#sleepover moodboard

[k-yujin]

◟　 　 ➳　　 @iluvrei ∿ (˶ ᵔ⤙ᵔ)

◟　 　➳　　 ⌒ 🍧 ∿ (˶  ᵔ⤙ᵔ)

[iyunjin]

⠀k⠀ ⠀݃⠀ ✣ ⠀۪⠀ 𔓕⠀ ⠀ׅ ⠀ ꒰੭

⠀💭⠀ ⠀𓈒 ⠀ 𝗀𝑖𝗋𝗅⠀ ⠀⠀𝅄⠀⠀ㅤׂ ⠀⠀ 𓈒⠀⠀✧

✧ ˚. ᯇ @iyunjin

[athenasmoodboards]

can you do a chrissy moodboard with a sleepover theme?

"Chrissy, these cupcakes are terrible."

"What? They can't be! We made them together!"

"Maybe it's because we substituted the salt for sugar?"

"Why would that change anything? They're both white crystals!"

[little-pup-pip]

Can I request a Childhood Sleepover moodboard? Like ,,, your mom/dad/parental figure(s) let you have a friend over for the night? Lots of pizza and nostalgia movies? And maybe a fort? Thankieee in advance!

Sure!!

[flordeamatista]

𝗕𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲

pairing: dilf!bucky barnes x reader

concept: I want your lips on mine, once, twice, then once again

word count: 1.4k

warnings: a european sunset with Bucky, one night stand and more,poetic fluff with cute themes, poetic love-making, dancing, p -in- v, floricica = flower in Romanian, nicknames: (Princess)

a/n: Taking on two writing challenges at once with this daydream.  June Monthly Challenge @the-slumberparty: Prompts: Sun dress + European beach town setting.

lovely beta: @jobean12-blog line divider: @s-tarksintern

masterlist

There are whispers in the air, humming a desire tune and echoing your name

A mesmerizing atmosphere was created with shimmering lights and swaying music. There was an electric energy in the room as people danced and softly conversed. A rhythmic beat pulsed through your veins as you moved gracefully around the room, aligning your body perfectly with the music.

The sun's golden rays shine on you and your sundress. As you moved, the wind caressed your skin with its gentle breath. The ocean kissed the air, cooling it, and you are dancing in this beach bar.

A smile spread across your face as you closed your eyes and responded to the euphoric music surrounding you. 

Passionate secrets you hold close to your heart.

Taking action against societal expectations and demands, you embarked on an adventure to discover the world to your hearts' content. 

In this small beachtown in Europe, you decided to fulfill your wants and desires. 

The sound of your own steps echoed in time with the rhythm as the captivating scene unfolded before him. 

In its center he noticed his floricica calling out just for him.

This is a first for him. 

Caressing and exploring under his white crewneck t-shirt with your fingers, you slowly ran them over his body. An intense burning sensation spread through his chest, as if the flame consumed him.

He felt intoxicated, but desired more. 

A delicate hum escaped his lips as he remembered the moments you both shared -- how you kissed him slowly, gently, with a passion reserved for him; how your cries were like music, echoing through the room.

The moment he gazes into your eyes, he feels as though he's drowning in a pool of pure desire.

His fingers trace down your arms, to where they meet your hips, then back up to flirt with your breasts. His tongue dances along the outer edge of your ear. With his fingertips stroking your nipples with tender pressure, shivers run down your spine as his golden ring touches them.

You welcomed him back with hungry kisses.

A hand touched your waist and thighs as the other palm rested on the wall behind. His fingertips touched the most sensitive part of your body and you felt lust. When he tightened his embrace around you, his kiss deepened into something more passionate.

Then he firmly embraces you and presses his forehead against yours.

Every kiss from his tongue sent pleasure rippling through your body.

His tongue explores the depths of your soul, sending a wave of pleasure through your body. 

As time passes, your tongue touches him as you dance erotically.

He could not resist touching you again. He yearned for more of your graceful, yet playful soul.

It was as if you were a delicate rose in his hand - yielding to every move he made, but growing stronger with each touch. 

The touch of your fingertips on his chest and lips made him feel luxurious.

You danced through the day as the sunset kissed your curves, revealing something new about you every time you changed positions.

The more Bucky walked, the more alive he felt.

Wrapping his arms around your waist, he pulled you close to him and swayed along with your feet while a classical piece played accompanying your movements.

Love welcomes your hands.

He wanted more of what you gave him last night; he wanted it every night.

His words close the distance between you so much that you can feel his breath leave his lips. 

You took a deep breath, savoring the moment. 

He lowered his head, and rested it on top of yours, closing his eyes. "Princess," he whispered into your ear while caressing it with his lips, "give me this night to show you what every night with me will be like." Your body ached for more of him that first time together. 

It almost felt like an obsession or addiction For all you knew, it might have been love at first sight because of the strong desire. 

His words close the distance between you so much that you can feel his breath leave his lips. With his words, you can feel his breath leave his lips as it closes the distance between you.

His thumb lightly traces over your lower lip "One night." 

Every promise, every desire, and every touch were felt by your body.

The heat of his hands burned through your skin as he gripped you tightly against the wall.

In a rush of heavy breaths against your ear, he pushed himself harder against you.

You let out a low growl of pleasure at his neck and he grabbed your jaw with one hand, forcing you to meet his gaze. "Look at me" With each stroke, his voice grew deeper with desire.

Every breath rubbed across your skin, leaving a trail of sweat running down your forehead.

“Do you feel me?” You growled of pleasure into his mouth as his lips captured yours. 

By not breaking the kiss, he can push you further into the wall. With one hand, you pull his hair rough, causing him to moan into your mouth, and you grab at the back of his neck to keep yourself upright.

You feel every lust and caress on your body.

I want your lips on mine, once, twice, then once again

Feeling his touch against you, he traced a line across your lower lip with his thumb.

While your mouth was partially parted, you kissed the tip of his thumb, but at the same time your eyes were fluttering close as his blue eyes darkened.

Your hands gently held his wrist as you pulled him away from your face, kissing each fingertip of his finger tenderly, lovingly. In awe of your deliberate intent to kiss him, Bucky's breath caught as his gaze never left yours. Your actions felt like a promise between you two, a promise to devote your heart to him alone.

When his breathing became slow, he leaned forward so that his forehead touched yours, allowing small exhalations to touch your skin. "Princess, what are you doing to me?" 

A wry smile tugged at your lips as you replied, "Bucky, I'm yours," before crashing into a passionate kiss. Your tongues entwined in an intimate tango as every movement felt like a promise - yours for him and his for you.

You ran your fingers through his hair as you deepened the kiss. 

Every movement felt like a promise - yours for him and his for you - as your tongues entwined in an intimate dance.

While you deepened the kiss, you ran your fingers through his hair, as if the two of you were suspended in time.

This took away any chance of resistance as if the two of you were suddenly suspended in time. Coming up for air, there was no doubt in either of your minds that this night was yours and all the nights to follow.

When you stepped forward abruptly, you pushed Bucky back into a dark corner behind an elegantly carved column next to the dance floor where people were dancing with sparklers.

In the fading light of the darkened night, as the sky shone brightly, you and Bucky made stars to tell each other your love's secret.

I am intoxicated by a sweet taste of yours, and your touch leaves a lasting impression.

