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It was a slow day at The Pierced Note. A few customers came in for a small tattoo and Verso had a couple of appointments. But for most of the day, Sciel and Verso were able to take some time to work on their own things.
For Sciel, this meant doodling out flash and working on the leg piece she was making for her girlfriend, Lune.
For Verso, it meant updating the studio calendar and replying to messages. Then, when that got too boring, watching videos on Instagram.
The sound of the door opening pulled Verso’s eyes away from the cat video playing on his phone. He quickly turned it off and shoved it in his pocket.
“Hi, how can I help?” He asked as he turned to greet the two walking in.
“You can help by getting this over and done with.” Verso’s little sister, Maelle, walked in. She waved to Sciel who was sitting on the sofa in the corner, doodling on her tablet.
Followed shortly by her tutor and now closest friend, Gustave.
Gustave entered their life quite a few years before. Maelle had been a… surprise when she was born. Verso and Clea were already fourteen. Aline and Renior did their best to take care of her but they were so busy. As Maelle grew older, it grew increasingly obvious they couldn’t look after her the way she needed. So Aline looked for a babysitter.
A young Gustave answered the ad. Soon, he became a constant part of their lives.
He quickly stole the hearts of the entire Dessaundre family. Well most of them anyway. Verso didn’t always have the highest thoughts about Gustave. The two of them had gotten off on a rocky start.
But Verso liked to think they were improving. At least his opinion of the other had drastically changed once he realised the man wasn’t looking to steal the older brother title from him. He began to look at Gustave in a different light. And once he did, he found that he couldn’t look away.
Verso had begun to fall hard. Gustave's soft voice and pretty face had begun to find him even in his dreams. It was incredibly annoying. He would often think about the dimples in his cheeks and how good they’d look with a bar through them.
So he was a little screwed. Falling for his sister’s babysitter cross tutor cross best friend was not on his list.
Not to mention that Gustave was incredibly awkward around him. Verso had never been particularly subtle about his dislike for the man before which Gustave definitely picked up on. Now coming back to bite Verso in the ass.
Gustave nodded to Verso as he walked in, carefully shutting the door behind him. ‘She’s very nervous.’ He mouths to Verso, subtly pointing to Maelle.
Verso smiled back and nodded before turning to Maelle.
“Need I remind you that this was your idea. You’ve been begging me to pierce your ears since you were ten.” Verso crossed his arms.
“I still can’t believe it took you this long to agree.”
“Uh, yeah. Papa would’ve killed me if I went through with it before you were sixteen.”
Verso raised his eyebrows at Gustave. “You here to get something too?”
“Oh no no. I’m not- Maelle just asked me to come for moral support.” Gustave waved his hands a little as he said it.
“What, is having your dear older brother doing the piercing not calming enough for you?” Verso asked, putting a hand to his chest in mock offence.
Maelle just shot him a deadpan look.
At least Gustave had the thought to look a little sheepish. He looked to the floor and rubbed the back of his neck.
“To be honest, Verso. You do have quite a scary face.” Sciel piped in.
“I do not.” Verso glared at her. “Don’t you have a client to prepare for?”
Sciel laughs as she raises her hands in the air in surrender. “Sure sure.” She turns to Maelle. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”
“Sciel, you’re not helping.” Gustave whisper-shouted to her as she passed. To which Sciel just winked at him and made her way to one of the rooms at the back.
Verso patted Maelle on the shoulder. “It’s really not that bad, kiddo. I mean look how many I have.”
“Yeah but you’re a freak who doesn’t feel pain.” Maelle said back, crossing her arms.
Despite the teasing tone to her voice, Verso saw the way her fingers were trembling.
“Freak?! I’m not a-“ Verso turns to Gustave. “I’m not a freak. I have a high pain threshold, is all.”
Gustave covered his mouth with his hand as he laughed. Verso couldn’t help the urge he felt to move it. See Gustave’s smile in full force with those damn dimples.
Verso mentally kicked himself. Focus.
Pulling out a consent form, he placed it on the counter in front of him. “Just need you to sign here. I filled out everything else for you.”
“Yeah sure.” Maelle grabbed the pen but hesitated. “You’re not joking about it not being painful, right?”
“Hey, I wouldn’t joke about that. Piercer’s word.”
