Categories > Books > Outsiders > A Ticklish Rumble
Ponyboy Curtis lay on the floor of the living room, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to catch a break. Across from him, Sodapop was grinning, his eyes twinkling with the kind of playful mischief that only an older brother could pull off.
They had been through this routine countless times with every tickle fight ending with Ponyboy’s defeat. Despite how childish it all was, each loss stung, and Ponyboy was determined to finally beat his brother.
“C’mon, Pony, you know you can’t win,” Sodapop teased, his tone light and full of confidence as he moved toward Ponyboy, ready to pin him down again.
Ponyboy wasn’t ready to give up, though. He scrambled to his feet, trying to dodge his brother’s reach, but Sodapop was quick. In a matter of seconds, Soda had tackled Ponyboy back to the ground, pinning him beneath him with ease. Ponyboy squirmed, but Sodapop’s hands were already at work, digging into his ribs and sides, sending waves of ticklish agony through his younger brother.
Ponyboy erupted into laughter, twisting and turning in a desperate attempt to break free. The sensation was unbearable, and the humiliation of losing again to Sodapop only added to his frustration.
“Say uncle, Pony!” Soda laughed, his fingers relentless as they tickled his brother’s ribs, trying to break him down.
But Ponyboy wasn’t ready to surrender. With a burst of energy fueled by determination, he managed to squirm out from under Sodapop’s grasp. He pushed with all his might, flipping them over until he was the one on top. Ponyboy wasted no time and attacked back, tickling Sodapop with everything he had, his fingers flying over Soda’s sides and ribs.
Sodapop laughed loudly, trying to shield himself from the onslaught. For a moment, it looked like Ponyboy might finally get the upper hand, but Soda was far from done. With a quick maneuver, Sodapop rolled them over again, and soon they were both rolling across the floor, wrestling for control.
The room was filled with their laughter as they battled it out, each gaining and losing the upper hand in a chaotic struggle.
But Sodapop was stronger and more experienced in these playful fights. After a few more twists and turns, he managed to pin Ponyboy down again, this time with even more resolve. He was determined to finish this once and for all. Ponyboy struggled beneath him, but Soda’s grip was firm.
Then, with a grin that spelled trouble, Sodapop shifted his focus. He grabbed Ponyboy’s ankles, pulling them up and going after his bare feet. Ponyboy’s eyes widened in horror, knowing exactly what was coming. He tried to kick free, but Sodapop was too strong.
“No, Soda! Don’t!” Ponyboy pleaded, but it was too late. Sodapop’s fingers descended on his feet, tickling the sensitive soles with merciless precision.
Ponyboy’s reaction was immediate and intense. His upper body nearly flew off the floor as a tidal wave of ticklish agony hit him. His laughter spiraled into a high-pitched squeal that he couldn’t control, a humiliating sound that only made him feel more desperate.
“Sounds like you wanna give up,” Sodapop pointed out, his voice teasing and playful as he continued tickling Ponyboy’s feet without slowing down even a little.
“AaohAOhAAAALlLRRiIIGGhHTT!” Ponyboy squealed, his voice cracking under the pressure. “Uuuuunnnccclllleee!” He finally submitted, his body too overwhelmed to keep fighting.
He hated surrendering to Sodapop, hated the way his brother seemed to have an unbreakable advantage over him, but there was no escape.
Sodapop had him, and he knew it.
Sodapop stopped tickling, laughing as he leaned back, still holding Ponyboy’s ankles in his hands. He was clearly pleased with himself, his undefeated streak still intact.
“Told ya, Pony. You just can’t beat me.”
Ponyboy lay on the floor, his chest heaving as he tried to recover from the relentless tickling. His feet still tingled, the post-tickling itchiness lingering, and he groaned as Sodapop started playing with his feet, running his fingers lightly over the soles in a teasing way.
Ponyboy twitched and squirmed with each gentle touch, but he was too worn out to protest.
