I LOVE t-word's =]

It had been a day since Thanos and Nam-gyu had last destroyed Myung-gi with…well, whatever that was. Myung-gi had far too much pride to admit first-hand the details, but the most important thing was that they’d seemed to have gotten it out of their system. Maybe he was free now. Not having to stress about fingers in his sides or Thanos’ stupid face in his belly.

God, it was so embarrassing. He was a grown man, for gods sake! Once a highly respected crypto trader with a successful YouTube channel watched by millions, and now reduced to some kind of chew toy for a psychopath rapper and his psychopath friend.

‘At least they aren’t hurting me’ he thought to himself whilst in line for whatever sad rations the guards were generously giving out today. ‘That’s something, right?’

-------------------

He sat at his bunk, the two tormentors luckily far away from him- on the other side of the dorm, focused on whatever the fuck people like them were interested in.

They weren’t irritating him anymore; Which was a bonus- He’d had quite enough of them for at least a year. If he ever got out of here alive, he’d make sure to do whatever it took to block out the memory of them looming over him, chuckling and wiggling their fingers. Thanos had to have social media, right? Being so famous? Well, first things first, he’d be blocked on everything. He’d no doubt come looking for ‘his’ money and Myung-gi didn’t think he could bear interacting with either of those idiots outside the games, where there were no guards or cameras or ‘rules’.

He watched as Thanos and Nam-gyu laughed about something on the steps opposite, chatting away with smiles on their faces, probably high out their minds. Every so often Thanos made some stupid DJ motion and Nam-gyu would bop his head like the action was actually producing sound. For once, in what felt like forever, they weren’t even looking at him.

Whatever though. Why would he care about those psychopaths? It wasn’t like he was part of their fucked-up team. All they’d left him with was the ache in his ribs, the soreness of his throat from laughing so hard- it ultimately didn’t matter.

No, he couldn’t care less about them. As long as they weren’t pestering him he was absolutely fine with the space- they could laugh and giggle about whatever the fuck they wanted to, they could stumble around like morons, It had nothing to do with him whatsoever.

However… he felt a strange, unfamiliar coil in his chest.

Lee Myung-gi was used to being alone. He’d been on the run for 6 months after Dalmatian fell through, deleted all his contacts and essentially dropped off the face of the Earth (even Jun-hee had said she thought he died), so spending time with his own thoughts was nothing new.

But this was different. He wasn’t sure what to name this feeling, this coil that continued to tighten behind his sternum. Fear, maybe? No, he’d felt that in the death games and this certainly wasn’t fear. Anger? Maybe a bit, but it still didn’t feel like the correct word.

It hit him suddenly as his skin prickled and his breathing shallowed- this wasn’t fear, or anger, or even standard stress- this was anxiety.

And it was setting hard.

Within seconds he felt dizzy, his skin feeling two sizes too small. His hands shook and he rubbed at his chest with the heel of his palm, trying to regulate his rapidly-quickening breathing. He wrung his hands between each other, tugging at his fingers and then squeezing them together in an attempt to snap himself out of it. What the hell was wrong with him? He was fine a few minutes ago, how could he be spiralling so hard and so severely now?

There was no danger around. In a way, the dorm was actually quite peaceful right now- no shouting or fighting or druggies breathing down his neck.

But no matter how hard he tried to rationalise it, how hard he tried to force his traitorous brain into understanding, the anxiety grew and grew until it overshadowed any other thought. Suddenly, the dorm didn’t seem as peaceful. Suddenly, his senses were highly aware of every mumble and cough and shuffle.

He just had to get somewhere private. The bathrooms were usually fairly quiet around this time- that was his best bet right now. He could ride it out in there until whatever the fuck was happening to him passed. Yeah, that sounded good.

His legs shook as he swung them off his bunk. The floor looked like it was coming toward him, and when he raised his head he could hardly make out the bunks on the other side of the dorm from how much his vision swam.

Myung-gi crossed his arms firmly across his chest, squeezing himself tight in an effort to self-soothe. He could hardly think straight, cold sweat sticking his player uniform to his frame. ‘Just one step at a time’ he thought.

‘This won’t last forever. Just one step at a time’

-----------------------------------

He stumbled into the (thankfully empty) bathroom, trying to take a full breath as he approached the sink and splashed himself with cold water. The icy shock made him gasp and he braced himself on the ceramic, attempting to focus on the droplets running down the bridge of his nose and cheekbones.

It helped for maybe half a second before the anxiety barrelled right back. Myung-gi scrubbed at his face with both hands, shoulders shaking like his skeleton was trying to break free. He pushed his palms down hard and patterns bloomed behind his eyelids.

A low groan escaped him and he shook out his wrists, bounced on his heels for a second, started pacing up and down. His mind wouldn’t shut up, forcing images of him being mowed down in the next game, or worse- Jun-hee, pregnant with his child and only here because of him, being shot by a guard.

What if the next game was something he couldn’t win? What if it was luck-based opposed to skill? Or something like the pentathlon where he had to rely on a team? Maybe something to do with brute strength? He wouldn’t be able to win against one of the burlier players- he wasn’t exactly weak himself, but there was always a bigger fish.

Thought after thought raced through his head at breakneck speed, never giving him a chance to figure out a solution of one potential issue before hitting him with a scarier, less-solvable potential issue.

The last time he’d felt pure animal anxiety like this was when Dalmatian crashed, and even then at least he had the relief of other options. What options did he have in here? There was no escape, no backing out or taking a break. The next game was coming and he would have to participate.

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck…’ he muttered as he ran his hands through his hair. He must’ve paced the length of the bathroom at least a dozen times by now, must’ve done the whole ‘what can you see, touch, hear’ routine fifty. Nothing was working.

Nothing was fucking wor-

‘Well shit, MG coin’

His heart dropped. No. No no no.

How did they always know where to find him?

He was back at the sink now, grasping the sides and near-hyperventilating. He couldn’t move. Not even when he heard footsteps approaching.

‘Oi. You deaf now or what?’ Thanos.

‘Speak when you’re spoken to, MG coin’ Nam-gyu.

He couldn’t. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but take in shuddering gasps. The anxiety attack was at its peak now. All he could think of was the paralysing fear of standing at the opposite end of a Guard’s gun.

He hardly even noticed when walls of green appeared on either side of him, Thanos and Nam-gyu boxing him in.

‘Coooooiiin’ Came the lazy drawl of Player 230. No response. He snorted and poked Myung-gi roughly on the arm. ‘Anyone home, man?’