Gustave patted Maelle’s shoulder. “It’s just a scratch, Maelle. You’ll hardly even notice it.”
She turned to Gustave. “Oh yeah? How would you know?” She crossed her arms. “You don’t have any piercings.”
“Oh well. I mean, yeah. I don’t know exactly but…” He looked to Verso, eyes pleading, looking for a way out.
Of course, Verso couldn’t let him get away so easily. “You know, Gustave… She has a point.”
“I mean you’re talking about it not being painful and you don’t even know. Maybe you should go first,” he smirked, “be a good role model.”
The look of betrayal on Gustave’s face had Verso desperately trying to hold back laughter.
Maelle nodded along, enthusiastically. “Yeah Gustave. It would make me feel a lot better.” Out came the puppy dog eyes.
If there was one thing Gustave and Verso had in common, it was their inability to say no to Maelle.
“… Fine.” Gustave ran a hand down his face. “Just one though.” He levels Verso with a pointed look. “Also no weird ones. Just the ear.” His eyes flicker down to Verso’s lips, probably worried that the man would give him snake bites like he had.
“Really? Here I was thinking how good you’d look with a couple bars through those pretty dimples of yours.” Verso said, leaning on his hand. While he sounded like he was joking, there was a small part of him that did think about it.
“Dimples-?! There’s no way people actually do that, right?” Gustave was wide eyed and touched his own cheek.
Verso nodded. “Oh yeah. All the time. Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“No.”
“Fine, fine.” Verso raised his hands in surrender before gesturing to a door behind him. “Come on back, you two.”
Holding the door open, Verso let them into his studio. Gustave went through first. Maelle, however, hung back. She was staring at Verso with an unreadable expression.
“What?”
“‘Pretty dimples’?” Is all she said.
Verso felt his cheeks begin to burn. “Well- I mean it’s true.”
Maelle squints at him, almost as if she was trying to figure out a particularly hard puzzle. Eventually she just shrugged, “you’re weird,” then followed Gustave into the room. Leaving Verso spluttering outside it.
That girl. Verso shakes his head, a fond smile on his face and cheeks still warm. Then, headed into the room.
“Okay, Gustave. Hop onto that chair.” He points to the black client chair that sat in the centre of the room. Gustave does so while looking around the room a little open mouthed.
Verso didn’t blame him.
A large window took up the majority of one wall, letting in the afternoon sun. One wall was lined with handwritten sheet music, some of them his own work, others were of his favourite songs. Another was a gallery wall of drawing and paintings. Most of them were Sciels, but there were a few by Clea as well as a couple of Maelle’s. The fourth wall was mostly blank save a large ornate mirror framed in gold.
Verso was proud of this room. It was a lot but it was him.
“This is… really nice. Amazing, actually.” Gustave says, turning to Verso.
Verso smiles brightly. “Thanks. It’s taken a while but I love how it turned out.”
Maelle takes a seat on the plush bench under the window. “What jewellery are you gonna have, Gustave?” She points to a floorstanding case that held all of the jewellery that Verso had available.
“Oh. I didn’t think about that.” He glances at the case then back to Verso. “You want to pick one for me? I have no idea what would look good.”
Verso was secretly hoping Gustave would say that. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” He pulls out a draw and grabs a stud, hiding from Gustave’s view. “But it’s a secret.”
“You’re enjoying torturing me, aren’t you?”
“Obviously.” Verso winks then turns to Maelle. “While I’m helping our victim here, you have a look at those and pick out which one you want.”
He moved to the chair, pulling his trolley over, already set up as he’d been expecting Maelle.
Verso brushed Gustave’s hair behind his ear, marvelling on how soft it was. He reaches over and grabs the disinfectant cloth. As he placed it on Gustave’s ear, the man flinched.
“Chill. I’m just cleaning it. No needle yet.” He waves the cloth in front of Gustave’s face.
“O-oh. Right. Sorry.”
“Relax, Gustave.” Verso runs his hands over Gustave’s shoulders. Pressing lightly in his shoulder blades trying to relieve some tension.
Under his fingers, Gustave tenses even more before letting out a breath. He lets his shoulders fall and nods. “I’m okay. I’m relaxed.”
Verso hummed skeptically but didn't say anything. One hand still on Gustave’s shoulder, he reached over and grabbed his marker.
