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thelaughtercafe · 19 hours

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MA'AM THIS IS SO GOOD

I'm so attached to Eurydice and pissed at Hades and I haven't even met the God.

Odysseus is so mean and really not holding back. Eurylochus made me smile at the end and gave me, and Polites some hope. I just wanna give him a hug I swear 🥺

You really nail his feelings of loneliness and you're such an inspiration to me I swear eidbwodbfiw ❤️

I cannot WAIT to see where this goes from here!!! I will be eagerly awaiting the next chapters like an affection starved cat.

Restless ‘Til We Reach Home

Anywhere I’d Follow You (ch. 1)

AN: happy underworld saga release day! Literally the day we’ve all been waiting for! This fic is my pride & joy rn so I hope y’all like it! Be sure to buckle in cause you’re in for one hell of a ride! The underworld saga is literally everything I could’ve imagined & more, & it makes this chapter hit so much harder. & I wouldn’t have it any other way 💗

Polites woke alone in the darkness. Or at least, he thought he was alone, until he felt a body shift next to him. The sky above was an inky black, completely devoid of stars. It didn't feel right.

He jolted upright, the ground underneath him rocking with his movement. No, it wasn't the ground, it was wood. He was on a small boat, and the bodies around him were his fellow soldiers. Most still remained unconscious.

"Odysseus!" he called out, but received no answer. "Eurylochus!" His voice echoed down the approaching canyon, bouncing back until it met his ears.

"Shhhh," a husky voice sounded from above. Polites startled and looked up, seeing a cloaked man standing at the back of the boat. His face was concealed by the hood pulled over its head, the only discernible feature being two bony hands peeking out from his sleeves. They clutched onto an oar, thrusting the boat further on its journey.

Polites crawled to the edge of the boat and leaned out, and he was greeted by perhaps the most beautiful sight. They were floating on a glowing river, the water a brilliant blue green. It was as he was staring into the ethereal water that he realized why the sky had no stars: they'd all fallen in the river.

The awestruck smile fell flat when he took a good look at his surroundings.

Everywhere he looked was gray and rocky and completely devoid of life. He heard people moaning in the distance and could see them trudging along in mindless huddles. Small fights broke out amongst them, and Polites could see fires burn in the distance.

He had to be dreaming, he was sure of it! He pinched his arm as hard as he could until he yelped from the pain. When he didn't wake up, he reached his hands into the water, splashing his face repeatedly.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, wake up!" he yelled each time the cool water hit his skin. His vision blurred as the water dripped down his face and his eyes filled with tears. His shoulders shook as he sobbed, leaning over the edge of the boat. He could feel when they hit the shore, but he didn't budge, even as everyone else filed out.

The ripples around the boat began to calm, and soon enough the surface of the water was as smooth as glass. His eyes met his reflection and he jerked back, rocking the boat slightly. Hesitantly, he leaned back over the glowing water to get a closer look. Ripples sent minor shockwaves through his reflection, slowing until it showed a clear picture.

A choked gasp escaped his throat as he clamped a hand over his mouth. He looked up at the ferryman, who nodded solemnly. The tears he'd been holding back finally rolled down past his cheeks.

His head hung low as he cried, and he could feel each tear drip from his nose or chin. When he opened his eyes again, he saw tiny dots of red on his toga. Hesitantly, he reached up to wipe the tears from his face. When he pulled away, his hands were stained red.

He thrusted his hands in the water, scrubbing furiously to rid them of the blood. The stream before him turned a pale pink before the current carried it away.

Polites knew exactly where he was.

At first he tried to lay low, but he had always been outgoing and friendly, even to those who weren't so friendly back. But it quickly became clear that down here, no one wanted to talk to him. Or so it would seem.

Polites got into the habit of exploring the underworld every day. There was nothing to do but wander aimlessly or work, and Polites much preferred the former. It was while on one of these walks that he spotted a young woman kneeling by the riverbank. At first he thought nothing of it, but the closer he got, he could hear her quiet sobs and sniffles.

He approached cautiously, waving when he felt he was close enough to warrant a greeting. "Well hello there!" he said in a chipper voice, offering a shy grin. She looked up at the stranger before her, yelping and falling back onto her hands. He was quick to put her at ease.

"Hey hey, it's okay! I'm nice, I was just crushed by a cyclops," he explained his appearance, aiming for humor. The girl's lips twitched in a fleeting smile.

"Oh! Um, I'm sorry..." she apologized, and he waved a hand dismissively.

"Why? You have something to do with it?" he joked, smiling when she giggled, shaking her head.

"Noho..."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for!" He turned to her, holding his hand out to her. "I'm Polites." She studied him, chewing her lip before she accepted it.

"Eurydice."

"Ah, what a lovely name for a lovely woman," he complimented. Her smile was tainted with sadness. "I'm sorry, are you alright?" he asked gently. She shook her head, plastering on a fake smile.

"I'm in Hades, why wouldn't I be fine?" she tried to joke like he'd done moments before, but it fell flat.

"You know, if you need to get something off your chest, I'm all ears. I was practically the sole shoulder to cry on for 600 men." His tone made it impossible for Eurydice to discern whether or not he was being serious. Finally, she decided, "Yeah right."

"No really! Well, obviously not all of them took me up on my offer, but I'm a great listener," he offered with a warm, genuine smile. She let out an amused huff.

"I know it sounds stupid, but... I really thought I was gonna bust outta here." Polites placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I don't think it's stupid at all. I mean, we all want out-"

"No, you don't get it!" she spun around to face him, tears in her eyes. Polites held his hands up in surrender on reflex, his entire body tense. Eurydice heaved a sigh, burying her face in her hands. "I was so close..."

Polites was almost afraid to ask, but, "C-close to what?"

Eurydice looked up with wide, tearful eyes as she stared longingly out into the distance. She spoke breathily as her mind began to wander, "Freedom."

Polites couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Wait, you mean you were trying to leave? How?" he asked desperately, the wounds on his face and body starting to bleed.

"I wasn't on my own. Orpheus came for me."

"Orpheus?" he questioned.

"I died on our wedding day..." she answered, trailing off as she stared at the ground. "And he risked everything to come save me. We could've made it out and we'd both be happy. Start a family..." she took a grounding breath, drying her eyes. "I never did get to hear how his song turned out."

Polites perked up slightly. "Oh, he's a musician?" he asked. She smiled as she remembered her love.

"Mhm. Said he was gonna write a song to fix what's wrong with the world," she said, amusement clear in her tone. "Guess he hasn't finished it yet."

"Well, sounds like he's got his work cut out for him. I can't imagine it'll be easy for him, without you," he said softly. A sob caught in Eurydice's throat as she looked away, closing her eyes softly.

"Don't. Please."

"Sorry," he immediately apologized, feeling rather guilty.

"It's fine. It's not like it's your fault or anything."

