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“....This is somewhat.. awkward.” Asahi had turned that last word in a whisper, one that everyone could hear. But it was awkward, so it needed to be said.
“Yeah, a little bit hm?” Makoto said. It was like in the past: the room was filled with their futons and they sat on the floor together to chill and catch up. All was like back then, except for the mood.
“Of course it is. I told you guys, adults don’t do.. sleepovers.” Asahi looked over at Ikuya, and he grinned. He didn’t even feel a little bit annoyed about his complaint; he was so happy, relieved and surprised that Ikuya had agreed to join them. He was allowed to complain all he liked. Haru only nodded quietly.
Makoto smiled. “It will get better. I am sure it will. A drink, anyone?” They all seemed to like that. Asahi smiled and offered to help, but Makoto kindly refused. It had been Asahi’s idea to have a reunion sleepover, but it was Haru who ended up hosting it at his appartment and Makoto doing the actual host duties.
They had barely gotten started and he was already enjoying himself, even if everyone was a little stiff. He felt like they could use a cozy sleepover after all that happened, like in the good old days. Of course they were back to being on good terms, fortunately, but still things couldn’t be called the same. He had hoped this sleepover would change it.
“Heh. I thought you guys would be like this, so I prepared a little game.” He took a little jar from his backpack and flipped it over so the contents fell on the floor where they were sitting.
“Little cards? Is it a memory game?” Ikuya asked. Makoto came back with the drinks, and he thought so as well. “That looks like memory!” he chirped.
“Memory, hah! Good one guys, I guess I could call it memory, yes! But it’s not the kind of memory game you have in mind I think. Not the one where you flip the cards and have to find matching ones. No no, in this game we flip a card, and have to match what’s on there to one of us. They’re traits from back then and we need to guess who they belonged to. Call it a walk down memory lane?”
Makoto laughed. “Except, let’s say ‘swim’. Fits us better hm? You’ve been working hard on this! I’d like to play.”
They all sat in a little circle, and Asahi offered to demonstrate. “It works like this.” He flipped the first card and read the text on it aloud:
“The person who would always strip the moment he’d see water!” They all laughed and Makoto patted Haru’s back.
“Haru of course, he still does!” he said, to which Haru glanced at him and quietly mouthed, “I do not...” Asahi giggled.
“Another example. I’ll take this one.. The person who talked in his sleep,” he said, reading another card.
“...Also Haru,” Makoto answered. Asahi gave him a thumbs up.
“Yeah! Alright, who would like to try next?” he asked. Surprisingly, Ikuya was the one who leaned forward and took a card without saying a word.
“The person who could read minds...” he said. They were all silent for a moment before Makoto carefully said: “Did you mean me?”
Asahi laughed. “That’s right!” he exclaimed. “You always magically knew what everyone was thinking, especially with Haru when none of us understood hehe.” Next, he offered Haru to pull a card, which he did.
“The person who loves squirrels,” Haru said. He slowly glanced at Ikuya who instantly blushed. “Well, who could it be?” Asahi teased. He also glanced at Ikuya.
“Loved. Loved. I was a kid, okay?” Ikuya said. They laughed. “It’s alright, I know you still like them,” Asahi said. Next up was Makoto. Once he picked a card, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
“Always farted underwater,” he finally said, and he pointed at Asahi. Asahi proudly stuck his chin in the air.
“Glad you still remember. My bubbles were always epic, weren’t they?” he boasted, proud and thankful Makoto didn't even hesitate.
"Yeah. And smelly," Ikuya added. As they all laughed, Asahi could feel how the ice melted and the sleepover started to really feel like fun.
“Alright, my turn!” He picked a card and grinned, instantly knowing who he had in mind when he made this.
“Never smiled! Unless...” He stopped first, and smirked. “No, I’m gonna wait. First guess this one: never smiled.” Makoto first looked at Haru.
“I’d say Haru, but he would smile sometimes I think,” he said. Asahi shrugged as if he didn’t know. In the corner of his eye he could see Ikuya blush again.
“Then... Ikuya?” Haru said bluntly. “Bingo. Unless? When would he smile? What was the way to make him smile?” he asked. Silence.
“Or laugh, even?” More silence. “A joke?” Makoto guessed. By now, Ikuya was blushing like crazy, and Asahi loved to see him get all nervous.
“Oh come on! How is it that none of you remember? Like this of course!” Ikuya wasn’t fast enough to jump away. Asahi dove behind him and grabbed both his sides, squeezing him instantly and making him cackle out loud.
“HAHA! N-no Asahe-hehehe!” Ikuya toppled backwards to where he was sitting behind him now, and he eagerly catched him in a friendly hug while his fingers continued to dig into his ticklish sides.
