Tattoo

For 2022, I've been wanting to write more 'creature features' and generally improve my short story writing. My partner got me a Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual for my birthday so I came up with the idea of writing a story every week based on a different creature from that – All There in the (Monster) Manual. Hope you enjoy!

This Week's Inspiration: Pseudodragon

Trigger Warning: Female-on-Male Sexual Assault, Loss of Bodily Autonomy, Self-Harm, Some Gore

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"I love your tattoo!"

Words I would soon come to regret.

The golden dragon wound its way from her shoulder to the middle of her back like a serpent. It looked Chinese, sinuous, with small, clawed feet, red eyes, curved fangs, and tendrils sprouting from the sides of its muzzle like a moustache. Its owner, around my age, wore a backless top that showed off the tattoo.

"What? She turned and looked confused.

The club's music thundered, multicoloured lights strobing. People massed around the two of us, drinking and dancing and making conversation difficult.

"I like your tattoo! My name's Pat, Patrick, I've got some ink too!"

I rolled back the sleeve of my t-shirt, showing off the full length of the tattoo sleeve on my right arm. Several other tatts dotted my left arm. She fixed them with a slightly strange expression. I couldn't show her some of my art without taking off my shirt but in an attempt to start the conversation I shifted my leg into view and pulled up my jeans to show a blotchy lizard on my right calf.

"That one my friend did, Otter! He was just learning, but he had a kit he wanted to try out so I let him tattoo this lizard on my leg!"

"Cool."

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"Sure." She hesitated for several moments. "My name's Vanessa."

Threading through the crowd, I managed to get a couple of beers at the bar. When I returned, Vanessa had found us a booth by the dancefloor. She was small, almost doll-like, with short, dark hair, and extremely thin. Her arms and shoulders looked so bony that I wondered quietly if she might be on something.

Despite the pounding music, I tried to talk to her. She dodged questions about what she did and the kinds of things she was into. I'd started to think she just wanted free drinks off of me when she offered to get the next round. She returned with bourbon and cokes, and shots. After I had my shot she claimed she'd realised she didn't want her one and handed it to me. She insisted on getting the next round as well and pulled the exact same trick. If I'd been warier I'd have thought she was trying to get me drunk, but that was ridiculous. No matter how bony or haunted she looked, I was clearly into her.

"Do you want to get out of here?" She asked suddenly, after several more rounds.

I spluttered a little. "What?"

"You heard me, let's go back to your place."

When I got to my feet, I felt drunker than I'd realised. My head swam but I tried to play it cool. Leaving the club, the sudden quiet seemed yawning. Getting my address, Vanessa poured me into an Uber and climbed in as well.

Once we arrived at my place, Vanessa almost had to prop me up as I opened the door. I rented the house with two other guys but both of them had jobs that frequently took them out of state, which worked great for me most of the time.

"Do you want, like, a drink?" I offered.

"Let's just do this."

Stumbling to my bedroom, I realised I'd gone out on a whim and hadn't expected to hook up that night. The room was a mess. Embarrassed, I bent to pick up some clothes and almost fell over. Vanessa grabbed me and steered me to the bed. Leaving the overhead light off, Vanessa switched on my desk lamp. It lit the room but only dimly.