vamp

The fact that the only person who ever tickled him in a way that made him feel safe was his mother - his dead, long gone, wonderful mother - was probably the biggest part of it, though he buried it deep down. It was easier to blame everything else. Easier to pretend it couldn’t be fun in the right circumstances.

Shane never tickled him. Not on purpose, anyway. Ilya had discovered his sensitivity early on, tucked between roaming hands and moans laced with a laugh which could mean anything, really, had Ilya not slowly gotten to know every inch of that body. He knew to steer clear of Shane’s feet, to use more pressure on his inner thighs, to not nuzzle into his neck for too long. He wondered if he showed him the same consideration, or if Ilya had just gotten so good at reigning in his reactions that he had no idea.

He had been tickled by him though, accidentally, when he grabbed his knees to adjust himself, or dug his fingers into Ilya’s sides when something felt good. Innocent actions. Certainly not ticklish enough for Ilya to laugh, though he did remember himself twitching in surprise. If Shane had noticed, he never brought it up. Most importantly he never used it against him.

Ilya tried not to use it against him either, only it became harder once they got closer, once they were boyfriends, and their life was littered with playfulness and domesticity and not just sex. Wrestling Shane to the bed with a deeply ingrained instinct to jam his fingers into his ribs. He was already laughing. Already relaxed and happy and trusting him fully. And the trust was the reason he didn’t. Was the reason he simply pinned his arms to the side and leaned down to kiss him. Mornings of wrapping his arms around his waist in the kitchen, with the sudden urge to curl his fingers over his belly just to make him giggle and squirm into him. A moment of safety, which Ilya could ruin in the disguise of play.

That morning was different. Shane was sprawled out on the bed, sleepy after Ilya had gone down on him twice, and each time he made a sudden movement Shane would twitch and laugh, untouched and yet.

“What is it?” Ilya finally asked, relishing in that smile. All giddiness. All because of him.

Shane pushed his hand away, even though he still hadn’t touched him. “Tickles.”

“What?”

A blush was coloring his cheeks, but Shane wasn’t clinging onto denial or pretence. “I feel really ticklish right now, so I keep thinking you’ll tickle me.”

“I have never tickled you.” Ilya crossed his arms to show he was keeping them to himself. “Wait, how do you feel ticklish?”

Shane shrugged. “Extra sensitive. Giggly. Tired. Safe. I don’t know.”

“Safe?”

He averted his gaze. “I mean, yeah.”

“But you keep thinking I will tickle you?”

He shrugged again.

“So in that case you don’t feel safe.”

“But I do.”

Ilya wet his lips. “Explain.”

“I mean, it’s fun, right? And I trust you would stop when I needed you to.” He was bright red now, but he spoke in earnest.

Ilya hummed.

Another part of why he didn’t like being tickled: it was almost always done without his consent. Ilya didn’t like not giving his consent. Didn’t like that people thought they could just take and take in the guise of fun.

He tilted his head at Shane. Maybe not everyone thought the same way as him. “Do you want me to tickle you?”

Shane let out a strangled laugh. “That sounds stupid when you put it like that.”

“I won’t do it unless you want me to.” Ilya didn’t mean to tease, but he did enjoy the way Shane’s embarrassment shifted form and turned into something sweet. Something shy.

He reached out slowly and allowed himself to touch now, cradling Shane’s cheek in the palm of his hand. He leaned into the touch and said, “We’ve never had any tickle fights.”

Ilya shifted. “We haven’t.”

“Why is that?”

He didn’t have to explain to him that much of their relationship had been a constant tiptoeing of lines they were afraid to cross, and once they did, a quick retreat. For much too long it had been that, until suddenly it wasn’t. It was true that most people would be eager to explore the other side, and it wasn’t that they were afraid, not more than they had to be.

But Ilya didn’t know how to approach this. How something this silly could be so serious to him. “I didn’t know you were ticklish.”

“You could’ve found out.”

“Would you have wanted me to? On my own, I mean?”

