INK | 18+

nineteen: inspiration.

J E L A N I

"So you don't mind if I move in, right?" She smiled. "Why haven't you talked to Fairy and Verity?" He scoffed as they drove into McDonald's. They had gone to her apartment that she shared with Verity and Fairy and fetched Jelani's bags and her school things. "Because they annoy me," She sighed. "God, Jelani," He laughed.

As they pulled up into Xavier's driveway, with Jelani gleaming with happiness. "You're beautiful," Xavier stated, causing Lani's grin to widen.

X A V I E R

"Wait- because you're a tattoo artist, you can draw, right?" Jelani asked. She had an assignment for her class that she had to finish. She was required to submit a hand -drawn drawing of a makeup look and Jelani had been procrastinating for the entire weekend.

"Mhm," Xavier hummed as he placed Mr. Boner, who he had been brushing while Jelani worked. "Do you need help?" Xavier asked. "Yeah, please."

He bent down and sat next to her. "Damn Lani, it looks good." He peered over her bare shoulder to look at her incomplete drawing that looked really good to him.

"Thank you," She smiled. He analyzed all of her line work, her shading and the color palette she used - he felt ashamed that he never really realized how good she was. "What do you want me to do?" He asked sweetly. "So as you can see...." Jelani started, she explained everything she needed him to do. Obediently, they worked with one another, making progress with her project.

"Is Jerry your best friend?" She asked while she worked on the eyes of the paper model. "Yeah, he's like my brother." Jelani wanted to make conversation more personal with him. "Any other friends?" She continued.

Well, there was Daphne.

"Yeah, sorta," He vaguely answered. "What's his name?" She said, lying against the footer of Xavier's bed. "Who said it was a 'he'?" He questioned, as if he was suggesting that she should ask about Daphne. "Oh. Who's she, then?" She interrogated. "Daphne. I only reconnected with her recently." Jelani raised a brow in suspicion, "Did you hook up with her?" She questioned.

"Female friends aren't only walking vaginas."

Jelani scoffed. "Funny you say that," she muttered. Xavier scowled. "What does that mean?" He half-chuckled. "I mean..."

Xavier interpreted the situation as Jelani questioning their current status.

"Were you not the one who said friends with benefits?" He stated. She looked up at him. She did say that...but it seemed that she wanted to amend her words. "Yeah..." She accepted. "You mentioned 'no feelings', right?" He continued. She didn't want to hear it anymore, although all that came from his mouth was truth. "Well..." She whispered lowly. "Jelani," He said, moving closer to her. "We'll talk about this later, then, I guess..." He said as he noticed her avoiding eye contact with him. "I'm not upset. Why do you always assume I'm obsessed with you?" She scoffed, folding her arms.

"I don't !" He replied. She sighed out. "Why can't we just have a conversation about something else ?" She muttered, moving her focus back to her art. "Are you upset with me?" He asked. "No, it's just that-" She pouted. A smile creeped from the angle of her mouth - she peered at Xavier's eyes that hung low with sadness.

"What now?" He chuckled, seeing her smile. "I'm not upset with you," she smiled. He leaned over and pecked her plump lips, glossed with clear gloss. "Why do you always resolve everything with kisses?" She giggled. "Why're you always so stubborn, babe?" He laughed. He missed smiling around her - over the past few days he'd forgot the warmth Jelani brought to him.

"You still have to give me the tattoo, buddy," She said, slapping his shoulder. "Okay, what do you wanna get?" Xavier asked as his finger traced the length of her arm, causing her to quiver lightly. "Something bigger and exotic," She smiled.

"So you're hooked now?" He grinned. Jelani smiled back at him, the contagious smile Xavier owned caught her by surprise. She bit on her bottom lip and stretched herself over to Xavier. She straddled his lap and connected her lips to his. Their tongues overlapped, causing a wet, passionate mess. "I guess your tattoos kinda rub off on me..." She muttered against the soft skin of his neck. "I'm glad," He spiraled.

"Hey—you know what you need, Lani?" He smiled, slapping the side of her thigh. She tilted her head in arousal to here what he had to say.

"Inspiration. I know it sounds dumb but, please, just listen..." He explained with such enthusiasm, Jelani felt 'bubbles' in her stomach. "I usually go to  this place when I feel dry and unenthusiastic," He continued; Jelani laughed when he began stuttering on the word unenthusiastic.

"You're gonna take me out?" She pouted. Xavvy shrugged and lifted the two up, elevating them up onto their feet. "It'll look super ridiculous, I promise...but it helps," He said, "And it'll help with your art assignment."

"Sir — you are BY FAR the worst distraction I've ever had. I just can't get shit done with you turning me on every single time!" She complained, feasting upon Xavier's hungry eyes that attentioned to her green orbs.

Once again, the two found themselves feeling warm and relaxed, breaking the one rule that they stated when they felt each other for the first time.

"I know, babe. That's what I'm here for."

___

Song: Cherries by Hope Tala ft. Aminè

i decided that im gonna split this chapter up into two just coz.

im sorry ive just had a super busy week and i happen to still be FLUNKING chemistry classes 🥺💔😭

anywho, sorry for the filler chapters. next chapter is seriously smthn i promise lol.