#tickletober 2023 but its 2024 oops

[thebest-medicine]

Day 30: Caught

Tickletober 2023 - RELIC by Maz Maddox - (takes place post King & Queen) - lee!Baja

[see my other tickletober 2023 fics]

[read on AO3]

A/N: Shout out to this series for being fucking adorable. [see my other fic for it]

Words: 1.1k

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“Fuck off, Dalton!” 

“Come onnnnnn~”

“Try anything—” Baja glares his brother down, that apex predator authority in his eye. “—and I will use you as a toothpick.” 

“You’re just mad you’re ticklish.” 

“Shut the fuck up, would you?” Baja growled.

“Oooooohhhhh.” Dalton grinned, his face suddenly full of knowing.

Baja was familiar with that look. “No.”

“He doesn’t know?!” 

“No. And you are not going to—”

Dalton’s eyes were sparkling. They flicked to the door behind his brother. 

Baja clocked it right away. “Don’t you FUCKING dare—DALTON!” 

Footfalls thundered through the ranch as Dalton tore outside as fast as he could. Simon, cup of coffee in hand, paused just in time to miss being ran over by a pink blur and—just a few steps behind, a darker blur radiating annoyance. They flew past him, tearing through the doorway. A couch and coffee table made a meager defense from Baja, separating him and Dalton so both could catch their breath. They both twitched this way and that, testing the other to see if the other would bolt. 

“Jeez, you guys are gonna tear this place apart..” Blaze winced, eyeing them and slowly backing up into the hallway he’d emerged from. He backed straight into Royal, who smiled down at him. 

“Something wrong with breakfast in the living room?” He asked thoughtfully. 

“No, it’s—”

“Jackson doesn’t know that Baja’s ticklish!!!!!!!!!” Dalton bellowed. “He’s gonna kill me but I have to tell him!” 

“Shut your fucking mouth!” Baja hissed, growing impatient and stepping over the coffee table to launch himself over the couch at his brother. 

“Oh shit.” Royal grinned. 

Before Blaze knew it, he was holding Royal’s plate, and his boyfriend, who had a long history as Dalton’s partner in crime, was tearing past him into the living room. 

“No.” Baja’s face flashed with worry. “Not you too.”

“That’s too precious! Come onnnnnnn. We have to tell him.” Royal made a grab for Baja who kicked him away and started in the direction of Dalton. 

“Or show him.” Dalton smirked. 

“I love the way you think.” Royal beamed.

“I hate both of you, and I’m going to kill you if you—”

As if on cue, Jackson walked into the living area, taking in the arguing shifters. “Uh, hey—”

Baja’s eyes wide, he tore off past Jackson and right out the door, leaving him confused —and almost run over by his two pursuers. 

“What? Um.” Jackson chuckled, confused.

“Come on!” Royal called back at him as he raced after Baja.

Dalton added. “Got something to show ya!” 

“No they don’t!” Baja yelled back. Was that…laughter edging into Baja’s voice? 

Jackson blinked, thoroughly convinced, and gave curious chase to the rest of them. His long stride helped him catch up with ease, just as Dalton caught up to Baja and jumped onto his back. Baja let out a resounding growl, scrambling to get him off. 

Seconds later, Royal was on him too, and he knew he was screwed.

“No, you fuckers! I’ll- I’ll kill you!” Baja argued as they wrestled him down against the ground and got ahold of his arms. Royal sat over his waist while Dalton struggled with his arms. 

“Aww, it’s been way too long since we’ve done this!” Dalton smirked, wiggling his fingers. 

Jackson caught up to them a few seconds later, watching with an amused curiosity. “Just what are y’all—” He paused when he saw Baja biting back a grin and tilted his head. He watched as Dalton sat on both of Baja’s arms and then started… poking and lightly grazing his fingers over the now uncovered armpits. 

The last of Baja’s resolve crumpled along with his expression. Jackson could only watch with a growing smile. 

Royal’s laugh rumbled in like thunder, reverberating through him as Baja’s legs kicked in protest behind him. He started to pinch lightly up and down Baja’s sides. 

Baja growled, fighting the grin that slowly grew on his face. When he wasn’t making some noise of annoyed protest, he was holding his breath to keep in his laughter. 

Jackson squatted down beside the brothers. “You’re ticklish?” He asked, amused. 

Baja slammed his head back against the ground and cut off the laugh that almost escaped as a whine. “No.” He gritted his teeth. 

Royal and Dalton shared a laugh. “I dunno… Seem pret-ty ticklish to me, Baja.” Dalton teased, poking a finger into his rib cage. Baja jolted under each touch. 

“Well if you’re going to be stubborn…” Royal sighed with amusement. He reached behind him with one hand — Baja’s eyes widened as he recognized what was about to happen — and then started to squeeze at his upper thigh. 

Baja’s shout dissolved into the most sweet, bubbling laughter. 

“There we go!” Dalton smiled down at him. “Doesn’t that feel better?” 

Baja shut his eyes, his cheeks growing a bit darker, and failed to keep in any of the laughter he had been trying to fight. It was impossible with the floodgates open. Royal was fighting dirty, going after one of his worst spots. 

Jackson laughed along with them and reached out to pinch at Baja’s rib cage, resulting in an adorable flinch. 

With laughter freely pouring from Baja’s lips, Royal turned his attention back where he could see, poking and scribbling and tickling at the shaking middle in front of him. He and Dalton tickled with a familiarity, it seemed, of all the spots that made Baja jump and snort and twitch and yell. They even seemed to find a few that, if pushed a little further, might even make him beg.

“Easy, don’t kill him now..” Jackson reminded them. He reached out to brush a few stray hairs out of Baja’s face as the boys slowed their tickly attack. “I have to say, though, this is some of the best news I’ve heard all summer —maybe in my life.” 

Baja groaned, catching his breath as his brothers gave him a pat on the cheek and got up off of him. 

“You’re both… fucking dead… I hope you know.” Baja scolded when he had the ability to look at them without grinning like an idiot. Royal and Dalton held up their hands, backing up toward the house before turning and running. “And you.” He pointed at Jackson. 

“What?” Jackson scoffed, laughing. 

Baja had a familiar annoyed anger in his eyes. He let out a frustrated growl. “You… weren’t supposed to see that.” He sighed, sitting up and running a hand over his face. “Don’t even fucking think about—”

Jackson cut him off with a laugh. “Oh, Darlin’, you know I’m never lettin’ this go.”

Baja rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Until I find out where you’re ticklish.” 

Jackson smiled, reaching out a hand to help him up. “Looking forward to seeing you try.”