[comfy-lavender]

⭐️ Slumber Party Moodboard! ⭐️

[pink-evilette]

[nickfowlerrr]

my moodboard for @the-slumberparty’s test your palette visual challenge. this certainly sparked something in my mind.

short fic below the cut bc i was inspired 🕯️🥀🌚

the devil’s bride

pairing: demon!lee bodecker x witch!reader

warnings: 18+ only.

words: 2.3k

notes: idk i just had a thought and ran with it lol. let me know what you think. feedback and reblogs are always welcome and so appreciated. thanks in advance for reading 🖤

You came back to town for your sister’s funeral, heartbroken and enraged. She wasn’t a stupid girl. She never would have been out so late by herself, let alone drinking. The story you were told of what happened that night made no sense. None of it.

So you decided you’d find the truth on your own.

A simple incantation over a rigorously detailed ritual offering and not three days later the man she’d been seeing was mysteriously found dead. The church mourned over yet another life gone too soon as you scoffed at the scene. The spell worked to find her killer but you still felt a pull to do more. You were closer to the truth now, knowing Frank had killed her, but you surely weren’t the only one who knew that. The cover up story for your sister’s death, the one that made her out to be just some drunk harlot who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it came from somewhere. From someone.

You soon enough got your hands on the official case files. Each and every paper was filled out and signed off by the same man. Sheriff Lee Bodecker.

There was nothing you could truly do for your sister now, you knew that. But your rage only grew more palpable with each page you turned, with every lie you read. A fire burned within you and all you could see was red. All you could think was revenge. You wanted to know why. This was only a small piece of the puzzle that was Lee Bodecker. He was hiding something much bigger, much darker behind the “small” cover ups you were sure he hardly thought twice about.

There was something evil brewing in this town, dark, unnaturally powerful. You could feel it the moment you’d arrived. And your gut told you he was at the center of it. You were going to find out exactly what it was he was hiding, one way or another.

He wasn’t the only person willing to work with the devil himself to get their way. And when a girl looks as sweet as you, even the sharpest of men won’t see her coming.

You’d made a deal with the devil before, one more couldn’t hurt. He’d find you to collect eventually, you’d make the most of what magic and time you had left to try and do what little good you could.

You would just need to get close to him, gain his trust, and then find out the truth. Once you knew, you’d make your pact to put an end to whatever it was that was going on here, whatever shady dealings your sister had gotten entangled in that ended in her losing her life and having her name and reputation unfairly tarnished.

Two weeks of watching the Sheriff, two weeks of careful planning until you were sure you were ready to approach him. You pulled at the skirt of your dress with one hand, the other holding your homemade pie as you carefully walked up the steps to his house. You made sure you looked as nice as you could, all made up and dressed just right to ensure you would hold his eye the moment he saw you.

The sheriff was an intimidating presence, you could feel it even now. He held power and there was something in his eye that made it near impossible to look away once he had you in his sights. He was a handsome man, too, only adding to the draw you couldn’t deny. You took a breath to steel yourself before knocking on the door. It was only a moment until he answered.

“Can I help you, darlin’?” he asked after pulling open his front door, looking you up and down. You didn’t miss the way his eyes lingered on your cleavage, the top button of your dress having been purposely left undone to give him just a little view.

“Hi there, uh, Sheriff?” you asked feigning uncertainty, “I’m not sure I’m at the right address,” you laughed coyly, balancing the freshly baked pie in your hands.

“You’re at the right place,” he reassured you. “What can I do for you, sweetheart?”

You internally cringed at the pet name but forced a demure smile on your lips as you fluttered your lashes up at him; his crystal blue eyes peering down at you.

“The real question is what can I do for you, Sheriff. I just wanted to come by and say thank you, for all your hard work. Abigail was my sister, she uhm,” you paused, swallowing the small lump in your throat, “well you know, all that went down. I’m just thankful you got the case solved as quickly as you did. It was, horrible. But better to know what happened than to be left wondering,” you smiled sadly.

You lifted the pie in your hands to bring it up to him, your offering. “Wasn’t sure what the best way to thank you would be, but I figured a pie wouldn’t hurt to start with.”

“That’s mighty kind of you,” he paused, prompting you to give him your name. You did and watched as he repeated it, your name falling off his tongue, nearly dripping in honey from his accent. You smiled.

“I’m sorry about your sister,” he offered, your jaw tightening as you worked to keep your smile on your lips, hoping the flash of ire that burned in your eyes wasn’t noticeable to him. That wasn’t why you were here, but you knew he didn’t care, and hearing him say he did irritated you.

“But thank you. Who am I to turn down a pie from a pretty lady,” he smirked, letting his eyes roam over your body once again when he took the pie from your hands. “Sure looks good,” he said, his eyes still on you, “bet it tastes good, too.”

“Only one way to find out,” you said, voice wavering on sultry as you held his eye before dropping your gaze to his pink lips briefly, then back up. You held your hands behind your back as you blinked up at him. You smiled again when his tongue jutted out to wet his lips. “You let me know how you like it. And if I can do anything else for you, Sheriff, just let me know.”

You made to turn and go, but his voice stopped you, just like you hoped.

“Wait a minute, darlin’, you walked over here all by yourself?”

“I did,” you answered.

“Well, I can’t have you walkin’ out there alone in the cold, can I. ‘Specially not in nothin’ but a dress. Why don’t you come inside, have a slice of pie with me and I’ll give you a ride home after.”

“Oh, I’d hate to put you out, Sheriff,” you opposed weakly for the sake of politeness as you toyed with the hem of your dress, your fingertips brushing against your thighs, goosebumps rising on your skin. “Though it is a bit colder now than when I first started walkin’ over here,” you smiled shyly.

“Come on in, sweetheart, it’s nice and warm inside. Make yourself at home,” he said as he walked back and held the door open for you.

You smiled widely at his words and made your way inside. “Thank you, Sheriff.”

“Lee,” he offered.

“Lee,” you nodded as you passed him in the doorway, brushing up against him more than you needed to. The warmth radiating from him sent a wave of heat right through you, but you didn’t let the effect he was already having on you show. You could feel his eyes on you as you walked further in, following the sway of your hips before he shut the door behind you and followed you in. He led the way to the kitchen, setting down the pie on the table before he returned to you with a pie cutter and two plates and forks. You gently took the cutter from him, your touch lingering on his hand for a second. “Please, allow me,” you said before cutting him a piece and placing it on his plate. You cut a smaller slice for yourself, no real intention of eating it as you watched him sit down in his seat, sliding the plate closer to him.

You took your own seat and crossed one leg over the other as you waited for him to try it. But seeing how easy it was to get him to let you inside, you weren’t even sure you’d need him to eat it to have the man wrapped around your finger. Everything was playing out just the way you wanted it to.

Lee’s moan brought you back to yourself as you smiled at him, watching him chew before he swallowed his bite.

“Take it you like it,” you tittered.

“Just might be the best damned pie I’ve had,” he grinned at you. “Real sweet,” his blue eyes burned into your own, an intensity there you weren’t expecting quite yet. A twinkle of something you couldn’t place shining as he looked at you.

“‘M glad you think so,” you breathed. “New recipe, made it specially for you.”

“Hope you didn’t go through too much trouble on my account,”

“Oh, not at all. I wanted to.”

