#beheheh very giddy

[tickletastic]

Secrets Between Siblings

Fandom: The Haunting Of Hill House

Ship: N/A

Summary: Luke had been texting someone with a smile on his face, and all that Steve wants to know is who is making his brother so happy.

Notes: Day Two of my 31 days of fics! 

Steve has to admit it. Having been the eldest sibling, he very, very rarely admitted when he was in the wrong. He preferred to be right, or at least have the ability to act like he was right even if he was wrong. This time, he had to admit it, he was wrong. He had spent so long not believing Luke, or dismissing him, because to Steve, it was easier to blame his brother for his addiction instead of ever admitting that Luke could be right about something. 

Since becoming clean, Luke was on a straight and narrow path, and he was doing better and better. He had gotten a job as a puppy trainer, and he had gotten a beautiful, modern apartment in downtown Boston. His kitchen and living room were open, and there were floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the lights and sights of Boston. 

Steve had been wrong. He was very, very wrong, and he feels bad for it nearly every day. Now, he was trying to fix his mistakes, something that he also rarely does. He decided that he would try to be a better brother, which meant that he had to annoy Luke whenever he got the chance, of course.

Luke was never too enthusiastic. That didn’t mean that he was never happy, or that he didn’t have many emotions, but his emotions were always contained and pretty hard to read. Today, Luke was visibly giddy, and Steve was very much enjoying it. Luke couldn’t sit still, pacing every few minutes around the perimeter of the kitchen and living room. 

Every once in a while, a shrill ding would echo throughout the room, interrupting the episode of Queer Eye that Luke decided to force Steve to watch (Luke thought that Steve would make a great candidate for the next season).  It was at the point where Steve was getting a little annoyed, he could barely even hear Tan, so he decided to tease his brother. 

When he looked over, Luke was deeply engulfed in whatever, or whoever, was lighting up his phone. His fingers were moving miles a minute, and Luke could tell that he was trying to suppress his smile, yet failing miserably.

“Who ya texting?” Steve asked, trying to look at Luke’s phone. 

Luke blushed, quickly placing the screen face down and holding it to his chest in a way that Steve could only compare to a teenage girl with a diary. This reaction brought pleasure to Steve, and a sense of duty to figure out why said reaction was warranted.

“Could this be a special someone?” Steve teased, throwing a sly wink in Luke’s direction. Luke’s face turned even pinker, he had always been naturally bashful, but teasing from his siblings never helped. 

“Leave me alone, Steve,” Luke defended, putting his face down in his hands. 

“No can do, Luke. It’s just too easy to bother you.”

Luke tried to get up from his place on the couch, but he was quickly brought back down by Steve. “Hey, what are you doing?”

Steve had a shit-eating grin on his face as he successfully pined Luke to the couch. “Well, if you won’t tell me who you’re texting, I’ll just have to coerce you.”

Luke pushed Steve, and being much bigger and stronger, Steve knew he had to do something. He reached out his fingers and tasered Luke, and his younger brother instantly brought his hands back. 

“So tell me,” Steve began, his voice holding an aspect of mischief, “are you still as ticklish as you were when we were kids?”

Now Luke was really trying to push his brother off of him, but he brought his arms down to his sides in defense when Steve started to spider his fingers up and down his ribs. Luke had never been able to stifle his laughter, and his immediate, still child-like giggles were incentive enough for Steve to continue. 

Steve couldn’t help but smile at the sight, he was glad that even now, years later, he could still reduce Luke to a pile of giggles and pleas. 

“Stehehevie stop! You’re beheheheing aahahannoying!” Luke giggled out, trying to protect himself from the probing fingers and failing miserably.

“I’ll stop when you tell me about this mystery person that you’re texting. C’mon Luke, how are you still this ticklish after so many years?” Steve teased, curious about who it was that could be making Luke look like such a lovesick teenager.

Steve traced his fingers over Luke’s stomach, and his brother snorted softly, shaking his head back and forth. “Plehease! Dohohon’t!”

“Don’t what?”

“Tickle me!” Luke couldn’t believe that he had fallen for Steve’s dirty old trick, and he started to beg for Steve’s mercy. All Steve could do was laugh, shaking his head, but his curiosity was getting the best of him and he knew that his brother would soon turn the tables. 

Steve’s fingers shot up quickly, wiggling under Luke’s arms, and his brother screamed out before falling into hysterical laughter.

“Ohohokay! Steheheve I’ll tehehell you!” Luke screamed, his thrashing growing violent. Steve stopped, partially for his own safety, and scooted back to his previous spot. He let Luke catch his breath, but once he had, he looked at him expectantly. Once Luke realized, he blushed a deep red and bowed his head. 

Luke started to fidget with his fingers, eyes still fixated on his hands. “I- uh, I met someone.”

#the haunting of hill house #steve crain #steven crain #luke crain #ticklish!luke #daily writing #prompt