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It felt strange, unrealistic, like a dream... to finally have Violet by his side again. Gilbert couldn’t stop wondering, fearing what would take her away from him now that he had finally dared to let go of his burdening emotions to chase after her. To keep her by his side.
He always felt it would come in the form of a punishment; for waiting until she had to take the first step to find him. For breaking her heart first thing when she got here.
Luckily none of that happened, and today too, he woke up beside her. He smiled and let his fingers wander through her blonde hair. It had been quite a while since they started living together, and still, so much felt new to him. Even after their first kiss, their first night together - he flushed red at the memory - there were still so many things to learn about each other, and to get used to.
“Major, good morning,” Violet chirped, having woken up from his gentle caresses. Gilbert blinked, and he smiled. For starters... Was she ever going to stop calling him ‘major’?
“I told you before, didn’t I? You can call be Gilbert,” he said, leaning in to kiss her lips. Violet blushed, probably because the moment when he told her that was when they were in fact making love for the very first time, and he did think it was strange for her to continue calling him ‘major’.
“Sorry,” she apologized, but there seemed hesitation. “I’ll try.”
That day she again joined him to teach the children. It was one of those fun, lighthearted days. So much laughter, there was something in the air that caused these giddy moods. The children were playful and mischievous, and they laughed everytime they pranked someone. Even Gilbert couldn’t help but let a little laugh slip.
All did. Everyone, except Violet.
“Are you enjoying yourself today?” Gilbert asked as he stood by her side. The children were still playing in the distance.
Violet nodded. “I am having a lot of fun.”
Gilbert chuckled. The way she said that, so earnest and serious, it was kind of funny. Still, it was also sad at the same time. There was not even a grin on her face. He hadn’t seen a single one, nor had he heard any sounds of joy coming from her. No giggles, no laughter.
“I am glad,” he said, giving her a bit of a sad smile. He then turned to watch the boys playing in the distance again. He cocked his head when he noticed two were engaged in a playful tickle fight.
“Yield! Yield!” one of the boys cried.
“Ahahahaha nohoho! Nehehehever!”
Gilbert thought for a moment, and gazed at Violet. She was watching them too, a serious and distant expression on her face. Hmm. Tickling. Perhaps it was something he could try with her, as soon as they were alone.
Carrying the idea with him for the rest of the day, Gilbert couldn’t help but wonder. It would be no surprise to him if Violet wasn’t ticklish. He knew about himself that he used to be very ticklish, probably still was. But no clue about Violet. She was raised as a weapon, fought in the war, and even after her recovery she continued her life as a so-called Auto Memories Doll.
He wasn’t sure how to bring it either. She was probably going to be surprised if he attacked her all of a sudden. So it was only long after they had dinner when he finally brought it up.
“You know what those kids were doing today?” he asked. She looked at him with questioning eyes.
“Those boys,” Gilbert said, blushing a little because of how cute Violet looked; she was untying her hair and looking so much like a young beautiful woman that he wanted to hold her instantly.
“Ah, that. They were having a tickle fight,” she said knowingly. Gilbert snickered. Of course she would know.
“Did you ever have a tickle fight?” he asked. Violet shook her head.
“Would you... Would you like to try?” She nodded. Gilbert patted the bed, inviting her to sit with him.
“I... I only have one arm now. But I used to be quite good at tickle fights. I’ll be very glad to show you,” he said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her against him. She gasped, and the moment his fingers reached her slender torso and touched it, he dug in, wiggling his fingers slightly.
“O-oooh,” Violet murmured, and she started to squirm. Definitely a first reaction, so at least she was a little sensitive. There was no laughter yet, but she was definitely about to let out some more sounds.
“M-Mahajor.. What do I do?” she asked, gasping and squirming. Gilbert chuckled. This was in no way a tickle fight, but he needed her to laugh first. He craved it.
“You laugh,” he said.
“L-laugh? Ah!” Gilbert grew more persistent. He pinned her down beneath him, similar like those intimate times, only now with a different reason, and the only five fingers he had did their best to tickle Violet’s squirming body.
