#ticklish!essek

[thebest-medicine]

Day 22: Ticklish Kiss

Tickletober 2023 - Critical Role - C2 - The Mighty Nein - Shadowidomauk - lee!Essek (implied)

[see my other tickletober 2023 fics] [read on AO3]

A/N: inspired by this art. also inspired by ‘imagine two wizards.’ shadowidomauk dynamic reminds me of me trying to sleep / read / study vs my cats speeding around the house like demons at 3am

Words: 450

—

Caleb is fully engrossed in his text when Essek tears into the room in a rather un-Essek-like fashion.

Like a cat, Caleb bristles with a startle at the interruption as his bedroom door slams open and a purple body flings itself into the bed with him. He’d much sooner expect this brash behavior from his other purple partner.

As though on cue, Molly saunters into the doorway behind him, unhurried and unbothered. He gives the two a once over and smirks. “Well, well — I am quite famished you see, and I think two wizards will do nicely instead of one.”

Caleb’s eyes flick between them, settling on the frazzled elf scrambling to get behind him on his bed. “…What did you drag me into, Essek?”

“He—” Essek swallows. “He kissed me, but— it, it was…”

Molly snorts out a laugh in delight. “Oh, dear, that was your first raspberry, hmm?” He cocks his head with mock pity. “That’s a shame. We’ll have to make up for lost time.”

When Essek looks back at Caleb, his face has shifted, Essek realizes; it has taken on a complexion far more red than usual, and his eyes have a little twinkle of compassionate understanding. “Oh.” He takes Essek’s hand and draws him closer, shelving his book on the table for the time being. He presses a kiss to the back of Essek’s palm and, noticing the pulse racing away anxiously, gives him a sympathetic smile. “He lives up to the devilish blood, truly.” Casting a rueful glance at Mollymauk, Caleb sighs. “I know that look in his eye. There’s no getting out of this, I’m afraid.”

It takes Essek a surprising amount of effort to suppress the whine that builds in his throat when Caleb’s words settle in. But— after a moment, a defiant streak flashes in his eyes, his fingers twitch with arcane potential.

Mollymauk chortles out a little laugh. “Now, now. None of those magic tricks. That’s not going to help.” Molly tsk’s at him. “Unless,” He looks to Caleb, “you’d rather I go and get Jester to help me...”

Caleb’s eyebrows shoot up. “No.” His head shakes as he waves Molly into the room.

Essek turns to face him, betrayed. Caleb nods to him with a knowing look and a shrug. “Trust me. This is the better option.”

Mollymauk steps in with a grin and kicks the door shut behind him. “That’s more like it.”

…

A short while later, Jester is drawn anyway, like a moth to a flame, by the sound of their laughter.

[thelavendersquid]

Weak Spots

Tickletober Day 4

Essek denies having any weak spots. It doesn't take long to determine that is a lie.

Fandom: Critical Role (The Mighty Nein)

Words: 1.5K

AO3 Link

“So,” Fjord begins, once the little group is settled into the comforts of the dome somewhere deep inside Aeor. Essek is left pondering their comfort in such tight quarters. It’s stressing him out.

Fjord goes on. “We’re probably going to be fighting Lucien in the next day or two and I think we need to get prepared. I know our plans usually go to shit at the last minute but we should at least try. Let’s start with what we’ve got - strengths, weaknesses, put it all out there. I don’t want him to find anything he can use against us that we aren’t prepared for.”

Essek starts to zone out, tuning out the rest of this conversation. They’ll have to forgive him - he really doesn’t need to listen to a list of weaknesses and potential solutions. He’s already accepted his fate. He leans back against one side of the dome, staring off into space and letting his mind drift to the dunamis the group discovered earlier, running through what it could possibly mean.

He’s snapped back to the present when the conversation suddenly shifts to him. “Essek? What about you?”

Essek blinks quickly and pushes himself up a bit straighter, turning to look at the others. “I'm sorry, what was that?”

“I was just asking if you have any strengths, weaknesses, anything we could use against Lucien or he could exploit against us?” Fjord raises an eyebrow at him.

Essek shakes his head. “No particular strengths you haven’t already seen, I’m afraid.”

“What about weaknesses?”

Essek pulls his cloak around himself like a blanket and shakes his head again. “Only that I am like Caleb, a bit - ah, what did you call it? ‘Squishy’.”

“Wizards,” Fjord agrees with a wry nod. He turns back to the others. Essek leans back against the dome wall again, relieved that the conversation seems to have moved on from him.

Beau pipes up from a few feet away across the dome. “Any specific squishy weak spots? Caleb has several.” She shoots both Essek and Caleb a smirk.

Essek blinks in surprise but shakes his head. “Not in particular.”

It’s at this moment that Essek feels something against his sock. He flinches away sharply with a muffled yelp - and looks down expecting to find an insect crawling on him. Instead he finds Veth, crouched and grinning up at him - and holding one of her feathers mere inches away from his foot.

The energy in the dome shifts in a split second. Essek can feel it and is not comforted by doing so. He doesn’t have to look up to be acutely aware that everyone is grinning at him. The sudden sense of mischief is palatable, and Essek can’t imagine how he’s going to get out of this one.

“What was that, Essek?” Veth asks. She’s still grinning up at him with a downright evil look.

“Nothing,” Essek says quickly. He starts pulling his foot away, going to tuck them both underneath his robe. “I-“

He’s cut off as Veth, with lightning-quick reflexes, grabs his foot before he can successfully hide it and flutters the feather over it again. Essek yelps again - louder this time, causing a flush to leap to his cheeks - and his ears flick as a spasm runs up his leg and throughout his whole body.

Jester squeals and claps her hands in delight. She is suddenly very close, Essek realizes - it is not a comforting realization.

“Es-sek! Are you ticklish?!”

Essek opens his mouth to respond. He doesn’t get a chance before Jester grabs his other foot (how did that happen, he thought he’d pulled that one underneath his cloak already) and spiders her claws against the heel. And Essek yelps his loudest yet and slaps a hand over his mouth to stifle any more noise - as well as the grin that’s forcing its way onto his face. He leans back against the side of the dome, as far away as he can get, squeezing his eyes shut.

Jester laughs at him and it’s almost enough to make him break and let out the giggles that are threatening to spill over. Instead he squeezes his eyes shut even tighter and shakes his head frantically.

Jester giggles at that. “I think you are!” She sets to work scratching against his heel again.

Before he can even begin to adjust to that, Essek feels a second set of fingers grab his other foot - Veth, who has given up on the feather it seems. “You know what this looks like to me?” Veth asks, grinning brightly and holding up his foot. “A weak spot.” She punctuates this with a sudden scribbling across the sole of his foot.

And Essek can’t hold back - he bursts into giggles, muffled against the palm of his hand. His ears are twitching frantically and he shakes his head side to side, kicking his feet in a desperate attempt to break free.

He hears the others start laughing too. His face flushes white-hot.

There’s shuffling and then another set of hands grabs his foot. Beauregard’s voice breaks through Essek’s giggles. “Here, I’ll hold his foot so he can’t get away.” And then, sure enough, he can’t move his foot even an inch - and Jester, with a delighted giggle, sets to work scribbling and scratching and working her way up towards his toes.

Essek’s brain short-circuits. His hand flies away from his face as his body jackknives and he attempts to frantically bat Jester’s hands away. To no avail - and he dissolves into laughter. “NOHOHOHOHO NOHAHAHAHA NOT THERE!” He falls back against the dome again, laughing.

Essek doesn’t notice the others moving in closer, but he does notice when his other foot suddenly becomes just as immobile as the first. His eyes blink open just long enough to see Yasha, smiling at him as she holds fast to his foot, while Veth pokes one finger under his toes and scribbles others over the top of his foot - and why does that tickle so much?! Essek yelps again and attempts to yank his feet free - but Beau and Yasha hold firm and he gets nowhere. Instead he collapses back against the wall, turning to bury his face in his arm and resigning himself to laughter.

Veth’s grin is clear in her voice. “Wow, Essek, you’d better hope Lucien doesn’t find out about this! We would be screwed!” Essek could never hope to respond, laughing himself silly as he is.

