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Mark was not a coward, alright. He was not. It was just that, first, he was not a fan of pain or needles, and second, despite being almost 25, his mother’s negative opinion on tattoos still weighed on the back of his mind.
He had grown up in a loving but quite strict family, and any kind of body modification had never been encouraged by his parents. Because of this, Mark had always been reluctant to get tattooed, but the urge to get some ink on himself kept nagging him. Today, Jisung was going to get a tattoo, and although it wasn’t his first one, he had asked Mark to come with him as support (and in case he fainted, mainly).
The tattoo studio was located in a little street in Hongdae, a little unassuming two-story building with no clear indication of what was inside. Jisung, however, simply marched up the stairs towards the second floor and knocked. After a few moments of waiting in silence, the door slowly opened.
“Hey, come on in!” The man who greeted them was cheerful, his voice welcoming and pleasantly high-pitched. He guided them towards the counter on the left of the room. “Who do you have an appointment with?”
As Jisung shyly mumbled through the conversation, Mark looked around. The studio was neat, the walls painted white with various drawings strung up across them. Light, soft music could be heard coming from a little speaker placed on the corner of the entrance, next to an enormous plant so vibrantly green that seemed to pull all the colour in the room towards it. It was pretty, Mark liked it.
“Ah, I see you like the monstera.” The man’s voice startled him out of his reverie, and Mark turned to face him. Up close, his face was even more breathtaking. “It’s so pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Mark’s voice sounded choked, his brain scrambling for something to say now that he had all of the man’s attention. The other’s eyes were mesmerising, a dark brown shade that pulled you in, and they were currently fixed on him, unabashedly looking him up from head to toe.
“I would dare to say, almost as pretty as you.”
Before Mark could fumble his way out of making an embarrassment of himself, another voice cut them off.
“Well, we’ll be going in now.” It was then that Mark realised that another person was in the room with them, and he had been talking to Jisung all this time. “Are you coming with us, or are you staying with Haechanie?”
Mark, realising that the man was addressing him, looked at Jisung with questioning eyes. “I’m alright, hyung,” he reassured. “You can stay, maybe he can convince you to finally get tattooed.”
“Hey! I don’t need convincing, I know what I want!” Mark knew he was pouting, but he couldn’t help it.
Jisung chuckled and followed the other deeper into the studio. Mark watched him go as he ignored the whispered ‘cute’ coming from across the counter.
“Well, as Jaemin said, I’m Haechan, or Donghyuck, whichever you prefer.”
Mark turned fully towards him, reaching for the extended hand the other was offering. His hand was soft, smooth skin that was littered with clusters of flowers as wrist turned to forearm, up to his shoulder.
“Mark.” He knew he was being dry, but the sight of a pretty man, covered in pretty tattoos and whose attention was fully on him was making Mark incredibly tongue-tied. Forcing himself to function like an actual human being, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “I love your tattoos, they are so cute!”
Donghyuck seemed startled for a second, but then his eyes went softer, the flirtatious glint on them was still there, but there was something more genuine now. “Thank you, Jaemin did most of the arm.”
He had extended his arm towards Mark to let him get a better look at his arm. The flowers were small, little bursts of colour spread across sun-kissed skin, ranging from warm yellows to deep reds. Mark traced the buds on the other’s wrist carefully, and Donghyuck’s skin broke out into goosebumps.
“Sorry.”
Donhyuck chuckled, shaking his head teasingly. “You are fine. I’m just a sensitive guy.”
“I’m sure you are.” Mark wasn’t one to flirt with strangers, but, hey, a pretty man with pretty hands and pretty tattoos was hitting on him, sue him.
Donghyuck looked surprised for a second, as if he had not expected his flirting to be reciprocated, but the smile drawn on his lips was big. “Your friend said that you wanted a tattoo, right? Is there anything I can help you with? I can show you our artists’ portfolios if you want.”
“Sure!”
Mark was excited. He had always wanted a tattoo, and now seemed the perfect time to finally make it happen. Donghyuck turned to the shelves lining up the wall behind the counter and pulled out a couple of binders. He placed them on the table and started asking Mark various questions, trying to narrow down the style he wanted.
