tell her right from her left at that moment, but she could tell that the drilling was so much worse. The scratches felt like a soothing massage in comparison.

‘AHHGHHHAHAHAHAHA!’ She squashed her arms to her sides, which…didn’t do a whole lot, seeing as she was made of spindly ribbons and Jax’s arm was the width of about 5 of them.

‘Ohoho! It’s unanimous! The rougher one tickles like a b<QUACK>h, huh?’ He crowed with delight. ‘Better even it out- I know you like symmetry, right?’

Jax’s other hand stopped with the scratching and dove under her other arm, copying the drilling motion. Gangle was squealing with laughter now, head thrown back over the armrest, uselessly pawing and slapping at whatever part of the rabbit she could reach. Her laughter went silent briefly as he continued this down the length of her ‘sides’.

‘Okay, one more question- who do you prefer? Me, or…Kinger?’

It was an obvious choice. Kinger was mad, but he was kind. He’d always have a conversation with her if she needed one, even if he forgot the topic every five seconds.

But of course, she knew what Jax wanted to hear. He was such an asshole.

‘C’moooon! I’ll stop this time! Promise!’

Gangle should’ve held out, the chances of him actually following up very slim if going off the previous time, but fuck it. What did she have to lose?

‘YOU! I- I PREHEHEHEHEeheheFER you!’

And, to Jax’s credit…he actually did stop.

He gave her ribbons another quick scrunch and withdrew, sitting back on his heels with an arm draped over the backrest. ‘Well- I had a few more questions, but I think they can wait til next time’

Gangle didn’t think she’d be able to feel so breathless what with not having lungs, but the Circus members didn’t really need to breathe anyway. Nevertheless she found herself with a hand on her chest, splayed halfway over the edge of the cushion, panting.

If she’d been wearing her comedy mask, it’d probably have broken about 5 times over. Her sketchpad lay abandoned on the floor in the chaos.

‘W-why’d you-huff- do that?!’ She exclaimed.

Jax lolled his head back and gestured to her with a loose hand.

‘Ahhh, you’re fine. Besides! You’re always so sad, whinging about somethin’ or other. Did ya a favour. Not sad right now, right?’

‘I-I wasn’t sad in the first place!’

‘Well consider this an investment then. Stockin’ up on the ol’ serotonin’ he then pushed himself up and gave her a lazy wave. ‘You’re welcome!’

Gangle was about to say something but he was already walking off. She hated how pleased with himself he seemed.

However- despite the tickling being objectively awful, it wasn’t as though it had hurt, or caused any lasting damages. It…hadn’t been entirely unpleasant to laugh like that, either. She felt the warm afterglow that reminded her vaguely of when she’d laugh with her friends back in the real world. Or, at a particularly comedic panel of her favourite webcomic.

She took a shaky breath and stretched to grab her sketchpad. The last thing she drew before being tickled to pieces was a bust of an anime character. It didn’t have a face yet.

Giving a quick look over her shoulder, she took her pencil and scribbled away. She found herself giggling quietly.

The bust, once featureless, was laughing brightly. Gangle had made sure to prioritise her focus on the features she didn’t have- the scrunched nose, the showing teeth, the creases of the eyebrows.

She giggled once more at her masterpiece. Usually she’d show Zooble, and really she was going to, but now it had turned into something private and personal, just for herself.