As Soda absentmindedly traced the lines on Ponyboy’s foot, he tilted his head as if deep in thought. “Now, let’s see,” he mused, his voice teasing. “I’ve won this time, and the time before that, and the time before that, and the time before that-"
Ponyboy, still trying to catch his breath, managed a weak grin.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” he said, though his voice was filled with affection rather than annoyance.
Soda continued to tickle Ponyboy’s foot lightly, his fingers brushing over the arch and instep, making Ponyboy giggle involuntarily. “And just to be sure I’m right,” Soda continued, pretending to count on his fingers, “I’ve got...let’s see...all the wins. And you have...zero. Right?"
Ponyboy rolled his eyes, though his smile never faded. “That's because you cheat."
Soda chuckled, finally letting Ponyboy’s foot go but not before giving it a playful squeeze. “Cheat? I don't need to cheat to beat you at this."
Ponyboy sat up, leaning back on his hands, and shook his head with a mock sigh of defeat. “Yeah, yeah, you've always won. But I’ll get you one day, just you wait.”
Soda laughed, ruffling Ponyboy’s hair affectionately. “Keep dreaming, Pony. You’ve got a long way to go before you catch up to me.”
Ponyboy leaned into the touch, still smiling despite his words. “We’ll see about that.”
Sodapop laughed and stood up, offering a hand to help Ponyboy to his feet. “How about we come up with something new? Maybe we can find a competition you’re actually good at.”
Ponyboy took his brother’s hand and let him pull him up.
“Like what?”
“Dunno yet. But I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Sodapop said, still grinning. “And who knows, maybe you’ll finally beat me at it.”
Ponyboy couldn’t help but smile back, his frustration fading a little. “Maybe. But you better watch out, Soda. I’m not giving up.”
Sodapop ruffled Ponyboy’s hair affectionately. “I wouldn’t want you to.”
With that, the brothers headed out of the living room, their playful rivalry still very much alive but with a new sense of camaraderie. They’d find something else to compete over, something where Ponyboy might actually stand a chance. But until then,
Ponyboy knew he’d keep trying, because as frustrating as it was to lose, it was the challenge that made it all worth it.
They had been through this routine countless times with every tickle fight ending with Ponyboy’s defeat. Despite how childish it all was, each loss stung, and Ponyboy was determined to finally beat his brother.
“C’mon, Pony, you know you can’t win,” Sodapop teased, his tone light and full of confidence as he moved toward Ponyboy, ready to pin him down again.
Ponyboy wasn’t ready to give up, though. He scrambled to his feet, trying to dodge his brother’s reach, but Sodapop was quick. In a matter of seconds, Soda had tackled Ponyboy back to the ground, pinning him beneath him with ease. Ponyboy squirmed, but Sodapop’s hands were already at work, digging into his ribs and sides, sending waves of ticklish agony through his younger brother.
Ponyboy erupted into laughter, twisting and turning in a desperate attempt to break free. The sensation was unbearable, and the humiliation of losing again to Sodapop only added to his frustration.
“Say uncle, Pony!” Soda laughed, his fingers relentless as they tickled his brother’s ribs, trying to break him down.
But Ponyboy wasn’t ready to surrender. With a burst of energy fueled by determination, he managed to squirm out from under Sodapop’s grasp. He pushed with all his might, flipping them over until he was the one on top. Ponyboy wasted no time and attacked back, tickling Sodapop with everything he had, his fingers flying over Soda’s sides and ribs.
Sodapop laughed loudly, trying to shield himself from the onslaught. For a moment, it looked like Ponyboy might finally get the upper hand, but Soda was far from done. With a quick maneuver, Sodapop rolled them over again, and soon they were both rolling across the floor, wrestling for control.
The room was filled with their laughter as they battled it out, each gaining and losing the upper hand in a chaotic struggle.
But Sodapop was stronger and more experienced in these playful fights. After a few more twists and turns, he managed to pin Ponyboy down again, this time with even more resolve. He was determined to finish this once and for all. Ponyboy struggled beneath him, but Soda’s grip was firm.
