This fic is set shortly after Tarantino & Timothée
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P A R T O N E
December 22nd, California, 9.30 pm
Joshua and Matt strolled side by side as they entered the gates of California’s Winter Wonderland, fake snow landing on their shoulders as it blew from the many snow machines wired into the park's setting.
“This is so awesome!” Joshua declared, his eyes sparkling at the fairy lights, the Christmas trees and the market huts serving beers and bratwurst hot dogs, “What do you wanna do first; the ferris wheel, ice skating or, or we could ride the rollerc—“
“—Whoa, whoa, whoa,” laughed Matt, “Keep it cool, you’ll make yourself dizzy …” he placed a hand on Joshua’s shoulder, “… Let’s get a map.”
Joshua clenched his teeth and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, wishing he hadn’t seemed so eager so soon.
“You really do love Christmas, don’t you?” Matt asked, taking a paper map from a wooden turnstile as other members of the public in the form of families, friends and couples moved on by, “I think you might love it enough for the both of us …” he smirked.
Joshua chuckled, looking down at his feet, “It’s my favourite time of year. Come on, man, what’s not to like about it?”
He glanced up at the clear night sky and the bright white moon, he took in the laughter and chatter surrounding him, the scent of popcorn, the cosy warm insides of the artificial log cabins surrounding them, “I actually think I’d be cool with it being Christmas every day,” he declared.
Matt scoffed, shaking his head, his eyes trailing over the map, “You’re insane …” he pointed at the middle of the map, “… Look, go karting! Think I can beat you for a third year in a row?”
Some fireworks in the distance erupted into mini explosions of red, green, silver and pink before crackling into mini sparks that faded into nothing.
Joshua narrowed his eyes at Matt, “This Christmas, I win …” he announced confidently.
Matt jolted away from Joshua, speedily darting through the crowds as Joshua chased after him, both young men laughing as more fireworks exploded in the distance.
They passed The Magical Ice Kingdom, Santa’s Photo Booth, Zippo The Polar Bear’s Meet and Greet tent … All amusements they’d delve into on the way back through …
Once at the race track, both Joshua and Matt watched two of Winter Wonderland’s guests climb out of go karts now parked on the other side of the finishing line.
A young woman raised her fists in cheer as one of the park's workers, dressed as an elf, draped a shiny gold plastic medal over her neck.
Her friends on the other side of the barrier applauded her win, whilst a young man who seemed to be the woman’s boyfriend was led towards the ‘losers area’, his cart landing in second place.
Joshua and Matt joined the short line for the race track, both eyeing the guy who had no choice but to take a seat in a set of wooden stocks that matched the log cabin setting that made up the park.
The guy’s wrists and ankles were locked into the stocks, his fists bunched together in a worried clench.
An elf with a polaroid camera took a photo of the guy, whilst some of his friends picked cold sponges out of crates filled with water and threw them at their friend.
“Oh shit,” Matt chuckled, “You’re gonna get soaked!” He glanced at Joshua, “They didn’t do that last year…”
Joshua raised both eyebrows, “… I hope you bought a towel, you’re the one getting wet, my friend.”
After the people in front had their turn on the track, and once the next winner had been handed another medal and the next loser had spent their three minutes being splashed by sponges in the stocks, Joshua and Matt soon found themselves taking a seat in a go cart each.
The elf nearest the start line blew her whistle as people surrounding the track began their cheering.
Matt’s right foot slipped off the pedal as soon as he pressed down.
“Damnit!”
He watched Joshua speed away, hurtling down the tarmac, exhaust fumes greeting Matt’s now frustrated face.
Matt repeatedly pressed his feet down on the malfunctioning pedals, whilst grabbing at the steering wheel in impatience.
Suddenly, his go kart sprung into action.
“Yes!”
He whizzed after Joshua, who turned a corner too fast, catching the edge of the track with a hefty bump.
This gave Matt the opportunity to wink playfully at Joshua whilst overtaking him also.
Joshua bit his lower lip in focus, aligning his go kart back over the track where he threw his foot down on the pedal.
The front of his car bumped against the back of Matt’s as the crowds watched both boys race past.
