UPDATED! YEY!
"Imagine Person B of your OTP having a lot of tattoos across their body. Person A and B are in bed for the first time, and B usually wears tunics and long pants to cover up the tattoos because they're nervous of what B will think of them. When they're both nude, Person A stops to admire the tattoos, running their lips along each and every one of them."
Slightly altered, but still very much the same prompt.
Marley Rose. Sweet, caring, innocent soul. Can do no harm and nobody would suspect her to do bad things or even have almost tough like things, such as piercings (minus her ears) and tattoos.
Wrong.
When Marley was sixteen, as a gift and permission from her mother, Marley got her first tattoo. She had wanted one for a long time and even though her mother did not really approve of them, she accepted what her only child wanted as a gift and let her get a tattoo. Marley had no idea what to get at first and thought about it for a long time. After two months of thinking to get as a permanent mark she had decided to get something simple on her left foot. To the side in the direction of her other half of the body, a little bit under the ankle. A bicycle tattoo. Why? Well call it embarrassing for the sixteen year old girl, but she never learned to ride a bike before. But during the summer she had visited her friends in New York and Finn had taught her to ride a bike. She was so excited to have learned to ride a bike, feeling so free and liberating, that when she thought of the idea she looked online to find a bike tattoo.
On her birthday at the shop with her mother, Marley looked at where the tattoo would be placed and grinned. She couldn't be more excited.
"Are you sure about this Marley?" Millie asked her daughter for the trillionth time since Marley asked to get a tattoo two months ago. "This is indefinite and even if you want it removed it'll cost a lot. About a thousand dollars or more."
"I'm serious Mom," Marley said with confidence. "I want this. I want a bike tattoo."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Mom."
After reassuring her mother for the trillionth time Marley's name was called moments later. Marley handed the man her permission slip and after making sure it was a real signature and Millie said this was for real, Marley got into the back room and sat in the chair. When the man asked her what she wanted she told him a bike and showed him the picture of it. The man seemed surprised and asked how she came up with it. After telling him the story he laughed and said, "Well I've had more insane stories." He asked her to show him how she wanted the tattoo angled so Marley lifted up her leg, thankful she remember to put shorts on instead of a skirt, and held her left foot out and showed him how she wanted it to appear. The man nodded and took his tools to get ready.
She knew there would be pain, but she didn't expect this much pain. When the man began making the bike Marley felt herself cringe and feel like she was making a stupid face. She wanted to scream and yell, but that would mess up the tattoo and leave her with a mark that appeared ugly. She bit her lips, cringed her face and just attempted to ignore the pain.
Because it was such a small area and just a bike the process took fifteen minutes. When the man finished he asked Marley if she liked it. Marley lifted her leg up, with the man holding the bottom up for support, and found herself beaming. She loved it! It was perfect! Not a mess up anywhere.
"It's awesome! Thank you!"
Marley was told how to care for her tattoo, including how to shower for at least the next month and a half and using this medicine to keep it from getting infected. After going over this Marley left the backroom and showed her mother the tattoo. Millie smiled looking at the new mark her child had. "That is nice and as long as it has meaning to it you won't regret it."
"Thanks Mom!" Marley smiled.
"Just no more I hope." Millie chuckled.
Wrong.
The following year Marley and her friend Kitty were staying in a hotel in L.A. Kitty was suppose to stay with cousins but they ended up going to Hawaii last minute and since her parents already paid for the plane tickets; so long as the girls promised to stay out of trouble than they could stay in a five-star hotel for the time. Sweet, innocent Marley and assumed sweet, responsible, caring Kitty (but actually bitchy almost demonic and tells-it-as-it-is) were able to stay there.
Only on their second night of the two weeks that Kitty got herself and Marley free fake I.D cards and went out to a club scene. Marley didn't drink anything but a very drunk Kitty was trying to make her to so. Marley shook her head and said she was fine sober and being able to walk her friend home. Kitty called her an idiot and while she was gone she told guys ow great Marley was, including that she had a tattoo. Guys soon came over to the brunette and began flirting and hitting on her and swooning over her tattoo that she showed off in her black flats.
"That's a real nice tattoo pretty girl," A blond guy said. "You should get another one soon."
