Work Text:
Chu Wanning arrives three minutes on the dot before her appointment, pushing through the door of the tattoo parlor with a steely confidence that she does not entirely feel.
The bell above the door chimes, drawing the attention of the girl draped lazily across the front desk. Her eyes flick over to Chu Wanning and she cracks a wide grin, no doubt cataloging her buttoned up business professional attire with amusement.
"One minute," she mouths with a wink, pointing to the phone in her hand.
Chu Wanning bristles, ready to snap back with some retort, but the girl's attention is already back on her conversation, the well defined muscles of her fully tattooed arms flexing as she winds the cord around her finger. Chu Wanning notices that she has very nice hands, and then scowls at herself for having thought that.
Stiffly, she sits down on the very edge of a bench near the window, questioning how likely she is to pick up some kind of disease from this...establishment.
Chu Wanning never thought she'd be doing something like this-has never even set foot in a tattoo parlor before. She has no idea what to expect, but the chaotic mish-mash of art and photos on the scarlet painted walls isn't exactly what she had in mind.
But she's here for Mo Ran, Chu Wanning reminds herself.
After coming across her work online, it only took a few images for Chu Wanning to make up her mind. Mo Ran's art positively came alive-even through the dismal quality of the photos.
Her work is effortlessly pulsing and vibrant, colorful and dynamic. Everything that Chu Wanning isn't. Which is precisely why she is here.
Chu Wanning never really cared for her boyfriend, now that she really thinks about it. She liked the attention he gave her...or at least she did in theory. But his hands were always too cold and clammy whenever he touched her, and she could never stomach the way he would try to pry her lips apart with his tongue on the rare occasion they kissed.
He said that he didn't mind that she wasn't ready to have sex, that he was willing to wait, but the third time in as many weeks that she had shoved his wandering hands away he had shown his true colors.
"Frigid fucking bitch," he had snarled, and Chu Wanning had not hesitated to slap him.
"Get out," she'd hissed.
Chu Wanning had spent the entire night, starfished in her bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering how things had ended up like this. She is tired of the way that people always seem to grow bored or scared of her, flocking towards her at first before they realize how cold and unexciting she really is. It's more than a little disheartening, each time it happens anew forcing Chu Wanning face to face with all of her inadequacies.
Just once, she wants someone to like her enough to stay.
"So what can I do for you?"
Chu Wanning snaps out of her reverie, directing her attention back to the girl at the front desk who is now leaning against it with both arms-such nice arms.
“I have a consultation with Mo Ran,” she says primly, shoving the thought down.
"That's me!" the girl brightens, pointing unnecessarily at herself.
Chu Wanning stares, stunned silent. She blinks, trying to reconcile the girl before her with the passionate artist she had seen online, one that clearly devotes such care to her craft. Mo Ran is not at all what Chu Wanning was expecting. She's so...young for once.
"Are you even old enough?" she sniffs, trying to overcome her sudden unease. At some point, this girl...no, woman is going to have her hands on Chu Wanning's bare skin, a thought that makes her mouth go inexplicably dry.
"Don't worry lady, everyone's of age here. That I can promise," Mo Ran waggles her eyebrows. “Speaking of, can I see your id first?”
Chu Wanning gets to her feet, reaching into her bag to pull out her wallet. Wordlessly, she hands over her card, snatching her fingers back to avoid the touch of Mo Ran’s reaching fingers.
“Chu Wanning, is it?” Mo Ran reads, her eyes flicking up to Chu Wanning’s face.
Up close, Chu Wanning can see how her short dark lashes perfectly frame her violet-tinged eyes. The sound of her name in Mo Ran’s mouth makes her stomach do flip flops. Stupid, she chastises herself, and nods.
“Looks like it’s a special day too,” Mo Ran beams at her. “Happy birthday!”
Suddenly, Chu Wanning doesn’t know what to do with her hands. Mo Ran is the first, and likely only, person to wish her so. Granted, no one at work knew that today was her birthday, but she doubts anyone would have said anything even if they had known.
Birthdays have never been much of a reason for Chu Wanning to celebrate. Before, she had a glimmer of hope that this year might be different-that her boyfriend might do something nice for her, but that had all gone up in flames.
