"Maaaaaaaax.." Archie groaned, collapsing on their bed, head first. "Maaaaax..."

"Oh, for the love of God, Archie.." Maxie sat up, whacking him on his back with his book. "I am RIGHT HERE. What is it that you need?"

"Ubbles." He said, muffled from laying against the mattress and covers.

"Uh, one more time?"

Archie twisted himself around and laid on his back, reaching his hand out to his husband.

"Cuddles. Now."

Maxie smirked at him. "Well, why didn't you just say so, then?" He scooted himself over to his side of the bed. "Come here, you big softy."

Excitedly, he hopped over next to him and practically melted, enjoying his husband's attention and loving touch. He laid his head in his lap.

"What the hell has gotten into you tonight? I'm used to you being all cuddly, but not THIS cuddly." He blushed. "N-not that I'm complaining. Is there something wrong, Archie?"

"Nah.." he replied. "M' just stressed out, that's all.. I just needed some quality cuddle time with me hubby."

Maxie chuckled. "I see." He pet his head affectionately, then stroked his chin like a Skitty.

"M-Maxie!" Archie squeaked. "Ack- No! Bwahaha! Stop it!"

He raised an eyebrow. "But why? You look like you're having so much fun~" He teased, keeping up the tickly touches at his husband's neck and chin.

"Gahahahaha-!" He scrunched his neck up, pushing Maxie's hands away. "Quit it!"

*chuckle* "At least I get a smile from you."

Blushing, Archie sat back up, got into the covers, and wrapped his arms around Maxie's waist, returning the cuddles.

"Mmm... Yer so damn warm..."

"I've literally spent most of my life near volcanoes, Archie. But you love it, anyway."

Archie guffaws. "I sure as shit do.." He held him closer to his chest. "Hey, Max..?"

"Yes, Archie?" He questioned, looking up at him with curiosity.

His grip on him was gentle, but tighter.

"I know this is gonna sound really random... but I gotta tell ye... yer just like a stress ball."

While he was telling him this, Maxie was grabbing a cup of water. (Yes. Water lmao) and he almost spit it out.

"*cough* A-A what??"

"A stress ball." Archie repeated.

He just tilted his head in more confusion. "Archie, love of my life, I don't understand. How am I like a stress ball? *snicker* I don't stress myself out THAT much."

"Well... it's because ye calm me down every time I'm stressed."

"Oh. I see. How sweet of you to say."

Archie then smirked. "But...."

???

Maxie knew what the look on his face meant. "What are you-"

"Heh.. the only difference between ye and a real stress ball..." He grasped both of his sides.

"AAAEEEE!!!"

"Is that ye squeak when I squeeze ye!" He cackled, continuing to squeeze his sides.

"N-Nohohohohohoho! Dohohohohon't!!" He fell back giggling, trying to squirm out of Archie's arms. Ahahahaharchihihihihie!!!" He squawked, flailing back and forth.

"Haha! I gotcha!" He teased, pinning him down and squeezing his hips next. "Yer beautiful laugh is what puts me at ease, babe."

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! AHAHARCHIHIHIHIE!! ST-STAHAHAHAHA-!" He wrapped his arms around his stomach, cackling.

"Mm? What was that, babe?" He teased, nuzzling his beard into his neck while squeezing his sides once more. "Didn't hear ye. What did ye want?"

"STAHAHAHAP!! ST- *SNOOOOOOOORT*

Archie immediately halted, devious fingers pulling away from Maxie. His mouth was open wide, in shock and amusement. Maxie on the other hand was HORRIFIED and slapped his hand against his mouth.

"What... was that..?"

Maxie's face turned beet red, and he covered his face with his hands. "N-Nohohothing!!
J-Just stop!! You're embarrassing me!"

He smirked even more. "Didn't sound like nothin'.. I think I wanna hear that again." He said as he dove his fingers up his husband's armpits.

"ACK- GAAAAAAAH!!!! NOOOOHOHO ARCHIE GOD DAHAHAHAHAHAMN IHIHIHIHIHIT!!! AAAAAH!! NOHOHOHO!! *SNORT* ST-STAHAHAHAHOP!!!"

"Oh my god." Archie was almost in tears, his husband was so fucking cute. He gave his hips another squeeze.

"F-FUHUHUHUHAHAHACK!!! *SNORT* AAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!! *snort snort* STOP!! PLEHEHEHEHEASE!!!" He begged, arching his back and trying to wriggle his skinnier body away. No such luck. (Suffer, nerd)

"Hehe.. what's the matter, Max? Ticklish?" Archie chuckled, easing his tickles a bit so he could answer him. "There's no way that the leader of Team Magma could be this ticklish."

"Lehehehehet mehehehe go, Archihihie..." He gasped, clenching his hands at his wrists, thinking that it will stop Archie from tickling him further.

