"You're quiet today," Finn said.

"Trying to focus," I said, shading one of the teeth on the demon.

"Distracted?"

My eyes flickered up to Finn's. They were closed, but I didn't have to see them to know that when they opened that they would be reflecting the same playfulness as the smirk he was wearing.

"You're not dry. You're going to crease if you keep smirking."

I was a cosmetologist. I had gone to school gotten a basic understanding of every area in the field and then gone off on own to really learn the various disciplines, earning all of the certifications that came with. However that isn't what I wanted to do. While your standard beauty care was fun and it paid the bills, I really wanted to work in special effects. I wanted to transform people into monsters and aliens for the movies and TV. I didn't pursue it like I probably should have and got stuck in a rut of smoky eyes and wearable looks. When the opportunity came to work at NXT I jumped. Sure it wasn't what I wanted, but it was a good platform.

Then came Finn Balor and the demon. Seeing as I was the only member of the team with legitimate body painting experience, I got the job of painting him anytime the demon was to make an appearance.

Body painting is a very intimate thing, no matter how professional you are. You spend hours in their personal space pouring out your imagination and artistic heart on to their skin. You have to talk to pass the time, and you get to know your canvas. Considering the frequency that I had to paint Finn, I knew him well.

And it escalated. The better I got to know him the more lines got blurred. Casual talk turned into deep conversations. Forced formality gave way to teasing and flirting, but it never left the chair.

Until last week.

I was finishing up the last touches on Finn's back, adding a bit more shading into the eye to make it pop.

"Why don't you ever come out with us after the show?" he asked me.

"Because I like sleep and hate alcohol. Watching a bunch of people get drunk isn't my idea of fun."

"What about milkshakes?" he asked.

I paused my actions and looked up at where he was trying to look back at me. "What?"

"Do you like milkshakes?" he repeated.

I shook my head at him. "Yes, I like milkshakes."

"Then will you go and get a milkshake with me after the show?" he asked.

I bit my lip, thinking it over.

"There's this place nearby that makes the best. They're hand spun."

'What the hell?' I thought. "How can I say no to the best? Will they'll even be open?"

"Open until two," he said.

I nodded, giving his back one last look over, before moving to face him. I gave him one last once over. "Done," I told him, before taking a step back and stretching. I had been hunched over painting for hours and god my back hurt.

Finn checked himself out in the mirror. "Brilliant as always," he said.

I smiled in response. Grabbing the cleaning fluid so that I could clean out my air brush.

"Thank you, Lucinda."

"You're welcome, Fergal."

"I'll meet up with you here after I shower and change."

"See you then," I said, watching as he disappeared through the door.

A couple of hours later, putting the last of my things back into my kit, when he showed back up now dressed in a dark grey suit with a black shirt and black shoes. I couldn't help but stare for a moment. I mean he was an attractive man.

"Cin?" he questioned, gaining my attention.

I covered and quickly. "Four hours of back breaking labor, down the drain with a little soap and water."

He chuckled. "On the bright side if you miss it so much, you get to do it again."

"Joy," I deadpanned. "One of these days, I'm gonna get you in this chair and paint something fun."

"Like?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, while you figure it out, would you like some help with those?" he asked, referring to my two rolling cases.

"I got it," I answered. "But opening the doors for me, that would be much appreciated."

I drug the two cases outside. Once we made our way out, he gained the attention of the fans. I put my stuff in my trunk while he interacted with them.

A short while later we were sitting at the counter of this diner type restaurant, each of us with a milkshake in front of us.

"You're right. There are the best," I said, shoving another spoonful of my rice crispy milkshake. It was vanilla ice cream, blended with marshmallow topping and rice crispies and rainbow sprinkles. There was whipped cream on top more sprinkles and rice crispies and a cherry. Finn had one that was banana chocolate and peanut butter.

"You sound surprised. Do you really have that little faith in me?"

"You're Irish. You eat weird crap, like blood pudding."

"I eat weird crap?! What was that you were eating the one day? Chit- Chit?"

I snorted out a laugh. "Chitlins, and touche."

He scrunched his face up in disgust.

"It's soul food, and they're not that bad when they're fried and covered in hot sauce."

"Whatever you say."

We went back and forth arguing about food and where we're from. Conversations always flowed easily between us and that was true now even without it being a necessity of the job.

"Turn your head," he said at one point.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" I asked, wiping at the area around my mouth.

"No."

"Then-"

"I just wanted to see your face."

I couldn't help but shy away from his gaze, turning my attention back to my milkshake. I tipped the glass to finish it off.

Fin chuckled.

"Look at me." He tilted my head so that was facing him and then ever so gently wiped away at a spot on my face.