He smirked at that, his eyes sharper now as he took you in. He licked his lips wolfishly before he spoke.

“So, you come all the way down here just to proposition me, honey?”

You stilled completely at his words. Tilting your head at him as you furrowed your brow incredulously, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, darlin’. You come down here to whore yourself out to the first man who catches your eye, like that little sister ah yours?”

You took a deep breath as you willed yourself to remain calm, though the set of your jaw and the flaring of your nostrils surely gave you away.

“I’m only gonna tell you this once, Lee, don’t talk about my sister again.”

“Oh, you’re gonna tell me, is that right?” His grin was wicked as he taunted you. “You think you can tell me what I can and can’t do? You’re dancin’ with the devil, darlin’.”

“Don’t worry about me,” you shook your head, refusing to break eye contact first, “Me and the devil, we get along just fine.”

He laughed heartily at that as you maintained your composure. If he thought for one second you’d be scared of him, he was sorely mistaken. Even as he stood, getting closer to you, invading your space as he towered above you, you didn’t budge.

His hand was suddenly on your chin and when you went to swipe at him, he squeezed hard, tutting at you as you dropped your hands back down.

“I want you to tell me why you’re really here, darlin’.”

“What’s wrong, Lee? Is it so hard to believe a pretty girl would actually go out of her way to bake you a pie? To stop by and say ‘Thank you for all you do, Sheriff,’” you exaggerated your faux gratitude as his eyes darkened while he listened. “I bet what’s really hard to believe is that anyone in their right mind would ever want you to fuck them. One soft smile and a stupid innuendo from a nice girl in a short dress had you opening up your home. I really thought you’d make it just a bit harder,” you taunted, earning a growl from him as he yanked you up out of your seat. You found yourself being pressed against his chest, his strength more than you’d imagined.

“You can play all you want, but you think I couldn’t smell your sweet cunt the second you stepped up on my porch? I know you’re all hot and bothered,” he pushed you back against the table as he spoke crudely, “wet and ready for me already, like a good little whore.”

“I’m no man’s whore,” you bit back, refusing to back down. He chuckled deep in his throat.

“No you’re not, are ya. You, are the devil’s whore, ain'tcha,” he said, voice thick with lust as he leaned over you. Your breath caught in your throat as you stared up at him, the blues of his eyes flashing the deepest black you’d ever seen before their color returned, his smirk right along with it. “Sweetheart, you’re lookin’ at the devil himself. Been waitin’ for you to show up for a while now. Finally make good on that deal you made me. I got ya outta this town just like you wanted. You had a few good years. But it’s time ya come back to me. Waited for you long enough,” he breathed. You gasped in pain as an unexpected, sharp, searing fire burned in your chest and along the ring finger of your left hand. You pushed against his hold on you, writhing uncomfortably in his grasp until suddenly the burn was gone. You clutched at your chest as you gasped for breath. He grabbed your hand and held up his left hand in yours, your eyes landed on a solid silver band on his ring finger and a diamond banded ring on your own.

“What-” you started before being cut off by his brash tone.

“Oh don’t act so surprised. You knew damn well what you agreed to when you made that pact. Five whole years, magic and freedom, and then you’re mine, sweetheart. Forever and always.” He placed his hand over the left side of your chest, a sudden tightness was felt on your heart, a tight squeezing that shouldn’t have been possible.

“Don’t look so scared, honey,” he simpered, his hands finding your waist as he began feeling you up. “We’re gonna have a whole lotta fun together, you and me. And if you’re good, I’ll even let’cha keep your magic. Don’t work on me anyway.”

[tom-whore-dleston]

"My life has no meaning without you."

Like Real People Do - Adam Warlock x f. reader (WandaVision AU) Coming Soon!

Created for @the-slumberparty's May Challenge. Ever since watching GOTG Vol. 3, I thought it would be a cool concept to write something WandaVision inspired with Adam. Sadly, I have been diagnosed with the coughs and sniffles and my brain has been foggy the past few days, but I am hopeful in writing something for this moodboard bc I absolutely love this idea :')

[gardengirl222]

inspo for my "all nighter" i promised myself i'd pull tonite 🌙💗

[mochie85]

The Redwoods

Part 2 of my Wanderlust series.

One-shot Masterlist | Complete Masterlist

Summary: The first stop on your road trip through California to visit all the National Parks. And it's colder than you expected. Especially at night! Pairing: Bucky x Female Reader Word Count: 773 (a drabble, really) Warnings: Fluff. Flirting. A/N: This is for @the-slumberparty's July Monthly Challenge. I picked prompt #9, Cuddling for Warmth.

Your teeth were rattling inside your mouth as you held your arms closer to you. The five layers of blankets and the two layers of hoodies and thermals couldn’t keep the cold from seeping through to you and settling into your bones.

It had been a week since graduation. It was already the beginning of June, but Summer comes late to California. The days were warm, and California nights can get extremely cold. Especially this far north and high in elevation.

“Nugget, if you don’t stop shaking, I’m going to assume you are not cut out for this and I’m gonna drive us both home. OW!” Bucky screamed as you kicked him underneath all the layers. You hated that nickname. It annoyed you so much when he reminded you of how short you were.

“Your feet are freezing, woman! Aren’t you wearing socks?” he scolded you.

“No!” you muffled, hiding underneath your wool scarf. Your toes went on the hunt, seeking his warm calf to seep all the heat from his body.

“Uh, uh. Nope! Stop! You are not-” he swatted your foot away. “You are not warming your icicle toes on me!” You giggled as he successfully kept you at bay on your side of the van.

The vintage Volkwagon Bus, that you managed to spruce up from the many ideas on your Pinterest boards, lacked insulation and calking. Bucky noted and whined as the two of you spent the last week sleeping in the back of the "ice cream truck," as Bucky had once called it.

“You’re lucky cuz Smokey decided to sleep next to you to keep you warm!” You said out loud.

“Ya, he sleeps next to me because he can’t get over how loud your teeth are rattling!” And as if he was agreeing, Smokey let out a small grunt growl.

“Traitor!” you sneered at your dog. Then you pouted, giving Bucky your saddest puppy eyes.

“Don’t!”

“I’m not doing anything!” you pouted some more.

“It’s not gonna work. Instead, what I’ll do- I’ll just drive us both home. Where we can sleep in our own beds. Watch Netflix on my flat screen instead of your iPad. And use indoor plumbing like a modern-day person would!”

Bucky was angry and you can tell. You didn’t think he would get so annoyed. Was that how he felt this whole time? It was only the first week of your two-month-long trip. Would he be like this for the rest of the time? Maybe he’ll give up and just leave you in the middle of the trip to go home.

You heard Bucky sigh and then groan in defeat. He watched you as you spiraled into your thoughts. Your face turned from a sad pout into a depressed frown, trying to mask the feelings you had inside.

The covers lifted, opening the small space in between you. “Get over here.” 

You squealed as you rolled your way into his side, your back to his chest. “What are you 10?” he laughed.

“A lady doesn’t scoot!”

“Ha! But nuggets roll,” he mocked. Your feet sought his bare legs in revenge as he hissed inwardly at the contact from your cold touch.

“Hey, be nice! Be a good girl for me! I’m letting you steal my warmth here!” he growled into your ear.

