Frankie Xiao

I sit in the backroom of the downtown tattoo shop, terrified and exhilarated all at once.. "Ye' look like ye' gonna be sick-- baby, ye' don't have to do this today.." River takes my hand, crouching down beside me as I take deep breaths of the lemon-bleach smelling air.. 

"You asked what I wanted.. I want it gone, River." I rub my neck nervously.. When River had asked me what I wanted to do and I had suggested this, I may have been a little impulsive in my decision..

But after visiting Ronan, both River and I had decided together not to dwell on unchangeable events and to spend the rest of the day on beautiful and joyful things.. Doing only what makes us happy.. 

I will never truly be free until the undesirable stamp on my neck no longer embarrasses and shames me as a disgrace.. So.. This tattoo is what will make me most happy today.. 

River's strikingly beautiful and midnight-haired friend Zoey had welcomed me graciously into her shop, offering to draw up something special.. A one of a kind artwork.. Just for me..

I think maybe she has an understanding of what my horrible brand means, because the way she looks at me is sad and sorry.. A little pitiful.. It is uncomfortable for me, yet compassionate of her.. 

Zoey looks up from where she sketches on her paper at a small desk in the corner.. "Don't patronise the woman, Riv, she knows what she wants.."

River snickers, leaning his head against my shoulder like a sweet pet and my affectionate fingers slip through his silky hair.. "Did I patronise ye', Lilly?" 

I shake my head with a quiet giggle as he snuggles against me.. "Never, Tiger."

He straightens up and makes a mocking face at Zoey.. "Seems it's not me who has the problem.. What's with the mood, Lassie?" 

Zoey sighs, pushing up to her feet coming to show me her design.. "My pops got picked up on another B&E last night, so I spent the entire morning down at the station--" She holds out the paper to show me a beautiful pink lily flower, with soft edges and watercolour splashes.. "Here, Lilly.. Let me know if you'd like to change anything.."

"Oh, so pretty.. I wouldn't wish to change it at all.." I beam at her, humbled by her talent and so grateful for her kindness.. 

"Well, cover-ups just happen to be my specialty, and I want this one to be perfect.. You deserve a beautiful tattoo.." She pets my shoulder sweetly.. "Don't let him talk you out of it either, I have some anesthetic cream if you don't take pain well, It'll be over before you know it.." Zoey smiles with warm generosity in her glowing eyes.. 

River agrees with a happy nod.. "Aye.. That's a fine idea, Zo.."

I rub my neck again.. "Yes, that sounds good.. Thank you, Zoey."

"My pleasure!" Zoey begins setting up her equipment, choosing different inky colours and pulling on a pair of plastic gloves.. 

River watches Zoey work as she sprays some kind of liquid that smells like alcohol over her bench.. "Sorry to hear ye' Da's been causin' ye' so much trouble-- anythin' I can see to?" 

"Not unless you know a good lawyer.." Zoey shakes her head, handing a small white tube of ointment to River who shrugs before he settles down beside me.. 

"I know a couple.. Ye' could call Kirby Paxton.. The woman has some pull and owes me a few favours.." River offers..

"Yeah? Maybe I will.." Zoey smiles.. "Thanks, Riv.."

The Tiger turns his attention back to smile at me with those precious jade-stone eyes as he untwists the cap of the anesthetic cream.. "Can I?" 

I nod, leaning back and turning my cheek so that he can rub the tingly cream over my old tattoo.. I am anxious for the pain but impatient to be freed from the ink that marks me as enslaved.. 

I am nobody's property anymore.. Li Jun is dead and I will live my life again.. I will make up for all the things I should have already done but haven't yet discovered.. 

"Ooh, it's cold." As The Tigers touch gently skims over my skin.. After a few minutes the sensation begins to fade to nothing but a soft pressure.. No feeling.. 

River chuckles, shifting closer to whisper in my ear.. "Only to you, Princess, cause yer' so fuckin' hot.." 

I laugh.. "Shh, silly."