There’s a sudden feeling against one of Essek’s ears - which have been twitching frantically as he laughs - and Essek spasms so hard he almost pulls out of Beau and Yasha’s hold. Almost - they quickly grab him again and hold on tighter. Caleb, who is now sitting right next to Essek’s head (Essek realizes he’s slid almost all the way to the floor - that’s unfortunate), runs another finger over the elf’s ear, wiggling it ever-so-gently. Essek cackles.

Caleb laughs and tries it again, and Essek feels as if he’s going to shiver out of his own skin. He shudders, twisting frantically away from Caleb’s evil, evil fingers and slapping at the ground. He's laughing harder than he ever thought possible.

Fjord laughs from somewhere to Essek’s left. “Two weak spots? Man, Thelyss, how do you function?”

“SHHUHUHUHUT UHUHUHUHHUHUP!” Essek’s retort carries no malice, he can barely get the words out through his laughter. Fjord laughs along with him.

There’s another shuffling sound and a warm, fuzzy hand flutters against Essek’s other ear. Light above, they’re going to actually kill him. Caduceus’ slightly fuzzy fingers are even more ticklish, if that were possibly. Essek’s laughter kicks up another octave. He spasms again, leaning forward and hands suddenly flailing desperately in attempt to push someone, any of them away - but he can’t coordinate himself enough to even began to manage that. He collapses back into laughter and falls over onto Caleb, burying his face in his shoulder as he shakes apart with laughter.

Caleb smiles and brings a hand up to wrap around Essek’s shoulders and pull him closer. This means, mercifully, that Caleb’s hand is no longer scratching against his ear. Less mercifully, Caleb brings his other hand into play - slipping it underneath Essek’s cloak to wiggle against his ribs. Essek yelps again and slaps a hand against his back involuntarily. He feels more than hears Caleb’s chuckles along with him.

Fjord slides in next to Caleb and joins in, hands sliding underneath Essek’s coat and tickling. Essek feels sure his face is going to split open with how wide he’s beaming and his whole body is sure to explode into a million pieces from laughter.

Nevertheless, it’s nice. He had forgotten what this felt like, the warm feeling of laughing and being held close and tickled apart. Never in a million years would he have thought he’d find himself enjoying it with friends - but here he is. Perhaps he shouldn’t be too surprised, life has certainly handed him stranger surprises in the last few months.

Jester’s fingers are under his toes again. Caduceus is scribbling behind his ear in a way that makes him want to scream. Veth, Fjord and Caleb are methodically taking him apart. Beau and Yasha are joining in the fun, fingers spidering over his feet and legs, squeezing at his knees. They’re all laughing at him. And all Essek can do is laugh and laugh and laugh.

Perhaps having weak spots isn't so bad.

[chockfullofsecrets]

14 & essek 👀

14. Worst “tickling casually comes up in conversation and you want to dig a hole and hide” experience?

It's a useless endeavor to make slipping a ring onto Caleb Widogast's finger look anywhere near casual, particularly with the off-key wedding march that Jester, Beau, and Veth are howling out behind them, but Essek is nothing if not dedicated to his facades.

"The ring is platinum, which aids in the storage and transfer of energy," he narrates. Caleb is looking at him quite oddly - is his face usually so red? perhaps it's the light - but he nods along as Essek withdraws his hand and taps the matching ring on his own finger. "And although the connection is usually initiated by a cleric of some sort, I've found that this particular combination of runes serves as a suitable anchor for a thread of dunamis. Now, to finish the casting, and-"

The circle of platinum grows unnaturally cool on his finger. Caleb makes a face down at his hand as his must do the same.

"-and now we are bound," he finishes. "For about an hour, within a boundary of sixty feet you will be shielded and take less damage. Which, as any arcane caster knows, is paramount for maintaining concentration. Just as you asked."

It's only natural for Caleb to move away and test the boundary, of course. Essek doesn't mourn the tie of their gaze matching the one on their hands, and his heart certainly doesn't jump in his chest as Caleb turns back in his direction with blinding enthusiasm.

"Wunderbar," he marvels, holding his hand up. "The anchoring of dunamis in the place of a deific element, particularly - imagine what else we could adapt!"

Essek opens his mouth to detail his findings on the translation between clerical and arcane Sending spells, but Fjord steps between them first. "Hate to interrupt," he says, waving a hand in Caleb's direction to draw him closer, "but do we know that this actually, you know, works?"

He'd be more annoyed if this wasn't half the reason he'd given up such precious spellwork to the Nein in the first place. "I didn't want to be the one to suggest you take a blade to your own party member," he plies, "but if you care to stage a practical demonstration, so be it."

"Ach, well," Caleb shrugs. "As long as we have healing spells on hand, I am sure I have faced worse. And in the meantime-" He sketches a somatic component in the air, and a spectral cat's paw springs to life behind him. "I might as well practice a few tricks of my own, hm?"

There's a pause. Essek turns to regard the rest of the Nein, resplendent with tapping feet and raised eyebrows. "Ah..."

"Seriously, man?" Beau grinds out. "You think we're going to hurt you just to test a fucking spell?"

Caleb blinks. "I'm not aware of any other way to test concentration, Beauregard."

Essek's floated off to the side, clearly not a party in this conflict, which affords him a perfect view of the Nein starting to spread out and circle their wizard.

"Oh, Cay-leb," Jester calls, ducking behind a bush. "You remember that one time we tickled you really bad and it got super dark because you couldn't keep your lights up?"

"Or the time we made you come to dinner and you got all grumpy because that flying spell you were practicing didn't work anymore?" Veth adds from... underneath a flowerbed? How-

"Or that time we got Essek's feet in the hot tub and he could barely even remember how to float," Yasha says from right behind him. He and Caleb jump in startled unison, and the startled mortification on his fellow wizard's face turns to outright horror as the Nein start to converge on him. "I think we know exactly how to test your concentration, Caleb."

Essek floats back a foot or so and offers Caleb a somewhat sympathetic shrug. It'll be nice watching someone else get embarrassed by the Nein, for a change.

Until, that is, Caleb yelps and Essek feels the pinch of questing fingers on his sides just as surely as if Jester was shoving her hands up under his shirt.

...maybe he should have looked into that footnote mentioning shared damage.

[amazingmsme]

Current list for tickletober:

1. Anticipation- Miguel & Peter B ft. Spider Gang (Across the Spider-Verse)

2. Accidental- Hobie & Miguel Across the Spider-Verse)

3. Cuddles-

4. Weak Spot-

5. “I’m not ticklish”- Artagan (aka The Traveler) Fjord & Beauregard (Critical Role)

6. Chase-

7. Flustered- Simon, Marceline & Bubblegum (Adventure Time/Fionna and Cake)

8. Truth-

9. Lie- Iceman & Slider (Top Gun) prompted

10. Ghost- Spiderkids, Peter B & Miguel (Across the Spider-Verse) prompted

11. Squeal-

12. Bites/Nibbles-

13. Sneak Attack- Arthur & Tommy (Peaky Blinders) prompted

14. Soft-

15. Tickle Fight- David & Alexis (Schitts Creek)

16. Unusual Spot-

17. Interrogation- Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable) prompted

18. Magic-

19. Arms Up- Rooster, Phoenix & Hangman (Top Gun Maverick) prompted

20. Relentless- Nandor & Guillermo (What We Do In The Shadows)

21. New Discovery- Agent Cooper & Sheriff Truman (Twin Peaks) prompted

22. Ticklish Kiss-

23. Incoherent- Mike, El & Nancy (Stranger Things) prompted

24. Pinned- Edgeworth, Phoenix & Larry (Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney) prompted

25. Gang Tickles- Paul, Ted, Bill & Charlotte (The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals) prompted

26. Counting-

27. Hysterical- Caleb, Mollymauk & Essek (Critical Role) prompted

28. Massage- Bones & Kirk (Star Trek) prompted

29. Wake Up!-

30. Caught- Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable) prompted

31. Aftercare-

Any suggestions for the remaining days are much appreciated! I’d love to write for some of my newer fandoms/stuff I haven’t written for before.

