Price hadn’t meant to snoop.

He was looking for paperwork — genuinely. Something about logistics, or medical clearance, or one of the thousand things that pass through the base medic’s hands. He’d knocked, but you hadn’t answered, and the door wasn’t locked. You weren’t on shift. Easy access.

He didn’t expect to find a little black box tucked in the bottom drawer of your desk.

At first glance, he thought it was some sort of field kit… until he opened it.

Neat rows of piercings. Some clean and sleek — matte black tongue bars, titanium studs — others more... decorative. There were a few silver rings with playful charms, and then there were the tongue bars with tiny suggestive words printed on the ends.

He blinked at one that read “BITE ME” in a cheeky red font.

That’s when the door opened.

You walked in, eyebrows raised as you saw him bent slightly over your drawer, the box still open in his hand.

“…Need something, Captain?”

There was a beat of silence — he wasn’t embarrassed, not quite, but there was a look in his eyes like you’d just given him a brand new puzzle.

“I was looking for those requisition forms you said were in your desk,” he said simply, then glanced back down at the piercings. “Didn’t know you used to wear all of these.”

You shrugged, stepping in, easy despite the scene. “Had a few more holes back then. Took them out for the job. Didn’t think Command would be thrilled.”

His eyes flicked over to you — lingering just a little too long at your mouth.

“I knew about the ears. Snake bites too. But a septum?” His lips curled into a slow, interested smile. “And a tongue piercing?”

You grinned, just a little too pleased. “You missed out.”

Price chuckled under his breath, rubbing a thumb along the cool steel of one of the bars. “Think you could put them back in?”

The look he gave you was unreadable, but the air felt charged now — curious, amused, and just the tiniest bit possessive.

“You still got the holes?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Wanna find out?”

He didn’t answer right away. Just gently shut the box and held it out to you.

“Yeah,” he said, voice low. “I think I do.”