Fred and George sat in their room, staring out the window, frustrated at the sight of the perfect evening weather for Quidditch. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and all they could think about was the game they weren't allowed to play. It wasn't fair. Their parents had gone out for the night, leaving Percy in charge, and of course, their ever-uptight older brother had immediately shot down their plans to go outside because they had been grounded for a dungbomb misfunction in the kitchen earlier in the week.
"He's such a bore," Fred muttered, tossing a Quaffle from one hand to the other. "We're grounded, not imprisoned. It's just a bit of Quidditch. Mum and dad would never even know we were gone."
"Yeah, well, you know Percy," George replied with a shrug, leaning back on the bed. "He'd rather polish his Head Boy badge than let us have any fun."
Fred chuckled softly but then frowned, deep in thought.
"When was the last time Percy have any fun? When's the last time he's even laughed? I mean, really laughed?"
George raised an eyebrow, considering the question.
"Honestly? I don't think he can." Fred's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint, the gears in his mind already turning.
"Well," he said slowly, a grin spreading across his face, "I think it's time we found out." George caught on quickly, his own grin mirroring Fred's.
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"
"Oh, I am," Fred replied, standing up.
The twins exchanged a knowing look, and without another word, they bounded out of their room, quietly making their way to the living room, where Percy sat stiffly in an armchair, engrossed in a thick book. His posture was as rigid as ever, his nose buried in the pages, completely oblivious to the fact that his younger brothers were about to unleash their latest scheme. Fred and George exchanged a quick glance, confirming their plan without needing to speak. Then, in one swift move, they pounced. Percy barely had time to register what was happening before Fred and George tackled him out of the chair, sending the book flying into the air.
"Wha—what are you doing?" Percy spluttered, as he tried to push the twins off. "Get off me this instant!"
Unfortunately for him, he was no match when the twins were determined. They wrestled Percy to the floor, pinning him down despite his protests. easily pinning him down with their combined strength. Fred trapped Percy's arms under his knees as he straddled his waist while George sat down on his shins. Despite the situation, Percy merely stayed calm since he knew it was pointless to wear himself out when there was no hope of escape.
Fred laced his fingers and stretch them out in front of them, grinning eagerly down at Percy, who could feel his nervousness rise. Especially when he felt George taking off his slippers.
"Now you're ours."
They did not keep Percy in suspense for long. Fred's hands descended on each side of Percy's ribs and instantly attacked. Percy's trapped fists clenched, and his body gave a little jump, but no sound left his mouth. Percy tried to focus on to trying to block out the other half of the attack. Meanwhile, George's hands hovered over each foot, giving Percy more to worry about. Fingertips quickly teased both soles, making them flinch and curl for a minute before he forced them still, refusing to give them the satisfaction. He could not stop them from twitching at each tickle, but he could at least try to make himself deal with it.
Clamping down on the laughter bubbling in his gut, Percy held his breath as his mind tried to focus on complex potion making, lengthy essays he wrote at Hogwarts, his upcoming job at the Ministry, anything to carry his mind half away from this torture. For the time being, it worked. Fred frowned at the tense, but silent Percy.
They shouldn't be getting no reaction. He then looked back at George.
"You're going too easy on him."
"I am not," George retorted, and went a little faster bringing his fingers on each hand just under the heel of both of Percy's feet, making them try to shake off the offender. "But he just won't laugh. I'm telling you, I think he might not be able to."
Fred blinked down at their stubborn brother, actually a little impressed by Percy's willpower. That's when he started to remember something he did to Ginny when she was much younger.
"George, come up here. I've got an idea." George stopped tickling Percy's feet. "Hold onto his arms."
As Fred started to shift his weight, Percy waited until one arm was carelessly neglected in the switch and actively struggled to be free again before he was subject to more torture. In the struggle Percy accidentally smacked Fred across the face before his arm was subdued by George. After the boy's initial surprise, Fred leered down at the newly dangered victim.