His phrase caught you off guard. The low gravelly tone tickled something in you. It traveled all the way down to your aching core. Aching and neglected. And soon you didn’t need his body heat anymore. You were making your own! From the sheer bewilderment, you found yourself in.

When was the last time I had sex? Too long ago. That’s probably why you’re feeling this way. You can’t start thinking this way about Bucky! He’s your best friend.

“What’s wrong? Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?” He asked.

“Nothing. I’m just- I’m just trying to get cozy,” you said adjusting and wriggling your body to fit his. He grunted at your movement.

“The sooner you get comfy, the sooner we can all go to sleep!” he chided.

You finally relaxed in his embrace. You could feel the heat from his wide chest on your back keeping you warm and toasty. Soon, you found yourself drifting off to the sounds of his breathing.

You must’ve turned in your sleep. When you woke up that morning, the first thing you saw were Bucky’s sapphiric eyes, heavy with slumber, focused on your lips.

Just kiss me! 

Lord, You did not just think that! OK! First things, first. As soon as you get home from this trip. You are finding yourself a boyfriend.

If you can survive Bucky, that is.

⬅️Wanderlust | Lassen Volcanic Park (Coming Soon)➡️

🏷️ @emarich7 @michelleleewise @coldnique @vickie5446 @psychospore @mukagentropy @lokisgoodgirl @silverfire475 @fictive-sl0th @springdandelixn @wheredafandomat @goldencherriess @peaches1958 @salempoe @thomase1 @kkdvkyya @a-witch-with-words @mischief2sarawr @sarawr-reads @vbecker10 @peachymallow @irishhappiness @cakesandtom @simplyholl @here4thefanfics @tallseaweed @holdmytesseract @immersed-in-mischief @joyful-enchantress @lovelysizzlingbluebird @lokisninerealms @kikster606 @glitterylokislut @loz-3 @slytherclaw1227 @chantsdemarins @the-lady-amphitrite @eleniblue @km-ffluv @lokidokieokie @n3rdybirdee @melsunshine @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokischambermaid

[bucky-barnes-diaries]

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒓!𝑩𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒙 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕!𝑭𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

Forbidden touches, forbidden glances—a secret love that’s only ours to keep.

This is for @the-slumberparty Test Your Pallet Challenge

moodboard masterlist

[starkermoods]

High School AU (againnn… I really can’t get enough of these) Tony sleeps over at Peters house for the first time and it’s their first sleepover as a couple

[chasingmidnights]

Title: A First Time for Everything

Pairing: sugar daddy!Carter Baizen x reader 

Bingo Selections: Cafe AU; first time; sugar daddy 

Summary: Carter is a regular at the cafe that you work at. One day, he offers you an opportunity that you have a hard time saying no to.

A/N: This is my first entry for the bingo slumber-party event that’s going on (@the-slumberparty)! I hope you enjoy it! Please note, nothing is beta read and I do not claim to be any kind of professional writer. All my mistakes are my own.��Also, the gold glitter divider that you see was by @firefly-graphics.

Warnings: 18+ only, minors DNI!! Warnings would include: some angst, mild self-degradation; mild cursing; mentions of sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship; Carter Baizen (yes, he’s a warning!); mentions class/society differences; mild inappropriate thoughts; and I believe that’s everything. I apologize if I miss anything but you are responsible for what you read. 

Wordcount: 3,596

The morning rush had been non-stop since you flicked on the open sign. Usually you could handle the craziness along with the rude, snooty customers but when two of your coworkers called at the last minute, it put you in a sour mood. Also, normally, you wouldn’t mind the handsome stranger taking up a spot at the counter for over an hour but with how busy the cafe had been this morning, it was kind of getting annoying. You were about to ask him to leave when the espresso machine started screeching at you and spewing steam. 

“Dammit!” You muttered under your breath as you turned your attention to the machine instead of the man. 

Just as you left, the brunette man looked up from his paper and smirked. He picked up his coffee mug and took a small drink of his coffee. A chuckle escaped him as he watched you manhandle the espresso machine. 

“Something funny sir?” You snapped as you tried to get the espresso machine to work. 

Before he could comment, another customer walked up and interrupted. “Excuse me, miss? I think my coffee was made wrong. There’s supposed to be three shots of espresso and I can tell there’s only one.” 

You groaned quietly as the customer complained about their order. When you turned to face the upset woman, you were surprised when the older gentleman spoke up. 

“That’s impossible.” You raised a brow as you watched the interaction. “Impossible because I’ve watched her make every order since I’ve gotten here. While making each order, she counts everything. It doesn’t matter whether it's pumps of syrup or spoonfuls of matcha powder, she counts it. She doesn’t think anyone notices but I do. So, there is no way possible that there is only one shot of espresso in your order. And, as you can tell, the espresso machine is currently out of order.” 

Your jaw dropped as you listened to the man defend you to this rude lady. A disgruntled scoff came from the woman before she picked up her cup and retreated. It took a few moments for you to comprehend what just happened, you didn’t think anyone paid that much attention to you. Let alone someone who was so attractive. You blinked a few times before you walked over to the brunette. 

“Ya know, you didn’t have to do that.” You felt your cheeks starting to heat up as he made eye contact with you. 

“Don’t worry about it sweetheart. Some of these high society, Upper East Siders need to be knocked down a few notches. I enjoy doing it.” He then took a sip of his coffee. 

“Well, thank you.” You tucked a piece of fallen hair behind your ear. You then introduce yourself properly and tell him your name.

“Oh, I know who you are sweetheart.” He gave a quick wink and just then his phone dinged. You swore that you both sighed in annoyance at the interruption of your conversation. Surely you just imagined his sigh. 

“Sorry about that.” He said as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “Looks like I’ve gotta head off. But here, take this,” He paused as he pulled out what looked like a business card. You looked down at the elegant, white card with crisp black lettering. “Call me, I would love to discuss a few things with you.” 

Your face scrunched up in immediate confusion as you looked back up at the brunette. What on earth could he possibly want to discuss with you? 

“Who do I ask for if I decide to call? There’s no name, it just says Baizen Industries.” 

He smirked as he put a twenty dollar bill in the tip jar. “Ask for Carter Baizen.” 

You watched as he effortlessly left the cafe, leaving you with butterflies in your stomach and your mind swirling with questions. Did that really just happen? 

“Wow, I can’t believe this! No fuckin’ way! Carter Baizen wants you to call him?!” 

You had just told your best friend and roommate, Zoey, about what happened today as the two of you sat down for dinner. “Okay, how do you know who this person is and I don’t?” 

“Because you, my darling, are completely oblivious to what’s happening in the world.” She teased and you playfully rolled your eyes at her, even though it was true. You watched as she reached for her laptop and set aside her plate. She quickly typed on her keyboard and pulled up Baizen Industries on the internet. “This is what you’re dealing with.” She then turned her laptop towards you. 

You couldn’t help but feel a little odd about looking Carter up but you were curious. From what you gathered from the website page, he was a rising titan in the oil industry and dealt with many areas within the oil industry. You still had a hard time believing that a man of his status wanted anything to do with you. You lived in Brooklyn whereas he lived on the Upper East Side and probably vacationed in Martha’s Vineyard. Wait, no, he was an oil guy, that didn’t sound right. You let out a heavy sigh as you continued to search the website page. 

