The next morning, Dinah made her way into her kitchen and found Lauren sitting on the counter, Nutella and spoon in hand.
"How you doing, Lauser?" She leans against the counter that is across from Lauren and runs a hand through her tangled hair.
"Okay, I guess. I wish she would have just broken up with me instead of cheating though."
"I'm going to kick her ass next time I see her."
Lauren giggles before hopping down from the counter and padding over to the sink. "Don't, I'd rather just forget about her. The less drama there is, the better my life will be."
Dinah pouts and Lauren gives her a stern look. "Dmac, I'm serious, you've all done enough already... So you and Normani, huh?" the Latina quickly changes the subject, not wanting to talk about her now ex-girlfriend first thing in the morning.
"About a month ago," she pauses, "We've been avoiding titles though. I haven't even taken her out on a real date yet."
"Hold up, a whole month! Why didn't you tell me?" Lauren asks incredulously with wide eyes.
"Never came up I guess, sorry." Dinah chuckles and ruffles Lauren's hair.
"Tell me next time something happens!"
"No promises, Laur." Dinah kisses Lauren's cheek before walking back to the living room where the other three are still sound asleep.
======
"We're leaving now Lauren, don't destroy the place!" Dinah yells as she walks to the door of the bar a few days later. She was leaving Lauren and Liam in charge for the night while she took Normani out on their official first date. Was she nervous? Beyond. She wanted to impress the model and show her a whole new side of the place in which she had been living.
"Later DJ, use protection!" Lauren laughed as the Polynesian girl flipped her off as she went out the door.
Once outside, Normani puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Just where are we going, Hansen?"
"I'm taking my girl out on a date." Dinah bluntly replies with a fond smile spread across her face, and it only grows as she sees a similar one spread across Normani's face.
"Your girl, eh?" She coos as she cups the girl's cheeks.
Dinah chuckles as she tilts her downwards. "Hmm, I thought you knew." She mumbles against the shorter girl's plump lips before pressing their lips together in a tender kiss.
Normani pulls away and takes a step back. "So you're taking me out? Now?"
"You ask way too many questions, just let it happen." Dinah walks out onto the side of the street and hails a cab.
"Have you ever seen Times Square at night?" (Times Square irl is just.... no)
"I've never even been to Manhattan, let alone outside of Queens as long as I've been here."
"Are you serious? That's where everything is- major stores, restaurants, and not to mention Broadway and the Rockefeller Center," Dinah pauses as she gives the cab driver an address. "Granted its crowded, it's still an amazing place this time of year."
"And what's so good about this time of year?"
"You'll see, just wait."
"Whatever you say Hansen, whatever you say." Normani rests her head against the cold glass window and watches as decorative lights flash by her. A smile crept upon her face as she feels Dinah cuddle up to her side and press a kiss to the top of her head. This is what she had been waiting for for so long, she found happiness in being with Dinah, something she hadn't felt in so long due to certain people and events in her young life.
=====
An hour or so later, the small cab pulls over on the side of Center Drive and the first thing Normani sees when she looks to her left is an arch that reads 'Wollman Skating Rink' in sparkling slights, fitting for the season.
"Dinah... Oh my- I've always wanted to come here..." She trails off in a small voice, in awe of her surroundings. Dinah smiles fondly at the older girl, She had come here many of times alone, and the knowledge that someone she cared about in such an immense way was here with her made her heart soar.
"Oh please, we have so much more to do after this. They call it the city that never sleeps for a reason, love." Dinah holds the door open for her and pays the driver before she is practically dragged to the small building that sits to the left of the rink to get skates.
"Slow down, it's still early!" Dinah exclaims with a loud laugh as Normani waddles over to barrier between them and the ice, obviously having trouble with the skates on her feet.
"Then hurry up, I've never been skating before!"