“It’s weird to have to tell you about it.”

“Hmm, I lied, actually. I knew about it.”

Shane’s head snapped to the side. “Wait, you did?”

“Yes. For a long time.” He grinned at Shane’s look. “What can I say? I am a gentleman.”

“Ilya,” he whined, giving his chest a light slap. “Why would you not have taken advantage of that?”

Ilya laughed. “It really sounds like you want me to tickle you, Hollander.”

“Don’t Hollander me, Rozanov.”

“You think you can provoke it out of me, huh?”

“That’s usually how it works.”

“I need you to ask for it.” He moved his hand from his cheek to his jaw. “I need you to tell me you will enjoy it, or at the least not mind me doing it.”

Shane’s breath caught. “Why?”

“Because-” He stroked his chin with his thumb. “-I do not want to do something to you that you don’t want me to do.”

“Oh my god, you’re serious.”

“Of course.”

“Most people don’t want to be tickled.”

“Are you most people?”

He exhaled slowly. “Some people think it’s fun.”

“And are you some people?” He smiled at him, attempting to keep it light, but Shane looked away anyway. It was cute. It was so cute Ilya nearly crossed his own boundary then and there.

“I don’t know,” he finally mumbled. “It’s been years, and it’s never been like this.”

“Like how?”

“With someone I love. Like this.”

Ilya’s heart was about to burst out of his chest.

He leaned in to press his lips to Shane’s temple. “I love you too much to do something you don’t want me to do. I am not trying to be difficult.”

Shane’s gaze softened. “I know you’re not.”

“And I don’t mean to embarrass you when I tell you I need you to ask for it.” A smile tugged at his lips. “Though I do enjoy your blush.”

“Ilya.”

Ilya hummed as he stroked Shane’s cheek with his knuckles. “Tell me.”

“I’m- not sure I would like it, but- I mean, I would like us to be like that, you know?”

“I know.”

“So.” He seemed to brace himself. Ilya found it unbearably adorable. “Could you tickle me? Please?”

Ilya grabbed his wrist. “Say it again.”

“Ilya-”

“Okay, okay.” He laughed at his impatience. “I need you to tell me when to stop, okay?”

“Jesus Christ-”

“Say ‘hockey’, okay?”

“Yes, yes, fine, hockey it is. Now can you get on with it? I hate the anticipation.”

Ilya grinned. “You love the anticipation,” and he pounced, before Shane had time to protest. Neither of them really expected it, that Ilya would straddle him, that he would take his task so seriously. He wasn’t being merciless about it, though. He didn’t pin Shane’s hands, or dig his fingers into spots that would make him twitch with laughter, twitch and jerk and lose control of his limbs. He kept it light, which, when he thought about it, which he would, many times, probably drove Shane all the more crazy.

“Wahahait,” was all he managed to say at first, a constant begging for Ilya to cut it out, to leave him alone, to stop taking advantage of his sensitivity like this. Only Ilya knew his protests didn’t mean anything, at the very least weren’t a proper call for this to end. He cradled the consent in his bare hands, holding it close as he listened to Shane’s begging, listened to him slowly falling apart without feeling like a monster for it.

“You’re so-” He wasn’t even sure what he meant to say, only knew that Shane’s laughter, which was filling the room almost entirely now, made him feel both excited and strangely powerful for being allowed this. “-fucking cute.”

“Shut up!” Shane spat back, but he had his head thrown back, his hands constantly chasing Ilya’s which skirted over his torso, side, rib, armpit, neck, and back. A chase which could drive anyone mad, but was still simply- fun. For them both.

“I didn’t know you would be so easy to break,” he said, treading somewhat unknown water. But he liked riling Shane up, and Shane and his biting mouth always enjoyed the challenge of having to deal with him.

