#vld tickling

“…It’s earlier somewhere.”

They heard Violet sprint the length of the house, small paws thundering impossibly loudly for her size. There was another crash. Both groaned, pulling the blanket up further.

“L a n c e …”

“K e i t h …”

“Lance the sooner you take care of her the sooner we can go back to sleep.”

“Ugh, but if I do that I’ll be too awake to go back to sleep. You do it.”

The bedroom door rattled as they saw the perpetrator’s fluffy black paws appear underneath it and begin shaking it.

“K e i t h… the baby’s hungry…” Lance turned over and tried to ignore Keith, hoping to get the last word.

Violet essentially yelled from the other side at them.

“Lance, it’s your turn,” the red paladin buried his face in his pillow as the door continued shaking.

“No…” Lance shot out a hand behind him, aiming for really anywhere on Keith. He heard a yelp as he squeezed his target’s side. “Keith go help the baby,” he smirked as the paws retreated and the little cat left to tear through the house again.

“So, it’s gonna be like that huh?” Keith smiled into the plushness under his face. “It’s your turn, Lance.”

Keith turned his face to see Lance’s back facing him. Lance had gone to sleep without a shirt again, as he so often did on hot humid nights that turned into these soft sunny mornings. He gently traced a finger up and down Lance’s spine as he watched him shudder and saw goosebumps arise on his skin.

Lance squeezed his side again and Keith had to resist the urge to curl up. He bit his lip instead and moved his finger a little faster along his spine. He felt Lance’s breathing become more irregular as he was trying to stifle little breathy giggles threatening to pour out.

“Ihihit’s your tuhuhurn Lahance,” Keith managed to get out. “Cohohome ohohon…”

Lance began feebly drumming his fingers against Keith’s stomach. The angle he was at – arm twisted behind him and acting blindly – made it somewhat difficult. The fumbling led to Keith being able to dust his hand over Lance’s shoulderblades and just at the edge of his armpits, which made him seize up and start giggling uncontrollably as Lance withdrew his hand.

“Keihihith nohohoho…”

“Go take care of Violet and I’ll stop. Then we can both go back to sleep,” he hummed contentedly. He reached the base of Lance’s neck and the blue paladin’s laughs increased in pitch.

Lance turned over and managed to pull himself against Keith. “Just lemme sleeeep…” he slurred, muffled, into Keith’s chest. Keith was also shirtless, since it was just too warm to sleep with a shirt, but also because he really liked that increased contact with Lance.

Now? It might not have been the best idea, he thought as Lance nuzzled into his chest. His hair… it was brushing his skin just enough to make his breath hitch in his throat. Keith brought his hands to Lance’s sides and held him close, in part just to, well, hold him close and enjoy it. It was also a good pinning technique when both parties were still half-asleep.

However, it quickly backfired when he felt fingers drumming at his hips. He retaliated by brushing behind Lance’s ears, causing the blue paladin to huff little breaths into his chest. The fingers never stopped, though.

Lance pressed in a little more. “Just go take care of her Keith…” He smiled against his skin that was still warm from sleep. He started wandering his hands up Keith’s ribs.

“Nohoho Lahahahance—” he tried to swat the wandering hands away, but Lance persisted. He figured he’d take it up a notch, and rolled them over so he was on top of Lance.

The blue paladin looked up at him, smiling lazily. Both were still too asleep to really defend themselves against anything, so Lance just went with it.

Keith spidered his fingers around Lance’s stomach. Lance began laughing more heartily now, but as he had more experience in this kind of thing from his large family, he was able to fight back. He directed his hands up to Keith’s exposed upper ribs where they met his sides. Keith broke out into a stream of giggles and tried to protect himself, rolling back onto the bed with Lance on top now. Lance smiled down at the man he loved more than anything, the sun once again falling across his bright eyes. He leaned down and kissed Keith softly, and instantly felt him return it. Lance cupped his head from behind with a free hand and felt Keith smile into the kiss as he hummed softly.

Then he felt Keith reach up and scratch at his stomach again. Lance instantly broke the kiss with laughter, and Keith laughed in return.

“Oh, that’s rude babe, I can’t even have a kiss?” Lance fake-pouted after composing himself.

The door shook on its hinges again. “It’s your turn, so no, you can’t,” Keith smirked.

“Well I want to stay in bed, so you do it,” he rebutted, turning around and reaching for Keith’s knees. His movements were still groggy, which made it easy to follow him. Keith saw how Lance’s feet were near his arms now, and just as Lance was about to attack his knees Keith struck his soles with light but steady touches.

Lance practically fell over forward, giggling like a maniac now as Keith continued to tickle his scrunched-up soles.

“Come on, the sooner you attend to the baby the sooner you can come back to bed…” Keith said over the effervescent laughter coming from the blue paladin’s mouth.

