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Kai was starting to regret ever buying this crop top. It wasn’t terrible, or ugly even. It was actually fairly plain, in a faded red that he really liked. But he wished he had worn a tank top, or maybe just another loose shirt, or wished that it wasn’t so hot which had caused him to change into the crop top in the first place. Because the blessing and curse of crop tops is that they show your middle. Granted, depending on the style or type of top you buy, you can expose as much or as little of your middle as you’d like. This particular top was extremely average, the shirt ending just at the bottom of Kai’s ribs. Any other day, any other day, Kai would’ve liked this crop top. Maybe styled it with a jacket and ripped jeans, a few rings and a belt and he’d be ready for the paparazzi.
Cole also happened to like this shirt. Kai didn’t like that Cole liked this shirt because of the merciless torture he was being put through, like it was some kind of game to the earth ninja.
“I’m not even doing anything.” Gaslighting. Classic torture method. Cole knew exactly that he was in fact doing something; if the punk grin on his face right of Kai’s own was anything to go by. Garmadon would be proud. He was laying on top of Kai’s legs across the den couch, keeping the other pinned in place with his weight while his fingers gently brushed up and down Kai’s exposed sides. Literal torture.
“Yes youhouhou fuhuhucking are! Dihihick!” Kai laughed, trying to push away the hands tickling him while also trying to squirm out from underneath the person they belonged to.
“Oh, really? Hadn’t noticed. Sorry about that.” And yet the asshole didn’t stop. In fact, his torture methods got worse. In spite of Kai’s efforts, those evil hands somehow wormed themselves under the other’s sorry excuse of a shirt and started methodically pinching his ribs. Pure evil.
“COHOHOHOLE!” Kai cried, writhing with a new rush of adrenaline. Cole snorted as he watched the other wiggle under him, a childlike adoration bubbling in his chest.
“Present!” He answered happily, unsure if Kai would be able to hear him over his laughing.
“You asshohohohole!” Kai continued, still trying and failing to push the other off him, already weak from laughing. Said asshole was now giggling on his own, either at the pure undeserved suffering he was putting his lover through or a divine intervention was now inflicting a similar punishment onto him. If the latter wasn’t happening, Kai planned to do it later once he regained his strength. Cole finally stopped tickling him to let him catch his breath, folding his hands on the other’s toned stomach and placing his chin atop, his head rising and falling with each deep breath the fire ninja took.
“Are you ready to admit that Fist to Face 2 is better than Zombie Hero?” He asked, watching the other with a bright smile. “Or do you need more convincing?” Kai stared at the ceiling in thought, trying to decide if smartassery was the move here. It had started this whole stupid debate in the first place, with Kai making an offhand reference to Cole’s favorite game not being able to live up to his own personal favorite. Cole shot back saying that Zombie Hero wasn’t popular for a reason, and it spiraled from there. The fire ninja looked down and made eye contact with the earth ninja, who was still waiting for a response.
“Will you let me explain my point, at least?” Kai offered, making his partner raise an eyebrow.
“If it’s a stupid point I’m gonna start tickling you again.”
Kai huffed, “Can I finish this level first?” If Kai couldn’t escape the torture, the best he could do was stall. “Maybe you’ll wanna try.” He fumbled for the controller he had dropped on the floor earlier in the tussle, making sure it still worked by messing with some menu options on a pause screen that was decorated with silly toon graphics of mold and innards.
“Mmm, maybe later. You’re too comfy for me to move.” His lover hummed, turning his head to lay on Kai’s torso so he could watch the tv. Kai held in a hearty snicker as soft hair purposefully brushed against the skin of his stomach.
“Wouldn’t up here be more comfy? You could get kisses.” The fire ninja tried not to let his voice wobble as he made his case. He could tell Cole was still smiling because of the way he felt the rough, stubbled skin of his jaw curve upward.
“Naaaaah.” Cole said in an exaggerated nasally voice, shaking his head to tickle Kai more with his hair, making a strained chuckle leak out from the tightly pursed grin. In all honesty, he didn’t care that much about the silly argument to begin with. He really just wanted an excuse to mess with Kai, since it was so damn fun.
“God, you’re such an asshole.” His partner snarked.
“Keep insulting me and I’ll show you what a ‘game over’ really feels like.”
“Is that a threat, coal-underscore-breakstone?”
“Is now, fire-boy-but-hotter.”