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Xie Lian's sweet yet nearly hysterical laughter filled up the room.
"Why are you laughing so much, Gege?" Hua Cheng's voice was teasy, swirling inside Xie Lian's ear; his cold lips brushing against the shell, causing a little squeak to break the string of laughter pouring out of him. "What's so funny?"
"San Lahahahahang!" Xie Lian arched his back off the bed in yet another failed attempt to throw Hua Cheng off him; his arms trapped between his and Hua Cheng's chest and under his lover's weight.
He could easily push San Lang off him, he really could, but those fingers mercilessly wiggling and digging playfully under his arms were making his body lose all strength as he squirmed as best as he could, trying to escape the tickling.
Hua Cheng chuckled softly. "Ah, could it be that it tickles?"
Xie Lian felt his face heating up, a deep pink blush spreading across his cheeks for laughing so much and for every teasing word whispered against his ear; tears of laughter falling from the corners of his eyes.
Xie Lian was used to this by now. Hua Cheng always found the opportunity to tickle him: in the morning, when Xie Lian just woke up and was still sleepy and weak, when he was trying to cook, when he was writing down calligraphy exercises for Hua Cheng; goodness, even during their intimate times!
Hua Cheng was always able to turn Xie Lian into a laughing mess, but even if he was used to it, it didn't mean it tickled any less, and he was so weak against it; Hua Cheng knew just which spots to touch to make Xie Lian laugh like mad and squirm under Hua Cheng's playful administration every single time.
Regardless, Xie Lian could not come to hate it, especially when Hua Cheng smiled so brightly at him, (not that he was able to see his smile too often since Xie Lian's eyes were always tightly shut as he laughed), his mischievous eye tinkling lovely and his touch, even though extremely ticklish, was soft and gentle.
He couldn't deny that it was fun... But it still tickled too much!
"Plehehehease!" Xie Lian cried out between his laughter.
"I've never done this to anyone besides His Highness before," Hua Cheng said nonchalantly, completely ignoring Xie Lian's pleas. "So I wonder if San Lang is doing a good job, Gege?"
"No no no no!" Xie Lian squeaked when Hua Cheng quickly changed spots, his nimble fingers moving up to tickle his neck. The Crown Prince's belly laughter turned into uncontrollably giggling as he scrunched up his shoulders, an adorable snort making his his nose vibrate.
Xie Lian could hear Hua Cheng's chuckles as he hummed softly. "Hmm? Is His Highness ignoring me now? I'd like some feedback, please?"
"Yes! Yehehehes!" Xie Lian shrieked out. "Good wohohohork, San Lahahahang!"
"Does Gege think so?" Hua Cheng smirked, purring his words against Xie Lian's flushed ear. "Then I think I will not stop, since His Highness is enjoying this so much."
Xie Lian shook his head, his legs kicking out in a futile attempt to escape his evil husband. "San Lang! I'm dying! I'm- ahahaha!"
Hua Cheng chuckled, "Hmm? But Gege is immortal! He can't die because of a little tickling, right?"
At some point, when Xie Lian's laughter had gone silent and he thought he was going to actually die from suffocation, the dead weight on top of him felt lighter and, with a rather weak push of his arms, he could easily (and finally), throw Hua Cheng off him. Hua Cheng fell dramatically on his back right beside Xie Lian on top of their divan, a very inexpresive 'ah' leaving his lips.
Xie Lian breathed heavily between some residual giggles. "San Lang..." He whined softly.
Hua Cheng chuckled at his side. "Hmm? What is it, Gege?"
Still a bit out of breath, Xie Lian, probably in the heat of the moment, climbed on top of Hua Cheng, straddling his waist as his hands quickly made contact with his sides, squeezing them up and down.
Hua Cheng chuckled and Xie Lian beamed at the sound, his fingers moving faster, not noticing the teasing smile pulling at the corners of Hua Cheng's mouth.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness." Only then Xie Lian looked up at his lover and his hands froze against Hua Cheng's sides. "This San Lang is not ticklish at all."
Xie Lian's eyes widened, his pink face turning red once again as he stared at Hua Cheng, mouth slightly open and surprise splashed on his features.
"..."
"..."
Xie Lian, "you are lying."