"I can't!" Marley laughed. "My Mom will murder me if I come home with another one!"
"Keep it covered." The guy said. "I know this guy down the road who'll do it for free!"
"I have to think about it," Marley lied. She'd be killed if she came home with another tattoo on her body. Especially if Millie, who hates tattoos already, will find out that Marley got another one.
"Give me a call if ya chance ya mind!" He said. "That's my roommate and I's number, just ask for George."
Marley kept the card, but only because she saw that Kitty and George were grinding it up on the dance floor and twerking closely that she knew Kitty would want to hook up with this guy soon. And a very drunk Kitty would get his number and lose it ten seconds later. So she kept the card in her purse as she smiled and looked down at her bicycle tattoo.
After a night of helping Kitty throw up in the toilet in their hotel room and ordering up breakfast, Marley and Kitty sat in the room chatting about last night. "Who the fuck was I sexing up with?" Kitty asked.
"George." Marley said. "Kitty I swear if you guys were naked you looked like you were about to have sex."
"Stupid dog I want to screw him. But I lost his number and I won't see him again." She said.
"I have it." Marley said, receiving a look from Kitty. "He said he had a friend who could give me a free tattoo."
"Get one." Kitty said.
"No. My mom will kill me and I want a reason to have one, not just random." Marley told her.
"We have like two weeks here. That's time to think of one and just have it hidden." Kitty said. "I'd suggest boobs, but you don't have any."
"I wear a bigger bra than you!" Marley declared.
"Shut up!" Kitty held her hands up to her ears. "Don't scream and get the door and get me George's number and get a tattoo to remember."
Marley rolled her eyes. No way was she getting a tattoo that meant nothing to her, nor go behind her Mom's back and get one.
The week went by. Usually Kitty was out with guys to have one night stands, leaving the brunette virgin alone at the hotel. Marley wrote songs in her journal and sometimes she found herself daydreaming about other things like the future and her songs. Her dream was to be on the radio and sing songs and write original songs to perform and. hopefully, have a famous artist sing one of her songs and make it famous. But she lack confidence in her songs after she had submitted them into contest. She never ever heard from the contests that she entered herself in, not even for a simple "We're sorry, but while this song was wonderful we can not accept it at the time now." Or something of the matter.
Marley fell asleep during one of her song writing moments.
Inside of her dream Marley was standing in a field of grass. The sky was clear, clear blue and the grass perfectly green. It seemed like Spring to her. Marley, in a pale yellow dress and barefooted, began to spin in a circle with her arms held up in the air and accepting the warmth of the sun. Her eyes shut and she felt like she was flying like a bird. A beautiful bird in the sky. She felt something land on her nose and when she opened her eyes she saw it was white feather. She held it in her hand touching the softness. Soon another feather fell from the sky; red as a red robin. Then a blue feather, and a yellow, and another white feather. Soon a variety of bird feather were floating down on Marley, who smiled and laughed as she began twirling in the beauty of the flowers.
Marley awoke minutes later. What felt like an hour long dance was really a small ten minute cat nap. That had to be the weirdest dream she's ever had. Even the dream where she received a bouquet of kittens was more normal to this feather dream. She felt like she had a connection in this dream and grabbed her phone to look up the meaning of feathers. She looked online and within minutes she saw the meaning of Spring and feathers. Spring signifies hope, new beginnings and creative endeavors and a feather floating in the air signifies a life of ease, comfort, warmth and of financial gains.
This must be a sign about her future. Her song writings. Her hope for the future about her life filled with warmth and comfort with her creativity.
She had the same dream again. That night, the night after and the night after that. Four times in a row? It was a sign.
Marley picked up the phone one day and called the number on the card. "George speaking."
"George? Marley from the club."
"Oh, Kitty's friend with the tattoo, what's up?"
"Is the free tattoo still an offer?"
A few hours later Marley received a feather tattoo the back of her neck. Darkly shaded but still able to see it was a feather. She received the same information about caring for her neck for two months and was glad to hear she could have her hair down as long as there was a coverage over it. She always had her hair down and she liked scarfs so when it came time to uncover the bandage for good, scarfs would be a new thing for Marley. Big, thick scarfs.