Zoey sits on a small stool beside me holding a little machine in her hand.. "Ready for me, sweetie?" 

I nod.. "So ready." 

…. 

A couple of hours later, my tattoo is complete and my neck is tender, but I'm somewhat distracted by the ice cream sundae sitting on the diner table between River and I, piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles..  It hadn't been so bad, the tattooing.. Not with River there to hold my hand.. The sacrifice of a little sting for the dawning of a beautiful new day and the beginning of my new life, it  was well worth it..

My fingers now slide absentmindedly up to my sore neck and River scolds me teasingly.. "Heya! Stop touchin' it, it's still there.."

I giggle disobediently, continuing to poke at my bandage.. "Oooh, but it's itchy.. Just a little scratch.."

"Nope, not one." He shakes his head sternly, giving me a flinty stare.. 

I huff, lifting my spoon from the table, trying to see my new tattoo in the mirrored surface, but my tender skin is covered by a sticky plaster and the reflection is all upside-down and wonky.. "You're such a bossy boy today.."

I look The Tiger up and down, appreciating every perfect part of him.. From the way his chest swells with each breath beneath his fitted green t-shirt, to the lovely patterns and prints that curl up his muscular forearms that rest on the table, that body of his is almost enough to make me lose my mind.. Especially now that I know all of it’s capabilities..

Oh goodness.. When we made love this morning, it was more than earth shaking..
Being so close, becoming one, it was life changing..

An adorable chuckle shakes his shoulders as he shrugs with a dangerously handsome diamond grin.. "When it comes to takin' care of ye'.. Aye, I might be.. I'm sorry if it's too much--"

"No.." I reach across the table, twisting my fingers through his.. "I like the way you are.."

"I like the way ye' are too, baby.." River winks.. "Now eat ye' ice-cream and quit pickin' at ye' ink."

"Okay.." I hum, swimming in daydreams.. I’d like to eat this sundae of his carved stomach..
I wonder if he would let me cover his hot, hardened body in chocolate sauce just like he were ice-cream and lick him all over..

Yummy! 

He probably would, if I asked.. Maybe later I will..

No.. I definitely will..

"Mmm.. I can't even think of the last time I had ice-cream.. I forgot how good it is.." I consider thoughtfully how long it has been as I scoop a saucy chocolate spoonful to my mouth.. Frosty frozen and delicious.. It's even better than I remember..

Why are the simplest things in life so often the sweetest?

River reaches across to wipe a little chocolate sauce from my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb before reeling back and sticking it in his mouth to suck it clean.. "I could watch you eat all day.. Seein' you enjoy ye'self is a fine sight to me.."

"If I ate for a whole day I'd be sick!" I pet my belly..

He crooks a finger, beckoning me to lean closer so he can whisper a naughty secret to me.. “I could eat you for a whole day and never get sick..”

My eyes widen as I peek around to all the people sitting at their tables in the diner, oblivious to the way he teases me.. “River! That mouth!”

"Hmm, what about my mouth, baby?" A glimmer of mischief dances in his adoring gaze.. 

Brushing my hair back over my shoulder, scooping a spoon of the sundae and lifting it in offering to feed my Tiger.. "It needs filling."

"Lord help me, I get hard when ye' talk like that, Wallflower.." He smirks, glancing down the length of me with lingering eyes that scorch through to my insides.. His hungry growl rumbles as he leans forward taking his bite..

I watch him eat as I feed myself another spoonful, this time I savour it, sucking slowly on the creamy coldness and moaning in satisfaction.. “Mmmmh!”

River licks his lips with his eyes glued to mine.. “Ughh, God.. Do that again..”

“Mmmm!” I take another bite, my gaze transfixed on his.. “I’m going to get fat if you keep this up!”

“That pretty little waist could use a few days of good eatin', there's not much to ye'.."

"There is plenty of me." I lick the silver spoon clean..

"Plenty?" He arches a playful strawberry brow.. "I dunno if there is such thing.. I could never get enough.."