‘You need to work on your people skills. What kind of greeting is this?’ Nam-gyu cocked his head. They were both taller than him, especially now that he was hunched over, head between his arms, staring downwards. He couldn’t even register their presence though. Couldn’t register anything right now.

Myung-gi did nothing but shake, holding on white-knuckled to the sink. His breathing was audible, fast and almost painful sounding. The two bullies looked at him, and then at each other, and then at him again.

There was a beat of silence. Thanos poked him a second time, harder. No response but more strained breathing. More trembling.

Thanos looked over Myung-gi’s head at Nam-gyu and made a face- a sort of furrowed brow, unsure expression that Nam-gyu just narrowed his eyes at, as if to say ‘The fuck is up with him?’.

‘You think he’s having a stroke or something?’

Thanos scoffed.

‘The fuck is your problem, coin?’

Nam-gyu snorted and he gave a half-smirk, like he couldn’t quite believe the audacity of Myung-gi to just…block them out.

He used a heavy hand to nudge MG’s shoulder, who didn’t budge given that he had such a chokehold on the pedestal in front of him. ‘Why are you being so boring? I swear, stop ignoring us or I’ll slap you out of it’

He was expecting a nasty response right back, some kind of flippant ‘Get lost’. But there was nothing. No comment, no biting remark, not even a dirty look.

Nam-gyu hovered uncertainly for a few seconds. The way Myung-gi was just…standing there, quivering and breathing heavy and being totally unresponsive was becoming unsettling.

‘Hey. Prick’

Still nothing.

‘MG coin’ Thanos crossed his ankles and leant on the wall. ‘You’re freakin’ us out, man’

Myung-gi broke his silent streak with a noise between a cough and a sob. 230 and 124’s heads snapped up to meet each other’s gaze. Both men, for once, were speechless. A small smirk was on Thanos’ face but it seemed more bafflement than cruelty. Nam-gyu fiddled with a loose hair, brushing it behind his ears and tilting his head down at the conman, completely unaware.

‘Are you...crying?’ He sounded like he was trying not to laugh. ‘Is that was this?’

‘He is! Boy’s fucking crying!’ Thanos’ face was that of a man in sheer disbelief. He brought a hand up to the collar of his player jacket, pulling it up over his mouth to hide a shocked grin. It wasn’t for Myung-gi’s benefit- the man wasn’t even looking at him. Thanos could be breakdancing behind him and he’d be none the wiser, staring his scammy eyes into the sink. It was more out of complete incredulity that MG coin was standing here, crying, alone in the bathroom.

Oh, how he’d have loved to have seen him like this when dalmatian had first went to shit. It wouldn’t have gotten his Won back, but it would’ve made him feel just a bit better to see the scammer crying into his shirt, all alone. Hell, he’d probably have paid what little won he had left to experience it.

Nam-gyu was grinning broadly, looking MG up and down, nudging his shoulder against 333 in a faux good-natured display. ‘C’mon then, the amazing Myung-gi of MG coin! What’s got you bawling like a baby, huh?’

The bathroom filled with nasty laughter, Thanos and Nam-gyu chuckling and cackling. When it died down, replaced by small after-giggles, they were expecting Myung-gi to have gotten himself together. For their taunting to have given him a reason to wipe his eyes, stand himself tall, snap out of whatever pathetic depressive episode he was going through.

Constantly bored, both stared down at him with eager eyes, ready for another 2-against-1 (That they were sure to win, knowing his newfound weakness).

But still, nothing. It was getting…weird, now. The atmosphere felt fuzzy, almost unnatural, which was saying something in a place like this. The bathroom was quiet, save for the ragged breathing of Myung-gi. They hated the unresponsiveness, hated not getting a rise out of him.

Thanos glared at Nam-gyu, making an obnoxious tut noise. Nam-gyu shrugged back at him. Myung-gi was supposed to be spitting venom at them, shouting and embarrassing himself like usual. The fuck was going on?

 The purple-haired man cast his gaze down at Myung-gi, his face painted in that exaggerated sneering look he wore so well. He very slowly bent his knees, bracing his hands on them and tilting his head upwards to see the scammer’s face. He could see the dissociation clear as day. The absent, wide-eyed staring at nothing.

His eyebrows raised as he stood himself back upright, slow as he had when he’d bent down. He met Nam-gyu’s gaze. Player 124 narrowed his eyes further.

Curious, he dropped into a semi-crouch, bracing himself on his knees similarly to how Thanos had done before straightening up and barking out a delighted laugh.

‘Holy shit! What’s wrong with his face? He looks like he’s seen a ghost’

A shuddering gasp wracked Myung-gi’s frame.

‘…Don’t feel good…’

His voice came out barely audible, small and wavering. Neither 230 or 124 had actually heard the words- just that he’d said something.

Thanos was standing with his arms crossed now, head cocked to the side, not taking his eyes off the younger man. ‘Wassat, MG coin?’ he lilted, grin widening.

‘I DON’T FEEL GOOD!’

The words came out so loud and sharp that Nam-gyu and Thanos visibly jumped, Nam-gyu taking a reflexive step back, Thanos’ shoulders jolting as he flinched hard. Their grins dropped.

‘I don’t- I don’t fucking know what’s wrong!’ Myung-gi was still grasping the sink but now jolting his head back and forth between the two, who just stared wide-eyed. He was looking through them, still deep in the anxiety-induced dissociation. ‘I can’t fucking breathe and- and everything’s just- AGH!’

He pushed away from the sink and his hands flew to his hair, running through it again and again in frantic bursts. He wanted to cry but no tears came, despite his voice cracking. His feet moved without purpose, pacing a few feet before spinning back and doing it all again. ‘Fuck fuck FUCK!’

Thanos’ eyes followed as he paced, ringed fingers twiddling at his zip. Nam-gyu was thumbing awkwardly at his bottom lip, trying to look busy. Neither knew what to do, what to say. Seeing Myung-gi genuinely distressed, sweating and shaking like he was going through withdrawals, voice cracking and scrubbing at his face, was something they weren’t prepared for. He was usually so calm and composed. Seeing him lose his absolute shit for real?

It wasn’t fun. Wasn’t satisfying or scratching any kind of itch for them. It wasn’t the entertaining irritation or anger that they usually invoked in him. Right now he wasn’t MG coin, successful youtuber and witty con artist- he was just a man having a human moment.

Myung-gi made a choked keening noise from the back of his throat like he was trying to expel his anxiety through noise alone and continued pacing. Up, down, up, down. Neither of the druggies looked away, morbidly transfixed.

Thanos, despite what many may have thought, was actually rather emotionally intelligent. Manipulative, sure, but if anything that just proved the fact; he wouldn’t be able to play into other’s thoughts and feelings if he was as dumb as a rock.