Polites looked at her, mouth slightly agape as he tried to decipher whether she was teasing him as he'd done earlier, or if it was sheer coincidence. The subtle twitch of her lips was all he needed to know. He barked out a laugh, bumping their shoulders together.

"Well would you look at that! Looks like someone's getting their sense of humor back!" he praised, making her roll her eyes.

"Never left," she lied. Her gaze locked on the Palace of Hades, and Polites followed her line of sight.

"He had something to do with it, didn't he?"

Eurydice took a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah."

"They usually do. Even when you don't think so... They do."

~~~

Life in Hades is not what Polites expected.

For one, he didn't know where the crumbling rubble ended and the new scaffolding began. Every day it seemed, the underworld would change ever so slightly. Buildings and complex machinery were all being built before his very eyes. It was nothing like Polites had ever seen.

Slowly, copper and iron replaced stonework as buildings all but erected themselves, and horseless chariots carted material to various work sites. The grand palace in the center of the underworld has all but doubled in size in the short time he's been here. And jutting out from the southern east corner, stood an imposing factory spitting black smoke. It felt... wrong. Almost as if Hades had tried to tuck it away out of sight, only for his greed to force it to grow until the rocks could conceal it no longer.

He said he was doing this for them; that he was creating a greater home for their eternity. So then, why was he turning the air thick with smog? Why must the tortured souls carry the burden of his progress?

Nothing was right anymore. Then again, nothing had been right for a long time.

~~~

Polites never thought he'd grow used to the underworld, but with Eurydice, he found a flow. They steered clear of the mindless work convoys, with their bowl shaped helmets and tools in hand. They marched along packed gravel roads in uniform lines, singing in a low, menacing chant.

They didn't stray far from the riverbanks, and when they did, chose to walk through rolling fields of nothing but dead grass and dirt. They found solace in the few crumbling ruins that have yet to undergo renovations.

Shriveled vines choked out the grand archway the pair sat under, but not even the resilience of nature could last under a God's iron grip. Polites closed his eyes, trying to picture the lush foliage that swallowed the rubble of a once ancient building. When he opened his eyes, he was met with the disappointing reality of thick, dry vines sprawling over crumbling stone as if caught in a wooden spiderweb.

"You ever made a flower crown?"

The question came out of nowhere, catching him off guard. If asked, he would deny the way he had jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Um, n-no, I can't say I have."

When Polites didn't elaborate, Eurydice continued. "My sisters and I used to pick flowers in the meadow behind our house and we'd spend hours weaving crowns and necklaces while we talked." She smiled at the fond, distant memory. Polites smiled back.

"That sounds really lovely," he assured. He saw the longing in her eyes, could feel the ache in her heart. If only he could ease that pain...

"It was. I think you'd really like it. Heh, too bad I can't teach you."

"Yeah, that's too bad," he lamented in agreement before an idea struck him. "Or, you know... we could still try," he suggested, holding up a handful of dry vines and twigs. Eurydice's face lit up with a smile as bright as the sun.

"Really? You mean that?"

"Well, I mean, I'm sure yours turned out much better than whatever we can make down here, but-" his rambling was cut off when Eurydice slammed into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in a grateful hug.

~~~

Polites had lost track of how long he'd been there, though he was grateful for Eurydice's company. It was the single source of comfort since he'd awoken in the underworld, the one reminder that there was once a time when things were good.

They would walk along the riverbanks, sharing stories from their lives. Eurydice once said that Orpheus would've liked Polites, and he swelled with pride. The feeling would've been mutual, he assured.

He can't help but to picture his friends meeting this lively young spirit, ripped from the Earth too soon. He thinks they'd like her too.

There were no days and nights here; everything ran together in one big screaming haze. At times, Polites thought they were the only souls down here who weren't screaming...

He missed being alive. He missed his friends, missed the way the sun warmed his skin, the way the sea would taste on the air, the way the wind would whip through his hair. He missed food, and feeling hungry, or tired. He missed the way he could feel his heart race in his chest when Odysseus would put himself in harms way, only to come out unscathed.

He always came out unscathed, no matter the challenge.

He was walking alone, trying to clear his head when he heard his name being called. "Polites! Polites!"

He turned to see Eurydice running towards him, feet pounding against the rocky shore. He met her halfway, picking up on her sense of urgency.

"Eurydice! Is everything alri-"

"There's a ship," she rushed out breathlessly. His eyes went wide and he scanned the horizon.

"Of course, the ferryman brings people-"

"No, I mean a real, living ship!" she emphasized with a playful punch to his shoulder. He smirked down at her, bumping their hips together.

"You know ships aren't really alive," he teased, tilting his head back to laugh at his own joke. She rolled her eyes, snatching the bandana from around his head. His hands flew up a second too late as he turned to face her. "Hey!"

She giggled, waving the bandana out of reach. "I'm being serious!" she insisted through a smile. He snorted, snatching the cloth from her grasp playfully.

"Yeah, that's why you stole my bandana," he taunted, shooting her a grin.

"You weren't listening! Just look!" she pointed in the distance. Polites looked up to humor her and gasped when he saw a large ship creeping up the river. It was much closer to them now. He took a step away from the bank.

Eurydice smirked, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "You believe me now?" He nodded wordlessly, mouth gaping open in shock.

They stood like that, just frozen in awe watching it get closer. The figures aboard the ship were now visible, and Polites shaded his eyes, squinting up at the deck. Did he really see what he thought he saw? Was that really...

"Steady as she goes men!" A figure paced around the deck, barking orders and securing the ship. Polites would know that voice anywhere.

"Odysseus?" he asked, barely aware he said the name aloud. Eurydice gasped and snapped her head to look at him.

"Odysseus? Like, like your Odysseus?" she asked frantically. Polites looked back at the ship for some other kind of proof, spotting Eurylochus at the wheel.

"Yes, I'm sure. Look, there's Eurylochus," he said, pointing at his friend.

She turned to him with an expression on her face that he hadn't seen since the day they first met.

"You have to go."

His head snapped down to look at her, "What?"

"They came here looking for you! I mean, why else would they come all the way here?" she asked, clutching to the fabric of his toga. "You're important to them, Polites. You're the missing piece, they need you," she pleaded.

The ship was right in front of them now, Odysseus clutching the rail of the ship with a horrified look. When his eyes landed on Polites, he froze, all the color quickly draining from his face. He turned away abruptly.

"I-I don't know Eurydice. That doesn't really seem like- I'm sure there's gotta be another reason!" He wasn't sure why or how they were here, but he had a hard time believing it would be for him. It would hurt too much, getting his hopes up like that.

"A reason to go through the underworld?" she asked incredulously. Her expression softened, and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They've missed you."

A sob caught in his throat. "Yeah, I miss them too."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

He turned to her, tears in his eyes. "B-but what about you? You can't come, and I can't leave you!" he said, gripping onto her hands for dear life. "Y-you'd be alone again, I can't do that!"

"Shh, hey, hey, look at me," she said in a soothing voice, but Polites could see the tears shining in her eyes. "Don't think of it like that, okay? You're doing this for me." She squeezed his hands so hard, her knuckles were turning white. Funny, how even their spirits react like they still have blood.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, but a soft hand cupping his face brought him back to reality. "Hades only made sure I couldn't get out, just to spite our love. He won't notice if you escape, I promise," she reassured. He placed a hand atop hers, still shaking his head.

"You can't promise that-"

"Maybe, but I can try. Please Polites," she was practically begging at this point. "One of us has to see the sun again."

A sob shuttered through his body and he surged forward, grabbing her in a tight hug- their last hug. Maybe the last hug he'd ever be able to actually feel.

"I don't want to leave you," he muttered into her hair. He could feel her tears begin to fall down his arm like raindrops.

"Me either, but you have to. It's your only chance." She held on for a few more seconds before allowing herself to slip away.

"Goodbye Eurydice. Thank you for... everything."

"Farewell Polites. I know you'll keep them safe."

He nodded to her before turning towards the ship, marching along the shore. He got about halfway before her sweet voice called out to him.

"Polites, wait!" He stopped in his tracks, turning just in time to catch her in his arms. Her hands carded through thick black hair as she squeezed him tight. She kissed his cheek, pulling away to whisper in his ear, "If you ever come across Orpheus, please tell him I'm okay."

"Of course. You have my word," he promised.

When Eurydice pulled away, a small amount of blood was smeared on her lips and cheek. Polites decided not to dwell on what that meant.

