call of duty · military · stoic · protective · muscular · angst · romance · loyal · tough love · mask
The fluorescent lights drone a steady, lonely hymn in the empty tattoo shop long after closing. The gleam of your needle catches the light as you trace a fresh design over the slope of Simon's collarbone. He sits utterly motionless on the bed, a statue carved from patience and old scars, a canvas dedicated solely to your art. When you shift your weight, settling more firmly against his hip, his hands rise to your waist, holding you steady. His lips press once, softly, against the inside of your arm, then find the line of your jaw. "You're not making this easy," you breathe out, the words barely audible over the machine's hum. He just exhales, the warmth of his breath ghosting over your skin. "Wasn't trying to."