When rising tattoo artist Londen Richards lands an unexpected booking with Jaden Hossler, the notorious musician with a love for ink, she never imagines it will be anything more than just another session. But as Jaden sits in her chair, studying her...
After weeks of traveling, tour rehearsals, and the chaos that came with it all, Jaden and I were in serious need of a break. We had talked about doing something simple-something for ourselves-something that didn't involve music or fans or anything else that took our attention away from each other.
We decided to have a mental night in. No distractions. No work. Just us.
Jaden and I were lounging on the couch in the living room of the house we had rented for the night, a cozy space with soft blankets and a warm glow from the fairy lights scattered around. It was late, and the world outside seemed so distant from the comfort of our little hideaway. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this relaxed.
I was scrolling through my phone when Jaden walked in, holding two face masks in his hands, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Ready to get pampered, Londy?" he asked, his voice playful as he plopped down next to me on the couch.
I looked at him skeptically. "Pampered? Are we talking about a spa night or something more ridiculous?"
"Oh, it's gonna be ridiculous, alright." He smirked and handed me a pink, fluffy face mask package. "This is gonna make us glow. Just trust me on this one."
I raised an eyebrow, still skeptical, but I was willing to try anything at this point. "Okay, okay. If you say so."
Jaden pulled out another mask from the bag and looked at it with exaggerated excitement. "You're going to love this. Hello Kitty face masks. We're about to be the most adorable couple ever."
I couldn't help but laugh as he carefully opened the packet and pulled out a ridiculously cute Hello Kitty face mask. It had little pink cheeks and whiskers, making it impossible not to smile just by looking at it.
"Seriously?" I asked, chuckling as I pulled the mask over my face. "We're doing this?"
He nodded, already smoothing his mask onto his face with a ridiculous amount of focus. "I'm gonna look adorable, trust me."
I couldn't stop laughing as I adjusted the mask on my face, and Jaden, seeing how much I was enjoying it, grinned wider.
"You look so cute right now," I said, still giggling. "Like a little pretty girl."
Jaden blinked, taking a moment to look at me, his face obscured by the mask. "Did you just call me a pretty girl?"
I grinned even more. "Yeah, I did. Look at you, you're practically glowing in that mask. You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."
Jaden stared at me for a second, his lips curling into a grin as he fought back a laugh. "Alright, I'm the prettiest girl? That's a first, Londy."
I shrugged, adjusting the mask as I leaned back into the couch, getting comfortable. "I'm just telling the truth. I mean, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this Hello Kitty mask just turned you into the prettiest girl in the room."
Jaden put a hand over his heart, faking a dramatic gasp. "Well, I'm honored. A pretty girl, huh? Guess I'm just full of surprises tonight."
We both burst out laughing. There was something about that silly moment, the ridiculousness of wearing matching face masks, that made everything feel lighter. I could feel the tension from the last few weeks melting away, and I realized how much I needed this.
"Honestly though," Jaden said, his voice softer now, "I'm glad we're doing this. Just... you and me. No pressure, no distractions. Just fun."
I smiled, reaching over to rest my head on his shoulder, still laughing softly. "I couldn't agree more. This is perfect. And, I'm glad you're my pretty girl tonight."
Jaden wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer, and I could feel his heart beat a little faster as he chuckled. "I think you're my pretty girl, too, Londy."
As we both sat there in our goofy face masks, laughing and talking about nothing in particular, I realized that this was exactly what I needed. A night where everything felt easy, fun, and full of love. No obligations. Just us.
We spent the next few hours watching silly movies, taking pictures with our ridiculous masks on, and just being present. It wasn't about the chaos of our lives or the expectations of anyone else. It was about us taking a step back and finding joy in the small moments.
It wasn't anything extravagant. But in that moment, with Hello Kitty face masks on our faces and laughter filling the air, I felt like everything was exactly as it should be.
---
As the night drew to a close, Jaden turned to me, still grinning. "So, what's next? More face masks, or do you want to kick my ass at Mario Kart again?"
I laughed, snuggling up to him more. "I think we've done enough for tonight. But I'll beat you at Mario Kart any day. You're going down, pretty girl."
Jaden rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh, but I could tell he was already planning his comeback. "We'll see about that. Pretty girls always win."
And in that moment, I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather be with.
We were two goofballs in face masks, laughing at our own ridiculousness, and somehow it felt perfect.
_________________________________________ Jxdn
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