Laufey had never talked about getting a tattoo before. She admired them, traced them with delicate fingers when she saw them on you, but never seemed to think of them as something for herself. You never brought it up either—never wanted to push something she hadn't considered.

But then, one night, while lying beside you, her head tucked comfortably against your shoulder, she spoke softly into the quiet. "I think I want a tattoo."

You turned to her, surprised, and before you could even ask, she added, "And I want you to do it."

It took a second to process, but when you did, you couldn't stop the warmth from spreading through your chest. She smiled at your excitement, fingers absentmindedly playing with yours as you reached for your tablet. She already knew what she wanted: Mei Mei. "She’s me, in a way," she had said, her voice barely above a whisper. That was all you needed to hear.

You refused to do it casually—if she was trusting you with this, you wanted it to be perfect. You scheduled a proper session at the shop, spent hours refining the design, making sure every little detail felt right. You sketched while she lay beside you, sleepy and content, watching with quiet fascination. "That one," she’d murmur, tracing the shape with her fingertip. "That feels like her."

Now, a few days later, the soft chime of the tattoo parlor’s door rang as she stepped inside.

You were at one of the tables, stylus in hand, making final adjustments to the design. Even though she had already seen it, even though you had drawn it with her curled up next to you, you wanted to be sure. She approached quietly, taking in the space with a mix of curiosity and nerves before stopping beside you.

You looked up, setting the tablet down gently.

"it's came together so well..."

she said, looking at the tablet

"i love it"