That night out at dinner with Kitty Marley, with her hair tied up in a bun, showed off the tattoo. "Oh my god that's awesome!" Kitty smiled. "Any reason?"
"I had a dream about Spring and feathers. The same dream four times in a row. After leaning it meant I'll have a positive future I got it."
"And if that dream is wrong?"
"Well... I'm part Native American from Mom's side and the tribe had a thing for feathers for accessories." She said. Thank God she did have a backup reason for this tattoo.
"Getting any more?" Kitty questioned
"No way! I am done!" Marley laughed.
Wrong.
Oh Marley Rose did mange to keep her new tattoo hidden from that June until the middle of September when, while the heat was up to 90 in the Rose residence and Marley assumed her Mom left for her Saturday job at Breadstixx, Marley had her hair up in a high bun and little did she knew her Mom came in to grab her wallet and saw the back of Marley's neck.
"Marley Marie Rose! What is that on your neck!"
Grounded from then until a week before her birthday. Even with the two good meanings her Mom was angry as Hell with her.
While selecting songs for Sectional's, Mr. Schue picked a song Marley wrote a few weeks earlier. She was so excited to have it selected and couldn't wait for it to be performed.
As the weeks continued Marley faced two issues. Her bulimia again and her nerves for Sectionals. She felt herself relapsing to not eating and forcing herself to throw up and as they rehearsed for Sectionals she feared her song wouldn't be good enough and they'd lose. She tried to stay calm and tell herself it's all in her head but some days were harder than the rest.
Marley had a dream one night. She was alone in a forest filled with darkness with nothing but the moon as her light. She walked down some paths and found herself on the edge of a cliff. She felt her own dark shadow demon push her off. As she was falling she thought she was going to die, but someone saved her from becoming a pancake on the ground. When Marley opened her eyes to find her hero, she found her hero as a wolf. A big, strong, wolf. The wolf carried Marley away to safety and the wolf met up with a white wolf who glowed a bright light around her white fur.
Marley woke up that morning. Another dream meaning perhaps? She went on her laptop and looked up the meaning of wolves. A wolf in your dream symbolizes survival, beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence and pride. You are able to keep your composure in a variety of social circumstances and blend into any situation with ease and grace. You are also a loner by choice. A white wolf in your dream signifies valor and victory. You have the ability to see the light even in your darkest hours. Well that seemed almost correct. If she got some help with her friends she could survive her bulimia thoughts, she told her-self that if she had confidence than they would win. Sure she wanted to be alone most days, be a wallflower almost, but she had great friends in her circle. And she did have a tendency to see the brighter side of things, even if it weren't her one.
"Better wait until I make sure we win and I get over this bulimia." She muttered to herself.
Weeks later, New Direction's won.
Three weeks after that, after receiving help with friends and some therapy, Marley no longer had bad thoughts all the time about her body. The voices would remain there but she had ways to ignore those voices.
The only gift she wanted was the wolf tattoo on her left wrist. Her mother signed, really regretting ever getting that first tattoo now because her daughter now wanted them almost all the time, but Marley saved enough to pay for half of the tattoo and she did come to realize early that her bulimia thoughts were coming back and got help instead of waiting until she fainted again.
A dark wolf tattoo was an early and only gift Marley got. She couldn't of been more happier.
"This better be the last one Marley." Millie said. "I'm still angry you got that feather on your neck."
"I swear this is the last one." Marley said proudly.
WRONG
Marley's 19th birthday came. Kitty managed to get the girl to come out of her house and go to a house party and celebrate, even if it was just the two of them to celebrate her birthday A slight drunk Marley was dancing with some guy when Kitty came up to her. "Best friend, we're seniors! Let's get matching tattoos!"
"No, no more!" Marley said. "I promise my Mom!"
"Oh come on it's our last year and we need to celebrate it! We're free now!" Kitty yelled. "Don't be a bitch!"
"Says the girl all over the football players," Marley laughed. "No."
"Loser!"