"Let me tie my laces woman!" She laughs and watches her date open the small door, carefully stepping out onto the cold ice. Normani immediately grabs onto the barrier in hopes on steadying herself, but nearly does the splits in the process, prompting Dinah to laugh hysterically at the girl.
"Not so enthusiastic now, are we Bambi?" Dinah skates around in a small circle, letting the girl get up, or attempt to, on her own.
"I don't know about this anymore, Dinah." She fretted as she wobbled around, earning looks and laughs from other skaters, some of them being young children.
"Let me help you then." Dinah skates up to the struggling girl effortlessly and eases her up by her waist and pulls her closer. She presses a kiss to the nape of Normani's neck as she helps the girl stand up straight.
For the next half hour or so the two glide across the ice, Normani doing so with constant help from Dinah and after falling countless times and laughing so hard their stomachs hurt, the two women return their skates and decide a simple walk through the park would be just as fun.
=====
"That was harder than I ever thought it would be, but fun nonetheless."
"You'll get used to it, it just takes practice. Now are you ready for the real adventure?" Dinah smiles as she wraps an arm around the girl's narrow waist, pulling her a little closer as they begin walking.
"As long as you don't try anything illegal, I'm always ready Dmac."
The two walk down 7th Avenue, slowly venturing further into the city with each step they take. Midtown Manhattan was a whole other world compared to anywhere Normani had ever been before. The large skyscrapers, armies of people walking to and from, bumping of music, and the obnoxious buzzing of cars speeding by making her feel so small, euphoric, non-existent even. As they get closer to the Crossroads of the World, otherwise known as Times Square, they walk by world renowned theatres and music halls in awe.
Dinah always thought that the concept of walking through Times Square at night with a lover was the epitome of cliché, this was obviously before she met Normani. Being there in the middle of the day is one thing, but at night it's indescribable. Meeting the girl made her act differently and do things she would have otherwise thought silly or mundane. It's the reason she's here right now, looking up at the crystal ball that sits atop One Times Square, flashing red and green in the spirit of the holiday season.
"I- wow...."
Dinah looks up at the girl. "Speechless?"
The model simply nods in response and looks around, trying to take everything in.
"C'mon babe, we have reservations." Dinah chuckles as she sees the euphoric look on the girls face.
"How are you not as amazed as I am? Look!" Normani exclaims as she points to one building after another.
"I'm amazed that you've never been here is all, and I'd rather be sitting across from you in a four star restaurant."
Normani looks at her as if she had grown a second head. "A four star restaurant? Dinah that must have been so exp-"
Dinah holds a hand up, effectively silencing the girl. "It's nothing, I actually know the head chef."
The two walk a little further down the busy street before arriving at an elegant restaurant, where an elderly man greeted them with a polite smile on his wrinkled face. He leads them inside and despite there being a small family and a few other couples, the place was pretty much empty.
"Hansen! It's great to see you, oh and who's this beautiful lady?" A woman, who has a smile that is as warm as the sun itself, booms as she comes out of double doors and hugs Dinah.
"Selena, this is Normani. Normani, this is Selena." As Dinah introduces them Normani extends her hand out and is surprised when the other girl brings her in for an extremely tight hug.
"So you're the girl that she won't shut up about," Selena has a smirk on her face as a blush creeps up on Dinah's face. "It's nice to finally meet you, it's even nicer that Dinah finally asked you out and came to visit me." She lightly slaps the Polynesian on the shoulder and leads the two towards a more secluded area.
"Take a seat ladies, your food will be out shortly."
Upon seeing the confused look on Normani's face, Dinah reaches across the table and places her hand on top of Normani's. "I kind of got Zendaya's opinion on what to get you."
"Since when do you know her?"
"Well, I went to the dance studio because I wanted to see you one day, but you weren't there so Zendaya filled me in and we just became instant friends." Dinah smiles cheekily at Normani as the waiter sets two plates down in front of them.
