Body Art

11 | you're staring

When I heard her door click, I let out an audible sigh and flopped back onto the furry carpet, throwing one arm over my face in exasperation. Taz whistled. "Wow."

"I know."

"She's really..."

"I know," I laughed.

"Is she always like that?"

"Only with new people. After she gets used to you, she's a lot more fun to be around."

He hummed in agreement, but said nothing more on the subject. I moved my arm a little to catch a glimpse as silence descended on the living room. He still had his glasses on, eyes focused on the papers spread across the coffee table, though not actually reading. The afternoon sun brightened the room as the clouds shifted outside, adding some honey to his usual chai complexion and making him that much sweeter to observe.

The tiniest of smiles draw his lips upward and he says without turning, "You're staring."

A breath of a laugh escaped me. "You wish."

He leans back on his palms, fingers spreading in the carpet, torso twisting only slightly to stare back. The sun catches the strands of brown hanging by his eyes, warming irises as they jump from my freckles to how my arm is now tucked behind my head to the way my lips hold back my thoughts. I can tell he's thinking about what to say, which is hard to do when you know nothing needs to be said, but he wouldn't be himself if he didn't try.

"You never gave me an answer about that party," he says, voice low and satisfying in my ears.

My brows furrow. "What party?"

"The one you're supposed to go to with me so I can forgive you for our first session."

My jaw drops, making it obvious that I'd let it slip my mind.

"I take it you forgot," he chuckles.

"You didn't remind me," I defended.

He shrugged. "That's only because it got pushed back. It was originally supposed to be two weeks ago."

I frowned. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was too busy flirting." He shoots me a cringe inducing wink and I let out an exceptionally loud groan. He laughs as I roll onto my hands and knees, moving to the kitchen in an attempt to get away from the overpowering scent of male bravado.

"What," he calls after me, still giggling, "you didn't like that one?"

"Nobody likes that one." My head was already in the fridge, but I was able to hear the soft padding of his socks against the hardwood. When I closed the stainless steel door, a Capri Sun in my hand, I wasn't at all surprised to see him leaning against the counter nearby.

"You don't know that," he said smugly. "Some people love bad jokes and even worse pick up lines."

"You're right." I clarified, "I should've said 'nobody with a gag reflex,'" and proceeded to gag. Watching his face flatten at my remark just made it funnier.

"Gag all you want," he said dismissively while moving to stand at the opposite side of the granite topped island. "At the end of the day, it's still just a tactic you use to change the subject."

"Mmhm. And why would I do that?"

"Because you get flustered easily."

My brows jumped in surprise. "Flustered how?"

"Well, let's take right now for instance." I didn't appreciate how relaxed he looked as he deliberately looked me over, irises lazily sliding from my face to where the counter met my hips. "You're frowning slightly and doing that thing where you pick at your fingernails with just your thumb."

My hand froze on its own, sliding from the counter surface down to hang loosely at my side. "That doesn't mean I'm flustered," I argued.

"I know," he said easily. "You usually do that when you're annoyed. I'm still waiting for your cheeks to get red."

And just like that, heat climbed to my face and set the tops of my ears aflame. My eyes narrowed harshly. "They don't do that."

He was smirking openly now, leaning one cheek into his palm as he watched me do exactly as he predicted. And to know that he was right - that he knew he was right - was really starting to piss me off.

"True," he said, "but your nose and ears do."

I stabbed my straw into the juice pouch, practically exhaling fire as I gave a measly, "No, they don't."

"Relax, Hicks, it's not a crime to be a little flustered." He pauses and, just to toy with me, adds, "It is pretty cute, though."

I glared harder. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Making that stupid face."

His smirk grew as he crossed his forearms on the counter. "If it's so stupid, why are you letting it bother you?" It's like he lives to tease me.

"Because you're five miles too close and all of you bothers me."

His brows jumped, but he didn't falter. If anything he just looked more proud of himself as a teasing smile split his face. "Wow. If that's how you feel, I can only imagine just how bothered you felt sitting next to me two minutes ago." He winked, and this time it sent a wave of goosebumps up my arms because fuck you, you're right, damnit.

Instead of continuing an already lost battle, I just shot him daggers and went back to our setup in the living room, silencing myself by keeping the straw between my teeth.

"You know, all your embarrassment could go away if you'd just give me an answer." He followed me, confirming my suspicions that he really was just making it his mission to irk my soul. "Are you coming?"

I threw him a flat look, slurping loudly.

"C'mon, Hicks, you know I was just teasing." He flops onto the couch closest to me, raking a hand through his hair pointlessly as it just cascades back into place. I wondered if it felt as silky as it looked.

"Why must you always pester me?" I wondered aloud, not facing him as I crossed my legs under the coffee table once more. "Why can't you ever just ask nicely or say please like a normal person?"

There was a moment of silence, a quiet rustling and then an abrupt softness that hadn't been in the room before. Almost delicately came, "Please, Dana?"

I quirked a brow, turning to look over his nearly begging demeanor. He'd scooted forward to sit at on the edge of the couch, elbows on his spread knees, hands clasped and fingers knit under his chin. Unbelievably, he was sporting a big eyed baby look, brows creased in pleading and bottom lip fixed in a damn near flawless pout. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't working.

"And what do I get out of this?" I challenged.

Babyface was replaced by his usual straightforward expression. "That all depends on how you behave."

When I tell you my jaw dropped... "How I behave?"

"Well if you're a good girl," he began, eyes lowering, lips curling and body leaning, "Daddy might just give you a kiss."

Steam practically erupted from my nose as I shoved him back, turning away as he turned into a puddle of giggles on the couch. "I hate you."

***

currently 3:01 AM and i'm up like i don't have morning classes and work tomorrow :') gosh i love my dumbass

probably gonna come back and edit this before too long. i feel like there's something missing so

qotd:
is there anything in particular you want to see/ think will happen in this story? aside from D & T getting together, i mean. just curious on where you guys feel like this is going

drop a vomment if you liked & lmk your thoughts :)