beerbaron2
TMF Novice
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2013
- Messages
- 69
- Points
- 18
THE STORY SO FAR
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Buckle up, everybody. This is the longest chapter yet, and also the most tickle-heavy. I hope everyone enjoys. I have much more planned after this.
Chapter 9: “Malibu”
The Set Up
The door beeped and a green light blinked, granting Liv Morgan access to the hotel suite she had rented for the next two nights.
Liv breezed through the door, holding it open with her hip as she pulled her wheeled suitcase behind her with one hand, adjusting the bag on her shoulder and the one in her other hand.
Toeing out of her sneakers in the entry hallway, she padded into the suite in her sock feet and made a quick visual assessment of the accommodations.
A king bed in the master bedroom. Inviting. Spacious. Full of possibilities.
Two double beds in the second, smaller bedroom.
A rather expansive common room area, dominated by a large beige couch covered with several comfortable looking pillows.
Liv whirled to the kitchen, setting down one of her bags. The bottles inside clinked together upon contact with the granite countertop. She emptied the bag: a large bottle of wine for her and Billie; a more reasonably sized bottle of sparkling cider for Toni.
Next into the master bedroom where she dropped her shoulder bag and suitcase. Liv pulled a vape out of the former and took a long, thoughtful puff. She turned back to the common room, heading for a pair of double doors and out to the balcony. The warm breeze caressed her face as she looked out at the Pacific Ocean, watching as the waves crashed down on the beach below. Scurrying back to the master bedroom, Liv unzipped her suitcase and started to rifle through the contents as a smirk spread onto her face.
Grasping a surprise for her friends in one hand, she scooted back into the living room area and dropped the small bag on the table. Next, she took the comfortable armed chair and turned it to face the room rather than the TV.
“Toni's seat …” Liv murmured.
She dipped into, then emerged quickly, from the master bathroom and placed a folded fluffy towel on each arm of the chair.
“Just in case…” she said softly.
Her phone dinged.
Billie: Any snack requests?!? Sweet or salty?
Liv: Both? Sweet … M&M’s. Or Twizzlers. & salty i mean can you ever go wrong with funyuns?
Billie: 👍
Another ding from Toni, or the emoji Liv had used to save her in her contacts.
🦶: almost there …
Liv grabbed a clear bag with shampoo and body wash from her suitcase and turned to the master bathroom, shedding clothes as she walked in and turned on the shower.
Arrivals
A few minutes later: a beep and a click as the suite door unlocked. Toni Storm entered the suite, kicking off her shoes – backless fuzzy slippers with a short heel – within the first few steps.
“Darlings, I have arrived!!” she proclaimed.
Toni glided into the room, observed the chair at an angle, then dropped one of her bags into it with a satisfied nod. Just then Liv came around the corner, wearing a football jersey that draped nearly to her thighs and a pair of socks pulled up to her calves. Toni flung her arms wide as Liv darted into a full hug. The two blondes held their embrace for several seconds. Liv, leaning her head against Toni’s shoulder, sniffled.
“I missed you too, darling,” Toni said, her fingers lightly brushing at Liv's long hair.
Liv stepped away, dabbing at her eyes. “I guess I didn't realize how badly I wanted this again.”
“Indeed,” Toni replied. “And now with an additional participant. She's become quite incorrigible after the last few weeks. Her stamina is astonishing.”
Toni started to gather her effects and stow her suitcase. She produced a small cloth bag with a drawstring and placed it on the bed.
“Um, what's that? Let me guess, your bag of tricks?” Liv asked.
A knowing smile from Toni in response, then: “Merely part of my arsenal...”
“Helloooo!” from the entry hallway. “I’m here! I got – ack!”
A sudden tumbling noise. Liv and Toni both came running to find Billie Starkz, leaning precariously against one wall of the entry way, her wheeled suitcase on the floor tipped over beside her, and the contents of one cloth bag scattered at her feet as she clutched the other.
“OK, not appreciating the shoe obstacle course…” Billie said with a frustrated exhale.
“Here let me help you!” Liv started putting pieces of fruit and bags of nuts into the fallen bag. Toni came forward and retrieved the other bag.
“Oof,” Toni said, adjusting the weight of the bag in her arms. “Darling, there is such a concept as packing light…” Toni retreated to the kitchen, lightly kicking at her slippers with every couple of steps to remove them as a potential future tripping hazard.
Liv acted with more care, grabbing her sneakers gently by the heels with one hand as she rose with the now re-collected snack bag. “Man when you said you were bringing snacks you weren't kiddin’ around. What all did you get?”
“Two big bags of Funyuns and a bunch of M&Ms as requested – plain and peanut. Twizzlers. Some beef jerky. Cheese puffs. A box of vegan protein bars cause I didn't know everyone's diet preferences. Energy drinks. Some of those little shelf stable protein drinks; they're great in coffee! Oranges. Apples. Bananas. Some of those travel sized bags of nuts… peanuts and cashews. Oh, and some Gatorades for rehydration.”
By the time Billie finished her recitation, both Liv and Toni had stopped in their tracks, just staring at her. By the time she noticed… “Hey, all-night tickle sessions require fuel!”
Liv felt a flush coming to her cheeks. “Never thought I'd get excited about something like that…”
“I’ve been counting down the hours!” Billie said as she bustled into the suite, making a slow turn as she observed the suite and its amenities. “Hey, this is niiiiice. Gotta love that Royal Rumble money!”
Liv smiled and rolled her eyes.
Preparation
“Where should I put my stuff?” Billie asked.
“All doors remain open here…” Toni replied.
Pulling her wheely bag behind her, Billie peeked in the master bedroom and saw both Liv’s basic black suitcase and Toni’s covered in a floral print.
“... You guys gonna share the big bed?” Billie asked.
“We have before,” Liv said with a shrug.
“Our last rendezvous,” Toni added. “A lovely room but with one bed. It was more than spacious.”
“Like a slumber party!” Liv offered. “I'm sure there'd be room for all of us …”
Billie turned and stowed her bags in the smaller bedroom.
“I wanna shower before we start. I’ll be sweating a ton as soon as we get going,” Billie said, quickly unzipping and grabbing items from her suitcase, calling out, “Don't start without me!”
Liv chuckled and started organizing the snacks. Toni walked through the suite almost in a waltz, adding little flourishes. A colorful scarf draped over one chair. A second scarf across an arm of the couch. A third around her neck. Plugging in a soft light and turning off the overhead chandelier.
“Did you bring a lamp?!?” Liv said.
Toni just smiled as she turned on a Bluetooth speaker that started playing music softly.
“She brought enough food for an army,” Liv said, “what are we gonna do with all thi–Toni, what is THAT doing out?”
Toni looked up, the picture of innocence. “Whatever do you mean?”
Liv just pointed at the colorful feather boa in Toni’s right hand. “That thing… is evil.”
“I warned you I had more in my arsenal besides my proverbial bag of tricks,” Toni said, one eyebrow arching with a villainous smirk.
“You're not the only one who came prepared, bud…”
Before Toni could retort, Billie came bounding barefoot out of the smaller bathroom, hair still wet, pulling an oversized T shirt over a sports bra. The hem of the shirt overlapped the soccer shorts she was wearing.
“Whew, much better!” Billie said.
“Darling, you're dripping everywhere…” Toni said, grabbing one of the towels Liv placed earlier and lightly tossing it at Billie.
“I was just excited is all…” Billie said.
“Nobody's going anywhere,” Liv said. “We've got all night.”
“And all day and night tomorrow,” Toni noted.
The realization of roughly 36 hours earmarked entirely for fun, relaxation, and play hung in the air between them. Billie broke into a little standing dance.
“I'M SO FUCKIN STOKED!” she proclaimed.
Liv and Toni both burst into laughter.
Billie turned to face her friends, an eager smile beaming. “Hey…” she padded over to the couch, investigating the bag Liv had placed on the coffee table upon entry. “Ooooh press ons! I love nails…”
Billie sprawled onto the couch, sat cross legged, toes wiggling idly as she opened one of the packs.
“Oh good,” Toni said. “Acrylics…”
Liv, deliberately brushing her hair back over one shoulder with a knowing smirk at Toni. “Billie, want some wine?”
“Yes please,” Billie said, her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth as she applied the press ons to her right fingers.
A few quiet minutes with the music from the Bluetooth the only soundtrack as each continued in their preparations. Liv strolled over to the couch, placing a glass of red wine in front of Billie.
“Domo arigato,” Billie said softly.
“You speak Japanese?!?” Liv said.
“Three years in high school, two semesters in college.”
“She's like an onion…” Toni mused.
“Toni?” The Timeless One looked up and grinned as Liv handed her an ice bucket containing the sparkling cider bottle and a glass.
“Quite thoughtful,” Toni said.
“So,” Liv said, sprawling onto the far end of the couch with her own glass of wine. “Who goes first?” With her free hand, Liv reached down and pulled off her socks, toes wiggling slightly at the newfound freedom.
It Begins
“Ooh!” Billie said. “Me! Me me me! Just let me finish putting these nails on first…”
After applying the last press on, Billie held both hands up to admire them, wiggling her fingers with a proud smile on her face. Then, turning to look at the packaging…
"Wait … HOW long do these take to dry?”
“A couple hours,” Liv said with a smirk. “Three, tops.”
Billie stared at her hands. Looked up at Toni. Then at Liv. Then back at her hands.
“What an unfortunate sequence of events for you,” Toni said.
“Soooooo,” Billie said. “I just… can’t tickle anyone. For… a couple of hours.”
“Not effectively, no,” Toni said. “Not with your hands.”
“Three hours, tops,” Liv added.
“Perhaps your toes are nimble enough?” Toni suggested.
Billie looked at Liv: “You got these on purpose. You knew I liked nail art. You set the trap.”
A shrug from Liv.
“And I walked right into it,” Billie said.
“It would appear so,” Toni said.
Billie sprawled back on the couch, leaning her head against the end cushion and extending her legs in Liv’s direction.
“Fine… do your worst!” she said. “Just know when this glue dries, it’s on!”
“Hours from now,” Toni observed.
“Three, tops,” Liv said, setting her wine glass down and turning toward Billie’s bare feet, which were tapping together in eager anticipation.
“Ah ah ah,” Toni said. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Liv frowned.
“You still must answer for providing young Billiam that exhaustive scouting report on my vulnerabilities,” Toni said. “And, in fact, you agreed.”
“You did, I remember that,” Billie said.
A deep exhale from Liv…
Just a couple of moments later, it was a slight miracle that security had not been called due to the shrieks from within the suite.
Inside, on the couch, Billie and Liv both sat, arms raised above their heads, red-faced and helpless as they engaged in frantic laughter. Behind them, behind the couch, stood Timeless Toni, reaching forward, one hand apiece simultaneously working the armpit and rib cage of each of her friends.
“NaHA! NaHAHA! Naaahahahahahaaaaaa!” Billie said.
Liv, meanwhile, emitting an extended squeal: “It’s so bahahahahahahahad!”
Both women, stomping their bare feet against the carpeted floor as Toni paid diligent attention to their underarms and flanks.
Billie, near frantic: “Nope nope nope NOPE —" and then consumed by laughter.
Toni, sporting a wide grin with a liberal amount of malevolence present, brought both hands to Billie’s left side, her fingers wiggling as if she played a virtual piano. The motions provoked a mixture of squeaks, yips, and squeals from the purple-haired wrestler. Toni reached around with her right hand and staked her tickly claim on as-yet untapped real estate.
Billie, exclaiming: “Both hands?! That's not FAIR you can't use BOTH —"
Maintaining the tempo, Toni's fingers never ceased moving — exacting a slow pressure that refused to let the nervous system settle, while allowing Billie to regain just enough breath to keep laughing. Just then, Toni’s thumb discovered the soft spot on Billie's side — above the ribs, below the armpit, in the precise geographical area between them. Billie shrieked as her entire torso jackknifed forward before she threw herself back against the couch cushion, helpless.
“She found the fuckin’ SPOT. Liv, I told you the spot was real! Eehehehehehehe…”
Toni doubled down on the same spot, on both flanks.
“Oh mahahaan!” Billie said. “You’re killing mehehehehehe!”
Toni, pausing briefly: “Should I stop?”
Billie, breathing hard, shaking her head no with an emphatic motion.
“Very well.”
Billie’s face, turning bright red: “NAHAHAHA GAWWWWD HAHAHAHA!”
Billie’s body pushed toward the contact rather than away, feet pressing flat against the carpet as if steeling herself to resist. Meanwhile, Liv, her hands still above her head to indicate her continued participation, leaned back into the quite comfortable couch and sighed with satisfaction as she watched Billie get wrecked.
“Front row seat,” Liv said. “I could watch this show all day…”
Then Toni switched targets.
“NONONONONODYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Liv screamed, twisting and turning as Toni wielded the two-handed attack upon her. Liv started to curl into a ball, trying to make herself smaller, which somehow made it worse. “It tihihihickles!”
Liv’s laugh was of a different register than Billie’s: higher, more startled, like she was surprising herself with the degree of her own reactions.