After completing two nail biting laps, Matt arrived with a screech at the finishing line, with Joshua rolling to a gradual stop only a few seconds behind.
Matt stood from his vehicle, bowing to the applause as Joshua climbed out of his go-kart in a fluster, spitting out some fake snow that had made its way into his mouth mid-race.
“Ready to get wet…?” Matt turned to face Joshua with a grin as another park worker dressed in elf uniform draped a medal over his neck.
Joshua winced, his eyes trailing over to the large crate full of cold soapy water.
“Ah man, do I have to get sponged?” Joshua took his worried stare from stocks to elf, from elf to stocks, as they made their way off the track and towards the attractions exit.
The elf holding the polaroid camera stood ready and waiting as Joshua adjusted the collar of his sweater.
“So you’re saying you’d decline the medal if you won?” Matt asked, nudging Joshua closer to the stocks.
Joshua sat down as one elf took his jacket off of him, whilst another held his wrists and gently pulled them forward, “That’s … Fair, I guess,” he admitted defeatedly.
Another elf began to lift the stocks, placing Joshua’s hands and feet through the holes.
Matt dipped his hand into the crate a few feet away from Joshua, pulling out a large soggy sponge.
“Can I throw more than one at him?” Matt cheekily asked a nearby Elf.
The elf considered Matt’s request, too stoned to care, nodding with a smile, “Whatever.”
Joshua watched another elf close the stocks, securing his wrists and ankles, where his booted feet and bare hands poked out the other side.
Joshua sighed, “This sucks," he struggled to find comfort, his ankles locked a little too far apart, "You’re lucky it’s still warm out,” he tried to slide his hands and feet back through the holes but they were firmly trapped, “Damn, this, this really does keep you in tight--”
--SPLOSH!
Joshua’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the large smack of a wet sponge landing against his face.
He gasped as the sponge decorated his shocked expression in soapy water, drenching his hair also.
It landed on the ground beside him with a plop.
“Matt, Jesus, PFFFT-- that was right in my damn—“
“—Yup, right in the middle of that pretty face of yours!” Matt picked up a second sponge as some of Winter Wonderland’s crowd began to gather around both young men, “Ready for round two?”
The crowd cheered, whooping on this sudden moment of entertainment.
“Alright, alright, everyone, no need to boost an already huge ego …” Joshua narrowed his eyes at the increasing numbers of people as Matt threw the second sponge, this time hitting Joshua in the chest.
SPLOSH!
“Oof!”
His sweater, now soaked wet, clung to his chest as droplets of water fell from his chin.
Joshua shook his head dry, breathing in sharply, blinking away soap before another sponge landed back in his face.
SPLOSH!
The crowd laughed as Matt bounced on the spot in excitement.
“Okay, okay, PFFFFTTTT -- enough with the, the damn sponges!” Joshua spluttered, his upper body now soaked, “Come on, guys, let, let me out …”
Matt went to grab another sponge, but an elf beside him placed a careful hand on his arm.
Matt looked up, a little surprised to see that this elf had been dressed differently to the others working around the park.
He seemed a little taller, wearing the same sparkly green and red uniform, but unlike the other park workers he wore a plastic elf mask over his face.
The mask presented a gleeful expression, with rosy cheeks, wide eyes and a large white toothed grin.
The Masked Elf tip toed over to Joshua, who sat waiting to be freed.
He moved behind the stocks and then wiggled his fingers around Joshua’s sides, not touching them and keeping back enough so that Joshua couldn’t see what he was doing.
The crowd cheered, with people lining up for the go karts now choosing to turn away from the attraction and to watch the situation between Joshua and Matt take place instead.
Matt smirked, his hand leaving the inside of the crate.
“Oh man, he’ll hate that …” Matt took a few slow steps towards Joshua as The Elf behind him tiptoed sneakily away from the stocks, “... Honestly, I, I think he’ll kill me.”
“I’ll hate what?” Joshua watched Matt get closer, his eyes shifting from left to right as the crowd cheered Matt on, “Hey, Matt, what are you do—“
Matt knelt down at Joshua’s feet, where he began to untie the lace to Joshua’s right boot.