“Nohohoho Keihihith…”

The cat yelled again from the door.

“Kehihith shehehehe wahahants yohohohou…”

Keith smirked. “No, I think she wants you… come on I want to go back to sleep too.”

The red paladin had to pause for a moment to yawn. Lance used the opportunity as an opportunity to strike back. He twisted around and managed to pin Keith’s arms down at his own sides with his knees. Keith instantly started blushing, body too heavy to move out from under the other paladin.

“Come on babe, ‘the sooner you attend to the baby the sooner you can come back to bed…’” Lance mocked playfully. “Look, I wanna go back to sleep, you wanna go back to sleep, just go feed her and we can come back and snuggle all day.” He smiled down at the one trapped beneath him.

Keith rolled his eyes, fighting a smile. “It’s your turn.”

Lance grinned widely. “Alright, but you could’ve avoided this,” he teased as he used both hands to spider all over Keith’s stomach, ribs, chest and sides. The red paladin turned beet red and laughed heartily, trying his best to escape. He was trapped, but his mind was clearing up as time went on from the adrenaline.

“Lahahance nohohoho ihihihit’s yohohor tuhuhuhurn!”

“You’re putting up quite a fight to avoid feeding a cat, it’s a simple task really,” Lance smirked down at him, now playing his ribs like a piano.

“IhIhIhIhI cohould sahahahay the sahahame thihihing tohohoho you!”

“True, but right now I have the higher ground and I don’t think you’re in any position to be arguing,” he pointed back. He paused to yawn, having needed to since Keith had, and Keith rolled Lance off of him and below him again.

“What was that?” He grinned down at the blue paladin. “Looks like you’re in for it now.” Keith pinned Lance’s arms beneath him, mirroring the reversed position from moments before.

The red paladin grinned as he got an idea. “Lance, it’s your turn to feed her. Will you do it?”

Lance looked confused. “I feel like you’re backtracking here a little, buddy. We’ve already established—oh no.”

Keith chuckled as Lance caught sight of his hand shaping into a claw above them. He started squirming and laughing nervously, and a blush started to spread across his face.

“K-Keith cahan we tahalk about thihis…” he giggled nervously from anticipation.

“Oh, we’re done talking,” Keith practically growled.

Lance’s face turned red at that, and he watched Keith’s hand grow closer and closer to his bare stomach. He couldn’t escape, and he knew what was coming. Not the claw not the claw not the claw not the claw not the claw not th

Lance nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt five fingertips make contact with his skin and vibrate madly. He began cackling as Keith smiled over him. Keith knew he couldn’t keep up this forever since this was his worst spot and Lance did need to breathe… but for now he could go for a while.

Lance felt each digit of Keith’s hand vibrate on its own and his laughter nearly went silent. Keith laughed at the squeaks that interspersed themselves among the gasping breaths. Whether Lance’s face being as red as it was amongst wrenched-shut eyes was from the lack of oxygen or simply from being impossibly flustered was unknown, though Keith expected the latter.

Keith did let up soon though, and Lance took in massive breaths of air.

“You… are… gonna kill me… with that someday…”

Keith combed through Lance’s hair with his fingers. “We both know you love it, don’t be such a drama queen,” he said, ending with a kiss to his nose.

Keith rolled off of him and laid beside him as Violet returned to shake the door again.

“You know Keith, I’ve come to a terrifying realization,” Lance said groaning.

“What is it?”

Lance looked dead at him. “We’re both too awake to go back to sleep now, thanks to you.”

The red paladin laughed heartily at him pouting. “Hey you could’ve avoided it if you just did what you were supposed to!”

“You know I never go down without a fight,” he rebutted pointedly.

Keith chuckled at his antics. “You just wanted me to tickle you, huh?”

Lance’s mouth snapped closed and his face grew red.

“Even now you think it’s a surprise that I know,” the red paladin smiled fondly.

“Sh-shut up man,” Lance playfully shoved him, but he came back with a poke to Lance’s side causing the blue paladin to squeak again.

The little cat yelled from outside the door again.

“Ugh… Alright, alright I’m coming,” Lance conceded. “But—”

“But?” Keith raised an eyebrow.

“But… only if you help me make breakfast,” he grinned.

“You think I wouldn’t?” He smiled, then winced as the blinds shifted and a sunbeam fell into his eye.

Shiro turned towards the alien princess. “How could you accuse me of such a thing?” He said with mock-hurt. “I mean if we have to test my statement—”

He reached out and squeezed her side, and she squeaked. “Shiro! I’m not—” but she quickly dissolved into giggles as he ran his fingers up and down her sides.

“See Allura? Shrimps are ticklish!” he smiled, laughing along with her.

“I cahan behe tahahaller than yohohu!”

“Aw yeah, get her Shiro!” Hunk shouted, laughing too.

