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Rumi should have known better than to make a bet with Jinu. In all the years she’d known him, he’d never once made a bet he didn’t absolutely think he could win. This time was no different, and now Rumi was screwed.
It had started the way all Jinu’s antics started. With him annoying the crap out of her.
Rumi had thought she’d managed to find a nice quiet space in the library to study for their upcoming exam. She’d secured a small table in a secluded corner where she could spread out her many notebooks full of notes and settle in for the next several hours. What she hadn’t expected was for Jinu to walk in five minutes after she pulled out her notes and plot in the seat across from her, slurping loudly on a boba tea.
“Do you have to be so obnoxious?” she said, glaring up at him as he kicked his feet up on the table. Her hand twitched to shove them away, but she simply huffed and moved her notes out of the way. Jinu only shrugged with a smug grin and slid another boba across the table to her. Rumi raised her eyebrow at the offering, then sighed and accepted it with a grunt. “You’re still annoying.”
“Thank you, Jinu. You’re so kind Jinu. You always bring me the best boba, Jinu.” Jinu said in a high pitched voice, and this time Rumi did shove his feet off the table. Jinu yelped, then laughed, but kept his feet on the ground. “Good to see you too, Ru.”
“Go away, Jinu.” Rumi answered, pulling her notes close and opening them in clear dismissal. Jinu didn’t move, and Rumi pursed her lips, but focused on her notebook. She was going to study one way or another, even if her annoying kind-of-best-friend was determined to bother her. They sat in silence for a few moments, and Rumi thought maybe, for once, Jinu might behave. But then she heard him slurp at his boba again and the creak of his chair as he leaned forward. “Jinu–”
“Are you really studying for that stupid test already?” Jinu said, frowning at her notes. “It’s not even until next week.”
“Yes, I am.” Rumi hissed, glaring up at him. “I want to get a good grade, unlike some people.”
“Hey a pass is a pass,” Jinu shrugged, sipping his boba again, unbothered. “A or C, we both still get the credit. It’s not like any of this stuff matters anyway. The only thing the program cares about is your thesis project.”
“It matters if I want to get into a good doctorate program.” Rumi rolled her eyes. They’d had this conversation before, a thousand times. “And you know Celine will pull her support if I don’t get straight A’s.”
“So take out a loan like every other struggling Graduate student.” Jinu deadpanned. “Time to join the real world, Ru. You can’t live off your aunt’s money forever.”
Rumi’s answer was simply to flip him off and go back to her work. Jinu laughed to himself, but remained blessedly quiet. Rumi let out a small sigh of relief, and went back to her notes. There was a formula she was having a hard time with, and she wanted to practice it a few more times before moving on—
“I think you need a break.” Jinu said, and Rumi let her forehead hit the table with a groan.
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Rumi asked, not looking up.
“Nope!” Jinu said happily, popping the ‘p.’ Rumi groaned again, then pushed herself back from the table to cross her arms and scowl at him.
“Get out.” she said, but Jinu simply grinned at her, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. “Jinu, I need to study.”
“No you don’t. You’re going to be fine Rumi. Just live a little.” Jinu said, waving her assertion off. “You’re like, stupid smart. You’ll probably pass with your eyes closed.”
Despite the compliment, Rumi still frowned at him, waiting for him to leave. Jinu held her gaze for a solid thirty seconds, before letting out a dramatic sigh.
“Fine, fine. Go on, study. I won’t bother you.” he said, gesturing at her notes. Rumi raised her eyebrow at him, challengingly, and he rolled his eyes. He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone with a dramatic flair, before settling in to scroll through it dully. Rumi watched him for another short moment, before accepting he wasn’t leaving, and leaned back into her notes.
The quiet lasted all of five minutes.
“I’m bored.”
Rumi let out an explosive sigh, running a hand down her face. “Then leave.”
“Or you could entertain me?” Jinu said. Rumi dropped her head into her hands.
“I hate you. So much.” She said through her fingers. “If I fail this exam I’m going to kick your ass.”
“You act like this exam is going to be so hard.” Jinu teased, and Rumi looked up, incredulous.
“Like it’s not going to kick your ass too,” Rumi huffed and Jinu just smiled at her with a shrug. “Jinu you could barely pass the last exam and that one was entry level.”
“I could have crushed it if I wanted to,” Jinu said and Rumi deadpanned him. “What? I could have! I just don’t see the point of killing myself studying instead of enjoying life to its fullest.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Rumi frowned and Jinu rolled his eyes, then pointed at her.
“You’re wasting your youth, Rumi. That’s what I’m saying. You’re so focused on school that you’re missing out on life. Like, when was the last time you did something spontaneous? Or crazy. Or just plain stupid?” Jinu said and Rumi scoffed in offense, but he kept going. “I love you Ru, really I do. But you’re such a stick in the mud. You need to get out of your comfort zone already. So what if you get a B on a test? Live a little! Make memories! I’m begging you!”
“Just because you don’t care about your future doesn’t mean I don’t have to either.” Rumi retorted sharply and Jinu sighed, deflating a bit. “Now, please, can you let me study? I only have a few hours before I have to meet Celine for dinner.”
Jinu didn’t answer right away. He simply stared at her for a long time, disappointment clear on his face. Rumi almost felt bad. She knew he cared for her, and he was trying to look after her in his own, annoyingly obnoxious way. But she needed to do well in this class. If only to avoid seeing that same disappointed look on Celine’s face. She could handle disappointing Jinu, but not Celine. Never Celine. Never again.
“What if we made a bet?” Jinu said suddenly, pulling Rumi from her thoughts. She shot a glare at him, and he raised his hands in surrender. “Just hear me out.”
Rumi sighed, knowing he wouldn’t drop it unless she humored him, and she really needed to study. So she sat back and fixed him with an annoyed look. “What?”
Jinu grinned, leaning forward now. He looked a little too excited for Rumi’s taste. That should have been her first clue. But hindsight was 20/20.
