Page 183 of Paradox
“You did it on the wrong leg.”
I feel his lips on my shoulder. “Quit being a brat.”
I reach for the bottle of green soap mixture, and pour some on the rag. “Only if you put your name on me after all this.”
“Continue on your bratty ways, then.”
Slamming the bottle down beside me, I raise my free hand like I’m about to slap the tattoo, then calmly take the cloth and wipeaway the pinkish muck weeping from his skin. Next I take the tube of Bepanthen, and squeeze a little onto my finger.
“I hope this isn’t your way of convincing me to give you that job at the shop.”
“If there’ll still be one.”
“I was only ever meant to do two things with my life, and one of them was tattoo. So with, or without, Teken Ink, I’ll be working somewhere.”
"I know you'll be fine.”
“Aren’t you gonna ask me what the other thing is?”
I shake my head. “Nope.” And pick up the cling film. “You ask stupid questions, you get stupid answers.”
Grabbing me by the waist, and careful not to touch my back, Eden bites my shoulder right over where he kissed me. “I’ll never stop doing either of those things.”
With the role of cling film partially draped over his leg, I turn my head, and kiss him. “Will you help me find whatmyother thing is?”
“As long as it doesn’t involve an OnlyFans account, or you being around too many other men, of course.”
“I can promise one of those things.” His teeth are back, sinking deeper into my flesh.
My back arches, and I whine. “You can’t stop me from doing what I want.”
“But that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”
“Out of sight, out of mind. That’s the reason you wouldn’t let me work at the shop.”
“Jin.” His voice is stern, but I snap back just as hard.
“Eden.”
“That’s my boy. Don’t take anyone’s shit. Not even mine.”
“So stop dishing it out, then.”
I pick up the box of cling film and start wrapping it around his calf.
Slowly, his nose traces along the side of my neck and behind my ear. I sigh, and lean into it only for him to whisper, "No,” as he takes the cloth in his hand.
He annoys the shit out of me, but I’ll never give this up.
With my head hung forward, I wait while Eden cleans and prepares my back to be wrapped as well. It stings a little, and is in no way my fault, but I don’t say anything. I know he’s sorry.
After my whole upper torso is wrapped in clingfilm—because it’s the only option we have—I roll my shoulders and listen to the thin plastic crackle.
Gathering everything from the floor, I take it back to the kitchen, and again wash my hands.
It’s so sunny outside today.
It’s been blue skies for over a week.