~~~

Polites jogged along the riverbank until he caught back up with the ship. He waded into the water, trying to figure out how to get back on the ship. He saw a rope nearby and grabbed ahold, climbing up. The rope swayed with the ship as if it were weightless, making it more difficult to ascend.

The rope slapped against the side of the ship, sending Polites hurling through the hull of the ship and into the lower deck. His body tumbled and hit a few crates, causing them to come crashing down.

"Oh no no no!" he muttered, trying to restack them, only for his hands to phase right through.

On the deck above, Odysseus heard the commotion and ordered one of his men to investigate as he continued to warn the others to stay on guard.

He trudged below deck, not expecting what awaited him.

Polites yelped when he heard a clatter behind him, turning to see one of the soldiers standing in the doorway, his sword laying on the ground before him. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man turned on his heels and scrambled up the stairs.

"Captain!"

Odysseus immediately ran to the soldier's aid, hand on the hilt of his sword. "What was it?"

"I-it was Polites, Sir..."

The captain bristled at the name, turning his back on the man.

"Impossible."

"But I'm telling you, he was right there!"

Odysseus sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Listen to me, brother. This place is not to be trusted, okay? Nothing that you see or hear is to be trusted. Those were Circe's words. Got that?"

The man nodded, though he was clearly still shaken up. Odysseus sighed once more.

"Come on. Why don't you show me where he was," he said, deciding it might be a good idea to help put both their minds at ease.

Odysseus crept down the stairs carefully, eyes scanning the shadows for any intruders.

"Hello? Anyone down here?" He was met with silence. He didn't know how tense he was until his fears were put at ease. It was empty.

"The boxes must've fallen on their own, it's been a little bumpy. Let's go," he ordered, picking up the discarded sword and holding it out for the man to take.

Meanwhile, Polites was crouched behind a barrel on the upper deck, watching what few soldiers remained. They all looked so different, but none more than Odysseus. He watched as his friend marched up the stairs to resume his task of guiding the ship.

But... his directions didn't sound right. The way Odysseus was leading them would pass by two guardians, and more would surely die. Odysseus didn't know his way around here like he did, to no fault of his own. But Polites couldn't let that happen.

He made sure no one was looking when he crept from his hiding spot.

He stood behind Eurylochus, hesitant to speak. But the fork in the river was approaching.

"Actually, you're gonna wanna take a right," he said from behind. Eurylochus jumped at the unexpected voice, turning to face him. His face morphed in terror as he saw the man before him.

"CAPTA-mmm!"

"Shhh!" Polites shushed, slapping a hand over his friend's mouth. Eurylochus tried to shove him away, only for his hands to phase through his attacker's arm. His eyes were wide with fear as he fumbled for his sword, still trying to steer the ship through the narrow waterway. "It's me! You have to trust me!"

"I don't think so."

Polites turned to see the tip of a sword pointed at him, the eyes of Odysseus staring him down with a vengeance.

"Captain, I-"

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, taking a step closer. Polites let go of Eurylochus, shying away behind him. "Now who are you really?" he all but growled.

Polites furrowed his brow in confusion. "Do... do you not recognize me?" he asked weakly. Odysseus let out a low, sadistic chuckle, and it was hard to believe this was his beloved friend.

"Ohoho I know who you want us to think it is! But we've been through enough, I know a trap when I see one. So I'm only asking one more time." He pressed the blade to where his throat would be. "Who. Are. You."

"Odysseus, it really is me! W-why don't you believe me?" he asked helplessly, realizing his sword wasn't the only one trained towards him.

"Why should I?"

"B-because I'm trying to help you!" he insisted. There was a long stretch of silence before Odysseus answered.

"I don't believe you."

Odysseus reared back, preparing to strike. Polites panicked, he didn't know where else to go, where to hide. On instinct he clutched onto Eurylochus for protection.

He opened his eyes, and Eurylochus was gone. No, that wasn't right... he could still hear him. He sounded... scared.

"Captain... help me," his hand raised on its own towards Odysseus. No, that wasn't his hand...

The soldiers had cowered back when Polites disappeared; they were all clearly on edge.

"Eurylochus?" Odysseus asked carefully.

"He's here."

Polites had to speak up, he had to make them listen.

"Please, I'm just trying to help." He spoke with a double voice. "I know a better way. Please... you have to trust me. I'm- I'm not a god, or whatever you think I am," he pleaded. "I'm me."

Odysseus glared at him, lips curled in a sneer. A tense silence fell over them as the seconds ticked by.

"Fine." He stepped back and lowered his sword. "As you were." When no one moved, he repeated himself in a harsher tone. "As you were!" They immediately broke up and returned to their posts, keeping an eye on their new passenger.

"Are... you gonna stand there the whole time?" he asked carefully.

"Yup," Odysseus answered, popping the p. "Are you gonna hide the whole time?" he countered.

Polites took a breath to ground himself. By the Gods, it felt good to breathe again... But this wasn't his body. These weren't his lungs…

"That depends. Are you gonna pull your sword on me again?" he asked.

"Only if you try anything." That was as good an answer as any, he supposed. Polites sighed, stepping out of his friend's body.

Eurylochus gasped as he regained full control of his limbs. He lurched forward, using the steering wheel for support. He glared at the spectral intruder.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded. Polites held his hands up in surrender. "I-I don't know! I was scared, I panicked!"

Eurylochus glared down at him, getting in his personal space to get his point across. "Don't do it again." A gentle hand on his shoulder snapped him out of it.

