Author's Note: EYYYYYY! First Intrulogical tickle fic! Goodness this one felt like it drug on forever. I'm completely happy with it, but it's a fic. Criticism, comments, and compliments are always welcome so let me know if there's something I can do better in writing this ship. It is my first time, but I'll get better. It's really hard to make Remus kid friendly...because that's something he's not. XD So I made him as kid friendly as I could! The fricking drag king. Regardless though. Hope you all enjoy! <3

The Smell's Afterbath

Ships: Intrulogical (Kind of Pre-romantic?)

Words ~ 2988 ~

Warnings: Remus, Deceit, Sexual Innuendos, disgusting imagery, nonspecific nudity, caps (Let me know if I forgot something.)

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      To say the mind palace had a distinct smell, was almost laughable. It was Thomas's mind, so whatever Thomas was smelling would sometimes waft into the mind scape. But, it also came to pass that whatever aroma became of the sides' antics in the mind palace became a rude announcement to Thomas's nose. So, sometimes Thomas would smell smoke in his house only to find that it was Patton's burnt cookies all along. With each passing day, Thomas found he was having a difficult time deciphering between a smell in the real world or a smell coming from inside his head. Most of the time it didn't bother him, but there were a few cases where it did.

     One such case was something not one side had considered, until Thomas had complained about it. "Hey guys?" He began, summoning the core four aspects to their proper places in his living room.

     "Hello Thomas."

     "Hiya, kiddo!"

     "Helllooooooo Thomas!!"

     "Sup dude?"

     "Sooooo..." Thomas clasped his hands together. "You guys know that I can...sometimes smell what you guys smell in the mind palace, right?"

     "Yes...although nothing here should mirror real life, so it is a mystery why you can." Virgil commented.

     "Yeah. But what are you smelling Thomas?" Patton asked.

     "It's hard to pinpoint it. It's like...one of those Monster Inc. body sprays mixed with bodily fluids, sweaty socks, and pickles for some reason." The entire room grew silent and Thomas watched as the other sides exchanged horrified looks.

     "Well...um...Thomas." Roman was the next to speak. "We've been smelling that too..."

     "But we can't get rid of it, because none of us are causing it!" Virgil growled, looking in Roman's direction, causing Thomas to turn to him as well.

     "It's not my fault!" The prince clutched his chest as if to convey offence for even considering him as the culprit. "Yes, sometimes I do stink, but it's not to this level of toxicity!"

     "And we barely even smell it when ya do, Roman!" Patton affirmed, relieved to find the prince relax after the assurance. "Yeah...this is...Remus's fault." Patton whispered into the quiet of the room.

     Thomas groaned into his hands, the rest of the room following suit, save for Logan who only rolled his eyes. "Of course it's his fault. I don't know why I forgot about him." Thomas scratched his head. "Does he even bathe?"

    "Unfortunately not. Hygiene is a foreign concept to him." Logan explained.

     "I would take it even further and say that hygiene isn't even a concept. It just doesn't exist to him." Virgil barked, causing the whole room to shift nervously.

     "Or maybe he does know what hygiene is and just doesn't care." Thomas offered.

     "That appears to be the case." Logan nodded.

     "And you would know?" Roman fronted, folding his arms towards the logical aspect

     "Remus has been taunting me lately and attempting to figuratively get under my skin. It isn't working as well as he would have hoped, so I believe this foul smell he is tracking through the mindscape is part of his plan at irking me, but it is only irking Thomas." Thomas made a face as the stench grew stronger. He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

      "Okay. Is there anyway to make him stop then?" The sides in the room avoided eye contact with each other, seemingly looking for a solution that didn't entail physical contact. At last, the logical aspect sighed in defeat.

     "Fine. No one wants to do the dirty work? Then I will volunteer myself. Thomas already has enough distractions in his life and he does not need this one to continue further." He folded his arms and pursed his lips.

     "But...but Logan...that means-" Patton began with a horrific expression on his face before Virgil cut in.

     "You aren't seriously thinking of bathing Remus are you?" Virgil stared wide-eyed with surprise.

     "Let me ask you this: Is he going to do it himself?" Reluctantly, the sides and Thomas shook their heads no.