He may have not been in touch with his own emotions, being high out of his mind most of the time, but that was a conscious choice. Making it into fame didn’t come without his own spirals, dependencies, forced to learn how to calm down jittery backup dancers or even the occasional rival (if he thought they weren’t much of a threat, that is). This, on top of dealing with drunken breakdowns or bad drug experiences over the years, had developed him a sharpened set of skills.

A set of skills that begrudgingly, he’d have to break out right there in the bathroom. For a man he couldn’t stand.

The ex-rapper exhaled through his nose and lolled his head back, eyes closing like he was about to take on a strenuous chore. He waited for Myung-gi to hit the pedestal, turn back and pace those few same feet, and stepped himself into his path. As soon as Myung-gi turned back around, still mumbling rapidly to himself with his palms over his face, Thanos was right there in front of him.

‘I’m going to die, I’m going to fucking die- What have I done, oh my g- Ah!’ Myung-gi gasped suddenly, pacing forced to come to a halt. His hands flew down and he looked up with huge, terrified eyes.

Two hands had grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. The touch was unexpected, not gentle but not rough either- just absolute.

The height difference between him and Thanos was pretty significant and he had to tilt his head upwards when the purple-haired man started talking.

‘MG coin’ Thanos spoke slowly, clearly, face devoid of any usual mischief. He dropped his head and held Myung-gi’s gaze and squeezed his fingers just once, forcing his attention. ‘You’re freaking out man. Freaking us out, freaking yourself out. You gotta breathe, boy’ He could feel the youtuber trembling, the tremors running through his hands.

Nam-gyu hadn’t said a word, hand still hovering by his lips, darting his focus between both men. Usually he’d scoff at something like this, especially with Lee Myung-gi involved. But for once he was on the side of…well, not empathy. He didn’t really do empathy.

Something vaguely similar, perhaps.

Regardless, he trusted Thanos knew what he was doing and shit would go back to normal. (as normal as things could be, anyway).

‘You don’t get it- you don’t fucking get it’ Myung-gi placed his palms flat on Thanos’ chest and pushed him away; Thanos simply wrapped a hand round his wrist and pulled him back, resuming his hold on his shoulders with a ‘Ah-ah, get back here’.

‘Fucking LET GO OF ME!’ The younger man cried, trying to push him away again but Thanos had him in an unbreakable grip now. ‘How the fuck would you know anything? I’ve seen you’ he shot a glare toward Nam-gyu, ‘and you!’ he directed himself back toward Thanos, ‘popping those fucking pills. Yeah, you’re not slick. Everyone here knows you’re nothing but washed-up junkie FREAKS!’

Thanos would be lying if he said he wanted to do anything else but throw Myung-gi to the floor and let loose on him right then. Those words cut deep. He’d heard similar after the forgotten lyrics incident during rap battlegrounds, fans and haters alike blaming his fumble on drug use.

But he was no stranger to anxiety attacks, those horrible chest-tightening things that fogged the brain and reduced a person to their most primal survival instincts. Myung-gi didn’t know what he was saying, not really. He was just functioning on autopilot, brain trying to stabilise itself any way it knew how.

‘You’re lucky I’m an understanding typ’a guy, Coin’ he said, words still slow and enunciated like he were talking to a child. ‘That shit you just said? Man, if you weren’t such a mess right now, that’d really have pissed me off’

Nam-gyu held his breath. Thanos wasn’t about to lose his temper, surely? Not right now? Not that he’d mind, if anything it’d be entertaining, but still…

But his concerns were for nothing as Thanos continued with ‘We ain’t gonna get you better if you don’t work with me’

He spoke with such rare sincerity that Myung-gi stopped pushing, hands just resting on Thanos’ chest. It was more the confusion, than anything else. Intrigue, perhaps. Despite the spiralling, even his anxiety-riddled brain realised that Thanos was genuinely trying to help him…and that was weird.

Thanos didn’t give him any chance to dwell. He had his attention and he was going to use it before Myung-gi fucked himself up again.

‘Just breathe, okay? We’ll start there’

Myung-gi decided not to care about the unusualness of Thanos comforting him, so desperate for comfort he’d take anything. If it turned out to be a cruel joke then…well, that’d be a bridge he could cross if he came to it.

A harsh squeeze brought him back to reality.

‘Oi, Coin-boy. I said breathe’

‘I-I don’t know how’

Behind them, Nam-gyu huffed a small chuckle and approached, standing by their sides.

‘Course you know how to breathe, MG coin. How the fuck are you still standing here if you’re not breathing? You’d be dead, dumbass’. He spoke with a light-hearted tone, trying his best to be somewhat ‘gentle’, but poor Myung-gi, who was still shaking and chest heaving, just heard the word ‘dead’ and- ohhh no.

His face crumpled and his hands left Thanos’ chest, grasping at his own, breathing coming out faster and shallower. ‘Oh fuck- fuck, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna fucking die-’

Nam-gyu flinched and jumped back, Myung-gi practically dissolving in Thanos’ grip.

Thanos groaned and tossed his head back.

‘Ugghhhh, Nam-su! Why’d you have to go and set him off again?’

‘Sorry, sorry! Uh-’ He brought a hesitant hand to the panicked player’s back and patted it awkwardly, utterly unused to comforting people, nevermind a guy he hated the guts of. ‘Sorry, coin. Just- just calm down, okay?’

Myung-gi was doing anything but.

‘Let go- let go of me, I have to get out of here’

Thanos could hardly keep hold of the man as he writhed and shoved without purpose, gasping. ‘Woah, woah! MG coin!’

‘You’re gonna be fine, idiot! What’s it gonna take to chill you out?’ Nam-gyu had his hands raised like he wanted to shake the scammer out of it but something told him brute force wouldn’t be too helpful in this situation.

‘Yeah, boy! You’ve survived so far, right? You’re a smart motherfucker, whatever the next game is, you’ll figure it out!’

Never in a million years did Thanos and Nam-gyu think they’d be hyping up MG coin. It was surreal and so out of the ordinary it almost dissolved the panic attack right then and there.

Myung-gi desperately grabbed Thanos’ forearms. ‘You think so? You think I’m gonna be fine?’

The older man hesitated. He could break this off right now, push him away with a ‘just get yourself together’ and walk off. Back to his corner, where it was just him and his Nam-su. Where they could resume zoning out and giggling at nothing.

But Myung-gi was looking at him with such a desperate, expectant fear, like he was the only other person who existed.

Ah, fuck it. He’d already started this, why the hell not finish it?

