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A light breeze flurries across the Fairy King’s Forest, rustling the trees as it passes. A slight floral scent following its wake, dusting the forest and inhabitants in its pleasant aroma.
Harlequin lays with his eyes closed, enjoying the peace and beauty of his homeland as he lounges atop of one of the giant mushrooms. Not a worry lingers in his mind as he lays there contently.
The Fairy King is interrupted from his dozing as a familiar voice falls for him below the giant mushroom. “Harlequin! Hey Harlequin! Come down here I need to show you something.” Harlequin recognizes his best friend’s voice calling for him.
Sitting up with a grumble, he peaks over the edge of the mushroom to see Helbram beaming expectantly up at him. Already, Harlequin is suspicious.
“Is it another useless piece of human junk?” Harlequin asks hesitantly as he gently floats down to his friend on the forest floor. The green-haired fairy doesn't seem to have any foreign objects in his possession, but Harlequin knows by now what to expect when his friend asks to show him something. It always has to do with the humans.
“It’s not useless and it’s not a piece of junk.” Helbram objects defensively. “Meaning that it IS another human thing?” The smaller fairy presses, folding his hands in front of him as he awaits an answer.
Helbram shoots him a guilty smile and shrugs. “Aw come on Helbram! I told you, we can’t trust humans! You really shouldn’t be interacting with them. It’s dangerous.” The Fairy King says in exasperation, his worry coming across as lecturing. This is not a new conversation for them.
“To be fair, I didn’t interact with them. I merely … observed.” The green haired fairy says, holding one finger up as he makes this distinction. “Right, like that’s any better.” Harlequin mutters as he floats back up to his comfortable napping spot. “Hey, where are you going? I haven’t shown you what I learned yet!” Helbram calls after his friend as he disappears over the top of the giant mushroom head once more.
“I’m not interested. I don’t want anything to do with what you learned from the nasty humans.” Harlequins grouchy words fall over the edge of the mushroom and down to the foliage below. But Helbram isn’t waiting at the bottom anymore.
Harlequin closes his eyes, threading his fingers together behind his head before settling in for a nap. Being the king is hard work after all.
His hope for slumber is interrupted as he feels a weight drop down on his legs. Harlequin’s opens his eyes in shock to see Helbram smirking down at him. “You should know by now that you don’t have a choice. Plus, I’m way too curious to try this out on you.” The green haired fairy says with unsuppressed glee.
Harlequin doesn’t like the mischievous glint in his friends eyes. It makes him feel very uneasy.
“What is this? Try what out on me?” Harlequin immediately attempts to wiggle out of the larger fairy’s hold. But without actually attacking his friend, there is no hope. “Oh you’ll see soon enough.” Helbram says nonchalantly as he repositions himself it a better position to immobilize his scowling friend.
“Helbram, I told you I don’t want anything to do with humans. Whatever you are planning I will not- ahahaha what ahare y-yohou dohoing?” Harlequin’s statement is interrupted as the green haired fairy starts experimentally clawing at his ribs. What is this strange sensation?
“Ha! I knew you would be ticklish. You’re such a softy.” Helbram says teasingly as he recalls all the tactics he witnessed the humans doing. They didn’t just tickle their victims, they would constantly shower them in teasing or mocking remarks. From what Helbram was able to defer, the tickling is only part of the experience, his words will fill in the rest.
“I’m whahahat? EAHH STAHAP!” Harlequin asks, frantically grabbing at his friends hands as they spider down his sides and delve into his hips. A weak spot Helbram observed was quite common with the humans, it seems Harlequin shares in this trait as well.
“Isn’t it obvious? You’re ticklish. It means you laugh when I do this~” Helbram responds smugly as he starts squeezing and clawing at every spot on Harlequin’s torso he could reach. It feels like his hands are everywhere. The Fairy King immediately erupts into uncontrollable laughter.
Harlequin uselessly kicks his legs beneath Helbram. His hands trying hopelessly to defend weak spots he didn’t even know he had, all while bellowing laugher as his best friend tickles him to tears.
“STAHAHAP THIHIS! STAHAHAP! PLEAHAHASE!” Harlequin begs, his laughter laden with random squeaks when Helbram finds a particularly bad spot in his onslaught. “Don’t worry, I’ve almost had my fun. There's just one more spot I want to try.” The larger fairy responds, ceasing his attack from a moment as he grabs Harlequins flailing hands and pins them over his head. Holding both wrists with one hand so the other is still free.
“Hey let go of me! What are you going to do? Wahahait wahahait NAHAHAHA!” Harlequin’s protests are lost as Helbram digs his free hand into his friends arm pit. This seemed to be a kill spot for most humans and again, Harlequin clearly shares this attribute.
Noting the mannerisms he saw the humans use, Helbram scribbles into the hollows of the underarm before clawing at the ticklish upper ribs on his way to the other exposed arm pit. Leaving the Fairy King as a mess beneath his wiggling fingers. “HEHELBRAM!” His aggressors name is all Harlequin is able to yell out between frantic laughter, which is steadily gaining a higher pitch.
“This is just too good. Now I know how to make you smile when your head is stuck up your butt.” Helbram says gleefully, chuckling as Harlequin attempts to glare at him. All animosity lost in his hysterical laughter. “YOHOU WIHILL PAHAY FOR THIHIS! EEEEAH STAHAHAP!” The pinned fairy is desperate for relief from the tickles. This new sensation is far too much for him, far too new. Dammit far too everything. He needs it to stop.
But unfortunately for Harlequin, his best friend has other plans.
