Your Song (Shawn Mendes)

Chapter 26

Maria watched Shawn as a random Netflix movie played on the laptop in front of them to kill time until the album dropped at midnight. They were curled up in their bed, Shawn's arm around Maria's shoulders and his fingers drawing patterns on her arm. He finally noticed her looks and raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" He asked. She nodded and tried to focus back on the movie. He paused it and gave her a look. "Okay, that is complete BS. What's wrong?"

She bit her lip and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them. "Are you... are you upset that we haven't slept together yet?" She asked quietly.

"What are you talking about?" He asked. "Why the hell would I be upset about something like that?" She shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "Maria, where is this coming from?"

She shrugged again. "I was listening to In My Blood again and... I don't know. I got stuck on the line 'take her home and you'll feel better'. I just... I don't know."

Shawn snorted a laugh. "You're kidding me, right? You think I care that we haven't had sex yet?" Maria stayed silent, face burning in embarrassment. "Maria, as much as we hate talking about it, you were raped. Repeatedly since you were barely even old enough to know what sex was." Tears burned in her eyes and Shawn sat up, placing a hand over hers where they were wrapped around her knees. "You're still healing. You still wake up in the middle of the night from nightmares about it." She looked at him in shock. "You think I don't know when you leave the bed or even just sit up?"

"I don't like waking you up." She defended weakly.

"Either way, you and I both know you're still healing." Shawn repeated. He leaned his forehead against hers lightly. "The fact that you are even willing to let me love you as much as I do is enough for me. You're not ready to do that and I'm not going to pressure you into doing something you're not ready for." She smiled softly. "I love you, Maria. When you're ready, I'll be right here waiting. Whether that's tomorrow night or years from now, I'll be here."

She pressed her lips to his gently. He smiled into the kiss, cupping her cheek in his hand. It was all she needed to know. He was right here, with her.

*******

Maria raised an eyebrow as Shawn led her into the tattoo parlor. "Well look what the cat dragged in!" A voice called to them. Maria looked up to see Livia, Shawn's tattoo artist. Shawn smiled and hugged the woman tightly. She looked and smiled at Maria. "You must be the girl Shawn never shuts up about."

Shawn rolled his eyes while Maria blushed. "You can call me Maria."

"Oh, I know your name." Livia smirked. "When Shawn was here in December for his sparrow, all he could talk about was you. Plus, I appreciate anyone with gorgeous ink like yours." She motioned to the blackbird on her chest showing through the corset design of her top. 

"Thanks and Shawn's tattoos are amazing." Maria responded, knowing she was who did them.  Livia nodded in thanks. She looked to Shawn. "You're getting a new one?"

Shawn nodded with a smile. "I've been working on a design with Livia for about a month."

"Now with the album out and the design finished, he decided to get it." Livia finished. "Love the album by the way. Especially your duet with her." Shawn nodded his thanks and Maria blushed. "That's probably why you're here, girly." Maria raised an eyebrow. Livia smirked and showed her the design.

Maria's eyes widened. It was a wolf's paw print design and inside the main pad was a single white hibiscus flower, her favorite flower. She looked back at Shawn who smiled. "You're getting one for me?"

He nodded with a bright smile. "The first time I realized I was truly falling for you was when we were in Germany the first time." She put a hand to her mouth for a second in shock. "When I saw you with the wolf cub, I realized how much you had in common." She raised an eyebrow. "You both are vulnerable but still seen as a symbol of strength."

Despite the dark blush on her face, she smiled brightly. "I said this in Italy but you're 19! Stop talking like Jay Gatsby!" He laughed and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you though. I love it."

"Okay, enough with the cutesie stuff!" Livia interjected, snatching the design back. "Have you decided where you want this one, Shawn?"

He nodded. "I think I want it right about where Maria's is." Livia raised an eyebrow, knowing Maria had more than one tattoo. Both blinked in surprise when Shawn stripped off his shirt. Maria bit her lip to keep in a smile. Even after a year of dating, seeing Shawn like that still made her heart race. He smirked at her, knowing the effect he had on her. "Right where the blackbird is."

Livia smiled and nodded and started getting the design prepped and sized correctly. Shawn sat in the chair and Maria came to sit next to him. "This is incredible, Shawn." She said quietly.

He took her hand and laced their fingers together. "So are you?" Another dark blush coated her cheeks.

*******

5 years later...

Shawn had barely shut the door when he felt a familiar weight jump onto his back. He smiled, craning his neck to see his girlfriend of just about 6 years smiling brightly on his back like a koala. "Well, that's one way to be welcomed home. You know I was just at the studio, right?" He joked.

Maria rolled her eyes and slid off his back. "You know I was gonna tell you some amazing news but now I don't think I will." She turned around and started towards the kitchen.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against his chest. "No, you are not going to tell me that you have news then refuse to tell me what it is." He whispered playfully harsh in her ear. 

She smirked up at him and sighed dramatically. "Well since you asked so nicely." She said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes as she detached herself from him to look at him. "Guess who just signed on to be a contestant on the next season of Dancing with the Stars??"

His eyes widened. "You're gonna be on Dancing with the Stars?" She nodded with another blinding smile. He threw his arms around her waist and picked her up, spinning her around. She laughed into his shoulder and knew the time spent on the show would be unforgettable.

*******

Okay so I know that seems like a random throw in at the end but I absolutely adore DWTS and I had an idea for this story based around it so y'all don't like it, you can stop reading here. Thank you so much and for the rest of you, I'll see you next week! Love all around!