Billie, observing, busted out laughing herself.
A pause from Toni: “What’s so funny?”
“You should see her face!” Billie said, still giggling.
“What’s wrong with my face?” Liv, flushed and huffing and puffing, trying to regain her wind in this brief respite.
“You make these crazy faces when she’s tickling you…” Billie observed.
“Um, excuse me? No I do not!”
“Yuh huh. Here, I’ll show you–”
“Don’t take a picture of me right now!”
“You’re not the boss of mehehehe!”
Toni reached forward, now kneading the ribs of each of her targets simultaneously to provoke a fresh round of giggles in stereo.
"Oh man oh MAN I shoulda skipped core workout this morning haha!" Billie said, her eyes brimming with tears of laughter.
Toni, using her left hand on Liv, exerting more pressure below the ribcage with her thumb
"YeeHEE! Hehehe hahahaha hehehe stahahahahap!" Liv said, wiggling and twisting until she brought her arms down.
"Let's see," Toni said, her character voice vanished. "Where was it ya told Billie to get me next?'
Liv shrieked.
"The armpits!" Billie piped up.
Liv shot Billie a glare and reached out with her right hand, squeezing Billie in the ribs.
"Ayiiii!!"
Toni promptly grabbed Liv's right wrist, raised her arm and attacked the armpit with scrabbling fingers with her free hand.
"Armpits, huh? How do you like it??'
"I'm sorry I'm sorryehehehehehehehe!" Liv stomped her right foot repeatedly against the floor.
“Where'd ya tell Billie t'go next, Liv?” Toni said. “Hmm? Spill! Where?"
Liv's only response was a staccato series of belly laughs. She started to cough, and Toni ceased. Liv slumped back against the couch, breathing hard, blinking away tears of laughter, a huge dopey smile on her face. "SO bad..."
"And yet no pause..." Toni observed. "I think you need more..."
Liv flashed up a playful look at Toni. "Bold talk for someone with ticklish toes who still has a turn..."
"Ah yes the toes!" Toni said, the Timeless voice returned. "Thanks for reminding me..."
"Oh shit..." Liv muttered.
The Redirect
“Feet on the table, please…” Toni said as she walked around to the front of the couch.
Liv, still breathing hard: “W-wait. I need a minute…”
Liv pulled the football jersey over her head, revealing a crop top with spaghetti straps. Every inch of visible skin on her upper half at least was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
Toni handed Liv a bottle of water and she began guzzling it. Then one for Billie, unscrewing and removing the lid first. She grabbed it with her palms and a grateful nod and drank deeply.
“Kinda glad I skipped the bra after my shower…” Liv said.
“Yes, I can see that,” Toni said, glancing down at Liv’s top – the pair of smallish circles: prominent – then back up to meet her eyes.
The blush returned even though the tickling had ceased. Liv chucked the jersey to the floor beside her.
Feet now stretched out on the table, Toni walked on the other side and sat down cross legged. Her eyes shined as she surveyed the four bare soles: Billie’s paler feet with longer toes. Liv’s, a bit shorter, wider, and well tanned.
“The game is, appropriately, a matter of reciprocity!” Toni said. “This one will really get your twats in a twist!”
Both Billie and Liv eyed Toni with suspicion, having just survived the previous sequence without a Pause. Billie could not repress a nervous grin, while Liv looked more uncertain, and still rather flushed.
"The rules are simple," Toni said. "I start in on one of you and when you decide you've had all the tickly torment you can stand, you tell me to switch. Thus redirected, I do so. And back and forth we go until someone Pauses."
"That's it?" Billie said.
Toni nodded. Liv and Billie looked at one another.
"Deal," they said, in near synchronicity.
Toni faux cracked her fingers like a poker dealer as her hands descended.
"Pause!" Billie called out.
Toni looked up, suddenly.
"No. Shit. Not Pause pause. I mean wait. If it's a game...what does the winner get?"
"Ooh good question..." Liv said.
"Hmm… The winner… gets five minutes alone with my tootsies at some point this evening, which they may declare at any time…”
"It's like Money in the Bank with tickles," Liv observed.
"Bro I would totally watch that match," Billie added, then gasped as Toni started dragging fingers up and down her soles. “Here we go teehehehe!”
“Did you just literally teehee?” Liv asked.
“Shut uhuhuhuhp!” Billie, already starting to unravel as Toni pressed her thumbs into Billie’s arches.
Rather than pull her feet back or twist away, Billie leaned into the tickle, throwing her head back and laughing.
“See?” Toni said, motioning to Liv with a head bob at Billie.”Spectacular stamina.”
“I can do thihihis all daaaaaeeeeee!”
Toni escalated, making her way up to the toes. Holding the right foot still with one hand as she worked her other fingers, wiggling quickly, between the toes.
“Yeeeehahahahaha!”
“That was almost a yee haw,” Liv chuckled.
“SWITCH!” Billie hollered out. “See how you like it…”
“OK now hang on OK OK OK THAT’S ALREADY REAL BAD!!!” Liv’s composure crumbled quickly as Toni went right for the toes, one hand scribbling the undersides, one tracing the tops of the toes.
“Now young Billiam for a true lesson I hope you're taking notes in how to properly dismantle Miss Liv here. Different sensations and tempos work quite well…”
Liv, covering her face with her hands, squealed, her legs shaking and her feet flailing. Toni shifted targets, working beneath with the toes with her fingers as her thumbs dragged back and forth in the arches. Liv responded with a wordless sound that was more animal than human.
“That’s it right there,” Billie said. “That’s what her face was doing.”
“Aha! Yes, I see it now…”
“I hate you both,” Liv managed between giggles.
“Lies,” Toni said.
“I really — hahaha – I really kinda do right now–”
“Rude!” Billie said, then a “Yeeeeagh!” as Liv reached out and got a handful of ribcage.
Liv’s attempt to inflict counter offense collapsed as Toni started working the ball of her foot with two fingers, precise and unhurried. The hand Liv was using to tickle Billie grabbed and gripped the cushion beneath her butt.
"Switch switch switch!" Liv squealed.
And so it continued.
Here’s what Liv and Billie learned about the Redirect game after a few rounds. When you did call switch, the relief only worked for about 10 or 15 seconds. Sure, it was fun to watch Toni work on the other person – “the ticklee”, as Billie reminded the room at one point when it was not her turn – but then watching the older person try and fail to maintain their shaky composure made you want to laugh almost as fully as getting tickled. Billie spent so much time either giggling at Liv’s reactions, or guffawing in her own desperation, that her standard running commentary became nearly nonexistent.
“You're laughing at me," Liv called out at one point, between giggles.
"I'm laughing with you," Billie said.
"I'm not laughing, I'm — hahaha — I'm suffering —"
“Then say Pause,” Billie said.
"SWITCH!"
Three fingers, inchworm-crawling up the center of Billie’s left sole.
“Switch back!”
Liv shot a betrayed look at Billie as Toni's hands returned to her own feet, now tracing the tops again.
“Tactics,” Billie said with a satisfied smile.
“Oh yeahahaha? Switch!”
Fingers exploring the crevices of Billie’s toes.
“Eeeeeee switch!”
Deliberate scraping of Liv’s arches.
“OHMYGOD SWITCH!”
Toni, pausing for a beat, then assaulting the backs of Billie’s knees with quick scribbles of her fingers.
“AyiiiiiiheheheHEY that’s not the feet! Dirty tactic!”
“Now, now, my friends, if you’re going to switch off so quickly, you’re corrupting the spirit of the game,” Toni chided in full Timeless voice while still thoroughly navigating the hollows of Billie’s knees as she threw her head back and cackled. “And then I’m just going to make things that much more intense. Let’s not forget my bag of tricks: the makeup brush? The comb?”
Back to Billie’s feet, and more prolonged intervals between switches.
Stomachs began to ache from laughing. Both women, now sweating profusely. Toni’s touches produced a veritable jambalaya of different noises: squeals, cackles, screams, chirps, yips, and the occasional begging – Toni’s favorite, it turned out. Meanwhile, Toni continued her tactile explorations with a deliberate and devastating equanimity: Timeless, and having the time of her life.
The Pause, with Billie taking a turn for the 11th or 12th time (who could count by now), came from the younger member of the power trio: not from distress, nor exhaustion, but from the specific sensation of having laughed so continuously and so completely that her bladder sent a polite and non-negotiable message that it was done for the moment.
"Pause," she said, clearly.
Both hands off. No comment. Billie lurched up off the couch and sprinted to the bathroom. “This is gonna be tough with these nails!” she called out as the door shut behind her.
Liv remained on the couch, a silly smile on her face as she stared at the ceiling.
“You good?” Toni said, her voice back natural, flat, Australian.
“Happy and devastated,” Liv replied with a sigh.
A victorious smirk from Toni.
Billie came bounding back into the room. “Let the record show,” she said, “that I might have Paused, but I lasted longer before switching, on average, than Liv.”
"Noted," said Toni.
"Um, excuse me, I didn't Pause," Liv pointed out.
"You also called switch faster than I did."
"That was strategy."
"Weak sauce!”
Liv opened her mouth, then closed it. "...That was strategy," she said, more softly, with less conviction.
Toni rose from her crouch and retrieved her glass from the side table, refilling it with cider and drinking deeply. "Shall we take a brief intermission before continuing?"
“Good idea,” Billie said. “Funyun me, please?”
A yellow cellophane bag tossed lightly through the air. Billie caught it and ripped it open, then looked down at her nails. Liv reached in, grabbed a Funyun, and fed it to Billie.
“Mmmmm,” Billie said.
A mumbled “thanks” as Billie chewed it, and Liv reached for two more – one tossed into her own mouth, and one for her younger friend.
“This is way better than Facetime, bud,” Liv observed.
An enthusiastic nod from Billie as she chewed Funyuns with gusto.
How Much Longer???
“Ok,” Billie said, surveying her artificial manicure. “I gotta be close to these drying by now. Can someone check the time for me?”
Liv swiped to unlock her phone. “It's been about 40 minutes.”
“No really.”
“No,” Liv said, leaning over to show Billie the screen. “Really.”
“Seriously?!?! I figured it had been at least an hour…”
“The clock moves laboriously when the tickles are present,” Toni mused, sprawled comfortably in her chair.
“I've got more than an hour to go?!?”
“More than two hours,” Liv corrected.
A sustained groan from Billie, cut off as she crunched another offered Funyun from Liv, then sipped from her water bottle, which now had a straw extending from it. “Uuuuuuugh, make time go faster!”
“Ever heard that patience is a virtue?” Toni offered.
“Whoever said that was never left waiting to get tickle vengeance…” Billie said, frowning.
“Relax, bud,” Liv said. “I know how we can pass the time.”
Liv grasped Billie’s ankles and started gently pulling her feet toward her lap.
“Hey hey hey, what’s this?!”
Liv scoffed. “Like you're not already ready for another round.”
Billie shrugged. “Ya got me. Go ahead then, gimme eeeep!”
Liv dragged two nails in tandem up the length of Billie’s left sole, then scribbled back down.
“Just don't forget the toehohoHOHOHOes!”
Billie’s composure already was tenuous as Liv started teasing the tender skin below her wiggling digits.
Toni, meanwhile, settled back into her chair, satisfied and unhurried, now holding the bag of Funyuns. She crunched them at her leisure while surveying the scene of Liv working over Billie with the quiet attention of a scientist documenting the behaviors of some animal species in the wild.
Liv was taking her time with the endeavor. With one hand, she leisurely scratched the sensitive spots between Billie’s toes, one crevice at a time. With the other, two fingers dragged at a methodical base down to the heel then back up the left sole, each path completed with slow, paintbrush-like strokes.
“OK, OK, that’s different…” Billie said before descending back into frantic giggles.
“Different how?” Liv asked, now abandoning the toes and working both soles at once with the same slow method.
“HEHEHEHE! Just…heehaha! Different!”
Billie’s toes spread as Liv continued her north-south movements on both feet, now lightening the pressure to a tracing sensation.
“Ohohoho maahahan slow and light eeeee,” Billie shook her head. “Imprehehessive! You’ve been holdin’ out on mehehehehe…”
“You have no idea,” Liv said.
A brief lull from Liv, and a grateful Billie started trying to regulate her breathing, the deep pink fading from her features.
“No idea about whaaaaaughahahahahaha!”
Liv paused again, both thumbs resting gently against the arch of her right foot. “Remember this spot? You told me all about it.”
“I never told you about–” Billie stopped in mid-sentence, realization creeping into her brain and onto her face. “The FaceTime.”
“Yup!” Liv said.
“I was drunk…”
“But helpful!” Liv replied with a cheerful chirp. “You even shared about techniques, see?” Liv started working her thumbs in opposing circles in the center of the arch.
“BAHAHAHA OH CMON!” Billie disintegrated into bright laughter with no small amount of desperation.
Billie, for the first time all night, tried to retract. Liv, showing her quick reflexes, hooked one ankle over her shins to secure her position. That foot, dangling in the air, started to wiggle its toes as if to wave a playful hello at Billie as Liv continued her methodical thumb tickle and accompanying monologue.