"Eurylochus, why not get some rest? Feel free to use my quarters," Odysseus offered. Eurylochus nodded in thanks, but not once did he take his eyes off Polites.

Odysseus was steering now, his mind elsewhere as he thought of what the prophet Tiresias had foretold.

"There is a world where I help you get home, but that's not a world I know..."

"You're gonna want to hang left, there's some larger rocks.

"I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it's no longer you."

"Captain?"

Odysseus didn't like who he was becoming, but each challenged left him more broken than the last, and the mosaic he was creating of himself was more of an abomination.

"Captain watch out!"

Odysseus shook himself out of it, cutting the wheel to avoid the boulders. Polites watched him carefully, waiting for his friend to thank him and smile like he used to.

That moment never came.

Polites crossed his arms and huffed, "You're welcome."

Odysseus clenched his jaw. The imposter's tone was light and teasing, and so much like the friend he knew. But the underworld was nothing but lies and deceit, danger lurking around every corner. He was sure the man before him was nothing more than a farce.

"Just stop pretending," he sighed in defeat.

"Come again?" Polites asked, cocking his head. Odysseus tensed at the disgusting cracking sound the movement made.

"Nothing. Just- no more talking until we're safe."

We. Polites smiled as he stood next to his friend, just like old times. It never occurred to him that he wasn't meant to be included in that statement.

"Okay Captain."

Polites remained by his side, offering directions whenever they're needed. He doesn't dare speak beyond that, knowing how testy his friend can be when he's trying to focus. Not to mention he seemed like he was in a bad mood to begin with.

He had no idea.

"Alright, it shouldn't be much farther. Just go straight through there," Polites guided, pointing towards a cave on the horizon. The smallest amount of sunlight shimmered through.

"Everyone! Full speed ahead!" Odysseus yelled across the ship, men scurrying about the deck.

Odysseus kept his eyes trained on their destination as he spoke. "Thank you... You can go now."

"Oh! Right, you're- you're busy. We can talk later," Polites said, backing away. "I should probably go apologize to Eurylochus." He turned to make his leave, but Odysseus stood guarding his path.

"Stay away from him," he threatened, face shrouded by long, matted hair and hidden behind a thick beard. His once warm gaze turned black as he trained his weapon at Polites for a second time.

If he were still alive, his heart would be pounding right out of his chest.

"Odysseus? You're scaring me," Polites said, looking him up and down.

"AND YOU'RE SCARING EVERYONE!" he screamed, surging forward. Polites is taller than him, even when he's not floating, but Odysseus's presence towers over him.

"Wha-what?" he breathed out, backing himself against the rail. Odysseus kept him trapped there for a few more seconds before turning away. Polites spared a glance and saw every pair of eyes resting solely on him, hushed whispers floating about as hands hovered over their own weapons. He looked back at his captain with wide, fearful eyes.

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to..."

Odysseus ignored him, not so much as a glance his way. And that hurt.

"Odysseus?"

"Don't call me that," he snarled, finally looking over his shoulder. Polites couldn't help but snicker.

"Don't call you by your name? Okay, Captain," he teased, hoping to catch a glimpse of that brilliant smile.

"Knock it off! You're not as funny as you think you are," Odysseus snapped, making him pout.

"Ouch. You know, my new friend Eurydice thought I was hilarious. She-"

"I don't care."

Polites felt his phantom heart sink at those words. Odysseus had never spoken to him like that before...

"Oh. O-okay. I'll just, um, I'll go."

"Good riddance."

Polites tried to stifle the hurt gasp he let out, biting his quivering lip. He just wanted to disappear. He didn't want to be here, but he didn't know where to go. After a moment, Odysseus chanced a glance over his shoulder and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Finally. Thought he'd never leave." Polites felt tears well in his eyes despite his confusion. He was still here, what did he mean? He reached a hand up to rub his tired face, only to freeze. He couldn't see himself. To test his theory, he raced down to the middle of the deck and stood there, but no one paid him any mind. He got his wish. They got their wish.

He disappeared.

Polites felt himself sink through the floorboards, but didn't care enough to stop it before he plopped down below deck. He landed flat on his back, not bothering to get up. What would even be the point?