Hua Cheng laughed. "I would never lie to His Highness. This lowly one does not experience that ticklish sensation that sends Gege into hysterics, but," he said, arching one thin eyebrow, a smirk on his lips, "if His Highness is interested, he can try to find something." He smugly placed his arms behind his head like a pillow. "I don't mind being touched all over by Your Highness."
Xie Lian blushed to the tip of his ears and he wondered deep within his heart, when would it come the time when he didn't fall for Hua Cheng's teasing; at this rate... probably never.
However, still embarrassed, he narrowed his eyes. Hua Cheng smiled brightly and quite confidently when he saw that sparkling determination in Xie Lian's eyes.
The Crown Prince nodded. "I will do it," he said, pressing his legs against Hua Cheng's torso, holding him in place. "But so you know, San Lang," he smiled and Hua Cheng chuckled because he was sure Xie Lian tried to smirk, "if I do find a good spot, I will not stop until I'm satisfied."
Hua Cheng nodded, "good luck then, Gege. San Lang will take his punishment... If you success, of course."
Xie Lian was determinated, as soon as those words left Hua Cheng's mouth, he started his attack. He began with his ears, brushing gently against them and scratching behind. Nothing, so he moved down and Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry when Hua Cheng lifted his chin to expose his neck more. So nothing.
His collarbones, his chest, under his arms, ("You are lying!" "His Highness is very ticklish there, but I really am not!"), his ribs, his sides, his waist - by now the only flustered one was Xie Lian!
Hua Cheng didn't even giggle once! Not even when Xie Lian clawed his gentle fingers against Hua Cheng's tight stomach, (he was almost sure it would work, but maybe just because that's Xie Lian's weakest spot), not even a single chuckle came out of his mouth... No sound except for a teasing yawn that had Xie Lian blushing furiously.
"I told Gege I was not ticklish."
Xie Lian huffed proudly, and Hua Cheng beamed, that was the first time he saw that expression in Xie Lian's face. He was frowning a bit, his eyes slightly wide as he hungrily looked over Hua Cheng's body, trying to find another spot to attack. His pink tongue was sticking a bit between his lips and his nose was scrunched up.
He looked adorable, Hua Cheng couldn't care less about the poking and prodding around his body when Xie Lian was looking so sweet and beautiful on top of him. Honestly, he should-
"Hahahaha!" Hua Cheng's bark of laughter made the both of them freeze. "What-
Hua Cheng lifted himself up a bit to see Xie Lian's hands wrapped around his hipbones; he frowned, feeling the lingering tingling sensation right under Xie Lian's fingers. If he was able to blush, his face would be bright red by now as he saw Xie Lian's face: he was smiling widely, his eyes sparkling at his discovery.
"Did you laugh, San Lang?" He asked, pressing his thumbs into Hua Cheng's hips, making him jump. "Did that tickle?"
"It... Seems like it kind of di- ack! Your Highness, wa- ahahahaha!" Hua Cheng fell back against the divan, his back arching up and his hands reaching down to grab Xie Lian's hands.
"Hands up!" Xie Lian said and much to Hua Cheng's surprise, Ruoye came flying out, unwrapping itself from its master's arms to wrap around the Ghost King's wrists, pulling his arms up until it tied to one of the divan's legs. "I said I would not stop and you said you'd take your punishment. So now take it!"
"Your Highness!" Hua Cheng squealed. "I will keep my arms up, we... don't need Ruoye!"
Xie Lian shook his head, a bright smile pulling at the corner of his lips as he looked down to where his hands held Hua Cheng's hips. "I am going to start now. Do not pull too hard or you'll tear Ruoye up."
"Your Highness!" Hua Cheng tried again. "Your Highness, this San Lang was wrong, I didn't thought I could be- stahahap!"
His reaction was instantaneous, he bucked his hips up, almost throwing Xie Lian off him. He tried to hold his laughter in, not used to the sensation sending shiver up his spine, but as soon as Xie Lian used his thumbs to rub deep circles against his hipbones, he threw his head back, letting out clear and loud laughter that made Xie Lian laugh as well.
"G-gege! Gehehehege, wait!" He begged, trying to squirm away from the situation.
Xie Lian giggled. "No waiting, San Lang, please enjoy my revenge."
Hua Cheng shook his head as heavy laughter made his body shake as well. He hated himself for not knowing he was ticklish in the first place, but really, how could he know? No one had dared to do such thing to the Ghost King, but Xie Lian was Xie Lian and he could do whatever he wanted...