“You were very specific in your instructions,” Liv said in a casual tone, like she was talking about the reality show she watched last night and not the path to tickle destruction of her friend. “Said it was your worst spot of spots.”
“OHMYGAHAHAHAHAD!” Billie said. “WHY DID YOU REMEMBEHEHEHEH”
“Luckily for me, I have a very good memory,” Liv said. She looked back at Toni and, with a serene smile, winked as her thumbs continued to wreak havoc on Billie’s composure.
“Wow, bud, you should see the face you're making right now,” Liv said, applying slightly more pressure with her thumbs. “Should I take a picture?”
“NOHOHOHOHO!” Billie threw her head back, thoroughly dismantled now. Her reactions had progressed into full-on belly laughs, and now bordered on a wail. Her face, which had been pink, had transcended red and approached a shade approximate to her purple hair.
“PLEHEHEHEHEHASE!”
“Fascinating,” Toni said. “A quite formidable display of preparation and execution.”
Toni crunched another Funyun and took a long sip of her cider, observing. From the time they first approached Billie, she promptly had established herself as the most reactive subject of the trio — arguably the most reactive Toni ever had encountered, even surpassing that buxom redhead from her formative years. That reactivity concealed a deep well of stamina. Toni’s eyes widened as she watched something that transcended that willing reactivity.
“Pause pause PAUSE!” Billie bellowed, only made possible because Liv had halted her rhythm with the thumbs long enough for Billie to gain some small semblance of her wind.
"Why," Billie said, still breathless, propping up on her elbows, "are you so good at getting me?"
Liv looked up and pondered the question, then shrugged.
"I dunno,” she said.
“Yes, you DO!” Billie said.
“No, really,” Liv said. “No idea.”
Neither of them said anything else. The only sounds in the room were the crunch of Toni devouring Funyuns one at a time and panting breaths from Billie. Liv, pulling herself back to her feet, walked to the wine bottle, draining the last sip from her glass along the way.
“Need a refill, hon?”
“GOD, yes…”
Liv returned with two full glasses. “That bottle’s about had it,” she said.
Billie tried to grab it with her still-drying nails. Liv, with a slight smile, offered it to her lips instead. Billie drank deeply. Then Liv, setting her wine down on the table, pulled a full water bottle out from under her arm, popped the top, and transferred Billie’s straw as she grasped it with her palms.
“So… “ Billie said. “I’ve still got a while to go.”
“At least an hour,” Toni observed.
“Two, tops,” Liv added, taking a sip from her freshened wine glass.
“I can go again …” Billie said.
A look passed between Liv and Toni.
“I think you’ve earned a breather,” Liv said.
Billie frowned. “What fun is that? C’moooon. I’ll be bored just watching!”
Another look between Liv and Toni.
Billie trading her water for wine, then taking another long drink, her cheeks becoming rosey: “Whaddareya, chickens?” Billie set the wine down and started making soft clucking noises.
That made Toni’s eyebrow arch.
“If you insist…” Toni said, gliding into the master bedroom.
Liv’s eyes lit up when she saw what Toni now held.
Toni, standing behind the couch, leaned over Billie and waved the feather boa in front of her face.
“Remember,” Toni said, her soft natural Aussie accent present, “You asked for this.”
The Interlude
Some time later, Billie lay curled up on the couch, a blanket from the linen closet draped across her. She snored into a pillow that had been placed under her head, deep asleep in a well-earned rest. Her wine glass and an empty bag of Funyuns resided on the coffee table.
Toni and Liv, meanwhile, had retreated to the master bedroom, where they both were sprawled on the king bed. No personas. No character voices. No cameras. Just them. It felt so real Toni actually had asked, “should I start calling you Gionna?” Liv had just shrugged. “I answer to both…”
“There's definitely enough room for the three of us in here,” Liv observed, flat on her back, bare leg crossed and foot dangling in the air as she puffed from a vape in her hand.
“Billie may sleep through the night in there,” Toni said, crunching a Funyun from a freshly opened bag as she leaned against the headboard. “You really put her through it.”
“We,” Liv corrected. She extended the vape, and Toni exchanged it for the Funyuns. “Thought you were stone sober…”
“Weed is different,” Toni explained. “Especially when it's very good weed… like this. My compliments to your connection.”
“The benefits of a California address,” Liv said. “I figure we'll all need a case of the munchies to eat all the snacks Billie brought.”
Toni took another puff, then: “You're different with all this than I am.”
“Oh?” Liv took the extended vape, offering the bag of Funyuns. Toni shook her head, but when Liv raised the share size bag of M&Ms the Aussie blond nodded with enthusiasm.
“You're a planner,” Toni said. “Remember how you got me at the convention? Lots of setup there. And tonight. You booked the suite. You set the trap for Billie with the press ons. You made sure we were all fed and hydrated. And you had that about Billie’s arches in your back pocket the entire night. That girl is one giant tickle spot and I've never seen her in a state quite like that.
“Remind me never to play poker with you…”
Liv smiled. “Just wait and see what I have planned for tomorrow…” A deep puff off the vape now as her toes curled.
“I didn't go too hard on you earlier, did I?”
Liv shook her head. “I've got more stamina than I ever realized. Thanks to you.”
The vape and M&Ms swapped again.
"As fun as it is to wreck ya both, I'm kinda jealous honestly that I've yet to be tickled tonight," Toni said. "And usually, I find myself as the giver with her." A nod to Billie, still snoring audibly from the couch.
"It's a long weekend," Liv said. "You'll get yours. Trust me."
"Love the confidence," Toni said. "But, I gotta say, as much as I enjoy being the ticklee -- think I used that right, did I tell ya Billie told me that term? Research, she said -- I think, in the right context, you like it in a whole different way."
Liv blushed deeply and quickly.
“Like I say… context matters,” Liv spoke the words softly, barely above a whisper.
“I used to hate this. Being tickled. The feeling that I had lost control,” Liv added, rolling onto her stomach and facing Toni, her bare feet idly kicking in the air behind her as if her lower appendages had a mind of their own.
“And now?” Toni said, taking another pull on the vape.
“It's about choice. Just like that night in the hotel…”
“Things might turn out different now if we were back there,” Toni observed. “Especially if you had this stuff…”
“Or,” Liv said, “it could have gone exactly the same.”
“It's a close call.”
“Too close.”
Liv, her head and arms closer to Toni, started lightly scratching on the top of Toni’s feet. Toni bit her lip and squirmed under the tracing touch.
“That tickles a little,” Toni said.
“Good,” Liv replied. “You've still not had a turn.”
Liv scratched with more pressure, drifting from the tops to the spaces between her toes. A giggle from Toni: light, melodic, free of restraint or character.
The two blondes shared a smile.
“Hey…” a voice behind them. Both looked in the doorway to see Billie rubbing sleep out of her eyes. “What'd I miss?”
“We've just been chilling out, waiting for you to recharge,” Liv said.
Toni extended the vape. “A little something?”
Billie shook her head. “At this point I'd just go back to sleep.” A full body yawn… “You're sure you guys weren't gonna start without me?”
“Never,” Toni replied. “This weekend is about the three of us, together.”
“Good.” A relieved smile from Billie, promptly replaced by a much more predatory grin. “Because my nails have dried. And you know what that means…” Billie wiggled her fingers with the press on nails with deliberate intent.
“Rotation,” Liv and Toni said simultaneously, sharing a nervous look.
Redirect Redux
As much as she sought out being the ticklee, and getting obliterated in the process, Billie had never really considered herself to be much of a tickler.
That was changing. Quickly.
Toni had learned it in the rented mini van. And now, here, less than five minutes after Billie had woke from her nap, Toni and Liv were learning together that you underestimate Billie Starkz at your peril.
Both were stretched out on the king bed, heads at the foot, feet toward the headboard where Billie sat with her back against it — one leg hooked over each set of ankles, leaving four bare soles upturned and available. Liv covered her face with her hands, squealing and snorting as Toni, her belly laughs reaching a higher octave, pounded on the comforter. Billie smiled broadly as her hands worked, her left fingers dancing across Liv’s tanned toes as her right fingers paint brushed Toni’s pinker soles with sweeping strokes.
“I don't know about you two,” Billie said, never slowing her fingers, “but these nails were worth the wait.”
Tandem shrieks and laughter provided the only response, slowly subsiding as Billie backed off to a mere tracing. The four soles still wiggled under the touch of the sharp nails.
“Ehehehehe they're so bad,” Liv groaned.
“I… coulda toldya… that,” Toni said, giggling slightly as she recovered her wind.
“And I had hours and hours to plan what I was gonna do to you,” Billie said.
For the next few minutes, the only sounds in the room were the giggles of both Liv and Toni and the scritch scratch noises as the acrylics lightly clawed their soles. Every so often, Billie would change it up on one or the other of her targets.
A sudden quickening of tempo on Liv…
“Hehehehe! Snort Quit thahahahat! Snort”
“Awww, I love the snorts…” Billie said.
A detour from arches to toes on Toni provoked a sharp squeal.
“That's the wohohohorst!” Toni said.
“You can tell when you're really getting it cause you sound more Australian, mate!” Billie observed, her press on nails now darting into toe gaps to fantastic and audible results. Billie clenched down with her left leg to keep Toni from pulling away.
“Hey,” Billie said, withdrawing her fingers to mutual sighs of relief. “Remember that Redirect game? The one you invented, Toni?”
“I think I'm about to regret doing that.”
“Probably!” Billie said. “We're gonna play that again. But this time, you can't just say switch. You gotta tell me where t’go on the other person. And no repeats! That's boring.”
“Oh God…” Liv said.
“First one to Pause loses,” Billie said. “And then gets tickled by the two of us. Sound good? I think so.”
“Yeah I definitely regret Redirect now,” Toni said.
“So wait, how do you decide who goes firsssashitshitshitSHIT!”
Billie had begun pressing her thumb nails into Liv’s right arch, working in opposite circles.
“One clockwise… and one counterclockwise,” Billie said as Liv burst loose with a bright frantic laughter. “I wanted to see how this worked from the other end. Pretty good, huh?”
“GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHD!”
Toni watched, eyes wide, her toes clenching and soles pressing together on reflex as her friend who had been reflecting on her newfound stamina mere moments ago got dismantled in a matter of seconds.
“Tehyaaa! Tohooyaaahahaha!” Liv, screaming gibberish between a flood of cackles and guffaws.
“Sorry didn't quite get that…” Billie said, maintaining the same method and pace.
Toni smirked in amusement at Liv’s distress. Until…
“Toooes!” Liv bellowed.
“There it is…” Billie said.
“Wait hangondon–eeeeeeeeeyahahahaha!” Toni’s sentence and chance at coherent thought evaporated as Billie separated her soles and started scratching with the acrylics on the base of her toes. Her method was light, her tempo quick.
Toni had no chance.
“Bloody hellahahahahahahaha!”
Toni tried to retract and Billie ensnared her in a leg hold to counter. Squeals and belly laughs now entered the soundtrack of the room.
Liv, panting desperately, wiping away tears, giggled. “Oh man she's gone full Aussie.”
“I know right? Ya girl’s got skills,” Billie said. “And a scouting report, thanks to you.”
On the “to you” Billie reached out with her right foot and tapped Liv lightly on her cheek with her big toe.
Billie’s bare foot remained in reach of both but no reprisal came. Liv was too exhausted and Toni entirely too preoccupied.
“Um, her face is starting to look like your hair,” Liv observed.
Billie gave Toni a brief reprieve. “Switch? Or pause?”
“Her thighs,” Toni gasped out. “Right below her bum. Giver a good squeeze!”
A sudden silence in the room.
“Ok, that’s random… and you know this how?” Billie said.
“You suck so much,” Liv said, glaring at Toni.
“Sorry love, it's survival right now!” Toni replied.
Liv continued to stare daggers at Toni as a shrugging Billie followed the instructions on spot and technique to the letter. Liv shrieked, her back bending like she attempted a yoga pose. Her feet started kicking against the bed.
“Ooh a verrrry good spot,” Billie said as she adjusted, sitting on Liv’s calves and now kneading Liv’s thighs with both hands.
Liv growled briefly before the laughter overtook her again.
“Like ridin’ a mechanical bull!” Billie grinned as she said it, shifting and twisting with Liv’s wild motions. Liv’s gasping laughs became more of a wail.
“P–” Liv started. “Grrrrr!”
“That’sit Bill, you've got her!” Toni said.
Liv, still twisting madly: “Armpits FUCK ME Armpits!”
“Aw shit,” Toni said right before Billie's right hand plunged under Toni’s near arm, the acrylics scratching away with brisk purpose.
Now it was Toni’s turn to squeal and kick her legs. Billie adjusted, mounting Toni’s back and using her newly dried manicure to attack both armpits at once.
Toni didn't banter. She didn't speak. She could only laugh.
“That's what you get,” Liv said, sprawling onto her back, wiping away sweat and tears as she reached for her phone. “We need more alcohol…”
“DYAHAHAHAHAHA!” Toni shrieked, tapping her hands against the blanket in a staccato rhythm.