Marley helped Kitty back to the blonde's home and slept there with water bottles in hand and a bucket for Kitty to throw up in. Marley rolled her eyes as she looked up in the sky. She couldn't believe this was her last year and she'd be off in New York in a theater program hoping to achieve of her dream of being on the radio. She applied to some schools as early admission and had to wait until January to hear back from them. She hoped to get into a school and not end up stuck in Lima in a community college with boring classes irrelevant to her dreams. She wanted to be free from Lima and free from the city that would hold her back for a couple more years.
Christmas came and passed, so did New Years. Marley heard nothing from the schools she applied to while everyone else did. Her mother, Unique, Finn and even Kitty told her to not give up and keep up the hope. It was hard as each day came and Marley heard other happy senior students chatting about their acceptance letters. Not once did she hear about a rejection letter.
She felt like a loser. She wouldn't be free. She'd be stuck in Loser Lima Community College.
Mid-January Marley arrived home alone. Her Mom was going out with some friends. Marley opened the mailbox and saw a pile of mail and some magazines and ads in there. She took them inside and tossed them on the table. She looked through the junk mail and the magazine her Mom got every month and carelessly tossed more junk mail. Before she tossed the rest on the table she saw something that caught her attention.
Marley Rose
It was for her. She looked at the address and saw it was one of her New York schools. She got one!? She grinned. Maybe more?
Pace University, NYADA, New York University, Columbia University, Marymount Manhattan college and The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. All of them have replied to her.
Marley wanted her closest friends with her when she opened them. She called Finn, Kitty and Unique and invited them over and they waited until her Mom came home around 9 that night. After telling her why her friends were here, Millie told her to start opening the letters.
Marley, too nervous to open them, had them each open a letter. Kitty went first and opened the letter. Marley held her Mom close as she felt the nerves building up.
"Dear Ms. Marley Rose," She read the first line. Oh crap, Marley was nervous as hell. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Pace University beginning this fall in Musical Theater!"
"Oh my god!" Marley cheered as everyone cheered for her.
"Plus they've given you a yearly scholarship!" Kitty added in. "$15,000."
"Open another one! Unique go!"
Unique grabbed the Columbia University letter and opened it. Marley was nervous about this one. She wanted to go if she were able to go financially.
"Dear Miss Marley Rose," Unique began. Sudden her faced went from happy to sad. "We are sorry to inform you that although we see you are a good student for our school we have decided that this term would not be susceptible for you."
Oh crap, that hurt. Marley felt her heart break. "Oh...okay."
"Those admission bitches are stupid." Kitty said aloud. "Just get to another winner. Here, AMDA seems positive." She handed it to Millie.
Millie let go of Marley and took the letter in hand. She hoped this would be another acceptance letter.
No. AMDA did not take Marley in. While Kitty ranted about those admission bitches Marley felt her heart sank. Sure she got into Pace University but she wanted more choices."
Marley decided to open another one. She picked up NYADA's letter and gulped. Her nerves built up some more and she felt her hands shake as she opened the letter.
"Dear Ms. Rose," She read. Now the next line. "We are..."
"Well? What'd they say?" Finn asked.
Marley ripped the letter into shred. "I'm not going to New York!"
"Hey! Pace, remember!" Kitty yelled.
"Everyone I know got into all their schools!" Marley whined. "I'm going to be stuck in Lima!"
"Oh my god! Did Pace University blow up!?" Kitty yelled.
"Well we have the last one," Finn picked up Marymount Manhattan college. "It's the last one."
"They might as well have a picture in there of a middle finger with the words 'You suck!' on it." Marley muttered as she crossed her arms. "Open it and let's just get over it."
"Aww, sorry, did Pace University blow up, Paris of Gay Gilmore Girls?" Kitty remarked as Finn opened the letter.
"Dear Miss Marley Rose," He read.
"Here it comes."
"We are,"
"Just say it Finn."
Finn grinned. "Please to announce you've been accepted into Marymount Manhatten College in Musical Theater!"
Damn it had to be a dream, but everyone cheered. She did it. She got accepted into another school of her choice! And a school she liked better than the rest, personally.
"We're also excited to inform you that based on academic records, financial records and extra circulatory in school, we are offering a Full Ride at our school."
"Well damn, that's free everything!" Kitty said. "Go for that!"
"But there's Pace." Marley said.
"Oh who gives a shit now!? More money saved!"
