"Max."

"....."

"Max!"

More silence.

"Maxie!"

"....."

Archie yelled this time. "MAXIE!"

His fists slammed on the table in mild frustration. He quickly turned his chair around to face his husband with a scowl.

"Archie." He said firmly. "I am trying to get my work done... what the hell is so important that it can't wait for another hour?!"

The larger man gave him sad eyes and came closer to the chair.

"I want cuddles."

"God damn it, Archie..." Maxie threw his head down on his desk in mild frustration. "Can you not wait for another hour? Please? I HAVE to get this done TONIGHT."

Archie whined, straddling Maxie's waist from behind, also trying to get him out of the chair.

"You're being excessively needy. I love you, ok? But I need to get at least some work done now."

Archie nodded his head and released him, he went back to the doorway. "1 hour. That's all I'm giving ye, then I'll be back."

"Mm hmm."

Maxie rolled his eyes and continued his work. After an hour passed, Archie was back in his office, waiting for him to get done.

"Max. It's been an hour. It's time to take a break." He said, but then frowned when he noticed his husband not listening. "Maxie."

"Archie, just give me another minute. Please."

Ohhhh no. Archie wasn't taking any of that bullshit. He marched over to Maxie's desk and put his laptop screen down.

"Wha- ARCHIE!"

"I told ye earlier an hour. Ye need a break. A long one. Specifically with me, on the couch, snuggling."

He held his face in his hands.

"Archie... do you have to be so difficult?? I was in the middle of something!"

"That can wait."

"No it can't!"

"Max."

They both stared each other down, determined that he was right.

"You are a literal manchild. I am not kidding."

Archie chuckled at him. "Well at least I get my work done, Max." He winked.

The Magma leader's patience was thin. He stayed sitting in his chair and was about to open his laptop back up.

"Nope!" Archie said, before lifting it from Maxie's hands.

"Archie! Give that back!"

He put the laptop in a secure location, then went back to his fuming husband's side.

"Now, c'mon... what do ye say, ye and I go relax on the couch for a while? That'll make ye feel better. Ye need to take a break."

Still in his chair, he pouted. Maxie never pouts. And if he does, it's extremely rare.

"Ohhh come on, babe! Get outta that chair!"

He shook his head. "No."

Archie stepped forward, grinning. "What'd ye say? I didn't hear ye."

"I said. No." He hissed, twisting himself around and laying his head on the desk. "And you can't make me."

"Oh... really?"

He could hear Archie coming closer, and closer.. until he was right behind him. He put his strong arms around him.

"I'd call this kidnapping if you won't let me go right now...."

"C'mon, Max... ye can't stay mad at me.."

*huff* "And why not? You've been a literal thorn in my side all evening!"

Archie smirked devilishly. A playful idea came to his mind as Maxie kept talking.

"A thorn in yer side, eh?"

Maxie wasn't even paying attention to Archie's mischievous question and kept ranting. "I just wanted to finish my work so I could have all evening with you! But nooo! You've interrupted me at least 4 times! So yes, you've been a thorn in my side!"

"Well then, if I'm such a thorn in yer side..." He gave Maxie a playful poke in the side.

"A-Ah!" He squeaked, then slapped his hand over his mouth and glared at Archie. "No.. don't.. you.. dare..."

Archie grinned even wider and continuously poked both of his sides, making Maxie jump backwards, leaning further in the chair. "Then I should probably poke ye like the thorn I am!"

"St-stop!" He demanded, trying to squirm away and keep a straight face. His mouth was desperately trying to hold a grin or giggle back.

*poke*

"I s-said st-stop!!" He squeaks.

Archie's grin grew wider. "Awwww.. but why, Squeaky?" He laughs as the redhead's face turned red from the nickname. "I'm just poking ye. Whatever is the matter, dearest?"

"Lihihike y-you dohohon't know! I-I-I'm g-gohoing t-to kihill y-yohou!!"