He forced his face to soften just a little and breathed out slowly, like he was trying to rationalise just what he was about to do. ‘Yeah. Yeah, MG coin. You’re gonna be just peachy’. He gave Myung-gi’s shoulders a little rub, even forcing a smile.

‘What if- what if I’m not, though?’

Nam-gyu grinned, sensing the tension erode from Myung-gi. ‘Then you won’t be. But what’s the point in worrying about that right now, huh? What is it they say…’ he thought for a second before it came to him and he bounced on his heels, gesturing with his hands. ‘Ah! Worrying about something just means you suffer through it twice! Right?’

It…wasn’t the best advice. Maybe if it had been in a different scenario, like Myung-gi stressing about a first date or issues with his channel, it would’ve landed better. Made more sense.

But Myung-gi didn’t care. The comfort, no matter how half-assed, was still comfort.

‘Let’s try again with that breathin’, boy. Come on, follow my lead. We’ll do it together- in through the nose, out through the mouth, yeah?’.

Thanos took a deep breath in through his nose, chest expanding, and felt relief that Myung-gi did the same. They exhaled together, and the older man could feel the younger relax his shoulders, the anxiety ebbing away slowly. It was still there- some basic breathing exercises weren’t going to eradicate it completely. But at least it seemed to be helping.

They stood like that for a few more seconds, Thanos tracking Myung-gi’s face to check for any signs of the spiral getting worse. Nam-gyu had tried to join in, more because it’d be awkward if he just stood there staring at two men breathing at each other, but the boredom and ridiculousness of the situation got the better of him.

He started to breathe purposefully loudly, In through the nose with an obnoxious sniff, out through the mouth with an even more obnoxious ‘Haaaaah’. Couldn’t that bastard be serious for more than thirty seconds?

‘Nam-su. Cut it out’

‘I’m helping’

‘What, with Mongolian throat singing?’ Thanos, still giving small absent-minded pats to Myung-gi’s shoulders, tilted his head to face Nam-gyu. ‘Heheh, you sound like an old man on life support, bro’

‘It’s the least I can do, really’

‘Or like one of them dogs with the squashed faces’

‘A bulldog?’

‘Nah nah, the other one. Looks like someone dropped mashed potato on the floor’

‘A Labrador?’

Thanos made a face and his shoulders shook. ‘Dunno what kinda fuckin’ Labradors you’ve been lookin’ at, boy’

MG coin listened to them go back and forth like he wasn’t even there. Annoyingly (or, maybe not), having some kind of normalcy was helping. Maybe he could pretend he was in a bar overhearing two idiots. Or a sports game, not that he ever really went to those. Or maybe even another universe completely. He wouldn’t be surprised if those two were aliens from the planet ‘ruin MG coin’s life’.

‘Oi, coin. Y’listening?’

Myung-gi blinked. ‘Huh?’

‘I asked if you were feelin’ better. Don’t wanna be babysittin’ your scamming ass til the next game, boy’

Player 333 thought about it. He was still shaky, still experiencing palpitations that just wouldn’t seem to quit. It wasn’t anywhere near as bad as before, no way- but he still felt in a considerable amount of distress.

‘I…I don’t know. I don’t think so, not really’

He was expecting groans, or for them to go ‘well, we tried, see ya’ and leave.

Instead, Thanos just rolled his eyes in mild annoyance and nodded. ‘Okay, man. Take your time, I guess’.

Myung-gi was shocked. It seemed like they were really putting effort in here. Or, at least, as much as they were capable of when it came to him.

‘Why are you helping me?’ He asked bluntly, fidgeting with the bottom of his jacket.

‘Dunno, really. I’ve been there’ Thanos shrugged. He was staring with an uncanny level of intensity at Myung-gi. ‘The whole thinkin’ you’re dying thing. Like the walls are closing in, like you’re not ever gonna feel right again. I wish I’d had someone there for me when I got like that. Doesn’t mean we like you or nothin. Just…don’t like seein’ you all fucked up, is all’

It was probably the most genuine, vulnerable thing Myung-gi had ever heard from him.

‘Yeah, and you’re no fun to fuck with if you can’t react to us fucking with you’

Aaaand Nam-gyu ruined it.

‘Great. Thanks, I guess’

‘Anytime, prick’

Myung-gi groaned and shifted in place, shrugging Thanos’ hands off him. ‘Mnngh…feels like my heart’s gonna stop’ he muttered, crossing his arms tightly around his middle and shifting from foot to foot.

Thanos, without a single care for boundaries or personal space, grabbed Myung-gi’s wrist and placed two fingers on the inside, where his pulse hammered.

‘Damn. Shit’s going wild’ Thanos mused. ‘Nam-su, feel this’

He held out Myung-gi’s wrist to Player 124, ignoring the ‘ach- hey!’.

Nam-gyu let out a low whistle. ‘Woah, dude. How are you even standing upright? I’m surprised you haven’t dropped dea-’ Myung-gi’s eyes widened and he stared hard at him, skin prickling like the anxiety was about to amp up all over again. Thanos cleared his throat, clenched his jaw and very subtly shook his head, as if to say ‘Don’t you dare say what I think you’re about to say’.

‘Uh…nevermind’ Wow, good save.

He slapped Myung-gi’s wrist twice and then gave a toothy smile. ‘Still ticking! You’re in perfect health!’

Myung-gi managed to scoff quietly, taking his wrist back and rubbing it. ‘I just…I think I need a distraction’.

‘A distraction, eh?’ Nam-gyu replied, then pointed at Thanos excitedly. ‘Want Thanos to do a backflip off a urinal? He can, I saw him do it once at the club’

‘Yeah! Watch, coin’ Thanos, without question or argument, was already bouncing over to the urinals.

Myung-gi screwed up his face in a baffled grimace. ‘No-! I- I don’t want to see you do a backflip off a urinal. Jesus Christ’

Thanos made a face. He couldn’t believe anybody wouldn’t want to see that.

‘Wow’ he shoved his hands in his pockets and took long, slow steps. ‘That’s what I get for tryna help, huh? Talk about ungrateful. I’d have fans begging on their knees to see that shit’

‘I’m not your fan’

‘Tch. Yeah. No kidding’

The atmosphere had shifted. Myung-gi was having an actual conversation with these two. A really absurd conversation, sure, but this was probably the longest he’d ever gone without being shoved at or sent into hysterics in their presence.

But still the anxiety refused to budge. He needed an actual, proper distraction. Not Thanos with his acrobatics, or Nam-gyu with his…Nam-gyu-ness.

It hit him suddenly, like a brick to the skull. Oh.

