The three of us were as casual as we could be on the couch, side-by-side, as we played video games. I was in an undershirt, socks, and briefs. Ben was in a diaper. And Ethan was in pajama bottoms and a ribbed tank top. We laughed, screamed, and talked smack as we played, sometimes cheering each other, and sometimes trying to distract each other. We had been at for hours, since sometime in the afternoon until after it got dark and we were running out of steam. Mr. Grant had found us like that when he got back from the restaurant. He only shook his head before going back to his office. I almost thought to call it quits, or else quit for a little bit just to visit him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I think it was Ethan who started the pinching thing. At first just a peck at someone’s thigh but that turned into going after each other’s sides, then the back, and eventually it was trying to get at each other’s butts. It was easier with me and Ethan, Ben’s diaper was good protection. He laughed at us, not even trying to swat away our hands until Ethan really went after him, pulled the diaper back and grabbed some skin.
They started to wrestle beside me and it seemed like such a couple thing just between them that I didn’t try to intervene or join them. Face to face, Ben grabbed hold of Ethan's wrists as they struggled for position. Ethan was clearly stronger as he pushed Ben onto the couch and mounted him with knees on either side. They laughed and teased each other until they were both red in the face and Ben showed exhaustion by holding his hands close to try and fend off the easiest of taunts. Seeing them brought a smile to my face, maybe even a little jealousy to my mind.
When it seemed to be over Ethan leaned down to Ben and they kissed. At first it was a peck but Ben pulled him into a more passionate act, their tongues clearly fighting for dominance as their hands gripped at each other’s bodies. It was romantic until Ethan's fingers stuck into Ben’s ribs which caused him to laugh a little, then more, and more until he pushed Ethan away.
“Stop it,” he said.
“Afraid of the tickle monster?” Ethan asked.
“Don’t,” Ben replied.
“What’s the tickle monster?” I asked hoping to encourage Ethan into tickling Ben more. I thought it almost worked as Ethan gave him one more brush of his fingers causing Ben to laugh a little. I paused the game and stared at them. They seemed to share some kind of mutual thought and I readied myself to enjoy the show. But then they both looked to me.
“You don’t know what the tickle monster is?” Ethan asked.
“Maybe he needs to pay a visit,” Ben added.
I shook my head and started to slide away from them. I put my hands up in a defendable surrender as I looked from one set of eyes to the other. They were going to do, I knew it, I could feel it. My choices were to either take it or start running. Ethan moved first as he put one foot down, I started to get up, almost turned away when he grabbed at me. His arms around mine he had me in a pretty good hold and it didn’t take long for Ben to get in front of me.
Together they pushed and pulled me back to the couch where I landed on Ethan as he got his arms under mine and pulled me into a half-nelson to expose my aides and arm pits. Ben touched under my arms first, then began to move up and down my sides until he found a sensitive spot. At first he could only get a small laugh from me but as I relaxed under his ministrations new areas became sensitive and he went after those as well until I he had me begging for him to stop as I howled and giggled. I tried to stop him by raising my knees to my chest but that made my feet vulnerable which he quickly attacked. He took hold of my ankle with one hand, then rubbed at the bottom of my foot with his other hand. It was barely effective until he pulled off my sock. I writhed and bucked against Ethan but he held me tight. It was all fun and games until I realized the whole thing had changed the way my organs worked and I had to pee.
“Stop,” I tried to say. “Please, stop, I have to pee.”
Ben held my ankle as he looked me in the eye, the fingers of his other hand barely touched my sensitive skin. He had a mischievous grin.
“Do you give?” he asked.
“What?” I asked.
“Do you give?"
"Yes, yes, I give, I give,” I said.
“Does it hurt real bad?”
“Yes,” I said.
“How much more do you think you could take?”
“Please, don’t, I give up,” I said.
He touched at the bottom of my foot lightly and I tried to pull it from his grip. Instead I got kind of sideways at an angle to him so that my foot was in front of his stomach. He touched again and I laughed a little. He was enjoying having me at his mercy and I started to not like it. Mr. Grant could make me feel like that and it would be fine because I knew I was safe but him, someone who was a friend. I turned a little as I thought of an escape plan, one good kick and I could get him out of my face. He let go of my ankle and I felt Ethan relax his hold.
My elbows fell down to my sides. It was almost over, but then he did it, he went for one last tickle, a teasing gesture of just how close I had gotten, and instead I kicked him right in the stomach. He went back with more force than I had imagine, hit the corner of the coffee table with the back of his leg, tripped, and fell right into a standing lamp causing it to fall sideways. I felt like I was watching it in slow motion as it fell over, the glass hit the wood flooring and it broke instantly with a crash I was sure could be heard throughout the house.
“Oh shit,” I said. “Are you okay?”
Ben looked over himself then to the lamp.
“I’m better than the lamp is,” he replied.
I sat up from Ethan, my hands went to the sides of my head. Was it possible Mr. Grant hadn’t heard anything? Maybe he was working with his headphones on and with the door closed he didn’t, I thought. What am I going to do now? Ethan sat up next to me and looked to the broken glass and let out a moan. There was a long enough pause that we each began to relax, we were about to act, about to cover it up, and then the office door opened. It was Mr. Grant. He had heard.
“What’s going on out there?”
“Shit,” Ben said.
“Nothing,” I replied.
“You’re being awful quiet for nothing. Shane get your ass in here.”
I jumped to my feet and looked back and forth between Ethan and Ben. Neither of them moved. They were waiting for me to do something. I started to walk but only made a few steps past Ethan when I stopped and looked back to them. They knew what was about to happen. I knew what was about to happen. They didn’t have to be here for it though, I thought. I swallowed hard before I spoke.
“Why don’t you guys take off? I’ll go take it and give you guys a call when I can. Maybe in a day or two. It was my fault so don’t worry about paying for it.”
Ben and Ethan looked to each other, waiting for someone to speak. I just turned away from them and headed to the office. I shuffled my feet in the hallway, paused at the open door, then pushed my way inside to find Mr. Grant back behind his desk with a serious look on his face. I stopped just short of the edge of the desk, looked down to the floor as my hands went behind my back to grip at each other.
“What happened?” he asked.
“We broke the lamp,” I said.
“Look up at me.”
I raised my head but my eyes couldn’t go to his eyes or even his face so I settled on his chest. His tie was loose and the first button of his shirt was undone. I could see a bit of the familiar chest hair I appreciated as we lay in bed.
“What happened?” he asked again snapping me from my reverie.
“I kicked Ben into the lamp to get him to stop tickling me and it broke.”
“And where are they now?”
“They’re leaving,” I said.
That’s when I heard the squeak of the door and turned to see Ethan and Ben both pushing it open before they stepped inside. They were still dressed, or in this case undressed, as they had been. Ben’s skin was pink with embarrassment and Ethan barely looked any better.
“Is that what happened?” Mr. Grant asked.
“Yes sir,” they replied at the same time.
“Do you all think you should be punished?”
“Yes sir,” they said.
“Yes sir,” I added just moments after them.
“And do you agree to take the punishment I decide?”
“Yes sir,” we said.