Then, with a grin that spelled trouble, Sodapop shifted his focus. He grabbed Ponyboy’s ankles, pulling them up and going after his bare feet. Ponyboy’s eyes widened in horror, knowing exactly what was coming. He tried to kick free, but Sodapop was too strong.
“No, Soda! Don’t!” Ponyboy pleaded, but it was too late. Sodapop’s fingers descended on his feet, tickling the sensitive soles with merciless precision.
Ponyboy’s reaction was immediate and intense. His upper body nearly flew off the floor as a tidal wave of ticklish agony hit him. His laughter spiraled into a high-pitched squeal that he couldn’t control, a humiliating sound that only made him feel more desperate.
“Sounds like you wanna give up,” Sodapop pointed out, his voice teasing and playful as he continued tickling Ponyboy’s feet without slowing down even a little.
“AaohAOhAAAALlLRRiIIGGhHTT!” Ponyboy squealed, his voice cracking under the pressure. “Uuuuunnnccclllleee!” He finally submitted, his body too overwhelmed to keep fighting.
He hated surrendering to Sodapop, hated the way his brother seemed to have an unbreakable advantage over him, but there was no escape.
Sodapop had him, and he knew it.
Sodapop stopped tickling, laughing as he leaned back, still holding Ponyboy’s ankles in his hands. He was clearly pleased with himself, his undefeated streak still intact.
“Told ya, Pony. You just can’t beat me.”
Ponyboy lay on the floor, his chest heaving as he tried to recover from the relentless tickling. His feet still tingled, the post-tickling itchiness lingering, and he groaned as Sodapop started playing with his feet, running his fingers lightly over the soles in a teasing way.
Ponyboy twitched and squirmed with each gentle touch, but he was too worn out to protest.
As Soda absentmindedly traced the lines on Ponyboy’s foot, he tilted his head as if deep in thought. “Now, let’s see,” he mused, his voice teasing. “I’ve won this time, and the time before that, and the time before that, and the time before that-"
Ponyboy, still trying to catch his breath, managed a weak grin.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” he said, though his voice was filled with affection rather than annoyance.
Soda continued to tickle Ponyboy’s foot lightly, his fingers brushing over the arch and instep, making Ponyboy giggle involuntarily. “And just to be sure I’m right,” Soda continued, pretending to count on his fingers, “I’ve got...let’s see...all the wins. And you have...zero. Right?"
Ponyboy rolled his eyes, though his smile never faded. “That's because you cheat."
Soda chuckled, finally letting Ponyboy’s foot go but not before giving it a playful squeeze. “Cheat? I don't need to cheat to beat you at this."
Ponyboy sat up, leaning back on his hands, and shook his head with a mock sigh of defeat. “Yeah, yeah, you've always won. But I’ll get you one day, just you wait.”
Soda laughed, ruffling Ponyboy’s hair affectionately. “Keep dreaming, Pony. You’ve got a long way to go before you catch up to me.”
Ponyboy leaned into the touch, still smiling despite his words. “We’ll see about that.”
Sodapop laughed and stood up, offering a hand to help Ponyboy to his feet. “How about we come up with something new? Maybe we can find a competition you’re actually good at.”
Ponyboy took his brother’s hand and let him pull him up.
“Like what?”
“Dunno yet. But I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Sodapop said, still grinning. “And who knows, maybe you’ll finally beat me at it.”
Ponyboy couldn’t help but smile back, his frustration fading a little. “Maybe. But you better watch out, Soda. I’m not giving up.”
Sodapop ruffled Ponyboy’s hair affectionately. “I wouldn’t want you to.”
With that, the brothers headed out of the living room, their playful rivalry still very much alive but with a new sense of camaraderie. They’d find something else to compete over, something where Ponyboy might actually stand a chance. But until then,
Ponyboy knew he’d keep trying, because as frustrating as it was to lose, it was the challenge that made it all worth it.
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