Really in the mood for:

Red white & royal blue

Barbie

Fionna & cake

What we do in the shadows

Moonknight

Peaky Blinders

& of course the main fandoms too

[kaiannae]

Starling Bath Scene part 10

So, as some of you might know, I am currently working on my graduation project in a Game Dev course and have little time for myself. Due to that fact, I'm not sure the next chapter of Starling will be ready in time, so I thought I'd give you another of those little random snippets to gnaw on in the meantime. I've made an attempt to re-sort the former snippets so its better understandable which are connected and in what order. So you can now read back easily!

Warning! This may contain spoilers for Starling. May, as in, I am not sure if it will be canon. as of now, it is a oneshot divergent future XD

CW for panic, self loathing and self worth issues, grooming difficulties and fear of water. Also, I"ve marked this as mature just to be safe.

"It's alright, Sternchen. It’s alright. I've got you," Caleb soothed, his hand and the cloth gliding up Essek’s thigh, over his knee, down his calf, rubbing gently to agitate any debris off his skin. He even dragged the cloth against the sole of Essek's foot, between his toes, with meticulous care for every inch of flesh. Essek couldn't help but gasp at the sudden tickle as the human's fingers smoothed against the arc of his foot, and it was all he could do to avoid kicking out on reflex.

"Oh- es tut mir leid, Starling," Caleb said gently, rubbing more firmly to chase away the sensitivity of his sole. The pressure of the pads of his fingers was just right, pleasant and soothing, but Essek could hear the smile in his voice, the mild excitement of discovery. It reminded him of early days, of Caleb's excitement every time he found out a new thing about Essek, even before he knew Essek was anything more than a simple creature. It was endearing, even if he was finding it hard to appreciate in these circumstances. "You're ticklish. Duly noted," Caleb mused, as if making a mental note and the fondness in his tone made Essek's heart clench painfully. He wanted that fondness. He wanted to bask in it. He wanted to court it, but he didn't dare to. "Other leg, bitte," Caleb prompted, and Essek was quick to comply, even through the embarrassment that made his body flush warm. His skin prickled with anticipation as Caleb repeated his motions with his other foot, cleaning carefully, taking care not to tickle this time. There was– so much Caleb could do to him at this moment. There was so much power he could have over Essek. Caleb was physically stronger than him, just in terms of crude brute strength. Essek was sitting naked in his lap, surrounded by water, which terrified him, his components out of reach, his arcana all but exhausted for the day. And Caleb had power in casting, power in location, as they were in a place of the human's creation, that he controlled, and power in knowledge as well. He knew so much. He knew Essek's secrets, his weaknesses, the things that would make him bend, and break and obey without question.

Essek should have been terrified. He should have been mortified of baring himself like this, putting himself in the human's hands, letting him wield all that power. Had Caleb been of a cruel mind, he could have Essek helpless in his grasp. He could torment him for hours, days, however long he wanted, in so many ways. The human had a unique, creative mind. Had he been anything like Egan– But no. Comparing the two was a sin, the worst act of blasphemy. And Essek- Essek wasn't terrified, and hasn't been so in a long time, not since the first days of their travels. Because it was Caleb, and if there was one thing he knew for a fact, one thing he was sure of, it was that Caleb was safe, Caleb would never use the power he had to hurt Essek. So it was safe to yield, safe to give in, and let Caleb do as he pleased. It was safe to let Caleb take care of him, to keep him from the terrors of water and the shadows his mind conjured as liquid touched his skin. Their work done, Caleb's hands retreated from their meticulous cleaning of Essek's leg and rose to lather the cloth again. Essek was appalled to see the cloud of gray dissipating into the water as it was wrung. It seemed prestidigitation really did have its limits, especially when raw, tender skin made any further use painful. A fresh wave of shame made him curl further against Caleb's chest, as if seeking to hide from the human's scrutiny. That Caleb saw this, that Caleb knew just how depraved he had become, how weak and pathetic he allowed himself to be- how could he hope to be worthy of someone like Caleb, someone who braved his fears every day, who walked back into the den of horrors he had escaped from for the noble cause of saving others, of ending suffering? How could he ever hope to catch Caleb's eye, when he was merely Essek, a coward, a traitor, a broken, useless filthy thing. Caleb, oblivious to his inner thrashing, paused his work to wrap his free hand tighter around Essek's shoulders, mistaking his burrowing into the human's space as fresh fear. His other hand held up the well lathered cloth in kind offering. "Do you wish to do this part on your own, liebling? Or would you rather I do it?" he asked gently, no inflection in his voice to hint at pity, or aversion, or desire. There was nothing but soft kindness, as mild and comforting as a cup of tea and nothing more. Essek swallowed convulsively.  "I-I can do it. I can do it," he answered, though whether he was trying to convince Caleb or himself was unclear. He knew he failed miserably at both, but still Caleb took his words at face value, holding out the cloth for him to take. He grasped it with fingers that almost managed not to shake, but only almost, heat rising to his cheeks in a foolish display of embarrassment, of shame. The thought of cleaning himself, of touching himself so intimately in plain sight of anyone, of Caleb, made him want to crawl under the floorboards. Which was weak, and foolish and infantile, he told himself firmly. He was a grown man, and it was hardly the first time they had to share awkward, intimate moments. They had nursed each other back from the brink of death, from the brink of madness and despair. They had traveled together, cared for each other when sick. This was hardly the most embarrassing thing they've done.

So why was his hand shaking, why did the thought of cleaning himself while Caleb watched make him hot and cold at the same time, why couldn't he bring himself to move? He sat there, frozen, holding the cloth above the water in indecisive agony for what seemed like eternity, a matter which was only made worse when a slight movement of his knee made the water ripple and move, making him aware once more of the fact he was sitting submerged in water, making the panic rear up its ugly head once more. He gasped, pressing back against Caleb's chest, losing his grasp on the lathered cloth as he flinched. It plunged into the water in a cloud of foam, and Essek couldn't bring himself to reach into the water after it. He simply stared at the rippling surface, growing more and more distraught by the situation, by his own reaction, but the need to act and the inability to do so. Warm hand enveloped him, pulling his hand away from where it hovered in painful indecision over the water. They soothed against his forearms, pulling him close against Caleb's chest, into a calming hug which made the constriction in his chest unclench somewhat. "Hush, Sternchen. No need to fret," Caleb's voice rumbled against his ear and Essek realized he must have made some sound, some pitiful whimper or another embarrassing vocalization. But his shame mingled with some guilty satisfaction at the embrace it earned him, and that only fed into that shame in a dangerous back-feed of self-consciousness and embarrassment.

"Let me do it, bitte. You don't have to do anything tonight, but lie back." His larger, human hand plunged into the water and fished out the washing-rag, and he went about lathering it anew as Essek hid his face against his wet shirt. For a moment, he wished for the shirt to be gone, wished for the sensation of warm skin against his own, of the mat of curly hair he remembered from days and nights on the road against his cheek. He had long been curious about what it would feel like.  But he was being foolish, as wanton as a cat in heat. Caleb was merely indulging him in caring for him. Essek should not soil his kindness with his own desires. He did not deserve to have his heart's desire anyway.

