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“I’m gonna get a tattoo.”
Nina snorts as she slips her head under Matthias’ arm, and he heavily leans on her. “Careful there, champ, you’re going to make me crumple to the ground!”
“No, I’m—I’m gonna get a tattoo.”
“Has the beer gone to your head?”
“I’m not drunk.” His slurring words say otherwise.
“Sure you’re not, honey,” Nina smiles, pulling him towards the front garden. The last notes of the party boom behind them from the house, mixing with laughter and shouted goodbyes.
“Just had a few beers.”
“You had way more than a few and you can never hold your liquor,” she points out.
“No, I—it doesn’t matter,” Matthias says, waving the argument away with a big hand. “I’m gonna get a tattoo. Drunk or sober.”
“You’re gonna get it now?”
“Not now, you—” He turns his head, looking at her with a pout. “You’re making fun of me.”
Nina gasps. “I would never!”
“Wasn’t a question,” he frowns.
She pats him on the chest, bringing her arm tighter around his waist and taking further steps towards their parked car.
“Okay, okay,” she relents, “Then a tattoo it is. I’m gonna ask around and see who’s got a free date, what do you say?”
“I say it’s perfect,” he nods seriously, unaware of Nina’s quiet chuckles.
“And what will this tattoo be?”
Matthias frowns again, stopping in his tracks and slipping away from Nina. Then he blinks, as if suddenly remembering what he had already chosen. “A wolf.”
She’s a few steps ahead of him, holding his hand. “A wolf?”
“Yeah, a wolf,” Matthias repeats, letting her go and bringing both of his hands to his chest. His fingers spread out below his clavicle, eyes dancing around as though considering something—the position, probably. He moves them around hesitantly, before resting palms on his ribcage. “A pack, maybe.”
“A pack of wolves? On your chest?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing!” she laughs, squeezing herself in her shoulders. “Why wolves?”
“I like wolves.”
“Since when?”
“Since two minutes ago or my entire life, what difference does it make to you?” he exclaims.
“Oi, turn the attitude down,” Nina says, pointing an accusatory finger, albeit with a lighthearted smile. “So you’re gonna get a pack of wolves tattooed on your chest as soon as possible.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said,” Matthias nods.
“Okay,” Nina nods back, reaching for his hand and leading him to the car. “Let’s go home and we’ll brainstorm some drawings, hm?”
Matthias hums in agreement, taking her outstretched hand. They manage two steps before he stops again. “Are you messing with me?”
“Why would I?” Nina says, raising her eyebrows. It’s incredibly difficult to hold back her laughter. Tipsy Matthias may be one of her favorite versions of him. He’s usually so reserved, quiet and hesitant in allowing his feelings to show, but certainly a striking difference from his alcohol-induced behavior. Nina relishes the rainbow of emotions displayed clearly on his face.
“You don’t think I will do it.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t have to say it, you think it,” now Matthias is the one pointing accusatory fingers. “I am going to do it.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“I am.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Three wolves.”
“Three—wow,” Nina’s smile is ready to break her face. “That’s a…” she trails off, shaking her head. “A number. A nice number.”
Matthias’ hands return to his chest, prodding at the places where he wants the wolves etched. He bites his lips, nodding at himself in satisfaction. “Yeah, three.” He lifts his gaze to look at her. “I’ll do it—why do you think I won’t do it?” he asks suddenly, discouraged.
“I don’t, honey!” Nina assures him, his crestfallen expression tugging at her heart. She places her hands over his, caressing his knuckles with her thumbs. “The tattoos are going to look amazing.”
“I know you’re lying,” Matthias says seriously.
“I’m not—”
“Stop it, I know you are—why?”
Nina sighs deeply, curling her fingers over his, quite dismayed that she must deliver this news to her tipsy boyfriend. “Well, baby, what can I say…” She glances up at him, scrunching her nose and bracing for his reaction. “You’re afraid of needles.”
Matthias stares at her for a second, his brows twinned together. Then he scoffs loudly. “I’m not afraid of needles!”
She can’t rein in her snort. “You are, darling. Though it’s nice that the alcohol’s made you forget.”
“I’m not!”
“Love, I had to hold your hand when you got your flu shot last winter!”
“That’s—that—that doesn’t mean anything!” he stammers, untangling his hands from hers.
“When was the last time you got your blood analyses?”
“That’s not relevant!” His voice pitches higher, which only makes the situation even funnier to Nina. As if the mighty man afraid of needles wasn’t already fun—bit of an elephant and mouse scenario.
“It’s relevant, because the reason you avoid them is that you’re scared of needles,” she explains, still smiling. “You fainted the last time.”
“No,” he retorts, crossing his arms, “I fainted because I didn’t have enough blood.”
Nina bit back a guffaw at his solemn face.
“It’s true,” Matthias insists. “Why else wouldn’t I be a blood donor then?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows in a Checkmate!-like expression.
Nina’s eyes wander for a moment, pretending to ponder it before teasing him with a tilt of her head. “Because you’re afraid of needles.”
“I’m not afraid of needles!” Matthias screams.
“Okay, okay,” Nina laughs, raising her hands in defeat, “you’re not afraid of needles, fine. You’re gonna get your fantastic three wolves right on your chest, and everything will be perfect, alright?”
“Yes, alright,” he repeats firmly as she pushes him again towards the car, finally coaxing him to sit inside. “It will be beautiful.”
