Living is always better with you by my side | Choni

The snake on her skin

Cheryl is puzzled by Toni's tattoo. 

They're in bed, legs wrapped up together, the redheads has her arm slung lazily across Toni's waist.  It's nice and warm and she feels sleepy.  She feels as though she has bathed in maple syrup, and she is content to just lie there, with the brunettes arm around her shoulder, fingers, softly ghosting circles on her skin.

It's one of the many times the redhead has been able to see Toni's body and she's only now just realising she hasn't mentioned or asked about the snake tattoo on her lovers hip.

Cheryl looks down at Toni's tattoo again and she pokes it lightly with her finger.

"Hey," Toni says with a small smile. 

Cheryl looks up at her, mischief rife in her dark brown eyes.  "Did this hurt?" She asks. 
"You bet your ass, it did," Toni says. 

Cheryl traces the outline of the tattoo with the tip of her finger.  "Then why did you do it?" She asks. 

"To look like a badass," the brunette replies.

Cheryl rolls her eyes.  "I know you look like a badass, Toni ," she says in an exasperated voice.

Toni chuckles silently at the way Cheryl said her name. "What do you want to know exactly?" She asks. 

"If it hurt, why did you do it?"

Toni ponders on this for a moment and then she shrugs.  "It was something I had to do. Me and the boys, we all did it.  It just made sense. It's just what you do when you become a serpent. And just because something hurts doesn't mean it's not good. Why are you asking, are you thinking about getting a tattoo?" Toni asks with a grin. 

"Of course not, Mon amour ," Cheryl says.

"Maybe a little spider on your butt" the brunette suggests. 

"Why would I get a spider on my..."

"Or a cherry with an arrow pointing down..."

"Antoinette!"

Toni bursts out laughing and it fills the room. Cheryl cannot help but join in with the laughter, it is such a sweet sound. 

Soon the room is dipped in silence once more and the only thing Cheryl can hear is the sound of Toni's beating heart and the steady in and out of her breath.

"Would you like me to get a tattoo on my butt?" Cheryl asks.

The brunette laughs again.  "No, babe, you don't have to get any tattoos.  I love you just the way you are, sassy and a little weird, and tattoo free," Toni says. 

Cheryl smiles and snuggles closer to Toni.

"What if I came home one day with one?" She asks.

"Just as long as it ain't ugly" the brunette says as her eyelids droop. 

The redhead looks up at Toni and sees that her eyes are closing.  "I love you, Toni," she says. 

Toni's eyes open, they are filled of sleep and love and she smiles at Cheryl.  "I love you too."