Livre: One Shots

[61] I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

Karlie's not really sure how it started.

She's always been aware of Taylor's nervous habits– at least subconsciously. She sees the way Taylor picks the skin off the tips of her fingers and bites at her nails until they bleed. She knows when she has to sit still for long periods, Taylor will find loose threads on her clothes and wrap them around her knuckles until she can move freely once more. Karlie even knows that on occasion, Taylor's been known to pull out strands of her own hair on pure accident. Though, that's something Taylor's always been way more subtle about.

Karlie doesn't know how it starts, but she remembers the first time someone pointed it out.

It was a Friday, months before they'd moved in together and game night was being held at Taylor's apartment instead of Karlie's. It was her first time hosting, her first time letting Karlie's friends into her home. And through all the commotion, Taylor had gotten so caught up in cleaning and trying to make everything perfectly presentable, she'd forgotten she was supposed to be having fun too.

They were halfway through a game of Pictionary when Karlie noticed Taylor going back and forth between biting the edges of her already chewed-off nails and pulling her cuticles. She'd watched for a moment, then without giving it much thought, taken one of the red markers from off the coffee table and slipped it into Taylor's palm.

"What's this for?" Taylor had asked. "It's not my turn."

Karlie shrugged. She turned over her hand and set it next to Taylor's, almost as if to offer it up to her.

"Draw me a picture," she'd said.

"Right now?" Taylor chuckled and furrowed her brow, looking at Karlie like she was crazy. She'd drawn on Karlie when she'd been anxious before, but never in front of their friends.

"Yeah, why not?"

And eventually, just like all the other times, Taylor had obliged. She took Karlie's hand, smiling to herself as she drew a small cottage overlooking the sea with a corner sun by Karlie's thumb. As strange as it was, she had to admit, it was calming. Enough so that after a bit, she no longer felt the need to pick her skin. At least, that was until Alex pointed it out.

"What are you guys doing?"

"I'm..."

That was the first time Taylor really thought about it. She'd looked down at Karlie's hand and the open marker hovering above it, the messy picture of the cottage and two stick figures beside it.

"I, uh– I just like it when Taylor's doodles on my hand," Karlie had jumped in, saving Taylor's ass completely.

After that instance, Taylor couldn't help but officially acknowledge it.

"Why do we do the hand thing?" She'd asked. "Don't get me wrong, it does help me but am I... does it inconvenience you?"

"No, not at all," Karlie reassures.

She took Taylor's hand in hers and intertwined their fingers. By then, night had fallen and both of them were ready for bed. Karlie had washed her hands multiple times but stains of the red ink still lingered, leaving a faded outline on the back of her palm.

"I love seeing the things you come up with, especially when you leave little notes."

Taylor felt her cheeks fill with heat. She bowed her head and a smile spread across her lips, her heart skipping a beat at Karlie's words.

"Or when you accidentally rewrite the lyrics for one of your songs or projects and I end up with confidential Taylor Swift plans on my wrists," Karlie added with a prompt kiss to Taylor's forehead. "Those make me feel like I'm some sort of secret agent. Even though the 'immediately running to the bathroom to wash it off as soon as I realize what it is part isn't very fun."