"Oh, now you're really gonna get it." Fred said with a wicked grin, rubbing his cheek where Percy had accidentally smacked him during his feeble attempt at resistance.
George, meanwhile, pinned Percy's wrists next to his head and leaned in close to his face so Percy could see his sly upside-down grin. "Percy, Percy, Percy," he sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "You should know better than to fight back. Now you've just made it worse for yourself."
Percy, still scowling, gave one last attempt to buck them off, but Fred and George had years of experience when it came to wrestling and tormenting their siblings. He was well and truly trapped.
Fred grabbed his shirt, and Percy realized what was coming. He bucked wildly, though he knew it was hopeless. All he could do was shut his eyes and turn away to avoid the horrible sight. With the shirt yanked up, he took a deep breath to try his barriers again, as Fred bent down and pressed his lips against Percy's stomach.
'Pbtfffffffffffff!'
The reaction was instantaneous. Percy's mirth easily broke through his already weakened defense for a total of three seconds before he clenched his jaw back shut. Percy didn't want to give the twins the satisfaction of winning. Fred and George smiled at each other in triumph. Another raspberry made Percy jump and snort, squirming and jerking to get away. Fred straightened back up, but only to let both of his hands dive for Percy's now vulnerable underarms. The surprise attack caused an odd squeak pierce through his throat, but he kept his mouth closed.
Ragged snorts and breathing gave away his state enough to let the torturers know of their success anyhow. Percy did not dare open his eyes, too afraid to see the triumphant grins on their faces. Percy shook his head back and forth in ticklish agony as they tickled him to pieces. Fred's fingers then traveled up, fluttered all around Percy's neck, traveling over the shells of his ears or down to his collarbones every once in a while. As Fred went back to his neck, Percy turned his head and half buried his face into the shoulder of his robe to try and muffle the sound of his snorts and giggles.
After about a minute, Fred stopped and finally got up, only to move down to Percy's lower half. In order to prevent Percy from trying to escape, George shifted his knees to lean down on Percy's wrists, continued tickling Percy's underarms so Fred could position himself to tickle Percy's feet.
Percy gasped for air between bouts of laughter, his face red with exertion.
"Y-you—two—are—completely—mad!" he managed to wheeze out, his voice breaking into a sharp giggle as George's fingers danced relentlessly under his arms.
"Oh, we know," George grinned, tightening his grip as Percy squirmed and thrashed beneath him. "This is for your own good, Perce. You should've laughed more as a kid. Maybe then we wouldn't have to force it out of you."
Fred, meanwhile, had positioned himself at Percy's feet, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Now," he said, winking at George, "we're getting to the real fun."
Percy barely had time to process the ominous statement before Fred's fingers descended on his exposed soles. His body jerked violently as Fred expertly scratched at the spot just below his toes.
"NO—NOT THERE—FRED—" Percy kicked wildly, his laughter reaching a whole new level of hysteria. Somehow, this was even worst than when George had been doing it. Percy's usually proper and refined composure had completely crumbled, and he was reduced to a flailing, breathless mess.
"Oh-ho, now this is a reaction!" Fred smirked in satisfaction. He varied his technique, raking his fingers up and down the arch of Percy's foot before scribbling over the ball of it, making Percy nearly scream with laughter. Percy bucked again, but George easily held his arms down, giving Fred complete control.
"Think he'll beg?" Fred asked, looking up at George, his fingers never pausing in their attack.
"Give him another minute," George replied, grinning. "He's really stubborn."
Fred nodded, deciding to test something. He cupped Percy's right heel in his hand, and just as he had earlier with Percy's stomach, and blew a loud raspberry against the sole of his foot. Percy's reaction was instantaneous.
A startled shriek erupted from his throat as he convulsed, his body twisting desperately to escape.
"MERLIN'S BEARD—ST-STOP! YOU—" He choked out in between gasps and bursts of helpless laughter. "I'LL—MAKE—YOU—REGRET—"
"Sorry, what was that?" Fred teased, giving another raspberry to Percy's sole, making him thrash even harder. "You'll make us regret something? Because from where I'm sitting, you're the one at our mercy."
"YOU—ARE—DEAD!" Percy howled. "ST-STOP!"
"Not until you say the magic words," George sing-songed, his fingers wiggling under Percy's arms again.
Percy was past the point of forming a coherent thought. His legs were trembling, his chest heaving, and his usually perfect hair was a complete disaster. Fred lazily scratched at Percy's instep with one hand, while the other skittered across the top of his foot, sending Percy into another round of uncontrollable giggles before finally taking mercy on their older brother.
"Alright, alright," Fred mused, "I think he's finally had enough."
Percy was too busy gasping for air to register what Fred had said. His head lolled against the floor, his body completely spent from the relentless tickle torture. His arms still twitched involuntarily from George's earlier attacks.
"Percy," George grinned, tapping his fingers lightly against his brother's side. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
Percy groaned, still breathless.
"I hate you both," he rasped.
Oh, we know." Fred smirked. "But at least we finally got you to laugh."
With that, Fred and George high-fived, satisfied with their work.
"Now," Fred said, stretching, "how about we go play some Quidditch? Since someone can't stop us now."
"You...are...going to regret this," he managed to weakly say between breaths, still too weak to stop them.
The twins only grinned as they bounded toward the back door, their laughter echoing behind them.
Mission accomplished.
Long after the twins had gone out the door, Percy continued to lay sprawled on the floor, his chest rising and falling in deep, uneven breaths. His ribs still tingled from the merciless tickling, and his feet twitched involuntarily as if they were still being tormented. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to steady his breathing, but it was a lost cause. Every time he tried to relax, the ghost of Fred and George's fingers danced across his memory, and his body shivered in response.
His slippers were still missing and his shirt was slightly untucked.
Bloody hell…he thought, swallowing down the last remnants of breathless laughter.
Slowly, painfully slowly, he rolled onto his side, groaning again as he gathered enough strength to push himself up. Percy's limbs felt heavy, like they were weighed down by the sheer embarrassment of what had just happened. He wasn't supposed to be the victim of such childish antics. He was supposed to be above all that.
Yet…
Percy shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought as he finally managed to pick himself up off the floor. His legs wobbled slightly beneath him, but he refused to let himself crumble back down. He trudged forward and collapsed onto the couch, throwing himself down with more force than necessary, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
His body was still tingling, his ribs sore from the unexpected workout, and his feet curled slightly, remembering every maddening sensation. He wiggled his toes experimentally, but the moment he did, a sharp memory of Fred's infuriating raspberries against his sole made his entire body jolt.
Percy hated that he had lost control so completely. He hated that he had given them the satisfaction of hearing him laugh like a hysterical idiot, of seeing him crumble. He was supposed to be the responsible one, the serious one—the one who didn't get caught up in Fred and George's nonsense. Even though...
"Damn it," Percy begrudgingly muttered.. It was kind of, for lack of better term…fun.
Not that he'd ever admit that. Not in a thousand years.
For the first time in—well, a long time now—he hadn't been thinking about exams or the Ministry or what people expected of him. He hadn't been worried about getting everything exactly right. He'd just been…in the moment. Just laughing.
A deep sigh escaped his lips as he let his head fall back against the couch. The corners of his mouth almost twitched upward, but he immediately stopped them before they could betray him. No. He wasn't going to smile about this. He folded his arms even tighter, sinking into the cushions with an exaggerated huff. Absolutely not.
The silence that followed felt strangely empty. Without Fred and George's usual chaos filling the room, the house felt too quiet. Too…boring.
Percy closed his eyes for a long moment, allowing himself to bask in the lingering warmth of the moment. His body still ached from laughter, and though his pride had taken quite the bruising, he couldn't deny the truth to himself:
It had actually been nice to simply be their brother…instead of the "dull, uptight Percy Weasley."
Not that he would ever tell them that.
Merlin help him if they ever found out.