They spent who knows how long like that, flipping through sketches and teasing each other. As he was nearing the end of the second binder, Mark paused. The drawings in front of him were mesmerising. They were like brushstrokes, fluid like water and it seemed as if they were moving. Most of them were dragons, but some other elements were also there, cranes and flowers amidst flowing curves of ink. This was what Mark was looking for.
“These,” he said pointing at the dragons displayed across the page. “They are beautiful.”
When he looked up, Donghyuck was blushing. “Well, thank you.”
“These are your designs?”
He chuckled and nodded. “They are. I’m glad you like them.”
Mark couldn’t help but stare. Fuck, he was falling fast, it seemed. “I—” Mark cleared his throat. “How can I book you— an opening, I mean?”
Donghyuck looked down towards the counter, pulling out a big planner and started flipping through it. His eyebrows pulled into a frown the further he went.
“It looks like I’m all booked out until December, but I’m sure I can squeeze you in somewhere.”
Almost five months! Mark’s eyes widened, wondering just how sought-after Donghyuck’s skills were if he was fully booked five months in advance. “No, please. I’d feel bad if you overworked yourself because of me.” He really would. Mark knew how bad it could get, trying to stretch yourself thin enough to keep working until your body decided to crash down on you. “I’ll take the first opening you have.”
Donghyuck stared at him for a moment, his captivating gaze locked in his, and a light blush painting his cheeks. “Alright.”
They smoothed down the details: the date of the appointment, the specifications of what Mark wanted for his design and his phone number so that Donghyuck could contact him.
At that moment, Jisung and Jaemin emerged once again. Startled, Mark looked at his phone and, sure enough, almost two hours had gone by. As Jisung was paying, Jaemin looked at the planner still open on the counter, a slight frown on his brow.
“Haechan-ah, didn’t a client cancel on you yesterday for the end of September?”
Donghyuck’s face lit up instantly. “That’s right.” He aggressively flipped through the planner until the weeks of September were displayed in front of him. “I have an opening on the 29th at 5 p.m. if it works for you?”
Mark unlocked his phone, quickly checking his calendar. Luckily, he was free that day. After once again, confirming the appointment with the tattoo artist, he noted it down.
With a sheepish goodbye and a promise to receive the sketch as soon as possible, they left, one last glance at the charming tattoo artist leaving Mark tingling all over in anticipation.
~
The late September weather was slowly getting colder, the slight chill in the air making Mark glad he had put on his favourite jacket before leaving his flat in the morning. It had been a busy day, three meetings first thing on his schedule and then a five-hour recording session with one of the groups from the label he worked at. Mark loved his job, this being his third year as a junior producer and lyricist, but some days ran long.
There were still 15 minutes until 5 p.m., but Mark was feeling too strung up to wait any longer. He was once again standing in front of that little two-story building in Hongdae, now his turn to get under the needle. Taking one deep breath and gathering all the courage that had led him to this moment, he marched up the stairs.
Mark froze for a second, his mind processing the fact that it was real now, that he was about to get a tattoo. On his body. Forever.
A week after he had gone to the studio with Jisung, Donghyuck had sent him the sketch for his tattoo, sheepishly saying that he had felt inspired by Mark’s enthusiasm and passion, and to let him know if he wanted any changes. No one needed to know that Mark had spent an hour with his cheeks blazing red after reading the message.
It was a beautiful dragon, and he couldn’t wait to have it on him forever.
The man who opened the door was not familiar, but he quickly ushered him inside with a smile. “Hey, I’m Chenle. You are Haechanie’s boy, right?”
Mark blushed at the choice of words. “Yeah, I have an appointment with him at 5.”
Chenle handed him a couple of forms for him to sign, and gave him a pamphlet with all the information regarding tattoo aftercare. Then, he was led to the back of the studio, to another room with a desk on one side and the tattoo chair on the other. Donghyuck was sitting next to the desk, a stencil of the tattoo printed in various sizes in his hand.
“Hey, there!”