“I bet I can get a better grade than you on this next exam.” Jinu said, and Rumi snorted before she could stop herself. He had to be joking.
“Good one, Jinu.” She rolled her eyes, but Jinu didn’t laugh. He was looking at her with the most serious expression she’d ever seen him wear. “Seriously? You do realize I had the highest grade on the last exam, right?”
“I remember.” Jinu said with a nod. “I still bet I can get a higher grade this time around.”
Rumi gave him an incredulous look, eyebrows raised to her forehead. He was being strangely calm about this. Confident. It should have set off a thousand alarms in her head, but Jinu knew exactly what weak points to exploit when pushing her. And her ego was one of them. So, like a lamb laying down for the slaughter, Rumi fell for it.
“Say I agree,” she said, and Jinu grinned, both of them knowing she already had. “What are the terms?”
“Firstly, I’ll leave you alone until the test. You can have all the study time you want. Call that a freebie so you can prepare.” Jinu said, and Rumi nodded. A week without Jinu? She was already liking this bet. Jinu continued. “We compare results the day we get the test back, highest grade wins.”
“And what’re we playing for?” Rumi asked and the grin Jinu gave her was downright devilish.
“If you win, I won’t bother you about your study habits for the rest of the semester. You tell me to fuck off, I fuck off. But if I win,” Jinu wiggled his eyebrows. “You have to get a tattoo. And you don’t get to pick it out.”
Rumi paled at that, already shaking her head.
“No way. That’s not a fair trade at all.” She said, leaning forward to put her hands on the table. “A semester of peace is not the same as a permanent alteration to my body, Jinu.”
“For the rest of the year then.” Jinu shrugged, but Rumi shook her head. “Alright, Princess, what do you propose then?”
“Don’t call me that.” Rumi growled, earning a laugh. She frowned, resting her elbows on the table and pressing her fingers to her temples. Trying to think of something worth betting against a tattoo. Especially one that Jinu picked out. She just knew that it would be horrible. Not that she was worried about losing, she was definitely going to win. But she wanted something good. Then, an idea popped into her head and she grinned. “I want Derpy.”
“My cat??” Jinu said, eyebrows shooting up. “Seriously?”
“Yep,” Rumi said in a peppy voice, her own lips turned up in a smug grin. She knew how much that stupid cat meant to him. It was practically his son. “A year of harassment free studying and the cat. Take it or leave it.”
Jinu frowned, looking down at the table in thought. Rumi’s grin widened and she sat back with a self-satisfied look. She thought there was a good chance Jinu wouldn’t agree, but either way it was a win-win for her. Either she didn’t have to worry about a stupid bet she was going to easily win, or she’d get a year of peace and a new friend. But, much to her surprise, Jinu nodded to himself and looked up to hold out his hand to her.
“Okay. Deal.” he said, and Rumi frowned. He sounded way less concerned that she expected, and again, she had a feeling she should back out. She could take his antics, she always had. But…the idea of actually having peace and quiet while she studied was too big of an opportunity to pass on. Rumi reached out and took Jinu’s hand, shaking it once with a nod.
“Deal.” she said, and her fate was sealed.
True to his word, the moment they agreed, Jinu grabbed his boba and gave her a two fingered salute as he stood. His smile was much too confident for Rumi’s liking.
“See you next week, Ru. Good luck!” he said as he left, far too cheery now. Rumi watched him leave, a bad feeling settling in her stomach. Then she pushed it away and went back to her studying, savoring the quiet and imagining how good it was going to feel to have a year of this.
Unfortunately, Rumi never did learn how it felt.
The test had been pretty standard, and after a week of undisturbed studying, Rumi felt pretty confident she’d all but aced it. She felt so good about it, she even got a little cocky, buying a cat tree and a litter box in preparation for bringing Derpy home. All the while, Jinu just smiled to himself as they waited for their results, not letting himself be baited.
He struck the day they got their tests back. Rumi had accepted hers with a large grin, preening at the 98% circled at the tip in bright red. There was no way Jinu would have done better than her. She was sure of it.
Until he dropped his own test on her desk with a smug smile.
99%.
Rumi gaped at him, her face paling. There was no way. No way he got a higher grade than she did. It was impossible. Improbable. Yet there the proof was, glaring up at her in the same red ink. Jinu had beaten her, and she was completely totally screwed.
“You cheated.” She said, still in shock.
“I studied.” Jinu corrected her. “You’re not the only one with a big brain, Ryu. Just the only one that cares too much.”
“Fuck.” Rumi cursed, dropping her head into her hands. Then she looked up at him with pleading eyes. “We can come up with other terms can’t we? What if I let you throw a party at my place? Or clean Derpy’s litter for a month?”
“I already have your appointment set up.” Jinu simply grinned and Rumi felt her heart drop. “Put the deposit down and everything. Sorry Ru, you’re not getting out of this one.”
“Jinu–” She started to protest, but Jinu was already walking away with a wave.
“See you Saturday! I’ll pick you up so you don’t chicken out!” he said and then he was gone, leaving Rumi staring after him. With a groan, she slammed her head to her desk in despair. Yeah, she was totally screwed.
Rumi and Jinu stood in front of an unassuming tattoo parlor on the other side of town sooner than Rumi was ready for. The place looked clean and well kept. At least Jinu seemed to have done his research and wasn’t taking her to some run down hole in the wall. But that didn’t change the fact that she was here to get a tattoo.
“Jinu…” she said but Jinu put his arm around her shoulders and walked her towards the door.
“No backing out now, Ru. Rules are rules, and I won fair and square.” He said, and Rumi dropped her head back dramatically. “You’re not getting out of this. It’s time you did something spontaneous.”
“How did you even get an appointment so fast?” she huffed and Jinu grinned.
“I’m friends with one of the owners.” He said. Rumi pursed her lips.
“This better not be some backdoor deal where I get a stick and poke or whatever they call them.” She said with a glare. “I am not letting any of your idiot friends mark me for life.”