He makes a mark on Gustave’s ear and steps back a bit to take a better look.
“Mirror over there, tell me what you think of the position.” Verso jerks his thumb to the mirror on the far wall.
Gustave went over and inspected his ear. He looks back to Verso, lost. “I think it’s okay? You’re the expert here.”
Snorting, Verso gestured to Gustave to come back to him. Face to face, Verso can appreciate the small height difference between them. Verso’s platform boots only add to it more.
Gustave’s eyes flicker over his face. From his black eyebrow piercing to his gold nose ring and finally settled on his lips.
Almost Unconsciously, Verso ran his tongue over his snake bites.
Gustave quickly looked away. Eyes trained on the floor.
Interesting. Verso filed that reaction away for later.
“It’s fine. Sit and we’ll get this done.” He gave Gustave a reassuring smile, patting the chair.
“Okay, now hold still.” Verso said, running his hand over Gustave’s shoulders again. Just because he could. “It will only take a second.”
Gustave took a deep breath in and released it. His eyes shifted to look at Verso and he gave a weak smile. “Go ahead.”
As Verso positioned the needle, he took note that Gustave had not looked away from him. In fact, if he didn’t know better, he would've said that Gustave was staring at him. More specifically, at his lips.
Verso forced his eyes away and willed his brain to focus. He could unpack everything later.
“3… 2… 1.” The needle slips though Gustave’s lobe quickly. The man flinches minutely but manages to stay mostly still.
Verso quickly put the earring through, just a simple gold bar with a red gem on the top. Red always suited Gustave.
“And done!” He said as he stepped away. “You sat so well for it too. Good boy.”
Gustave’s hand paused from where it had started to reach for his ear.
Verso stopped as well, eyes wide. Why the fuck did I say that?!
“A-anyway, take a look in the mirror and tell me what you think.” Verso ducks his head, busying himself with the tools on his tray.
He felt eyes on him and looked up only to make eye contact with Maelle who was looking at him with barely disguised disgust.
‘Not a word.’ He mouthed at her.
She mimed gagging and turned back to the jewellery case.
Verso took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. Then, he looked back to Gustave.
“So… what do you think?”
“It's… good.”
Tugging at a strand of hair, a nervous habit he’s never been able to shake, Verso chuckled half-heartedly. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was so nervous. Working in an industry like his, you were always going to have some unhappy customers. He was quite good at keeping his cool while dealing with them. But with Gustave, it was different. He tried to tell himself it was because he wasn’t just some stranger but part of him knew it was because it was Gustave, specifically.
“You don’t sound too sure.”
Gustave looked at him in the mirror. Quickly, he caught on to Verso’s nervous state. “Oh-oh no that's not- I mean-” He sighed. “It looks really nice. I just wasn’t expecting to like it?” He phrased the last part almost like a question.
“I’m not sure if I should take that as an insult or a compliment.”
Gustave ran a hand over his face. “Shit sorry, that was rude.” He turned so he was facing Verso fully, moving closer and put his hand on Verso’s arm.
The chill of the metal arm sent goosebumps up his skin. He was glad Gustave couldn’t feel them.
“Thank you, Verso. I’m glad you convinced me to do this.”
Verso’s mind blanked completely. “Oh yeah, think nothing of it.”
Gustave gave him a quick smile and squeezed his arm before letting go.
“So, Maelle.” He crossed his arms across his chest. “I do believe it’s your turn.”
Maelle was giving Verso that look again, the one which Verso was really starting to dislike. Squinting like she understood everything about him and wasn’t liking what she was seeing.
“Did you pick something out yet?” He said, if only to stop her from looking at him like that.
That quickly put a smile back onto her face. “Yup!” She pointed to a small rose shaped stud in rose gold. “That one.”
“Good choice. You sit down and I’ll get this done.”
As Verso moved around the room, retrieving the earrings and clean equipment, Gustave put an arm around Maelle’s shoulders.
“You’ll be fine. You can barely feel it. And I can say that now.”
It made Maelle snort and Verso could see the tension leaving her. He felt that familiar pang of jealousy that often came when he saw the two interacting. No where near as strong as it used to be, but still there. He swallowed it down and moved over to them, waving the needle in the air.