Donghyuck looked as radiant as the last time Mark had seen him, golden skin covered in ink and a lopsided smile painted on his face. This time too, his eyes looked him up from top to bottom before beckoning him towards the chair. After discussing the best size of the tattoo and placing the stencil, Mark was instructed to straddle the chair so that Donghyuck had perfect access to his shoulder. Mark took off his shirt and immediately laid down, not daring to look at the tattoo artist’s reaction. Taking a deep breath, he willed himself to relax.
“I’m going to start now,” Donghyuck warned him. “Let me know if you need a break.” And then the room was filled with the buzzing noise of the tattoo gun. Mark closed his eyes and let his mind drift.
Two hours passed like this, with a fifteen-minute break in between, and Donghyuck offering Mark some chips and water upon seeing his not-quite-alright face. The pain fluctuated: sometimes it was like someone was scratching the same patch of skin with a toothpick endlessly, annoying but ultimately bearable; other times it felt like needles being stabbed straight into his nerve endings, which wasn’t that far off, really.
“Are you doing alright?”
“I’m managing.” But at that moment, Donghyuck must have gone over an incredibly sensitive spot, because Mark couldn’t stop a pained moan from escaping his lips. His ears went beet red immediately, but Donghyuck simply chuckled.
“It’s alright,” he reassured. “I’m not against pretty boys moaning under me.”
Mark’s cheeks went even redder, but he playfully rolled his eyes at the other.
“I’m going to go over some spots again to fully colour them in. It’s going to hurt a bit, but then we’ll be done.” Donghyuck had paused for a moment, wiping Mark’s skin with a tissue. “Jokes aside, you can be as loud as you want, there’s no one here to bother.”
At Mark's slight nod, he went back to work. True to his word, retracing hurt like a motherfucker, and Mark was tired and in pain and Donghyuck had been flirting with him since the first time he had stepped into the studio, so he let go. Whines and groans slipped off his lips whenever the tattoo artist went over a tender sliver of skin.
“You are doing so well. Just five more minutes.”
At that point, Mark had zoned out quite a bit, but he was very relieved to hear the buzzing of the tattoo gun stop. From his position, he couldn’t really see Donghyuck’s face, but the satisfaction in his voice was crystal clear when he announced that he was finished.
He slowly helped Mark sit up, picking up a mirror resting against the wall and angling it so that Mark could see the tattoo. “What do you think?”
Mark simply stared at this shoulder, unable to form any word. The tattoo started on his back, a little under the shoulder blade and travelled upwards right under the nape of his neck, just a small wisp of ink crawling up a little further. The shape of the dragon was curling, its body almost forming an eight, inky smudges forming slender curves. The beast was framed by bright strokes of blue, almost seeming a curling wave, light but powerful. It was beautiful.
“It’s amazing.” He sounded a little breathless, his gaze still stuck on the ink now permanent on his skin. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Donghyuck duck his head a little, a light blush staining the apple of his cheeks.
“I’m glad you like it.” His eyes were full of wonder, both because of the satisfaction of finishing such a piece, and because of the gorgeous man standing in front of him, his art now forever on him.
He then started his spiel on proper tattoo aftercare, while wrapping up the area in Saniderm. His touch was careful, gentle, and Mark couldn’t stop the shiver that went up his spine. His brain, still muddled with the pain from the last three hours, was still not quite functioning, so he simply blurted out, “Did I do well?”
Donghyuck paused, his hand hovering just above the nape of his neck. Then, he stepped just a little bit closer, one finger trailing up the side of his neck. “You did.”
For a moment, everything froze, neither of them was sure what to do, move forward or pretend nothing happened. All at once, Mark let himself go, his body relaxing back against Donghyuck and his head tilting to the side, the line of his neck looking oh-so-inviting. “Please.”
Donghyuck started at the tip of his shoulder, feather-soft kisses that made Mark’s skin break into goose-bumps. The higher he went, though, the harder he pressed, and soon he was sucking on the skin by his jaw.
“Fuck,” he exhaled. “You feel so good.”