     "Ewww..." Roman commented, flailing his hands as if he got mud on them. "You have fun doing that."

     "Don't make me regret asking this, Lo. But...would you need any outside help?" Logan thought about Virgil's offer, sorting a plan out in his mind.

     "Actually Virgil...I will." Thomas sighed, thankful that this horrible smell would soon leave his nasal passages.

******

     Logan's plan was well thought out, Virgil decided. There were only two possible events that could occur where Remus would gain the upper hand, but neither seemed to be routes the duke would try to take. He was a fighter, not necessarily an escape artist. Virgil had only agreed to help as long as he a) didn't see anything that would scar him for life and b) didn't touch any part of Remus's naked body. Much easier said than done if Remus was going to fight tooth and nail against two sides and a bathtub.

     Once Remus is inside, Virgil would bar the door then seal the room so no one could sink out or rise up. Logan had started the bathwater about three minutes prior and joined his anxious facet out in the hallway afterwards. He added bubble bath as a stroke of genius to protect the Duke's privacy, (if he even had any). Neither of them could hide the fact they were nervous about the whole operation

     Logan was the first to speak after laying a hand on Virgil's shoulder. "Relax. Take a deep breath. All we need to do now is to locate him."

     "Easier said than done." A voice from out of the shadows materialized next to them.

     "Deceit." Logan nodded in his direction.

     "What are you doing here?" Virgil growled and he raised all six of his hands up in the air.

     "Please relax. Do you think I like the foul odor coming from the Duke? Absolutely not. I'm merely here to see that it gets removed. But, do you truly think Remus doesn't know what you two are up to?" The two aspects in front of deceit frowned.

     "Great. There goes our surprise attack."

     "Not so fast, Virgil." Logan stops him from completely giving up. "So he's hiding from us then?"

     Deceit chuckled. "He thinks he is, but I'm about to sell him out."

     "Backstabbing your own kind." Virgil jested. "Sounds about right."

     "Regardless...I can summon him whenever you two are ready, but you will have to be quick." Deceit lowered a hand to the ground. Logan and Virgil both simulated what they thought was an offensive fighting stance.

     "Good...3...2...1...Now!" Deceit pulled up his hand off the floor and rising up with it was a feral Remus clutching what looked liked a maimed teddy bear. His eyes opened to the sight of two aspects running towards him. He shrieked and scrabbled away, only to have the logical aspect grab his feet and drag him along the ground.

     "AAAAAAA! NO! NO! I will never bathe you heathens! Let me wallow in my beautiful stench!!" Virgil had meant to grab Remus as well, but with the duke came his powerful stench and the anxious aspect's gag reflex almost rendered him gutless. In the end, he was able to quell his stomach and grab Remus's arm in efforts to get him through the bathroom door.

     It took a lot of effort and screaming on Remus's part, but with Logan and Virgil's combined strength they managed to drag the wriggling body to the mouth of the door. Deceit stood idly by and only chuckled when Remus shot him a look of betrayal.

     The duke yelled, kicked, and screamed out profanities, doing his best to spread out his limbs so he wouldn't fit through the door. With one final push from Virgil and pull from Logan's hands around his waist, the duke lost his barrings and fell into the bathroom.

     "NOOOOOOOO!!" He screeched and Virgil pulled the door shut as quickly as he could with Deceit helping him. Remus banged on the door, pleading to be released as he let out pathetic whine after whine. Logan watched the rat man throw his tantrum.

     "Are You quite finished?" Remus leaned his weight against the door and sunk to the floor like the whiny brat he was.

     "Noooooooo..." Logan just watched him unravel. He was even sniffing, hoping Logan would take pity on him.

     "Guilt trip does not work on logic, Remus."

     "I dont wanna baaaaaath..." Logan sighed.

     "Do you want what's best for Thomas?" There was no answer, so Logan took it as a yes. "Then you are getting a bath. Thomas cannot distinguish smells between his world and ours. And you are distracting him because of your disgusting filth." Remus sat up and pouted, glaring at Logan like a child would at a parent if they weren't getting what they wanted.

     Logan sat on the ground with him. "Ah, yes. Now we are getting somewhere."