[demigoddessqueens]

Main Masterlist III

Critical Role - multi party dancer!reader // multi party Father’s Day // little one afraid of storms // there was one bed 🛏 // modified memories // Song: Insider angst // saying I love you to them // sacrificing yourself for them // snowball fight

Vox Machina - Percy and you expecting // sick Percy // Percy and Vax wedding // Percy angst // sister of Everlight // writing, kiss prompts with Percy // prompt ask for Archibald // close call with Vex’ahlia // layers of clothes // supportive Vex’ahlia // Percy in the rain // baby first word // facing a meltdown // one year birthday // siren seduction // baby on the way // Orthax horror // Percy confessing to childhood friend // in the acid room // sibling helping with proposal // yandere Percy + Trevor // perchalia smut // Percy drabble // selkie reader // if baby VM cried // ticklish Baby VM // sacrifice for them // vex and shy reader // ADHD reader // vampire reader // scanlan soulmate // love song // vax’ildan angst // Vax saving you // telling them they’re the best // surviving with Archi and Percy // playing with Little One

The Mighty Nein - cowboy traveler // Caleb taking care of you // close call headcanons // caleb leaves you // Caleb and librarian reader // Caleb saving you // expecting with Caleb and Essek // Molly with reader and kiri // Marion and babenon with poison master // Fjord with familiar // Fjord as a father // Cadeuces with aroace reader

Crown Keepers/Bell’s Hells - birthday baby // secret crush on Orym // Dorian and Ashton expecting // reader saving Cyrus // Will and Orym proposal // hugging crush // unwanted visitor + MN // poly with Dorian + Dariax and Orym // bell’s hells baby antics

EXU Calamity/Rings of Brass - Loquatious headcanons //

Dune - Paul atreides HC’s

The Martian - mark watney smut

The Dragon Prince ✨ - Soren + maid!reader // Chitty chats

The Sea Beast - letters from the sea 🌊

Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit - boromir angst

Exophilia 👹 - shadow monster

Star 🌟 Wars ✨- ahsoka + Ezra + Rey headcanons //

Spider Man NWH - yours, mine

Arcane/League of Legends - jinx angst headcanons

Blood of Zeus - heron headcanons // bubbly personality with ⚡️//

Assassin’s Creed - Christmas with the crew 🎁

Castlevania - drunken mishaps with VM and Cass // kissing headcanons // at the fair // pregnancy headcanons

Alucard - hollow knight sequel // dragon reader part 3 // season 4 Alucard // playing with Alucard’s fangs // hollow knight p3 //

Trevor - fatherly Trevor // Trevor vs wolf //

Hector - dragon reader //

Isaac - love story //

Genshin Impact - drunk headcanons // on your period // fluff + smut fic // pregnant headcanons // yandere scaramouche

Nezha Reborn - love at first punch

[saltytothecore]

Oooooo, for the wip meme I would love to hear about "Essek died just a little ol little bit"

Essek died just a little ol little bit

This one is meant to be just a short little something about Essek getting got and also dying in a world where it might not stick.

Essek brushes the pads of his fingers under the yoke of his collarbone. They catch on the knot of fresh scar tissue, a pucker, pale blemish—it surely has a mate on his back, Essek realizes. Do bones scar? His scapula bone must have been shattered. He can’t remember it, but—

Bile burns at the back of his throat as he imagines the messy, wet puzzle of his anatomy dashed to pieces. He grits his teeth, swallows it down. He can’t very well be sick without getting up, and he can’t get up without waking Caleb, and he cannot wake Caleb.

He turns his thoughts outward, away from his body. Away from the way it failed.

Contemplation of Caleb is a safe harbor for his spiraling mind. Essek listens to him breathe, slow and deep, face turned into Essek’s chest, his warm breath ghosting over Essek’s skin. Metronomic, meditative, and a little bit ticklish.

He’s still not entirely sure how they ended up mostly naked. Essek knows, secondhand, that a kind of frenzy for living can come after a brush with death, but he still feels half a corpse. Caleb had no energy either. He kissed Essek, soft, nearly chaste—lips, eyelids, pulse, wound, heart—and just clung. Pressed one of his little, round ears against the trellis of Essek’s ribs and clung like a vine, like Essek could yet fall to pieces.

He, should, by rights, be trying to fall to pieces.

He should feel some way about it. But Essek cannot remember anything past the moment his shoulder erupted in pain and a hand clamped over his mouth. There was screaming, a lot of screaming, but he had found an instant of perfect clarity. Used it to think he shouldn’t have had to see it before sense left him.

So, if he feels anything at all about his death, it’s ashamed and a little guilty Caleb saw him die.

[poesparakeet-fics]

Read it here or on AO3!

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Critical Role (Web Series) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, The Mighty Nein & Caleb Widogast Characters: Caleb Widogast, Essek Thelyss, Beauregard Lionett, Jester Lavorre, Caduceus Clay Additional Tags: Shadogast - Freeform, dunamancy, Empire Siblings - Freeform, Prank Wars, Tickling, rib tickling Summary:

What happens to a ticklish wizard when he manages to piss off too many of the people who love him? Allies are made and lessons are learned.