Donghyuck turned him around, careful not to touch the tattoo, and leaned in. Mark moaned into the kiss, the feel of lips on his after so much tension making his body feel on fire. He kissed back enthusiastically, his body melting into the other seamlessly, his hands wandering up to tangle into Donghyuck’s hair. He pulled on the strands hard, and the moan Donghyuck let out made Mark smirk into the kiss.
“So this is how you want it, huh?” There was a challenge in Donghyuck’s tone now, and his eyes were shining with desire. Suddenly, Mark was being hoisted up and onto the tattoo chair, his legs immediately falling open to allow the other to be as close as possible. Donghyuck angled his head to the side, his mouth now leaving bites among the kisses littered down his throat. Mark grabbed him by the waist, pulling the other’s hips towards his, and moaning upon the contact. He was so high-strung that he felt about to snap at any second.
“Donghyuck, please.” He was rutting against the other’s hips but it was not enough.
Donghyuck moved down his torso, stopping on his right nipple to nip at it, groaning when he saw Mark grind against him. “Shh, baby, I’ll take care of you, don’t worry.”
His hands found the zipper on Mark’s jeans, and he quickly pulled them open and down, along with his underwear. The first touch of his fingers around Mark’s dick was electrifying, Mark trashing and moaning trying to get more friction.
“You are going to make me come like that.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I want you to fuck me.”
Donghyuck’s eyes widened, his hand pausing for a second before pulling back. “Fuck, baby, you are going to kill me.”
Mark, feeling a sudden burst of confidence upon seeing the unmasked lust painting Donghyuck’s entire being, jumped down and turned around, leaning down on the seat of the chair and arching his back slightly. Donghyuck couldn’t take his eyes off him, Mark looked like a painting, smooth skin and lithe muscle all on display for him. He caressed one of Mark’s asscheeks, a quiet moan of anticipation ringing in the room when he slowly pulled them apart.
For a moment, Mark felt nothing, just Donghyuck’s hands spreading him open, but then there was a warm wetness on his hole, and a moan —the loudest and rawest yet— was ripped out of his throat. “Fuck.”
Donghyuck ate him out with abandon, solely focused on the way Mark squirmed and gasped. Slowly, he prodded his entrance with one finger, which slipped inside quite easily thanks to all the spit gathered there.
“As much as I’d like to fuck you here and now, I’m afraid I don’t have any lube. And I’m not fucking you without some.”
Mark felt touched hearing Donghyuck’s worry for his comfort despite the undeniable strain in his voice. Luckily, he had the solution to their dilemma. “In my wallet, on the side pocket of my jacket.”
Donghyuck raised his eyebrows, an amused look crossing his face, but he moved to do as he was told. Lo and behold, there they were, hidden inside the wallet’s side pocket, a condom and a small sachet of lube. “My, my, aren’t you sneaky.”
Mark blushed even further, but simply told the other to hurry up. Donghyuck did a quick but thorough job in stretching him open, both of them too wound up to keep up the teasing any longer. Once he could fit three fingers comfortably, he pulled back. Mark could hear the other slipping off his jeans, and, moments later, the crinkling of the condom wrapper being torn open. Anticipation filled his body.
He felt Donhyuck place one hand on his hip, his grip firm enough that it made his head spin, and he slowly pushed in. Unison moans resonated across the studio, Mark squeezing his eyes shut and Donghyuck squeezing Mark’s hip. Once a little more than the tip was inside, Donhyuck paused. “You good? Can I keep going?”
Good? Good? Mark felt his entire body on fire.
“Fuck me.”
The hand on his side was joined by the other, and steadily, Donghyuck pushed all the way in. Once his hips met Mark’s ass, he pulled back and slammed back in. The feeling made Mark’s toes curl, all the nerve endings in his body lighting up. He forced himself to turn around a little, and the image of Donghyuck pressed flush against him with every thrust made his head spin.
The pace he had going on was incessant, constant in his strokes in a way that made Mark lose his sense of self, only feeling the maddening drag of Donghyuck’s dick against his walls, the slight sting that came with being stretched open that was so delicious. In all his moaning and grinding, the angle of Donghyuck’s thrusts changed, and suddenly he was hitting his prostate head-on. High-pitched whines fell from Mark’s lips unabashedly, all sense of shame having flown out the window the moment Donghyuck had gotten on his knees for him. “There, there, please.”
