Notes: Abby has one of those late-night sweet-tooth cravings.
Best way to deal with a craving is replace it with something else.
"Covert Op"
K
Shuffling backwards off her bed, Abby hadn't taken one step toward the door before something shot out to wrap around her ankle.
A snickery-sounding voice stuttered out from under the ruffled bedskirt.
"And just wheRe do you think you're going?"
Briefly, she considered not answering.
Then decided against that. There was no point.
Therein lay the problem when your best friend was an all-seeing, all-knowing entity.
No matter what he looked like, he could be lurking anywhere.
Ready to interfere at a moment's notice.
Lying there, tossing and turning, she deliberated for at least ten minutes. From that, Abby knew her margin for success had dwindled almost immediately. She had thought about it long enough to realize her pyjama pants had ridden up her legs. Smoothing them down, she made up her mind, and tried to get underway.
Instead, this happened.
Still, she sighed out an answer:
"Downstairs."
The bedskirt gave a telltale swish.
Abby closed her eyes, crossing her arms.
The presence that seemed to sprout up at her side was no figment of imagination. But that didn't mean she had to dignify his entrance with a cursory look.
"Whyyy?"
She thought of employing the classic "nothing" denial, but just as quickly remembered how useless it would prove. So useless, it shouldn't even count as a valid excuse.
Better to tell the truth.
"Snack run."
There was a sharp huff as Pennywise scoffed through his teeth.
"You don't need a snacK, Abs. Dinner was only two hourS ago."
Dinner, with no dessert.
Why?
Just because.
Mommy didn't always have one planned, whether it be pies or cakes or other sweets.
But Abby had thought today was cause for a dessert. The assignments she had brought home from the daycare were impeccably scored. She had done better than anyone else in her age group.
Darn it, those cookies aren't gonna eat themselves.
...That would be freaky.
Abby shuddered and opened her eyes, trying her best not to imagine it.
Instead, she went for plan B, and latched onto the nearest distraction. His arm was right there, after all.
"Will you go get me one, Penny?"
The creature, eyes glowing bright blue in the dark, glanced sideways and down at her. And it was not a promising sight. That new stonewall-of-an-expression would take some chipping to get through.
"...WhaT?"
"A cookie? Please?"
Pennywise raised an eyebrow, then sighed through his nose.
Despite appearances, he respected the rules of the house.
He wouldn't defy Stan (not unless there were something in it for said It).
Obliging his four-year-old daughter with an unauthorized treat?
He was pretty sure that was against the rules.
"Now, if Daddy said you couldn'T have one- "
"He didn't say. He didn't even offer. Neither did Mommy." With both of her arms, Abby hugged his bicep even tighter, huddling close. "Pleeease?"
Puppy eyes.
Perfect time to practice her take on them.
"...No."
"Penny."
"NopE."
Abby frowned, took her hands back, and crossed her arms all over again.
"Ehrm, fine. You don't care about what I need."
"What you- " Pennywise stopped midsentence, shook his head. "It's not a cookIe you need, Abs. It's what yoU want. What you neeD is sleep."
This again?
Him talking her into unwanted naptimes usually ended just as poorly.
How dare he bring that up.
Abby pouted even harder, tossing her head to one side, nose in the air.
"But I'm not tired."
Something nudged her shoulder.
"Yes, you aRe."
"Am not."
He leaned even closer.
"Yesss... you are."
Looking away as she was, that was where things really went wrong.
"And if noT, you wiLl be."
Off her guard, Abby didn't have a chance to defend against the wiggling fingers that snaked under her elbows.
No chance to defend, meant there was only one other option.
To escape.
With a yelp, she tried to dance away, to flee- forgetting the side of the bed was right there. It brought her attempt up short.
Still, she clawed franctially at the comforter, trying to get a grip, to try and somehow pull herself out of range. "N-n-no!"
"Yes..."
Inspired, Pennywise grabbed for the plush comforter's edge, pulled it down from the mattress. It slid easily against the clean cotton sheets.
Trying to twist away, Abby slipped against it. The curve brought her up short before she could hit the carpet, like a makeshift hammock.
He leaned over, way too close, trapping her against it. "Yes, you will bE."
Meanwhile, the teasing didn't let up. One flickering hand followed her every move.
Somehow, it was worse than having a bare feather flutter across your skin.
"P-Penny, no! I- e-heh-hee-hee! No, n-no t-tickling!"
Her protests fell on deaf ears.
"Well, I gotTa make sure you're tired, don't I?"
Struggling, kicking at his shins didn't help, either.
"No, y-you- ah-ha-ha-heh, quit! Yo-ou d-don't. You're- e-hee-hee!"
Feebly, she fought back, grabbing at his arms, trying to push them away.
"This torTure isn't worth a cookie, Abs."
She gasped, expression faultering. Tears of laughter were beginning to flow. Still, she tried to muffle her cries.
The laughter was going to wake Mom and Dad. Their room was only just down the hall.
"N-nah-no-ho, it's worth- eh-hee! It's not! I give! Igiveup!"
Mercifully, the hands stilled.
Abby blinked the wetness from her eyes, breathing fast, trying to get her composure back. Still, the smile that remained plastered across her face wouldn't just let itself go.
Pennywise smirked down at her.
"...There, was that so hard?"
Eyebrows furrowing, Abby tried her best to frown, to be pretend-upset.
The smile wouldn't go away.
Not even as he used a fingertip to dab the tears from her face.
"You're a litTle more ticklish than GeorgIe was."
"Heh. Just a little?"
Pennywise nodded.
"A litTle."
Then he glanced away, pretending to reconsider it, and shook his head again.
"Nah, a lot moRe."
Abby giggled one last time, struggling up to gift him with a grateful hug. She almost laughed again, feeling a glove brush against her ribs, but it only settled there to rub her back. With an ear pressed against the ruffles, she heard and felt his chest resonate with an approving purr.
...Okay.
Maybe she was feeling a little fatigued after all that.
Tickle fights always trumped cookies.
She just needed a reminder.