“Is that you tapping out?!” Billie said. “Do you pause?”
Toni shaking her head frantically: “Armpits! Herssss ahahahaha!”
“But I'm doing armpits now. No repeats remember?” Billie clarified the rule without changing or slowing her armpit offensive.
“Ohohohohohn thighs! Below the bum!”
“But I just did that. That's still a repeat.” Again, Billie remained maddeningly consistent working the armpits.
“AAAAWWWWWHAHAHAHA GITOFF YOU CHEEKY MONGREL!”
“Sorry I don't speak Australian,” Billie said in a breezy tone of voice, then doubled the tempo of her wiggling fingers.
A high pitched shriek from Toni then “PAUUUHAHAHAUSE!”
Billie let out a little whoop of triumph and climbed off of Toni, who promptly curled into the fetal position on the bed.
“Fuck,” Toni said between gasps and giggles. “Fuck!”
Then, again, “Fuck!!!”
Billie was sipping from her water, as Liv tapped away on her phone.
“Tequila and marg mix?” Liv offered.
“How about an extra large pizza and we share more of that,” Billie said. “I'm wide awake now. And hungry.”
“Toppings?”
“Supreme? No olives.” Billie made a face.
“Crust?”
“Whatever.”
“Ooh they have Chicago thin.”
A thumbs up from Billie.
“Fuck me I've NEVAH had someone give me a go like that,” Toni said, now easing to a seated position. “I'm impressed!”
“I pay attention,” Billie said with a shrug. “Ready for your penalty?”
Liv propped on one elbow, eyes shining, order placed. “Ooooh that's RIGHT!”
Toni groaned.
“Cmon where's that fearless leader spirit?” Billie said. ‘And besides we both have got it way more than you tonight.”
“So far,” Liv noted, handing Toni the vape. “I still get five minutes on her feet too for winning round 1 of Redirect.”
“Ooooh what are we gonna do for round 3?” Billie said, her eyes alight with mischief.
Toni took a long puff and held her breath for a good 20 seconds before she exhaled. “Monstas. The both o’ you. Monstas!” The tickling and marijuana had combined to thicken her Australian accent like adding flour to a roux.
“Hey you made us,” Billie said, holding out her hand for the vape.
“Bugger that, yer fully formed.”
“Agreed,” Liv said. “We just gave you the opportunity. Or maybe the permission.”
Billie withdrew the vape, a sudden thoughtful look on her face, then coughed several times.
“Good stuff, huh?” Liv said.
“At least wait on the penalty until the pizza gets here?”
The Escalation
By the time the pizza arrived and all three had eaten, more than an hour transpired. All three welcomed the break as a chance to rest, recharge, and regain their wind. The pizza was hot and full of flavor. They hadn't bothered with plates; they just set the box on the comforter and feasted, on the bed.
“This bed really is big enough for all three of us,” Billie mused, propped on one elbow as she finished off her third piece.
Liv, sitting cross-legged, was lightly rubbing one of Toni’s feet and one of Billie’s. Her own feet had gotten a turn from her friende working in tandem earlier while the trio waited for the pizza and Liv had, delightedly, munched on Funyuns through the massage.
Toni sighed, her head leaned back on two pillows propped against the headboard.
Billie started to pull away. Liv frowned a little until Billie climbed off the bed. “That feels great but it's time for candy…” she said, skipping into the common area.
“You'd never know she spent roughly 15 minutes annihilating us both,” Toni said.
“She’s a lot of fun,” Liv replied.
Toni nodded while chewing another bite, the cheese stretching as she pulled back the slice from her mouth. “Our missing piece…”
Liv rolled her eyes at the pun as Toni extended the vape in her direction. Liv took it in her mouth, her hands still on Toni’s soles.
“Fresh refill,” Liv said with appreciation as she exhaled. Toni took it back and had a long puff of her own.
Billie padded back in the room. “Soooo,” Billie said. “Look what I found.”
The others looked up. Billie had a bag of M&Ms in one hand, Twizzlers in the other, and three of Toni’s flowy silky scarves draped around her neck.
Billie grabbed the scarves and lightly tossed them on the bed. “Time for the penalty right?”
“Quite the escalation,” Toni said. “We have yet to experiment with restraint.”
“Maybe it's time,” Liv said. “If you're willing.”
“Yeah totally,” Billie said. “Although no matter what you decide, Toni, I am trying it.”
Toni frowned in mock dismay. “I can't be outdone by a 21 year old…”
She sat up straight against the pillows and removed her kimono, one arm extended to either side and legs straight out in front. “Pause rules in full effect.”
“I still get my five minutes on your feet, too,” Liv observed.
Toni’s eyes narrowed.
“I kinda wonder if this is how you felt when you sprang her press-on trap,” Toni said to Billie.
“I dunno,” Billie said. “I just know you haven't laughed nearly enough tonight.”
Toni gulped. “Performance?” Liv asked.
A quick shake of the head by Toni. Liv patted Toni on the leg, “Pause still in effect,” she reminded.
Billie, now kneeling on the bed in front of Toni, held the scarf out at her left forearm.
“Ok then,” Billie said.
“Hmm?”
“So tie yourself up,” Billie said.
“You gotta be joking,” Toni said.
“I don't know how to do it! This is all new to me!”
Liv, who was already busy at the foot of the bed tying Toni’s ankles together, started to recite instructions. “Fold the scarf in half diagonally. Then loop it back and forth over her wrists in a figure eight. Make sure you leave enough space for her to still get blood flow but not so much she can pull free. I like to follow the two finger rule. If you can get more than two fingers under the scarf it needs to be tighter. Then use a slip knot and tie the other end to the headboard. If we need it we can rig an anchor or just tie her wrists together.”
Billie's jaw dropped.
"What?" Liv said innocently.
"What goes on at that ranch of yours?!?" Toni said.
Liv, now blushing, "sometimes you just like what you like. Right?”
Billie followed Liv’s instructions and, after realizing the headboard in fact would not work, secured Toni’s hands in front of her, wrists tied together with the scarf in a figure eight.
“Quick study,” Liv mused.
“Valedictorian,” Toni observed. “Perhaps a little tighter though? Once the tickling begins I'm liable to pull free if you keep it like this.”
“And you know this how?” Billie asked.
A serene smile from Toni was the only response.
“Ok…” Billie scrambling off the bed. “What have I walked into? Do you guys have secret lives?! I thought you said you'd not used restraints yet!”
“Yes that's true,” Toni said. “Not together. But when it comes to being tickled while tied, it's not, as you Yanks say, my first rodeo.”
“And I've been tied up a lot,” Liv said, “but never tickled. And not with Toni.”
A beat of silence. Then, Liv, gently, “Feel better?”
“Just felt like everyone was hiding something from me…” Billie murmured as she resumed a cross legged position on the bed.
“OK, Bill, set a timer for five minutes.”
“Lillie,” Billie said. Both Toni and Liv looked at her. “That's my shoot name. If you want. Or Billie. I like both.”
“You two made it difficult,” Toni said. “I just stay Toni wherever I go.
“Your clock is still running by the way.”
Liv jumped on the bed and reclined at the bottom of Toni’s feet. Her toes wiggled and Toni bit her lip as Liv grabbed the cloth drawstring bag and dumped the contents out on the bed.
Toni groaned.
“Ooooooh!” Billie said.
The contents included a soft makeup brush that Liv already knew well, a hairbrush, two feathers – one stiff, the other nebulous and fluffy aside from the quill at the back end – a small bottle of liquid, and a travel comb.
“Letting you know, that comb is evil,” Billie said.
“Yeah?” Liv grabbed it then set it down and went for the makeup brush. “Feeling helpless, Toni?”
“In the best of ways, mate. Let me have it.”
Liv wielded the makeup brush—sweeping it lightly across the center of Toni’s right arch.
Toni’s breath hitched immediately.
“Only moderately diabolical…” she said through clenched teeth.
Now to the left foot, dragging the brush slowly up the outer edge. Toni chuckled softly.
Billie watched, fascinated, her eyes darting back and forth between Toni’s face, Liv's face, and the action at Toni’s feet like a spectator at a tennis match.
Liv switched between both feet—light sweeps in the center of one arch, then the other.
Toni’s laughter brightened. “Thahahat’s more like it!”
“You enjoy this,” Liv observed quietly.
Toni smiled. “Yes.” The answer completely lacked any theatrics.
Liv abandoned the brush and picked up the comb.
Toni took a deep breath, then her face contorted into a twisted expression as if she had tasted something incredibly sour. “Hehehehehehe…”
Liv was on her stomach now, her own legs kicking idly in the air as she lightly ran the comb on Toni’s soles.
Up and down.
Side to side.
Diagonals.
Never taking the same path twice.
Toni was already red faced, a staccato series of giggles streaming out of her mouth.
“Hehehehehehehe snort hehehehehehe snort “
“She sounds like a machine gun,” Billie observed, shifting positions.
“And the snorts are the reloads, hehe Heeey!”
Billie had shifted and now had her index finger pressed against Liv’s upturned right sole. “What? No rule I can't have fun right now too.” Billie began lightly tracing that one nail on Liv’s exposed right foot. Liv’s foot flexed and her toes wiggled but she didn't pull away.
“Fine. Just nothing too intense, OK? I need to keep focused.” As Liv spoke, she was lightly sawing the comb back and forth in Toni’s left arch, provoking a surprised squeal.
“You owe me a full foot tickle then,” Billie said.
“Tomorrow morning.” Liv scraped the comb on Toni’s left heel, her foot wiggling frantically. “And make it a mutual foot tickle. We see who cracks first.”
“Ohmigod can you at least focus on the task at hand?” Toni said.
“Comb not hand,” Liv said, quickly spidering her fingers in Toni’s arches. A loud belly laugh punctuated by a snort. Then back to the comb…
Billie stayed quiet for a beat or two, then: “No thumbs in the arches.”
Liv worked the comb across the right heel now. “For either of us.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.”
Liv quickened the pace with the comb, now using a zig zag motion that traversed both of Toni’s soles. The snorts came more rapid fire as a result. Billie resumed her own ministrations on Liv’s feet, light scratching with one nail on one foot, mingled in with massage on the other.
“Ok, one or the other,” Liv called out.
Billie now slowly tracing both soles with her index fingers.
“Heeehaha I asked for that…” Liv acknowledged. Meanwhile she started gently raking the comb under Toni’s toes.
The change in location and touch created noticeable cracks in Toni’s composure.
“Ohhohoho, that’s cruel—” then descending into full on laughter.
Billie looked up at Toni’s face. “She’s glowing.”
Liv laughed.
“Are you laughing at her or what I’m doing?” Billie asked.
“Both. EEP!”
Billie grinned as Liv opted for a combination technique, sawing the comb between Toni’s toes and using her free hand to drag her short fingernails up and down the soles.
Toni threw her head back against the pillows, her giggles and guffaws escalating into full on cackling.
Liv backed off, keeping Toni right there on the edge until the timer beeped.
“Phew,” Toni sighed as Billie extended a bottle of water with a straw. Toni drank deeply, then rested her head against the pillows, still reacting to what she endured: a series of irregular giggles punctuated by a couple of snorts. Liv began a massage on Toni’s right sole, kneading it with significant pressure.
“Catch your breath,” Liv said. “Then we go to the penalty phase for you losing Redirect.”
Toni groaned. “You two are gonna put me in an early grave…”
“That's how I'd wanna go out,” Billie said.
Both blondes looked at Billie, whose pale skin promptly was overtaken by a deep blush.
All three women burst out laughing.
The trio chatted while Toni rested and recovered over the next 15 minutes. Then, Billie clapped her hands. “Penalty time!” she said. “You want top or bottom, Liv?”
“Gionna is also Ok,” she said, looking away when Billie turned. “Liv, too. Just saying.”
Billie cocked her head in thought. “How about G?”
“My favorite brother calls me that,” Liv said. “I like it. And I'll take the top. Let's see what this comb can find up there.”
“Nothing” Toni said. “Nothing at all. No tickly reactions at all with the comb north of the ankles, sorry to say.”
Billie picked up the bottle of liquid that had been in the bag. She opened it and sniffed, then gave Toni a predatory smile. Toni gulped and flexed her feet to point the soles down at the blanket.
“Oh you are SO gonna get it,” Billie said as she swung a leg over Toni’s ankles. A quick finger scrape and, with a small shriek, Toni’s feet extended back out on reflex. Billie opened the bottle pouring a viscous opaque liquid into the palm of her hand.
“Is that baby oil?” Liv asked.
Billie just nodded as she began to rub the oil into Toni’s feet. Toni scrunched her nose as Billie worked it into her soles.
“Gotta get every wrinkle…” Billie said.
“Look at her face!” Liv said. “Is that getting you?”
“Only cause hehe you cheeky gits have all my nerves on fire heehaha…” Toni said with no small amount of effort.
Oil applied, Billie capped the bottle and wiggled her acrylic nails at Toni.
“On three?” Liv suggested.
“One…” Billie said.
“Two…” Liv added.