News flash, it won't. (Lmao)

"Or ehehelse..."

He smirked at Maxie and kissed his forehead. "Or else what, Max? You can't stop the tickle monster, never can, never will." He growled, tightening his grip on him, near ready to pounce again. "Damn, ye look so precious like this... I love ye so much.."

This embarrassed the Magma leader to no end. He thanked God that no one could see him so vulnerable, well... except Archie. He struggled, but it was no use. Archie was too strong and he was too weak.

"Me little stress ball~" The Aqua purred, nuzzling his beard into his neck once more, and giving his sides one more gentle squeeze, making Maxie squirm even more.

"No- St-Stohohohohop!" He giggled, trying to turn his head away from his rough, fuzzy beard. "A-Archie-! Hehehehehehe-!"

"Aww, c'mon... Don't be like that... Ye know ye love my rough beard~ *nuzzle*

The man could only choke out giggles from his mouth, and at this point, he's completely given up on trying to escape. He was too exhausted. Archie added kisses, which definitely did NOT help it tickle less.

"Hahahahaha- hehehehe A-ARCHIE! No!! Th-Thahahahahat tickles-!"

After a good while, he finally stopped, letting Maxie breathe.

"Ye alright, hun?" Archie finally asked, after nuzzling and kissing him to death. "M' sorry... yer laugh is such a wonderful sound to me ears... *kiss* Forgive me?"

"Perhaps..." Maxie sighed. "If only I can do one thing." There was playfulness in his tone.

Archie looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What's that, Max?"

"THIS!"

And with that, Maxie practically tackled the bigger man onto the bed and shoved his hands into his armpits.

"GAH-!! F-FUCKAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Archie's boisterous laughter filled the entire room. "MAHAHAHAHAHAX!!! *WHEEZE* WAHAHAHAHAIT!!!"

"Oh, I'm done waiting, dear." He smirked. "You deserve this more than you think you do."

Tears had already sprang in Archie's eyes, clamping his arms down only trapped Maxie's hands, making his demise much worse.

"ST-STAAHAAAAHAHAAHAAHAP!! MAX PLEHEHEHEHEASE!! I'M BEHEHEHEGGIN YEHEHEHEHEHE!!!"

"Mm.. I don't think so." He smiled, lowering his hands to Archie's sides and tickling faster. "Now that you had mentioned it, your laugh is just as wonderful~ why would I stop now when I can make you sing such a sweet melody?"

Flustered, Archie covered his blushing face, laughing harder.

"HAHAHA- GAHAHAHAHAHA!! *WHEEZE* STAHAHAHAP TEHEHEHEASING MEHEHEHE! HAHA- THAHAHAT'S NOT FAHAHAIR!!"

*smirk*

"Who said anything about teasing? I'm only speaking the truth, my love."

Their fight continued, and neither of them noticed Shelly walk into their bedroom, yawning.

"You two are being so loud in here, I swear to god... Courts and I can't sleep.. Tab and Matt neither." She groaned, but she immediately found it amusing to see her best friend and leader getting his shit wrecked by Maxie of all people. "You, uh.. you okay there, Arch?" She's never seen him laughing so hard.

"SHEHEHEHELLY FOR THE LOHOHOVE OF GOHOHOHOD HEHEHELP!!!"

"Help?" She grinned. "Okay, then.. I'll help."

She walked over to them and whispered something into Maxie's ear. This made him chuckle evilly and grab both of Archie's ankles.

"NO! DON'T YOU DA- GAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Maxie clawed his fingers at his husband's feet. And Shelly was watching back, laughing.

"You said to help! And I did!"

"I MEHEHEHEHEANT HEHEHEHELP ME!!!!! NOHOHOHOT HIHIHIHIHIM-! GAH- MAHAXIE!! STAHAHAP!!!"

Maxie just smiled and kept up the attack. He began mocking him. "What's the matter, Archie? Ticklish?"

"GAHAHAHA- FUHUHUCK YOU- AAAAAH!!!" He screamed when Maxie attacked his knees.

"There's no way the leader of Team Aqua could be this ticklish." He continued to mock.

"OKAHAHAHAY OKAHAHAHAY!! I'M SAHAHAHARRY!!! JUHUHUST STOP!!!"

Maxie decided that Archie had had enough. He released him and let him fall back on the bed, gasping for air.

Shelly walked out the door. "Now Goodnight, goofballs! Don't make me come back in here, or you're BOTH going to get it! The rest of us need beauty sleep! Especially me!" Then she closed the door.

Maxie leaned his head down and kissed his husband's cheek.

"Are you alright, Archie?"

"Yeheheheheah..." He laughed, letting Maxie lay down next to him. "M' okahahay.."

"Is it alright if we fall asleep like this?"

"Heh, whatever you want, babe.." Archie held him close. "Max?"

He looks at him. "Yes?"

"I love ye."

"I love you too."