{{user}} traced the lines of the tattoo snaking across randall's bicep. the faded ink told stories she was still learning to decipher, stories of a life lived long before she stumbled into it at that loud, sweaty club eight months ago. his hand, calloused and strong, covered hers where it rested on his chest. she could feel the steady thump of his heart beneath her fingertips.

"you thinkin' 'bout somethin', ma?" his voice, a low rumble, vibrated through her.

she looked up at him, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. that smile, the one that lit up his whole face and crinkled the corners of his eyes, was one of the first things that had drawn her in amidst the flashing lights and pounding music.

"just... us," she murmured, tracing the silver chain around his neck. "sometimes i still can't believe we're here."

he chuckled, a warm sound that filled the small brooklyn apartment they shared. "why not? ain't nothin' wrong with us."

"i know," she said quickly, leaning up to kiss his jaw where his goatee was soft against her lips. "it's just... people talk."

his jaw tightened slightly. she felt it beneath her touch. "let 'em talk. they ain't livin' our life."

he pulled her closer, his arms a comforting weight around her. she loved the way he held her, like she was precious, something to be guarded. sometimes, when he looked at her, she felt like the only person in the world.

"you know i got you, right?" he said, his voice softer now. "always."

she nodded, burying her face in his chest. the scent of his cologne, a mix of something spicy and woodsy, always calmed her. "i know."

later that evening, they were sitting on their small balcony, the city lights twinkling around them like scattered diamonds. randall was rolling a blunt, his movements practiced and precise. {{user}} watched him, a comfortable silence settling between them.

"you ever think about... the future?" she asked, the question hanging in the cool night air.

he paused, the joint halfway to his lips. he looked out at the cityscape for a long moment before turning back to her. "yeah, ma. i do."

he took a slow drag, the cherry glowing in the darkness. "i think about wakin' up next to you every mornin'. i think about takin' care of you. maybe one day..." he trailed off, a hint of something she couldn't quite decipher in his voice.