“Hey, no, don’t do that.” Zoey said as she pulled the laptop away and closed it. 

You instantly let out a huff and started to pick at your food. “Do what?” 

Zoey narrowed her gaze at you before she softened it. “You’re a total catch! Don’t let stupid society and its so-called rules get to you! If you want to call him, you should! Who knows, it could be the best damn thing to ever happen to you!” 

You playfully shook your head and rolled your eyes. “Can I at least have a couple of days to think about it?” You gave Zoey your best puppy dog eyes and pout. 

The two of you stare at each other for a moment before Zoey breaks first. 

“Alright, fine! But if you don’t, then I’m gonna do it for you!” Zoey smirked, but you knew she wasn’t teasing. 

A few days passed and you still had not called Carter. You had formed a pro-con list in your mind about this whole situation, which you still could not wrap your mind around. Surely it was some kind of trick? The cafe was buzzing and as you went to use the espresso machine, you were surprised that it didn’t combust on you. You started to examine the machine and wondered who fixed it, you wanted to thank that person. Heck, you could kiss that person right now. 

“You’re welcome.” 

Carter. 

You slowly turned to face the man who was now in his usual seat at the counter. “You fixed it?” 

Carter ticked his head after he took a drink of his coffee. “Well, had it replaced. You know, you never called.” 

A smile spread across your face. “Yeah, I was doing some thinking. I was gonna call you tonight.” 

“How about you meet me for dinner tonight instead?” 

How was he such a smooth talker? Just his little smirk alone was making you go weak at the knees. 

“Eight o’clock, The Artemis.” Carter said, it was almost more of an order more than anything. 

A part of you was impressed and made you want to say yes immediately. “What if I don’t show up?” 

Carter then stood up, placing a ridiculous large tip on the counter. “You will sweetheart.” 

“How are you so sure?” You asked before he left. 

You could see the twinkle in his eyes as he stared at you. 

“Your curiosity.” 

Later that night, you found yourself staring at your reflection in the floor length mirror that you had in your room. Zoey had loaned you an elegant, yet simple black dress which hugged your curves and accentuated your best features perfectly. Zoey also helped with your hair and makeup, keeping it all very simple and classic. Eight o’clock was approaching and your stomach was in knots. You couldn’t help but second guess your decision on everything. From you actually deciding to go to this dinner, to the outfit, to- 

“Will you come out all ready?! You look gorgeous!” Zoey called out from behind your closed door. “Besides, you’re gonna be late!” 

You took a deep breath before you finally left your bedroom. “Are you sure about this?” 

“Yes! He’d be stupid to not be interested in you. You’re a goddess and you’re completely worth it!” Zoey encouraged you before she wrapped you into a hug. 

You didn’t know what you would do without Zoey, she was always the best hype girl and knew exactly what to say to get you out of your thoughts. Just then, a knock came from the apartment door and the two of you separated. Confusion washed over you both as another knock sounded from the door. You went to answer the door to find an older man standing there in a black suit. 

“Can we help you?” You asked, arching a brow as you did. 

“Did Carter send a car?” Zoey whispered in awe. 

“Yes ma’am, Mr. Baizen sent a car for you. He didn’t think it was right for you to have to take a cab.” The man confirmed.

You and Zoey looked at each other and you did your best to conceal your excitement. “Alright, let me just grab a few things and then I’m ready.” 

When you got to the restaurant, the car slowly came to a stop. Your heart started to race as you waited for the driver to open the door, you couldn’t help but wonder if you were about to make a huge fool out of yourself. As the driver opened the door and offered you a hand to help you out of the car, you took a deep breath before you accepted his hand and climbed out of the vehicle. You gave the driver a small smile as you straightened up and adjusted your dress. 

“Thank you, sir.” 

“It’s no problem, miss. I’ll be back as soon as your dinner with Mr. Baizen is over.” The gentleman informed you, before he briskly walked back over to the driver side of the car. 

After a moment, you turned to face the restaurant. The Artemis was a high end, five-star restaurant and a place you could never afford on your own. The building itself was exquisite, brick with greenhouse windows that were floor to ceiling. In reality, it was just a little hole in the wall joint that looked like it belonged in a fairytale. When you walked inside, your jaw dropped at how beautiful it was. There was greenery everywhere along with fairlights all over the place, it gave the place a very intimate setting. It was surprisingly spacious for being such a small restaurant, tables evenly spread throughout and in the far back corner was a small bar. As you took in every detail of the restaurant, you noticed how quiet the place was, with very few other customers that mingled around. Then you spotted Carter. 

Butterflies started to flutter like crazy in your stomach. He was wearing an all black suit which matched well against his sun-kissed skin. His hair was neatly combed back but still had a little fluffiness in the front. You could tell that it had been a few days since he had last shaved last but you actually didn’t mind the stubble. A thought popped into your head and you instantly shook it away, you shouldn’t have those kinds of thoughts. You barely know the man. Carter stood up when you reached the table and he pulled the chair out for you. 

“Wow, you look absolutely beautiful.” Carter complimented as you sat down. 

“Thank you. Are you sure about this place?” You asked as you looked around again. 

Carter glanced around as well but shortly after a smile formed on his face. “Don’t worry about it sweetheart, tonight is all about you. Order whatever you like.” 

Just then, a waiter walked over and offered some champagne before he started to fill our glasses. “I hope you enjoy it, it’s one of our bests.” 

The waiter gave a slight nod before he walked away. You took a sip of the champagne and you couldn’t agree more with him. 

“Do you like it?” Carter asked as he smiled from across the table. 

Your eyes lit up as you set the slim flute down. “Very much.” 

“Good, only the best for you.” Carter smiled as he raised his glass a little bit towards you before he took a sip of his own champagne. 

A comfortable silence washed over the both of you as you looked over the menus. Everything sounded delicious and you did your best to control your facial features at each price next to each meal. You know he said not to worry and to order whatever you like but you still couldn’t help looking at the more inexpensive options. When the wait returned, you were still looking at the menu and had not made a decision. 

“If I may, tonight I would recommend the Chef’s choice. It’s a fantastic option, if I do say so myself.” The waiter suggested with a smile.

“Sounds perfect.” Carter agreed and before you could protest, your menu was being taken away from you and the waiter was walking away from the table. 

You couldn’t help but glance around the restaurant, a wave of nervousness suddenly washed over you. As you looked around, Carter found himself staring at you, anyone else that he would’ve asked here tonight probably would be taking every last advantage of him right now. But you were different, he could tell. When your eyes landed on Carter again, you felt your cheeks begin to heat up. To help calm your nerves, you reached for your champagne glass and took a rather large sip. Carter let out a small chuckle before he took a sip from his own glass. After a brief moment of silence, you finally decided to speak up again and ask the question you had been dying to know the answer too. 

“So, why did you ask me here tonight?” 

A smirk curled up onto the corner of his lips. “Is it so hard to believe that I find you attractive and just want to get to know you better?” 

“Yes.” You deadpanned.

“And why is that?” Carter sat back in his chair as he crossed his arms. 

“Because I’m mid-class Brooklyn and you’re high-society, Upper East Side. Oh, not to mention one of the world’s top oil guys right now.” You leaned back a little bit when the waiter brought out the first course. You smiled up at the waiter and thanked him. 

