Feliciano was bored.

He couldn't go outside, it was raining. He couldn't color, the crayons were broken. He'd already made a vast amount of white flags and now Ludwig was out of napkins and anything resembling a stick. Feliciano would've been content if he could play with a kitty but Ludwig hated cats. So Feliciano was forced to disturb Ludwig's peaceful afternoon.

"Luddy~," Feliciano poked his friend's hand. "Come and play with me."

Ludwig did not move a muscle. He simply replied while keeping his eyes fixed on his book, "Nein, I'm busy. Und my name is Ludwig."

Feliciano knew this already but he also knew that his friend hated being called Luddy.

"But I'm bored and it's no fun outside and I can't find anything else to make white flags with and you're being all boring and scary as normal."

His friend didn't reply.

Feliciano began to poke his hand faster and harder. "Pleeaasseeee!"

And that's when it happened.

Feliciano was so desperate he tried to poke faster than normal and missed his target. His finger flew downward and somehow he managed to poke Ludwig's side.

"Ouch!" Feliciano yelped. He kissed his finger. "Even your sides are hard."

And then he noticed how red Ludwig's face was. How he had taken one hand off his book to cover his face. That's strange, Feliciano thought. Then he remembered how, whenever somebody poked him on the side, Feliciano couldn't help but laugh. Maybe Ludwig was no different.

Eager to try out this theory, Feliciano scoot in close to his friend so that the German had no chance of going back to his book.

"Ludwig, are you ticklish~?"

"Nein. Could you please leave me alone?"

"But..." Feliciano readied his hands. "I'm bored."

On the word 'bored' he poked the German's side.

"HAHA!" He yelped, dropping his book.

Feliciano beamed. "I knew you had a soft spot somewhere!"

"I vill kill you!" Ludwig lunged for Feliciano.

"Pokie~! Pokie~! Pokie~~!"

"Ah! Aha! Hahaha! Stop-haha!-Stop or I-ahaha!-you vill run-ah!-ten laps-Hahahaha!-Twenty!"

Feliciano didn't dare stop until he brought the German down on the ground completely. Perched on a stool he finally stopped. Ludwig lay, face down, on the floor. He was panting heavily. He mumbled something into the carpet.

Feliciano leaned down to try and catch what he said. "What was that? Did you say something?"

"Yes!" Ludwig unexpectedly reared up and grabbed the Italian.

xxx

Gilbert hummed happily to himself.

"Yeah, I'm awesome," he gushed to himself, "zhat stupid little master didn't catch me dis time. No, he vill soon understand my complete awesomeness! Now, to celebrate vith some beer."

He pat the little chick that perched on his head and opened the front door. Noise gushed out like a tidal wave.

"Ahhhh! I surrender! I surrender!"

"I vill show no mercy!"

"Heeheehee! Please! I so sorry! Ahahaha!"

"You vill run thirty laps!"

Gilbert hurried into the living room where he found a rather unexpected sight. His lips curled with amusement and he leaned against the doorframe, watching.

"West," he said eventually, "ve don't take out our passion on zhe living room floor!"

Ludwig sat upright from where he was bent over Feliciano. "Bruder, vhat are you doing here?"

"I live here, remember? Und I'd rather you take zhis to your room vhere you can continue in private," Gilbert said cooly.

"What's he talking about~?" Feliciano asked from the floor.

Ludwig's face was red again. "Ve veren't-zhat wasn't-"

"Zhen vhat vas it?" Gilbert sneered, inwardly laughing.

"I tickled Ludwig!" The Italian chirped merrily.

"Feliciano!"

Gilbert lost it. "Kesesese! Ludwig? Ticklish? Kesesese!"

xxx

A few minutes later, in the kitchen, Feliciano was happily making pasta for Gilbert, while said German sagged over the table with a bag of ice on his head.