“Relax, Rumi,” Jinu rolled his eyes. “It’s none of the guys. She’s a friend from high school and she’s not the one tattooing you. Her roommate is. And from what I saw on her socials, she’s pretty damn talented. You’re in good hands.”
“Celine is going to kill me.” Rumi murmured, finally giving in and Jinu laughed guiding her to the door. “She’s going to murder me in my sleep.”
“You’re twenty four. You’re allowed to make your own decisions.” Jinu said, opening the door and pushing her inside. Rumi only frowned in response, but before she could say anything, they were greeted by a bright bubbly voice.
“Hello! Welcome to The Honmoon! How can I help you today—Oh! Jinu! Hey!!” A short excited woman appeared from behind the counter running over to them with a large grin. She had her dark hair pulled back into two space buns and she wore a blue crop top and baggy jeans. Her ears were covered in piercings, and she had two lopes through her right eyebrow along with a stud in her nose. A few tattoos poke out from the spaces that weren’t covered by her clothes, the most noticeable one being a large turtle on her back as she pulled Jinu into a hug. “I almost forgot you were coming in today! How have you been! How’s Derpy! Did he finally gain consciousness?”
“Hey Zoey.” Jinu grinned, hugging her back, but before he could answer her barrage of questions, Zoey was already turning to Rumi with a large grin.
“Is this her?” she asked Jinu, before holding her hand out in greeting. “Rumi right? I’m Zoey, co-owner and piercer extraordinaire.”
“H…Hi?” Rumi stammered, taken a bit back by Zoey’s energy. Then she gave a nervous smile and shook Zoey’s hand politely. “Um, yeah. That’s me.”
“It’s so good to meet you!” Zoey grinned wider, shaking her hand excessively. But before Rumi could pull away, Zoey pulled her in close, squinting a bit. “I know you’re here for Mir, but you would look amazing with snake bites. If you want, I can knock those out super fast!”
“Uhh,” Rumi blinked, leaning back. Jinu laughed, throwing his arm back over Rumi’s shoulders.
“Easy, Zo. We’re just here for the tattoo.” he said, and Rumi let out a relieved sigh. Zoey pouted lightly, then shrugged her grin returning easily.
“Next time.” She promised, before reaching behind herself to grab a clipboard and a pen. “Here, Rumi. Fill this out for me while I let Mira know you’re here. It’ll just be few minutes.” She handed the clipboard to Rumi then turned to Jinu. “We need to catch up soon, mister. It’s been way too long.”
“Name the time and place and I’m there.” Jinu said. Zoey nodded in satisfaction then disappeared behind the counter and through a beaded curtain. Jinu lead Rumi to a seat and plopped down next to her as she nervously began filling out the forms.
“I hate you for this you know,” she muttered and Jinu laughed. “This is actual torture.”
“If you weren’t a little interested in doing this you wouldn’t be here and we both know it. Bet or not.” Jinu countered and Rumi flushed because. Damn it. He was right. Rumi had always sort of wanted a tattoo, she’d just been too chicken to do it.
“Shut up.” she murmured and Jinu laughed again as Zoey returned with a grin to collect her paperwork.
“Perfect, Rums!” Zoey said, filing the paper away for later. “You’re all set! Mira will be right out to get you.”
Rumi took a breath, her arms crossing over her chest as she fought back her nerves. She sat back down next to Jinu, chewing her lip.
“So…what am I getting?” she asked and Jinu shot her a mischievous grin.
“I have no clue.” He shrugged and Rumi frowned at him.
“But you said—”
“I said you don’t get to choose. I never said I was going to choose it.” He said, and Rumi gaped at him before shooting him a glare. “This Mira girl is picking it.”
“Jinu what the hell?” She hissed, swatting him on the shoulder. “You’re letting a stranger pick what’s going on my body?”
“Chill, Ru,” Jinu chuckled. “It was out of my hands. It’s kind of her whole schtick. She only books people that let her choose what tattoo best fits them. And to be honest, she never misses. She has like a crazy eye for figuring out what works best for everyone.”
“Everytime I think this can’t get worse it does.” Rumi groaned. Before Jinu could retort, there was the shuffling of the beaded curtain, and Rumi looked up to meet the woman that held her fate in her hands.
Only to come face to face with the most beautiful person she’d ever seen in her entire life.
The first thing Rumi noticed was her face. It looked like it had been etched out of marble by an artist. All sharp angles and flawless skin. She had pouty lips, a single gold hoop pierced through the center of the bottom one that had Rumi wondering what it would feel like against her own, that matched her gold septum piercing and gold eyebrow bar. Then Rumi noticed her hair. Bright pink and long, flowing down her back in ruffled waves. Rumi felt the sudden desire to run her hands through it to smooth it out. Rumi’s breath caught in her throat and she looked down. That’s when she noticed the tattoos. Mira was covered in them. She was wearing a cropped, sleeveless band t-shirt and black jean shorts that showed off her long legs. A mix of dark and colorful inky shapes weaved up her arms, over her chest, as well as down her legs and her hands. There didn’t seem to be a part of Mira that didn’t have tattoos on them, except for her face and neck. Most of them seemed to be blossoms, roses, and skulls, though Rumi spied a few daggers in the mix as well. All of them were expertly done and made Mira look like a work of art.
Rumi’s mouth went dry as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. The woman she assumed was Mira stood behind the counter, looking around the small room. Then her eyes, her gorgeous brown eyes, settled on Rumi, and she felt the rest of the world disappear for a moment.
“Ryu Rumi?” Mira said, one eyebrow cocked. Next to Rumi Jinu snorted, breaking Rumi out of her stupor.
“Oh this is going to be so much better than I expected.” Jinu said, and Rumi elbowed him hard, before turning back to Mira, her face warm.
“Y-yeah. Yeah that’s me.” She squeaked and Mira grinned. The sight made Rumi almost melt right then and there. Her smile was perfect.