“It definitely will,” she agrees as she slides into the driver seat and revs the engine.
Matthias stays silent for a minute or so, just nodding, hands still on his chest.
“It’s a different needle, though, isn’t it?” he says timidly. “I mean—no, stop it,” he grumbles when Nina fails to hide a laugh. “Listen. With the blood, it’s big and it gets in the vein and it’s…” he trails off, shuddering lightly.
“The vaccine one isn’t as big—”
“I was—feeling—I was nervous that day for other things, okay? I didn’t have breakfast.” Nina bites her lips again. “Hey, I could have done it without you.”
“Yes, of course you could have, dear,” she says, reaching for his knee and squeezing it. “Do you want me to be there for the tattoo?”
“No,” he deadpans, “I will do it. I will.” A beat. “I will.”
“Yeah, you will.”
“I will,” he mumbles, turning back to face the road.
-
The morning after finds Nina reentering the bedroom with a greenish concoction in her hand, Matthias still slumped between the sheets with his mouth hanging open in slumber. She leaves the glass on the bedside table, leaning down to press a kiss to his temple.
“Matthias.” A grunt. “Babe.” Another one. She brushes some strands of hair from his face. “Wake up.”
He sighs as he opens his eyes, turning on his back and looking up at her to say a groggy, “Hi.”
“Hi,” Nina smiles, then she lifts the glass and waves it in front of him. “I’ve got your special potion.”
Matthias groans as he sits up, his back against the bedrest and his hands scrubbing his face. He stretches an arm to grab the glass and starts downing the smoothie, his expression too laced with sleep to be readable.
Nina lets a few minutes pass in silence, then clears her throat. “So, I’ve heard from Kaz, who told me his trusted tattoo artist has an opening next week. Should I book it?” she asks, quite innocently.
The look Matthias gives her is bewildered to say the least. He did have a bit too much to drink the previous night after all. She watches as his memories come back to him slowly; his features twist to and fro as he recalls the tattoo notion, the wolves and the needles. His face settles on a grimace, probably a sign that it’s all returned to him.
“You don’t have to go through with, I—”
“No, it’s fine,” he says, his voice still throaty. “I said I would, and I’ll do it. I’ve decided.”
Nina manages to rein in an ugly snort. “Three wolves on your chest.”
“That’s right,” Matthias confirms. “Three wolves on my chest.” Maybe his voice still trembles, but that’s alright, isn’t it?
She hums for a moment as he sips the dregs of the drink. “You do know that you’ll have to wax your chest, right?”
“What?” His head snaps around as he sputters, his eyes widening comically.
“Well, of course, hon, you’ve got a meadow here,” Nina chuckles, dragging her hand over Matthias’ naked chest. “Not that I’m complaining, obviously, just…”
“No, pause, hold on, I’m not going—that’s—not—torture. No,” he says, shaking his head for so long and so quickly that Nina fears he’ll give himself a headache.
She tucks her lips in, a throaty laugh threatening to explode. “So you’re not going to do it.”
“No,” Matthias repeats firmly. “But it’s not because of the needles,” he clarifies quickly, seeing Nina’s eyes already glinting.
“Obviously not because of the needles.”
“Right.”
“Yeah. I have a proposal, then. Can we go get your blood tested, instead? So you can come with me for the donation next time.”
Matthias pales on the spot, his face as white as the bedsheets around them. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
“It’s a big needle,” she pushes, taking the glass from him and setting it on the bedside table.
“No problem,” he croaks out, gulping audibly.
“A lot of blood, too. Won’t you faint?”
“Let’s see what the tests say, right?” he mumbles as Nina climbs onto the bed and then onto him.
“Hm, right, sound choice,” she whispers against his lips before leaving a kiss. “I’m excited.”
“Same,” he nods, furrowing his brows.
“We’ll discuss the details later.”
“Okay,” his hands wrap around her waist. “But I might already have a packed schedule next week. So no promises.”
Nina laughs, pressing herself down on him. “Fine. Let’s put it on hold for now, shall we?”
6 years later
“Make sure she’s in bed by 8 PM.”
“Yes.”
“And that she doesn’t eat too much, otherwise her stomach will bother her.”
“Yep, you guys wrote that in the list.”
“Remember to check on her after an hour or so because—”
“Sometimes she struggles to fall asleep.”
“Right, and—”
“And that’s it. Our friends will take extremely good care of our daughter for the two hours we’re going to spend out of the house for the first time in almost a year.” Nina shoots an apologetic look to Wylan, who simply smiles at her.
They all know how her husband gets when it comes to their sweet Eyra.
Matthias grumbles, though he’s distracted by the subject of the conversation wriggling in his arms. He shifts his hold so that she faces him with a beautiful little pout, her small fingers grazing her dada’s cheek.
“You’re going to be good for uncle Wylan and uncle Jesper, right? Mummy and I will come back soon.” Matthias kisses Eyra’s hand delicately, then gives her to Wylan.
Nina hears him sigh sadly, so she brings an arm around him. “She’s going to be fine. It’s just dinner.”
“I know, but it’s the first time we spend the night separately.”
After a few more minutes of convincing Matthias that everything will be alright, they say goodbye to their friends, setting off to their first date night in a long time. Nina is not surprised to catch Matthias’ hand rubbing his chest every now and then throughout the night, almost unconsciously.
There, under his button-down, lies a tattoo of three grey wolves. A pack. A family.