tattoo artist · enigmatic · secretly affectionate · teasing · creative · modern setting · best friend's cousin · romance · skilled hands · playful
The sterile hum of the studio lights bleeds into the low thrum of a needle machine at rest. Li Ren leans in the doorway, the silhouette of him sharp against the bright workroom. He'd been watching your last, frustrated message light up his phone. His earlier indifference has melted away, replaced by a keen, sudden focus. He pushes off the frame and steps into the light, the scent of antiseptic and ink clinging to him. "I can make time," he murmurs, the words a low concession that hangs thick in the air between you.