"And there's a note here from your admissions counselor," Finn took out a small note. " 'I lived in Lima my whole life and studied acting here. And I'm still here. Not acting, but admission. I love it, but go and make that entertainment dream come true! Free yourself from Lima!' She sounds nice."
There was no doubt about it. After celebrating with pizza, looking over the two schools, making a pro and cons list (even though Kitty kept telling her to go to the free school) and seeing what each school offered for her program; she had decided. Not just because Marymount offered her a Full Ride, but she preferred what they offered too.
In February she went to the tattoo parlor alone with a piece of paper in her hands. It was the same tattoo place she got her first bike. Once she paid and was in the back the man, who she remembered, asked what she wanted. She handed him the paper with the word on it and pointed to the back of her neck. "Under the feather."
The man looked between the front print, size and her neck. There was enough room. "Why the reason?"
"I'm going to New York this fall." She said. "My dream is coming true. I'm free from Lima."
"Why is it 'free' then? Why no Dream?"
"Because even if my dream doesn't come true, I will remember FREE as the night I was accepted into New York schools and able to leave Lima behind. I'm free." She smiled.
Thirty minutes letter the word free was on her neck, below the feather.
She when returned home and she told her Mom. "I still don't like them, but you're old enough to make your own choices now."
"Last one I promise."
"Hmm hmm, I hear it."
"Hey I'm not like Kitty," Marley smiled. "She got a tattoo after me, the feather one, and sort of regretted it for a while."
"Why?"
"Here's a hint: His name is George." Marley laughed.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The first half of the year was great for Marley. Kitty wasn't too far, down the street at another school, and her classes were small and the students were friendly. Her professors seemed nice and the course work was hard but good for Marley.
Kitty got Marley on a blind date. His name was either Robby or Bobby and at the diner they were having a blast until he noticed her wrist. "What's that?"
"Oh my wolf tattoo. I got it a few years go when I was a junior." Marley smiled. He did not. "What's wrong?"
"I'm not a fan of tattoos." He said. "Sorry."
That date ended bad, not just because of the tattoos but because the date said he wouldn't mind sleeping with a tattoo girl. Marley slapped him in the face.
Kitty tried again, but the date Marley had saw her neck tattoos and said, "If I bring a tattooed girl home my mother will murder me! Sorry!" That dated lasted ten minutes. His personality and short temper behavior to the servers caused Marley to dine and dash with the excuse of 'Mom calling.'
Marley waited a few months before finding another date. He was a good date until he found out the brunette was a virgin, had tattoos that weren't washable and from Lima Loserville.
She quit dating. She needed to focus on her classes anyways.
Marley waited outside the dance room as the dance majors finished their dances. She was texting Kitty about meeting up somewhere when someone bumped into her. "Oops, sorry."
Oh shit. It was Bree. Biggest bitch on campus. Worse than Kitty.
"It's fine." Marley said as she picked her phone up. "Accidents happen."
"Says the accident." Bree smirked. "Still going into acting?"
"No, radio." Marley said.
"So...why are you there?"
"None of your business." Marley spat back.
"I heard you have tattoos, that true?"
"So what?" Marley asked the dark hair girl rudely.
"It's hard to get a job with those. Even with makeup and covering it up, the director and casting directors need to think about the cost of makeup for those coverings. Just saying." Bree said. But added, "Oh wait, I guess it doesn't matter since you're not on Broadway and inside of your radio singing shell."
"Don't you have class?" Marley said.
"Lima Loser." Bree said.
Marley huffed out as she went inside the room and got ready. Sure she had tattoos but they all meant something to her and she loved them. Nothing wrong with that, right?
So why did it bother her now?
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Freshmen year ended. Summer came and went. Now it's Fall again and lucky Marley heard that Bree was out of state for school. California. Hopefully she'll find George. He found Marley on Facebook and asked her if Kitty mentioned anything about having AIDS. Nope. So he got it after Kitty left California. Okay that's hard to say she hoped Bree and him got together but she hoped the bitch would get karma at her.
Over the break Marley became depressed. She tried to date but her dates didn't like tattoos...or her.