Oh no.

Thanos and Nam-gyu must’ve noticed his defeated demeanour because they went quiet and hovered awkwardly, like they thought he was about to breakdown all over again and were trying their absolute best to be as un-breakdowny as possible.

‘…Wassup, boy?’ Thanos side-eyed him.

‘You’re not gonna cry for real this time, are you? You look like you are’ Nam-gyu leant back like Myung-gi was diseased.

Myung-gi sighed loudly and stared at the floor tiles.

‘…Can you guys…’ he made a face like even thinking about what he was going to say was causing him physical pain.

‘Can us guys…?’ Thanos, still hands in his pockets, leant forward.

‘…tickle me’

Nam-gyu’s jaw actually dropped. Thanos just stared at him, frozen, one foot in front of the other from where he’d been dancing in place.

There was just…silence. For a while. It stretched on so long that Myung-gi started to hope maybe they hadn’t heard him and he could pretend he hadn’t said anything. This was a mistake, surely. An embarrassing, horrid mistake.

‘The fuck did you just say?’ Thanos was starting to process the words that came out of Myung-gi’s mouth, a disbelieving smile tugging at one corner of his lips. Neither junkie took their eyes off the scammer, who was now hiding his face in his hands.

‘I’m not asking again’ he muffled. ‘Either do it or don’t’

Immediately Nam-gyu started to move, face lit up, fingers wiggling playfully. ‘Arms up, MG coin!’

And to his (and possibly the scammer himself) disbelief, Myung-gi actually raised his arms, blushing furiously at the floor.

‘Stop’

Myung-gi blinked and Nam-gyu looked over his shoulder. Thanos took a step closer and rested an arm on the club promoter, who slumped dramatically. ‘Stop? Why? The guy literally asked for it’

‘Oh, I get it’ Myung-gi intercepted before Thanos could explain himself. ‘It’s only fun when I don’t want it, right? Can’t get your kicks if I’m having fun too’ He lowered his arms and pointed at Thanos. ‘You’re a sick freak’

Thanos held up his hands. ‘Woah, boy. You’re making us sound like some twisted ol’ perverts’ he resumed leaning on Nam-gyu, one ankle crossed over the other. It was his turn to point now. ‘Ain’t nobody in this damn shithole that would love to see your stupid face freaking out more than us, but I’m just sayin’, man- I dunno how I feel tickling a guy having a panic attack’

He thought back to nights backstage, bad trips from his younger inexperienced days. The anxiety attacks he’d have before his first few big shows. The crushing weight on his chest after the rap battlegrounds incident. The last thing he’d have wanted, or needed, back then was for someone to tickle him.

And if Myung-gi spiralled halfway through, it wouldn’t just be annoying or unsettling. It would be more time spent having to be nice to him.

Nam-gyu piped up, hand splayed toward Myung-gi incredulously.

‘Hyung, he literally asked for it. He’s fine!’

‘Yeah, well, last time the asshole bit me’

‘That’s because you wouldn’t fucking stop!’ came 333’s exasperated reply. ‘I’ll keep my teeth to myself this time, okay?’

Player 230 scratched at his chin and looked Myung-gi up and down. The guy was obviously still not 100%, but after everything- the weirdness of helping him out, the stupid banter between him and Nam-gyu, the forced breathing session- he did seem calmer.

Meanwhile Myung-gi’s brain was almost imploding trying to process the fact that Thanos had the chance to destroy him- him, who was apparently the ‘reason they were there in the first place’, who they very obviously resented- and was hesitating.

‘I mean it. It would help’

Thanos’ thoughtful expression gave way to a cocked eyebrow and a smirk. He held his palms up and loosened his posture, swaying slightly. ‘Aight, aight. Go on then, asshole. Lie down’

‘What…here?’

‘Yes, here. You think we’re gonna do this out there? lettin’ anyone think we’re pals? Go on, get comfy’

Myung-gi examined the tiles. Surprisingly, for a hellhole bathroom, it was surprisingly pristine. He almost laughed at the idea of the masked guards coming in with mops and buckets like committed housewives and scrubbing the place head to toe.

‘Okay’ he sighed, squatting down on the floor, trying not to look at either of the duo as they loomed over him. He hesitantly lay himself down, one arm under his head like he was relaxing in bed and not…this. His cheeks burned and he stared at the fluorescent lights, trying not to regret his decision.

Myung-gi half expected the anxiety to come roaring back at full pelt, but it stayed constant. Not getting worse, definitely not as bad as it was a few minutes ago, but certainly not getting better. The cold of the tiles pressed against his back, lending even more to his shivering. His free hand pressed against his chest and rubbed in firm circles. He hated this feeling. Hated that it ruined his usual collected nature, hated that it led him into this position.

But what other choice did he have? Who else could he go to? Jun-hee? She’d probably spit in his face if she didn’t get her new teammates to escort him away first.

The two junkies dropped next to him. Thanos crouched by his side, arm braced on his knee casually, and Nam-gyu settled behind his head.

He suddenly felt a hand tug at the arm cushioning his skull. His breath caught and he shot up so fast that Thanos almost lost his balance.

‘N-No! Don’t…don’t pin me, okay?’

Nam-gyu looked at Thanos, hands still in mid-air from where he tried to grab Myung-gi.

‘Whatever. Give the scammer what he wants, Nam-su’ He shrugged. It would be more satisfying to just hold him down and go to town but right now he had to be conscious of…ergh, boundaries.

Nam-gyu tsk’d and leant his head on his palm. ‘Fine, fine. If you’re gonna whinge about it MG coin’

Thanos gently pushed Myung-gi back down, more condescension than genuine care. ‘C’mon, back down you go, boy. Let us take care of ya, yeah?’

Myung-gi let himself be lay flat, glaring. ‘Ugh, don’t say it like that’

‘Why not? We’re doing you a favour, right?’ Nam-gyu scooted closer so he was looking directly down at 333, shit-eating grin plastered on his face. ‘Sooo…anywhere you wanna start with, MG?’

Myung-gi flopped an arm over his eyes, jaw setting tight. ‘Erghh, I don’t know…my stomach, I guess’ He purposefully chose a spot he knew wasn’t the absolute worst. He was, embarrassingly, ticklish pretty much everywhere- but he didn’t want to go straight into being annihilated. Thanos and Nam-gyu would absolutely take advantage despite the ‘niceties’, so he had to choose his words carefully.

‘Oh come on, MG coin’ Myung-gi peeked out from under his arm to glare at Nam-gyu. What now?? He’d already thrown his pride in the gutter, were they really going to drag this out any longer?!