     "We aren't getting anywhere Big Newton! I'm not getting in that bath!"

     "I can and will pick you up."

     "You wouldn't dare!" Logan bit his lip.

     "Try me." Remus stared at him and he sighed.

     "You really won't change your mind about bathing me, huh?" Logan shook his head and gestured to himself.

     "I am the mind, Remus. I can't exactly change myself." The duke blew his bangs out his face in pure annoyance.

     "Fine then! I'll take a bath! But I'm going to make it extremely difficult for you." Remus began to undress, right in front of the logical aspect and winked. Logan widened his eyes and turned around, thankful he did that before Remus went full nude. "What's wrong Logan? Can't handle a strip tease?"

     "Just get in the tub." He scolded and turned around, thankful to only see Remus's bare chest and feet sticking above the suds from the bubble bath. The duke waved hello with his right foot. Logan could only peer at Remus's odd change of heart. He did say he was going to make bathing a horrible experience for Logan.

     "Okay. So I've been sitting in the water for 25 seconds. That's enough right?" He began to remove his legs, but Logan shrieked and shoved him back in.

     "Absolutely not! Your bath will last as long as it needs too. Until your ugly aroma is gone...and gone for good." Logan gritted his teeth and handed him a soap bar. "Please wash your body thoroughly and-...Remus...where's the soap?" Logan had looked away for one second and the soap bar had already vanished from his hand.

     "It was very tasty." He said with a gigantic grin. All Logan could do was rub his temple in annoyance.

     "Okay. It's official. You cannot be trusted with any inedible object." Logan conjured another soap bar, but kept this one for himself. Remus snorted and began to dodge all of Logan's attempts at applying the soap.

     "Na na na boo boo!! You can't get me."

     "Stay Still!" Eventually Logan caught his fingers and began to wash up his arm. Remus grunted and tried to pull it out of his grasp, but Logan held fast. "Face it Remus. I've won this round." Thus, the Duke resorted to another pouty face as Logan scrubbed up his arm. The logical aspect went about it as meticulously as he could, rubbing each part of the skin to release whatever horrible germs were crusting there.

     He continued rubbing the soap bar up his bicep until he got to his underarm, and noticed the pout on the duke faltering. He thought nothing of it until he lifted his arm up and rubbed the bar of soap in his armpit. The duke busted out laughing.

     "Aaaanohohohoho nohohohot thehehere!!! Fine fine! I'll clean myself!" He reached up to swipe the soap from Logan, but an evil smirk wormed it's way onto the logical side's face and he held it out of his grasp.

     "You are ticklish? I believe this is a suitable punishment for your inability to comply, then. Let this be a lesson that you should take something when it is offered to you and not. Eat. It." Each syllable landed a poke in the duke's armpit. "Or reject it." It was at that point Remus began to regret some of his earlier decisions.

     "No no no Logan. Can't we talk about this?" Logan said nothing and shoved the bar of soap back into his pit. Quite honestly, logic for once was through with talking. Remus went ballistic with laughter and tried, but failed to get the ticklish feeling away from his body. Once Logan had felt that pit had enough scrubbing, he moved to the other arms fingers in order to give the Duke a break.

      Remus tried to pout again, but every touch almost felt like a tickle now and it was hard to keep a straight face. Soon, Logan began to find Remus's gentle giggles as endearing. At least he wasn't fighting to take a bath anymore.

     Everything escalated again when Logan reached the second armpit, however. This time, Logan had rubbed some soap on his hand scribbled with his nails at the soft hollows.

     "Aaahahahacck! Nohoho no no no! This is wohohohohorse!" Logan smirked.

     "Maybe next time you won't try to fight me." He then took a break to rub more soap on his hands. "Your ribs are next." Remus squeaked and covered his torso.

     "Wrong choice." Logan tweaked his sides and sneaked his wiggling fingers underneath Remus's arms when they flew to protect his sides. He tickled each rib bone and the space inbetween, watching with satisfaction as Remus howled with laughter. For a second, he was unable to distinguish between washing and tickling.