“Great! Come on back with me and we can get started.” Mira said, nodding her head towards the beaded curtain. Rumi nodded, and stood on shaky legs, walking over. Jinu stood too, but Mira shot him a withering glare, stopping him in his spot. Rumi blushed even deeper, her lips parting. That was hot. “Clients only.”
“But I’m the one paying!” Jinu protested, but Mira didn’t budge. After a moment, Jinu sat back down with a huff. “This is bullshit.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Mira nodded then she turned back to Rumi with a softer expression and pulled the curtain back for her. “After you, Princess.”
Rumi didn’t think it was possible to choke on nothing, but she almost did at that. Instead, she ducked her head and scurried through the curtain without a word. Behind her, she heard Jinu call out after her.
“Don’t have too much fun, Ru!”
Mira snorted lightly as she followed Rumi in, closing the world out with a swish of the beads, before guiding her to her work station. She gestured to the small bed for Rumi to sit, following suit and reaching for her drawing pad. Rumi settled, crossing her legs and clasping her hands nervously. The space was small but clean. Meticulously so. And exceptionally organized, much to Rumi’s relief. Deep down, she had been doubting Jinu’s choices, but seeing how professional Mira seemed to be made her feel a little better. Just a little. Rumi let out a small breath and looked around, noting all the drawings and pictures littering the walls. They were all exceptional, and Rumi wondered if Mira had drawn them all.
“Alright, let’s see what we have to work with.” Mira said, pulling Rumi out of her head with a start. She looked at Mira with big eyes and Mira powered on her drawing pad, her eyes fixed on Rumi. Assessing her. It made Rumi squirm a bit. Mira grinned, leaning in. “First time, Princess?”
“What?” Rumi flushed at the way Mira spoke, her voice dropping to a purr. She didn’t even blink at the nickname. As much as she hated when Jinu called her that, hearing Mira say it in that tone made her stomach warm in a very unprofessional way. Rumi swallowed, realizing what Mira was saying half a second after responding, turning even redder as she stammered out an answer. “Um. Yeah. First tattoo.”
“Hmm. Okay.” Mira said, still using that low voice. Then she tilted her head in thought for a moment. “You know how I work, right?”
Rumi nodded once. “You pick out my tattoo.”
Mira grinned easily.
“Sort of. I pick out a design I think best fits you. If you hate it, I’ll pick something else. If you like it but want to make some alterations, we can negotiate. If we can’t agree after that, then the appointment ends. No use in forcing you to get something you’re not happy with.” She shrugged lightly, though her smile remained, steady and confident. “Though my clients are rarely ever disappointed with what I pick first round.”
Rumi felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Having some control in what she was getting, even just a little, made her infinitely less nervous about getting anything at all. Mira noticed and gave her a mischievous grin.
“But,” she continued, her eyes drawing over Rumi’s body slowly. Rumi stiffened. “I get to pick the placement. No negotiations there.”
Rumi bit her lip, nerves flaring again. That might be a problem. She had planned on getting something discrete, but if Mira picked something obvious…yeah Celine was definitely going to kill her. But then she looked up at Mira, who was watching her with sharp but warm eyes, looking like a freaking goddess sitting there waiting for Rumi’s answer. Rumi sucked in a breath, all other thoughts gone from her mind.
“Okay.” She heard herself say, and Mira grinned, looking genuinely pleased.
“Okay. Great!” Mira said. She rolled her chair closer, causing Rumi’s breath to hitch, and tilted her head as she looked Rumi over. She reached over hand hovering over Rumi’s bare arm before her eyes flickered up to Rumi’s face. “May I?”
“Oh, uh…yeah.” Rumi said, earning another beautiful smile. Then Mira grabbed her arm, and Rumi’s brain short circuited. Mira’s hands were warm. And soft, so very soft. Then Mira’s fingers were trailing up her arm, turning it over with gentle pressure, eyes focused on her intently. Before her eyes shifted to Rumi’s chest assessing the skin showing through her V-neck, and Rumi almost died. Her entire neck flushed and her eyes falling to the floor under the weight of Mira’s gaze, not used to being looked at so closely by someone so incredibly attractive.
Rumi was so freaking screwed.
Mira had barely even touched her, and she was already a hot mess. How the hell was she going to sit through an entire tattoo? How was she going to handle this goddess of a woman leaning over her, skin to skin, staring at her with those dark eyes without spontaneously combusting? She couldn’t do this. She absolutely could not—
“I actually think I have an idea of what I want to do with you. Give me a minute to draw it up?” Mira said, her voice stopping Rumi’s panic in its tracks. She pulled back, eyes still calculating, before nodding and grabbing her drawing pad. Rumi sucked in a breath, taking the chance to calm her beating heart as Mira drew.
It was quiet as Mira worked, the only sound the tapping of her pen on her drawing pad and Rumi’s uneven breathing. While she worked, Rumi took the chance to watch her. Mira’s hair had fallen over one of her shoulders, revealing a long expanse of her neck, and Rumi, the useless bisexual she was, couldn’t help but hone in on it. The skin there was a beautiful alabaster white, smooth and unblemished save for a single freckle right by Mira’s ear, which was covered in its own assortment of piercings. At the base of her neck, a gold locket sat in the hollow of her throat, drawing Rumi’s eyes to that very spot. Rumi bit her lip, her thoughts wondering now, and she imagined what it might feel like to bite down on Mira’s neck—
“Alright, all done.” Mira said, and Rumi started, her face burning. She cleared her throat, trying not to think about how inappropriate she’d just been, daydreaming about Mira like that, and leaned over to look at the offered drawing pad. “This will be full color of course. But I think it’ll really fit you. Think of it like, getting your stripes, Tiger.”
Rumi looked at the drawing and let out a soft gasp. The design was simple enough, an expanse of irregular patterns that wove together across the screen. Each pattern was unique, but worked together with the rest of them in perfect unity, and, Rumi noticed, they were all shaded in an iridescent purple color that made them look like they were shimmering on the screen. They were quickly sketched out, but even as a sketch, they were beautiful.