“Wait,” Joshua sat up in alarm, his hunched over, bound positioning restricting him from straightening his back, “Matt, why are you, hey, keep the boot on ... Keep, the boot, on ..."
“—I’m sorry, Josh, we gotta give the crowd what they want …” Matt grinned, dropping the boot as the surrounding crowd began to clap.
He then sent an index finger down the socked sole of Joshua’s right foot.
Joshua jolted, the stocks structure wobbling as he flexed out his fingers in panic.
“No, wait, what--” Joshua’s foot began to jerk from side to side, his toes curling beneath the cotton confines of his sock, “Seriously, Matt -- come on—“
Matt wiggled his finger under Joshua’s toes as Joshua’s knee bent up, his hands reaching out to stop Matt, his wrists too secured to allow such movement to be successful.
“Alright, okay, lemme out. This, this isn't funny, Matt ... "
He then sighed in relief as Matt’s fingertips left the bottom of his foot.
Joshua sent a stern glare to The Masked Elf, who stood entirely still, taking in the scenario with their long arms dangling by their sides.
“Dude, can you let me out? And, can I get a towel, I’m soak—“
Joshua’s eyes returned to Matt as Matt began to untie the lace to his left boot.
Joshua frowned in concern.
“Matt, don’t even think about it …”
Off came the shoe and this time, Matt wasted no time in swiftly removing the sock straight after.
Joshua’s eyes widened, his left foot now completely bare, his toes stretching in a frenzied curl.
“Josh, I got an idea. How about we just stay here for the rest of the night?” Matt teased, a taunting grin displayed across his face as he turned to the large crowd gathered around the scene, “What do you say, everyone? He did lose the race after all …”
The crowd cheered, applauded and whooped as Matt began to pull the sock off of Joshua’s right foot.
“No! Matt, come on, this isn’t cool, come on, man—“ Joshua twisted his right foot away from Matt in an attempt to stop him from pulling his sock off, but his strained attempts miserably failed.
The sock slipped away, leaving Joshua’s right foot just as exposed as his left.
The Masked Elf appeared beside Matt with a long length of string.
He tapped Joshua’s right big toe and then he tapped the wooden stock itself, suggesting to Matt that they tie Joshua’s toes back.
Matt nodded enthusiastically, “I like your thinking!”
Joshua watched Matt and the Elf with a face saturated in disbelief, unsure of their plans, confused as to why and how he’d ended up in such a predicament.
“This is a joke, right? This has to be a joke!” Joshua hissed as Matt began to toy with his left heel, scratching its silky smooth, bulbous shape, his fingernails working their way up his sole and towards his arch, “Ah! Ah! No, wait! Fu—“
Joshua’s eyes didn’t know where to look - one second they were addressing Matt’s hands and the next they were darting over to The Masked Elf, who seemed to be attaching string around his left big toe.
The elf opposite started taking photos, unaware that this new ‘loser punishment’ was part of the process.
Flash!
Flash!
Flash!
Joshua blinked, the flashing blinding him momentarily as The Masked Elf tied his big toe back against the stock, hooking the string around an upturned nail on the other side.
Matt then began to work that foot, a foot stretched out and pinned back, as The Masked Elf started to tie Joshua’s other foot in the same way.
Joshua squirmed in his seat, shaking his arms and wriggling his waist as he was tickled without consent, his feet touched and stroked by Matt who devilishly laughed along at his friend's sudden and unexpected endurance.
“What’s wrong, Josh? Are you a little ticklish?”
Joshua’s mouth fell open in terror as Matt began to tickle both of his feet at the same time.
“Matt! Matt! Matt, what the f—“ he bit his lip, refraining from swearing, “Come on, man, don’t do this, what is wrong with you? Damnit — stop, stop, stop!”
The crowd's laughter and cheering became the soundtrack to the scenario as the increasing numbers of people clapped and chanted, their response to seeing Joshua tickled in public, by surprise, both energetic and fulfilling.
“Cootchie, cootchie coo …” Matt licked his lips as he sent his fingers around Joshua’s toes, his fingernails scratching away at their long, fleshy lengths.
