Stifled Laughter
A commission work done by ASquishybean for Mercy

The car rumbled along through the winding, tree-dotted lanes that begun to be bathed in a deep red light as the sun dove down to the west. The chatter of the BBC evening broadcast begun and adult chatter came from the front but, for Roaxanne- or Roxy for short –she was distracted by other things to consider the trees.   A soft touch near her good shoulder made the Rockruff shift in surprise. Her head looking over to see Lulu, a Mienfoo, smiling at her. “Roxy, it’ll be fun, we’ll have all day to explore tomorrow. It’ll be okay.” Lulu- or Ludmilla, or Luddmilla Seaphon if she upset her parents –had been taken along with Roxy’s parents away from the bustle of London to the breezey ease of the northern coasts for a holiday. 
A way to get Roxy’s mind off what had happened recently. Lulu continued carefully, her hand gingerly pulling away from Roxanne’s arm, “We’ll go to the beach, get shells and climb r-rocks… And,” she stopped herself as she realized she may have hit a nerve. Roxanne’s face had gone from quiet contemplation to, sullen depression at the mention of climbing. “And… Clam chowder, or … crab.” Lulu became quiet and the four continued on to the castle that they had booked a week or two in.
By the time they got there, Roxy’s Parents were exhausted, Roxy’s mother, Jade. Herded the girls up to their rooms as Roxy’s father Mason took care of the billing and arrangements for the night. Neither of them spoke for some time. Jade noticed the silence and hugged both of them in the lift as they stepped in, “What’s gotten my little peas-in-a-pod so sad? Upset stomachs?” 

There was no answer for a moment as the plumpish Dusk Lycaroc took a breath and closed her eyes, “It will be a fun day girls, we’ll just need to wait for tomorrow.” With that, she showed them to their room and pointed to the door down the hall some ten feet away, handing them their Magnetic key. 

The girls were confused as Jade begun to explain the key, “This is your room, and ours is down the hall.” 
“Wait, so we’re not all in one room?” Roxy spoke, a bit confused.
Jade chuckled, shaking her head, “No dear, it wouldn’t be as special if we were all in the same rooms now would it? Go on then. See what’s there, and don’t forget we’ve got room service too!”
-
Left alone as Jade went down to get her husband. The two girls glanced at the key, then the door, and pushed the key into the brass metal slot. There was a beep, a clack, and with a turn of the knob that oaken door creaked on back. With sounds of awe, the girls stepped in, taking in the décor and feeling of the room. “Look at all this stuff!” Lulu’s voice echoed slightly in the old stones and boards of the room, a fake-fire in the now sealed chimney crackled away, heat filling the room nicely.  The door swung shut behind them and Roxy spoke with a twinge of her old self as she wandered close to the fire, “Ooh it’s so warm too… Look at it all Lulu.” 
The room was a suite for two lovers generally, and had a regal décor that fit its past as a study for the lord who once dwelled within those walls centuries ago.  Fine old books in intricately carved shelves. Panes of colored glass in the windows, and seating for food in the room.  It was all that and then some the girls found.  Lulu- being the spunkier of the two –begun to work her way through the corners of the room where a few doors were. Opening one she found a closet filled with a few empty hangers for long-stays. The door left of the closet and near the windows lead to a bathroom that kept with the theme.
What really caught her eye though were some things Lulu found while Roxy was ordering some food-service from the late-night staff.  In the corner with a few cushions on it to make for a strange seat was a set of Stocks. Looking back at Roxy, remembering her sullen face, an idea came to her for something later that night.
At least, that had been the idea before being started as Roxy spoke up, hanging the phone up with a gentle clack, “Well, foods ordered but we’ve wait some 30 minutes. Lulu?” Looking over at Lulu, Roxy’s head tilted to the side as she saw the strange set of wood and cushions. Roxy spoke louder this time “Lulu, what’ve you found?”

Looking back in surprise the Mienfoo was caught off guard for a moment, did Roxy really not pay attention to their last history class? “It’s a pair of stocks.”
“Stocks?” Roxy looked even more confused before Lulu picked up her thoughts, “Yeah, they’re a well, a punishment for when someone failed to do something or stole something small like a little thing.”