Out and about in New York strolling down the streets clad in her skinny jeans with her tall brown boots and her long sleeve shirt with a black cardigan on and her hair in a side braid, covering her neck tattoos, she sauntered the street alone. Kitty wouldn't be out for another two hours and Unique had transferred from New York to Boston.
Caught up in her own head Marley didn't notice that a door to a store opened, then smacked her head and caused her to fall back. "Ouch!" She said.
"Oh shit! Sorry!" A male voice said. The man turned to her and offered his hands to pull her up. "Sorry I didn't see you there."
"No it's my fault. I need to keep my head on Earth." Marley said. She brushed herself off then looked at the man.
Never in her life had Marley seen a guy so... beautiful? Could a guy be beautiful? This guy was the only exception to use the word beautiful No, he wasn't a good looking as a Greek or Roman God or even Ryan Gosling, but this brown hair man with bright, glowing brown eyes was so handsome that he reminded her of a Disney prince almost. A movie stars kind of look. He smiled...oh God, now the smile too? Perfect white teeth to add.
"Well that's good." He said. "You know, that you aren't hurt. Hi, I'm Ryder. Ryder Lynn." He held his hand out.
Crap? What's my name...what's my name? "Um... I'm..." Damn, what's my name? Suddenly a yellow Labrador appeared and she remembers...Oh God. That's how I remember my name? "M—Marley Rose." She said.
"Well nice meet you Marley," Ryder said. "Glad your okay."
"Hmm, mmm." She replied, unable to speak to this handsome man. "It's...OK."
Ryder nodded before saying goodbye and leaving. Marley stood there watching him leave and didn't move even after he was out of view. She met an amazing person, why did she not ask him for damn coffee? "Crap."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
A month passed. As Marley neared her birthday she found herself to be inviting a new friend. Ryder. Ever since they met at the swing of the door, they would run into one another. Usually bars that Kitty dragged her too (Ryder was 23) and the two of them would chat up while dragging a half drunk Kitty back to her room, thankfully and oddly lived in a single room, and then leave the girls after getting Kitty to bed. But sometimes they ran into one another on the street too, thankfully in the same direction for a great long period of length which meant more talking. A few times they met on the subway too and once at the movies; A trio girls night out with Unique and Ryder with his friend Jake. That night ended with Ryder and Marley exchanging numbers and a short blonde and a leather jacket guy going back to his empty apartment for a fun fill night.
Ryder offered his apartment for the small party. Marley, Unique, Kitty, Finn, himself, Jake and Jake's brother (and old friend of Finn's) named Noah Puckerman. Puck for short. Kitty brought in the alcohol and soon within two hours almost everyone but Ryder and Marley drank. The two of them sat on the couch watching the others dance and sing away.
"Happy Birthday," Ryder winked.
"Thanks again." She laughed.
"Aren't you hot with the big thing on?" He pointed to her scarf.
"Nah, cold." She lied. Until she and Ryder got to know one another, she wouldn't tell him of her tattoos. No matter what.
"Alright." Ryder said.
Cake was brought out later. By the end of the night everyone was heading back home, driven by Ryder the sober one of course. Marley couldn't drive yet so she sat shot gun. Ryder was keeping Jake tonight so Kitty and Marley, who opted to take care of her blonde friend again, were last. He helped Marley carry the brunette into her dorm room and into bed. After Marley stripped her friend to underwear and Ryder got the bucket from the closet, Marley walked him to the door.
"Thanks again for the party." She said.
"Anything for the birthday girl." He smiled. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you." She smiled.
Silence for a mere second before Ryder leaned in and kissed her cheek. He nodded with a small chuckle and made his way out shutting the door. Marley stood there gobsmacked. Her face felt hot red. He kissed her. On the cheek, but he kissed her.
"He's dreamy," She muttered.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
No, they didn't date. When she told him she was going home to Lima, alone since Kitty and Unique wanted to stay in New York, Ryder looked a little sad. He called her later that night and offered her a room at his one bedroom and one bathroom apartment. Since Kitty and Unique already pulled their money together for a two bedroom and two bathroom summer apartment, Marley was left for Ryder's apartment. She arrived with her summer clothes and saw that the more she came here, the cleaner the place seemed. Purposely for her?
"So you can stay in my room and I'll sleep on the couch." Ryder told her.