Carter uncrossed his arms as he placed his napkin on his lap. “Believe it or not, I’m actually not that shallow.” 

“Then why? You said that you had a few things you wanted to discuss with me?” You arched a brow before you took a few bites of the first course. 

Whatever you just ate was absolutely delicious and simply melted in your mouth. You ate a few more bites before the conversation continued. 

“I’m gonna be completely transparent here with you then because there’s obviously no tricking you. I asked you here tonight because I think you’d be perfect for my needs.” Carter started to explain, he then took a sip of his champagne. 

‘For his needs,’? You thought and your mind started to wonder what he meant by that. Did he think you were some sort of call girl?

“For your needs?” You inquired, causing you to put down your fork.

“Yes. Let’s just say, I have a few functions that are coming up and I need someone at my side. I think you’d be perfect. You see, I’m trying to rebrand as being a family man, and well some of these companies that I work with aren’t too thrilled that I don’t have a woman by my side.” Carter answered before he wiped his mouth with his napkin. 

“You keep saying that but you don’t even know me. I’m not some ditzy, floozy or arm candy that can be shown off.” You felt yourself getting a bit upset, you should’ve known that this was going to happen. 

“Of course not but I do know that you’re behind on some loans and that one day you would like to open and own your own cafe.” Carter pointed out and you wanted nothing more than for the earth to swallow you whole right now. 

“I see you’ve done your homework.” You mumbled as you bowed your head and looked down at your lap. 

“Of course, I had to know who I was going to get myself involved with, sweetheart. This is why I wanted to have dinner and talk. I think we could really help each other out, if you’re open to it.” 

All you could do was stare at him when you lifted your head back up. A mixture of shock and disbelief on your face. Was this really happening? Just then, your main course arrived and your first course was being taken away. When you felt like you had somewhat comprehended what was being offered, you finally spoke up. 

“Let me get this straight, and please correct me if I’m wrong. If I were to say yes, would this be some kind of sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship?” 

Carter chuckled as a smirk returned to his perfect, plump lips. “Well, I was thinking more along the lines of me being a benefactor, but if that’s the way that you wanna phrase it, then yes.” 

You took a deep breath before you decided to take a few bites of food. A million thoughts roamed in your mind as you ate. After a few moments, you took a long drink of your champagne before wiping your mouth with your napkin. 

“If I were to say yes, how would this work? Like, would there be some kind of NDA or some kind of contract that I would have to sign?” You watched as Carter straightened up and arched a brow. 

“Well, if you say yes, then yes, I would write up a contract. I would let you go over it and only if you agreed to the terms then we would both sign it. Look, I understand that you probably have a thousand questions and are probably rightfully skeptical of me, but we’re not gonna figure this out in one night. So, how about tonight, we treat this as if it were a normal date and you can have a few days to think about this?” Carter tilted his head as he waited for you to answer. 

You studied Carter for a moment as you thought about what he just said. After a moment, you took a deep breath and tried to relax. “Alright, let’s do that, treat it like an actual date.” 

“Gladly.” Carter beamed at you from across the table and you could see the twinkle in his eyes. 

By the time you got home, Zoey was already asleep on the couch and you couldn’t help but smile. You walked over to her and covered her up with a blanket and shut the T.V. off. You didn’t bother to wake her up, you could tell her everything later the next day. As you got ready for bed, you couldn’t stop thinking about Carter or the fact that he was pretty much offering to be your sugar daddy. 

Almost a week passed before Carter popped back into the cafe. You were a bit surprised to see him as you came out of the back, you had started to wonder if he had changed his mind. A small smile crept onto your lips as you watched him for a few moments before going over to talk to him. 

“You know, I tried to call but was told that you weren’t available.” You said as casually as possible. 

Carter swallowed his coffee before answering. “Yeah, sorry about that sweetheart. We had an emergency at one of our Texas plants and had to take care of a few things. Hope you didn’t miss me too much, sweetheart.” 

There are those damn butterflies. 

“Maybe a little bit.” 

You watched as a small smile formed on Carter’s lips. “So, have you thought about my offer?” 

Just then a loud crash came from the back of the cafe. You groaned as the sound of dishes shattering ruined your moment with Carter. 

“I have thought about it. And well, there’s a first time for everything, right?” 

“Can I take that as a yes then?” It was adorable the way Carter perked up. 

“Yes.” You smiled back at him. 

“Great! I’ll get a contract written up and set up a time for us to meet.” 

Another loud crash came from the back as Carter was standing up from his seat. Carter placed yet another ridiculous tip on the counter before he turned to leave. You watched as he left the cafe, getting a little hypnotized by the sway of his hips. A groan escaped you once more as you heard your name being called for from the back. As you made your way to the back, you couldn’t help but wonder what the future was about to hold now that it seems you have gotten yourself a sugar daddy.

[saradika]

— saradika’s sleepover celebration

It’s been a little bit since I hosted something on here, and thought a sleepover event would be a great way to catch up on some milestones and to say thank you so much!! for hanging out with me on here 💕 I am honestly so grateful to call you all friends!

— rules:

must be following me & must be 18+

This event will be running from Now - June 8th!

To celebrate please send me an emoji (with any additional request details) from the list below:

🎨 [Graphics]: Send me a theme or a request, and I will make some graphics for you! (masterlist/headers/dividers)

🖼️ [Moodboard]: I’ll make you a moodboard based on your fic, a character, or your blog! (For fics: you can request one, or I can surprise you with a fave! | For blogs: please send me a little bit about yourself - fave colors, aesthetic, etc!)

✍️ [Ficlet]: Send me a SW character & and an HC, and I will write you a 5-sentence NSFW ficlet!

📝 [Rec]: I’ll tell you what my fave fic of yours is, and what I love about it!

🎶 [Playlist]: I’ll make you a mini-playlist based on your vibes (or off a character!)

🌠 [Memories]: I will list 3 things that I associate with you!

❓[AMA]: Have a question about me or a fic? Send it in!

💐 [Bouquet]: Not sure what to pick? Send me a 💐, and I’ll make something that I think you’ll enjoy 💕

thank you so much again! 💕 so happy to be here & to know you

[drabbles-mc]

Appointment Only

Tattoo Artist!JJ x F!Reader

Moodboard and Fic created for @the-slumberparty Across the Universe Challenge: choose any AU for any character

Warnings: mentions of drugs, language

Word Count: 3.5k

A/N: I haven't written AU's like this for characters in years but this was actually super fun to write! It was nice to do something a little different with JJ, age him up a bit and give him his own life. I just want all of the good and fun things for him. Plus I think the idea of him with a bunch of tattoos is just 💯

OBX Taglist: @garbinge @passionatewrites (If you want to be added to any of my taglists, please let me know!)

JJ unlocked the front door of his shop, reaching above his head as he walked through, slapping the top of the doorframe. He whistled as he walked through the small shop, twirling his keyring around his finger. He flipped on the lights as he went, illuminating the walls covered in flash and other artwork by him and the two other people who tattooed in the shop with him.

He didn’t have any appointments booked until the afternoon, but a few days out of the week and if he was feeling motivated, he’d go in and open up the shop a couple hours early in case any walk-ins came along with something he could crank out before his appointments for the day. There would usually be a tour-on or two looking for simple things that he could take care of quickly. Nothing that really flexed his creative muscles, but money was money and he had no problem taking it from rich tour-ons.