The Mienfoo pulled it carefully out a little more and saw it was very nicely carved like anything else here. It was weird really. Still, the girl looked at Roxy, a grin splitting on her face, “I dare you to get in it!” Roxy looked away and shook her head, “No… I… Why would I?” That caught Lulu tripped up and she thought for a second before speaking, “Well, aren’t you curious how it worked?”  There was a hesitant “No” before Roxy changed the subject, “Anyways we have things tomorrow I don’t wanna be here… I, wanna be other places.” The conversation died and stated dead, even after food came in.

---
With the food ordered, the girls spent some time eating at the table near the window. Watching the sky turn into a deep, rosy red before getting up to get ready for bed. Lulu gave Roxy time to do things on her own but, when Roxy asked for help?  The rockruff would find her friend nearby in a few moments. 

As the duo finally get out of the shower, Lulu caught Roxy’s attention as they sat on either side of the bed for a second. It was hard to think of what to say for a second before lulu got up and walked around to the stocks, “Say, Roxy, are you sure you don’t wanna try it out?”  egging on her friend’s cuiroist again with an tone of unspoken knowledge Roxy’s ears ran hot and the rockruff gave a little bark as Lulu continued, “Aaw, what? You scared you can’t get out? What about this, if you get in first, I’ll get it next. Deal? And you can do whatever you want.” Roxy looked at Lulu with a squint in her eyes, “Anything?”
“Anything you want, mmhm.” The smirk on Lulu’s face grew as she realized she won.
As Roxy wiggled herself out of bed she watched as Lulu eagerly got the straps undone, “Like I said, these were used for punishing evil doers in the kingdom! So,” taking a breath she continued, “HAIL CRIMINAL SCUM! You’ve broken the law!” Laughing at her own attempt to a joke Lulu opened the stocks, a bemused smirk on her face. Roxy begun to show a bit of her old self as she wiggled down into the seat.  The stocks from what she saw were made to be a single-seat with a hole for each arm, leg and the head even! Though, the head was cushioned a little to help with comfort. “Is this really a punishment? It looks more like something I’d find at a farm or something.”
“What, is that your confession criminal!?” there was a quick- but careful –movement as Lulu locked her friend in, the rock-ruff giving a playful bark, “No, it wasn’t! It was, that…. Aauh,” trying to find the words as Lulu walked around her Roxy wasn’t fast enough as Lulu saw her friend’s feet and legs were elevated just enough that even sitting as she was, her feet couldn’t get away.  An evil idea came to her as Lulu laid down and begun to blow on Roxy’s feet, a tease for what she had in mind. “Come on ‘criminal scum’, I don’t have all night!”

Roxy on her part gave a surprised yip as the sensation of Lulu’s breath made her squirm, “Auh, wah-no! No no, I’m not, Lulu I didn’t do anything wrong I swear!” “Lair!” with that, Lulu begun to gingerly wiggle her fingers through the underside of Roxy’s legs, tickling down the back of Roxy’s knees before trailing down to the poor rock-ruff’s feet! With a stifled giggle fit squeaking out from Roxy she begun to jiggle in her seat before letting out a breathy giggle fit, before Lulu pulled away, letting her friend catch her breath.  “I… I promise I, didn’-ah-AHUHAHA!” She wasn’t given a chance to speak as Lulu’s fingers worked into the base of Roxy’s heel, slowly dancing her fingers up from the heel, “Wrong answer!” 
With that, again the tickling started! Giving a weak “Nooooo-ooh” that blubbered into a giggle fit. Lulu laid into her friend, those nimble fingers pushing in-between the rockruff’s toe-pads. The Mienfoo’s fingers twisted and wormed through Roxy’s fur. At first, Roxy did her best to fight it, her jaw clenching and her fur bristling but soon bites of a belly laugh came through. Like a dam breaking the laughter begun to echo though the room and Roxy’s tail wagged up a storm as the rush of blood pushed through the pup’s ears and face. Soon, Roxy’s was panting for breath and Lulu brought her friend down from the high with gentle rubs at the Rockruff’s back.