Finally, he sat up before drifting into a standing position.

~~~

Eurylochus couldn't sleep. How the hell did Odysseus expect him to rest after all that? His mind was reeling, and in all honesty, he was completely and utterly confused.

Trust nothing in the underworld.

Circe's instructions. More importantly, Captain's instructions. Up until now, he thought that was to be believed. Everything down here was a wicked and cruel trick. And yet, this vision of Polites had seemed so real. More than that, it felt real. He had no idea what it did to him, but in the moments he was possessed, he knew what it was thinking: what it was feeling. And it was scared, hurt and confused: like a wild animal backed into a corner. But nowhere could he feel any kind of ill will towards any of them. And that scared Eurylochus just as much as it perplexed him.

He gave up on sleep and decided to go back to the upper deck. He navigated the narrow halls and froze in his tracks when he came upon the transparent image of his fallen friend.

"Eurylochus!" Polites startled, standing up a little straighter when he noticed him.

Said man recoiled as he was addressed, and watched him with a careful eye, his hand hovering over his weapon.

"Please don't," he said, cowering back towards the shadows. "I just want to apologize for earlier. I-I didn't mean to do... that."

He was met with nothing but silence.

"Eurylochus? Say something," he pleaded. He noticed the way Eurylochus stared at the ground instead of him.

"You're not really him, are you?" he asked skeptically. Pilotes felt his shoulders sag in defeat.

"You too?"

Eurylochus dared to meet his gaze. The expression he wore was that of skepticism and a hope long lost.

"I'm not convinced yet." As he walked past, he paused at Polites's side. "So convince me."

His words caused a smile to break out across his face as he turned to his friend. Eurylochus looked shocked before his expression melted into something softer.

"That's a start, I guess." He abruptly continued on his way, not wanting to linger with their friend's spirit. Polites was left alone in the dark, his thoughts serving as his only company.

He didn't emerge from the lower deck until he was sure they were well out of the underworld.

#epic the underworld saga #tlc: recommendations #epic the musical #epic musical #underworld saga #ghost!polites #polites #eurydice #odysseus #eurylochus #the odyssey #odyssey fic #epic fic #hadestown #hadestown fic #tlc: reblogs

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thelaughtercafe · 10 days

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I wasn't intending to get his light cone but it just kinda happened. The flustering art called to me so I got it 😭

He's all leveled with passable relics atm(gotta farm more broken keel cause I only have one Imaginary Damage orb).

I'm so happy my love of follow up characters has been rewarded! He works great with Dr. Ratio, Topaz and Ruan Mei and I'm sure he'll do wonderfully with my E2 S1 Clara as well!

Welcome to the family, Aventurine! I will write something with you soon to celebrate!

#sheridan summarizes #honkai star rail #mayhaps i would do anything for him

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thelaughtercafe · 12 days

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Hiya! Just a question, are there any tickles you won't do? (IE, feet tickles, rougher tickles, tickles in ahem 'naughty' spots, restraints, tools, etc?) You're this really cool one-of-a-kind type of writer on Tumblr, so I'm curious!

Aw this made my morning, thank you so much anon! I don't know that I'm one of a kind, so many wonderful tickle writers are inspirations to me, but I truly appreciate it and hope you enjoy your time in my humble lil blog 🥰

Rougher tickles are fine but I won't describe pain unless it's got a purpose- like showing a Ler how to tickle properly or something to that effect, since pain is a instant turn off for me personally!

As far as boundaries it honestly really depends on my feelings and the pairing. One spot on its own is really difficult to write about, and I also personally don't write for single spot kink/fetish besides maybe hands from a Lee's perspective.

I've never really written more full blown naughty tickles in a fic, and I'm kinda dipping my toe back into nsft after a long time away so it'll really depend on the request! I do have a heavy preference towards female or gn! reader with feminine parts I would assume just because that's what i know- but maybe one day I'll expand as I get more comfy. For now I'll say genital tickling is a soft boundary though!

Restraints and tools are all fine! Mouth tickles are a lil more iffy more as a sole focus but as long as it's not wanted for an entire fic it's cool!

Thanks for the questions anon; I hope it helps and feel free to ask any more you may have!

#tlc: asks #anon #anonymous #positivity

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thelaughtercafe · 13 days

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Hello there! I'm happy that you write for Fairy Tail! And I genuinely love contents that you produce! Since you still open for fic request, I was wondering if you would write a fanfiction with Lee Gajeel, with Ler Jet and Droy? If possible... black coffee... (revenge/humiliation tickles or something like that during Gajeel vulnerable moment (e.g. stuck/e.g. someone strong like laxus/makarov/gildarts/hold him down)... the plot can be anything honestly... P.S. please no foot tickles! and have a nice day!!

Thank you for the compliment!

Ahh I'm sorry hun, but I actually don't know these characters so I'm afraid I'm gonna have to reject this request! It's been a really long time since I've watched Fairy Tail and I think i only got to the end of the first season 😅 I do plan to rewatch it at some point, but it'll likely be a while!

#tlc: rejected requests #tlc: asks #anon #tlc: anon #anonymous

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thelaughtercafe · 13 days

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x reader should be (and, generally speaking, often is) the most accepting fanfiction space because its consistently, and almost exclusively an expression or fantasy of being desired or wanted or wanting—or in an even more basic sense, considered. even if you dont explicitly self-insert, even if there’s a an oc thats just you but better or a faceless insert u make - it starts with the same premise. which is wanting to be seen or desired by some extension of who you are. or wanting to fantasize explicitly about a life that isn’t yours, any life but yours. its admitting more openly than other mediums—i want someone to want some part of me. to take interest in me sexually or romantically or platonically. i want this element of myself to be considered or thought of. sometimes that is accomplished through writing, and sometimes that is accomplished through reading and seeking to bits of yourself in other peoples. the other half is having space to want and yearn for something else. how liberating it is to admit that you’d like to be somewhere else.

and it is hardly a flawless medium and im really, really simplifying it but i do think that there is something uniquely enjoyable and freeing about it. i want agency in the stories i love. i want my presence to haunt this fiction like a ghost. i want to be loved, i want to be interesting. i want to experience hundreds of lives that aren’t mine. i want i want i want. this a story of you. this is a story of me.

#tlc: reblogs

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thelaughtercafe · 15 days

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sometimes you have to be a bit mentally ill to get mentally well so if thinking naruto would be proud of you for brushing your teeth is what gets you to brush your teeth well grab that toothbrush dattebayo

#tlc: reblogs #mental health

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thelaughtercafe · 17 days

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Thank you for the tag @rachi-roo! Hope you had a good day 🥰

Last song: The Last Resort by GYROAXIA

Favorite color: Burgundy and/or teal has always been my go-tos! Jewel tones in general are my jam!

Currently watching: Finally finishing up Schaffrillas Productions Bojack Horseman retrospective! As far as TV/Movies I just finished a rewatch of Assassination Classroom as I introduced my friend to it and I showed my Mom, A Monster Calls(one of my favorite book adaptations ever now, probably, so good despite the tears)

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy: Between these options? Sweet with an occasional hankering for spice or savory but I'm a salt gal through and through!

Relationship status: Single!

Current Obsession: Oh gosh these change so frequently 😭 I'm working on a Danganronpa fic so definitely that at the moment. Also Honkai Star Rail, and Assassination Classroom! Horimiya is hanging on by its fingernails in my subconscious 🤣 Epic: The Musical is up there too, and Critical Role may get reinvigorated when i start watching again!

Last thing I Googled: Hotels in my area! Mom and I are on the move after a travel contract ended at the moment!

9 people you’d like to know better

Thank you for the tag @clockwork-ashes and @lovely-vanserra-sunshine

Last song: Riot by Hollywood Undead- trust me I regret a full shuffle too. Lol

Favorite color: pastels but pink

Currently watching: Does GTLive count?

Sweet/Savory/spicy: sweet

Relationship status: Chronically single

Current obsession: -gestures around- acotar

Last thing you googled: atmospheric gravity wave experiment

No pressure tags: @acourtofladydeath @mybestfriendmademe @tilseptemberends @tsunami-of-tears @hieragalbatorixdottir @shadowdaddies @mika-no-sekai-blog @wickedfelinaxo @achaotichuman

#rachi roo #tag game!#tk community #tlc: tag game #tlc: reblogs #thanks for including me lovely ❤️#hope to talk more soon ❤️

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thelaughtercafe · 19 days

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oh to be punk band guitar player karmas little punk gf who is always in the pit at his shows and always gets suggestive shoutouts from him on stage and gets fucked in her cute lil fur legwarmers and mini skirt afterwards and🫠

Ahh anon your brain!!

Yes; can totally picture him in a leather jacket, fingerless leather gloves and pierced ears with his half-lidded looks and smirks as you cheer for him-

Pretty sure I'd let Karma do whatever he wanted to me; I'm personally still not over the way he can handle a knife-

(Also, thank you for being my first ask to just come talk to me about stuff; I see you and appreciate you <3)

#tlc: asks #anon ask #anon #tw nsft #sheridan summarizes

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thelaughtercafe · 22 days

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Ahhh this is so cute!! 🥺 You absolutely killed it! Sigma's hesitancy and Atsushi's offer; two blushing cuties I swear.

Omg and Sigma unintentionally being a complete tease when he's just genuinely curious and inquisitive!? Peak, absolutely wonderful👌

Thank you for the food! 👏

Test Subject (Bungo Stray Dogs)

One Shot

Summary: When Sigma expresses an interest in getting Dazai back for tickling him all the time, Atsushi takes it upon himself to help him learn how to go about it.

A/N: So, this started out as a Lemonade request from an anon, but as I was writing it the words just kind of kept coming, and the next thing I knew I had almost an entire fic on my hands, so I just committed and turned it into a complete story. Congrats on the upgraded request, anon! I hope you enjoy it. It was a lot of fun to write! 💖

Disclaimer: The original ask was for the setting/theme to be camping, but as you'll read, that particular aspect didn't make it into story. Sorry about that. 😅

Word Count: 1560

~~~

“Hey, um…Atsushi?”