FIC

“Caleb Widogast!” Caleb jumped as he walked into the kitchen of the Xorhaus, unsure of what he could have possibly done to upset anyone this early in the morning. He was even more surprised when he saw who. “Essek?” Caleb stammered, taken aback. The drow was perched on a large kitchen chair with a cup of Caduceus’ tea in his hands and a pinched look on his face. “Schatze, I’m sorry, were we to meet? I hope you weren’t waiting long, I--” “No.” Essek corrected him sharply. “I am here to have tea with Mr. Clay at his request, to discuss the situation in Savalierwood. But he just told me that he healed some pretty distinct injuries for you, yesterday?” Caleb felt a guilty cringe fold his stomach in half. He sighed, looking at Caduceus. “So that just came up, ja?” “Yeah,” Caduceus responded, “thought it might be why you slept in.” “Ja, I had a bit of a fall--” “A fall? From where?” Essek’s gaze was intense. Caleb dropped his eyes to the floor. “Oh just, you know, clumsy--” “Really? You clumsily practiced dunamantic phasing on your own and fell through the floor?” “I think it was three floors, actually…” Caduceus mused quietly. The cringe came to the surface and showed, unbidden on Caleb’s face. “Essek, I--” “I have never limited you. It was the one thing I asked.” “I know, I--” “Caleb.” He froze when Essek cut him off, meeting the elf’s gaze once more. Essek stared him down hard before continuing. “I had… better masters than you had, when I was a young wizard. Infinitely gentler, certainly. But they would have whipped me for practicing phasing magic by myself. Truly. You could have cut yourself in half, dismembered yourself, crushed yourself, suffocated in a wall--” Essek seemed to cut himself off with a wave of his hand. “The point… the point is it would cause me a great heartbreak if irresponsible use of the magic I taught you led to your demise. Please promise me again, and keep it this time.” Caleb ducked his head, feeling like a rightfully scolded school child. “I will, ja. I am sorry.” Essek gave him a look that said he didn't entirely believe him. “I do trust you. I do not trust your curiosity. It’s only a virtue if it doesn’t get you killed.” Caleb laughed softly, nodding as he sat down at the table with them and accepted a teacup from the still-silent Caduceus. He winked at Essek. “I think I could say the same to you, but fair enough. If I do it again, I’ll let you whip me.” Essek smiled back, but the doubt didn’t leave his expression. ... “CALEB!” Beau’s voice thundered from upstairs, and Caduceus almost dropped the knife he was using to prepare vegetables for dinner. He spun around to see the wizard in question with his hands in his component pouch, running as fast as he could through the kitchen and out the back door. Beau’s quick steps followed, but by the time she was in the kitchen they could both hear the familiar woosh of a misty step from outside. She stopped stock-still in the kitchen, hands clenched into fists, looking… different than Caduceus had ever seen her. What was it? “Uh… hey. Did you get some new clothes.?” Beau turned to him silently, eyes burning holes in his head. It was pretty scary, actually. “Oh! Uh… is that what this is about?” Beau’s clothes were bright magenta where they had once been her usual cobalt blue. She was still staring at Caduceus with her fists clenched. Veth and Fjord were creeping wearily into the kitchen behind her. “I think it looks nice--!” Veth offered, only to choke off in a scared squeak when Beau rounded to face her. Beau reached out to yank Fjord’s hat off his head and put it on. “Hey!’ Fjord protested, before clamping one hand over his mouth to hide a smile. “Oh. I see.” As it perched on Beau’s head, the hat instantly turned the same bright magenta of her robes. When she handed it back it returned to its usual color. The whole room was biting lips to keep an amused smile off their face, lest they become the new target for her fury. Beau took a deep breath before bellowing again. “CALEB!” She spoke into the air, her voice loud enough to hear throughout the house. “I KNOW THAT SPELL DOESN’T GO FAR. I KNOW YOU’RE HERE, AND I AM GOING TO FUCKING GET YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME? I AM GOING TO DO DOPE MONK SHIT TO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM, TIE YOU UP AND FEED YOU TO A ROOM FULL OF TIEFLINGS. You will FUCKING SUFFER! THINK OF A NEW NAME, CAUSE CALEB WIDOGAST IS A FUCKING DEAD MAN! ” At the end of her tirade Beau took a deep breath and started to walk upstairs again, but not before spinning around and jabbing a finger at everyone in the kitchen. “ANYONE caught harboring the wizard will share his fucking fate!” … "...CALEB WIDOGAST IS A FUCKING DEAD MAN! ” Caleb was sitting cross-legged on the floor of his hiding place in Fjord’s empty bedroom when Beau finished her threats, but by the time she was climbing the stairs again he had disappeared with a crackling pop. When the disorienting suck of the teleport spell faded he was standing on a clay path in a dimly-lit garden next to a trio of small towers made of iridescent grey brick. An arcane weather-vane creaked in the darkness. He started toward the door. “Caleb?” A head of pale curls popped up over the top of a bush of dark purple flowers, a frown of concern on the face beneath. “Essek, hello. Ah… may I spend the night?” Essek walked toward him as he pulled floral gardening gloves off of his hands, eyes narrowed wearily. “Of course, I am always happy to have you...” He reached Caleb and placed a distracted kiss on his cheek. “... did something happen at home?” “Yes.” Caleb answered, only to stutter as Essek’s worry grew, “Oh, ah, nothing bad. Well, nothing very bad. I just need to avoid Beauregard for a bit.” Essek’s worry immediately evaporated to be replaced with amused annoyance. “I see. What did you do this time?” They both started to stroll through the garden toward Essek’s back door. “Oh, just some illusion work. It will go away by morning. She deserves it, after stealing my spellbook while I was sleeping.” “Mhmm.” Essek hummed, linking his arm with Caleb’s. “But wasn’t her stealing your spellbook revenge for…” “The magic spiders, ja, but I had to do that! She--” “--the disappearing ink, yes, I remember. Are you sensing a pattern here, chathtiu?” Caleb sniffed and turned his nose up. “I have no idea what you mean.” Essek’s smile turned indulgent as he pulled Caleb into his home. “I’m sure you don’t. Beauregard does have a way of pushing your buttons, hm?” “She is the expert.” “I should ask her for advice, one of these days.” Caleb only laughed, pulling the smaller man into his arms. “You have your own way of pushing my buttons, don’t you schatz?” Essek smiled back. “You’re right, of course. I do.” ... Caleb stalked through the library of the Xorhause, circling it room by room. While his books were sitting on the desk he’d been working at the night before, their holsters were missing. He shifted the papers on his desk, panic rising in his chest. Where were they? “Caleb?” Jester was standing in the doorway, his holsters dangling from one finger. Caleb let out a sigh of relief. “Jester! Danke! Where were they?” “Sorry, I think Sprinkle must have stolen them.” Caleb shook his head, the tension in his chest easing. “That’s alright. I’m just glad they are found.” He reached out for them, stopping short when another figure entered the room. It was Beau, her clothes now back to their normal deep blue. Their eyes met for a moment, but the monk just breezed past as though she didn’t even notice Caleb was there. It had been a week since the incident with her clothes with no revenge or further threats, and Caleb was starting to wonder if he’d finally won the war. He shrugged his holsters on as the two women sat down on the sofa. He missed Jester’s giggle until it was too late. “Hey Caleb?” Beau asked. “Uh, ja?” Caleb cringed a little, turning around. Beau’s look was positively predatory. “Fuck you.” Caleb was about to respond when the sensation of fingers digging into his ribs flushed all the air out of him in one squeal. He spun around clumsily, hands flapping, but nobody was near him. He craned his neck to look down, his arms helplessly hugging his own ribcage while his knees buckled. That’s when he realized where the sensation was coming from. “Wh-what? No, I-- ah! Please!” His fingers fumbled with the buckle of his holsters to try and escape the traitorous leather trap, but the buckle was trapped under a magical seal of iridescent purple wax with the image of a skeleton key pressed into its surface. “Fuck!” Beaureguard was grinning like a gnoll. “What’s that buddy? Fuck you?” “Aah!” Caleb’s whole body convulsed and hit the carpet as the tickling escalated, even more invisible fingers reaching out from the leather to stroke delicate bones under pale skin and plain cloth. “No no! Please!” “Can I try?” Jester asked, giggling. “Nein!” “Sure, go for it.” “Fuck yooooou Caleb!” Caleb couldn’t answer her with words, he could only wail wordlessly. He writhed on the ground, trying desperately to resist the currently useless instinct to lock his arms at his sides so he could try and pull the holsters off over his head, but it was no use. All he could do was paw uselessly at the leather before Beureguard hissed the trigger word again and all he could see was stars. “Uh… everything alright in here?” Fjord’s voice came from the direction of the door. Caleb couldn’t see him over the sofa. “Fjord!” Caleb screeched. “Plea-hee-se! Evil!” It was all he could get out before his voice cracked and his laughter turned silent, his head thrown back against the carpet. “Huh?” Beau answered in an exaggeratedly casual tone. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Just getting a little payback for my pink phase. Stole his holsters and Essek cursed ‘em.” A wave of betrayal strong enough to overpower his ticklishness gave Caleb just enough breath to shout “WHAT?!” before the laughter overtook him again, tears building in his eyes. “I helped with the ruse!” Jester piped up. “Uh-huh.” Fjord nodded, “can he breathe?” “Hmm? Oh, I guess we can check. Good boy, Caleb.” The sensation stopped all at once, and Caleb rolled flat on his back to gulp in air. “See? He’s fine.” Caleb sat up, hands held out in supplication even as he struggled to catch his breath. “Beau, please, I’m s-” “Fuck you and your apology.” Any strength Caleb had recovered melted away as he squealed and flopped back down on the carpet, limbs curling uselessly against his body. The tickling fingers coming from the inner panels of his holsters might as well have been sucking his very life-force out. Fjord lets out a sigh. “If you’re going to torture him for a prank, you at least have to let him apologise. Good boy?” Caleb didn’t get up this time, too scared to trigger someone’s wrath or sense of mischief. He was still giggling, partially from phantom sensation and partially from the panicky tension of knowing that any of them could trigger the curse at any moment. “I’m sorry! Bitte!” There was a beat of silence before Beau turned to Fjord again. “There, I let him apologise. Can we go back to the torture now?” “Wait!” Caleb squeaked, rising unsteadily to his knees. “Please Beau, we can talk about this--” “Oh, you wanna talk now? Cause when it happened you were happy to teleport away to your fucking boyfriend’s. So… you know,” she finished with a grin, “fuck you, fuck you, FUCK YOU.” “Nein!” Was all Caleb could manage before his laughter stole his voice away, only to crack and go silent once more a moment later. Tears leaked from his eyes to roll into the fluffy carpet beneath him as he crumpled. “Oh, he’s so cute when he cries, I love it!” Jester clapped her hands while she watched from the sofa. “This is the best curse ever.” Fjord made an agreeable sound. “I wonder if Essek could make something more remote? Then we could tickle him wherever we are. That would be fun.” Caleb couldn’t respond to the idea with anything more than pained wail through his hysterics. The others pretended not to notice. “Yeah, I do worry that he goes without when we’re gone.” Jester cooed. “Pfft. Yeah, I don’t think Essek is letting that happen.” Beau snorted. Caleb started to beat at the floor with one hand, hiccups punctuating his laughter. “Aw, alright. Good boy.” The sensation stopped again, but Caleb couldn’t stop his laughter. “Please, pleaheese, *hic* bitte--” “Focus on catching your breath.” Fjord suggested, “It’ll do you more good than begging will.” Caleb let out an exhausted little sob before obeying, his lungs working overtime to suck in air. He wiped the tears from his eyes and tried to make the hiccups go away with little success. When his breathing finally evened out Fjord gave him a reassuring smile. “See, that’s better.” Fjord soothed. Beau’s grin got wider. “Hey, Caleb?” “No!” “Fffffffffff…” “Mercy!” “...uuuuck you!” “Aaii!” Caleb let out a little yelp at the sound of the words, then… nothing. He’d clenched his eyes shut in anticipation, and when he slowly opened them Beau was glaring at him. “Hey! How come it didn’t work?” Caleb let out a huge sigh of relief. The curse must have expended all of its energy. “Is it done?” Jester questioned. Caleb was wondering the same thing. He tried to examine the buckle of his holsters as subtly as possible. The seal was still there, which meant whatever the curse was, it was not over. He needed to get out of earshot as quickly as he could. “I thought it was supposed to last longer than that. Can you message Essek?” “Sure!” Caleb started to cast for misty step as subtly as he could, hoping he was close enough to his lab to lock himself inside. “Hi Essek, it’s Jester! So, your awesome curse thingy is SO great, but like, but it ran out of tickles? Do you know why?” Whoosh. Caleb hit the stone floor of his lab with an oof, dragging himself to his feet and transmuting the door of the lab into stone for good measure. As he groaned he saw that the room looked quite different compared to how he had left it the night before. The large chalkboard he used for calculations had been moved into the centre of the room. In one corner someone had drawn a symbol-- a skeleton key, like the one on the seal trapping him in his holsters. Next to it someone had written in familiar, looping script: I will not practice phasing unsupervised. X100 Caleb whipped out the enchanted little book he and Essek used to send messages between them, only to find a new one waiting for him. You have 30 minutes. Caleb was glad nobody was there to watch him gape like a fish between the chalkboard and the book. Essek couldn’t be serious. He frowned and grabbed up a quill. You are a traitorous snake! There was only a single silent moment before the page shimmered and revealed another message under Caleb’s. Noted. Now you only have 25 minutes. Caleb took a moment to say every curse word in every language he knew. Then he stood up, snatched the chalk and started writing.