Several minutes of silence pass as they eat and its only when Normani sets her fork down and sits back with a guilty look on her face that Dinah looks up, looking worried at the change in the other girl's demeanor.
"What's wrong, love?"
"I just feel like for as long as I've known you, you've given me so much and I've given you little to nothing. I literally met you by breaking something of yours and you wouldn't even let me pay for it!" Normani claims as she clasps her hands together and leans her head on them.
"Mani, you give me the time of day, that's far more than enough. All I've really done since we've met is torment you constantly, and yet you still welcome me with open arms.... And a slap on the shoulder." Dinah smiles as the corner of the models plump lips curve upwards in a small grin.
"You always know just the right thing to say, don't you?" She speaks in a soft voice as she studies the Polynesian's face.
"Of course, I told you I'm gifted!" Dinah flips her hair in a dramatic fashion, and smiles when the girl across from her giggles.
The two continue to eat, granted a few more emotional moments due to Dinah's sweet words and Normanibeing the overly emotional girl she is.
Once the two finish their meal, they begin the hour long, traffic filled journey back to Queens. Though it went by fairly quickly being that they decided to get a little more than friendly in the back of the cab, choosing to ignore the young cab driver who was mumbling curse words and other obscenities under their breath.
======
"I think that was the best first date I've had in... ever, really. Thank you for tonight Dinah," Her voice comes out as a mere whisper as she and Dinah stand outside of the model's apartment after they arrive back from their night in Manhattan. It's almost one in the morning and the majority of people in the building are asleep, but the two women are wide awake, adrenaline from being in new surroundings having not worn off yet.
"I'll see you tomorrow at the bar, yeah?"
Normani leans in slightly "Yeah. Definitely tomorrow, bartender." She smirks as she presses her lips to Dinah's in a quick but passionate lip-lock as a form of sealing the deal and saying goodnight all in one.
"Later Babe!" Dinah waves as she walks down the quiet hallway.
Normani watches her until she disappears into the small elevator and leans up against her door, a wide smile creeps onto her face as she replays the night's events in her head before the door opens abruptly, causing her to fall backwards onto the floor with a loud thud. As she eases her way up off the floor, she hears someone chuckle under their breath, prompting her to look up. Zendaya, of course.
"Are you gonna stand out there all night or what?" Quips the taller girl as she walks over to the loveseat that she and Ally had been sitting on.
She leans back onto the padded arm of the loveseat before speaking again. "How was it, the date?"
Normani hangs up her trench coat before walking further into the apartments small living room. "Absolutely amazing," She pauses as a smile overtakes her face, "Why didn't you tell me you knew Dinah? Or that she came by the dance studio?"
"You never tell us about the people you meet, so I didn't tell you that I met Dinah. Simple."
"Touché Z, touché..." She trails off as she sits across from the other two girls.
"Okay, when am I going to meet this girl? Seems like everyone knows her but me..."
Normani rolls her eyes. "When you stop telling everyone you meet to buy merch or download your newest song, then I'll bring her over."
"I don't do that to everyone...." Ally fires back with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Listen to my new song With You! Oh, and follow AllyBrookeOfficial on Insta and twitter!" Zendaya mocks the smaller girl with a chuckle. "Besides a quick hello, that's literally the first thing you said to Odell when I brought him home for the first time!"
"How else am I going to get my name out there?" Ally pouts and flips the two girls off as they continue to tease her. Hey, you gotta get that promo somehow, right?
"Look, it's after midnight. I'm headed to bed, G'night putas!" The shortest of the three announces and practically runs into her room, not wanting to be teased any longer.
"I think that's the only curse word she actually knows in Spanish, and I don't think she even knows what it really means..." Zendaya laughs loudly and motions for the shorter girl to come over. Normani sits where Ally had been sitting and leans her head on her best friend's shoulder.
Zendaya sighs and rubs the girl's forearm. "Y'know, I'm kinda jealous of you,"
"Hmm, how so?"
