#ticklyfandoms

His roommate was on the couch, getting as much as he could out of his pumpkin spice monstrosity of a drink, sunglasses perched on his nose. He had paused whatever TV show he was watching, apparently waiting for Virgil to join him.

Virgil teasingly pushed Remy’s sunglasses up to sit on his head. “You know we’re inside, right?” He sat on the other end of the couch when his roommate moved his legs, but didn’t complain when his lap was used as a footrest.

“Oh, enough about me!” Remy joked. “How was your day?”

Virgil bit his lip before sighing, slumping into the couch. “Something very, very terrible happened.”

“Oh?” Remy set his drink down on the coffee table. “And what very, very terrible thing would that be?”

“My professor made an announcement today.”

“Which was…?”

“We have to give presentations. In front of the entire class.”

Remy shrugged. “So?”

“Alone.”

He gave a long hiss of distaste. “That is rough, love. Good thing you’re smart, though. I’d be completely lost.”

Virgil buried his face in his hands. “That’s not the point! I can’t go up in front of my whole class on my own! Anything could happen! There are gonna be so many people staring at me!”

Remy swung his legs off the couch and moved to sit next to the younger student, frowning in worry. “It’ll be over before you know it, Virge, believe me. And maybe if you let your professor know ahead of time they’ll cut you some slack. Then you just repeat whatever you wrote on your note cards and you’ll be golden, girl!”

“This is going to be a disaster. I’ll probably faint, or– or throw up– or trip and fall in front of everyone!” Virgil seemed to have skipped right into his ‘inconsolable’ stage of freaking out, and Remy knew he had to stop his train of thought before it got too bad.

“How about I help you out?”

Virgil finally looked up and eyed him. “How?”

Remy grinned. “Why don’t you present this dumb project to me first? Then you’ll know that you can at least get through it. Come on, it’s better than nothing, darling!”

His roommate was still shaking his head, however. “Really, I don’t know if I could even do that, Remy.”

“Alright, here’s something for you.” Remy picked up his drink from the coffee table and leaned back as he made his final offer. “If you present your project to me, and if you get a good grade on it, then I’ll give you a reward.”

Virgil’s interest was, at last, piqued. He peered at Remy from behind his purple bangs, considering the offer with caution. “What kind of reward?” he inquired after a pause.

“Oh, no, dear, that’s a secret!” Remy chuckled. “But I can guarantee that it is something you will absolutely adore.”

There was another pause as this new bit of information was considered. The two had been roommates for a few semesters now, and were good friends. Remy could accurately claim to understand Virgil’s high anxiety better than almost anyone, and always knew where to stop when it came to jokes and pranks and socializing.

Virgil couldn’t think of a reason not to trust him, so he finally gave Remy a nod.

“Deal.”

It was a simple enough assignment for a required literature course. All that had to be done was explain a theme throughout a few chapters of some old book. Five to ten minutes, tops. Let the slides explain it for you.

So of course Virgil could only act as though he were on the edge of a volcano, ready to be pushed in at the sign of a single stutter.

“Just read off of the note cards,” Remy said again. He was beginning to feel a bit bad, making Virgil stand at the head of their dinner table and present his project to him. The poor thing was trembling a little and biting at his thumb, his grip on the note cards so tight Remy was worried they’d burst from his fingers at any moment.

“I– I don’t think I can do this,” Virgil said.

“Sure you can! Just think of something that makes you happy, and then focus on that while you talk.” Remy looked at him from over his sunglasses. “What makes you happy?”

Virgil huffed unhappily. “Not having to give a dumb presentation.”

“Very funny.” Remy gestured at him pointedly with his frappuccino. “Think of something already. You have to present this in two days.”

Virgil groaned. “I know, I know. Dammit, uh– Halloween?”

“Perfect!” his roommate crowed. “Just imagine that all of your classmates are ghosts that died before whatever book it is was published, and that they’re all very interested in death or male chauvinism whatever it is the main character is all about.”

“That’s the dumbest idea I ever heard,” Virgil grumbled. However, as nervous as his expression was, it was far more subdued than before.

Remy stood and walked over to his friend to pull him into a one-armed hug. “And it’s gonna work! When’s the last time one of my dumb ideas went wrong?”

Virgil smirked. “The abandoned grocery store.”

“Which one?”

That got a laugh out of Virgil, who pushed him away playfully. Remy would certainly call it a win for the day.