    "Ahahahahaha nahahahahahaha stahahhahappp!!!" Logan did the opposite of stop. Instead he trailed down to wash the Duke's tummy. His laughter grew considerably in pitch the lower he tickled.

     "Is this a tickle spot, Remus?" The logical aspect chided.

     "Wahahahahahat dohoho youhoho think nehehehrddicus!?"

     "Hmmm...maybe I need a better tickle spot." He was squeezing his hips when he spied the dirty belly button in the middle of his stomach. He was about to plunge a finger in when Remus protected it.

     "No!! Anywhere but there!!" Logan chuckled and rubbed more soap on his hands.

     "Anywhere, huh?" Logan smirked and darted his hands to Remus's neck.

     "Aaaaahahahahahahha!!" The logical aspect tickled along his collarbone and chest, wiggling his fingers behind his ears.

     "Maybe pick a spot next time." Logan smiled and continued cleaning his ears, including the inside of them. "Close your eyes." Remus surprisingly obeyed, his giggles dying out as the logical aspect began to wash Remus's face. The touches became more gentle, and the duke found himself leaning into the foreign softness.

      Logan took his hands away for a split moment and Remus heard the cap pop from a bottle of shampoo. He opened one eye, but closed it again when he felt Logan's fingernail's run through his hair. Oh. Oh this was nice.

     He felt a tap on his shoulder and a bar of soap entered his field of vision. "Please do me a favor and wash your lower half for me." Remus needed no further prompting and did what he was told, all the while enjoying the amazing feeling of his hair being washed and played with.

     Once Logan finished, he ran conditioner through his hair and let it sit as he began to wash down Remus's back. His thumbs pressed into his shoulder blades and the duke shivered. It was then Logan began to massage his shoulders and back as he washed his way down the back of his body.

     Logan noticed that Remus was off guard and took the opportunity to quickly slip a finger into that belly button that needed cleaning. Remus felt as if he was rudely awakened from the best nap of his life.

     "AH! NO NO NONOHOHOHO YOU STUHUHUHUPID LOHOHOHOSER!" Logan only smiled, even if the words did sting a bit.

     "It's not my fault it's dirty. Just one more place to clean, before we rinse you off." Remus's laughter died down to nervous giggles.

     "And where's that?"

     "Your feet..." Logan walked from the side of the tub to where Remus's toes were sticking out, only to find that the duke had quickly hidden them under the bubbles.

     "Huh? What feet? I don't see any feet." Remus looked over the top of the bubble bath, as if to say his feet no longer existed. Logan plunged his hands into the water and grabbed his feet without any prompting, trapping them in a headlock. Remus's booty scooted forward due to his feet being yanked and his back was immersed by the bubble bath in seconds.

     "AAAAAAHHH NO! NO NO NOHOHOHOHO!!!" But Logan was already rubbing the bar of soap along his soles. He tickled in between his toes and along his heels, making sure to scrub good and hard. By the end of it, Remus was a cackling, crying mess.

     "Finished." Logan set his feet down and started the drain. When he went to fill a cup with some of the bathwater, He grimaced in disgust at the color of it. It was all brown, green, dark, and murky.

     He stuck in the Duke's face. "Do you see that!? That's you!"  Remus only giggled, still slap happy from the good tickling Logan gave him.

     "Beautiful..." He mumbled. Logan filled a glass with cold water and splashed Remus with it. He plugged the drain again before the water level could get any lower.

     "Everything but, Remus. You aren't even clean yet! I'm not letting you out of this bathtub until the water comes out clean. Understand?" He was expecting the duke to have some sort of whining session, but he didn't. All he did was blush and lay back.

     "Does this mean I get more tickles and back rubs?" They both smiled at the same time, as if exchanging a secondary conversation in their minds.

     "Only if you behave."

     Remus winked. "No promises."

~~~~~

Author's Note Part 2: Kind of open ended, but just know there was a LOT more tickles that happened between them. Also Remus did get his revenge by pulling Logan into the bath and tickling him as well, but I thought that might be a bit too risque to put into a tickle fic. I almost made an nsfw version of it, but I decided to keep it mild. Yeah no spiciness today! Alright, well everyone take care and I'll see you all next weekend! Ceffy out! <3 <3 <3