“Wow…” Rumi said softly, taking the drawing pad from Mira’s offered hands to look closer. She ran her finger tips over the screen. The patterns weren’t something she would have ever come up with on her own, but seeing them now in front of her, Rumi knew that this was the perfect tattoo for her. She could see them on her body already, fitting perfectly against her skin. Rumi looked up at Mira with a large smile, eyes shining. “This is beautiful, Mira. I love it.”
Mira beamed at Rumi’s praise, taking the drawing pad back with a small laugh.
“See, told you I rarely disappoint.” She turned to put the pad down, head turned over her shoulder. “I take that as a yes? You want to move forward?”
“Yes.” Rumi answered, much more confidently than she expected to sound. Then the nerves reared again and she asked in a much quieter voice. “Um…where is it going?”
“Hmm.” Mira titled her head in though, tapping her lips with her e-pencil. “How do you handle pain, Princess?”
God, Rumi really needed to stop blushing like this, she was looking like a damn idiot. But when Mira asked that, all Rumi could imagine was how she would sound in the bedroom, asking that same question with much less clothes on—
“I’m good with pain.” Rumi said quickly, her voice coming out in a higher pitch than she meant. She cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to control her stupid libido. “I can handle pain.”
Mira just grinned knowingly, but she didn’t comment on Rumi’s response. She simply nodded, then stood with her drawing pad.
“Noted, Tiger.” She said, and then she winked at Rumi and Rumi swore she was going to pass out from how many times she’d blushed. “I’m going to clean this up and get a stencil printed and we’ll talk placement.”
Before Rumi could protest, Mira walked off to the back of the studio, humming softly to herself. Rumi noticed she was swaying her hips as she walked, like she knew Rumi was watching, and averted her eyes in embarrassment. This woman was going to kill her.
While she waited for Mira to return, Rumi felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out to see a text from Jinu.
The Devil
Hey how’s it going in there?
She scare you away yet?
Rumi
Shut up
It’s fine
She’s making the stencil now
The Devil
Damn Ryu. Didn’t think you’d actually go through with it.
Guess it helps to have a baddie as your artist huh?
You should totally get her number
Rumi blushed deeply at that, her eyes flicking up to where Mira was messing with a printer. She bit her lip, the idea not unappealing. But then she shook her head. That would be so inappropriate of her. Besides, Mira was way out of her league. There was no way she’d say yes.
Rumi
No way
The Devil
Don’t be a chicken.
You need to get laid. It’s been FOREVER
Rumi
OMG SHUT UP
I’m blocking you
The Devil
You do realize I’m your ride home right?
Rumi
…
God I hate you
The Devil
Love you too Ru 😉
Rumi huffed, putting her phone in her pocket without a response. She could practically hear Jinu’s laugh from the lobby, and her ears burned. There was no way she was asking Mira for her number. Absolutely not. No matter how hot she was.
Mira walked back over as Rumi pouted, a rather large piece of stencil in her now gloved hands, and she put it down on her work station. Rumi blinked at the size of the tattoo, her nerves returning now. It looked huge. Much bigger than she had expected, and Rumi felt her hands start to sweat. But before she could protest, Mira turned to face her, hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.
“Alright, Princess. Shirt off.”
Rumi froze, her breath stopping dead in her chest. Her brain fizzled for a moment as she tried to process what Mira had just said, a small whimper escaping from her lips at the request.
“W…what?” She squeaked and Mira laughed lightly, one eyebrow raised high, her piercing glinting in the light.
“Take your shirt off. So I can place the stencil.” She said, her voice tinted with amusement now. “This is going on your sternum.”
At that, Rumi paled. Firstly, because while she had never been tattooed before, she knew the cardinal rule that sternum tattoos hurt. And the one Mira clearly planned to do was huge. Then secondly, because holy crap Mira was going to see her half naked. Rumi gulped, not moving at first, but Mira simply waited patiently. Like she could tell Rumi needed a moment to process everything. Which Rumi appreciated because she had no idea how she was going to do this. Yet, despite her nerve, she felt her hands move to the hem of her shirt shakily. Rumi took a breath, steeling herself, then, before she could over think it, she ripped her shirt off in one single motion, holding it in front of herself like a shield. She didn’t look up as she did, unable to look Mira in the eyes.
But she didn’t miss the small inhale Mira took when her shirt came off, and, if anything, it made Rumi blush even harder.
“Oh wow.” She heard Mira whisper, almost as if to herself, and Rumi’s brows furrowed. She looked up, only to see Mira’s face had softened and there was the small hint of pink on her cheeks. But then Mira was grinning again, gesturing at Rumi to stand. She reached into a drawer and tossed Rumi a pair of pasties, earning another deep blush.
“Bra too. I unfortunately can’t tattoo through clothing.” She said, turning around to give Rumi privacy. Rumi blinked, then blinked again, then panicked. She was going to be fully nude from the waist up. Fully. Nude. In front of the most gorgeous woman she’d ever seen. It was a miracle she didn’t combust right then and there, but before she could spiral, Mira spoke, still facing away. “Take a breath, Rumi. It’s going to be okay. You’re going to look amazing when I’m done.”
The pep talk seemed to break through the fog of Rumi’s mind, and she took a sharp breath, nodding even though Mira couldn’t see her. It took her a few minutes to put the pasties on, her hands shaking the entire time, but she managed to do it and cleared her throat.
“Y…you can turn around now.” Rumi said softly, and Mira looked over her shoulder with a grin. Rumi still held her shirt in front of herself bashfully, feeling completely exposed, but Mira didn’t comment on it. Instead, she waved her over, grabbing the stencil.
“Come over here, Princess. Let’s see how this fits that gorgeous body of yours.”
This time, Rumi did choke on air. She doubled over coughing for a moment, and Mira glanced back at her, stencil in hand and a concerned look in her eyes. “You good there, Babygirl?”