"Aw come on, love. Ye know ye wanna laugh~" Archie teased, continuing the ticklish pokes, slowly creeping up to his ribs. "Let's hear it! Let's hear those sweet giggles! Come on!"

"N-Naho!!"

"Mm.. I've almost got ye." The sailor hummed as he poked his ribs. Archie was stubborn himself, he would to anything to get what he wants from his husband. "Poke poke poke poke poke poke!"

"G-Gahah- mmmmfff!!" He was at his hardest trying not to laugh, cheeks puffed out and face turning redder. It was extremely difficult for him. "Hehe- Ar-ArchihEE!!"

Archie smiled down at him, going to poke right below his armpit. That's what got the stubborn Team Magma leader to break. He couldn't hold in his laughter anymore.

"A-Ahahahaharchihihie-! St-stohohohohop!!" He giggled, trying but failing to keep his giggles from slipping out of his mouth.

"Ah, there it is!! There's me giggle bear! Coochie Coochie coo!"

Archie's teasing and cooing made him completely melt. He was helpless against his strong husband holding onto him.

"Aharchie!! Pl-please dohohohohohon't!!"

He ignored his whines. "I guess I'm a thorn in yer ticklish side, babe! And ye love me anyway!" He purred, poking faster under his armpit. "Poke poke poke poke poke poke-"

He bursted out laughing hysterically, squirming in the chair. "Archie!!!!! Thahahahahat tihihihihihickles!!!" He squeaked out, swatting at Archie's hands. "St-stop ihihihit!!!"

"Awwwwwwwww..." He blushed, poking him up and down his sides now. "Isn't that precious? The great Maxie is ticklish~"

He was internally screaming. Archie says this EVERY time he tickles Maxie, just to embarrass him and make him blush.

"You're ahahahahan ahahahahahasshole!!! St-stop!!! C-Cuhuhuhut it ohohohohohout!!!"

The fact that Archie wasn't full on tickling him was great enough. But THIS is his husband's reaction? It's like he was falling in love with him all over again.

"Oh my god, yer so friggin cute! I didn't know how ticklish yer torso was, sweetie~"

"N-Nohohohohoho!!! *snrk* St-stohop ihihihit!"

He drilled both of his index fingers into both sides, making little circles, getting Maxie to jump 10ft in the air and try to pry his hands away from his sensitive sides.

"ST-STOP!!!" He squeals, wiggling in his arms. "You're killing mehehehehe!!"

The larger man laughed along with him, enjoying every minute of this. "This is what it's like havin' a thorn in yer side, huh? Didn't know it tickled so much, honey. Maybe I should do this more often."

"Nohohohohohohohoho dohohohohon't!!" Maxie smacked his arm, and this didn't help... because it made Archie start poking his sides faster and faster. "AHAHAHAHAHARCHIHIEE!!"

"Ye gonna take it back that I'm a thorn in yer side? Mmm??"

Tears of mirth dotted the corners of his eyes. "Y-YEHEHES YEHEHES I TAKE IT BAHAHACK! JUHUHUST ST-STOHOHOHOHOP!!"

Archie stopped his onslaught of pokes, he kept his arms around his giggling husband and nuzzled his face into his neck.

"Mm' sorry, Max.. But ye deserved it, and that was probably the cutest reaction from ye I've ever seen! I wasn't even really tickling ye!"

The vibrations from him talking, plus his fuzzy beard nuzzling his skin.. didn't make Maxie's giggles stop any time soon.

"Ahahahahahahaharchihihihihiehehehee!!! Wahahahahatch yohohohour beheheheard!! Thahahat tickles!!! Q-Quit it!!"

Did he stop? Of course not! why would he?

He finally managed to get him weak enough to pull him out of the chair. He carried him out of the room. He wiggled his fingers at his stomach to keep him from gaining his strength back.

