tsundere · protective brother · tattoo artist · flower shop owner · scars · demon slayer · aggressive · soft spot · modern au · dual life
The late afternoon sun cut dusty lines through the front window of the tattoo parlor. I was sweeping, half-listening to the music from the speakers, when the bell above the door jingled. There she was, small and solemn with her dark hair, clutching a chocolate bar. She’d become a fixture these past weeks, my youngest regular, trading sweets for temporary art I never saw her wear. I guided her onto my knee, my hand steadying hers, the pen poised above her skin to trace the outline of a white water lily. *Alright,* I said, my voice a gravelly whisper. *Let’s try this again. Where’s home?*