‘Choose somewhere else’ 124 nodded toward the youtuber’s lower torso. ‘I can’t reach down there’

‘BUT I CAN!’

Before Myung-gi could process anything further, Thanos had his hands practically buried in his stomach, kneading and squeezing the taut muscle with a manic grin.

‘AH! HEHEHEHEY! I WAHAHAHASN’T- HAHAHahaHA!’

The younger man immediately started kicking and flailing, nerves lit up. Without being held down his limbs had the privilege of thrashing and he reflexively slapped at his tickler- not because he wanted it to stop, but just sheer uncontrollable instinct.

‘Why you getting aggressive, boy? You asked for this’ But Thanos kept tickling, smirk only growing. The slaps didn’t really bother him- if anything it just made the whole thing funnier. As long as the scammer wasn’t freaking out for the wrong reasons, he could do whatever he wanted.

‘FuhuhUHUHUCK!’ Thanos was using two fingers on each hand to pinch lightly on the soft spots of his stomach, which tickled way more than it had any right to. But still, he didn’t say stop.

His back arched off the floor when those pinches turned into deep kneading, fast and precise, legs involuntarily kicking. Thanos was chuckling at how silly it all was, possibly needing this himself even more than Myung-gi.

Nam-gyu did not share the same sentiment.

‘Hey, I want in too’ 124 frowned. ‘MG coin. Lemme tickle you’

He could’ve just started anyway. In fact, on any other day, he absolutely would. He didn’t care about Myung-gi, not really. He’d proved that over the past few ‘sessions’.

Buuuut…the man was fragile right now. Prone to overwhelm. As annoying as it was, and as little as Nam-gyu actually respected the cackling prick below him…he had to tread carefully. Which, disgustingly, meant Myung-gi was the one in control right now. Ugh, he could just vomit at the thought.

Didn’t mean he couldn’t be a huffy asshole about it, though.

‘Myung-gi-ahh’ He said flatly, watching another pitiful slap land on his Hyung’s wrists. He gave MG coin’s shoulder a light poke, once then twice. ‘Don’t you want me to have fun too? Don’t be selfish’

But Myung-gi wasn’t listening.

‘IHIHIHIHIHI! FUHUHUHUCK!’

Thanos was still hunched over, fighting the urge to straddle him and just let loose (ugh, those damn boundaries again), one knee braced on the floor to steady himself.

 ‘Tickle tickle tickle!’ He sang in a childish, condescending tone. ‘Who’s a ticklish lil’ freak? Is it you? Yeah it is!!’ His fingers snuck under the scammer’s player jacket, changing techniques and now scratching lightly over the thin shirt. His clawed hands moved in circles, like he was petting a dog, nails skimming smoothly.

 Myung-gi’s laughter died into light giggles, slaps devolving into just…holding himself around his middle, twitching and tittering. Trying his absolute hardest to restrain himself from shoving the two bullies away.

How on Earth would that have looked? All that fuss and build-up just to lash out and call the whole thing off. Besides…the laughter, the sensation of the tickling itself, was working to distract him. That’s what he’d asked for, right? A distraction?

 The urge to get away was purely an unthinking primal reflex- Consciously, for once, he wanted the tickles to keep going.

‘Hehehehe…hehehe! Ahahaha!’ He couldn’t help it- despite Thanos being gentle, it still tickled unbearably in that giddy, skin-crawling kind of way. He rolled away onto his side, only for a hand to grab his shoulder and pull him flat again, instantly diving right back in with barely-there scribbles and scritches.

‘Don’t turn away, man! This is makin’ ya feel better, yeah?’

Myung-gi giggled into his hands, flushing an even darker red, so incredibly flustered he simply didn’t know what to do with himself. He had no idea what to say, how to respond. What the fuck was the procedure?!

He couldn’t exactly curse them out; he didn’t want to risk pissing them off and landing himself in real trouble. Sure, they were helping him now, but he was still acutely aware of their hatred for him. If he seemed like he was being ungrateful or throwing their ‘hospitality’ back in their faces, they could switch on a dime. Unpredictable at their core, he wouldn’t put it past them to choose to disregard his boundaries within seconds if they thought he ‘deserved’ it.

‘Asked you a question, coin’ drawled Thanos. He was loving this. The knowledge that Myung-gi had asked, that he wanted to be tickled, was just too good. Ohhh, the opportunities…the things he could drag out of him, the things he could force him to admit. ‘This is making you feel better? Isn’t it? C’mon, don’t be shy. Answer me’

But Myung-gi couldn’t. Admitting it would be way too embarrassing! It was a miracle he’d even asked for tickles in the first place!

The tickling stopped.

MG coin giggled for a few seconds more, like his body hadn’t caught up to the fact the stimulation had stopped, and then just…froze. Peeling his hands away from his face to stare at Thanos with wet, watery eyes.

‘Wh-why’d you- hehe- stop?’

Nam-gyu sat back on his hands, legs still crossed behind Myung-gi’s head. ‘Aw, for real? I didn’t even get a turn, man’

‘Don’t stress, Nam-su. Just thought we should get some real gratitude from the guy’ Thanos patted Myung-gi’s chest- partly as mockery, and partly to discretely gauge the younger man’s anxiety. Any fast, panicked jittering? Any racing heartbeats pulsing on his palm?

If Myung-gi was going to suddenly lose his shit again then Thanos could bear to put aside his spite and just keep going without messing with him… but if he seemed fairly stable? Not about to rant and rave about dying or whatever?

Well, there wasn’t any harm in fucking with him.

‘Come on, coin’ he purred, rubbing a slow circle- again, disguising it as mocking affection, but really just expanding his range to feel for signs of anxiety. Focusing on the heartbeat beneath. He pressed just a tad harder- and to his delight, unlike when they felt his pulse earlier, the rythym was steady. Still faster than ordinary from the giggle fit and wavering post-anxiety jitters, but yeah…MG coin was back in commission.

Thanos narrowed his eyes with a mean smirk, hardly able to contain himself. ‘We’re doing this for you, boy’

‘What do you mean ‘we’? I haven’t done anything yet!’

‘You can have the next go, Nam-su’

Myung-gi looked down at the hand on his chest, still meandering in clockwise circles. ‘I mean…yeah, it was making me feel better, sure. Look, can you just-’

‘Nah boy’ Thanos cut him off. ‘that’s great and all, but I think we need a little more than that if we’re gonna keep going, right Nam-su?’

Nam-gyu, catching on, grinned half-lidded and flicked Myung-gi’s forehead with a ‘You’ve got a point, Hyung’.

