Like every year around this time, I get the urge to write something. This is the result. I hope it's enjoyable to read.
<< and >> are used for thoughts of the main character.
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I had watched this fly for the last ten minutes, while it made its rounds around the living room. Often it would make circles above me, only to break out and visit a corner, or land somewhere on my half-asleep body. Changing my position a bit was enough to make it fly away again, but anything else seemed like too much work in this heat. For some strange reason, the stupid thing was unable to find the window again, which it had used to come inside in the first place.
Sleepiness must have gotten the better of me – the next thing I experienced was tickling and laughing, „Stop! Please stop it!“, I cried (or maybe mumbled), while trying to get away from my tormentor. Still not fully awake, I wasn't very successful. „Don't think you can avoid your punishment. How can you be so lazy, sleeping during the middle of the day?“ Getting more awake by the second and hearing his voice made me realize that it was just Toby, my flatmate. I couldn't get an answer in, as I needed all my breath for laughing like a maniac.
Finally, the torment stopped. I breathed heavily, looking up at Tobys grinning face. My hair was drenched in sweat, but even without him sitting on me, I would have just laid there, regaining my energy. „Dude, you really should come training with me next time. That little tickling shouldn't exhaust you that much“, he said, while ruffling my hair. „And you need to take a shower, or at least wash your hair. It's a bit sweaty.“
I just rolled my eyes. „Pff, it's not my fault that it's hot. But a shower would be a good idea. How about getting off of me, so I can take one.“ An evil grin told me that it wouldn't be quite that easy, but after only a few more minutes I was released.
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„Do you need the TV today? I'd like to watch the soccer match.“
I watched up from my pizza in confusion. „You are staying home tonight? I can't even remember the last Saturday that happened.“
„Yeah, I thought this one time I'd like to have some peace while watching. You know, its nice to watch this stuff with my friends, but I don't feel like it today.“
„Actually, I wanted to watch something else tonight, a movie version of „Into The Woods“. You sure that you need your night alone today?“
„Pretty much, yeah. Though I wouldn't complain if you joined me. Maybe I could finally teach you how fun soccer is.“
„Spare me. And no, come on, I let you use the TV all the time. Does it really have to be today? How about you just joining me, while watching my movie?“
Toby put his cocky grin from before on again. „Yes, today, and no way am I watching a musical. Hmm, I guess that means we have to decide that somehow.“
I started to get suspicious. He was up to something, I could already tell by the way he grinned and talked, but I didn't know what. „Any idea?“
„Sure. Pretty simple, we play for it. It's still 90 minutes, that should be plenty of time. How about some Street Fighter?“
„Sure, why not? After I'm done eating, ok?“
„Good, I'll prepare it. But I would like to...add a twist!“
The way he said it made me curious. What was up with Toby? „What do you have in mind?“
„To make it more interesting, the loser has to watch what the winner chooses. And to make sure that said loser doesn't just stop watching during the middle, he gets tied up.“
My heart skipped a beat. „Are you kidding?“
Now that he had said this, Toby seemed to get more confidence in his idea. „As there is a bit at stake here, it would be better to play multiple rounds. I thought of something like strip poker. At the first lost round, the feet get tied. Next time the legs, near the knees. And so on, until someone is unable to play. How about it?“
I could feel butterflies in my stomach, and had trouble focusing. The thought of getting tied up felt exciting! I felt that I started blushing a bit, and Tobys face showed that he could tell. Without much further thought, I agreed.
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It took a bit more time for me to finish eating, so I had time to think about what just happened. Toby had explained what would be tied after each loss. No way was this a sudden idea, this was planned in advance. He knew that I really wanted to watch that movie, and I was normally better at Street Fighter than him, so I didn't really expect to lose. That meant … he wanted me to tie him up, without having to ask me directly. Grinning, I ate the last piece of my pizza. That should be interesting.
Everything was already prepared, including two roles of black tape, a bit of rope and a clean pair of socks. Despite being the better player, I expected to lose a few rounds, as usual, so I would likely get a bit tied up myself. That thought made the butterflies move again. Not for long though – the winner was allowed to free himself of anything that was used on him by losing singular rounds.
I clearly wasn't completely clear headed at the first match. The whole bet fascinated me, and I didn't worry too much about losing one or two rounds. So Toby was probably more surprised than me, as I lost the first round. “What's up? Having a bad day?” “I just wanted to give you a headstart. You know, building up your ego before I crush it.”
