ink • soonhoon (completed)

• twenty two •

"jihoon.. are you wearing another long sleeve shirt? it's too hot you'll overheat." soonyoung asked as he spotted his boyfriend walking out from the bedroom.

"i just.. i don't want it to happen again." jihoon said with a sigh as he fidgeted with his sleeve hem.

"even if it does we'll be okay. i love seeing them and even the regulars adore them," soonyoung grinned and intertwined his hand with jihoon's.

"really?" jihoon asked as he connected eyes with soonyoung. he was still unsure but maybe it was okay to risk something.

"absolutely." soonyoung said then pressed a kiss to jihoon's forehead.

"o-okay.. let me go change," jihoon turned and walked back for the bedroom.

soonyoung stood there with a smile as he waited like an excited child. it would be the first time that the two would go out together with jihoon in a short sleeve shirt. jihoon often wore shirts that revealed his tattoos when he was home with soonyoung because he felt safe and comfortable, but he never wore them in public. he was too afraid.

"tada," jihoon said as he stood there with a loose t-shirt on that laid low enough on his chest to reveal a bit of his chest tattoos as well. soonyoung smiled ear to ear.

"you're so gorgeous!" soonyoung exclaimed as he stepped towards jihoon and wrapped his arms around him and spun him in a little circle. jihoon giggled a bit but pounded onto soonyoung's chest lightly.

"put me down!" jihoon said with a smile on his face and soonyoung shook his head. it was the soft domestic moments like this that made jihoon's once miserable life worth it. he loved soonyoung more than anything in the world.

"nope! gimme a kiss first!" soonyoung pleaded and jihoon just grinned and pressed a kiss to his lips. soonyoung pressed into the kiss and jihoon melted into his touch.

"i guess i'll put you down now.." soonyoung pouted and jihoon just chuckled as his feet landed back on the floor. jihoon wrapped his arms around soonyoung even though he had been placed down and while soonyoung was slightly confused he held the boy tightly.

"thank you," jihoon mumbled and soonyoung became even more confused.

"hm? what for?" he asked and jihoon looked up to him.

"helping me love myself," jihoon said with a smile and soonyoung's heart practically exploded as he looked to his smiling boyfriend.

"well thank you," soonyoung said back and jihoon's face twisted to confusion.

"huh?" jihoon asked.

"for letting me help you love yourself as much as i love you," soonyoung responded and jihoon's cheeks flushed pink and he put his face into soonyoung's chest.

"s-shut up," jihoon mumbled being very very flustered and soonyoung chuckled.

"my heart is going to explode.. stop being so cute," soonyoung said dramatically and jihoon let out a flustered groan.

"shush! we need to get to work!"

the two walked into the cafe together and began the usual opening prep. grind the coffee beans, put down chairs, wipe down tables, put out fresh pastries, make jihoon a green tea latte, unlock the door and click on the open sign. after doing all of that jihoon stood behind the counter drinking his latte as he anticipated someone to come in and freak out because of his tattoos. he hoped a regular like jeonghan or jisoo to come in.

the door chimed and jihoon's eyes widened as he tried to recognize the person. it was both jeonghan and jisoo walking in together talking. jihoon let out a breath of relief and put his latte down and connected eyes with the two. their faces lit up and jisoo gave a smile while jeonghan picked up his pace and b-lined it for jihoon.

"jihoon! your tattoos! they're so gorgeous! can i touch them-"

"jeonghan!" jisoo scolded and jeonghan pouted. jihoon just chuckled and held his arms out.

"sure, i don't mind." jihoon said and jeonghan let out an excited gasp and touched his arm and looked at it.

soonyoung watched from the kitchen with a smile as jihoon didn't seem the least bit put off or uncomfortable by jeonghan looking and touching his tattoos.

"the work is really admirable jihoon, who did them?" jisoo asked as he looked at them from a distance and jihoon chuckled.

"i did them myself," jihoon answered and the two gasped.

"wah! are you a professional?" jeonghan asked and jihoon nodded.

"i went to school for it and worked in the field for a while but i don't really have a clientele so i'm working here with soonyoung. i'm happy," jihoon answered and jeonghan cooed at the ending.

"let me be your first client!" jeonghan asked with puppy dog eyes and jihoon just grinned but before he could answer soonyoung came out from the kitchen.

"nope! i'm gonna be hoonie's first client." soonyoung said as he hugged jihoon from the back and jihoon smiled. jeonghan and jisoo both cooed.

"then let me be your second!" jeonghan begged and jihoon chuckled.

"sure, sure!" jihoon answered as jeonghan let go of his arm and cheered.

jihoon glanced over to soonyoung who was still hugging him and smiled. maybe life wasn't as shitty as jihoon had thought or maybe it was just soonyoung. he didn't see his tattoos as dirty anymore but instead he saw them as pretty and works of art. he saw himself in the mirror as someone who could make someone smile and happy. jihoon wasn't sad anymore.

• author's notes •

hi im sad to say that im prob gonna end this book next chapter w soonyoung getting his first tattoo by jihoon bc i think that'd be a perfect ending 👁️💧👄💧👁️

thank you guys so much for reading this book and supporting it <3 i love writing it and i hope you guys enjoy reading it. also sorry this chap is a bit shorter fjdjd

-lilly