Lance was trying to ignore it but knew he was staring. He knew it was only a matter of time until someone noticed him…

“Like what you see?” Keith whispered into his ear, and Lance knew that voice very well.

Lance froze and didn’t respond, but a small smile leaked past his lips and betrayed his feelings. He bit his lip to try to hide it but Keith took notice of that, too.

“Hm? Are you jealous of Allura?” Keith said just loud enough to put a teasing tone into his voice, but not nearly loud enough to be heard by the others.

Luckily for Lance, the others were too preoccupied to notice: Shiro was still tickling Allura, and Pidge and Hunk were betting each other on if Allura was going to turn the tables. No one noticed the boy squirming in his chair with a face that almost matched his “tormentor’s” lion.

“Do you wish you were Allura and I was Shiro?” Keith teased in that same voice, and snaked his arm around Lance’s waist and lightly drummed him fingers against the taller boy’s side while pulling him just a little closer. Lance bit his lip harder and tried to not show anything was happening. Keith knew from the silence that Lance was pretty much dying (re: melting) on the inside.

When they were alone Lance wouldn’t even try to stay quiet because he didn’t care if he was laughing during his arguments or not, so he could refute anything and hold his own (more or less). But now? Lance was trying as hard as he could not to do anything so no one would notice.

How funny, Keith thought, amused to no end by it, he loves being the center of attention but now he can’t stand it. He was so proud of that statement he had formed in his mind, that he whispered it into Lance’s ear. He made sure to brush his lips and his breath against the blue paladin’s ever-so-sensitive ears as he did so, just to make him shiver and nearly leak out a giggle.

“Why don’t you laugh for me?” Keith teased softly, then nearly laughed himself as he got another thought. “Maybe Shiro and I should have a contest… who can get their ‘lee to laugh louder?” He saw Lance’s face grow redder than he thought possible, maybe it was the notion of the suggestion itself or the fact that he called Lance his ‘lee. He changed his hand so it was teasing at bare skin under Lance’s shirt, just ever-so-softly tickling above the waistband of his jeans.

Lance may have been yelling “no” in his mind repeatedly after that suggestion, but he loved what was happening. Not necessarily the fact that it was in front of everyone – that was awfully mean of Keith – but… he really loved Keith and he also really loved being tickled so he’d take it. He knew Keith would stop if he could tell Lance wasn’t enjoying himself, so he wasn’t too worried. But also… he wasn’t sure how much Keith was joking about that little “game” that he suggested. He knew that Keith knew it would embarrass him, but if somebody noticed how much “trouble” Lance was having then… oh god he hoped no one would notice. That just might give Keith the opportunity to do so.

Keith’s hand shot to Lance’s stomach as he saw that Shiro’s hand had switched to Allura’s. Allura’s laughter increased in volume as Lance nearly jumped out of his skin, a sharp laugh escaping his lips before he slammed them shut again and was left shaking in his seat. Luckily for him, Allura drowned him out sound-wise. Unluckily for him, Pidge saw the motion out of the corner of her eye and noticed that Keith’s hand mirrored Shiro’s. She met eyes with Keith and smirked. She met eyes with Shiro and raised her eyebrows, seemingly having a nonverbal conversation with both of them. She looked back at Hunk, who smiled a knowing smile.

“So, my little green friend,” Hunk began, much to the blue paladin’s chagrin, “shall we propose a new wager?”

Lance’s stomach dropped. Nooooo…

“And what might that wager be, Hunk?” Pidge asked with mock-innocence, fully well-aware of what was about to happen.

“Well, I bet Shiro can make Allura laugh louder.”

“Pssh no way, Keith can totally make Lance laugh louder,” she laughed mischievously.

Hunk smirked, “hm I don’t know, he’s being pretty quiet right now…”

Keith chimed in with a darker tone, but laughing as well as he still worked Lance’s skin beneath his nimble fingers. “He was just being quiet because he didn’t want anyone to hear him laugh. Give me a second—”

Keith snaked an arm behind him, pulled him closer, and now used both hands now to tickle Lance’s stomach as the blue paladin erupted into a fit of giggles. He tried grabbing at Keith’s hands, but the red paladin noticed that once Lance actually managed to grab a hold of his wrists, he didn’t move them away. If anything, he pulled them closer. Keith tried not to make a sound of endearment at the action, or perhaps lack-of-action, and instead turned it against him.

“You like this, huh? Not even trying to move my hands away?” he teased as Lance’s laughter increased. He looked over to see Shiro whispering in Allura’s ear as well, and the red and black paladins smiled at each other for a moment before returning to their missions.

“You just want me to tickle you,” he whispered matter-of-factly. Lance’s face was beet-red. Keith knew just how much teasing got to him and a part of him almost felt a little bad, but then the sympathy went away when he remembered really how much Lance was loving this, and then Keith’s stomach jumped a little when he thought of how much revenge Lance would be exacting later. But no matter, there were more important things at hand.