He all but growled now, all giggly giddiness from before enveloped in something else, something determined. He dug his feet into the mattress and Ilya realized belatedly that he was trying to buck him off, that he was probably aiming to turn the tables, and while that didn’t mean he wanted this to stop, because the safe word was still nowhere near his tongue, it did mean Shane enjoyed the idea of this being mutual. Of this being bodily and competitive, and Ilya wasn’t certain if he wanted that. Ilya was about to ruin a perfectly good consensual thing because he hadn’t thought to bring himself into the equation.

Only when he found himself hesitating and Shane had the perfect opportunity to turn this around, he still remained glued to his back, knees which he had pulled up to Ilya’s sides relaxing, visibly forcing himself to take this with nothing but his shielding hands. Ilya realized it then. That Shane would never do something to him which he hadn’t consented to. That this meant as much to Shane as it did to him.

God knew how Ilya didn’t cry right there and then.

He leaned down and wrapped his arms around him, taking in his surprised exhale and relishing in how he started squirming the minute he realized that Ilya was still tickling him even now. Fingers curling over his upper ribs, with Shane trapped between him and the bed and giggling into his neck, which tickled him a bit and he found that he didn’t care. He was safe here.

“You’re so ticklish,” he mumbled into Shane’s hair, which had Shane slapping his back and laughingly telling him to shut up. “What? Is true. You cannot deny it.”

“You don’t have to be so mean about it,” he said, whining when Ilya hit a particularly bad spot. “Fuck, this tickles so much, Ilya, get off.”

“Hmm, do you really want me to?”

“I- ah! I need you to allow me to squirm.”

Ilya sat up reluctantly. “Fine. Thank you for telling me. I can continue, yes?”

Shane covered his face with his hands. “Yes, god, please continue.”

“Can I tickle your knees?”

“This is gonna be the death of me- yes, you can tickle my knees.”

“Good. I think they will be very bad.”

“I will kick you.”

“Ah, maybe, but as long as you don’t say hockey I will continue.” He poked his belly. “Until we are both satisfied.”

“Domestic life is so weird,” Shane said, very obviously trying to redirect his embarrassment.

Ilya decided to bite. “This can’t be normal domestic life, though, can it?”

“Maybe not.”

“We’re so much less boring. Even you.”

“Oh, ha ha, please tickle me so I will laugh.”

"These are so good! Caelus, Dan Heng! Taste it, taste it! Uwahhh! Can I have two?"

March 7th. Heh. Even without this lively energy, the Trailblazers were still a group of people Sampo could sniff from miles distance. They were not really the subtle outsiders, in their flashy outfits and with their foreign weapons... which could possibly make... really good profit. Ahem, but anyway. Yeah, Trailblazers, at the bakery.

He stepped inside, inhaled the sweet scent, and subtly stood in line behind a couple of people so he could observe the trio as they were loudly placing their order.

"Should we get some for Bronya as well? And Seele?"

So casual about their friendship with the supreme guardian, tch.

"Aren't they too busy right now?" Dan Heng asked.

"Naaah, I'm sure it's fine. Didn't you pay attention to what Serval was saying? Bronya literally gave this funny command to Gepardー"

Ah. Sampo perked his ears. Now things were getting interesting.

"Gepard?" Dan Heng asked. Caelus could be heard chuckling.

"That's right, Bronya said he works too much, wasn't it? He is on duty almost non-stop, and he barely relaxes and doesn't have any fun. So, know what she said?" Caelus asked, leaving the fun dialogue to March 7th who just paid for the sweets and drinks.

"Captain Gepard Landau, take a day off. Have some fun. A good rest and a laugh will work wonders on your health. Come back when you are fully refreshed. That is an order," March said, imitating Bronya's calm but strict voice.

"A laugh, hah! I have never seen him even smile before," Caelus said. Oh if only Gepard knew how these outsiders discussed him shamelessly in public. He would surely let them join Sampo on his precious list of people to arrest.

"Bronya is cool, isn't she? To say it like that!" March giggled.

"You weren't even there, March," Dan Heng sighed, and Sampo quickly stepped behind someone and turned his head when the group turned around and headed out. An old lady gave Sampo a weird look, like, are you queueing or are you not? And Sampo agreed he was not, and quickly followed the Astral Express crew outside.

