rini one shots

painted blue jeans

Ricky has always loved to paint.

He paints anything he can get his hands on. When he was fifteen he started to paint objects, such as shoes, water bottles, notebook covers...

He loves to work on different textures and try out new designs.

That's why, when he sees a pair of jeans left hanging alone in the laundromat, he's very tempted to paint them.

He waited a full day before he takes them home and paints a design onto them.

They seem to be a woman's, a mom jean style, and he decides to give them a space theme.

He paints a UFO on one back pocket and an alien poking out of the other, and on the front he adds some planets and stars scattered down the legs.

He's fairly proud of his work.

Once the paint dries, he brings them back to the laundromat, though he doesn't think anyone will be claiming them. They'd been sitting there for a full day, so Ricky assumed the owner just didn't notice that they were gone.

To his surprise, a girl turns as he's hanging them back up.

"Excuse me, are those yours?" The brunette points to the jeans.

"No, they were hanging here," Ricky responds.

He's sort of nervous that if they're hers, she'll be mad about the paint.

"I think those are mine." She furrows her eyebrows. "They look like them, but the paint wasn't there before. I think I left them here a couple of days ago."

"I painted them," Ricky admits. "I'm sorry if you don't like it, I was just so tempted. I can buy you a new pair."

"No, no, I like it," she ponders, staring at the pants. "Are you an artist?"

"Yeah." Ricky smiles slightly.

"You're good at painting." The girl smiles back, studying the design.

"Thanks." Ricky chuckles.

"Do you have a page where I can see more of your work?" The girl looks to him.

"Yeah, it's artbybowen on Instagram." Ricky spells out his handle to her.

"Bowen, is that your name?"

"My last name. I'm Ricky." Ricky holds out his hand to shake hers.

She takes it delicately. "Nini."

The two shake hands, but it feels... intimate? Ricky feels a sort of connection with this girl he's just met.

"It's nice to meet you, Nini."

"This sounds sort of crazy, but would you, maybe, want to go out with me sometime?" Nini asks.

Ricky is surprised by her forward nature. "Yeah, yeah, I would love that."

"Here," Nini says, pulling a pen out of her purse and gently taking his hand and writing her number on it. "I have to go, but call me to schedule something."

Nini looks up to him contently,

"I'll do that," Ricky agrees, a smile adorning his face.

"I'll see you soon," Nini dismisses herself, taking her painted blue jeans as she goes.

And that is the story of how Ricky and Nina Bowen first met.