And Rumi choked again because who just calls someone that? But she held her thumb up in answer, catching her breath as she shakily stood and walked over to Mira, still clutching her shirt in her hands. Mira cocked her eyebrow again, eyes dropping to the shirt, a smirk playing at her lips. Like she knew exactly what she was doing to Rumi.
“Don’t get shy on me now, babe.” She said, one hand carefully prying Rumi’s shirt from her hands and tossing it on a chair. “We’re about to get very up close and personal.”
Yeah. Mira was going to kill her. And Rumi knew there was nothing she could do about it other than sit there and take it. She let out a mix between a squeak and a whimper, and Mira laughed, throwing her head back
“Relax, Rumi,” she said kindly, putting her gloved hand on Rumi’s bare shoulder. The warmth of her hand seeped through her skin, making Rumi shudder. “I don’t bite.” She paused, then grinned wider. “Not unless you ask me to.”
“Oh my God.” Rumi dropped her head into her hands and Mira laughed again, the tension breaking a bit at the tattooists teasing. Rumi felt herself flush, realizing that Mira knew exactly what she was doing, but somehow that made her feel less off balance. After a moment, Rumi felt her own laugh bubble up, her shoulders relaxing a bit, and she looked up at Mira with a small shy smile. “You’re awful.”
“You have no idea.” Mira grinned and Rumi groaned. Then Mira twirled her finger still grinning. “Turn to face me fully so I can get you stenciled up.”
Rumi did as Mira asked, letting the tattooist move her arms or shoulders as needed until she was in the perfect position, trying to ignore the way her face lit up like a beacon. Then, Mira grabbed the stencil and began applying it with sure but gentle hands. Rumi took a breath, trying not to shudder every time she felt Mira’s fingers brush the skin of her chest, until Mira finally pulled the stencil back. She looked at it, tilting her head in that cute way she did when she was thinking, then nodded and pointed towards the mirror.
“Take a look and see what you think. I can adjust it a bit if you want, but personally, I think it’s perfect.” She said, and Rumi nodded, walking over to the mirror and turning to see the stencil. When she saw it, her breath caught in her throat.
The stencil was placed perfectly, each pattern curving across her sternum like it belonged there. The tattoo was large, yes, and Rumi was still really nervous about the actual tattooing part, but the design was gorgeous on her body. Despite her reservations, she had to admit. Mira really knew what she was doing.
“So, what do you think?” Mira asked and Rumi turned to give her a large smile.
“It's perfect.” She said softly, and Mira beamed again. The sight made Rumi’s heart stutter. She wanted to do anything she could to make Mira smile like that all the time. Then she blinked, her cheeks dusting pink at the thought. You just met her! Chill out, Rumi!
“Great.” Mira clapped her hands, then pointed towards the tattoo bed. “Go ahead and lie down, and we can get started.”
Mira turned towards her work station and began assembling her tattoo gun, humming to herself again. Rumi hesitated, then did as she was told, laying on the bed. Mira nodded, finishing her set up, and rolled closer to move Rumi into the position she wanted. Rumi did as she was directed, trying not to blush too hard at the soft but commanding tone Mira took as she moved her around, until she was laying flat on her back, both arms at her side, staring up at Mira with wide eyes.
“Perfect, just how I want you.” Mira said, and Rumi accepted that she was destined to be a tomato at this point. Mira grinned, like she knew exactly what she said, and pulled her hair back into a loose bun. She snapped on a new pair of gloves before pouring out the ink she needed. Mira picked up her tattoo gun and buzzed it twice with a satisfied nod, before dipping it into the ink and turning back to Rumi. “Ready, Princess?”
Rumi’s heart was pounding in her chest and she felt her chest squeeze in anxiety. She could still back out. Mira hadn’t really started yet. She could say no and get up and walk out right now, no harm done. But then she looked up at Mira, who was looking at her with large, encouraging eyes and a soft smile, and Rumi swallowed hard. She could do this. She nodded once, biting her lip
“Yeah…as ready as I'll ever be.” She said softly, and Mira’s grin widened.
“Don’t worry, Babygirl. I’ll be gentle.” She winked, and Rumi’s breath stuttered. But before she could retort, Mira was moving the tattoo machine to her skin. “Alright, here we go.”
The first line shocked Rumi.
It wasn’t exactly that it hurt too much. Yes, it hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. It was more that the feeling was unexpected. She had heard that getting tattooed was like getting stung over and over by a bee, or like scratching a really bad sunburn. While that was somewhat true, it was the vibration that threw Rumi off. The way the machine buzzed against her sternum felt just…wierd. Rumi let out a gasp at the feeling, then sucked in a breath, but she managed to stay still. Mira looked up as she finished the first line, watching Rumi’s face closely.
“See? Not so bad right?” She said, and Rumi nodded despite herself, though she still held her breath. Mira noticed and rubbed a soothing circle on Rumi’s clavicle with her thumb. “Breathe, Princess.”
Rumi did so with an explosive breath and chuckle. Mira smiled proudly.
“There you go.” She said. Then she did another line, and Rumi sucked in another breath, but this time she remembered to let it out. Mira hummed approvingly, drawing another line across her skin. By the fourth pull, the feeling didn’t seem so foreign, and by the tenth, Rumi let out a soft breath, settling into the feeling. It was uncomfortable, painful really, but now that she knew what to expect, she knew she could do this.
“So, tell me.” Mira said, after dipping her machine into the ink and pulling another line. “Why did you decide to get your first tattoo today?”
Rumi blushed at that, looking away from Mira, trying not to wince when she hit a particularly sensitive spot.
“I uh…I lost a bet.” Rumi murmured, her cheeks puffing out in embarrassment. Mira paused what she was doing, hands still splayed across Rumi’s chest, and Rumi felt her eyes on her. She looked over to see Mira giving her a slightly incredulous look.
“Please tell me it wasn’t to that idiot out there.” Mira deadpanned, eyes sharp, and Rumi couldn’t help but laugh.
“Unfortunetley, yeah.” Rumi sighed, and Mira shook her head, continuing her work. Rumi tried not to think about how close her hand moved to her boob when she pulled a line across the top of her cleavage.