"Well, for starters Dinah is incredibly sweet, witty and a little sarcastic, but sweet nonetheless. And you've seen her, she's fucking hot as hell!"
Normani snaps her head up and glares at the girl. "Watch it Coleman."
"What? I'm tellin' the truth! The tattoos make everything even better. So she's fine as hell, good personality, I wonder if she's good in bed to-"
"And the search for your chill is on-going! Jesus.." Normani interrupts her with a laugh as Zendaya moves to stand up.
"Can't blame me Mani, can't blame me a single bit. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go to bed. Don't stay up do late thinking 'bout your lover!"
"So annoying.." Normani mumbles as she begins swiping through various apps on her phone and texting Dinah to see if she made it home okay.
=====
"Have fun on your date Lauren, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Dinah to Lauren shouted over her shoulder. After nearly a month of crying over the Camila, Lauren had finally decided to get back out there. Sure, it was pretty early, but she found Tori to be quite the charmer and well, now they're going out for coffee at a nearby coffeehouse.
"There's not that much you wouldn't do, but okay Dinah. Whatever you say." Lauren retorts with a closed-lip smile as she grabs Tori's hand, leading them outside.
"Her and Tori compliment each other well," Liam smiles as he dries off a rocks glass before hanging it up on the rack to dry. "Almost better than you and your girl."
Dinah gasps playfully as she wipes down a table "Payne, I will fire you, don't think I won't." She points a finger at him as she sprays a table. They were closing the bar early tonight, being that everyone had places to be and things to do.
"Sorry, we're closed for the night." Dinah informs as she hears someone walk in, not bothering to look up from the table she was wiping down.
"Am I not allowed to pick up my lovely girlfriend from work?"
Dinah snaps her head up and smiles as she sees Normani standing by the door, winsome smile on her face as she takes off her beanie. "Hey Babe, how was the shoot?"
"It was so much fun! The set director was a bitch though, and what type of name is Halsey?"
"Is she really Snarky?"
Zendaya scoffs "If by snarky you mean bitchy and controlling, then yes." She looks to her girlfriend who has a troubled look on her face as she opens her mouth to speak.
"Really short hair, dyed light blonde?"
"Yeah, how'd you know? Did you shoot some photos for her or something?"
"Yeah... And we may or may not have dated, her name is Ashley by the way." Dinah mumbles the last part as she looks at her girlfriend who has a surprised yet slightly irritated expression on her face.
The model snorts with laughter before walking over to the younger girl. Not wanting to listen to the two girls any further, Liam scurries out of the bar and into the cold January weather of NYC.
"You have to be joking. How did you put up with her? Some other girl said something about the camera guy's hairline and she literally flipped her shit, Ashton was his name I think?" Normani tugs the Tongan girl closer by the ties of her apron. "She wouldn't be able to handle your little comments either, probably have a damn heart attack by the end of the first month."
"Well, we lasted five, think before you speak Hamilton." Dinah smiled as she pecked the shorter girl's lips.
Normani rubbed the girl's sides in a calming manner. "Why'd you two break up?"
"She punched Kehlani for stealing her drink, then got her ass kicked by Kehlani and when I broke up the fight she poured beer on me, so I broke up with her. She was crazy and still is, apparently." Dinah states in an unamused tone as she looked back at Normani, who had a shocked expression on her face.
"Lauren and Liam both have videos of the fight, shit was funny as hell,"
"Should I be concerned that you think its funny when your girlfriend gets beat up by your friend?" Normani quirks an eyebrow at the Tongan beauty.
"In my defense, I only found it funny after I broke up with her." A tight lipped smile crosses Dinah's face. "She did deserve it though."
Normani laughs in response and pulls away, "You almost done?"
"Would have been done a long time ago if you would have kept your hands to yourself," Dinah retorts with a chuckle as the model goes into the back room of the bar to grab her girlfriend's things.
