inked metaphor |tk ✔️

chapter four.

-Chapter four-

"you don't have to stare at me." taehyung spoke up from the ink he was filling the pen with. "i can feel you glaring at the side of my face with those beady eyes of yours."

unbothered by the other's irritation, jeogguk merely rose a brow where he sat on the tattoo bed. "and? i have to make sure you don't fuck up."

"look here." taehyung hissed in irritation, looking up with a sour expression. he was starting to get pissed off by the other's attitude. "i'm just trying to get this done quickly, okay? but i can't if you keep being a-"

"calm down." jeongguk narrowed his eyes, scoffing incredulously as he clicked his tongue in distaste. "fuck, where the hell did joon even find you?"

taehyung shot him a glare, not even bothering to respond as he focused on the task at hand. he never considered himself a rude person, but something about jeongguk just riled him up, made his blood boil in the first 45 minutes of them meeting. "shut up."

jeongguk chuckled, leaning back in his seat to observe the other do as he was instructed. he couldn't help but find some kind of sick enjoyment out of irritating the blue haired man, his lips forming a slight smirk as he watched taehyung prepare the silicone piece he'd be tatting.

"since you've got the drawing part down, you'll only need to learn how to actually prep and ink." he explained, voice losing all amusement as he looked down at the stencil that had already been applied on the silicone. it was a little wonky, but that generally happens on a first try. nothing that can't be fixed. "you'll learn how to prepare and apply stencils quicker then you've just done. so once you've nailed that, you'll start the job on pay roll if namjoon hires you."

taehyung rolled his shoulders back, a cocky smirk gracing the corner of his lips as he held the ink gun in his gloved hands. "sounds easy enough."

jeongguk just watched silently, eyes bored as he watched the blue haired man begin to tattoo the silicone piece of flesh. his lips curled up when taehyung flinched from the sudden noise of ink gun as he turned it on, but his smirk fell when he noticed that taehyung didn't seem to be struggling as he got a comfortable grip and began to tattoo along the stencil lines.

taehyung's hands were covered with black latex gloves, hand a little shaky as he tatted, but he seemed to be doing quite well for a first-time apprentice. his eyebrows were furrowed, tongue sticking out in concentration.

so far, so good.

—

looking at taehyung's work so far, jeongguk was, as much as he didn't want to admit it, impressed with what he'd done. perhaps the blueberry wasn't useless afterall.

taehyung's gaze flickered up momentarily, their eyes meeting briefly. he quickly looked down, avoiding the sharp gaze. "don't stare."

jeongguk chuckled, standing up, cracking his muscles with a sigh from the strain. "i'm going for a smoke. you'll be okay by yourself for a couple of minutes, right? won't fuck up while i'm not here?"

"wait," taehyung looked up, turning the ink gun off, wiping the damp towel over the excess ink on the silicone to remove it from the tattoo. "i'll come." he took his gloves off quickly, standing up to grin at the dark haired man. "lend me one?"

raising a pierced brow, jeongguk just stared at him momentarily before shrugging boredly. "sure."

taehyung grinned, following the other out of the room. dressed in black leather and denim, jeoongguk was physically attractive to look at. taehyung would be a fool to not notice.

but his attitude?

taehyung found it almost amusing how easily the other pissed him off so early in their meeting. they'd only known eachother for an hour, and taehyung already hated the man.

but, he saw that jeongguk had many tattoos and piercings -everything that screamed 'don't fuck with me.'

it was hot, and taehyung was a weak man.

jeongguk didn't bother holding the back door for the blue haired man, taehyung grunting as it nearly shut on him. he scowled at the other's back, sighing as he leaned against the wall, the cold air hitting him full force.

jeongguk searched his pocket, pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter, pulling one out and placing it between his lips. he lazily passed one to taehyung, who hummed gratefully, before pocketing the box and lighting his cig.

taehyung waited, cigarette between his plush lips, for the lighter. but when jeongguk merely leaned in and held taehyung's jaw still, the tip of their cigarettes touching so his lit one lit taehyung's from the touch, effectively lighting it when taehyung inhaled, the blue haired man could only stare into the dark haired man's eyes with an amused glint.

"you're a tease, i see." taehyung mused when jeongguk moved away, leaning back as he took a drag, exhaling the smoke through his nose. "i like that."

"i don't give a shit about what you like." jeongguk sneered, scoffing at him as he took another drag of his cig. "think what you want."

"yeah yeah, sure." taehyung just smiled to himself as he looked around the street. the brick wall of the tattoo studio was cold against his back, despite the thick sweater he was wearing. it was refreshing. "so, do you think i have potential? not too shabby for a first timer, right?

"well, you're definitely not hopeless." jeongguk grumbled, shrugging lifelessly as he looked down at his cigarette. "so there's that."

"huh," taehyung smirked in victory, humming happily as he took another inhale of his cigarette. "i knew you liked me already."

jeongguk rolled his eyes, exhaling smoke as he tapped the ash away from the tip of the cig with his thumb. "you're annoying. cocky. i don't like you."

taehyung didn't care for jeongguk's defensive counter. perhaps he was wrong about the rude, snobby punk that was jeon jeongguk. the man seemed like a challenge, a tough cookie to crack.

and kim taehyung found himself developing an interest. he loved challenges, afterall.

————

This is a top tae book, believe it or not...
But idk bc i like the dynamic they have rn🤧

-TaesThickThighs