“Damn.” Mira cursed lightly, and Rumi fought off a smile. “Well. I guess I get to count myself lucky at least.”
Rumi furrowed her brow at that, turning her head slightly to look at Mira. “Why?”
Mira finished a line and pulled back to wink at Rumi with a large grin.
“Because I get to tattoo a hot girl with her shirt off because of him.” Mira said easily and Rumi flushed hard. Was Mira flirting with her? Rumi looked at Mira with large eyes, earning a laugh as Mira dipped her machine and pulled another line like she hadn’t just sent Rumi into orbit. Rumi tried to stutter out a retort, but then Mira pulled a long line and Rumi sucked in a sharp breath, slamming her eyes shut. Okay, that one had hurt. A lot.
“Easy, Tiger,” Mira hummed, her thumb rubbing those gentle circles again, and Rumi felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. “Don’t forget to breathe.”
Rumi nodded, following her instructions, her hands fisting at her side a bit. Mira continued, the sting lessening as she moved to a new spot.
“What do you do for work, Princess?” Mira asked her, as if she hadn’t just flirted with her a second ago. Rumi took a moment to get her bearings, then licked her lips.
“I’m in grad school right now, actually.” She answered, and Mira quirked an eyebrow in interest. “For mathematics.”
“Oooh, smart and pretty.” Mira cooed, earning another blush. “The whole package.”
Rumi didn’t know what to say to that, falling silent in her fluster as Mira continued to work, almost halfway done with the line work now. Mira noticed and grinned happily to herself.
“Why math?” she asked, moving to get a better angle, and looking up at Rumi expectantly. Rumi grinned despite herself, happy the conversation shifted to something she could talk about.
“Because math is never subjective.” She answered easily, trying not to shrug and disturb Mira. “There’s a right answer and a wrong answer. All you have to do is find it. That…and math is found everywhere. Even in nature. It’s just…really beautiful.”
Mira looked up at her again as she finished another line, a smile playing at her lips and a softer look in her eyes.
“That’s really beautiful.” She admitted, still smiling. “I never thought of it like that before. Shit,” she laughed breathlessly to herself. “Now I feel bad for trash talking math in high school.”
Rumi laughed at that, adjusting on the bed when Mira dipped her machine again. When Mira came back, however, Rumi felt her heart jump to her throat because Mira put her hand on her breast and pushed it out of the way without preamble. Then her brain short circuited completely because Mira’s hand was on her boob and not even the sting of the needle could distract Rumi from that. Mira looked up at her, lips twitching.
“You good there, Princess?” she asked, and it was all Rumi could do to nod in response. Mira chuckled, adjusting her grip. “Hang in there, we’re almost done with the line work.”
Rumi nodded again, letting Mira believe that she was reacting the way she was because of pain, and not because of the warmth blooming in her stomach. She sat as still as she could, both of them falling silent as Mira worked. Eventually she let go of Rumi’s boob, but the damage was done. Rumi was practically overheating now, trying not to squirm. After several moments, Mira pulled back with a nod.
“Alright, babe. Line work is done, all we have left is the color.” She said and Rumi blinked, looking up at the clock above her. How had it already been over an hour since they started? Then she moved to look down at her chest, only to be stopped by Mira’s hand on her chin. “No peaking, Babygirl.”
Rumi gulped at that, breath stuttering as she half nodded in response. Mira grinned, giving her chin a squeeze before letting go.
“Good girl.” Mira half purred, and Rumi jolted, a soft whimper leaving her lips, before she flushed beet red in embarrassment. Mira only grinned again, and moved to clean her machine and pour out the colors she needed. Rumi gaped at her, jaw moving up and down as she tried to say something, anything in response to that, but she came up completely empty.
“Okay, this might sting a bit more because it’s a larger swath of needle,” Mira said, turning back like she’d simply made a comment about the weather and not forced Rumi though a hard reboot mere seconds ago. “Take a breath, and let me know if it gets too much, alright?”
Rumi bit her lip nervously, but nodded, leaning her head back as she braced herself. Mira hummed, leaning over her again, pressing the needles to her skin in several long strokes. Rumi sucked in a breath, tensing.
“A bit more?” she hissed out, trying not to blanch against the burning sting of the larger needle grating across her skin. Mira barked out a sympathetic laugh, dipping her machine again.
“Maybe more than a bit.” She conceded, earning a grumble from Rumi as she worked. “Don’t get too discouraged, Princess. I work fast. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“Something tells me I’m going to be aware of every passing second.” Rumi shot back, hissing again at another swipe of the needle. “I thought you said you were gentle.”
“Trust me, babe. This is gentle.” Mira chuckled, and Rumi gave her a deadpan look. Mira laughed again, then leaned back, set her machine down, and pulled off one of her gloves. Rumi frowned in confusion, but Mira simply turned to face her and pushed a strand of hair from Rumi’s face, before caressing her cheek with a soft thumb. Rumi froze at the touch, eyes going wide, a broken sound getting caught in her throat.
“You need a break? You’re looking a little pale.” Mira asked gently, and Rumi sucked in a breath, then pulled back with a shake of her head. Her chest was stinging, and she was ready for it to be over, but she knew if she took a break she’d never finish.
“N…no I’m okay,” she half whispered. Mira narrowed her eyes, and Rumi tried to flash her a smile. She wasn’t sure if it worked, but Mira simply nodded. Then she reached behind herself and opened a drawer. She turned back to Rumi and handed her a candy bar.
“Here, eat this.” She said, leaving no room for argument. “You’ll feel better. Then we can keep going.”
Rumi took the candy carefully, opening it and taking a quick bite. The moment she did, her eyes fluttered shut and she let out a hum. She hadn’t realized how much she needed the sugar until it was in her mouth. Her body seemed to un-tense, even though she didn’t realize it had tensed up at all, and Mira gave her a satisfied nod.
“Better?” she asked, and Rumi nodded, giving her a grateful smile.