“Looks like he never changed. Remember now?” Asahi joked. His fingers still knew where to poke and squeeze for the best results, even if it felt like it had been a previous lifetime when he last did this.
“Sweet! I remember!” Makoto crawled closer to where Asahi held ticklish Ikuya prisoner. “Now that I see it, I do feel like he hasn’t laughed in a long time. Shall I help?” Makoto offered. Asahi could feel Ikuya’s struggles intensify.
“NO! Nohahaha!” he laughed, but Asahi didn’t agree with that. “Yes,” he said with a grin, and of course that was the answer Makoto listened to. He took Ikuya’s ankle and stretched his leg, putting his socked foot in his lap, and he began to tickle it.
“Eyahah! Nohoho- not fahahair!” Ikuya laughed adorably.
“Ah, I’m missing out. I can’t see his face like this. Haru, come help please?” Asahi asked Haru who still sat to the side, drinking from his can. Haru put down his drink and came closer like requested.
“Here, hold these for me!” Following instructions, Haru took both of Ikuya’s arms and pinned them down above his head. It didn’t take long before he already grew lazy though, moving his arms together and tucking them under his knees as he sat down and went back to drinking.
Meanwhile, Asahi sat by Ikuya’s side so he could properly see his face while attacking his ticklish torso. “Better! See, your laughing face is as beautiful as ever,” he teased as his fingers wiggled up and down Ikuya’s ribs. With his arms stretched above him and pinned by Haru’s knees, Ikuya squeaaled and arched his back.
“Eeehehe! It tihihickles!” Both Asahi and Makoto exchanged glances, melting at the cute reaction.
“We should’ve done this before. He would’ve felt a lot better, right Ikuya?” Makoto scribbled his fingers all over the soles of Ikuya’s socked feet, keeping them steadily in his lap while one hand held back his toes. Asahi chuckled at how merciless Makoto Tachibana as a tickle monster appeared to be. He thought of the twins and wondered how often they would suffer such a fate.
For some reason he felt like competing. He could be a better tickler than big bro Makoto, right?
“Ah, if I remember correctly there was another tickle spot,” he said as he briefly offered Ikuya a chance to breathe (even though Makoto never ceased the tickle attack on his feet).
“Whahaat?! Nohoh- nowhehere!” Ikuya giggled. Asahi shook his head.
“Lies! I think you remember it too, Haru. Where was Ikuya most ticklish? Except here,” - he poked Ikuya’s side to make him squeak - “...and there,” he said, pointing at Makoto who was having the time of his life with Ikuya’s feet.
Haru who had casually been checking messages on his phone put the device away again, and he glanced down at Ikuya who was still being trapped by his legs.
“..Somewhere around here, I guess,” Haru said, leaning down and tracing a finger down Ikuya’s outstretched underarm. Ikuya’s entire body jolted in response.
“AH!” he shrieked. Asahi smirked and wiggled his fingers excitedly.
“Right, that’s the spot!” The anticipation had been bad enough for poor sensitive Ikuya. He lowered his hands and started to spider-tickle all over his vulnerable armpits. Sometimes he’d hand out single pokes right in the center of his armpits, and they were what would sometimes change the tone of Ikuya’s laughter.
“Not thehee-HEh! Not there Asahhahiii!” Ikuya cried adorably. Asahi was happily surprised when even Haru joined in at last; he tickled Ikuya’s neck and ears with soft touches.
Makoto, who had taken off Ikuya’s socks so he could tickle him even better, now playfully wiggled his finger under his toes, and he laughed along when this caused Ikuya to start a new series of laughter in a new pitch.
“AHA-kahahay! Okaahay! Merceheh! I g-gihihive! Can’t b-breheheathe!” Ikuya’s pleas and the signs were clear. Time to stop, even though Asahi was just having too much fun.
They all knew to stop at the right time, and he helped Ikuya sit up after Haru released him. “...Sorry about that. Did we do it too much?” he asked as he patted Ikuya’s back. The poor guy was still catching his breath, gasping and wheezing.
“No. Just.... Water,” he demanded. Makoto was fast to fetch him some water while Asahi held Ikuya’s shoulders. After Ikuya drank, he leaned against Asahi, tired.
“Well? Let’s continue playing,” Ikuya said, nodding at the cards that were still left. They all looked up and smiled.
“Ah, right! Let’s play some more.” And while they played, Asahi would sometimes glance at Ikuya to see that his lips were still slightly stretched in a sweet little smile.
He felt happy. They were together, they were having fun, and Ikuya was smiling, even without them tickling him mercilessly. Mission success.