She reappears and saunters back over to Dinah with an infuriatingly cute smirk plastered on her face. "Please, you love it when I put my hands on you," she closes in on the Tongan girl slowly and traps her against the cedar counter top. "Don't you?" she places one hand on the bartender's waist.
Dinah, who is taken aback by the sudden change of mood, looks down at the slightly shorter girl and is met with mahogany eyes that have a glint of want in them. She lets out a shaky breath before opening her mouth to speak. "Mani," she sucks in a breath of air as Normani leans forward and nips at her neck. The model lifts her head up slightly and rakes her nails over the bartenders clothed hip.
"I'm waiting, Hansen."
Normani is smirking wildly, knowing that only she can have this effect on the girl in front of her, knowing that only she can cause the girl to become this flustered and silent. But when she pulls back even more the smirk is wiped off her face when Dinah smashes their lips together and pulls her closer by the lapels of her beige pea coat. It takes a few seconds, but eventually Normani responds to the kiss, she brings her hands up and cups the Poly's cheeks and she swears that no matter how much she kisses this girl, there's always an electric current running through her body.
"That answer your question?" Dinah breathes as they pull apart, watching as the girl's eyes flutter open, revealing now smoked amber eyes.
"I may need more answers, hands-on learning is good too though," she smashes their lips back together, tugging at the apron that is wrapped around the other girl.
"Someone's eager," Dinah mumbles in between kisses and helps the model out, tugging the apron off and throwing it carelessly. "Let's go back to my apartment, this isn't the best place for this." she pulls back and pushes Normani back playfully before going to grab her things.
"Of course I'm eager, have you seen yourself?" Her voice comes out as a low, predatory growl as she walks after her girlfriend. "It'd be a crime not to be excited, honestly," She kisses the back of the girl's neck and snakes her arms around her body, rubbing her upper thighs slowly. Dinah leans back and relaxes against the girl, a low moan escapes her lips at the attention Normani was giving her.
"W-we really should go- oh my....." She trails off as Normani slips a hand into her acid washed jeans, nimble fingers slowly inching towards a more intimate area. She hasn't even done anything yet and Dinah feels like she's on cloud nine, going over the erotic turn of events that lead them to where they are now, in this oh so compromising position in a closed bar.
A loud, repetitive ringing stops them and after looking around, Dinah notices that the telephone is ringing away across the bar.
"Let's get out of here, C'mon Mani!"
"Aren't you going to answer it?" She quirks an eyebrow at the taller girl and leans against the wall.
"No, if anyone asks, we already left. Besides, if it was that important, they would've called my cel-" She cuts herself off as Normani darts towards the door, not even thinking about her checking her cellphone, which just so happens to be on silent.
The young bartender smirks to herself, watching her girlfriend (eager girlfriend, that is) as she collects her things in a quick manner.
"Can we go to my place? It's closer."
===== Warning: Shitty smut ahead
The pair burst into Normani's apartment and giggle like idiots as they make their way to the her small bedroom down a narrow hallway. Once inside the room, clothes are torn off lust filled bodies and their lips smash together with a bruising force. Small hands belonging to Normani roam Dinah's body with intentions of memorizing each and every inch of it whilst Dinah's plump lips become even more familiar with her girl's neck as they fall to the bed, completely and utterly lost in one another.
The bedroom door opening followed by two loud gasps causes the two lovers to snap their heads up and fling the sheets over them, nearly falling off the bed in the process of doing so. Once they compose themselves as much as they could, they look towards the door to see Ally and Zendaya, both with huge grins on their faces.
"Told you they'd do it here Daya, I should have put a bet on it!"
"But you didn't, so hush! Besides, who's to say they haven't done it before?"
"Why the hell are you two still here? Isn't it common sense to leave after you walk in on two people?" Normani hisses as she pulls the blanket further up in an attempt to cover up Dinah, whom is still on top of her.