And there it finally was. The moment he traveled to her tummy, only covered by a thin shirt, she let out a first mewl.
“No need to hold back, dear Violet,” Gilbert told her fondly. He tickled her more, even when she started to squirm and twitch, her mechanical arms moving up but giving little action as she allowed him to keep tickling her.
“Mahah-Major! Ah!” Her soft, pretty voice was finally starting to dissolve in the sweetest shy sounding giggles.
“More,” Gilbert commanded. He needed more of that laugh.
“Major!” Violet gasped again when his fingers spidered under her shirt, attacking her bare skin with soft tickles.
“Ahaahahah!” Wow. Gilbert softened, hearing such happy sounds coming from Violet at last. He smiled.
“Does it tickle?” He couldn’t help teasing her, and Violet nodded.
“I thihihink so! Ehehehe! H-hold on, aahah!” she cried; his fingers were going faster and faster, poking and scratching her, scribbling up her side and ribs, and she was squirming beneath him and enchanting him with her cuteness.
“Hold on? Why?” he sighed, tickling her more. So sweet...
“AHHa! M-Major!” Gilbert then thought of something.
“Call me ‘Gilbert’ first. Then we’ll talk,” he said teasingly. Violet blushed even more and shook her head.
“B-buhuhut!” To make things better, Gilbert leaned in and started to nibble on her neck. Kissing her there as well, and blowing a few raspberries, he knew to tickle her in two places at once after all, even with only one arm he could do this.
“EHEheehhe! Mahahajor!”
Gilbert hummed against her neck. “What was that?” His hand underneath her shirt clawed at her side firmly. She arched unerneath him, squeaking and mewling.
“Heheheehhe!” Violet’s pretty laugh continued to sound through the house, and Gilbert embraced it with all that he was.
“Ahaahalright! G-Gilbert! Gihihilbert! S-stop!” Violet finally called out. So he did. He stopped the ticklish assault on her and moved back up, watching her catch her breath.
“Was it unbearable?” he asked her, caressing her face. She shook her head.
“It was bearable,” she said, still breathing heavily. Her eyes twinkled a little.
“Is it my turn now?” she asked. Gilbert blinked. Hmm?
“In a tickle fight... I tickle you back, right? Can I do it now?” she asked politely. Gilbert’s breath hitched. Eh.
“W-well,” he said, but he felt how she slowly pulled him back down, both of her arms embracing him. Uh oh. Violet had two hands, mechanical ones but still, if she knew to use them well then--
“Hoh!” Gilbert jolted when he felt her pinch his sides curiously.
“Like this?” she asked.
“V-Violet hehe, perhaps we should-- h-hey!” he gasped when she did it again.
“First you should laugh,” she said, and Gilbert found that he was quite stuck on top of her, caught in her embrace as she started to play his sides and ribs like one of her typewriters.
“HEHE! Violeehehet!” He struggled and squirmed on top of her, but the moment he managed to roll off, he only gave himself more disadvantage as Violet was quick enough to follow after him. Climbing on top of him and pinning him down, she wiggled her cold metallic fingers underneath his shirt and tickled him in exactly the same way as he had done to her. Quite the fast learner here.
“Major, your laugh.. is beautiful,” she muttered while tickling him.
“I tohohold you to cahahall me-- HEHE! Violehehet w-wahahait!” he squealed when she scribbled all over his tummy. He was a little embarrassed to be laughing this loud. Was he really more ticklish than she was?
“Wait? But why?” she asked, looking serious but ah, he knew she was teasing him.
“I wihihill get you bahahack!” Gilbert cried out playfully. Violet’s expression remained serious at first.
“Oh.” She then finally showed him a cute little mischievous smirk.
“I will go first,” she said, and from then on Gilbert laughed a whole lot more as Violet accepted the battle; their very first tickle fight, and oh how much he enjoyed it, to hear her laughter, and his own laughter as well. He really didn’t think he would ever feel this much happiness in this life.