Suddenly, Helbram releases his wrists to attack both arm pits. Digging his wiggling fingers into the hollows before the frantic fairy could pull his arms down to defend himself. “AHAHA OKAY OHKAHAY THATS ENOHOUGH! PLEAHAHASE!” Harlequin begs as he throws his head back in laughter. Accepting there is nothing he can do but take it until his friend is satisfied.
“Admit that there are things we can learn from humans that are good. Then I’ll stop.” The larger fairy responds smugly, tickling just a bit harder now. “THAHAT WASN’T THE DEAHAL!” Harlequin complains, still indignant even through his laughter. “Yeah? Well it is now.” Helbram responds with a teasing tone that tells Harlequin that he has made up his mind. This is his fate now.
The Fairy King shakes his head from side to side as he cackles. He can't say such a thing, can he? If he did then surly it would surly be a lie. There can't possibly be anything good or useful to learn from the humans- “NAHAHA STAP STAHAP!”
Harlequin’s conflicted thoughts are cut off as Helbram pulls one hand from his arm pit to begin scribbling all around his torso like before. Clawing at his ribs, squeezing his hips, wiggling merciless fingers into his belly. Preying on all the helplessly sensitive spots he could find.
All while the other hand is still assaulting his underarm. Which is pinned beneath Harlequins arm as he feebly tries to block him out while warding off Helbrams second attack. Both attempts were futile.
It is unbearable.
It is humiliating.
It is … kinda fun? Being forced to laugh without a care in the world.
But oh is it torturous.
“OKAY! FIHINE YOHOU WIHIN!” Harlequin shouts his defeat when Helbram’s wandering hand zeros in on a terribly sensitive trigger rib that sends him into snorty laughter. “I’m waiting~” Helbram says in a sing-song voice, clawing faster on the trigger rib.
“AHAHAHAHA NOHOT ALL HUMAHAN THINGS ARE BAHAHAD! NOW STAHAHAP!” The Fairy King cries out, his eyes were squeezed shut and a genuine smile is lit on his face. Though his pleads for relief are genuine as well. The small fairy is clearly spent for the afternoon.
Helbram ends his assault with a victorious smile on his face. He flops over on the mushroom head to lay beside his friend as they catch their breath together. “That was so mean.” Harlequin mumbles after a minute, not meeting his friends gaze. A light dusting of red on his cheeks.
“Uh huh, and that’s why you hope that I’ll do it again sometime?” Helbram asks teasingly, causing the smaller fairy to sit up in a flash. The flustered expression on his face poorly concealed by frustration as he says “Stay out of my head!” Noting his friend must have used their mind-reading to hear his thoughts.
Ignoring Harlequins annoyed words, Helbram sits up as well. This mischievous glint is back in his eye as he responds “And I am happy to oblige. After all, I was going easy on your earlier.” He says with a shrug as he begins advancing on his friend once again. Who is taking mirroring steps backwards, a wary look in his eyes.
No, not just wary. Excitement. Exhilaration. Mischief. Wait. Mischief?
Helbram doesn’t have time to process this change in Harlequin before his friend launches forward with incredible speed. He succeeds in tackling Helbram but miscalculates how hard he had to push. Sending both of them tumbling over the edge of the mushroom to the forest floor below.
Harlequin decides to still use this to advantage. While Helbram is still dazed from the fall, he perches himself atop of the larger fairy’s hips. Grinning victoriously as he prepares his attack.
It was hard to focus while he was being tickled himself earlier, but he experienced it enough himself to have an understanding on what he has to do. Harlequin begins lightly scratching at Helbram’s sides, testing the result.
“Harelequin! Dohont yohou dahare!” The green haired fairy objects through his giggles. “What do you mean? I though you liked the humans ways. Plus it’s only fair that you get the same ‘human experience’ that you do kindly gave me.” The Fairy King responds with an unapologetic smirk spread across his face.
Harlequin starts to accelerate his fingers, exploring more spots on his friends upper body. “Stahahap it yohou tihiny oaf!” Helbram calls out through his laughter as the smaller fairy begins clawing at his ribs in the same manor that was done to him just minutes prior.
“You really think that insulting me is a good idea right now?” Harlequin asks this as if disappointed in his friend. Recalling what sent him to hysterics earlier, the Fairy King shoots both hands up into Helbram’s armpits. The green haired fairy’s arms had been stretched out while they attempted to stop the ticklish assault on their torso, leaving his underarms exposed.
“EEEP STAHAHAP!” Helbram erupted into high pitched laughter, laden with snorts and pleas. The sight is enough to make Harlequin start laughing right along with his friend. Harlequin isn't most 'smile-y' fellow around, and it's clear he could use a laugh. But there's no doubt Helbram needs one too. His pain and stress may be easy to hide behind sarcasm in fake smiles. But it's clear Helbram needs a laugh too. And now, Harlequin knows exactly how to make it happen.
Yes. Harlequin can definitely see the benefits of being both on the receiving and the giving end of this bizarre human custom.
Not that he will be saying this aloud of course.
But if Helbram decides to tickle him to tears again when he’s being a royal pain, Harlequin isn't going to complain. And he surly won’t shy away from exploiting Helbram’s weakness when he’s being a pain as well.
Helbram has a beaming smile as he half-heartedly fights against his friend. It would be easy to think the smile is merely from the tickles or the feeling of bonding with his closest friend. But no. He's reading Harlequins thoughts again.
‘I guess human things aren’t that bad after all.’ Harlequin shares this thought, knowing his friend will be able to hear it.
Laughter will be filling the Fairy King’s forest for many years to come.