Work Text:
Kieran
I woke up with a start when I heard a raucous clattering in the kitchen. Shit, a break in? The last one had happened right across the street. No, that would be unusual, a break in at an apartment, not even a ground level one. Then I remembered, Mason was staying over.
Shit, Mason is in the kitchen unsupervised.
I lept out of bed overly confident in my readiness, tripping clumsily and bumping into the door frame in my haste.
I caught Mason attempting to crack an egg onto the cold shallow skillet. I watched from a short distance in defeated silence as the egg predictably slumped over the side of the ever so slightly unleveled surface, slopping below the burner grate and spreading it's mess far and wide.
I cleared my throat.
Mason ducked his head into his shoulders and raised his hands like I was pointing a gun at him.
"You know the rules! Dogs don't get to operate flammable appliances. And Masons don't get to touch unprepared foods, or mixers, or pots, or pans, or skillets."
"I'm starving, Kieran! I've been waiting for you to wake up for hours!"
"What are you running on mountain time? It's not even late, why have you been awake since 5?"
"Because! I am hungry!"
He really must be hungry to be so snippy with me when he should be apologetic for sneaking into the kitchen. A rank smell began eminating from the stove.
"Turn off the burner and step away from the hazard." I said stiffly.
After I had solved Mason's unanswerable riddle (how to make breakfast) for him I had a chance to relax in my favorite morning chair and think about the day ahead. I had a late shift at the bar and Mason had only just arrived for summer break last night so he had absolutely nowhere to be.
"What should we do today?" I asked, expecting a cheeky flirtatious reply.
"I made plans." Mason said while chewing. Made plans? To see someone? I tried to hold back my indignation,
"Oh?"
He smirked, indicating that I had failed at masking my tone.
"I made an appointment."
"Well, don't come out with it all at once." I said sarcastically.
"Relax. It's a fun appointment, I want you to come with me."
"Oh."
He laughed at me.
Mason pulled up to park in front of a nearby tattoo parlor, at first I didn't realize that was where he intended to go. When he led me toward the door I stopped.
"What are you here for?" I was genuinely surprised.
"I've been thinking of getting a piercing." He was grinning.
"Really? You? What kind?"
"Do you like nipple piercings?"
"You're not serious." I refused to be fooled. He tsked his tongue in disappointment.
"No. I'm joking. I just want to get my ears done."
"Interesting. I never would have expected that."
"Do you not think I should?"
"Oh, no. By all means." I gestured toward the door.
"So you'll like it then?" He showed a sliver of apprehension, I realized he needed a little encouragement.
"Yes. I think you'll look hot. I might have even imagined it before."
His face lifted with delight calling to mind a tail wagging puppy, apparently I'd been a little too generous.
We stepped inside the heavily decorated shop, it was like an occult bomb went off in there. Punk posters sprinkled about like oversized confetti.
"Hey look, your birthplace." Mason whispered, pointing to a theatrical decorative coffin. I threw my head back to roll my eyes as dramatically as possible.
"Is that any kind of attitude to bring to this sentimental homecoming?" He was damn annoying, I smacked his shoulder.
Once in the chair Mason's bravery seemed to falter. He held very still while the artist prepped him but I could hear his heart beat pick up when he saw the utensils come out.
"Babe, it's gonna be fine. You've handled plenty of football injuries, it'll be nothing." I patted his arm. He didn't respond.
"Alright, are you a counter?" The friendly woman asked.
"What?" He blinked.
"Just go." I said.
Mason yelped, he clenched his fists and teeth but successfully kept his head still.
"Um, I'm sorry it doesn't want to go through that easy." She sounded confused as she appeared to be wrestling with Mason's ear lobe. I hadn't considered that his skin would be thicker than human skin, now I felt bad that I'd underprepared him. His face was pale and his eyes wide, showing a lot of white.
"There!" She said pulling back slightly, then,
"Oh shit." His ear was dripping blood, rapidly.
She grabbed the paper towels and placed one on his shoulder. It started to become wet. She anxiously grabbed a few more and added them to the first with one hand while trying to swab the ear with the other, it's red stained rhinestone in the way. It appeared that she only succeeded in angering it.
"I've never seen anything like this." She laughed nervously.
Mason looked at me without turning his head. I cracked a smile at his side eye.
"You know what?" He started,"Maybe we'll just leave it with the one for today."
"I don't think you should." I said gently,"Best to get them both out of the way." I didn't want to pressure him but I was afraid it would be silly to just have one. Mason folded his hands in his lap with tense arms. The woman was pinching his ear with a paper towel, the floor looked like a scene from a medical drama series.
"We'll see if this one stops bleeding before we think about going forward." She said cheerfully.
A half hour and a roll of paper towels later we were back on the street outside.
"They look great, really." I wasn't lying. I knew he'd look cute with them.
"What made you decide to just wake up and do this anyway?"
He smiled easily.
"I like yours."
"That's cute."
"You're cute."