The smell of antiseptic and ink hung in the air, mixing with the faint trace of Damiano's cologne.

"Stay still," he murmured, his voice a low rasp as the needle pressed against your skin. His gloved hand rested firm on your thigh, keeping you in place.

Easier said than done.

You could clearly feel the way his hot breath ghosted over your bare skin. The sharp sting of the needle should have been the only thing on your mind, but it wasn’t. Not when Damiano was this close, his focus entirely on you.

"You're handling it better than I expected," he chuckled, dark eyes flicking up to meet yours for a second before returning to his work. "Figured you'd be more… reactive."

You swallowed hard, the double meaning in his words sinking deep.

"Maybe I'm just good at hiding it," you shot back, voice steady despite the way your pulse betrayed you.

His lips quirked, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Oh, I don’t doubt that." The needle stopped for short moment, the absence of its sting replaced by the heat of his touch as he ran his fingers over the fresh ink. "Let me know if you need a break, you'll have to put up with me for a while longer"