“Yeah…much better.” she said, finishing the candy bar. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Mira said, pulling on a fresh set of gloves. “Can’t have a pretty girl like you passing out on me.”
And just like that, Rumi was flustered all over again. She brought a hand to her face with a soft groan, letting out a pathetic laugh.
“You can’t keep doing that.” She said, her voice muffled.
“But it’s so much fun to see you light up like a Christmas tree.” Mira retorted, and Rumi groaned again. “Okay okay. I’ll behave. As much as I can.”
Mira picked up the machine again and got back to work, silencing any more of Rumi’s protests with a swipe of her needles. The next long while was filled with silence, save for the buzzing of the machine, and both girls soft breathing. Rumi, despite the pain, managed to lean into the feeling and find herself in a sort of meditation. It hurt, God it hurt, but the longer Rumi sat there, the more she was able to push the pain to the back of her head, until, finally, Mira leaned back.
“Okay, I think we’re just about done, Princess.” Mira said, turning her head to look at the tattoo from a couple different angles. “Let me get you cleaned up a bit, and you can have your first look.”
Mira put her machine down and grabbed a paper towel and what smelled like alcohol. She sprayed some onto the towels and gently wiped Rumi’s chest down, giving a soft apology when Rumi winced from the feeling on her raw skin. When she finished, she nodded to the mirror with a grin. “Go take a look. Let me know what you think.”
Rumi stood slowly, wincing again from soreness, then padded over to the mirror slowly. The moment she stepped in front of it, she gasped, her hand going to her mouth.
The tattoo was absolutely stunning. The vision she had from the stencil didn’t even come close to the real thing. The patterns looked like they belonged on her skin, like they were a part of her. Like they always had been. And, as Rumi took a closer look, they even looked like they were almost glowing against her skin. She wasn’t sure how Mira pulled that off, but she couldn’t have been more grateful. Rumi spun around, tears stinging in her eyes and a large grin on her face.
“Mira!” She said breathlessly. “They’re beautiful!”
“I’m glad you like them.” Mira grinned just as wide as she cleaned up her station. “They really suit you.”
“I love them!” Rumi said, turning to look at them again. “How did you make them glow like that??”
“Trade secret.” Mira quipped, walking up behind her with a fresh paper towel. “You know, I think this might be some of my best work. Do you mind if I photograph them for my portfolio? They’ll be tasteful, I promise.”
Rumi paused, blushing at the thought of Mira taking pictures of her while still half naked. But then she pushed the thought away, because this tattoo was so beautiful that people should see it. They should see how talented Mira was and praise her for it. So, she nodded, giving Mira a grin.
“Yeah. Yeah of course.” She answered, and Mira gave her a large, warm smile.
“Perfect, I’ll get my camera.”
The next several moments were spent taking several pictures of Rumi’s new tattoo, then Mira cleaned and bandaged her up. She handed Rumi an information sheet on how to keep her tattoo clean and safe, while also walking her through the steps, and then, finally, their appointment came to an end. They walked back to the beaded curtain that separated them from the outside world, but Rumi paused, stopping Mira. She raised an eyebrow in question as Rumi tried to tuck her bra in her pocket.
“Um…so…I know you’re supposed to tip your artist,” she said, clearing her throat awkwardly, shuffling her feet. “But, uh…I don’t have any cash…”
Mira grinned, crossing her arms.
“That’s alright.” She said with a shrug. Then her grin widened. “But if you really feel the need to…I have something in mind?”
“What?” Rumi said, looking up, and Mira reached into her pocket, pulling out a sharpie and grabbed a stray piece of paper.
“Give me your number.” She said, and Rumi blushed for the thousandth time that day. “Let me take you out, and we’ll call it even.”
Rumi stammered for a long moment, eyes wide, before a smile started to grow across her face. Mira had just asked her out. Mira had just asked her out! She bit her lip, nodding as she took the paper to shakily write out her number and pass it back to Mira.
“Yeah…yeah I can do that.” She said, butterflies bubbling up in her stomach.
“Good.” Mira grinned, pocketing the paper quickly and Rumi saw a blush cross her cheeks as well. Then she pulled back the beads, gesturing for Rumi to walk through. “Take care, Princess. I’ll see you soon.”
Rumi walked out, blinking against the daylight as she met Jinu in the lobby. He popped up the moment she appeared, grinning in excitement.
“Ru! How’d it go? Did you get something good? Let me see, let me see!” Jinu said, and Rumi rolled her eyes. There was no way she was going to flash him, but she could tease a peak. With a cheeky smile, Rumi pulled her collar down, just enough for him to see the tip of a pattern, then pulled it back up. Jinu gasped, his hands going to his face.
“Holy shit you did it!” he said, and Rumi giggled. Mira came out behind her, looking pleased with herself.
“I did it.” She said, looking over at Mira with a small smile. “But can we go now. I’m sore and I’m starving.”
“Yeah yeah, sure. Let me just pay the lady and we can go.” Jinu nodded, walking over to speak with Zoey and Mira. Everything was settled quickly, and they left soon after, Rumi stammering out a blushing goodbye to Mira as they did. Jinu raised his eyebrow at her, a smug smile on his lips, but thankfully he didn’t say much as they left.
By the time Rumi got home, she all but collapsed on her bed, feeling drained from the day. She didn’t realize getting a tattoo would take so much out of her, but her body was buzzing in a pleasant way, even as her chest stung. She laid on her back, smiling to herself, thinking of Mira’s face over her, when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, furrowing her brown when she saw it was an unknown number.
Unknown
Hey Princess 😘
Rumi’s lips pulled into a large grin. She put the phone to her forehead, giggling like a school girl with a crush, before typing out a reply, a warm feeling in her chest. She had thought today was going to awful, a mistake. But it turned out to be one of the best days of her life. Not only had she gotten a badass tattoo, but she’d met a beautiful woman. A woman who was texting her now, asking her out on a date. Yeah, today had been amazing, and Rumi couldn’t wait to see how much better it could get.