So now Chu Wanning is here, alone on her birthday.
Well not completely alone.
“Let's see what kind of birthday magic we can come up with for you, Chu Wanning,” Mo Ran smiles before her gaze thankfully drops so that she can finish copying down the information from Chu Wanning’s card.
By the time she hands it back, Chu Wanning can only hope that the traitorous flush on her cheeks has died down.
“Come on in, we can sit down and talk about what you had in mind.”
Mo Ran doesn’t wait to see if she follows, heading towards a set of stairs. With one hand on the railing, she yells towards the back of the shop. “Xue Meng! Desk!”
She waits for a second, head cocked until a muffled groan sounds through a closed door, and then Mo Ran bounds up the steps.
The upper level is infinitely less chaotic than the downstairs and sets some of Chu Wanning’s nerves at ease. There are a few stations, each with shelves of colored inks and framed art on the walls. Chu Wanning can tell right away which one must be Mo Ran’s, her familiar style jumping out immediately.
Mo Ran motions for Chu Wanning to take a seat in the vaguely medical-looking black leather chair.
“Have you ever gotten a tattoo before?”
Chu Wanning shakes her head tightly.
“So you're a virgin?” Mo Ran asks cheerfully.
Chu Wanning freezes, heat flooding her cheeks again. Was it really that obvious that even this stranger could see it on her?
"Excuse me?" she snaps, anger rising up to cover her humiliation.
Mo Ran, for her part, doesn’t bat an eye at Chu Wanning’s tone.
"It's your first time-that means you're a tattoo virgin!"
Chu Wanning's brows furrow deeper as she feels her face get hotter still. Mo Ran's eyes go serious, and she catches Chu Wanning's gaze to say, with exaggerated solemnity, "I'm honored to be the one to pop your tattoo cherry.”
Chu Wanning splutters and Mo Ran lets out a laugh, throwing her head back in a way that reveals the strands of creeping willow vines that peek out of the collar of her shirt and trail up her neck.
“Sorry, sorry, I just had to!” she says, still chuckling.
Chu Wanning purses her lips.
“Tell me what kind of design you’re wanting to do.” Mo Ran prompts.
Chu Wanning takes a deep breath.
“I really enjoy your florals. There’s something quite…captivating about them,” she coughs out, pushing through her discomfort. Mo Ran is an artist and she needs to know Chu Wanning’s vision. That’s all this is. “I like haitang blossoms,” she adds, and somehow it feels like an admission of something more vulnerable.
Mo Ran nods thoughtfully.
“Did you have any preference about size and placement?” she follows up. “I can work small, but it will sacrifice on detail. Wrists and ankles are popular with a lot of girls.”
Chu Wanning tries not to think about just how many girls Mo Ran has tattooed. it’s nothing more than a transaction, she reminds herself. One that will play out on her skin, but still a business deal nonetheless. There’s nothing personal about it.
“I want it on my back. I don’t mind big, just as long as it can be covered for the office.”
Chu Wanning can see the gears turning in Mo Ran’s hand, her artist’s eye at work. Underneath her somewhat rugged exterior, Mo Ran knows what she is doing, that much is for sure.
“I like to feel my pieces out as I go, so I don’t usually do sketches beforehand,” Mo Ran cautions.
“That’s fine. I'm familiar with your work. I trust you…r vision,” Chu Wanning catches herself at the end.
“Okay, then let’s talk scheduling,” Mo Ran chirps. “Normally my books are filled at least two months out.”
Chu Wanning deflates. She’d known she would have to wait, but she had hoped it would be sooner than that. Mo Ran catches her eye.
“But,” Mo Ran continues, “my tonight just canceled on me, so we could do it right now if you’re ready.”
Chu Wanning goes still.
“Now?”
“It's that or I can put you in for sometime in October,” Mo Ran shrugs.
Chu Wanning had wanted a change. This was her chance. Two months is a long time to wait, and she doesn’t want to give herself the chance to back out.
“...Alright,” she says slowly.
“You sure?” Mo Ran lifts a brow at her obvious hesitance. “These things are a little bit permanent.”
“I know that!” Chu Wanning snaps, and Mo Ran raises her hands with a chuckle.