And Xie Lian was more than enjoying himself as he turned his playful lover into a mess; his eyes, beaming with excitement, looked down at Hua Cheng tenderly, his loud, unrestrained and continuous laughter (he didn't need to breath, after all), sending pleasant shivers down Xie Lian's spine. He wondered, though, if the ghosts in the Ghost City could hear their King laughing so freely and loud like this... They wouldn't dare to mention it if they did hear.
On top of that, Hua Cheng was trying to hide his face into the side of his arm and Xie Lian felt his heart flutter at the sweet sight. "San Lang... Are you flustered?"
"Your Highnehehehess!" Hua Cheng squeaked. "Dohohon't tease mehehe!"
Xie Lian laughed. "Why? San Lang always teases me, so I think-
Hua Cheng let out another loud laugh and, wanting to really hide from Xie Lian, he tried to roll on his stomach and he actually succeeded when Xie Lian lifted himself up a little bit, but as soon as he found himself with his face buried into a pillow, he knew this new position was worst since Xie Lian's fingers could easily dig into the dips of his hips, which were a very sensitive places.
"Yohohour Highnes! Have mehehehercy!" Hua Cheng pleaded, his legs kicking and his body twisting under Xie Lian as he tried not to pull his arms too harshly. "Plehehehase, stop!"
Xie Lian chuckled, "Why are you laughing so much, San Lang?"
Hua Cheng let out a groan between his laughter. "N-No, plehehehease! Don't say that!"
"This is actually my first time tickling someone. I'd like some feed back, San Lang." Xie Lian mercilessly used the same teasing words Hua Cheng used on him earlier and he enjoyed every reaction it evoked in the Ghost King.
"Gehehehege, I'm dying! Stohohohop!"
"How's that possible, San Lang?" Xie Lian asked with a faked surprised voice. "You are already dead!" Xie Lian couldn't stop laughing himself, it was fun to be on the upper hand every once in a while.
"San Lang will behave!" Hua Cheng said at once, trying to control his laughter. "I will n-nohohahahaha- I'll g-gihihive Gege a break!" He promised hurriedly, trying to look at Xie Lian through his teary eye.
Xie Lian hummed, a funny smile playing on his lips. "Really?"
"Yes! Yehehes, Gege! Plehehehase!"
Xie Lian chuckled, perhaps he tortured Hua Cheng long enough, so with a soft clearing of his throat, Ruoye came back to wrap around his arms. As soon as Hua Cheng felt his freedom, he reached down, gently grabbing Xie Lian's wrists, trying to push them away from his hips as he laughed tiredly.
Xie Lian stopped slowly until one of his hands was patting Hua Cheng's back softly, waiting for him to stop laughing and feeling a bit weird when Hua Cheng didn't breathe heavily once his laughter died down.
"Is San Lang alright?" Xie Lian asked just a bit worried, laying down beside Hua Cheng, who slowly turned on his back.
"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" Xie Lian laughed and he let out a little squeal when Hua Cheng suddenly wrapped him between his arms, he tensed up, expecting another tickle attack, but Hua Cheng simply kissed his forehead and Xie Lian fixed Hua Cheng's eye patch once he relaxed. "Gege is really mean."
Xie Lian chuckled. "San Lang could easily throw me off, I had to keep him in place so I could take my revenge," he explained, the tip of his nose pressed against Hua Cheng's, their lips brushing with every of their words. "I kept looking back, in case E'Ming wanted to attack me."
Hua Cheng puffed. "That little shit would attack me first than Gege."
Xie Lian laughed, thinking that that was probably true.
They stayed like that for a while, staring into each other's eyes and giggling quietly at silly words and thoughts until Hua Cheng puckered his lower lip into a tiny pout, Xie Lian blushed softly. "Gege was really mean, though," he said. "I think San Lang will need a kiss so he can forgive His Highness."
Xie Lian giggled, his hands cupping Hua Cheng's perfect face. "Why, I think I also need a kiss to forgive San Lang."
Hua Cheng chuckled, bringing Xie Lian closer to him by the waist, "then let's do it at the same time, Gege~"
They kissed and kissed and kissed and giggled into each other's mouths until the moon was up and the last thing their sleepy eyes saw was their lips moving, wishing a good night, swearing their eternal love, and promising to see each other again the next morning.