Inked & Innocent

Dangerous Games

Two months.

That's how long it had been since that night at her shop—the night she told him about Steve. The night everything changed. Javier had made peace with the fact that he couldn't have her, or at least he tried to. Aurora and Steve seemed to be doing well, and Javier had resigned himself to the role of the supportive friend. But every time they talked, every time they exchanged texts or ran into each other, it gnawed at him.

He wanted her.

More than that, he wanted her in ways he couldn't admit to himself without feeling like a complete asshole.

But tonight, all of that was being shoved aside. Aurora had reached out to him earlier in the day, suggesting they hang out for the first time in weeks. She had been busy, spending most of her free time with Steve, and Javier had buried himself in work. But now, she was coming to him—bringing Chinese takeout and that easy smile that always made him feel like everything would be okay.

Javier was at the tattoo shop, tidying up after his last client of the day when the doorbell rang. He turned to see her standing there, a bag of takeout in one hand and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hope you're hungry," she said, stepping inside and placing the food on his desk.

He couldn't help but smile. She always had a way of brightening his mood, even when he didn't want her to. "Starving," he replied, wiping his hands on a towel before tossing it aside. "You brought enough for a small army?"

She shrugged, smirking. "Figured I'd make up for all the times we haven't hung out."

Javier nodded, swallowing the knot that had formed in his throat. God, he missed this—just being with her. No pressure, no drama. Just them. He didn't care if it killed him inside to keep things platonic; he'd take whatever he could get.

They set up the food on one of the tables in the waiting area, sitting down across from each other. For a while, it felt like old times. They talked about work, shared a few laughs, and ate in comfortable silence.

But underneath it all, there was something else. A tension that simmered just below the surface, unspoken but undeniable. Javier could feel it every time their eyes met. Every time her knee brushed against his under the table. He was trying to ignore it, to keep things casual, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave.

"So," Aurora said, breaking the silence as she finished her last bite of dumpling. "Wanna play a game?"

Javier raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What kind of game?"

She grinned. "Truth or dare."

His heart skipped a beat. Truth or dare? They hadn't played that since... well, since high school, probably. But the idea of playing it now—with all the tension hanging between them—felt dangerous. And thrilling.

"Alright," he said, leaning back in his chair, trying to act casual. "I'll play. But I'm warning you, I'm pretty good at this."

Aurora laughed, the sound light and carefree. "We'll see about that. I'll start. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Javier said, his voice steady.

Aurora tapped her chin, thinking for a moment before asking, "What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you at the shop?"

Javier chuckled, relieved she wasn't starting off too intense. "Easy. A guy came in once and fainted before I even started the tattoo. He was out cold, and we had to call an ambulance. Turns out he was just terrified of needles but didn't want to admit it."

Aurora laughed, shaking her head. "That's pretty bad."

"My turn," Javier said, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Truth or dare?"