“‘Kay, just making sure. Now, would you rather do it sitting or lying down?”
Mo Ran’s smile is a little too cheeky, but Chu Wanning doesn’t give her the satisfaction of acknowledging the innuendo.
“Lying down, if you don’t mind,” she sniffs.
“Not at all,” Mo Ran grins and then adjusts the seat, the heat of her skin radiating tangibly as she gets up close to Chu Wanning. She holds her breath, not daring to move a muscle until Mo Ran steps back.
“I'm gonna go get my stuff together, so you can make yourself comfortable.”
Chu Wanning is just trying to figure out the most dignified way to get up on her stomach when Mo Ran calls over her shoulder.
“You can hang your shirt up on one of the hooks if you want. Oh, and don’t forget to take off your bra. I think I'd like to go across the shoulders.”
And then she is gone, leaving Chu Wanning to face the realization that she is not remotely dressed for the occasion. This was just supposed to be a consultation! If she had known Mo Ran was actually going to tattoo her today, she would have worn a different shirt-one that didn’t require her to be naked from the waist up in front of a stranger!
She stares at the chair, not knowing how to proceed, face growing steadily hotter. She must zone out for a couple of minutes, mind racing with thoughts of her impending nudity, when she hears Mo Ran’s footsteps returning.
Chu Wanning moves in a flash, unbuttoning her shirt and removing her white lace bra as quickly as possible so that she can be on her stomach before Mo Ran can see her chest.
Behind her, she hears a sharp intake of breath. She clamps down on her desire to turn around and look, making sure to keep her exposed breasts out of Mo Ran’s sight.
“Your skin is gorgeous,” Mo Ran exhales. “I can't wait to get my hands on you.”
Chu Wanning must be imagining how Mo Ran’s voice has gone a little husky. She flinches at a cool touch on her bare back.
“It’s just me,” Mo Ran says, soothingly as she drags a gloved fingertip between Chu Wanning’s shoulderblades. “I’m thinking a cluster here and here,” Mo Ran hums, and Chu Wanning can’t help the way her muscles tense at the slight pressure as she traces out her design.
“Whatever you think is best,” she chokes out, forehead dropping down onto her forearms.
When Mo Ran finally brings the needle to Chu Wanning’s skin, it is a blessed reprieve from the grazing touch of her hands. She feels the burning right away, though it is less painful than she thought it might be.
“Don’t forget to breathe,” Mo Ran reminds her softly.
Chu Wanning wants to bite back, but the sudden rush of air into her lungs proves Mo Ran’s point. She hadn’t realized that she was holding her breath.
“Good girl,” Mo Ran praises her, and Chu Wanning stutters around her next breath.
Mo Ran works intently, not too fast or too slow. She doesn’t talk to Chu Wanning much-which she is fine with-only making the occasional comment.
“You're sitting so well for me. Hard to believe this is really your first time,” Mo Ran chuckles, pulling away to wipe something soft across Chu Wanning’s back.
She bristles, but then Mo Ran is leaning heavily over her again.
“Deep breaths, baobei.”
The adrenaline must be making Chu Wanning hear things, but she breathes in all the same. After a few minutes, they fall into a rhythm. The pain is there, but it is consistent, and if Chu Wanning tries hard enough, she can convince her brain that it doesn’t hurt at all.
Mo Ran’s hands ghost along her shoulders, the press of her arms firm against her lower back where she is braced against Chu Wanning’s body.
It's shockingly intimate, but something about the pressure of lying on her stomach with Mo Ran at her back keeps Chu Wanning’s mind from spinning out. She focuses on breathing, lengthening each exhale to slow her thrumming heart.
“Do you need to take a break?” Mo Ran asks at some point, but Chu Wanning just mumbles out a no. After so long, her skin has grown even more sensitive, and she worries that stopping will make it that much harder to continue.
“I've had grown-ass men crying from much smaller pieces, but you’re sitting like a rock. You’re doing amazing, really.”
Chu Wanning tamps down the surge of pride that flares inside of her at the compliment.
“Just get on with it,” she huffs instead.
“Anything for the birthday girl,” Mo Ran laughs good-naturedly and then settles back in.
