without fail

eighteen

"Stay still, Vivi. You're going to make me mess it up."

"It tickles!" Vivian giggles, trying to hold her body still while the needle darts in and out of her skin. Vivian, Kai and Miles were all at Declan's tattoo shop and Declan was in the process of trying to ink a long vine of leaves and flowers down Vivian's spine.

"I don't understand girls," Delcan mutters to himself. "It's not supposed to tickle. Most guys would be crying at this point."

Miles and Kai laugh a little and Vivian has to purse her lips to keep herself from wiggling under the vibrations of the needle. "When have I ever cried when under your needle?"

Declan draws one more line on her lower back before sitting up to push his hair out of his face with his arm. "That's because you're a masochist," he says before bending back over and continuing to tattoo Vivian's skin. Kai quirks an eyebrow up and Vivian smirks at him.

"Maybe a little," Vivian teases and squeals when the needle hits one of her most ticklish spots.

"Good to know," Kai mutters under his breath but since he was sitting right next to her head she heard him. Apparently Miles had heard him too.

"Oh my god, guys. Get a room."

"We have one," Vivian says and turns her head a bit to try and face him. "You just always walk into it whenever we are about to-"

"Alright, Vivi. I don't need to picture that right now. I'm trying to get this really difficult part done," Declan interrupts her and she giggles again. "Hold still."

Last night Miles had decided to stay at his own place for once, which she understood. But that meant that her and Kai couldn't finish what they had started in Kai's office. They took separate showers and went to bed, not wanting to have Miles overhear anything if they did actually do what they wanted to. Kai had held Vivian close, like he always did, and she fell asleep in his arms with a smile on her face.

When they woke up Kai and Vivian had made 'breakfast' and they came here for their appointment, Miles tagging along because he had nothing else to do. Vivian has been laying down while Declan tattooed her for over an hour and Miles and Kai waited next to her.

"Sorry," Vivian says and lays her head back down to stare at Kai. He reached up and stroked her hair, trying to keep her relaxed while Declan tattooed her. They chatted quietly for the next half hour, Miles sitting a few feet away doodling whatever came to his mind.

"Done," Declan says and begins rubbing off the excess ink on Vivian's back. The cool feeling of the putty-like substance Declan rubs on her new tattoo soothes her irritated skin and she sighs deeply. She lets Declan take a picture of her back so that she can see it.

"It looks amazing," Kai says, smiling at her and looking at her back. She twists her head to look around at Declan who was holding the phone up for her to see. It really was beautiful and Vivian's jaw dropped in awe.

"I love it!" She exclaims. She sits up slowly, holding a sheet over her front. She had to be pretty much naked for this tattoo, only wearing a pair of black leggings and a large hoodie to the appointment. She neglected to wear a bra since she knew that she wouldn't be able to strap it on afterwards. Now, she wasn't wearing her hoodie and only had the sheet to cover her breasts, which seemed to be driving Kai insane. The entire time he has been staring at her with hooded eyes and she smirked every time he tried to sneak peeks at what she kept hidden by the thin sheet. "Thanks Dec."

"Of course," Declan says. He nods at Kai, telling him that he needed a second before he would begin to tattoo Kai as well. They had been there for a while, so they understand why Declan would need a bit to stretch his back and drawing hand.