He didn’t let it show, but his breath caught in his throat- he hoped that the sudden sharp flick, out of nowhere and unexpected for Myung-gi, wasn’t enough to spook him and ruin everything.

But, no. Myung-gi didn’t seem the least bit fazed, not even bothering to shoot Nam-gyu a glare. Thank fuck. Nam-gyu didn’t know if he could deal with another MG coin therapy session.

‘I think he should say thank you’

Myung-gi’s head snapped flat on the tile to gawk incredulously at Nam-gyu. ‘What?!’

‘Yeah, MG. Say it. Say thank you, and you’ll get your tickles’ Nam-gyu continued. ‘you’re lucky we’re doing this for your robbing ass. If there’s no appreciation, why would we keep going, eh?’ He flicked again, making sure Myung-gi could see his hand coming this time. ‘We’ll just leave you here, all alone. You think you’re ready to go back to your sad little bunk, no friends, no team? Just you and your thoughts?’

Thanos felt a shift under his hand as myung-gi’s chest jolted, just ever so slightly, but enough that he picked up on it all the same. He felt a few dull thuds, stronger than the rest, and shot Nam-gyu a hard look.

 But he didn’t notice, full attention on Myung-gi, leaning over him in an almost spiderman kiss-style. His words were getting too sharp, too serious, too cruel. Thanos wouldn’t care usually, in fact he’d absolutely be joining in, but he could feel the muscle beneath his ringed fingers tense up, shaking slightly, Nam-gyu getting into his head and threatening to start everything up all over again.

‘Hey, Na-’

‘Okay, okay! Thank you, alright?’

Nam-gyu, still oblivious, clapped his hands together and propped them under his chin. ‘Awhh, you’re welcome, MG coin!’

Thanos’ words fell flat in his throat. He was relieved that he didn’t have to stand up for Myung-gi, especially to his right-hand man.

Myung-gi shifted uncomfortably, both from embarrassment of thanking them for something as stupid as this, and also from Nam-gyu’s scything words. The idea of going back to his bunk now, no distraction or relief from his anxiety, was enough for him to actually grab Thanos’ wrist (still pressed over his heart) and moving it down to his side. Thanos’s eyes widened at the boldness but he didn’t pull away.

‘Just- just carry on. Please’

Nam-gyu felt an uncharacteristic flicker of guilt. Just a small one. Hardly there, but there all the same. He didn’t like that Myung-gi seemed obviously more shaken after interacting with him, like he was diseased, and that he’d grabbed Thanos’ hand and practically begged him for tickles. Like he was some kind of safe space. This was supposed to be a joint effort!

Why the fuck was he seeking comfort in Thanos and not him?! That bastard was just as cruel as he was, right? He said things just as horrible as he did, didn’t he?

But he noticed how Myung-gi’s fingers were gripped around Thanos’ slender wrist, hatred forgotten. How he was staring at Thanos and completely ignoring him. He hated it. His inability to see how much more heavy-handed his words were made him even more resentful, because in his eyes- he was only playing around.

Saying that, it wasn’t that he wanted Myung-gi to like him. No, nothing of the sort.

But him and Thanos had always tormented him together. They’d became friends because of their shared resentment for the scammer, their same pain of losing everything because of this one man. And now, what? Thanos was just letting him get all cosy? Oh hell no.

He could be just as charismatic and comforting as the rapper, right?

Thanos was still staring at the grip around his wrist. He wasn’t expecting the scammer to be so forward, especially after how embarrassed he seemed to be about the whole situation. Myung-gi’s hand was cold, grip desperate and unwavering.

The pruple-haired man cleared his throat and sniffed. ‘Okay, MG. Sure, man. Quit gettin’ all weird on me’ and started squeezing in fast little pulses, this time distracting himself from the weird, unpleasant feeling he couldn’t quite name. Pity, maybe? Surely not, though. Not for Myung-gi.

Myung-gi instantly fell back into giggles, worries already washing away. Thanos stretched his other arm out to squish into the other side. ‘Gotta be symmetrical, boy’.

Nam-gyu was simmering watching them. Stupid Myung-gi. Stupid panic attack. Stupid everythi-

Tap tap tap

He looked down, surprised to see Myung-gi tapping the back of his knuckles on his knee. Trying to get his attention.

‘Y-you- heheheheihihi- cohohome ohohohon!’ Despite the giggles, Myung-gi still somehow managed to keep that annoyed tone to his voice, encouraging Nam-gyu to join in as if it should’ve been obvious the entire time.

Nam-gyu could’ve made a snarky comment about ‘Was just giving you the choice, dumbass’, but honestly? After his own mini-spiral, he felt a reluctant sense of relief. Instead, he grinned, all teeth, and settled his hands under MG’s arms with a playful ‘Gotcha!’.

Myung-gi had to fight the urge to slam his arms back down, to curl up into a ball and escape the tickles when Nam-gyu’s fingers danced under them. Scratching mercilessly and giggling in that unhinged way only he could achieve.

Thanos was still destroying his sides, abandoning all self-restraint and vibrating his fingers into the divots above his hips, that awful spot that made Myung-gi almost knee him in the face.

For a moment there was no taunting, no sarcastic, nasty remarks- just the sound of MG coin laughing his head off. Occasionally he’d grab at Nam-gyu’s elbows, but not to push away. Just to ground himself.

Of course, there was only so long the two druggies could hold back their impish ways.

Nam-gyu was the first to break, grinning so hard his cheeks ached.

‘Awh, look at him, holding on to me’ He drilled his fingers into a few upper ribs, earning a yelp. ‘You good down there, coin?’

‘AHAHAHAHAHAHA!’

‘I’m gonna take that as a yes’

Thanos had made his way to Myung-gi’s thighs, burrowing into the flesh and making his legs tense from how hard he was trying to keep them from flying at all angles. ‘Course he’s fine! We’ve put him through worse than this, right, MG coin?’ he targeted the softness of his inner thighs, using his knuckles to grind in and shake at the muscles. Myung-gi grabbed Nam-gyu so hard his fingers burnt, trying so hard to just take it. ‘This is us being real nice’

‘SH-SHUHUHUHuh-SHUT UP!’ The hysterical man cackled, but it was more from being so flustered than real insult.

Nam-gyu and Thanos looked at each other briefly and feigned hurt.

‘Ya hear that Nam-su?’

‘Nam-gyu’

‘Ya hear that Nam-gyu? Telling me to shut up like that?’

‘It’s the only thing I heard. Hasn’t gotten any quieter from last time, has he?’ He replied, squeezing at where the tendons of Myung-gi’s arms met his shoulders. The tickle was a different type of feeling that 333 wasn’t prepared for, deeper and unbearable in that ‘holy fuck, get OFF’ way. He screeched (a sound he’d later deny making) and slammed his arms down, only succeeding in trapping the squeezing fingers.