The weretiger turned at the sound of his name, offering a smile to the newest member of their organization. “What’s up?”

Sigma seemed to consider his words before saying, “I have a question…about Dazai.”

“Oh boy.” Atsushi chuckled. The two of them were going through some essential records at the office, with the younger man showing the newbie what needed to be done and where to file things. Sigma was clearly unused to teamwork, but he was putting in the effort to learn, and Atsushi appreciated that. He gestured for him to continue. “We all have questions about Dazai, but I’ll try my best.”

Sigma nodded, seeming to consider his words again. “Does he…um, he seems to…I don’t know exactly how to say it, but…” He sighed, impatient with himself, then muttered, “Does he have a thing for tickling?”

Atsushi blinked, taken aback for a moment, then grinned. “If by ‘a thing’ you mean a unique liking of it, then yes, he does.”

“It’s just…he seems to find excuses to tickle me, and I’ve noticed he does it with you and a couple of others as well, so I just wondered…”

“It’s just how he is, really.” Atsushi turned to give him his full attention, leaning against his desk and smiling. “He’s a weird goofball, but he doesn’t mean anything bad by seeking you out all the time. And if you’re uncomfortable—”

“It’s not that,” Sigma replied quickly, then seemed to realize what he’d said and glanced away with a blush. “It’s just…I want to…get him back?”

The detective’s smile was so wide it could have rivaled the Grand Canyon. “You want to tickle him, too?”

“Y-Yes, but…I’ve never…” The dual-haired man hesitated. “It’s all so new to me, I don’t know how to…”

Atsushi understood at once. “You don’t know how to tickle anyone, let alone Dazai.”

Sigma nodded.

The weretiger hummed, all too familiar with that feeling. “Well, the good news for you is that Dazai loves being tickled, so you won’t be making him upset by giving it a try,” he replied. “As for how to do it, just mimic what he does to you. You’ll find a spot that gets him going, trust me.”

Sigma nodded again, though the way his eyes darted around the room made Atsushi realize he still wasn’t confident about the idea. He considered for a moment. Hadn’t he been in this exact position just recently? Gradually learning about how ticklish he was and how it could be fun, and wanting to return the favor to his mentor? Wouldn’t it be decent of him to now share his findings with the newest member of the Agency who was clearly in the same boat?

He cleared his throat and – after moment’s hesitation – murmured, “You can…try it on me first, if you want.”

Sigma looked startled. “Oh, I…! I don’t want to impose…I know we aren’t close.”

Atsushi shrugged, feeling a slight blush even has he plowed bravely onward. “Dazai trusted you enough to bring you into the ADA, and that’s good enough for me. Besides, I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better. And tickling kind of is a bonding thing, so…”

Sigma hesitated a moment longer, clearly interested but also nervous about the idea. “Are you…are you sure?”

“Yeah,” the weretiger replied, strangely at ease now that he knew the other man was feeling just as self-conscious. “I’ll stop you if I feel uncomfortable.”

It was understandably awkward at first – Atsushi eventually decided it would probably be best to lay on the ground with his arms up, giving Sigma full access, despite how his nerves sang with anticipation at the vulnerability. For his part, Sigma knelt beside him and hovered uncertainly over his torso, as if trying to decide where to begin. He only finally made contact when Atsushi specifically guided him to start with the ribs – as good a place to start as any, and not his worst spot, so they could both ease into the situation.

After a few minutes, Sigma seemed to be getting the hang of drawing squeaks and giggles out of the weretiger, who fought to keep his arms above his head. The more Atsushi reacted, the more the dual-haired man seemed to relax. It was oddly satisfying to witness.

“You knohohohohow,” Atsushi dared to attempt speaking through his light giggles, “tihihihihickling is p-prehehehehetty new to mehehehehe, too.”

“It is?” Sigma seemed surprised. He dug a bit more firmly into his ribs, making the weretiger squirm instinctively.

“It’s ohohohohohonly since johohohohoining the ADA that I r-reheheheheheally started experiehehehencing either side of it,” the younger man continued, letting out an involuntary gasp when Sigma’s fingers grazed his belly. “Ehehehehehehehe!”

“Sorry!” Sigma retracted his hands, looking concerned. “I didn’t mean—”

Atsushi couldn’t help but laugh at the whole situation at this point, grinning genuinely up at the newcomer. “No, no, it’s all right. You, ah…you have good instincts.”

For a moment his companion seemed confused. Then he broke into a hesitant grin and asked, “Was it a good spot?”

Atsushi nodded. The taller man reached for him again.

The weretiger tossed his head back and squealed when Sigma focused his efforts on his tummy, scribbling and scratching all over. Through it all, he caught glimpses of their newest member’s face, which was lit up with joy at this newfound discovery and his growing confidence in being able to make someone else laugh like Dazai made him laugh.

“Ahahahahaha! Seehehehehehehee? G-Goohohohohohohood instihihihihincts!”

“Is it especially ticklish here?”

The innocent question flustered Atsushi out of his mind, but he managed a whiny, “Yeheheheheheheah!” all the same.

“You said earlier that I’ll definitely find a spot that gets Dazai going,” Sigma mused, seeming much more natural about this whole tickling thing now, as he was able to hold a conversation while drawing helpless giggles out of the smaller man. “Does everyone have a spot like that?”

“Mohohohohohostly!”

“Do you?”

Atsushi whimpered and covered up his blushing face, trying not to roll over and protect himself as his new friend continued to experiment. “Hohohohohohow are you sohohohohohoho good at teheheheheheasing already?!”

Sigma sounded genuinely confused when he said, “Teasing? I’m just asking a question.”

At that exact moment the dual-haired man slid his fingers even further downward, one of them catching the weretiger’s navel as he went, making Atsushi spasm and bark out a laugh, arms flying down to push him away instinctively. “Ehehehehehehe, wahahahahahahait!”

For a moment an easy silence descended between the two. Atsushi took a moment to regain his bearings before looking back up at Sigma, who was grinning openly at him now. “Another good spot?”

Atsushi smirked and shoved him playfully. “Shut up.”

“May I…? That is, if you’re still comfortable…” Sigma looked flustered now, too, even as he asked, “Can I see how much it gets you going?”

The question – while again innocent – made Atsushi blush bright pink. He let out a groan and flopped back down on the floor, putting his hands behind his head. “Better be intentional about it. I can’t promise I won’t try and kick you off.”

Sigma frowned, concerned. “If you’d rather not—”

“Hurry before I change my mind,” the detective shot back with a laugh.

