✓ nip it in the bud | k.th

nip it in the bud

You blinked, overwhelmed by the staggering amount of information she had just thrown your way. As you sat down at the oatmeal colored sherpa sofa at the reception and read through all the health risks and warnings, making sure you were taking in all of the information, carefully signing all the lines and checking off all the boxes, you wondered if you were in over your head.

Technically, it wasn't too late for you to turn your back on this. You would lose your deposit, but you could still walk away – pain free. What would Jimin do if he found out that you had gotten your nipples pierced? Probably murder you, based on how he had reamed you and Yuju out after your ears had gotten infected from swimming in the lake the camp had been located next to. But would you really let your overbearing annoying older brother control you even now when you were 23? And how would Jimin even know about you getting these very intimate piercings?

You only saw him a few times a year. There was no way Jimin would be finding out about this, nipples were more discreet than ears and you couldn't even remember the last time you had been around your brother in clothing that would even hint that you had boobs, much less nipples. Jimin had only ever seen you in oversized T-shirts, flannel pajama bottoms or baggy sweats, and giant zip-up hoodies when he had the fortune of being in your company. No wonder he sometimes forgot you were a girl.

Once you finished up the paperwork, you made your way back to the girl at the front desk with the clipboard. Placing it down on the counter, you took out your credit card to pay up front, with your id card beside it as verification on top of the terrazzo surface, but she shook her head, "You pay at the end for the piercings and the jewelry you pick. Personally, I prefer nipple clickers," she said wryly, twisting her lips into a smirk.

"I'll keep that in mind," you mumbled as you watched her stand up and come around to you.

"Follow me, I'll take you to the private room we have for the more intimate tattoos and piercings. There's only one artist in today but he should be finishing up with his other client soon. You'll probably only have to wait 5 to 10 minutes for V," she threw her words over her shoulder carelessly as she guided you through the narrow hallway.

When she closed the door behind you and left you alone in the room, you felt rather like you were at the doctor's waiting for your gynecologist to come in and the panic quickly set in once again. Should you have your shirt off and be ready for the piercing? Or would the tattoo artist be freaked out if he was instantly assaulted with the image of your breasts the second he opened the door? Should you sit up on the wide leather covered table or continue to stand while staring awkwardly at the door waiting for the artist to walk in?

As you looked around the small room, your eyes caught on the artwork decorating the walls. They were on white backgrounds that were framed and looked like post-impressionist portraits. The color scheme stuck to black and the primary colors, while the faces had the boldest of expressions painted over them. Extraordinary, you thought, as the door opened behind you.

"Hi, I'm V. I'll be the artist who is piercing you today. I see you've signed up for two nipple piercings?" A deep sensual voice flooded into the room, making you shudder involuntarily.

You turned back and saw a male looking down at the clipboard with the forms you had filled out, his face was half covered by an indigo face mask dotted with silver embroidered stars while the other half was concealed by the soft looking black waves that were flowing forward as his bangs swept over his forehead and obscured his eyes.

"Yes, that's right," you nervously tittered, "Should I– should I take off my top?"

"Mmhmm," he murmured, his eyes quickly sweeping over you, barely looking at you, as he continued on professionally, "Could you also take off your bra and tie back your hair before sitting up on the table?"