"I know! But Serval said it like this, and I'm sure that's how Bronya said it. We know her well enough."

"Anyway, let's get these to her and Seele while they still have time to worry about whether the Captain of the Silvermane Guards laughs or not," Caelus said.

Dan Heng was surprisingly chatty in response: "Trust me, I'm sure they already got plenty to worry about, and it's because of that, it's even more admirable of Bronya to look out for her guards in this way. Well, I hope Captain Gepard is having some fun right now."

And that was when Sampo stopped following them, and he changed direction. So, Gepard got the day off huh? And the literal command to have fun? Laugh? Well. Sampo smirked. Now that was quite some precious intel.

This would bring him to his second talent. If anyone could make another have fun, enjoy a good laugh or two, it was him, Sampo Koski. He was an entertainer. A real pleasure to be with. The most fun company to have to bring joy in another's life, and he was now on his way to find Gepard to let him have a taste of that.

Though he didn't like to admit it, finding Gepard was a little harder than he thought. But still, with some more intel here and there, a good hunch, some true Sampo-Instincts, and a little more time than desired, he finally caught a glimpse of Gepard's pretty blond hair in the distance. He sat on a bench in front of a fontaine. Such a quiet little spot he had chosen. He was reading a book.

Sampo held back a snort. This was Gepard having fun? He quietly approached him, stood behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder to effectively startle him.

"What do we have here? Captain Gepard, defying orders?"

Gepard was indeed startled. His arms flew up hilariously and his book almost went for a tumble into the fontain if it wasn't for Sampo's brilliant reflex. He caught it swiftly and checked the cover. A gardening book? Sampo was at loss of words and couldn't make a funny remark about his favorite guard's preferences before Gepard tried to snatch it back - and missed.

"Sampo....!" Gepard growled, grabbing for his sword, only he did not have it with him on his day off, ha! Kind of a surprise, Sampo thought. He expected Gepard to be all geared up despite Bronya's order, but look at him, wearing a cute T-shirt and casual pants? Was this really the Gepard Landau? He smirked, taking in the sight of the Silvermane Guard's casual look.

The guy reached for him, but Sampo calmly grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back onto the bench, forcing him to sit back down.

"You are not on duty, Captain. Let's spare us today's chase, shall we? We have more important matters at hand, such as you defying official orders. What part of this is having fun? Where's the laughter? Why would you spend your day off like this?" Sampo asked, waving the gardening book around. As long as it wasn't a Sampo Koski autobiography, no book could be as interesting to be counted as fun.

Gepard stared at him, baffled. "I do not know what you are talking about. Give that back and leave this place or-"

"Or what? Geppy Geppy, I'm amazed that you would take the supreme guardian's orders so lightly. Is she a mere joke to you?"

Gepard gasped. "Orders...? A j-joke? What?"

"I heard it from Serval herself," Sampo lied, and he went on: "The supreme guardian ordered you to have a day off to have fun, to have a laugh. And what is it that you are not doing? That's defying orders, Gepard! Disloyalty!"

"That's...! How did you... Argh, I am having fun. Now get out of my face while I'm asking nicely!" Gepard did in fact not ask nicely, and he nervously looked around. There were a couple of people in this place: a woman with her child. An old man on his own. A young couple in love. Though not many, enough for the Captain of the Silvermane Guards to mind his behavior.

After looking around, Gepard let out an awkward cough, unwilling to draw more attention to them, and he sighed before proceeding calmly:

"Sampo. Give back my book, and leave. If you do, I... promise I will forget this encounter, and will not arrest you today."

Now look, Sampo had perfect ears that supported his intel gathering talent. However in this case he chose not to use them. Instead he liked to focus on this second talent which he was so proud of: making people laugh. Though, it required a little bit of... how would you say it, cheating?

So, not with the greatest sense of humor but still with the bestest intentions, Sampo held up the book and chuckled.