Once all the lights were on and he checked that everything was in order, he hooked up the shop phone to the speakers and put some music on. When he was finally happy with the song choice, he went and flipped the “closed” sign to “open”. He also propped the door open. It negated the bells that hung above it, but to him there was no point in being so close to the beach if he couldn’t hear some of the waves when things quieted down.

It wasn’t as though there was a long line of people waiting to come in. Since that was the case, JJ took the opportunity to work on some other designs he’d started. He had a few for specific clients that just needed some finishing touches, but what he really wanted to work on was a fresh idea that had come to him in the middle of the night the night before. He’d thrown a crude sketch of it onto a piece of scrap paper at his house so he wouldn’t lose the gist of it, but he was itching to really start putting it together. He grabbed his tablet that had all of his designs saved to it, plopped down in a chair, and got to work.

He was hunched over his tablet, stylus flying in his hand when he heard someone knock against the open glass front door. Looking up, the furrow of focus in his brow softened almost instantly when he saw you standing there.

You gave an awkward smile and a small wave when he looked at you. Clearing your throat, you said, “Hey, I was, um, I was wondering if anyone here had time for a consult?” You glanced around. “Guess I should just be asking you, huh?” you said with a soft laugh.

He flashed you a smile as he leaned forward, setting his tablet to the side. “Yea, it’s just me right now. Everyone else comes in later.”

You nodded. “Right. Well, then,” you walked closer to him, “do you have time for a consult?”

He was practically beaming as he stood up from his seat. “I think I just might.” He held his hand out for you to shake and that’s when you got a good glimpse of the tattoos going up the entire inside of his arm. “I’m JJ.”

You shook his hand as you gave him your name in return. “Nice to meet you.” You felt like you were supposed to be giving more of an introduction of yourself but you didn’t really know where to start. “I just moved here a few weeks ago, so I’m still getting a lay of the land a bit.”

“Well,” he chuckled as he pulled an extra chair up by his for you to sit in, “welcome to Paradise on Earth.”

You laughed as you sat down across from him. “Thank you.”

“Actually, before we get started…” He motioned for you to wait as he got up from his seat. He walked to the small area that passed for a seating area and grabbed one of the binders from the small table. He handed it over to you. “This is pretty much all of my recent work. You can tell me what you’re thinking for a tattoo, and I’m happy to help ya, but if you don’t like my style there isn’t much of a point, right?”

You laughed, nodding as you opened the binder. “I guess that’s true.”

You paused as you looked at the photos of his work in front of you. Your eyes grew wide as you took them all in. Most of them were nautical-themed, which wasn’t surprising to you given where you were. There were a handful of fun, silly tattoos as well, things you were certain had to be inside hokes to the people who got them.

All the pieces were well done, though. Bright colors, clean lines—it all looked crisp. You looked back and forth between JJ and his body of work. He wasn’t looking at you, instead looking at the page you were on. You drank in the sight of him in his cargo shorts and cut-off shirt, his boots covering some of the tattoos on his legs. Looking at him and his designs right next to each other, it all made sense.

“These are beautiful, JJ,” you finally said.

He smiled shrugging nonchalantly. “I do alright.” He paused. “Thank you, though. Still, you know, wanna talk about what you were planning?”

Your smile stretched side. “Yea, definitely.”

“Alright,” he said with a nod as he grabbed his notebook, “tell me what you’re thinking.”

The two of you sat and talked for a while, mostly about your tattoo but he did get around to asking you a bit about yourself. Any time his eyes weren’t glued to the paper in front of him, he was looking at you. The smirk that would curl the end of his lips as he listened to you talk instantly made your face heat up. You tried your best to stay focused and on track, but it was hard not to get distracted by his bright blue eyes staring back at you. You kept it together enough to ask some questions of your own, which was how you found out he’d spent his whole life in the Outer Banks, him and all of his friends. From the glint in his eyes when he talked about them, you had to assume they were a fun group of people.

Eventually, your conversation began to draw to a close. He set his pen down and looked at you. “I should be able to pull together some basic ideas to send your way, see how you’re feeling about ‘em. If you like one, we can get right to it.”

It almost seemed too simple, but you weren’t upset about it. “That’s great! Thank you so much.”

“No problem.” He paused. “There, uh, there a good way to get in touch with you?”

“Shit,” you said with a laugh. “Yea, let me give you my number.”

He walked with you towards the door, both of you saying goodbye. He promised to be in touch with you sooner rather than later, and you couldn’t even try to hide your excitement at the prospect of it. You told yourself it was just because of the tattoo.

JJ watched for a few seconds as you made your way down the street, lingering for longer than maybe he normally would have or should have. He shook his head at himself as he turned and walking back so he was completely inside the shop. When he went back to his little work area and grabbed his tablet, he suddenly found himself getting attached to a brand new idea, unable to try and focus on anything else as he grabbed the notebook with all the notes he’d taken during your conversation with him. There was a small smile on his face as he got to work.

He stayed up later than he cared to admit over the next few nights working on the design the two of you had discussed. More than a few times he was tempted to reach out and talk to you, show you what he had done so far. But he wanted to make sure that when he showed you his idea, it was good. He was also tempted to reach out and ask more questions, blaming it on needing more information for the design but really just wanting to talk to you more.

Eventually, finally, he had something that he felt comfortable showing you. He checked the time before sending it, wondering if maybe it was too late. But he figured that worst case scenario, you’d just see it when you woke up in the morning.

“First draft- let me know what you think.” He typed it out and attached the picture of the design before sending it off to you.

He set his phone on his nightstand, figuring that he wasn’t going to hear back from you until the following morning. He was just reaching up to turn his bedside lamp off when his phone buzzed against the top of his nightstand. Tilting the screen towards him, he couldn’t hide his surprise at the fact that you’d already gotten back to him.

“I love it!”

He smiled, unlocking his phone and replying to you. The two of you texted back and forth, firming up the final details of what you wanted for the design. You also asked him when he thought he would be able to get you in for an appointment. You would’ve been lying if you tried to say that you weren’t hoping for something as soon as possible. On top of the excitement of getting a new tattoo, you were excited to have a reason to stop in and see him.

“I’ll see you next week!” you texted excitedly when he’d given you a date and time for the appointment.

“Sounds good. See you then” JJ was glad that the excitement on his face couldn’t be seen through a text message.

Over the next couple days, you wondered if it was unprofessional to just text JJ simply because you wanted to talk to him and get to know him better. You knew it probably was, but you still wanted to do it. More times than you would ever admit to anyone else, you went back and reread the short text conversation between the two of you.

By the time your appointment rolled around, it took all you had not to speed-walk down the block to the shop. The door was already propped open when you got there, so you walked right in. Unlike the last time you’d stopped by, it wasn’t just you and JJ this time. The two other artists were in the shop, each of them working on their own clients. The place was filled with music, conversation, and the lull of multiple tattoo machines going at the same time.

“Hey!” JJ piped up from where he was sitting at his work station.

He just had on a plain white t-shirt on with a pair of shorts and his boots, but it still made your brain go totally blank for a moment. You watched him as he stood up and walked over to you, greeting you again before you finally got your brain to cooperate so you could return the favor.