Virgil couldn’t help the familiar jitters as he entered his apartment. He knew that Remy was on the couch, as usual, so he made his way over on his own, rubbing at his frozen fingers as he pulled off his jacket and scarf.

“Hey there, Frosty,” Remy greeted. “You cold?” When Virgil nodded, he held out the blanket that was draped around his shoulders, and the two huddled together on the couch, as close as two coats of paint.

“A little birdy told me that you had a big presentation today,” Remy teased, nudging his friend. “How’d it go?”

Virgil’s smile was sheepish; he tried to hide it behind the blanket. “It was fine. Ghosts are way nicer to speak to than a bunch of overworked twenty-year-olds at 9:30 in the morning.”

“I told you!” Remy cheered. “Now did you get an A or did you get an A?”

“Actually, I got a B since my performance was so shaky,” Virgil confessed. “But my professor said that she could round it up since I emailed her about it beforehand.”

“So you got an A!”

Virgil huffed, “Technically. Well, probably.”

Remy shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Say it.”

The pink on Virgil’s cheeks wasn’t from the cold, now. “I got an A,” he mumbled, a hint of a smile tugging on his lips.

“Yes, girl! And since we’re celebrating,” Remy added, “this is the perfect time for me to give you your reward for doing such a good job!”

In a second, Remy had Virgil pinned on the couch, his grin so innocently villainous that Virgil was thrown for a loop, wondering if he should struggle or not.

“What the hell is this?” he demanded.

“Your gift!” Remy reminded him. “I told you that you’re gonna love it! And am I ever wrong?”

Before Virgil could splutter anything else out, an embarrassing squeak escaped him as Remy’s hands wandered up his shirt and began to prod at his sides. “Nonononono, Remy– ahaha! Wait, not there–!”

“Yes yes yes~” his roommate cooed. “Right here!” He began dragging his nails all over Virgil’s ribs, and the poor thing lost his stamina and started laughing loudly.

Nohoho! Remy, you– ahahahaha!” Virgil had never been able to fight back when he was being reduced to shrieky giggles, especially when Remy was the one dishing them out. He didn’t tickle fast, but he didn’t have to, as he seemed to be able to unerringly press and flutter his fingers against every spot that drove his victim wild.

“I hope you’re enjoying your reward,” he teased as his fingers massaged in between Virgil’s ribs. Virgil didn’t have the wherewithal to grace him with a response, but managed to shake his head as he cackled. “No? Oh, we all know that’s a lie, sweetie. C’mon, fess up!”

Remy knew full well where to attack, and moved his fingers up to skitter up and down his neck; he used his nails to their full potential, letting them rake over every spot that had his roommate shrieking and snorting. Virgil grabbed at Remy’s wrists, but was already laughing too hard to pull them away.

It was only when Virgil started to hiccup breathlessly that Remy let up, taking his hands away to let him calm himself.

“I bet you’re enjoying yourself now that I stopped,” he said with a wink.

Virgil glared up at him, his frown almost a pout. “Shut up,” he grumbled. “And if you’re done, then you could at least get off of me.”

Remy perked up, beaming. “Oh, I almost forgot!” he said.

He moved down a little before rucking Virgil’s shirt up against his chest, leaving his stomach bare. “I saved the best for last,” he assured with a wink.

“Remy, don’t– don’t you dare–!” Virgil cried, much too late.

Remy leaned down, pressed his lips against the soft skin just underneath his navel, and blew a loud raspberry. Virgil kicked and shrieked, throwing his head back in utter hysterics. Remy even squeezed Virgil’s sides as he targeted all over his tummy, keeping him pinned expertly even as the other student struggled. He didn’t show mercy until the corners of Virgil’s eyes were wet and his laughter was bright and wheezy.

As Virgil was catching his breath, Remy smiled and ruffled his hair. “Good job on your project, sweetie. If you get another A, let me know. I’d love to do this again sometime.”

Virgil covered his bright red face. “You’re such a bully.”

“It’s not bullying if you like it!” Remy poked under his arms, laughing when Virgil squeaked and threw his arms down.

“Rem!”

“Alright, alright, I’m done!” he chuckled, finally getting off of his roommate. He opened up his blanket again, and they resumed their previous position, curling up together as they turned on an old horror movie.

Virgil let his head fall onto his friend’s shoulder as the movie began; his blush had not fully subsided, but neither of them said anything about it.

After a few minutes, Virgil mumbled, “Hey. Uh...thanks.”

Remy glanced down at him with a warm smile before turning back to the movie.