Joshua tried pulling his wrists towards him, sure that he could break out of this old wooden contraption, but Matt struck a highly sensitive area around each of Joshua’s little toes, sending Joshua into sudden, uncontrollable hysterics, the kind that pushed away any current responsibility, like the need to escape.
“No, no wait, come on, not, not there, fuck —“ Joshua exploded, a deep and bellowing laugh escaping his mouth just when he thought he could contain it for the duration of this horror, “—Oh ma-ahahahaaa-ahahahaa-aaa—ahahaaan sto-ohahahahahahahaha-ap fuck, fuck, fuck—“
Matt knew he had pushed Joshua over the edge as soon as he heard him cursing.
“It’s right there, huh? Right by the pinky …” Matt continued to tickle Joshua’s little toes as Joshua bucked and squirmed in the stocks, the wooden structure rattling on the spot with the weight of each pull of each arm and leg.
“Come on come on come on, okay okay okay Ma-hahahaha-ahahaha-att stop come on please man this isn’t fu-huh-huhuhuhnny —“
Matt cocked an eyebrow, toying with both of Joshua’s soles at the same time.
“It’s not funny? You seem to be laughing a lot at something that isn’t funny, Josh!”
Joshua’s face, now creased with constant giggles, shook from left to right as his feet were mercilessly tickled by Matt.
The Masked Elf patted Matt’s shoulder in congratulations - after all, he was doing a fine job at transforming his best friend into a writhing, demanding, breathless mess.
The Masked Elf then tiptoed around the creaking wooden stocks as Joshua continued his squirmed laughter, his big toes pulling at the string pinning them back.
The Masked Elf then stood behind Joshua, where he began to poke his index fingers into Joshua’s underarms.
Joshua’s expression went from playfully irritated to agitated and startled, as soon as the Elf’s fingers made their way into the depths of his armpits, an area rarely touched by anyone due to their level of ticklishness.
For Joshua, this was no longer a prank or a game, or a situation made the best of - this had become a step too far.
“... Nope ... ” Joshua pressed his arms against his sides, his tone authoritative and hoarse, “No way, do not touch those, do not go under there you mother f—“
The Masked Elf ignored Joshua's warnings, going in hard, tickling Joshua’s pits with the strength of all ten fingers, all at once.
Matt’s eyes widened as Joshua’s entire body convulsed.
He continued to tickle Joshua’s feet as The Masked Elf dug into the now sweltering centre of Joshua’s underarms, sending Joshua into a maddened twist where his body stretched out to the left, and then to the right, his face screwed up in a mindless, desperate scrunch.
“No! Man, fuck—“ Josh blurted out a whine, his armpits not tickled this aggressively since he were a child, “—get the hell offa me, dude!”
Joshua glared at The Masked Elf, taking in his plastic face and joyous features, The Masked Elf’s attacks proving to be powerfully unstoppable with every jab and every dig, as if the person behind the mask had done this to people hundreds of times before, expertly and unknowingly.
Joshua sent frightened eyes to Matt, who continued to tickle Joshua’s feet with a fast paced scratch of each fingernail.
“Matt, what the -- fuck! -- is this fu-huhuhuhahahahuhcking tickle tag team fucking duo or, or, or, something? Matt! Matt come on! Get him to s—“ Joshua burst into further laugher, heaved giggles rolling out of his mouth as The Elf sent fingers into his sides, “—get him to stop, Matt, ple-ehe-ehe-eee-eee-eehehe-eheeee-ease Matt get him to sto-ahahahahahah-ahahaaha-ahahahap—“
The elf with the polaroid camera took a second pic, then a third and then a fourth …
“This is gold!” He said, excited to share the pictures online.
Flash!
Flash!
Flash!
Joshua squeezed his eyes shut as The Masked Elf continued to send his fingers up and down his rib cage, eventually lifting Joshua’s sweater up above his head, revealing the young man’s toned torso and hairless chest.
“What! What? No, no damnit, Matt, do, do-hoo-hoo-hoo something, stop, stop, come on—“
The sweater then went over Joshua’s head, where the Elf gathered the material around the back of Joshua’s neck.
With his sweater lifted up this high, Joshua’s hairy armpits were now easier to access.