“Let's do this.”
Maelle’s piercing went smoothly. Of course it did, Verso was a professional. She oohed and aahed over the jewellery in the mirror.
“They look great! Thanks, Verso.” She wrapped her arms around him. He quickly reciprocated, giving her a squeeze.
“Anything for you dear sister. And, hey, if you want any more, you know where to find me.”
Maelle snorts. “I think if I got any more piercings Papa would have a heart attack.”
“I’m surprised they don’t have anything to say about your piercings, Verso.”
“Oh they have plenty of things to say about it. However, unlike this one, I am an adult and can make decisions that piss off my parents with little consequence.” Verso shrugged. “Besides, they’re used to it with me now. I think even they’d think I’d look weird without the piercings.”
“Hmm.” Gustave squinted his eyes at him, Verso watched as they flickered over his face again, mapping out his piercings.
Verso always thought that he didn’t get embarrassed or blushed easily. But when Gustave looked at him so intensely, he could feel his cheeks begin to heat up.
“You would look strange without them.” Gustave ponders, seemingly speaking mostly to himself. “They really do suit you.”
“Oh- uh- thanks.” Verso said eloquently, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.
Maelle cut in before either could say anything else. “Are you two done staring at each other? Because I would really like to get home.”
Gustave spluttered. “We weren’t- thats not-”
Verso merely glared at her.
Flashing him a cheeky grin, Maelle turned and walked out of the room.
“Come on, we should probably get you guys out of here.” Verso sighed.
Back at the front, Sciel was back on the couch, tablet out. Next to her sat Lune. Her legs were thrown over Sciel’s own, practically sitting in her lap. She looked out as they walked in and waved at them all.
“It went well, I take it?” She asked.
Maelle bounded over to her, showing off her new piercings.
“Gustave got one too!” She pointed over to him.
Lune raised her eyebrow. “You did?”
Gustave shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “These two twisted my arm.”
Sciel snorted. “Push over, much?”
Gustave flipped her off.
Verso pulled out two sheets of paper and handed them to Gustave and Maelle. “Take these. They tell you how to take care of your piercings.” He pointed to Maelle. “And trust me, I will be checking.”
“Yeah yeah.” She waved him off, folding the paper and slipping it into her bag.
Gusatve did the same, and then pulled out his wallet.
“How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t worry about it. We did kinda force you so… my treat.” Verso said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.
“If you’re sure…” Gustave was still frowning.
Suddenly struck with an idea that even he couldn’t tell was stupid or brilliant.
“Well if you insist, you can always make it up to me.”
Gustave looked a little taken aback. “Uh… how?”
Verso swallowed and tore off a page from his notebook he keeps for appointments. He scribbles a number down and slides it across to Gustave.
With a lot more confidence than he felt, he said, “Take that and let me know when you’re free and we can grab some drinks.”
A snort from the couch reminded Verso of the other two. Sciel was doubled over, hand covering her mouth to quiet her laughter. On the other hand, Lune was staring at them incredulously.
Maelle groans loudly. “Oh my god. I don’t want to hear this. I’m leaving.” Then she stormed out of the studio.
This caused Sciel to fall completely to the floor, howling.
Gustave appeared to not have even heard her. Instead he was staring at Verso, open mouthed.
“I- uh… Sure.” He took the piece of paper from Verso and stared down at it as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “I’ll give you a call.”
He looked back to Verso and smiled. Dimples full on display. It sent flutters through Verso’s chest. Like he was once again a teenager with their first crush.
Verso smiled back and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Maelle pushing the door open.
“Gusatve! Come on!”
“Right. Coming!” Gustave raised the paper, smiling at him again before turning to leave. He waved to the others.
“-stop flirting.”
“I was not-”
Verso only managed to catch a bit of his and Maelle’s conversation as they left the shop.
He sighed, resting his arms on the counter and hitting his head on them.
“You’re pathetic.” Lune said.
He felt a pat on his back and looked up to see that Sciel had managed to pull herself off the floor. She was no longer laughing but an amused grin was still planted across her face.
“Hey, at least it seemed like it worked.”
“You two are the worst friends a guy could ask for.”
Sciel laughed. “We love you too, don’t worry. But I believe you have a date to prepare for.”
Maybe he did.