"Because you are greedy." I giggle and he grins.. 

"And ye' are beautiful." The Tiger purrs in reply and my heart sizzles in my chest.. 

"Stop ittt." I laugh, stepping on the toes of his boots under the table.. "My silly Tiger.."

He shrugs casually, leaning back, sliding his legs forward so that my feet can rest on his..

It's a simple but thoughtful gesture.. That he would allow me to use his body to make myself more comfortable, it only reminds me of how generous he is.. "I can'ae help me'self.. You make me happier than I ever remember bein'.."

I smile.. "I told you today would be beautiful.. Even if your drunk ears didn't hear me."

He tips his head to one side with curiosity.. "I made a mistake, can ye' forgive me, baby?" 

"Oh yes.. Very easily." I nod surely.. 

"Yer' too good to me, Frankie.." He lifts my hand from the table to kiss it several times over.. "I should've listened.. Ye' were right.. Yer' always are.. Maybe Ronan was onto summit, maybe ye' really are a gypsy? Or a Luoli.."

"Maybe I am.. How would you know?" I wriggle across the booth to fiddle with the salt and pepper on the table that have been out of place and bothering me since we sat down, fitting them together neatly.. 

"There are two ways.." He watches me fuss with the shakers as he grins.. "The first-- ye' could make me another prediction and we'll see if it comes true."

"Or?" I hum.. 

"Or we throw you in the river and see if ye' float.." He pulls a cute, silly face, making his jokes.. 

"I would take the first one.." I smirk.. "I'm not stupid.."

He nods.. "Alrite', so what is ye' prediction for me then, gypsy girl?" The Tiger questions, tapping his fingers on the table top.. 

I look at him for a long time, taking in his bright aurora.. A glow of gold all around him.. "I predict-- that you will know riches."

He scoffs happily.. "Riches, Aye? Doesn'ae sound too bad.. Hex me with the lottery numbers, would ya?"

I shake my head.. "It doesn't work that way.. I can't see how.. I see what."

The smile on his lips falters a little, but he recovers it quickly.. "Wait-- ye' really can see?" 

I nod.. "Yes.."

He squints at me.. "I don'ae understand?" 

It is difficult to explain how I know the things I know, but I do know them.. Master Li had believed in my fortunes so devotedly.. I remember the way he would press me for answers and how enraged he would become when they weren't the ones he wanted to hear.. 

More often than not, somehow I would be right.. He had called it my 'gift' to him.. 

I shrug, uncertain that I have convinced him of my insight.. "I see the things other people can not.. The pieces in between.. Just like the night we met.. I knew the goodness in you.."

He considers me carefully.. "Aye.. Strangely enough, I can believe that."

I smile.. "You will see.."

"Well then, now that I'm cursed with all this wealth.." River grins, leaning forward to place his hand over mine on the table and I put down my spoon.. "Is there anythin' else ye' wanna do on this beautiful day?" 

I look out the diner window to see the busy people passing by, hurrying through their day.. 

What else would make me happy today? 

There are so many places I want to see and things I want to do, knowing where to begin seems impossible.. "Maybe one thing.."

"Name it.. Anythin' ye' heart desires, Frankie.." The Tiger dotes over me in the most dazzling of ways.. His soft touch and gentle words alight with passion.. 

I squirm in my seat in excitement.. "I want to go to the water.."

"The water?"  He frowns.. 

"Where the carnival is.."

Realisation illuminates his sparkling stare.. "The boardwalk? Ye' wanna go to the beach?" 

"Yes!" I nod, tingling all over at the thought of seeing the beautiful, endless ocean I have only seen pictured in books.."The beach!"

A slow smile spreads across his face.. "Ye' know, I've never actually been down there me'self.."

"Can we go?" I plead with him.. 

He reaches into his back pocket for his wallet to pay the bill.. "Aye, o'course we can! Whatever my Princess wants.."

I squeak with uncontrollable joy.. "Thank you, River! You make all my dreams come true!"