The taller man’s fingers purposely sought that tiny spot on the weretiger’s tummy this time. As soon as one found it and slipped inside to wiggle, Atsushi burst into louder cackles and held on for an impressive three seconds before shooting his arms back down to cover up protectively, rolling onto his side as he gasped, “Ahahahahahahaha, okahahahahahahay, that’s enohohohohough! Plehehehease!”

Sigma stopped immediately, but his smile never left his face this time. He waited for the weretiger to catch his breath before saying, “Thank you for that, Atsushi. That was…surprisingly fun.”

Atsushi giggled for another moment or two and then sat up, grinning right back. “See? Tickling isn’t so hard once you get into it.”

“I suppose not. Thank you for…offering to teach me.” Sigma’s cheeks turned slightly pink as he averted his gaze, the reality of what they’d just done seeming to catch up to him. “I hope it wasn’t uncomfortable.”

“Nah. Once I got used to it, I learned I actually kind of like being tickled. It can be fun as long as both parties are respectful about it.”

The dual-haired man nodded. “I understand. I must admit, I look forward to trying this out on Dazai. Which spot should I go for first?”

Atsushi laughed. “Trust me, it will be much more fun if you find his weak spot for yourself. But, if I can offer a word of advice?”

Sigma nodded eagerly.

“Remember how I reacted when you teased me?”

“I…was not trying to tease you, but yes, I remember.”

The younger man smirked. “Definitely give that a try on Dazai. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

Sigma nodded in consideration, getting back to his feet and helping the younger man back to his as well. “All right. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Oh, and Sigma?”

For a moment, they both looked at each other in surprise, realizing it was the first time Atsushi had called him by name. Then the weretiger grinned again.

“Let me know how it goes when you get him. I want to know everything.”

Sigma agreed with a grin of his own.

#tlc: reblogs #tickle fic #bungo stray dogs #bsd #atsushi nakajima #sigma #bsd sigma #playful #cute #tickling #ticklish #tickle #fanfiction #tlc: recommendations

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thelaughtercafe · 24 days

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Tea Type: Rose Boba

Potential Triggers: Allusions to NSFT reactions to tickling and being tickled

Pairing: Shizuo/Izaya

Length: 368

Summary: N/A

A/N: Ask and you shall receive! This definitely didn't take over my brain for the past 3 days. 😳 Also, hey, hi, hello ❤️ I have returned, Sheridan here; hope you've been swell hun! These are just headcanons, but I do really like this concept so I may one day down the road do a full fic depending on inspiration if that's cool with you of course!

Izaya who tickles Shizuo playfully exactly once, teasing him as usual and then blushes and realizes "Oh, shit- I like this way more than I ever realized."

Absolute power trip.

Shizuo can't figure out what's happening and is getting more and more fed up.

Sees Izaya, of all people, suddenly fumble for an excuse when Masaomi tickles Saki or Mikado, or Shinra tickles Celty and charges after him to finally get his answers.

Finds him blushing and is in shock.

It slowly dawns on him and Shizuo just calls him out.

“You like tickling me that much? Why didn't you just say so?”

“I couldn't! I still can't! You don't understand.”

Izaya tries to brush him off but Shizuo isn't having it, he needs to know what's making him act like this so he pokes and he prods and provokes like his boyfriend is so skilled at till he breaks.

It ends with them on the couch, panting, Shizuo’s voice hoarse from laughing and flushed from embarrassment, hair and clothes askew.

Izaya rubs his hair between his fingers looking contemplative and mumbles.

“How couldn't I be attracted to you like this? Under me, panting, a mess from my touch? You may be a monster, but I'm only Human.”

Shizuo finally notices the effect he's having and grins, his voice lowering as he sits up to purr into his ear.

“You think you could cum from just this? Hm? What if you tied me up, all yours to do as you pleased as I beg you for mercy~?”

Izaya damn near whines, tugging at Shizuo’s hair and letting out a shaky sigh. He takes a moment to gather himself as Shizuo relaxes back into the couch. He smirks, red eyes half-lidded. His free hand caresses his face, trailing down to his neck.

“I'm supposed to be the one teasing you, Shizu-chan. Careful what you wish for. I'll do more than make you beg- you'll be crying by the time I'm through~”

A full-body shudder goes through Shizuo and he gulps, his throat suddenly dry at the look in Izaya’s eyes and the sadistic giggle he lets out.

Well, shit. Looks like they both might have a thing for this.

We need more of Izaya getting off on tickling Shizuo 😤

#tlc: rose boba #tlc: tickle headcanons #tlc: nsft #tw nsft #tlc: reblogs #shizaya #shizuo heiwajima #izaya orihara #drrr izaya #shizuo x izaya #shizuo #orihara izaya #drrr #durarara izaya #durarara!!

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thelaughtercafe · 25 days

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Hello! I'm very happy to found your blog... since you said you accept darker content request... would you mind doing something related to "bullying" with lee kageyama and ler oikawa? I feel like only Oikawa strong enough to bully Kageyama, because Kageyama itself was already intimidating in my opinion... Thank you so much in advance! P.S. please avoid foot tickles hehe

Tea Type: Black Coffee

Potential Triggers: Bullying using tickling, I'm gonna give a non-con warning for tickling too, some trauma responses and panicked behavior

Pairing: Oikawa/Kageyama

Length: 1.6k+

Summary: A chance meeting leads to familiar feelings and anxieties thought long forgotten.

A/N: Hope you enjoy this anon, apologies for the wait! I was a little unsure just how dark I wanted to go with it so it took a bit to finish it but I hope you enjoy the final product! Definitely let me know whatcha think <3

Chance Meetings*

“Is that who I think it is?”

Kageyama froze in place; a long forgotten feeling of dread settling in his stomach. He felt his heart beat faster, heat flooding his cheeks as his eyes darted around, looking for an escape. He knew he shouldn't have gone to the sports store today. If he ran- he just knew he wouldn't get far. Not with him.

A familiar arm slung around his shoulder and he whirled to lock eyes, still frozen.

Oikawa laughed, eyes glittering in amusement at Kageyama's shock.

“I should've known if I'd catch you anywhere it'd be here; heard you've been doing pretty well for yourself nowadays. Your team is pretty good.”

Kageyama nodded stiffly, wanting nothing more than for this to be over with. Maybe if he just told him what he wanted to hear he'd leave without a fuss. He cleared his throat and shrugged off Oikawa's arm, turning his face away as he headed towards the doors, trying to make it look casual. He tried to ignore the lump in his throat as he followed just behind him, a cheerful grin on his face.

“Yeah, yours too. You're just as strategic as ever.”

“What can I say? Got to keep my opponents guessing~”

He tried not to remember his old encouragement methods, but failed, feeling more heat in his cheeks as he reached his car. He felt the weight in his chest begin to subside, a bit of genuine happiness making a small smile spread across his lips.

“Sorry to cut the conversation short, I've actually got to meal prep for this week, but it was great seeing you again.”

