Luckily for him, Tal wasn't particularly ticklish. It had been a necessary protective trait when growing up with three older sisters, so he just grunted when Hotaru's finger poked into his ribs and he gave her a look of wounded indignity.
Dignity was in short supply all around, soaking wet in the pool with Ru perched victoriously in his lap and rubbing in his loss. "Hmph." It wasn't the most gracious concession speech ever given as he huffed a reluctant sigh, but there wasn't much he could actually argue about with her logic so he settled for changing the subject to his hair-cutting skills which were...
Well. They were certainly something.
He stuck his tongue out at her as she messed with his hair, nose wrinkled to try and hide his surprise at the gentle way she straightened the wayward tress. It left a warmth in his chest he'd never been good at showing, much less vocalizing, but their teasing was always easier to fall back on then the sincere affection that underpinned it.
After she repositioned he leaned over to bump his shoulder against hers, head tilted down with his eyes half-closed as he basked in the moment. "Don't think y'have t'worry about that. What with all th'magic an' the spa an' your fightin' an' your sewin'. Just 'cause y'got a pretty package doesn't mean what's in th'box isn't just as good." The wisdom of a courier made more sense if you didn't think about it too hard.
"But I'm not too worried," he agreed easily to the mention of consequences, looking as smug as a cat with fifty knives pointed at it. "I can run a lot faster'n I used to!" Sure, some might call it cowardice, but Tal preferred to think of it as a healthy and active self-preservation instinct!
Dignity was in short supply all around, soaking wet in the pool with Ru perched victoriously in his lap and rubbing in his loss. "Hmph." It wasn't the most gracious concession speech ever given as he huffed a reluctant sigh, but there wasn't much he could actually argue about with her logic so he settled for changing the subject to his hair-cutting skills which were...
Well. They were certainly something.
He stuck his tongue out at her as she messed with his hair, nose wrinkled to try and hide his surprise at the gentle way she straightened the wayward tress. It left a warmth in his chest he'd never been good at showing, much less vocalizing, but their teasing was always easier to fall back on then the sincere affection that underpinned it.
After she repositioned he leaned over to bump his shoulder against hers, head tilted down with his eyes half-closed as he basked in the moment. "Don't think y'have t'worry about that. What with all th'magic an' the spa an' your fightin' an' your sewin'. Just 'cause y'got a pretty package doesn't mean what's in th'box isn't just as good." The wisdom of a courier made more sense if you didn't think about it too hard.
"But I'm not too worried," he agreed easily to the mention of consequences, looking as smug as a cat with fifty knives pointed at it. "I can run a lot faster'n I used to!" Sure, some might call it cowardice, but Tal preferred to think of it as a healthy and active self-preservation instinct!