To be continued
Next time we see more from the weekend trip in Malibu!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Buckle up, everybody. This is the longest chapter yet, and also the most tickle-heavy. I hope everyone enjoys. I have much more planned after this.
Chapter 9: “Malibu”
The Set Up
The door beeped and a green light blinked, granting Liv Morgan access to the hotel suite she had rented for the next two nights.
Liv breezed through the door, holding it open with her hip as she pulled her wheeled suitcase behind her with one hand, adjusting the bag on her shoulder and the one in her other hand.
Toeing out of her sneakers in the entry hallway, she padded into the suite in her sock feet and made a quick visual assessment of the accommodations.
A king bed in the master bedroom. Inviting. Spacious. Full of possibilities.
Two double beds in the second, smaller bedroom.
A rather expansive common room area, dominated by a large beige couch covered with several comfortable looking pillows.
Liv whirled to the kitchen, setting down one of her bags. The bottles inside clinked together upon contact with the granite countertop. She emptied the bag: a large bottle of wine for her and Billie; a more reasonably sized bottle of sparkling cider for Toni.
Next into the master bedroom where she dropped her shoulder bag and suitcase. Liv pulled a vape out of the former and took a long, thoughtful puff. She turned back to the common room, heading for a pair of double doors and out to the balcony. The warm breeze caressed her face as she looked out at the Pacific Ocean, watching as the waves crashed down on the beach below. Scurrying back to the master bedroom, Liv unzipped her suitcase and started to rifle through the contents as a smirk spread onto her face.
Grasping a surprise for her friends in one hand, she scooted back into the living room area and dropped the small bag on the table. Next, she took the comfortable armed chair and turned it to face the room rather than the TV.
“Toni's seat …” Liv murmured.
She dipped into, then emerged quickly, from the master bathroom and placed a folded fluffy towel on each arm of the chair.
“Just in case…” she said softly.
Her phone dinged.
Billie: Any snack requests?!? Sweet or salty?
Liv: Both? Sweet … M&M’s. Or Twizzlers. & salty i mean can you ever go wrong with funyuns?
Billie: 👍
Another ding from Toni, or the emoji Liv had used to save her in her contacts.
🦶: almost there …
Liv grabbed a clear bag with shampoo and body wash from her suitcase and turned to the master bathroom, shedding clothes as she walked in and turned on the shower.
Arrivals
A few minutes later: a beep and a click as the suite door unlocked. Toni Storm entered the suite, kicking off her shoes – backless fuzzy slippers with a short heel – within the first few steps.
“Darlings, I have arrived!!” she proclaimed.
Toni glided into the room, observed the chair at an angle, then dropped one of her bags into it with a satisfied nod. Just then Liv came around the corner, wearing a football jersey that draped nearly to her thighs and a pair of socks pulled up to her calves. Toni flung her arms wide as Liv darted into a full hug. The two blondes held their embrace for several seconds. Liv, leaning her head against Toni’s shoulder, sniffled.
“I missed you too, darling,” Toni said, her fingers lightly brushing at Liv's long hair.
Liv stepped away, dabbing at her eyes. “I guess I didn't realize how badly I wanted this again.”
“Indeed,” Toni replied. “And now with an additional participant. She's become quite incorrigible after the last few weeks. Her stamina is astonishing.”
Toni started to gather her effects and stow her suitcase. She produced a small cloth bag with a drawstring and placed it on the bed.
“Um, what's that? Let me guess, your bag of tricks?” Liv asked.
A knowing smile from Toni in response, then: “Merely part of my arsenal...”
“Helloooo!” from the entry hallway. “I’m here! I got – ack!”
A sudden tumbling noise. Liv and Toni both came running to find Billie Starkz, leaning precariously against one wall of the entry way, her wheeled suitcase on the floor tipped over beside her, and the contents of one cloth bag scattered at her feet as she clutched the other.
“OK, not appreciating the shoe obstacle course…” Billie said with a frustrated exhale.
“Here let me help you!” Liv started putting pieces of fruit and bags of nuts into the fallen bag. Toni came forward and retrieved the other bag.
“Oof,” Toni said, adjusting the weight of the bag in her arms. “Darling, there is such a concept as packing light…” Toni retreated to the kitchen, lightly kicking at her slippers with every couple of steps to remove them as a potential future tripping hazard.
Liv acted with more care, grabbing her sneakers gently by the heels with one hand as she rose with the now re-collected snack bag. “Man when you said you were bringing snacks you weren't kiddin’ around. What all did you get?”
“Two big bags of Funyuns and a bunch of M&Ms as requested – plain and peanut. Twizzlers. Some beef jerky. Cheese puffs. A box of vegan protein bars cause I didn't know everyone's diet preferences. Energy drinks. Some of those little shelf stable protein drinks; they're great in coffee! Oranges. Apples. Bananas. Some of those travel sized bags of nuts… peanuts and cashews. Oh, and some Gatorades for rehydration.”
By the time Billie finished her recitation, both Liv and Toni had stopped in their tracks, just staring at her. By the time she noticed… “Hey, all-night tickle sessions require fuel!”
Liv felt a flush coming to her cheeks. “Never thought I'd get excited about something like that…”
“I’ve been counting down the hours!” Billie said as she bustled into the suite, making a slow turn as she observed the suite and its amenities. “Hey, this is niiiiice. Gotta love that Royal Rumble money!”
Liv smiled and rolled her eyes.
Preparation
“Where should I put my stuff?” Billie asked.
“All doors remain open here…” Toni replied.
Pulling her wheely bag behind her, Billie peeked in the master bedroom and saw both Liv’s basic black suitcase and Toni’s covered in a floral print.
“... You guys gonna share the big bed?” Billie asked.
“We have before,” Liv said with a shrug.
“Our last rendezvous,” Toni added. “A lovely room but with one bed. It was more than spacious.”
“Like a slumber party!” Liv offered. “I'm sure there'd be room for all of us …”
Billie turned and stowed her bags in the smaller bedroom.
“I wanna shower before we start. I’ll be sweating a ton as soon as we get going,” Billie said, quickly unzipping and grabbing items from her suitcase, calling out, “Don't start without me!”
Liv chuckled and started organizing the snacks. Toni walked through the suite almost in a waltz, adding little flourishes. A colorful scarf draped over one chair. A second scarf across an arm of the couch. A third around her neck. Plugging in a soft light and turning off the overhead chandelier.
“Did you bring a lamp?!?” Liv said.
Toni just smiled as she turned on a Bluetooth speaker that started playing music softly.
“She brought enough food for an army,” Liv said, “what are we gonna do with all thi–Toni, what is THAT doing out?”
Toni looked up, the picture of innocence. “Whatever do you mean?”
Liv just pointed at the colorful feather boa in Toni’s right hand. “That thing… is evil.”
“I warned you I had more in my arsenal besides my proverbial bag of tricks,” Toni said, one eyebrow arching with a villainous smirk.
“You're not the only one who came prepared, bud…”
Before Toni could retort, Billie came bounding barefoot out of the smaller bathroom, hair still wet, pulling an oversized T shirt over a sports bra. The hem of the shirt overlapped the soccer shorts she was wearing.
“Whew, much better!” Billie said.
“Darling, you're dripping everywhere…” Toni said, grabbing one of the towels Liv placed earlier and lightly tossing it at Billie.
“I was just excited is all…” Billie said.
“Nobody's going anywhere,” Liv said. “We've got all night.”
“And all day and night tomorrow,” Toni noted.
The realization of roughly 36 hours earmarked entirely for fun, relaxation, and play hung in the air between them. Billie broke into a little standing dance.
“I'M SO FUCKIN STOKED!” she proclaimed.
Liv and Toni both burst into laughter.
Billie turned to face her friends, an eager smile beaming. “Hey…” she padded over to the couch, investigating the bag Liv had placed on the coffee table upon entry. “Ooooh press ons! I love nails…”
Billie sprawled onto the couch, sat cross legged, toes wiggling idly as she opened one of the packs.
“Oh good,” Toni said. “Acrylics…”
Liv, deliberately brushing her hair back over one shoulder with a knowing smirk at Toni. “Billie, want some wine?”
“Yes please,” Billie said, her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth as she applied the press ons to her right fingers.
A few quiet minutes with the music from the Bluetooth the only soundtrack as each continued in their preparations. Liv strolled over to the couch, placing a glass of red wine in front of Billie.
“Domo arigato,” Billie said softly.
“You speak Japanese?!?” Liv said.
“Three years in high school, two semesters in college.”
“She's like an onion…” Toni mused.
“Toni?” The Timeless One looked up and grinned as Liv handed her an ice bucket containing the sparkling cider bottle and a glass.
“Quite thoughtful,” Toni said.
“So,” Liv said, sprawling onto the far end of the couch with her own glass of wine. “Who goes first?” With her free hand, Liv reached down and pulled off her socks, toes wiggling slightly at the newfound freedom.
It Begins
“Ooh!” Billie said. “Me! Me me me! Just let me finish putting these nails on first…”
After applying the last press on, Billie held both hands up to admire them, wiggling her fingers with a proud smile on her face. Then, turning to look at the packaging…
"Wait … HOW long do these take to dry?”
“A couple hours,” Liv said with a smirk. “Three, tops.”
Billie stared at her hands. Looked up at Toni. Then at Liv. Then back at her hands.
“What an unfortunate sequence of events for you,” Toni said.
“Soooooo,” Billie said. “I just… can’t tickle anyone. For… a couple of hours.”
“Not effectively, no,” Toni said. “Not with your hands.”
“Three hours, tops,” Liv added.
“Perhaps your toes are nimble enough?” Toni suggested.
Billie looked at Liv: “You got these on purpose. You knew I liked nail art. You set the trap.”
A shrug from Liv.
“And I walked right into it,” Billie said.
“It would appear so,” Toni said.
Billie sprawled back on the couch, leaning her head against the end cushion and extending her legs in Liv’s direction.
“Fine… do your worst!” she said. “Just know when this glue dries, it’s on!”
“Hours from now,” Toni observed.
“Three, tops,” Liv said, setting her wine glass down and turning toward Billie’s bare feet, which were tapping together in eager anticipation.
“Ah ah ah,” Toni said. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Liv frowned.
“You still must answer for providing young Billiam that exhaustive scouting report on my vulnerabilities,” Toni said. “And, in fact, you agreed.”
“You did, I remember that,” Billie said.
A deep exhale from Liv…
Just a couple of moments later, it was a slight miracle that security had not been called due to the shrieks from within the suite.
Inside, on the couch, Billie and Liv both sat, arms raised above their heads, red-faced and helpless as they engaged in frantic laughter. Behind them, behind the couch, stood Timeless Toni, reaching forward, one hand apiece simultaneously working the armpit and rib cage of each of her friends.
“NaHA! NaHAHA! Naaahahahahahaaaaaa!” Billie said.
Liv, meanwhile, emitting an extended squeal: “It’s so bahahahahahahahad!”
Both women, stomping their bare feet against the carpeted floor as Toni paid diligent attention to their underarms and flanks.
Billie, near frantic: “Nope nope nope NOPE —" and then consumed by laughter.
Toni, sporting a wide grin with a liberal amount of malevolence present, brought both hands to Billie’s left side, her fingers wiggling as if she played a virtual piano. The motions provoked a mixture of squeaks, yips, and squeals from the purple-haired wrestler. Toni reached around with her right hand and staked her tickly claim on as-yet untapped real estate.
Billie, exclaiming: “Both hands?! That's not FAIR you can't use BOTH —"
Maintaining the tempo, Toni's fingers never ceased moving — exacting a slow pressure that refused to let the nervous system settle, while allowing Billie to regain just enough breath to keep laughing. Just then, Toni’s thumb discovered the soft spot on Billie's side — above the ribs, below the armpit, in the precise geographical area between them. Billie shrieked as her entire torso jackknifed forward before she threw herself back against the couch cushion, helpless.
“She found the fuckin’ SPOT. Liv, I told you the spot was real! Eehehehehehehe…”
Toni doubled down on the same spot, on both flanks.
“Oh mahahaan!” Billie said. “You’re killing mehehehehehe!”
Toni, pausing briefly: “Should I stop?”
Billie, breathing hard, shaking her head no with an emphatic motion.
“Very well.”
Billie’s face, turning bright red: “NAHAHAHA GAWWWWD HAHAHAHA!”
Billie’s body pushed toward the contact rather than away, feet pressing flat against the carpet as if steeling herself to resist. Meanwhile, Liv, her hands still above her head to indicate her continued participation, leaned back into the quite comfortable couch and sighed with satisfaction as she watched Billie get wrecked.
“Front row seat,” Liv said. “I could watch this show all day…”
Then Toni switched targets.
“NONONONONODYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Liv screamed, twisting and turning as Toni wielded the two-handed attack upon her. Liv started to curl into a ball, trying to make herself smaller, which somehow made it worse. “It tihihihickles!”
Liv’s laugh was of a different register than Billie’s: higher, more startled, like she was surprising herself with the degree of her own reactions.
Billie, observing, busted out laughing herself.