“So,” he walked with you to the table where you’d be laying while he worked, “you ready to get to work?”

You laughed as you nodded, setting your bag on the floor. “Yea, but I mean I guess I should be the one asking you that, right? I just have to lay here while you do all the work.”

The comment got a laugh out of both of you. You watched, twisting your hands in front of you as JJ printed off the stencil to place on your leg. You rolled up the bottom of your shorts so he’d have easier access to the outside of your thigh. Goosebumps broke out over your skin when his fingers grazed along your leg so he could press the stencil on. You wanted to bury your face in your hands at your reaction but he didn’t say anything about it one way or the other, which you were thankful for.

“Here,” he said as he gestured for you to stand in front of the full-length mirror by his station. “How’s that?”

Your entire face lit up as you looked down at your leg, and it was only the stencil. “That’s perfect!” You looked at the thin purple lines that were covering your thigh. “Think we can get it all done today?”

He laughed, shrugging as he helped you hop up onto the table. “If you think you can sit for the whole thing, I can get it all done.”

“If I can sit for it,” you repeated back, your tone just on the joking side of mocking him. “I think I’ll be fine.”

He chuckled at your response, holding his hands up in surrender. “If you say so.”

You managed to find a comfortable position to lay in while he worked that would make it easy for him to do your tattoo, but also make it easy for you to be able to talk to him and watch him while he worked. You kept yourself propped up on your elbows, leaning so that you could see it as he passed the needle over your skin. Every now and then your leg would twitch, but it was never enough to throw him off from what he was doing.

He kept the conversation going with you despite the fact that he hardly ever took his eyes off of his work. You didn’t mind it, taking the opportunity to be able to stare at him without being caught or called out. Each time he laughed or shook his head at something you said, all you wanted to do was reach over and run your fingers through his hair. You didn’t, of course, but you really wanted to.

A few hours into it, he looked over at you and asked if you needed a break. You couldn’t deny that getting up and being able t stretch your legs sounded like nice. JJ held his hand out to help you sit up and get off the table. You hopped down, the leg that he’d been tattooing feeling like it was still mostly asleep and you stumbled a step. His grip on your hand tightened and he allowed you to lean onto him until the tingling in your leg subsided a bit.

Stepping back, you let out a nervous laugh, trying to ignore the way your face felt like it was on fire. “Sorry about that.”

He shrugged, the smirk curling the edge of his mouth making you think that he didn’t mind it in the slightest. “All good.” He nodded towards the mirror. “Go check out the progress.”

You walked over to the mirror and looked at what he had done so far. You were already excited as you had watched him work, but being able to see it all in the mirror increased your excitement tenfold. Your eyes widened and you fought the urge to reach down and run your fingers over it. The skin was still sensitive and he wasn’t anywhere near done yet. All of the outlining was complete though, and he had just started the shading.

You’d been so enthralled with the ink on your leg that you hadn’t noticed the fact that JJ stepped in close behind you, popping up in the mirror and looking just over your shoulder. “Whatcha think?”

You almost stumbled right back into him out of surprise. You chuckled as you met his eyeline through the reflection of the mirror. “I love it!”

He smirked at you as he looked in the mirror. You felt like there was something more that one of you should be saying but neither of you said anything. He lingered closely over your shoulder, and as you took a deep breath you could smell the bodywash and faint scent of weed on him. You gnawed lightly at the inside of your lips as you fought the urge to say or do something stupid.

“Ready to hop back on the table?” he finally asked.

You nodded, turning around so that you were facing him. “Yea, I think I’m good.”

Once you were back on the table, JJ got right back to work. He didn’t say anything for a little while, just focusing on shading in your tattoo, listening to the thrum of the machine in his hand. You watched him contentedly as he worked, something to take your mind off the stinging sensation that was happening as he continued to pass the needles over the same patch of skin.

When JJ adjusted his leg, he brought one foot up and braced it against one of the supports under the table. You looked down, and along with the other tattoos that were winding up his leg, you saw one that didn’t quite look like the others. It looked crude, simple. But he clearly hadn’t covered it up even though he easily could’ve.

“That your first one?” you asked him.

His hand stilled, pulling the machine away from your leg as he looked over at you. Confusion covered his entire face. “What?”

“Your tattoo.” You reached, lightly tapping it with your fingertips. “This one.”

He looked down, a smile spreading across his face as he saw the one you were pointing to. “Yea,” he said with a nod, “that was my first one. Did it myself.”

“Stick and poke?”

He laughed. “You know it.”

“That’s where it all started, then?”

He smiled, shrugging as he got back to work on your leg. “Yea, I guess so. Lucky for you I’ve gotten a lot better since then.”

You hummed in approval. “Lucky for me.”

It was such a relief when JJ did one final swipe over your leg when he was done. He helped you off the table again, letting you get another good look at your tattoo before grabbing the wrap to cover it. You watched intently as he crouched down next to you, deftly wrapping your leg and taping it in place.

You tried not to think too hard about the warmth of his hand against your leg as he secured the wrap around your thigh. You forced yourself not to stare at him, instead looking up at the ceiling above you. A very large part of you was glad that everyone else in the shop was preoccupied so they wouldn’t see the flustered look on your face.

When he stood back up, JJ was nearly chest to chest with you. You let out a quiet huff of a laugh, unable to look him in the eyes. He waited for you to finally look at him in the eyes and the smile that was on his face nearly made your leg give out again.

“You should be all set.”

You nodded, swallowing hard. “Yea, o-okay. Thank, thank you. Seriously,” you looked down at the fresh ink on your leg, “it’s amazing.”

“Looks good on you,” he said, the smirk audible in his voice.

You laughed, biting down on your bottom lip. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

You busied yourself with getting the money together to pay him. “As long as I make an appointment, right?” you joked as you handed him the cash.

He shook his head as he took the money from you. “You got my number, right?” He looked up at you from counting the bills in his hand. “Just text me—I’ll make time.”

Just when it felt like your face had finally cooled down it felt like it was on fire all over again. The amount of self-control it took not to giggle was embarrassing and gun to your head you would never admit it. Instead, you nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

The two of you walked over to the door of the shop again, and you found yourself wishing you knew what to say to him. The two of you lingered in the doorway, you picking at the straps of your bag and JJ watching you.

“Anything comes up, or if you have any questions, just text me. Or, you know, drop by,” he said as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Or stop by, huh?” you asked with a small smile. You shook your head slightly as you chuckled. “Thank you, JJ.”

“Yea, no—” he stopped short as you stepped in and gave him a quick hug, recovering quickly as he hugged you back, “no problem.”

Pulling away, you saw the slightly surprised look on his face. “Sorry, sorry.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll, uh,” he reached and brushed his fingers against your arm, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Yea,” you said as you finally stepped outside the shop, “I’ll have my whole leg sleeved up before I know it.”

He chuckled as he watched you start walking down the sidewalk. “Let’s hope!” he called after you.

Turning around, you faced him with a smile on your face, effectively making yourself walk backwards down the sidewalk. “Later, JJ.”

Reaching up, he braced his hands against the top of the doorframe, leaning with a smile. “Later,” he replied, trying to sound much more casual than he really felt as he watched you walk away one more time.