[ticklishnonsense]

yasha nydoorin is the ideal woman.

[acepalindrome]

The greatest act of sibling betrayal came about four months after Verin met the Mighty Nein when, after a minor argument, he decided to get back at Essek by telling Jester that his ribs are extremely ticklish. Essek has not known peace since. Jester doesn’t even tickle him that often, she’ll just tease by wiggling her fingers at him now and then which makes him instinctively slam his arms down over his sides to form a protective barrier.

The even worse betrayal came about a week later, when Essek was so on guard about a possible attack from Jester that he never expected Caleb would come after him with Mage Hand.

[thebest-medicine]

Day 16: Unusual Spot

Tickletober 2023 - Critical Role - C2 Mighty Nein - lee!Essek

[see my other tickletober 2023 fics]

A/N: based on the lovely idea that Essek has ticklish palms

[read on AO3]

Words: 460

—

“Ah, and do you see how it- and here!” Caleb explains excitedly, drawing a copy of their newly integrated glyph, combined from some others they had been studying. Essek hums along and watches him, also thrilled by the invention or alteration of a new spell, but he can’t stop himself from glancing up at Caleb’s face as he speaks, face lighting up with curiosity and joy.

Caleb dips the quill back into the ink, brings it back up and continues to scrawl. But, the paper only picks up a smudge of the line he attempts. “Ah.” Caleb mutters, glancing around for a bottle. His eyes settle on Essek. “Here.” He reaches out, gesturing for Essek’s hand.

Essek places his hand into Caleb’s open palm with a raise of his eyebrow. “Look, Schatz.” Caleb starts, tracing the glyph shape on Essek’s palm. “This here? I think we’ve finally figured it out,” The drow lets out a soft sound of surprise, his fingers curling inward. “Once I grab another bottle, we’ll be-” 

Caleb stops when Essek trembles, sucking in a breath. Caleb’s eyes flick up to him, soft. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes, I-” Essek takes a breath, glancing down. “If you wouldn’t mind..” He tugs his wrist back a hair. When he looks back up, Caleb is still wearing a look of interest, of curiosity. 

Caleb traces his index finger, deliberate, slow, down the center of Essek’s palm. 

“Ah-” Essek flinches, his fingers flexing again. He tries to close up his hand a bit. Caleb is smiling this time, when Essek looks up at him, and he fights the urge to smile himself. “Wait, Caleb.”

Caleb chuckles, his own hand enclosing the sensitive purple palm. “It seems you’re rather sensitive here, ja?” His mouth quirks up into a smirk.

Essek makes a disgruntled noise, protesting. “No.” A heat rushes up his cheeks. He tugs on his wrist again but doesn’t pull free of Caleb’s grasp.

Caleb begins tracing against Essek’s palm once again, feigning a serious look. “You’re paying attention, right? This is important.” He lifts his finger ever so slightly, tracing along the skin with his fingernail. Essek shivers, blushing. 

“I- I am but- ehehe, wait-” 

Caleb brings the rest of his nails down to scribble and trace along the purple palm, dropping the front of magical glyphs in favor of seeing just how ticklish this hand is. 

Essek gasps, and wriggles his hand out of Caleb’s reach. He clutches it to his chest, looking a bit scandalized, his cheeks magenta. His eyes flick up to the softly grinning, ginger wizard. “Caleb-” He holds his other hand up, placating. 

Caleb raises his eyebrows mischievously and makes a grab for the hand. His grin widening.

“Nohoho!” Essek definitely does not giggle as he turns to run, snatching back his hand. 

“Come on, don’t quit now, we’ve almost got it!” Caleb launches after him with a laugh. “Essek!” 

[thelavendersquid]

Fic Masterlist

Doing You A Favor - Original Characters

Forrest learns it's Do A Grouch A Favor Day and enlists Faron's help to bring some laughter to their favorite grumpy guardian angel.

No Words Needed - Mighty Nein (lee!Caleb)

Caleb fails his intimidation check and the Nein use their squishy wizard as a distraction.

Love Persevering - Mighty Nein (lee!Fjord + others)

The Mighty Nein talk about feelings and process their grief for Mollymauk through the ticklish love language they all share.

Weak Spots - Mighty Nein (lee!Essek)

Essek denies having any weak spots. It doesn’t take long to determine that is a lie.

Nine Eyes to Feel With - Mighty Nein (lee!Lucien)

Local all-seeing tiefling finds himself more ticklish than he expected.

[chockfullofsecrets]

Hi! For the "worst" prompts, 8 & Essek?👀💜

8. What’s your worst ticklish doctor’s exam experience?

Caduceus finds him, eventually. Essek was under no impression that he wouldn't, but - for it to happen this quickly, Caleb must have Sent to him. Unfortunate.

He fakes a cough, throwing a considerably more realistic wince behind it. "You did say that I was always welcome at the Grove."

Caduceus settles beside him, the both of them gazing over a lively patch of roses. "Of course you are."

He blinks, offers a wry smile that rests like a warm hand on Essek's shoulder. "Should probably come say hi first before wandering out here, though, Calliope's been practicing with her sword on anything that moves lately."

"Attacking a sick man," Essek deadpans, and Caduceus' smile splits into a genuine laugh. "The Wildmother would be thrilled, I'm sure."

"Yeah, Caleb said you stood him up because you weren't feeling well. Here, let me take a look."

"I didn't stand him up," Essek repeats, scandalized, "I just - I couldn't-" He cuts himself off. "And besides, I'm told clerical magic is unhelpful for the more common illnesses."

"Tea works on most of the other ones, once we figure out what's wrong with you." Caduceus says, unruffled. "C'mon, lie down, it'll only take a minute."

Essek lies down. There's sweat collecting in the small of his back - is that enough to fake an illness?

He remembers to cough again at the last second, earning a sympathetic hum. Perfect.

"Good. Hold still now."

Essek braces himself, not sure what's about to happen, but even that can't prepare him for the feeling as Caduceus starts massaging gently at the sides of his stomach. "Wait," he yelps, shooting upright.

Caduceus blinks. "Huh?"

Essek sputters. "What - what was that-"

The firbolg shrugs. "First step's making sure all the stuff in there is as squishy as it's supposed to be. I know it tickles, but it'll only take a bit."

Entirely without his permission, his arms wrap around himself protectively at the mere mention of tickles. Caduceus reaches for him again, and he curls up even further. "You're doing this on purpose."

The large, fuzzy hands reaching for him pause, and Essek has to hold himself back from collapsing in on himself in relief. "Why do you think I'd do that?"