As the crowd continued their cheer, Matt persisted in his foot tickling, sending all ten fingers up and down Joshua’s soles whilst The Masked Elf dug his fingers into the warm caverns that made up Joshua’s underarms.
“No, fuck, da-ahahahaha-ahahahahamnit stop, please, I give I give I give, what the he-ehehehe-he-hehell is happening this is crazy man oh my god — this is too much come on, please, fuck, what the fuck is happening come on, come on, God, I can’t take this—“
Joshua’s begging and pleading fell on deaf ears the more Matt and The Masked Elf carried on with their tickle torture, torture that had not been previously discussed with Joshua and therefore had been completely unexpected during this random evening, an evening that was meant to be relaxing and fun ...
... An evening that now consisted of Joshua coughing, laughing, breathing in through flared nostrils, desperately wanting the tickling to stop more than anything else, his swollen lips now unable to even say the word ‘stop’ the more The Masked Elf sent his fingers into the very middle of his armpits.
The friend in Matt decided to stop tormenting Joshua, so his fingertips slid away from Joshua’s soles as The Masked Elf continued to tickle Joshua’s upper body.
“Alright, man, he’s … He’s had enough,” Matt declared.
The Masked Elf ignored Matt, tickling Joshua’s underarms with force, keeping Joshua in a confused, hysterical and squirming state.
Joshua yanked his wrists, he bounced on his seat, he spat and cried out muffled pleas, unable to take this tickling, never tickled like this before, to this extent before, in his entire life.
Matt raised his voice, “Yo, man, stop it! He can barely breathe!”
The Masked Elf continued, the crowd's cheer increasing in its volume.
Matt took angered steps forward and grabbed at The Masked Elfs hands, yanking them away from Joshua’s underarms.
He then shoved The Masked Elf away, planting both palms over his chest in an aggressive shove.
The Masked Elf stumbled back, making sure to keep a hand over their plastic face covering so that it didn’t fall off.
A few other elves approached the stocks and began to free Joshua, opening up the latch so he could pull his hands and feet out.
One of them addressed The Masked Elf, who had started to casually slip away towards the crowd.
“Man, we just sponge the losers, we don’t … Touch them? Yo, take off that mask,” asked the elf, “Hey! Do you even work here?”
The Masked Elf turned around in a frantic spin and hurried out through the audience, where he soon faded into the large numbers of people and then out into Winter Wonderland’s snowy, artificial landscape.
Joshua stood shakily from the stocks, running a hand through wet curls of hair.
“Holy sh … “ he glanced over at Matt.
“... You can say it,” Matt allowed with a guilty smile, handing Joshua his boots and socks.
“Holy shit,” Joshua coughed into his fist, taking his footwear from Matt as they left the go kart attraction, the crowd now dispersing, some cheering still at Joshua’s efforts, “I’ve never been tickled like that before. That was intense, like, easily one of the most intense things I’ve ever—”
—Matt chuckled, allowing Joshua a moment to hook his socks back onto each foot.
“Yeah … He uh, he really went for it … ” Matt turned to face the crowds, his eyes searching for The Masked Elf, where they narrowed in focus.
“Went for it? He annihilated me,” Joshua shook his head, hopping on the spot as he pulled on each boot, “He, he took me by surprise. It was like he was some kind of pro at tickling. I kinda hope we don’t run into him again …”
No matter how hard he tried, Matt couldn’t find The Masked Elf, amongst the many friends, families and couples that littered Winter Wonderland.
“Yeah,” Matt said, with a voice full of concern, “I hope we don’t either.”
Joshua wrapped his right arm around Matt’s neck, suddenly throwing him into a headlock, snatching the medal away from his neck.
“You went for it too, you sadistic son of a -- I think I get this, for surviving you and your damn messing around!”
Joshua then began to tickle Matt’s sides, making Matt wriggle in his grasp.
“Alright, alright!” Matt cried, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Joshua let Matt go, nudging him towards the exit of the park, where they began their journey home.
“Speed up, Matt,” Joshua announced, “Once we’re back at the apartment, I’m getting payback.”
‘JOSHUA BASSETT’S HOLIDAY HYSTERICS’ CONTINUES IN PART TWO