A pause from Toni: “What’s so funny?”
“You should see her face!” Billie said, still giggling.
“What’s wrong with my face?” Liv, flushed and huffing and puffing, trying to regain her wind in this brief respite.
“You make these crazy faces when she’s tickling you…” Billie observed.
“Um, excuse me? No I do not!”
“Yuh huh. Here, I’ll show you–”
“Don’t take a picture of me right now!”
“You’re not the boss of mehehehe!”
Toni reached forward, now kneading the ribs of each of her targets simultaneously to provoke a fresh round of giggles in stereo.
"Oh man oh MAN I shoulda skipped core workout this morning haha!" Billie said, her eyes brimming with tears of laughter.
Toni, using her left hand on Liv, exerting more pressure below the ribcage with her thumb
"YeeHEE! Hehehe hahahaha hehehe stahahahahap!" Liv said, wiggling and twisting until she brought her arms down.
"Let's see," Toni said, her character voice vanished. "Where was it ya told Billie to get me next?'
Liv shrieked.
"The armpits!" Billie piped up.
Liv shot Billie a glare and reached out with her right hand, squeezing Billie in the ribs.
"Ayiiii!!"
Toni promptly grabbed Liv's right wrist, raised her arm and attacked the armpit with scrabbling fingers with her free hand.
"Armpits, huh? How do you like it??'
"I'm sorry I'm sorryehehehehehehehe!" Liv stomped her right foot repeatedly against the floor.
“Where'd ya tell Billie t'go next, Liv?” Toni said. “Hmm? Spill! Where?"
Liv's only response was a staccato series of belly laughs. She started to cough, and Toni ceased. Liv slumped back against the couch, breathing hard, blinking away tears of laughter, a huge dopey smile on her face. "SO bad..."
"And yet no pause..." Toni observed. "I think you need more..."
Liv flashed up a playful look at Toni. "Bold talk for someone with ticklish toes who still has a turn..."
"Ah yes the toes!" Toni said, the Timeless voice returned. "Thanks for reminding me..."
"Oh shit..." Liv muttered.
The Redirect
“Feet on the table, please…” Toni said as she walked around to the front of the couch.
Liv, still breathing hard: “W-wait. I need a minute…”
Liv pulled the football jersey over her head, revealing a crop top with spaghetti straps. Every inch of visible skin on her upper half at least was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
Toni handed Liv a bottle of water and she began guzzling it. Then one for Billie, unscrewing and removing the lid first. She grabbed it with her palms and a grateful nod and drank deeply.
“Kinda glad I skipped the bra after my shower…” Liv said.
“Yes, I can see that,” Toni said, glancing down at Liv’s top – the pair of smallish circles: prominent – then back up to meet her eyes.
The blush returned even though the tickling had ceased. Liv chucked the jersey to the floor beside her.
Feet now stretched out on the table, Toni walked on the other side and sat down cross legged. Her eyes shined as she surveyed the four bare soles: Billie’s paler feet with longer toes. Liv’s, a bit shorter, wider, and well tanned.
“The game is, appropriately, a matter of reciprocity!” Toni said. “This one will really get your twats in a twist!”
Both Billie and Liv eyed Toni with suspicion, having just survived the previous sequence without a Pause. Billie could not repress a nervous grin, while Liv looked more uncertain, and still rather flushed.
"The rules are simple," Toni said. "I start in on one of you and when you decide you've had all the tickly torment you can stand, you tell me to switch. Thus redirected, I do so. And back and forth we go until someone Pauses."
"That's it?" Billie said.
Toni nodded. Liv and Billie looked at one another.
"Deal," they said, in near synchronicity.
Toni faux cracked her fingers like a poker dealer as her hands descended.
"Pause!" Billie called out.
Toni looked up, suddenly.
"No. Shit. Not Pause pause. I mean wait. If it's a game...what does the winner get?"
"Ooh good question..." Liv said.
"Hmm… The winner… gets five minutes alone with my tootsies at some point this evening, which they may declare at any time…”
"It's like Money in the Bank with tickles," Liv observed.
"Bro I would totally watch that match," Billie added, then gasped as Toni started dragging fingers up and down her soles. “Here we go teehehehe!”
“Did you just literally teehee?” Liv asked.
“Shut uhuhuhuhp!” Billie, already starting to unravel as Toni pressed her thumbs into Billie’s arches.
Rather than pull her feet back or twist away, Billie leaned into the tickle, throwing her head back and laughing.
“See?” Toni said, motioning to Liv with a head bob at Billie.”Spectacular stamina.”
“I can do thihihis all daaaaaeeeeee!”
Toni escalated, making her way up to the toes. Holding the right foot still with one hand as she worked her other fingers, wiggling quickly, between the toes.
“Yeeeehahahahaha!”
“That was almost a yee haw,” Liv chuckled.
“SWITCH!” Billie hollered out. “See how you like it…”
“OK now hang on OK OK OK THAT’S ALREADY REAL BAD!!!” Liv’s composure crumbled quickly as Toni went right for the toes, one hand scribbling the undersides, one tracing the tops of the toes.
“Now young Billiam for a true lesson I hope you're taking notes in how to properly dismantle Miss Liv here. Different sensations and tempos work quite well…”
Liv, covering her face with her hands, squealed, her legs shaking and her feet flailing. Toni shifted targets, working beneath with the toes with her fingers as her thumbs dragged back and forth in the arches. Liv responded with a wordless sound that was more animal than human.
“That’s it right there,” Billie said. “That’s what her face was doing.”
“Aha! Yes, I see it now…”
“I hate you both,” Liv managed between giggles.
“Lies,” Toni said.
“I really — hahaha – I really kinda do right now–”
“Rude!” Billie said, then a “Yeeeeagh!” as Liv reached out and got a handful of ribcage.
Liv’s attempt to inflict counter offense collapsed as Toni started working the ball of her foot with two fingers, precise and unhurried. The hand Liv was using to tickle Billie grabbed and gripped the cushion beneath her butt.
"Switch switch switch!" Liv squealed.
And so it continued.
Here’s what Liv and Billie learned about the Redirect game after a few rounds. When you did call switch, the relief only worked for about 10 or 15 seconds. Sure, it was fun to watch Toni work on the other person – “the ticklee”, as Billie reminded the room at one point when it was not her turn – but then watching the older person try and fail to maintain their shaky composure made you want to laugh almost as fully as getting tickled. Billie spent so much time either giggling at Liv’s reactions, or guffawing in her own desperation, that her standard running commentary became nearly nonexistent.
“You're laughing at me," Liv called out at one point, between giggles.
"I'm laughing with you," Billie said.
"I'm not laughing, I'm — hahaha — I'm suffering —"
“Then say Pause,” Billie said.
"SWITCH!"
Three fingers, inchworm-crawling up the center of Billie’s left sole.
“Switch back!”
Liv shot a betrayed look at Billie as Toni's hands returned to her own feet, now tracing the tops again.
“Tactics,” Billie said with a satisfied smile.
“Oh yeahahaha? Switch!”
Fingers exploring the crevices of Billie’s toes.
“Eeeeeee switch!”
Deliberate scraping of Liv’s arches.
“OHMYGOD SWITCH!”
Toni, pausing for a beat, then assaulting the backs of Billie’s knees with quick scribbles of her fingers.
“AyiiiiiiheheheHEY that’s not the feet! Dirty tactic!”
“Now, now, my friends, if you’re going to switch off so quickly, you’re corrupting the spirit of the game,” Toni chided in full Timeless voice while still thoroughly navigating the hollows of Billie’s knees as she threw her head back and cackled. “And then I’m just going to make things that much more intense. Let’s not forget my bag of tricks: the makeup brush? The comb?”
Back to Billie’s feet, and more prolonged intervals between switches.
Stomachs began to ache from laughing. Both women, now sweating profusely. Toni’s touches produced a veritable jambalaya of different noises: squeals, cackles, screams, chirps, yips, and the occasional begging – Toni’s favorite, it turned out. Meanwhile, Toni continued her tactile explorations with a deliberate and devastating equanimity: Timeless, and having the time of her life.
The Pause, with Billie taking a turn for the 11th or 12th time (who could count by now), came from the younger member of the power trio: not from distress, nor exhaustion, but from the specific sensation of having laughed so continuously and so completely that her bladder sent a polite and non-negotiable message that it was done for the moment.
"Pause," she said, clearly.
Both hands off. No comment. Billie lurched up off the couch and sprinted to the bathroom. “This is gonna be tough with these nails!” she called out as the door shut behind her.
Liv remained on the couch, a silly smile on her face as she stared at the ceiling.
“You good?” Toni said, her voice back natural, flat, Australian.
“Happy and devastated,” Liv replied with a sigh.
A victorious smirk from Toni.
Billie came bounding back into the room. “Let the record show,” she said, “that I might have Paused, but I lasted longer before switching, on average, than Liv.”
"Noted," said Toni.
"Um, excuse me, I didn't Pause," Liv pointed out.
"You also called switch faster than I did."
"That was strategy."
"Weak sauce!”
Liv opened her mouth, then closed it. "...That was strategy," she said, more softly, with less conviction.
Toni rose from her crouch and retrieved her glass from the side table, refilling it with cider and drinking deeply. "Shall we take a brief intermission before continuing?"
“Good idea,” Billie said. “Funyun me, please?”
A yellow cellophane bag tossed lightly through the air. Billie caught it and ripped it open, then looked down at her nails. Liv reached in, grabbed a Funyun, and fed it to Billie.
“Mmmmm,” Billie said.
A mumbled “thanks” as Billie chewed it, and Liv reached for two more – one tossed into her own mouth, and one for her younger friend.
“This is way better than Facetime, bud,” Liv observed.
An enthusiastic nod from Billie as she chewed Funyuns with gusto.
How Much Longer???
“Ok,” Billie said, surveying her artificial manicure. “I gotta be close to these drying by now. Can someone check the time for me?”
Liv swiped to unlock her phone. “It's been about 40 minutes.”
“No really.”
“No,” Liv said, leaning over to show Billie the screen. “Really.”
“Seriously?!?! I figured it had been at least an hour…”
“The clock moves laboriously when the tickles are present,” Toni mused, sprawled comfortably in her chair.
“I've got more than an hour to go?!?”
“More than two hours,” Liv corrected.
A sustained groan from Billie, cut off as she crunched another offered Funyun from Liv, then sipped from her water bottle, which now had a straw extending from it. “Uuuuuuugh, make time go faster!”
“Ever heard that patience is a virtue?” Toni offered.
“Whoever said that was never left waiting to get tickle vengeance…” Billie said, frowning.
“Relax, bud,” Liv said. “I know how we can pass the time.”
Liv grasped Billie’s ankles and started gently pulling her feet toward her lap.
“Hey hey hey, what’s this?!”
Liv scoffed. “Like you're not already ready for another round.”
Billie shrugged. “Ya got me. Go ahead then, gimme eeeep!”
Liv dragged two nails in tandem up the length of Billie’s left sole, then scribbled back down.
“Just don't forget the toehohoHOHOHOes!”
Billie’s composure already was tenuous as Liv started teasing the tender skin below her wiggling digits.
Toni, meanwhile, settled back into her chair, satisfied and unhurried, now holding the bag of Funyuns. She crunched them at her leisure while surveying the scene of Liv working over Billie with the quiet attention of a scientist documenting the behaviors of some animal species in the wild.
Liv was taking her time with the endeavor. With one hand, she leisurely scratched the sensitive spots between Billie’s toes, one crevice at a time. With the other, two fingers dragged at a methodical base down to the heel then back up the left sole, each path completed with slow, paintbrush-like strokes.
“OK, OK, that’s different…” Billie said before descending back into frantic giggles.
“Different how?” Liv asked, now abandoning the toes and working both soles at once with the same slow method.
“HEHEHEHE! Just…heehaha! Different!”
Billie’s toes spread as Liv continued her north-south movements on both feet, now lightening the pressure to a tracing sensation.
“Ohohoho maahahan slow and light eeeee,” Billie shook her head. “Imprehehessive! You’ve been holdin’ out on mehehehehe…”
“You have no idea,” Liv said.
A brief lull from Liv, and a grateful Billie started trying to regulate her breathing, the deep pink fading from her features.
“No idea about whaaaaaughahahahahaha!”
Liv paused again, both thumbs resting gently against the arch of her right foot. “Remember this spot? You told me all about it.”
“I never told you about–” Billie stopped in mid-sentence, realization creeping into her brain and onto her face. “The FaceTime.”
“Yup!” Liv said.
“I was drunk…”
“But helpful!” Liv replied with a cheerful chirp. “You even shared about techniques, see?” Liv started working her thumbs in opposing circles in the center of the arch.
“BAHAHAHA OH CMON!” Billie disintegrated into bright laughter with no small amount of desperation.
Billie, for the first time all night, tried to retract. Liv, showing her quick reflexes, hooked one ankle over her shins to secure her position. That foot, dangling in the air, started to wiggle its toes as if to wave a playful hello at Billie as Liv continued her methodical thumb tickle and accompanying monologue.