Lulu wasn’t going to tickle her friend to tears but something about this, felt good! They had experimented a little before but, this felt different.  Still, Lulu was a girl of her word.  Easing up, she begun to undo the locks and helped the breathless Roxy out of the stockade.  Roxy, taking deep breaths and giving a little titter here n’ there, looking at Lulu with warm ears and a hot face, “That, if that was a punishment I-- I kind of liked it.”
With an airy laugh. Roxy leaned into Lulu for support, a smile coming to the Mienfoo’s features as her friend seemed to be coming back or at least feeling better about things. “Well, I’m glad you liked it. Because now, it’s my turn. Are you okay with standing up?” Lulu supported Roxy’s right-side and helped her sit up, the Rockruff taking a deep breath as she stood, “Obviously, yeah, auh, my turn to be ‘the law’, right?”  Pulling herself into the seat after Lulu made sure Roxy was able to stand.  Lulu got her hands and feet into the stocks. 

Then laid her head into the cushioned neck cuff and, with a slap of wood on wood as Lulu spilled her fingers out at the right time to let the stockade drop down on her. The Mienfoo nodded, “Yep, I’m a girl of my word! Besides, don’t you want to cop some revenge from the copper who got you wiggling?” Roxy flinching at the sound before making an unamused face, “Was that meant to be a pun?”  Lulu gave a bratty grin, “Maybe?”
Roxy flipped the lack with a distinct click of metal like before, Roxy took a deep breath as she walked to the front. “Lulu… You, no, that pun is no. Your pun-ishment… is final.” “Booo-ho-hooaha-ha!” As Lulu gave a playful boo, Roxy sat down near Lulu’s feet and begun to dance her claws teasingly close around Lulu’s paw-pads. “Boo-hoo-hoo, I’m the law now and I’m laying it down!” “S-staaauhhhah~!” “Sorry! Can’t understand you criminal!” With that, the laughing grew as Roxy’s fingers mercilessly begun to danced and teased. Pushing into that warm skin and silky fur. Roxy gave Lulu a moment to breath as the laughing grew from giggles, to shrieks of laughter.  Coming to Lulu’s side, Roxy begun to poke and press making Lulu jiggle and squirm in the seat, her legs jerking in vain against the wooden stocks.  As this went on, Roxy begun to smile more and more, the blood in her cheeks flushing up to her ears as she found that… she liked this, a lot!  
Stopping suddenly, a bit overwhelmed at how, giddy she felt.  Roxy watched as Lulu drifted down from her giggling high and got oxygen back to her brain proper.  For Lulu, she felt the rush, the chase of blood and pounding of her heart! It was reaching something and just, stopped! It all stopped! Lulu felt numb, almost pulsating in the seat but she caught sight of Roxy and begun to understand a bit, “To-auh, too much?” 
“Maauh, maybe? Was it? I, I liuked this a lot. Is it okay?” Roxy begun to fuss with the latch, and pushed the stocks up, getting Lulu’s hear free first. Soon afterwards she pulled the leg-lock up next and let Lulue free the Mienfoo taking deep breaths to get back to her friend.
“I, think this is okay. I liked it a lot too,” Lulu shakily stood up, leaning into Roxy’s bad shoulder. “And, you did too.” Smiling, Lulu pushed Roxy towards the bed and the two begun to giggle as they pulled themselves into the bed. As they did, they begun to plan for tomorrow, and dreamed of the time to come. Eventually, as Lulu shut the lights off, and setteled down in the bed. The Mienfoo rolled onto her belly, “Roxy… Would you wanna try having fun again with the stocks tomorrow? Maybe a bit, longer, next time?” Reaching out, she gingerly begun to play with Roxy’s paw, a smile spilling over as Roxy played back. Poking her fingers  back into Lulu’s paw.
“I think we could. Just, maybe give me a pillow to sit on? That bench is pretty stiff.” 
“What,” locking her fingers with Roxy’s Lulu’s smile stayed wide, bratty, spunky, “Your fluffy butt can’t stand to sit?”  
There was a little titter, Roxy squeezing Lulu’s paw tighter, “You know what I mean.”  With that, they spoke briefly again before finally drifting off the bed. The laughter unstifled as the Lulu managed to get her friend out of her funk. And both of them, discovered something new.