He didn't let go though, and eventually I forced my gaze to meet his. The small smile on his face faded and he closed the space between us, stopping just before his lips could touch mine. It was an out.

I didn't take it, instead, I closed the distance between us.

It was soft and timid, neither of us willing to push our boundaries any more than we already had.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while," Fin admitted, when we pulled apart.

My heart was sounding off in my ears like the beginning of his entrance music. "I kind of want to do it again," I said, before my brain could really process how stupid that sounded. Finn smiled, before obliging and connecting our lips once more.

That was a week ago. NXT had gone on a tour of the Pacific Northwest in that time, and I hadn't gotten a chance to see or even talk to Finn outside of text messages. Then by the time he got back, I had been on set for a music video two consecutive all day shoots.

This was the first time that I had gotten to see him, and for some reason I was nervous. The stupid butterflies in my stomach weren't helping things any. When you're painting someone, it's easy to see them as a canvas, something to paint. It makes it easier to ignore the fact that this is a person and that you are ridiculously close to their body. When you've been pressed up against the side of your car in a diner parking lot with their tongue down your throat, it's hard to see them as just a canvas. Instead I was hyper aware of the distance between his skin and mine. The more coated he was, the easier it got. Needless to say this was one of my fastest paint jobs to date.

"I had fun last week," he said.

I had known this, it having had come up in our conversations via text.

"I did too," I replied, not even trying to hide the grin on my face.

"I was wondering if you would go on a real date with me."

I looked up. His eyes were now open, even more piercing in contrast against the black paint. "I would love to." I stood back and gave him a once over. "You're all good."

He checked himself out in the mirror. "Bril." He grinned. "Thanks, Love." He took my hand and gave it a squeeze, all he could do given the amount of pigment that I had sprayed onto his skin.

"No problem," I said. "Now get out there."

"I'm gonna try to swing back here again, before you go. If not I'll text you later," he said.

"Alright. See ya."

I stared out the door, with a small smile, which turned into a full blown grin, when Bayley walked in.

"Demon all done?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yep. You wanna pick my brain, while I get everything ready?"

Bayley hopped into the chair that Finn had previously occupied, while I got everything sorted. Bayley had really taken to the NXT makeup classes and actually came to me for more help. She hadn't expected to enjoy the process as much as she did.

She had already competed and showered, and I was done with everyone for the time being.

"You're smiley today," she said.

"It's been a good day."

"And does that have anything to do with a certain demon?" she asked. I looked at her in the mirror. She was giving me a knowing smirk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said.

"Sure, you don't. That's why your smile got wider."

I turned my attention back to the airbrush that was now cleaned out. "And if I do?"

She squealed. "That is adorable. I wondered who he kept texting on tour. Finn isn't one to keeping worrying about his phone,"

"Nothing is adorable yet," I responded. "We haven't really gone out yet."

"Are you going to?"

"Yes, but we haven't made the plans yet-"

"Don't matter. Still adorable." She hopped out of the chair and hugged me.

I rolled my eyes, but hugged her back. How can you not hug Bayley? She doesn't really give you an option in the matter.

"I'm so excited for you," she said.

"It is just a date, Bay."

"Sure now, but I can totally see you two being a legit thing."

"We'll see," I told her. "Now, what do we want to work on today?" I asked.

"So what do you think he's-"

"Contouring," I decided, pulling out the appropriate products. I was gonna do her eyes first and then she was gonna do her face afterwards. Contouring was the thing that Bayley found the most confusing.

"Don't think I'm going to stop," she said.

"Cream contouring," I said, knowing that she was gonna have to focus more and talk less.

"Well played."

"I try."

"Now, what do we start with?"

"Primer," she replied.

I nodded, leaning against my work table, so that I could watch her work.

Bayley started to work in the primer in. The entire time, she kept speculating.

I had been hoping that her obsession with improvement would be enough to keep her focus on her makeup, but apparently not.

"He's probably going to take you out to dinner," she said as she dusted the last of the powder off of her face and turned around to look at me. She did well. It could have been a little more blended, but it wasn't really noticeable.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Finn said, still in his paint. "Friday at eight?" he asked.

"You are so cute," Bayley said, before slipping out.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"That's fine, but one thing."

"What?"

"No blood pudding."

He chuckled. "No blood pudding."

"Then, I'll see you Friday," I said. "And congrats on the win," I said, nodding towards the belt that he had managed to retain.

"Thank you. I'm thinking about going to celebrate."

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"I'm thinking milkshakes."

I smiled and shook my head at him. "You know, I know a place. This really attractive Irishman showed it to me."

"Oh really? Where is it?" his grin matched my own.

"How about I show you?"

"That sounds ace."

"Good. Meet me back here after you've showered."