“Sure man, whatever you say”, he answered, while taping my ankles together. Hearing the tape being ripped off from the role and feeling it, as it pressed my feet together, was a whole new level of excitement. I shook my head. <<Come on, concentrate. I want to win this!>>
We continued with the next match. I still wasn't at my top game, and, despite giving Toby more trouble than before, lost again. “This is really not your day, Benny. You could at least try to win. Or do you, maybe, want to lose?” I felt my face getting hot again. “Just a slip up. This was your last victory.”
My flatmate just smiled, while applying tape on my upper legs, directly above the knees. I felt my excitement rising again, and by the sudden chuckle I heard, I guessed that my body had reacted accordingly and visibly. Damn it, he wouldn't see any more of this!
This time, I finally regained my concentration and started to dominate the game. When I really put my mind to it, I was clearly the better player, which the next three matches proved. So it was now my turn to tie my friend up. Additionally to tying his legs, I also was allowed to make a knot into one of the socks and cleave gag him with it.
Unlike me, he didn't seem to mind much, though. I expected some sort of reaction, but he just accepted what happened without much of a reaction. It was especially surprising, as Toby was actually a pretty competitive person, so I had expected a bit of whining. But nothing came, which only made me uneasy.
The next few matches were pretty even, despite playing as good as I could. I just blamed it on myself, for playing with less concentration again. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't dominate the game the way I used to. I found myself cleave gagged soon enough. The next round resulted in Tobys upper arms getting taped to his body, but one round later, I found myself in the same situation.
I decided that this was enough. Three more losses and I was done. There was no time left to play around, I wanted to win. Despite my enjoyment of the situation, I didn't want to watch a soccer match. And, besides that, this was my game. I couldn't lose here!
We continued to play, but nothing worked anymore. This time I was sure that I gave everything I had, but I got demolished nonetheless. What was happening? Toby was never that good. I watched him in frustration, as he moved his body into my direction. Additionally to the sock, I also got gagged with a few rounds of tape around my head. As Toby was restricted himself, it wasn't that easy for him to do, so it took a bit longer than I expected.
When I picked up my controller again, I started to panic. I couldn't lose this. I just couldn't!
My panic seemed to make me play even worse, and soon I was defeated again. That meant there was only one chance left. My heart started to race, and I looked nervously to my friend, who had already picked up some of the rope. Feeling defeated, I put my hands in front of me. Only a simple tie would follow, though. The rope was wound around my left and than my right wrist, but with a bit of distance. The rope bound my hands together, but with enough freedom of movement to use the controller comfortably.
One last time did I try my best, and one last time did I lose. I was already demoralized, and Toby seemed to get better and better. Realizing that I truly lost, I laid down the controller and awaited my last punishment. But before that, my opponent undid all of his ties as well as his gag. As the winner, that was his right. Being a good loser, I didn't try to fight him as he undid the rope that bound my hands and retied them behind my back.
“That was fun! We really should repeat that. I hope you are already looking forward to the match. But first, I have to readjust you a bit.” I was puzzled by what he meant, but I soon found out.
My friend started to undo the tape, so he could exchange it with rope. While doing so, he talked to me a bit. “Surprised? I trained a bit with a friend, someone you haven't met yet. He showed me how to get actually good at this game.” I complained into my gag. So he did trick me! He knew that I expected to win!
“Don't worry, it won't be that bad. You see, I have a bit experience with tying other people up, and I wanted to introduce you to it. I really hope you have fun, because you will watch the match the way you are. And stay quiet. If you try to get free I can make it always worse. Just take it like a man, and wait until the match is over.” He looked down to my crotch area. “It's not like you don't enjoy it, right?”
My face got so hot, I was surprised it didn't catch fire.
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“See, this is fun. Don't you agree?” I just rolled my eyes. There were still at least 30 minutes left. It wouldn't have been so bad to just wait it out, but I was regularly made victim of some tickling. I had no chance avoiding it, the way my body was bound. Ropes tied my upper arms to my body, and my hands were not only crossed and tied to each other, but also to my belt. My legs were tied above and below my knees, as well as at the ankles. Additionally, my legs were pulled back and tied to my belt.
There wasn't much I could do. Even if I had tried to escape, my captor was right there to reapply my bonds. And it would have felt unfair not to accept my defeat. So I resigned myself to watching the rest of the game.
Actually, Toby wasn't that wrong. Watching soccer, especially with him as a commentator, isn't that bad. And, if I am honest, neither is being tied up.
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Comments, especially constructive feedback, is highly appreciated.