“Come on, you can be louder than that,” he whispered again. “I can move to somewhere more… ticklish… if it’ll help.” He drew out the word that he knew Lance would be affected by, before slowly moving the quick fingers up his sides. Lance began to twist and squirm in his seat as his giggles grew into fuller laughs, and Keith heard that he was less-reserved about it now.

“I know how much you love this… being at my mercy, feeling my fingers dance all over you, the electrifying sensations… and I know you love to laugh, Lance.” His hands were coming closer and closer to Lance’s armpits, and all things combined were creating desperate-sounding laughter from the blue paladin’s mouth. Keith knew that even though Lance’s laughter may have made it seem so, he hadn’t even come close to having had enough yet. All their times before had led Keith to know exactly when to stop, and Lance was nowhere near that.

“Come on my ‘lee, laugh for me. You’re so ticklish Lance, I don’t know how you’re holding out…”

Lance’s mind was turning to mush, but he was in heaven. He was maintaining enough composure to avoid curling up into Keith though; he wanted to keep a little shred of dignity. He wanted to keep just how much he liked… that… unknown to the others. He didn’t care that Keith knew, obviously, but Lance himself thought it was weird, even though Keith never made him feel weird about it. But who knows what the others would think?

His heart jumped when he realized Keith called him his ‘lee again… he did like being called that…

At least he knew he could get Keith back for this later.

He was writhing in his seat, and he opened his eyes to try to see Allura, who was in a similar but far worse situation to him. Shiro was using his Galra arm to gently but firmly hold both of her wrists above her head while he used his free arm to tickle her armpits, rapidly switching between them. Her laughter rang sweet and high above Lance’s due to pitch, but they just about matched in volume.

One thing Lance noticed – before Keith increased pressure on Lance’s armpits forcing him to wrench his eyes closed again – was that Shiro had a big, dopey lovey-dovey grin on his face. God, it felt so good to see that man in love.

“Come on Lance, we might win,” Keith whispered. “Thank god you’re so ticklish…”

Keith figured it was time to add another punch, and he pulled Lance onto his lap. Still tickling under his arms, he started nibbling the blue paladin’s neck.

Lance nearly screamed with laughter and covered his face, but Keith persisted. Lance knew Keith wouldn’t push him too far, so by this point he didn’t have anything left to be worried about.

Keith looked over and saw Shiro was slowing his attack. He didn’t ease up on Lance just yet, however, because he wanted to win… but also because of the fact that he knew Lance was absolutely in love with this.

When Allura’s laughter was nearly gone, Keith began letting up. Not because he thought Lance had had enough, he still had a very, very long way to go before that point, but because the blue paladin was probably embarrassed and Keith didn’t want it so all the attention was on him – then he might not actually enjoy it. He stopped nibbling Lance’s neck and started nuzzling it instead, and he slowed his fingers until they stopped. He pulled his hands back, and chuckled at how Lance near-imperceptibly moved back towards his hands in their absence. Keith looked at the others with a big smile on his face. Actually, everyone had a big smile on their face.

“So, who won?”

Hunk and Pidge shared a glance. “Well, it was close for a while,” Hunk began, lacing his fingers together in front of him very seriously.

“But Lance was louder by far,” Pidge finished in an equally theatrical manner.

“Oh, come on,” Shiro laughed, helping Allura sit up straight again and then massaging her shoulders to alleviate any resulting tension.

“It was a good fight, Shiro. We’ll beat them next time,” Allura said playfully, but an edge of seriousness could be heard. Shiro was amazed that she actually wanted to win… and to do it again?

Keith grinned at Lance and slung his arm around the blue paladin’s shoulder. “Oh, so there’ll be a Round 2 eventually?”

Lance’s face reddened again, but he smiled sheepishly. “Oh, shut it, Keith.” His smile brightened suddenly as a light bulb went off in his head. He smirked at Keith, then the princess. “You know Allura, I think next time we should switch it up, and the two of us can see who can make our guys laugh louder. Whaddaya say, Keith? Shiro?”

Lance shoved Keith lightly, and he laughed at how Keith’s eyes widened for a moment before he stopped them. He also saw how Keith twitched his head so his hair fell over a good portion of his face to hide the encroaching blush.

Shiro’s face dusted pink, but Allura chimed in before he could say anything. “That’s a great idea, Lance! Besides, it’s only fair, right Shiro?” She looked up at him.

Shiro stammered out something about… something. It seemed even the notion of turning the tables was enough to render him a blushy, stuttering mess.

Allura giggled at his reaction. “If you’re doing that already, I’m sure we’ll win!”

“Mmm, I don’t know, Princess, I think I’ve got it in the bag. I’ll definitely win,” Lance said casually, stretching his tired muscles and leaning to whisper in Keith’s ear in a manner not unfamiliar: