Out And About

Yep. More ticklish than a baby. Figures.

Leah’s laughing was contagious, making Felina giggle as she locked into her opponent’s glaring weakness, but it didn’t slow her down one bit. The same couldn’t be said for the blonde, however, as she went into a spastic fit. Wisely, she tried to make a hasty retreat and get to safe ground. A noble attempt, but years of practice with her little cousins at sleepovers had trained Felina well for this sort of combat. She wasn’t going to get far.

”House rules, anything goes!” She kept up after the blonde and even moved over her, getting on top to pin her down. Once she had that position, the real tickling would begin. ”You give up?” She picked up the pace, working Leah’s sensitive spots with renewed vigor. ”I can do this aaaaaaaaalllllllllllllll day!”

Felina was crying, too. Just a little bit.

It was silly, she knew. She was a grown woman. Most women her age were out on the town around this time, flirting with guys, hitting the clubs, strutting their stuff, enjoying the nightlife. Most of them hadn't gotten into a tickle fight since they were, what? Six? Seven years old. So dumb.

And yet, here she was, tickling the living embodiment of cuteness. And she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this happy.

She eased up on the tickling, just enough for Leah to form cogent words, circling her sweet spots but not diving back in just yet. ”These nails of mine? Perfect for tickling.” Her lips widened into a Cheshire smile. ”Let me hear the word. U. N.C. L. E.”

It was fun. Until it wasn’t fun, anymore.

Felina was on top, with Leah’s bubbly self exactly where she wanted her. The blonde had put up a fair game, but the victor was clear here, and she was intent on pushing this advantage until she came out on top. Just a little more, a little more and she’d give in…

But the slamming door jolted her right out of the moment. She threw a wild glare at Edgar as he stomped her way, looming over him like he was about to make good on his earlier threats.

She slid off of Leah, careful not to knee her in the process, and stood up to face her brother once again, not willing to back down an inch. Not over this. ”It’s called ‘having fun’. You should try it sometime, Ed.” She huffed, blowing a few stray hairs out of her face. ”Can you turn off the whole alpha-male act for just a couple minutes? It’s getting old, fast.”

Felina had been here before.

Not exactly here, no, but growing up with older brother in a family of fighters, she was no stranger to confrontation. Rodriguez blood ran hot, and family reunions could be like a powderkeg, waiting for the wrong thing to be said by the wrong person at the wrong time. Not to mention school, where boys would always think they could score points with their silly little homies by taking on the little ladyboxer.

She was no stranger to the principal’s office, either.

So when Edgar came stalking in, brewing for a fight, clearing a space, it was almost automatic. Up on her feet. Fists raised. One leg out in front of the other. Round 2, right here, right now.

She might’ve done it, too, if Leah hadn’t spoken up, even for that brief moment. She paused, looking between her friend and her friend’s brother, and that was enough time for reason to slip back in. A much as she dearly wanted to kick Edgar’s head off his shoulders, it wouldn’t solve anything. At best, it would just wreck her friend’s apartment, get the cops called on her, and probably jeopardize their relationship. It wasn’t worth the trouble. Not even by half.

Felina closed her eyes, straightened up, and took a nice, long breath, chest rising and setting. When that moment passed. She turned to Leah with the most serene, calm face she could muster, and nodded her way. ”Call me, okay?”

She went to collect her shoes, not even bothering to put them on as she walked to the door. She dipped down to pick up the Sprite - no sense in letting a free drink go to waste. ”Thanks, Edgar.” She’d started out again, opening the door, when she had a mind to say just one more thing to the man. Eyes narrowed, she flipped her hair to the side and looked over her shoulder, meeting his gaze for the time in a minute.

”I’m going to remember this.”

And she was gone.