Donghyuck groaned, his hips slowing down for a second before fucking into Mark with renewed vigour.
“You feel so good, baby. You take me in so well.”
“Am I being good for you now too?”
Donghyuck's next thrust was even rougher, the sound of his hips slamming against Mark’s ass ringing loudly. “You are, baby. So, so good for me.”
Every slap of skin against skin made Mark lose his mind even further, and soon, he felt an unmistakable tightening in the pit of his stomach. “I’m close,” he gasped. “Please.”
What he was asking for, not even he knew, but Donghyuck slipped one of his hands towards his front, and started stroking him in time with his hips. It only took a couple of minutes before Mark was spilling across the chair and the floor, his come also staining Donghyuck’s fingers. Once his head became clearer, he realised that Donghyuck had slowed down, almost to the point of stopping. “Keep going.”
“You sure?”
“Fuck me until you come, please.”
Yeah, Mark was a weak, weak man who loved to be overstimulated, but who wouldn’t be when Donghyuck picked back up his pace? Mark felt sensitive all over, the feel of Donghyck’s dick catching on his rim when he pulled out making him shiver with oversensitivity. It didn’t take long for Donghyuck’s thrust to become more erratic, the hands on Mark’s hips tightening to the point of bruising, and soon enough, Mark felt the other’s body slump against his back, hips spasming against his ass.
Mark liked feeling Donghyuck against his, the warmth of their bodies combining together. It felt nice.
Donghyuck slowly came to, carefully slipping out and moving away to throw the condom in a little bin next to the desk. Mark had turned around, leaning back on the tattoo chair for support and observed the other. Donghyuck was beautiful, his hair now dishevelled and clumped together with sweat at his temples. As he moved around the room, Mark noticed that he had a tattoo on his side, from the middle of his ribs down to his hip bone. It moved sensually with every step.
“Here.” Donghyuck handed him a couple of wipes, another one on his hand that he used to clean Mark’s thighs with. Mark wiped his hands off, but as soon as they were clean they wandered to Donghyuck’s tattoo, his fingers softly tracing the ink there.
Donghyuck let him, a content smile drawn on his lips and his eyes full of tenderness.
“It’s beautiful.”
You are beautiful. But it was too soon to say something like that, Mark thought. Maybe in the future.
They lazily got dressed up, Donghyuck checking on Mark’s tattoo to see if the Saniderm had held up or needed to be changed. As they were heading towards the reception area, Donghyuck stopped.
He looked surprisingly bashful, his eyes a little downcast and a slight blush on his cheeks. “It’s gotten pretty late. There’s this hotpot place near here, it’s really good! Would you like to grab something to eat there?”
Mark stared at him. He was adorable. And hot, but right now, rosy cheeks and coy eyes, he looked utterly adorable.
“I’d love to.” Teasingly, he added, “But only if you let me choose the place next time.”
Donghyuck looked up, the surprise in his eyes quickly turning into joy. He nodded, his hair bouncing not unlike an overly-excited puppy. “Deal.”
Mark smiled, delighted with his beautiful tattoo and with his date(s) with the beautiful artist that had put it on him.
“Come on, let me grab my things and we can go.”
“I still have to pay for the tattoo.”
“Shit, I had forgotten about that.” Donghyuck’s eyes widened, and he broke into giggles. “Right this way.”
Mark followed him to the counter by the entrance, and paid, happy to be spending his money on something that he was so excited about. Donghyuck went back to pick up his things, and came back with a bounce in his step. He took Mark’s hand, pulling him towards the door. Right as they were about to cross the threshold, Mark tugged him back, and when Donghyuck turned, he leaned in.
Why? Just because he could, really.
He smiled into the kiss, and he could feel Donghyuck do so too. When he moved back, he couldn’t help but plant one last peck on the other’s lips.
“I’m ready now. Let’s go.”
Donghyuck’s giggles could be heard all the way down the stairs.