The needle feels like a white-hot barb as it scours against Chu Wanning’s hyper-sensitive skin, and she forces herself not to squirm. She has lasted this long-no sense in ruining it all now.
When the pain is teetering on the edge of too much, Mo Ran pulls away. The incessant humming of the pen finally stops, and Chu Wanning notices just how quiet everything is without it, though she she can still feel a phantom buzz coursing through her limbs.
Mo Ran runs a damp cloth over Chu Wanning’s back, her shoulders jerking involuntarily before acknowledging the pleasant coolness.
“Do you want to see?”
“Mn.”
Mo Ran helps Chu Wanning to sit up, holding a mirror up to her back. Where once there had been a pale expanse of untouched skin, now her flesh is a flourishing garden of vibrant blossoms. The dark wood branches peek out here and there, adding just a hint of darkness to the otherwise bright, sunset tones of the flowers. Her skin is bright red along the edges of the design before it fades back into creamy, untouched marble.
Chu Wanning can scarcely believe that this is on her body-forever. It's beautiful.
“Do you like it?”
Mo Ran’s voice is gentle, but Chu Wanning still startles. She blinks, and then turns to face Mo Ran. Her head is light and her heart beating as fast as a bird’s wings, but she looks her in the eye nonetheless.
“I do. Thank you, Mo Ran.”
She says it as sincerely as she means it. What Mo Ran has created is as lovely as any painting in a museum, perhaps even more lovely for it now being inseparable from Chu Wanning herself. Mo Ran’s cheeks seem to go a little pink.
“Uh…here let me just-” she grabs at something on her table and guides Chu Wanning to face away from her again before affixing something to her back. “This is your bandage. You probably want to keep it on for at least a few days, but up to a week is fine. I’ll uh…go ring you up. You can come down whenever you’re ready,” Mo Ran says, looking strangely furtive as she shuffles over to the stairs.
Ready?
Chu Wanning abruptly goes red when she remembers that she is currently topless-which Mo Ran absolutely must have seen.
Fuck.
Surely these are not the first breasts that Mo Ran has ever seen in her line of work, but that thought does little to make Chu Wanning feel better about the situation.
“So, how was your first time?” Mo Ran asks when Chu Wanning finally makes it downstairs, shirt buttoned fully to the neck. “No one's ever really satisfied with one. Once you get a taste for it...people say that it's addictive.”
Mo Ran wets her lips, soft pink tongue darting enticingly out and drawing Chu Wanning's eyes down.
“And what do you think?” she manages to respond.
"I think that's probably obvious," Mo Ran smiles, and for a moment Chu Wanning forgets what she'd asked, so wild does her mind spin as Mo Ran spreads her arms wide.
Then Chu Wanning’s mind goes blank and she can only blink as Mo Ran’s biceps flex, showing off her full sleeves.
“Anyway, here’s the total. Cash is preferred, but we do take cards,” Mo Ran drops her arms, getting back to business and Chu Wanning schools her features into something that she hopes is comes off as neutral. “This is your copy of the receipt and then this sheet has all the aftercare instructions,” Mo Ran continues as she hands Chu Wanning a couple folded sheets of paper. “But you can always give me a call if you lose it or have any…other questions.”
There’s a quirk to Mo Ran’s smile and a glint in her eyes that Chu Wanning doesn’t fully understand. Her brain is too addled from all the adrenaline to do anything more than thank Mo Ran once again.
When Chu Wanning steps onto the sidewalk, the brisk evening air brings her back to life a little. She checks her phone. Had it really been almost 5 hours? she wonders, aghast. It had simultaneously felt like a mere instant and an entire lifetime spent in Mo Ran’s chair.
With trembling hands, she unfolds the papers, pausing when a small card falls out. Her heart jumps into her throat before she sees that it is nothing more than Mo Ran’s business card and then lets out a tight sigh.
Upon closer inspection though, she notes some ballpoint pen scratchings on the back, and brings it closer to make out the messy scrawl.
You can sit on for me anytime, birthday girl ;)
-Mo Ran
What follows is a phone number, one that Chu Wanning knows for certain does not belong to the tattoo shop. She shivers and the sensation tingles across the skin of her back, lingering at all the places that Mo Ran has left her mark on Chu Wanning forever.