"We've just been looking for you. We called the your cell, the dance studio, the bar and everything."
At the word 'bar' Normani looks directly up at Dinah and narrows her eyes ever so slightly, the words "your cell" going right over her head and Dinah, being Dinah, giggles and buries her head in Normani's curls.
"Is there a particular reason you two were looking for me? 'Cause if there wasn't you can leave now."
"No, no reason. But hey, it's nice to know where our best friend is, isn't it Ally?" Zendaya smirks at Normani and after hearing no response from her shorter companion, she looks down to see her staring at the two. One thing in particular. She follows Ally's line of sight and is met with Dinah's back, which is covered in even more tattoos and as a later addition- angry red lines, courtesy of Normani.
"Damn Mani, I was right! Dinah can lay it-"
"Zendaya!" Normani groans and lets her head fall onto the plush pillow, tugging Dinah along with her as the other two in the room begin arguing over who said what.
"Just play along." Normani whispers into Dinah's ear, her voice coming out as a light rasp as she speaks. Dinah pulls back slightly and Normani winks at her before arching her back.
"Oh- f-fuck Dinah!" She nearly screams and Dinah catches on an leans down to place open mouthed kisses along the column of her girl's neck in an attempt to make the whole thing more believable and the guttural moan that escapes Normani's throat in response to such a simple action is just a little too real for Zendaya and Ally.
"I suddenly need t-to go to church!"
"I think I'll join you..." Zendaya mumbles as Ally drags her out of the room, finally leaving the other two alone.
Once they hear the front door slam shut a few seconds later Dinah begins laughing almost hysterically and Normani joins in, finding the young Polynesian's smile and laughter to be contagious. The two girls continue laughing together until Dinah leans her forehead against that of Normani.
"This position seems a little familiar," Normani husks out as she brings her left hand up and rests it on the nape of the younger girl neck. "I remember it being a little more like this though."
Before Dinah can respond, Normani flips them over and pins her hands above her head. "This is more like it." She smirks down at the girl with dilated pupils and parted lips. Cocky in the streets, bottom in the sheets seems to be the case with this one.
Normani rakes her short nails down the Poly's arm and watches as goose bumps rise up on inked skin. She continues trailing her hands down Dinah's body, watching her facial expression turn into one of complete and utter pleasure as she inches lower and lower.
"You're so fucking beautiful, Dinah." She whispers against heated skin before leaving a trail of kisses and love bites down her body, stopping when she nears the girl's most intimate area. The women make eye contact and Dinah nods her head slightly and a breathy "Please" escapes parted lips as she forces her legs open a little wider in anticipation.
The older girl chuckles as she continues her way down, and when she gets to where Dinah needs her most she stops again, causing her lover to groan loudly.
"Maniplease, just fuck me." She says the last three words with such desperation it sends shockwaves to Normani's core. Hearing Dinah beg for her alone drove Normani mad with desire. So she gives in.
"As you wish," She mumbles before swiping her tongue through wet folds at a tantalizingly slow pace, drawing a string of curse words from the other girl's lips in response. Dinah was far too gone to even be remotely embarrassed about being brought so close to the edge so quickly.
Normani slips a single digit into Dinah's dripping core whilst wrapping her lips around the bundle of nerves, prompting the girl below her to buck her hips up in an urgent, wordless plea for more. Curling her fingers in Dinah's molten core and ravishing her swollen clit with a powerful momentum fueled by lust, Normani aches to see Dinah fall apart- and after a few more seconds, she does.
Her back arches and every nerve in her body is bursting with pleasure in an earth shattering orgasm that lasts for merely seconds but to Dinah the pleasure is almost endless. She collapses onto the bed, out of breath and barely able to move.
"I- Fuck Mani.." She pants as Normani trails kisses back up her still shaking body.
The older girl smiles down at her and pecks her lips before letting her own body fall next to Dinah's. In a pleasant turn of events Dinah rolls on top of Normani and wastes no time in letting her hand migrate down her body and in between her thick, voluptuous thighs.