Because you can tell I'm not sick, Essek thinks wretchedly. Because the Mighty Nein do the most inconvenient things at every possible turn, and I am terribly unsuited to it, and I think I might be in love with one of them and I don't know what to do about it-

"I don't know," he says instead. "Maybe I'm simply suspicious of potential abuse of power."

Caduceus tilts his head. Essek, sensing an opening, grabs the unraveling thread of the conversation and lets it pull an easy recrimination from his throat. "I do have some familiarity with the matter. It would not be undeserved, I suppose."

He thinks he's won, for a moment.

Then Caduceus laughs again, slow and warm like air rising in a pond, and - Lolth's tits, the thread was a spiderweb all along. "Is it really an abuse of power if I tickle you into telling me what you came all the way here to talk to me about in the first place? Works pretty well on Caleb, and he hasn't complained yet."

His cheeks burn. "You wouldn't!"

He would. Any member of the Nein would, most likely, and Caduceus doesn't even dignify his logic with a response as he tugs Essek backwards by the collar of his robe like an unruly kitten.

And - Luxon help him, he doesn't mind it.

[amazingmsme]

can i ask what fandoms the rest of your tickletober fics are for? :o curious if you have any more tma ones!!!!

I don’t remember when this was sent, but I do have a list of my tickletober pairings & fandoms. Even tho I’m not done with all the fics, I do plan on posting them once I write them! School’s been keeping me busy & then holiday baking, but I’m trying to catch up! We had to put one of our dogs down towards the end of the month & I got behind & have been playing catch up ever since

1. Anticipation- Miguel & Peter B ft. Spider Gang (Across the Spider-Verse)

2. Accidental- Hobie & Miguel Across the Spider-Verse)

3. Cuddles- Barbie & Ken (Barbie)

4. Weak Spot- Tommy, Alfie & Arthur (Peaky Blinders) prompted

5. “I’m not ticklish”- Artagan (aka The Traveler) Fjord & Beauregard (Critical Role)

6. Chase- Jon & Michael (The Magnus Archives)

7. Flustered- Simon, Marceline & Bubblegum (Adventure Time/Fionna and Cake)

8. Truth- Tommy & Ada ft. Shelby family (Peaky Blinders) prompted

9. Lie- Iceman & Slider (Top Gun) prompted

10. Ghost- Spiderkids, Peter B & Miguel (Across the Spider-Verse) prompted

11. Squeal- Lucas & Max (Stranger Things) prompted

12. Bites/Nibbles- Alex & Henry (Red White & Royal Blue)

13. Sneak Attack- Arthur & Tommy (Peaky Blinders) prompted

14. Soft- Prismo & Scarab (Fionna & Cake/Adventure Time)

15. Tickle Fight- David & Alexis (Schitts Creek)

16. Unusual Spot- Simon & Fionna (Fionna & Cake/Adventure Time)

17. Interrogation- Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable) prompted

18. Magic- Jon, Tim & Martin (The Magnus Archives)

19. Arms Up- Rooster & Hangman (Top Gun Maverick) prompted

20. Relentless- Nandor & Guillermo (What We Do In The Shadows)

21. New Discovery- Agent Cooper & Sheriff Truman (Twin Peaks) prompted

22. Ticklish Kiss- Steven, Marc & Layla (Moonknight) prompted

23. Incoherent- Mike, El & Nancy (Stranger Things) prompted

24. Pinned- Edgeworth, Phoenix & Larry (Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney) prompted

25. Gang Tickles- Paul, Ted, Bill & Charlotte (The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals) prompted

26. Counting- Arthur, Tommy, Ada, John & Michael (Peaky Blinders) prompted

27. Hysterical- Caleb, Mollymauk & Essek (Critical Role) prompted

28. Massage- Bones & Kirk (Star Trek) prompted

29. Wake Up!- Peter, Steph & Ted (Nerdy Prudes Must Die)

30. Caught- Narrator & Stanley (The Stanley Parable) prompted

31. Aftercare- Grace & Max (Nerdy Prudes Must Die)

[spritewrites]

day 9: (mad) scientist

Sequel to Get Connected

It’s always nice when Essek is so cooperative and generous with his spells. Molly didn’t even have to threaten him this time.

“Well now, let’s see…” He cracks his knuckles, and the little blue tiefling girl between his knees grins in anticipation. “Where would you like to start?”

Jester bites her lip thoughtfully. “Mm… Stomach, maybe?”

There’s movement out of the corner of his eye, and he casts a quick glance aside to where Caleb has wrapped both arms around his middle.

“Just get it over with,” he breathes, not meeting either of their gazes.

Mollymauk grins conspiratorially at Jester. “Come now, do you really mean that?”

Seemingly despite himself, Caleb peeks up at him with a look that tells him all he needs to know. Mollymauk prods Jester in the side, earning two distinct high-pitched yelps for his mischief.

“Excellent.”

Immediately, he’s tickling over the curve of Jester’s tummy, nails dancing over the plush softness of her dress. The jewelry on her horns jingles as she throws her head back, giggling wildly.

“Oh—oh, ahaha, you—you’re very ticklish, Caleb—” she squeaks, wriggling. Delightfully, she isn’t trying to get away at all. Not uncommon, at least, not for her, but it does make tormenting the wizard a bit more of a sure thing.

For his part, Caleb’s got both hands clamped over his face, presumably in some hopeless attempt to hide his blush. His shoulders are shaking in silent laughter, overwhelmed by whatever combination has been created of Jester’s ticklishness and his own crippling sensitivity. It’s dreadfully endearing, all told.

“Is he more ticklish than you, here?” Mollymauk asks, half-teasing and half-curious. Jester nods, which. Cute. He makes a mental note to keep track of this sort of thing; maybe he should talk to Beau about keeping statistics. “I see. How about here?”

His fingers brush lower, over the tops of her hipbones, and she squeals and grabs his wrists in a rush. “Nohoho—I mehean, no, but also—ahaha, not there, Molly!”

“Oh, is this a good spot?” Mollymauk’s claws pinch at the squishy bit at the bottom of her tummy, his thumbs massaging just inside the bowls of her hips, and Jester screeches, all fangs and flushed cheeks.

“Nnahaa—oho, please! Plehease!!”

“Begging already?” Mollymauk teases, but she doesn’t get a chance to defend herself. Caleb is flopping over a few feet away, stamping his feet on the carpet in desperation.

“Eeehe, enough, enou—Scheiße, arschloch! Erbarme dich!” he snorts, laughing helplessly into his hands. He looks good enough to eat, wriggling like an overstimulated kitten and letting out the most adorable sounds. He actually squeaks when a stray tickle brushes the outer edge of Jester’s belly button.

Mollymauk tries not to blush. It can be tricky to notice on a tiefling, but Jester could see right through him if she caught a glimpse.

Jester’s looking a little purple herself, which isn’t too surprising—it’s usually her hips that break her. And if she survives that, there’s always her thighs. But of course, Mollymauk wouldn’t want to be selfish with Essek’s spells. And Jester could go all day, but the wizard can be much more finicky. Best to get his plans in motion sooner rather than later.

In one swift move, he flips the tiefling between his knees. Jester lets out an “oof” as she lands facedown in the carpet, giggling into her smushed nose.

“What’re you—eep—”

Molly’s hands are already scurrying up her sides again, fiddling with the backs of her ribs in a way that makes his two victims cackle.

“I have a hypothesis,” he says, grinning as Jester’s fists find carpet and hair and everything in reach except his tickling fingers. “And I’d like to test it out.”

“Hyp-ah, hee, a hypothesis?” Jester squeaks. Mollymauk’s dancing touch converges on her lower back, just above the base of her tail. He glances at Caleb exactly in time to see him spasm, his eyes widening.

“N-nohoho, Molly, no—”

Oh, good. He’s figured it out.

“You remember what I said last time, I assume?” Mollymauk asks him. Caleb looks like he’s trying to decide whether curling into a ball would be a good idea. “A secondary experiment?”

His fingers have not stilled on Jester’s back, and one claw tickles ruthlessly at the spot where her tail meets her back, exactly where it always drives him crazy. Sure enough, Jester squeals and kicks, feet thumping against the floor.

