❝the best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn't one. ❞
──margaret atwood, the blind assassin

He realizes he's never seen her in a dress before. 

As Keanu approached her car, he could see she stood with her ankles crossed as she leaned back and twirled a set of keys in between her fingers. Not that she didn't look beautiful in just her scrubs or a pair of skinny jeans, but right now, Skeeter Evans looked like a freaking daydream. 

Skeeter's dress was maroon and it reached just above her knees which only accented her flawless legs. Her brown hair looked pretty as it splayed across her shoulders──it always looked pretty. She wore a denim jacket because the evening wind still nipped even though it was nearing the end of August. 

He didn't know what to say to her. What do you say to a woman who you almost kissed?

"Is that red or white?" Was the first thing that she asked once he stood right in front of her. Skeeter narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the wine bottle in his hand and whistled, "Concha Toro. You have quite the expensive taste, Chuck." 

Keanu smiled at the use of the name──another one of their inside jokes. "I have good taste in wine not expensive." 

"Considering a bottle costs 260 dollars, I beg to disagree." 

"Whatever you say, Skeet." He bit his lower lip and said , "You look stunning." 

Skeeter bowed her head lightly though Keanu could detect a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thank you. You look nice as well." 

The drive to Charlie and Alec's apartment was filled with tunes of The Beatles and Keanu stating that they were wrapping up the movie pretty soon. Three months just seemed to breeze by so quickly.

"So, what's next for the Keanu Reeves?" 

Keanu shrugged. "Ah, I don't know. Maybe some more movies and training. Who knows?"

They had arrived at the lavish apartment of Skeeter's best friend and partner. She introduced him to Charlie and Alec──who kept their cool as they smiled and shook hands with Keanu. 

"Oh my God." Charlie had mouthed to her while his husband and Keanu walked ahead of them to the dining table. He wiggled his eyebrows and winked at Skeeter while gesturing to her tight dress and fabulous stilettos. Skeeter's response were composed of a light shove and a roll of her eyes. 

During dinner, Skeeter watched as the three men conversed. Keanu was very interested to hear all about Alec's job as a human rights lawyer while Charlie said a joke here and there about how him always working over-time. 

"I don't work that late, dear." Alec chastised with a roll of his brown eyes. 

"Oh? You came home at one in the morning for three days this week."

Snickering, Skeeter quipped. "Busted."

"Well." Alec clasped his hands together, a bright smile forming on his face. "That won't be a problem once we're in Washington."

Skeeter furrowed her brows. "Washington?" 

"Yes. . .I got promoted."

Beaming, Keanu smiled at him. "That's great! Congratulations!" When his eyes settled on to Skeeter, who was sitting beside him, the smile had dropped. Her mouth was pressed into a line and he could see her jaw clench.

"When are you moving?" She asked through gritted teeth. 

Oblivious to Skeeter's reaction, Alec answered. "In a month, Skeet. Most of our stuff is already there and we just need to sort some things out with the papers."

"I see." Skeeter leaned back in her chair, arms crossed and looking pointedly at her best friend who refused to meet her stare. "Congratulations indeed." 

The night had turned sour for Charlie Cheong when his best friend had spat out her sarcastic congratulatory remark. 

⊱ ──────ஓ๑♡๑ஓ────── ⊰

"Skeeter, give me your keys. Let me drive for awhile." 

She wasn't drunk; she was just sad. He saw it when Skeeter dragged her feet on their way to her car.

Scoffing, Skeeter tossed her car keys to him. "Fine. But, you have to drive me to the tattoo parlor a few blocks from here."

"A tattoo parlor?"

"Yes, Keanu, a tattoo parlor where you get tattoos and a tattoo artist works in."

"I know what a tattoo parlor is but why are you getting a tattoo?"

Skeeter shrugged, a light smile on her face. "It's a secret."

Rolling his eyes, he replied. "You're being a such a Scorpio." Keanu started the car and drove, following her directions of where and when to turn. 

It was Skeeter's turn to roll her eyes. She poked his shoulder and remarked, "Zodiac signs aren't accurate. Your attitude and traits have more to do with your genetics and how you were raised." 

Parking right in front of the colorful tattoo shop, Keanu went to open the door for her to which Skeeter patted his chest and remarked: such a gentleman!

"Do you even know what you're getting?"

"Yes!" Skeeter beamed, "I'm getting gladiolus flowers on my back." 

Seeing that she wouldn't expand, Keanu made a note to search what the hell gladiolus flowers symbolized. He sensed a hand curling around his leather-jacket clad bicep and saw that it was Skeeter. Her eyes blinked rapidly and he saw that she was staring at the tattoo artist & her tools──specifically the needles. 

"You okay?" 

Scrunching her nose, Skeeter nodded. "Y──yeah. There's just this one problem." She swallowed thickly, "I don't particularly like needles." 

He burst out in laughter, shoulders shaking. "Seriously? You're a doctor and you're scared of──"

"I know, I know. Fuck, this was such a bad idea. Just forget about it." 

Keanu caught the frown on her face. Like instinct, he placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her to the bed where she would be laying in. "It's going to be okay, Skeeter. I'll be right here." 

She closed her eyes for a brief moment and muttered. "I can do this. I can do this. I can do this." 

Keanu wondered if she was like that during her college days or whenever she had felt scared. 

"Hey, Chuck?" 

"Hm?"

"I'm getting the tattoo on my back so if you could just. . ."

"Right, right." 

Keanu turned away while she and the tattoo artist──a red-headed woman named Angel──prepped the tools and everything else. When he had been given the okay signal, Skeeter was already laying on the bed with her back exposed. He tried not to stare at her lack of clothing but (he said it once and he'll say it again) she looked like a freaking daydream with her head laying on top of her arms and her blue eyes peering up at him. 

He sat down on the plastic chair beside her. "Does it hurt?"

"Not as much as I'd thought." 

Keanu peered over at her back to see how far Angel had finished the design. However, he was met at the sight of two scars that ran from just below her shoulders down to the middle of her back. Due to his familiarity with weapons (John Wick boot-camp would do that to you), he knew exactly what caused  those: knives. 

"Is it turning out okay?" Skeeter asked.

Gulping down his concern and fear, Keanu leaned back into the chair and flashed her a reassuring smile. "Y─yeah. It's going to be just fine."