Plunging long, nimble fingers knuckle deep into the older girls dripping core, Dinah watches as her face contorts from one of slight confusion to one of absolute pleasure.
Bless those fingers.
The feeling of being stretched out and having fingers curl and brush up against her velvety walls repeatedly in the most delectable way possible sends Mani flying off of the edge with a staggered scream of her lover's name before her body slumps against her mattress.
"You good, Babe?"
She opens her eyes to see Dinah smirking at her, obviously proud of what she did. She doesn't even answer the younger girl, instead she wraps both her arms around Dinah and pulls their bodies just a little bit closer together, relishing in the close and intimate proximity.
As she slowly begins to drift off into slumber, she feels Dinah gently roll them over so that Mani is almost on top of her and press a few soft, loving kisses to Normani's sweaty forehead and temple before falling into a deep sleep herself.
======
Streaks of light peeking into the room and landing on Normani's face is what wakes her up. Groaning softly to herself, she goes to get up but is stopped by strong arms pulling her back into a warm embrace.
"No, c'mere." Dinah rasps out as she peeks through hooded eyelids at the older girl and she opens them just a little wider to take in the sight before her- rays of light cascading over every inch of Normani's exposed body, casting a heavenly glow on her skin. Looking up a little further, she peers into once dark eyes, now a deep caramel color. For a split second Dinah wonders if maybe she's in heaven right now but finds a huge fault in that theory because the woman next to her is far better than any goddess or angel ever could be.
"Stop staring, DJ." Mumbles the older girl as she looks down, averting the strong gaze that Dinah has on her. She feels the bed bounce a little and looks over to see Dinah on her back, one arm spread out prompting Nomani to lie there. Taking the other girl up on her offer, Normani rests her head on Dinah's chest and inhales deeply, the light scent of vanilla and coconut washing away any thought that was unrelated to the girl whose arms she was in right then and there.
She allows her fingertips to graze across Dinah's chest and follow the lines of what look like several arrowheads.
"I know everyone with tattoos hate this question, but do these have any particular meaning?"
"Which part are you talking about exactly?" Dinah responds in a soft voice, not at all bothered by the question.
"The band of arrowheads, the ones right below your collarbone." She feels Dinah inhale deeply at the question, and almost regrets asking the question. That is until Dinah begins speaking in calm, almost far away voice.
"It means strength and courage in Polynesian culture. When I was younger, my family wasn't doing too well financially," Dinah pauses as she runs her fingers up Normani's toned arm, as if searching for some sort of comfort. "My father was our only source of income. My mom was too busy taking care of me and six other kids and when I was sixteen he passed away... The stress got to him."
Normani takes Dinah's hand in her own, and waits for the younger girl to continue.
"Instead of making my mom go to work and risk losing another parent, I did. After school and on weekends I worked, overtime and all until I was nineteen. We finally got into better shape financially and I've been here ever since." She feels a few tear drops hit her chest and she looks down to see a few tear tracks on Normani's cheeks and worry evident in her eyes. "The tattoo was to represent my family as a whole, but mainly my dad."
Normani flattens her hand against Dinah's chest, reveling in the feel of the strong heartbeat beneath her fingertips. Dinah had a heart of gold, forever faithful to her family and willing to go to any extent to make sure they were okay.
Dinah shifts so that she's hovering above Normani, nothing but love in her eyes as she leans down and presses a tender kiss to awaiting lips. "They're all okay now. I am too now that I have you." She wipes the remaining tears with her thumb and makes eye contact with the girl below her.
"I love you, Babe."
"I love you too, Bartender."
A/N: And there you have it! I may or may not have cried a little while writing the very last part. But anyways, thank you all for reading and please, vote and comment!
Also, once again a huge thank you to tattedupdayuh for helping me come up with this prompt a few months back!