"P-put me dohohown!! Stop ihihihit!! Hahaha!! A-Archie!!! Stahahahap tickling mehehe and puhuhuhut mehehehe dohohown!"

"Shh, snuggle time." He shushed him, laying him down on their couch, he jumped right behind him and snuggled up to him.

"Ugh... you don't take.. hehehe.. no for an ahahahanswer, do you?" He finally gave in and snuggled into Archie's chest. "F-Fine. But it's only because I lohohohove you."

He grinned, mischievously going for another poke, but Maxie grabbed his wrist immediately in a swift motion.

"Poke me again, and your finger is getting shoved up your ass."

"Daww, what's the matter, baby?" Archie cooed at him. "Are ye too ticklish for this~?" His finger went to poke his hip next.

"Adjkahsjsk-" He grabbed his entire hand and held it away from his hips. "NO. Stop it. Keep it up, and you'll be sleeping on this couch for the next week."

"Mm Hmm.. sure.. Wait, wha?? Aww c'mon... that's not fair..." He smiled, letting up on the teasing. He was petting and running his fingers through Maxie's hair. The petting and head scratching was just relaxing enough to soothingly put him to sleep. "Max? Ye awake? Babe?"

"Mmmmm..." He was basically putty in his arms now. He purred like a Glameow, and held onto his husband like a pillow.

He was out like a light, asleep in Archie's arms. And it's exactly what he wanted. Archie pecked a kiss on his forehead and laid down to fall asleep with him.

After a while, Maxie woke back up. He rises his head to see his husband asleep next to him. The redhead remembered his work, then slipped out of Archie's arms, going back to get his laptop and to the kitchen to sit down.

"If he catches me in here working... I'll never hear the end of it... I just need a few minutes.."

He typed away at his computer, occasionally looking behind him to see if Archie was there. He knew that if he was gone for too long, Archie would notice and come after him. So he had to get done quickly.

"Come on, come on.... Almost got it.."

He was too engrossed in his work, that he didn't hear his husband's footsteps at the entrance of the kitchen.

"Tsk tsk tsk..." Archie tsked. "Oh, Max... ye workaholic... Ye leave me no choice, dear."

He slowly crept up behind Maxie. He stood right behind him for a few moments to see if he would notice him.

"Almost there.... Aaaaaand- GAH!!!"

He felt two strong hands squeeze his sides.

"Peekaboo~" Archie teases, running his fingers up and down his sides. "Think I wouldn't notice ye being gone?"

"Ahahahahaharchie wahahahait! I-I'm ahahahahalmost dohohohone!! Plehehease!! J-Juhuhust gihihihive meehee a mihihinute!!"

"Nope~ it's 2 in the morning. Ye can finish it tomorrow morning. Now, close yer laptop and head back to bed. Or a certain monster is gonna get ye!"

Being the stubborn man he was, Maxie didn't close his laptop. He tried to continue typing, but couldn't concentrate obviously with his husband tickling him.

"Max, last chance." Archie playfully threatens.

"Ihihihif you wohohould just give mehehehehe another minute! EEK!!" He jerked backwards after the pirate crept his fingers into his armpits. "WAHAHAHAHAIT!!! NOT THERE!!!!AHAHAHAH- ARCHIEHEHEHEHEHEE!! PLEHEHEHEASE!!!"

"Come to bed~" He sang.

"OHOHOHOKAY OKAHAHAHAY!! I GIHIHIVE!!! YOUHUHUHUHU WIHIHIHIN!!"

Smiling, Archie pulled his hands away, then he wraps his arms around his shoulders and kisses his cheek. "Glad ye see things me way, darling~"

"Y-youhuhu... hehehe... suhuhuhuck..." He giggled, leaning his head on his chest with a long yawn.

The bigger man barked out in laughter. He helps Maxie stand up and he leads them upstairs into bed. "Maybe, but ye love me. Now, come on sleepyhead.. let's get to bed."