“You were very specific in your instructions,” Liv said in a casual tone, like she was talking about the reality show she watched last night and not the path to tickle destruction of her friend. “Said it was your worst spot of spots.”
“OHMYGAHAHAHAHAD!” Billie said. “WHY DID YOU REMEMBEHEHEHEH”
“Luckily for me, I have a very good memory,” Liv said. She looked back at Toni and, with a serene smile, winked as her thumbs continued to wreak havoc on Billie’s composure.
“Wow, bud, you should see the face you're making right now,” Liv said, applying slightly more pressure with her thumbs. “Should I take a picture?”
“NOHOHOHOHO!” Billie threw her head back, thoroughly dismantled now. Her reactions had progressed into full-on belly laughs, and now bordered on a wail. Her face, which had been pink, had transcended red and approached a shade approximate to her purple hair.
“PLEHEHEHEHEHASE!”
“Fascinating,” Toni said. “A quite formidable display of preparation and execution.”
Toni crunched another Funyun and took a long sip of her cider, observing. From the time they first approached Billie, she promptly had established herself as the most reactive subject of the trio — arguably the most reactive Toni ever had encountered, even surpassing that buxom redhead from her formative years. That reactivity concealed a deep well of stamina. Toni’s eyes widened as she watched something that transcended that willing reactivity.
“Pause pause PAUSE!” Billie bellowed, only made possible because Liv had halted her rhythm with the thumbs long enough for Billie to gain some small semblance of her wind.
"Why," Billie said, still breathless, propping up on her elbows, "are you so good at getting me?"
Liv looked up and pondered the question, then shrugged.
"I dunno,” she said.
“Yes, you DO!” Billie said.
“No, really,” Liv said. “No idea.”
Neither of them said anything else. The only sounds in the room were the crunch of Toni devouring Funyuns one at a time and panting breaths from Billie. Liv, pulling herself back to her feet, walked to the wine bottle, draining the last sip from her glass along the way.
“Need a refill, hon?”
“GOD, yes…”
Liv returned with two full glasses. “That bottle’s about had it,” she said.
Billie tried to grab it with her still-drying nails. Liv, with a slight smile, offered it to her lips instead. Billie drank deeply. Then Liv, setting her wine down on the table, pulled a full water bottle out from under her arm, popped the top, and transferred Billie’s straw as she grasped it with her palms.
“So… “ Billie said. “I’ve still got a while to go.”
“At least an hour,” Toni observed.
“Two, tops,” Liv added, taking a sip from her freshened wine glass.
“I can go again …” Billie said.
A look passed between Liv and Toni.
“I think you’ve earned a breather,” Liv said.
Billie frowned. “What fun is that? C’moooon. I’ll be bored just watching!”
Another look between Liv and Toni.
Billie trading her water for wine, then taking another long drink, her cheeks becoming rosey: “Whaddareya, chickens?” Billie set the wine down and started making soft clucking noises.
That made Toni’s eyebrow arch.
“If you insist…” Toni said, gliding into the master bedroom.
Liv’s eyes lit up when she saw what Toni now held.
Toni, standing behind the couch, leaned over Billie and waved the feather boa in front of her face.
“Remember,” Toni said, her soft natural Aussie accent present, “You asked for this.”
The Interlude
Some time later, Billie lay curled up on the couch, a blanket from the linen closet draped across her. She snored into a pillow that had been placed under her head, deep asleep in a well-earned rest. Her wine glass and an empty bag of Funyuns resided on the coffee table.
Toni and Liv, meanwhile, had retreated to the master bedroom, where they both were sprawled on the king bed. No personas. No character voices. No cameras. Just them. It felt so real Toni actually had asked, “should I start calling you Gionna?” Liv had just shrugged. “I answer to both…”
“There's definitely enough room for the three of us in here,” Liv observed, flat on her back, bare leg crossed and foot dangling in the air as she puffed from a vape in her hand.
“Billie may sleep through the night in there,” Toni said, crunching a Funyun from a freshly opened bag as she leaned against the headboard. “You really put her through it.”
“We,” Liv corrected. She extended the vape, and Toni exchanged it for the Funyuns. “Thought you were stone sober…”
“Weed is different,” Toni explained. “Especially when it's very good weed… like this. My compliments to your connection.”
“The benefits of a California address,” Liv said. “I figure we'll all need a case of the munchies to eat all the snacks Billie brought.”
Toni took another puff, then: “You're different with all this than I am.”
“Oh?” Liv took the extended vape, offering the bag of Funyuns. Toni shook her head, but when Liv raised the share size bag of M&Ms the Aussie blond nodded with enthusiasm.
“You're a planner,” Toni said. “Remember how you got me at the convention? Lots of setup there. And tonight. You booked the suite. You set the trap for Billie with the press ons. You made sure we were all fed and hydrated. And you had that about Billie’s arches in your back pocket the entire night. That girl is one giant tickle spot and I've never seen her in a state quite like that.
“Remind me never to play poker with you…”
Liv smiled. “Just wait and see what I have planned for tomorrow…” A deep puff off the vape now as her toes curled.
“I didn't go too hard on you earlier, did I?”
Liv shook her head. “I've got more stamina than I ever realized. Thanks to you.”
The vape and M&Ms swapped again.
"As fun as it is to wreck ya both, I'm kinda jealous honestly that I've yet to be tickled tonight," Toni said. "And usually, I find myself as the giver with her." A nod to Billie, still snoring audibly from the couch.
"It's a long weekend," Liv said. "You'll get yours. Trust me."
"Love the confidence," Toni said. "But, I gotta say, as much as I enjoy being the ticklee -- think I used that right, did I tell ya Billie told me that term? Research, she said -- I think, in the right context, you like it in a whole different way."
Liv blushed deeply and quickly.
“Like I say… context matters,” Liv spoke the words softly, barely above a whisper.
“I used to hate this. Being tickled. The feeling that I had lost control,” Liv added, rolling onto her stomach and facing Toni, her bare feet idly kicking in the air behind her as if her lower appendages had a mind of their own.
“And now?” Toni said, taking another pull on the vape.
“It's about choice. Just like that night in the hotel…”
“Things might turn out different now if we were back there,” Toni observed. “Especially if you had this stuff…”
“Or,” Liv said, “it could have gone exactly the same.”
“It's a close call.”
“Too close.”
Liv, her head and arms closer to Toni, started lightly scratching on the top of Toni’s feet. Toni bit her lip and squirmed under the tracing touch.
“That tickles a little,” Toni said.
“Good,” Liv replied. “You've still not had a turn.”
Liv scratched with more pressure, drifting from the tops to the spaces between her toes. A giggle from Toni: light, melodic, free of restraint or character.
The two blondes shared a smile.
“Hey…” a voice behind them. Both looked in the doorway to see Billie rubbing sleep out of her eyes. “What'd I miss?”
“We've just been chilling out, waiting for you to recharge,” Liv said.
Toni extended the vape. “A little something?”
Billie shook her head. “At this point I'd just go back to sleep.” A full body yawn… “You're sure you guys weren't gonna start without me?”
“Never,” Toni replied. “This weekend is about the three of us, together.”
“Good.” A relieved smile from Billie, promptly replaced by a much more predatory grin. “Because my nails have dried. And you know what that means…” Billie wiggled her fingers with the press on nails with deliberate intent.
“Rotation,” Liv and Toni said simultaneously, sharing a nervous look.
Redirect Redux
As much as she sought out being the ticklee, and getting obliterated in the process, Billie had never really considered herself to be much of a tickler.
That was changing. Quickly.
Toni had learned it in the rented mini van. And now, here, less than five minutes after Billie had woke from her nap, Toni and Liv were learning together that you underestimate Billie Starkz at your peril.
Both were stretched out on the king bed, heads at the foot, feet toward the headboard where Billie sat with her back against it — one leg hooked over each set of ankles, leaving four bare soles upturned and available. Liv covered her face with her hands, squealing and snorting as Toni, her belly laughs reaching a higher octave, pounded on the comforter. Billie smiled broadly as her hands worked, her left fingers dancing across Liv’s tanned toes as her right fingers paint brushed Toni’s pinker soles with sweeping strokes.
“I don't know about you two,” Billie said, never slowing her fingers, “but these nails were worth the wait.”
Tandem shrieks and laughter provided the only response, slowly subsiding as Billie backed off to a mere tracing. The four soles still wiggled under the touch of the sharp nails.
“Ehehehehe they're so bad,” Liv groaned.
“I… coulda toldya… that,” Toni said, giggling slightly as she recovered her wind.
“And I had hours and hours to plan what I was gonna do to you,” Billie said.
For the next few minutes, the only sounds in the room were the giggles of both Liv and Toni and the scritch scratch noises as the acrylics lightly clawed their soles. Every so often, Billie would change it up on one or the other of her targets.
A sudden quickening of tempo on Liv…
“Hehehehe! Snort Quit thahahahat! Snort”
“Awww, I love the snorts…” Billie said.
A detour from arches to toes on Toni provoked a sharp squeal.
“That's the wohohohorst!” Toni said.
“You can tell when you're really getting it cause you sound more Australian, mate!” Billie observed, her press on nails now darting into toe gaps to fantastic and audible results. Billie clenched down with her left leg to keep Toni from pulling away.
“Hey,” Billie said, withdrawing her fingers to mutual sighs of relief. “Remember that Redirect game? The one you invented, Toni?”
“I think I'm about to regret doing that.”
“Probably!” Billie said. “We're gonna play that again. But this time, you can't just say switch. You gotta tell me where t’go on the other person. And no repeats! That's boring.”
“Oh God…” Liv said.
“First one to Pause loses,” Billie said. “And then gets tickled by the two of us. Sound good? I think so.”
“Yeah I definitely regret Redirect now,” Toni said.
“So wait, how do you decide who goes firsssashitshitshitSHIT!”
Billie had begun pressing her thumb nails into Liv’s right arch, working in opposite circles.
“One clockwise… and one counterclockwise,” Billie said as Liv burst loose with a bright frantic laughter. “I wanted to see how this worked from the other end. Pretty good, huh?”
“GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHD!”
Toni watched, eyes wide, her toes clenching and soles pressing together on reflex as her friend who had been reflecting on her newfound stamina mere moments ago got dismantled in a matter of seconds.
“Tehyaaa! Tohooyaaahahaha!” Liv, screaming gibberish between a flood of cackles and guffaws.
“Sorry didn't quite get that…” Billie said, maintaining the same method and pace.
Toni smirked in amusement at Liv’s distress. Until…
“Toooes!” Liv bellowed.
“There it is…” Billie said.
“Wait hangondon–eeeeeeeeeyahahahaha!” Toni’s sentence and chance at coherent thought evaporated as Billie separated her soles and started scratching with the acrylics on the base of her toes. Her method was light, her tempo quick.
Toni had no chance.
“Bloody hellahahahahahahaha!”
Toni tried to retract and Billie ensnared her in a leg hold to counter. Squeals and belly laughs now entered the soundtrack of the room.
Liv, panting desperately, wiping away tears, giggled. “Oh man she's gone full Aussie.”
“I know right? Ya girl’s got skills,” Billie said. “And a scouting report, thanks to you.”
On the “to you” Billie reached out with her right foot and tapped Liv lightly on her cheek with her big toe.
Billie’s bare foot remained in reach of both but no reprisal came. Liv was too exhausted and Toni entirely too preoccupied.
“Um, her face is starting to look like your hair,” Liv observed.
Billie gave Toni a brief reprieve. “Switch? Or pause?”
“Her thighs,” Toni gasped out. “Right below her bum. Giver a good squeeze!”
A sudden silence in the room.
“Ok, that’s random… and you know this how?” Billie said.
“You suck so much,” Liv said, glaring at Toni.
“Sorry love, it's survival right now!” Toni replied.
Liv continued to stare daggers at Toni as a shrugging Billie followed the instructions on spot and technique to the letter. Liv shrieked, her back bending like she attempted a yoga pose. Her feet started kicking against the bed.
“Ooh a verrrry good spot,” Billie said as she adjusted, sitting on Liv’s calves and now kneading Liv’s thighs with both hands.
Liv growled briefly before the laughter overtook her again.
“Like ridin’ a mechanical bull!” Billie grinned as she said it, shifting and twisting with Liv’s wild motions. Liv’s gasping laughs became more of a wail.
“P–” Liv started. “Grrrrr!”
“That’sit Bill, you've got her!” Toni said.
Liv, still twisting madly: “Armpits FUCK ME Armpits!”
“Aw shit,” Toni said right before Billie's right hand plunged under Toni’s near arm, the acrylics scratching away with brisk purpose.
Now it was Toni’s turn to squeal and kick her legs. Billie adjusted, mounting Toni’s back and using her newly dried manicure to attack both armpits at once.
Toni didn't banter. She didn't speak. She could only laugh.
“That's what you get,” Liv said, sprawling onto her back, wiping away sweat and tears as she reached for her phone. “We need more alcohol…”
“DYAHAHAHAHAHA!” Toni shrieked, tapping her hands against the blanket in a staccato rhythm.