"Fine. If you want your precious book back, why don't you come and get it?"

Cute silly Gepard fell for it and took the bait. He got up and raised his arm to reach for it, giving Sampo the perfect chance to tickle his exposed side. Gepard let out a loud yelp and fell back on the bench, blushing.

"W-what was that?!"

"It was supposed to be you laughing, I'm afraid. So allow me to ask the question instead: what was that?" Sampo said mysteriously, and he tucked Gepard's book in the back of his pants - a spot often used for transporting some more valuable goods than Gepard's gardening literature. Then when both his hands were free to do as they pleased, Sampo bent down and started to tickle Gepard's sides this time.

"WAHh-Sampah! Heey! What a-are you...! N-no! Agh!"

It wasn't really laughter yet, but Gepard sure was making a couple of really interesting sounds right now. Sampo dug his thumbs into his lower sides and rubbed them in circles, surprised by how soft it felt. Always hiding this sweet softness under his armor huh!

"What am I? Ah, what am I doing, you mean? I am tickling you, Gepard. As it would seem that this could be the only way to make you laugh, which would actually fulfill the supreme guardian's wishes and prove your loyalty. Oh what would you do without me? Sampo Koski, once again saving the day," Sampo monologued, and he pinned Gepard firmly against the bench and wiggled his fingers against those soft little spots.

His sides, his tummy, his ribs. He tried several to see when Gepard would break, but he was fighting back his laughter with skill that was not surprising for the tough captain Sampo knew he was.

"I'm n-not laughing! G-gehet off me! Wahah!"

Sampo grinned. He was so close now.

"More of that please?" he requested when he finally heard something that almost sounded like a laugh. He scribbled against Gepard's ribcage, and the guard let out the cutest soft little yelps.

"Hwah! Nohoho! Sahahampo! Hnnghh!"

Giggles! There were his first giggles! Sampo started to suspect he was having more fun than Gepard here, but he would make sure Gepard wasn't going to stay behind. He tickled his ribs some more, enjoying the way it made him squirm. The blush that spread across his cheeks appeared to get even worse when the mother and her child walked past them, the child peeking curiously while the mother tried to push her forward.

"Mommy is that...?"

"No, my love."

Sampo waved casually with one hand to greet the curious kid and disapproving mother. A very social act, but also a mistake. Gepard broke free, and in a split second Sampo could see the hesitation on his blushy face as he considered his options:

A) Try to steal back his book B) Attack Sampo C) Run

Gepard chose C. He ran. "My my, aren't our roles reversed this time?" Sampo hummed playfully as he chased after Gepard.

"S-stay back! Stay away - I'll order your arrest! I wihill, nohoho!"

"You'll order my what now? At least let it be an arrest for tickling you until you cry tears of laughter Gepard. It'll do both of us good, and the supreme guardian as well, which means, the nation. Don't you want to be the loyal guard you are~?"

"N-no you freheheak!" Gepard was giggling nervously while running? Cuuute. Sampo noticed him tripping and staggering as he chased him in and out of alleyways, past confused passerby, away from the lively parts of the city. How nice to be on the other side of the chase for once. With how Gepard was tripping and slowing down, Sampo knew it was going to be a piece of cake to catch up to him.

Instead, he liked to make this cat and mouse game even more fun, and slowed himself down as soon as they reached an abandoned street, perfect for his planned game for ticklish little Gep. He let out an exaggerated gasp.

"Okay! Fine! You win. I give up," he wheezed. Gepard stopped running and turned around to see Sampo bend through his knees to catch his breath. Sampo panted and wheezed dramatically with a tiny hint of truth, complimenting his own acting skills in his mind.

"I give up, no more chase, whew, how do you do it everytime huh?" Sampo panted. Gepard looked cautious and approached him.

"Stamina, and practice. Are you going to quit your stupid games and give me back my book?"

A man and his gardening book, huh? Sampo succeeded in hiding his smirk and sniffed nonchalantly.