Kageyama turned to try and open his car door but inhaled as Oikawa leaned over him, one arm over his head, subtly keeping the door closed and drawing his attention back his way. He tried not to flinch at the way Oikawa's once playful, light expression darkened, but only in his eyes. His voice and words remained bubbly. They were still in public after all.

“Aww but I haven’t seen you in soo long Tobio~ I can help you! You don't mind me tagging along do you?”

Kageyama debated his options, nibbling his bottom lip and came to a decision. There really wasn't one. Oikawa was nothing if not resourceful, and stubborn. If he didn't agree now? He'd just get it worse later. Oikawa had never had any issues biding his time. He'd once said it gave him time to think up more “fun ideas”. For him, of course.

So, Kageyama nodded with a sigh.

“Sure, fine, whatever.”

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and Oikawa giggled, his eyes lighting right back up at his agreeance and poked Kageyama's unguarded midsection, making him jump and cover his stomach.

“Aww c'mon cheer up Tobio! We'll have so much fun!”

Kageyama grumbled and got into his car as Oikawa moved over to his own after a cheerful wave to follow him home.

Once there, things were nicer than Kageyama expected honestly. He helped him meal prep, talking animatedly about setting strategies that he too couldn't help but get passionate about, and their favorite college teams. Kageyama was finally relaxing from being jumpy at Oikawa’s surprise attack earlier when he struck while they were relaxing in the living room.

Kageyama had sat on the other end of the couch when Oikawa eagerly bounded forward and straddled his waist. Kageyama grappled with him but quickly found himself overpowered, with his hands pinned under Oikawa's legs as he straddled his waist.

Oikawa laughed gleefully and cooed at him as Kageyama glowered up at him.

“Aww, you didn't really think I'd letcha off the hook, how did ya? What kind of friend would I be if I didn't test your endurance? You know; for old times sake~”

Kageyama's heart beat wildly and he growled, trying to make himself more threatening. It worked on everyone in Karasuno, and even with his current team. Most normal people would've cowered, and apologized- but Oikawa was the one bastard that had never worked on. Not ever since he found out this stupid, downright humiliating weakness of his.

It was kind of hard to be taken seriously when you were laughing your head off, and squealing like a child.

“Now where to start, where to start? Any volunteers?”

Oikawa sounded sadistic as ever, eyes scanning his body for the slightest movement now that they were alone and Kageyama discreetly tried to squirm. No dice. He was stuck. Unfortunately he bucked his hips in the process and Oikawa’s eyes lit up.

“I never took you to be so eager Tobio~ But if you insist!”

Kageyama threw his head back in mirth as Oikawa drilled his thumbs into his hipbones, making him really buck, for all the good it did him.

“Hhehehehey! Cut it ohohout, get off mehehehe!”

“Nah, you must be having fun. Look at that beaming smile you’ve got! So cute~”

Kageyama groaned in annoyance at that, feeling his blush darken.

“Ugh! I am nhahahahat! I swear when you let me up you’re dehehehead!! You hehehear me!? Dead!”

Oikawa’s eyes sparkled with mirth as he jeered down at him, his fingers ruthlessly toying with his hips before one jumped to scribble at his tummy, his shirt having ridden up from his struggling.

“Oho? Still have it in you to threaten me? That’s not very sportsmanlike of you Tobio! Besides, we both know you’d never be able to overpower moi!”

Kageyama wished he had the strength to fight back, to prove him wrong but tickling had always made him helpless, unable to do anything but laugh. He’d tried to get him back later, give him a taste of his own medicine once, back in college.

It hadn’t gone well- Iwaizumi had walked in and all chances had evaporated in front of his eyes. Two on one was hardly fair, but seeing the momentary panic in Oikawa’s eyes and the snort he’d let out had been worth it. At least till he had been wrecked to tears for the attempt.

His struggling finally bore fruit as he bucked particularly aggressively when Oikawa moved suddenly from his hip to the bottom of his ribs, finally allowing one of his hands freedom. He grabbed his wrist, tugging the offending hand up and off of him, panting and glaring. It wasn’t very threatening apparently, as Oikawa merely giggled at him, the fingers spidering along his stomach pausing. He cocked his head at him, brown eyes glittering with amusement.

“Oho? I’m impressed Tobio! You’ve bulked up since our school days!”

The hand at his tummy jumped to his exposed underarm and Kageyama yelped, air leaving him in a rush. Now that’s he’d gotten one of his hands, he had some leverage and strength and knowing he didn’t have much time, he acted. He raised his knee so it was flush against his captor’s side and brought both their hands down against the couch to push off his tricep to turn. Oikawa wasn’t expecting his sudden movements, and tumbled to the ground beside the couch, freeing his other hand in the process. He quickly released Oikawa’s wrist and jolted up, and over him seeking refuge in his bedroom and slammed it behind him, locking it just as a body slammed against it, causing it to jump back in surprise.

He panted, swallowing harshly, hands trembling as he tried to think rationally. Oikawa wouldn’t break his door down. That was too direct for a scheming bastard like him. His eyes scanned the room for his phone and he felt his blood turn to ice as he realized it wasn’t here. Shit. The banging stopped, and Oikawa’s too sweet voice came through.

“Aw c’mon Tobio, we were just playing~ I guess you’re a tad more sensitive than I remember. Sorry if I pushed you too much; if you come out, I promise I’ll play nice~”

Kageyama snorted, glaring at the door. He felt bolder, now that he was safe from his old “friend”.

“I’m not the same naive college kid you tormented, just leave, alright? I’m not gonna fall for your sweet words anymore!”

There was stony silence and Kageyama immediately regretted his speaking out, but it was too late to take it back now.

So instead, he listened, backing up to sit on his bed and try to process. He couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. Why did he bring him here? Now he knew his address. Maybe…Maybe he really hadn’t changed that much after all. If he was honest with himself, he’d always known some part of him missed Oikawa. For all his faults, his lack of listening sometimes…those good moments were still good. Maybe he was over-reacting-

He shook his head, holding his head in his hands. He was doing it again. Falling back on old habits to cope with Oikawa being in his life.

“Tobio, I’m going to head out now! I put your meals in the fridge. And…I’m sorry. Really.”

Kageyama looked at the door with wide eyes. Oikawa actually sounded…remorseful. He sounded serious. Still, he didn’t move until he heard his door slam, and even then he held his breath and put his ear to his door, listening for any sign of footsteps, just in case. He twisted the knob and then headed back to the living room, letting out a breath as he realized he was truly gone.

Everything was cleaned up, his living room just as it was, as if he was never there to begin with.

He jumped in place at a sound, and his eyes flew to his phone, making him sigh. Just a text message. Stupid body. Why was he still so on edge?

He grabbed his phone and swiped it open.

His eyes widened and his grip tightened, his other hand moving to cover his mouth.

An unknown number.

The message?

‘Let’s meet up again sometime Tobio~’

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