“Is that you tapping out?!” Billie said. “Do you pause?”
Toni shaking her head frantically: “Armpits! Herssss ahahahaha!”
“But I'm doing armpits now. No repeats remember?” Billie clarified the rule without changing or slowing her armpit offensive.
“Ohohohohohn thighs! Below the bum!”
“But I just did that. That's still a repeat.” Again, Billie remained maddeningly consistent working the armpits.
“AAAAWWWWWHAHAHAHA GITOFF YOU CHEEKY MONGREL!”
“Sorry I don't speak Australian,” Billie said in a breezy tone of voice, then doubled the tempo of her wiggling fingers.
A high pitched shriek from Toni then “PAUUUHAHAHAUSE!”
Billie let out a little whoop of triumph and climbed off of Toni, who promptly curled into the fetal position on the bed.
“Fuck,” Toni said between gasps and giggles. “Fuck!”
Then, again, “Fuck!!!”
Billie was sipping from her water, as Liv tapped away on her phone.
“Tequila and marg mix?” Liv offered.
“How about an extra large pizza and we share more of that,” Billie said. “I'm wide awake now. And hungry.”
“Toppings?”
“Supreme? No olives.” Billie made a face.
“Crust?”
“Whatever.”
“Ooh they have Chicago thin.”
A thumbs up from Billie.
“Fuck me I've NEVAH had someone give me a go like that,” Toni said, now easing to a seated position. “I'm impressed!”
“I pay attention,” Billie said with a shrug. “Ready for your penalty?”
Liv propped on one elbow, eyes shining, order placed. “Ooooh that's RIGHT!”
Toni groaned.
“Cmon where's that fearless leader spirit?” Billie said. ‘And besides we both have got it way more than you tonight.”
“So far,” Liv noted, handing Toni the vape. “I still get five minutes on her feet too for winning round 1 of Redirect.”
“Ooooh what are we gonna do for round 3?” Billie said, her eyes alight with mischief.
Toni took a long puff and held her breath for a good 20 seconds before she exhaled. “Monstas. The both o’ you. Monstas!” The tickling and marijuana had combined to thicken her Australian accent like adding flour to a roux.
“Hey you made us,” Billie said, holding out her hand for the vape.
“Bugger that, yer fully formed.”
“Agreed,” Liv said. “We just gave you the opportunity. Or maybe the permission.”
Billie withdrew the vape, a sudden thoughtful look on her face, then coughed several times.
“Good stuff, huh?” Liv said.
“At least wait on the penalty until the pizza gets here?”
The Escalation
By the time the pizza arrived and all three had eaten, more than an hour transpired. All three welcomed the break as a chance to rest, recharge, and regain their wind. The pizza was hot and full of flavor. They hadn't bothered with plates; they just set the box on the comforter and feasted, on the bed.
“This bed really is big enough for all three of us,” Billie mused, propped on one elbow as she finished off her third piece.
Liv, sitting cross-legged, was lightly rubbing one of Toni’s feet and one of Billie’s. Her own feet had gotten a turn from her friende working in tandem earlier while the trio waited for the pizza and Liv had, delightedly, munched on Funyuns through the massage.
Toni sighed, her head leaned back on two pillows propped against the headboard.
Billie started to pull away. Liv frowned a little until Billie climbed off the bed. “That feels great but it's time for candy…” she said, skipping into the common area.
“You'd never know she spent roughly 15 minutes annihilating us both,” Toni said.
“She’s a lot of fun,” Liv replied.
Toni nodded while chewing another bite, the cheese stretching as she pulled back the slice from her mouth. “Our missing piece…”
Liv rolled her eyes at the pun as Toni extended the vape in her direction. Liv took it in her mouth, her hands still on Toni’s soles.
“Fresh refill,” Liv said with appreciation as she exhaled. Toni took it back and had a long puff of her own.
Billie padded back in the room. “Soooo,” Billie said. “Look what I found.”
The others looked up. Billie had a bag of M&Ms in one hand, Twizzlers in the other, and three of Toni’s flowy silky scarves draped around her neck.
Billie grabbed the scarves and lightly tossed them on the bed. “Time for the penalty right?”
“Quite the escalation,” Toni said. “We have yet to experiment with restraint.”
“Maybe it's time,” Liv said. “If you're willing.”
“Yeah totally,” Billie said. “Although no matter what you decide, Toni, I am trying it.”
Toni frowned in mock dismay. “I can't be outdone by a 21 year old…”
She sat up straight against the pillows and removed her kimono, one arm extended to either side and legs straight out in front. “Pause rules in full effect.”
“I still get my five minutes on your feet, too,” Liv observed.
Toni’s eyes narrowed.
“I kinda wonder if this is how you felt when you sprang her press-on trap,” Toni said to Billie.
“I dunno,” Billie said. “I just know you haven't laughed nearly enough tonight.”
Toni gulped. “Performance?” Liv asked.
A quick shake of the head by Toni. Liv patted Toni on the leg, “Pause still in effect,” she reminded.
Billie, now kneeling on the bed in front of Toni, held the scarf out at her left forearm.
“Ok then,” Billie said.
“Hmm?”
“So tie yourself up,” Billie said.
“You gotta be joking,” Toni said.
“I don't know how to do it! This is all new to me!”
Liv, who was already busy at the foot of the bed tying Toni’s ankles together, started to recite instructions. “Fold the scarf in half diagonally. Then loop it back and forth over her wrists in a figure eight. Make sure you leave enough space for her to still get blood flow but not so much she can pull free. I like to follow the two finger rule. If you can get more than two fingers under the scarf it needs to be tighter. Then use a slip knot and tie the other end to the headboard. If we need it we can rig an anchor or just tie her wrists together.”
Billie's jaw dropped.
"What?" Liv said innocently.
"What goes on at that ranch of yours?!?" Toni said.
Liv, now blushing, "sometimes you just like what you like. Right?”
Billie followed Liv’s instructions and, after realizing the headboard in fact would not work, secured Toni’s hands in front of her, wrists tied together with the scarf in a figure eight.
“Quick study,” Liv mused.
“Valedictorian,” Toni observed. “Perhaps a little tighter though? Once the tickling begins I'm liable to pull free if you keep it like this.”
“And you know this how?” Billie asked.
A serene smile from Toni was the only response.
“Ok…” Billie scrambling off the bed. “What have I walked into? Do you guys have secret lives?! I thought you said you'd not used restraints yet!”
“Yes that's true,” Toni said. “Not together. But when it comes to being tickled while tied, it's not, as you Yanks say, my first rodeo.”
“And I've been tied up a lot,” Liv said, “but never tickled. And not with Toni.”
A beat of silence. Then, Liv, gently, “Feel better?”
“Just felt like everyone was hiding something from me…” Billie murmured as she resumed a cross legged position on the bed.
“OK, Bill, set a timer for five minutes.”
“Lillie,” Billie said. Both Toni and Liv looked at her. “That's my shoot name. If you want. Or Billie. I like both.”
“You two made it difficult,” Toni said. “I just stay Toni wherever I go.
“Your clock is still running by the way.”
Liv jumped on the bed and reclined at the bottom of Toni’s feet. Her toes wiggled and Toni bit her lip as Liv grabbed the cloth drawstring bag and dumped the contents out on the bed.
Toni groaned.
“Ooooooh!” Billie said.
The contents included a soft makeup brush that Liv already knew well, a hairbrush, two feathers – one stiff, the other nebulous and fluffy aside from the quill at the back end – a small bottle of liquid, and a travel comb.
“Letting you know, that comb is evil,” Billie said.
“Yeah?” Liv grabbed it then set it down and went for the makeup brush. “Feeling helpless, Toni?”
“In the best of ways, mate. Let me have it.”
Liv wielded the makeup brush—sweeping it lightly across the center of Toni’s right arch.
Toni’s breath hitched immediately.
“Only moderately diabolical…” she said through clenched teeth.
Now to the left foot, dragging the brush slowly up the outer edge. Toni chuckled softly.
Billie watched, fascinated, her eyes darting back and forth between Toni’s face, Liv's face, and the action at Toni’s feet like a spectator at a tennis match.
Liv switched between both feet—light sweeps in the center of one arch, then the other.
Toni’s laughter brightened. “Thahahat’s more like it!”
“You enjoy this,” Liv observed quietly.
Toni smiled. “Yes.” The answer completely lacked any theatrics.
Liv abandoned the brush and picked up the comb.
Toni took a deep breath, then her face contorted into a twisted expression as if she had tasted something incredibly sour. “Hehehehehehe…”
Liv was on her stomach now, her own legs kicking idly in the air as she lightly ran the comb on Toni’s soles.
Up and down.
Side to side.
Diagonals.
Never taking the same path twice.
Toni was already red faced, a staccato series of giggles streaming out of her mouth.
“Hehehehehehehe snort hehehehehehe snort “
“She sounds like a machine gun,” Billie observed, shifting positions.
“And the snorts are the reloads, hehe Heeey!”
Billie had shifted and now had her index finger pressed against Liv’s upturned right sole. “What? No rule I can't have fun right now too.” Billie began lightly tracing that one nail on Liv’s exposed right foot. Liv’s foot flexed and her toes wiggled but she didn't pull away.
“Fine. Just nothing too intense, OK? I need to keep focused.” As Liv spoke, she was lightly sawing the comb back and forth in Toni’s left arch, provoking a surprised squeal.
“You owe me a full foot tickle then,” Billie said.
“Tomorrow morning.” Liv scraped the comb on Toni’s left heel, her foot wiggling frantically. “And make it a mutual foot tickle. We see who cracks first.”
“Ohmigod can you at least focus on the task at hand?” Toni said.
“Comb not hand,” Liv said, quickly spidering her fingers in Toni’s arches. A loud belly laugh punctuated by a snort. Then back to the comb…
Billie stayed quiet for a beat or two, then: “No thumbs in the arches.”
Liv worked the comb across the right heel now. “For either of us.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.”
Liv quickened the pace with the comb, now using a zig zag motion that traversed both of Toni’s soles. The snorts came more rapid fire as a result. Billie resumed her own ministrations on Liv’s feet, light scratching with one nail on one foot, mingled in with massage on the other.
“Ok, one or the other,” Liv called out.
Billie now slowly tracing both soles with her index fingers.
“Heeehaha I asked for that…” Liv acknowledged. Meanwhile she started gently raking the comb under Toni’s toes.
The change in location and touch created noticeable cracks in Toni’s composure.
“Ohhohoho, that’s cruel—” then descending into full on laughter.
Billie looked up at Toni’s face. “She’s glowing.”
Liv laughed.
“Are you laughing at her or what I’m doing?” Billie asked.
“Both. EEP!”
Billie grinned as Liv opted for a combination technique, sawing the comb between Toni’s toes and using her free hand to drag her short fingernails up and down the soles.
Toni threw her head back against the pillows, her giggles and guffaws escalating into full on cackling.
Liv backed off, keeping Toni right there on the edge until the timer beeped.
“Phew,” Toni sighed as Billie extended a bottle of water with a straw. Toni drank deeply, then rested her head against the pillows, still reacting to what she endured: a series of irregular giggles punctuated by a couple of snorts. Liv began a massage on Toni’s right sole, kneading it with significant pressure.
“Catch your breath,” Liv said. “Then we go to the penalty phase for you losing Redirect.”
Toni groaned. “You two are gonna put me in an early grave…”
“That's how I'd wanna go out,” Billie said.
Both blondes looked at Billie, whose pale skin promptly was overtaken by a deep blush.
All three women burst out laughing.
The trio chatted while Toni rested and recovered over the next 15 minutes. Then, Billie clapped her hands. “Penalty time!” she said. “You want top or bottom, Liv?”
“Gionna is also Ok,” she said, looking away when Billie turned. “Liv, too. Just saying.”
Billie cocked her head in thought. “How about G?”
“My favorite brother calls me that,” Liv said. “I like it. And I'll take the top. Let's see what this comb can find up there.”
“Nothing” Toni said. “Nothing at all. No tickly reactions at all with the comb north of the ankles, sorry to say.”
Billie picked up the bottle of liquid that had been in the bag. She opened it and sniffed, then gave Toni a predatory smile. Toni gulped and flexed her feet to point the soles down at the blanket.
“Oh you are SO gonna get it,” Billie said as she swung a leg over Toni’s ankles. A quick finger scrape and, with a small shriek, Toni’s feet extended back out on reflex. Billie opened the bottle pouring a viscous opaque liquid into the palm of her hand.
“Is that baby oil?” Liv asked.
Billie just nodded as she began to rub the oil into Toni’s feet. Toni scrunched her nose as Billie worked it into her soles.
“Gotta get every wrinkle…” Billie said.
“Look at her face!” Liv said. “Is that getting you?”
“Only cause hehe you cheeky gits have all my nerves on fire heehaha…” Toni said with no small amount of effort.
Oil applied, Billie capped the bottle and wiggled her acrylic nails at Toni.
“On three?” Liv suggested.
“One…” Billie said.
“Two…” Liv added.
To be continued
Next time we see more from the weekend trip in Malibu!