"I'll give it back. And yes, no more games. I won't tickle you," he said, almost wanting to laugh at how much Gepard blushed just from hearing him say that.

"You laughed a little, so I guess my plan in making you have some fun has worked huh?"

"Oh yeah I was having a blast," Gepard replied with sarcasm. When he finally came closer, Sampo passed the book to him. But the moment Gepard grabbed it, Sampo pulled the book back, yanking poor unsuspecting Gepard along with it, back into the tickly clutches of Sampo super-duper Koski.

"HWah! You basta-AAHhahaha!" Gepard cried when Sampo lowered him onto the street and this time started with a nicely aimed tickle attack on his hips and stomach. Gepard's clothes gave little to no protection, and his laughter was quite instant.

"Nohoh-ahahaha! Unhahahand mehehe ahahat ohohonce!" No average growls or soft giggles this time. Sampo's perseverance and mastery were rewarded with real unfiltered laughter from the Silvermane Captain himself.

"You disappoint me, Gepard. Did you really think I would just give back your book and let you get away, huh? You clearly underestimate me. Well, as I usually say, people never get enough of having fun with me, so I can't blame you for wanting some more of this," Sampo teased, grabbing a very violent arm and pinning it above Gepard's head while never pausing the tickle attack even a little.

With his free hand Gepard flailed and tried to slap him in the face, but Sampo's free hand proved to be more powerful and tickled that exposed, vulnerable, helpless and very ticklish underarm. The golden prize, right here!

"AAhhhaha! Gahaha I'll- Eehehe!"

"Right, laugh some more! Isn't this fun? We're having so much fun," Sampo sang, enjoying the sweet and uncharacteristic cackles Gepard produced. Why did it feel so good and powerful to be the one making Gepard laugh like this?

Sampo whistled at his own skill when he caught the hysterical guard's second arm and pinned it down together with the other. With his free hand he clawed up and down that ticklish ribcage, occasionally wiggling some fingers around that equally ticklish underarm, and the one adventurous time he moved up to tickle his neck, Sampo got to hear this very funny little squeak that was going to be imprinted in his mind.

"I wihihill kihihill you aahaha!" Changing his little giggly threats from arresting to killing, Gepard must have felt so embarrassed. Sampo nodded in understanding and sighed.

"Kill, huh? Now I am only here with good intentions, you should know that. So before you will make your hands dirty, I will grant you some mercy, Captain," Sampo finally said, and he stopped the tickle attack and got back on his feet.

Gepard was too breathless and tired to immediately follow. He gasped for air and wrapped his arms around himself. Hmm... He didn't need to look so cute. Sampo awkwardly scratched his own cheek and chuckled.

"Murder doesn't suit you, Gepard. So, take a good rest. Enjoy the rest of your day off, huh? Having fun and a laugh can at least be ticked off now, thanks to your good friend Sampo, so for now, I want you to rest and relax," he said proudly, and he walked away with quick steps when Gepard managed to sit up.

"Just you wait...! I will get you for this!" was the last threat Sampo got thrown at his head before he left Gepard to recover by himself. Whew. That got surprisingly interesting huh. Though it had been his intention to tickle Gepard to tears like that - yes, he was sure he saw tears sparkle in those blue eyes - Sampo didn't expect it would be so flustering to himself as well.

When he considered himself safe and out ot Gep's reach, he leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Fun, huh," he mumbled with a smile, realizing how much fun he just had as well. His remarkable talent for creating such joy for himself and others had once again been reconfirmed.

He then felt something, and to his surprise he took Gepard's book out of his pants. Oops. Ah, how he hadn't noticed that.... Sampo opened the book and leafed through it.

When one of the chapter names caught his attention, 'How to Grow Any Flower From Seed' Sampo burst out in a laughing fit on his own.

"Pffft Gepard, you really...." Sampo fondly continued to laugh, lingering in the satisfying aftermath of his fun and silly afternoon with his favorite captain of the Silvermane Guards, Gepard Landau.