‘Damn, coin, I know you wanted this and all, but don’t get desperate’ 124 teased and squeezed harder, working the muscle like dough. Myung-gi tried to curl up, resistance be damned, knees bending to try and kick Thanos off from where he was still ruthlessly pinching.

‘OhohohOKAY! BREAK! BREAHAHAHAK!’ the desperate words shot through the hysterics, Myung-gi windmilling his arms uselessly at anything within slapping distance.

To his surprise, they stopped immediately. Player 333 rubbed his elbow over his eyes, drying small tears in the crook of his arm. His face was so hot it could rival the sun, giggles still streaming from his lips. There was still a part of him that couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

‘Ahhh-hehehe-just, just give me a sec, okay?’ He murmured into his arm. ‘Holy shit…’

‘You’re not giving up now, right?’ Thanos gave a harsh poke to the thigh, making Myung-gi snicker and jolt his leg.

‘N-no, I’m fine, just-whew- just let me breathe, holy fuck’

Thanos and Nam-gyu stared down at him. Truthfully, they wanted nothing more than to just dig right back in and make him scream, but even they knew better than to push too hard right now. 

‘Sure, man. Catch your breath’ Thanos nodded and played with the seam of his pockets, trying not to look too interested. Nam-gyu shook out his hands, trying to seem serious but giggling despite himself.

‘just take shallow breaths, or whatever’

Myung-gi swatted at him. ‘I know how to breathe, fuckhead’

‘Y’sure?’ 124 rubbed a thumb under MG’s eye to brush away a tear. Myung-gi just…let him. ‘That’s not what you were saying earlier’ 

‘Yeah, well, that was earlier’

‘So it’s helping then?’ Thanos nudged his foot against Myung-gi’s. ‘Feeling like you’re still gonna burst into flames?’ 

MG coin took a deep breath, like he was test-running his own lungs. 

‘…yeah. Yeah, it’s helping’ he muttered. There was an undeniable tinge of shame to his voice, and he burrowed his head further into his elbow. He hated that he felt grateful for these two fucks having turned up at the right time, but the alternative? Him being alone, tweaking out in the corner of a random cubicle, clawing at his own chest? Well, it could be a lot worse.

‘Can we carry on, or what?’ Nam-gyu blurted in the bluntest, driest tone imaginable, like myung-gi needing any recovery time at all was a great inconvenience.

‘Give me a fucking second, I said!’

Nam-gyu rasied his hands like he’d just been burnt. ‘Okay! Shit! Not gonna do anything unless you say!’

‘Excuse me if I don’t trust you’ Myung-gi said without any real bite. ‘You don’t exactly have a history of listening to me’

‘Jesus, boy, you sound like a damn therapist’ Thanos snorted, dismissing him. ‘So dramatic, eh?’

333 flipped him off weakly- which, for a moment, he feared would piss them off into treating him to a real ‘Nam-gyu and Thanos special’, but Thanos simply flipped him off right back.

‘Okay, okay’ he flopped his arms backwards, practically onto Nam-gyu, offering himself up. ‘I’m ready. Go for it’

But as soon as their hands approached, he squeaked and flinched and drew his limbs close to himself in a protective manner.

‘Yo! The fuck’s wrong?’ Thanos withdrew his hands, looking at him like he’d grown a second head.

‘Yeah, coin. Wastin’ time over here. Don’t want that nasty anxiety to come back, do you?’

‘Sorry, sorry! I just- I know it’s coming’

‘So?’

‘So, I can’t help it! It’s just a reflex’

‘God’s sake. Just like…close your eyes or somethin’’

‘Unless you want me to hold you down?’ Nam-gyu said with far too much excitement.

‘No.’

Suddenly his vision turned black as a firm hand came over his eyes.

‘Fine. This better?’

‘Ah! What the fuHUHUHUHUCK! HEHEHEHEY!’ Electric shocks of sensation shot up his sides, his stomach, under his arms and his ribs as suddenly there were hands everywhere, tickling madly. With his sight obscured, every touch seemed to tickle 10x worse, and he gave up trying to hold back instinct and thrashed madly.

He heard them laugh, delighted at how much he was losing his shit. Nam-gyu pressed down harder, using his free hand to dig at his ribs, up and down up and down, making him laugh so hard he almost went silent.

Thanos had his hands in ‘spade’ positions, vibrating and shaking into the flesh of Myung-gi’s abs and moving them slowly outwards, targeting his sides and even going so far as to shimmy them beneath Myung-gi’s arched frame, ‘massaging’ into the muscle.

Myung-gi felt his knee connect with something soft and an ‘OW MG coin!’ from Thanos, but the tickling continued.

‘SOHOHOHO-AH!- SOHohohORRY!’ He squealed, hating himself instantly for apologising like he was some kind of guilty child. Sure, he’d asked for this, but after everything prior they’d put him through? Well, they were lucky it was just a knee.

‘Pff, whatever bro. Next time I’m kickin’ you right back, you little shit’ He hardly heard the reply, but could somehow register the tone as more teasing than genuinely threatening. It would’ve shocked him if it weren’t for today being the weirdest day of his entire life.

‘You sound so happy MG coin~!’ Nam-gyu sang, fluttering his fingers up Myung-gi’s neck and collarbone, making him hike up his shoulders. ‘You enjoying this? Yeah?’

‘Ha, yeah, Coin. Tell us how much you’re lovin’ this’

‘NOHOHOHOHO! FUhuhuHUCK OFF!’

‘Well, shit. Sounds like you kinda want us to stop’ Nam-gyu moved his tickling hand away, and-

‘No! Dohohont!’

‘Oh, don’t? Don’t what?’

Thanos worked in tandem with his lackey and halted his own fingers, still lightly tracing but not enough to do anything but pull light giggles out the scammer. Myung-gi couldn’t see him, either of them, but he knew they were grinning. Ugh, assholes.

He couldn’t believe he was about to say this.

‘…Don’t st-stohohohop, okay? There! I saihihid it!’

‘Annnnd?’

‘Ahahahand…I’m enjoying ihihihit…’

‘Awh! Good little scammer!’

Myung-gi yelped as the tickling resumed, harder this time. In a way, he was glad he couldn’t see them- he didn’t know if he’d ever recover seeing their gloating faces after admitting he was enjoying being tickled. By them. As a grown man.

What he wouldn’t tell them, though, is that his anxiety had disappeared minutes ago.