“Mehehean!” she cries, but it pales in comparison to the shriek that Caleb lets out as his entire spine attempts to fold in half.

Mollymauk smiles.

“The t-tail is unfair, M—oho, HA!” Lithe violet fingertips scamper up the length of Jester’s tail, anticipating each defensive twitch and wriggle with grace and mercilessness. Claws graze over the ridges, seeking the spots that work best on Molly’s own tail— about six inches up the underside, the one that Yasha knows about near where it hangs by his knee, the smooth stretch just before the spade at the tip. Jester responds beautifully, squirming and shrieking with laughter, succumbing to the instinctual panic but still staying generous enough not to whip her tail out of reach.

Caleb doesn’t even maintain a fraction of that control. He’s screeching into the floor, beet red and smiling wider than Molly’s ever seen, waving his hands frantically at an empty space behind his back. Once, he attempts to crawl over to the tieflings, to… stop them? Encourage them? Tough to say, but regardless, Mollymauk scratches just under the spade of Jester’s tail and he collapses with a wail.

He seems not to know what to do with himself—he’s long lost his ability to speak, much less explain himself, and has resorted to some kind of wild thrashing that might be helping… if he had a tail. Without one, he just seems to be doing his best impersonation of a beached octopus.

Well. Hypothesis answered.

Still, no one could begrudge Mollymauk a little extra fun.

Devilish, he flutters the tips of his claws over the very end of the tail, and Jester and Caleb squeal, their loudest yet. Jester’s is so high-pitched that it sounds like she’s trying to echolocate, and Molly just can’t help himself—he bursts out laughing, dropping Jester’s tail and pressing his forehead in between her shoulder blades with the force of his mirth.

Her whole torso is shaking, quivering with the vibrations of leftover giggles that peter out like a sputtering candle flame. She’s just too adorable, Mollymauk has to give her another goose to the ribs. Her squeak nearly makes him collapse into giggles again, but he manages to control himself enough to look over at their resident puddle of wizard.

Caleb’s still red from the tips of his ears all down his neck, and his chest is heaving under his book holsters, trying to control the last few threads of laughter that are leaking from the corners of his mouth. He notices Molly looking, and buries his face in his hands.

Molly grins. “All right over there?”

Caleb hiccups. Cute.

“Well,” Molly says cheerfully, scritching fondly between Jester’s horns and smiling when she purrs, “my curiosity’s sated. I’ll have to come up with another hypothesis for next time we’re at an inn, hm?”

“Ooh, yes, there’s so much else!” Jester beams, wriggling around between Mollymauk’s knees until she’s face-up again. “I wonder if Yasha’s wings are ticklish?”

“Only one way to find out.”

Mollymauk jerks his head up, whipping around to stare at Caleb. The wizard’s wearing a sheepish little grin, peeking out from between his fingers.

“I mean…” he continues, “if the two of you would like, of course.”

Fuck. That’s hopelessly cute. Mollymauk can’t not tickle him.

He only barely hears Jester’s screeches of “The spell, Molly!” before he’s on Caleb with wriggling fingers, and gods, all three of them are already giggling.

[spacetickles]

The Mighty Nein: Tickle Headcanons

no one asked for this but I liked making the TAZ headcanons so much I did it anyway. 

the mighty nein from most ticklish to least ticklish

Caleb

A ticklish baby, he thought he grew out of it in the years since his academy days, but alas. He is ticklish everywhere, it cannot be helped. His worst worst spot (not a hot take at all) is the tops of his ribs, he cannot handle it. He’s definitely the number one victim of tickle attacks out of the nein, they all love getting their wizard to laugh. Caleb is a bit new to tickling, it's been a good long while since he’d known positive touch, but he warms up to it quickly. 

He cannot ler to save his life, lord knows he’s tried, he’s just so bad at it. It’s very very rare he gets the actual confidence to do a good job and it crumbles the minute revenge is even thought of

Essek 

Second most ticklish of the nein, and who’s surprised? It has to be a wizard thing. His worst spot is probably his hips or his legs, though his feet are definitely bad. He thinks tickling is so undignified, he says he’d rather fight a dragon solo, but the nein can see right through his lies. He not so secretly loves it. 

His ears twitch if you tickle anywhere near them and it’s adorable.

He is a better ler than Caleb but only marginally. Mostly because he’s so damn easy to overpower, just flops right over and takes it.

Fjord

He says he’s not ticklish but he’s also really bad at keeping the fact that he’s stupid ticklish a secret. His stomach and sides are 100% a weak spot, and is actually one of his favorites too. He didn’t really even know he was ticklish until he met Jester and the nein. 

This man can Tease, his ticking skills need some work, but he more than makes up for it with the teasing, it’s inescapable and no one is immune, NO ONE. 

Molly

Ticklish and loves it, he is a little slut for tickles and we love him for it. His back, tail and hips are definitely the worst. He says his hips are, but it’s only because he can’t handle his back and tail being tickled, he just becomes a pile of purple goo. 

The biggest ler next to jester, his tail is a weapon and he knows it. It's surprisingly effective as a tickle tool, just pointed enough, but not sharp, it feels similar to a pen or a chopstick. Even without his tail, he is killer, he knows everyone’s spots by heart and he could rival Fjord at teasing, and when he teams up with Jester, with the traveler as their witness no one goes untickled.

Jester

In comparison to some of her teammates she’s not all that ticklish, pretty much right in the middle. Her thighs and her stomach are the worst spots, though her tail is also pretty ticklish. She is very very comfortable with tickling, she has absolutely no shame, I am HERE for the “all tieflings are knismos” agenda, and Jester was raised by her mumma, who is equally shameless about tickling. She simply cannot be flustered by it, the only one to have succeeded in getting her flustered is Fjord. 

The undefeated tickle queen of the nein. Any tickle fight she wants to win, she will win. She loves tickling others as much as she loves being tickled, and frankly Adores how squirmy non-tieflings are on the topic. She could just talk about it for hours, but everyone but Molly always gets so red, she thinks it's funny. 

Beau

She will eat you alive, don't touch her. She's only ticklish in a few spots, her sides being the number one spot. But for the first little while she did not let the nein even close to tickling her. But once Jester gave her some puppy dog eyes she couldn't say no anymore. Don't let that fool you she absolutely loves it, she just isn't used to it, and was way too attached to looking tough. 

A wicked ler, she will absolutely use her monk shit, and paralyze her lee. She's really rough, and it can be unpleasant, but fjord, caduceus and yasha have been working to get her to be a little softer. 

Caduceus 

Mr zen cow man I loooovve you. He's not very ticklish, but his ears and neck can really get him giggling. His hands are surprisingly sensitive too. He’s used to his siblings knowing exactly how to get him to scream, so he’s not exactly threatened by the nein, he just lets them go for it, hes ticklish enough to satiate their curiosity without finding any of his bad spots, but he can also just pick up the ler and turn the tables just that easy. 

He's a really soft ler, and specializes in sleepy cuddly tickles. Plus he is so big and fluffy that he can just give his lee butterflies with, like, no effort. Up until when caduceus tried tickling him, no one knew essek could purr. 

Yasha 

She's not very ticklish, but if she's tired and off her guard, her stomach can get her giggling a little. It makes her a little sad she isn't as ticklish as some of the others, but she's more than willing to make up for that by being the ler. 

Another soft ler, she doesnt know her own strength, so she's extra careful with tickling. It's almost unbearable how soft she is, unlike caduceus, her soft tickling is the kind that lights every nerve up with lighting, and goodness she teases, though she isn't particularly smooth it’s all so endearing mixed with the unbearably soft tickling, she is one of the best lers in the nein, up there with Molly and Jester. 

Veth

Veth is not ticklish at all, and she lords this over the rest of the nein by being the biggest shit. She's little and hard to catch and she uses this to her advantage, anyone with a tickle spot from hips down is in danger of random attacks, and spots higher than that are susceptible to mage hand attacks. And the best(worst) part is that no one can get her back, since she is not ticklish in the slightest. (unless you are Yeza, in which case he knows her one secret spot and has been sworn to secrecy on it)