"Ry, we're best friends right?" She asked him.
"Duh of course."
"We can sleep in the same bed. I promise I don't snore loudly, no matter what Kitty tells you." She giggled.
"Oh," Ryder said. "Okay then."
"And no funny business." She added.
"Funny business is for dating couples." He said.
To keep her tattoos hidden longer, still uncomfortable with them to tell about, Marley wore long sleeve tunics and long pants to bed. Ryder asked her if she was hot, but she said she was fine. The fan and AC kept her cool. He believed her. But when it came to going to the beach? Nope, Marley declined saying she wasn't a fan of the beach.
"For a girl who grew up in the middle of states, no beaches whatsoever, you don't even like going to a beach? You are clearly crazy." Ryder laughed.
"Oh hush!" Marley laughed.
Summer ended, school began again for her. She liked staying with Ryder and with his permission, since he still lived close to commute walking, Marley organized her new residence at Ryder's apartment. Ryder worked from at least 8 am to 6 PM and home by 6:40 at the latest. Fine with Marley. And at least this way she could still build up the courage to tell him about the tattoos. Not even all summer did she tell him, afraid he wouldn't like them or her and kick her out. She needed time.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
By her next birthday everyone found a drunk Marley and drunk Ryder making out on the couch in their apartment. Yup, they were dating now.
Months passed. Work and classes became a struggle so the two of them rarely cuddled but when they did, cuddling became a make out session. Ryder would hint about going to the bedroom to go further, if she wanted too, but not yet. Not ready yet.
Marley entered a few contests and won. Nobody would sing her songs, sadly, but her lyrics were good to win cash. She put that away to save for rent. She wanted to help pay rent since Ryder was paying for everything.
Marley finished working on a term paper when Ryder came home angry. "Ry? What's wrong?" She asked him.
"Remember my ex? Emily?" Ryder asked. Marley nodded, remembering him mentioning the brunette. "That stupid girl is trying to get back with me."
"How come?" Marley felt protective already.
"She's like 'I miss you Ry-Ry!' and 'Let's get married!' or just wants a hookup again." Ryder signed as he slumped onto the couch. "She's mean and all she does is cheat and lie and is stupid."
"She cheated on you?" She asked him. He nodded. "And lied about it?" Again, a nod. "Well that is stupid."
"All I know is his name is George and he's from L.A and he's an asshole." Ryder said. Marley held a laugh back. "Oh and while she was with him she got a free tattoo on her inner thigh."
"Oh... a tattoo?" Marley asked as she joined him. "What's wrong with a tattoo?"
"That tattoo sucked. It meant nothing at all." Ryder said. "It was a frigging tattoo of Mr. Krabs. I hate stupid tattoos. No, wait, tattoos are just weird and stupid in general if they have no meaning."
Well that hurt Marley. That night as she showered she looked at her wrist and her bike tattoos and signed. She should tell him soon. She was just worried about his reaction. "No, all of mine have a meaning, a reason to have them, so it doesn't count. Right?"
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
After the New Year's party at Kitty and Jake's apartment, yes they moved in, Marley and Ryder arrived back at their apartment making-out nonstop. As soon as Ryder shut and locked the door the two of them made their way to the couch and continued their making-out session for a while longer until the two of them decided to get to bed early. Neither of them had work or class tomorrow, so they just planned to stay in all day.
Marley showered first and then put on her lavender long sleeve tunic and long black pants while Ryder showered. When Ryder finally joined her in bed Marley had just finished reading a chapter of her novel. Ryder sat next to his long brunette girlfriend and rested his head on her shoulder looking along into the chapter. "Good story?"
"It is." Marley said.
Ryder nodded against the side of her neck for several minutes, inhaling her vanilla scent that he loved. Ever since they met Ryder could never forget that delicious vanilla scent and now they they lived together for months, plus dating, he never wanted to lose that vanilla scent. Ryder lifted up a piece of her hair and sniffed it a little bit, taking deep inhales. "I love vanilla."
"Weirdo." Marley laughed as she put her bookmark in place and put her book on her little table stand. She turned to face him and pecked his nose. "Ready for bed?"
Ryder nodded slowly, staring into his girlfriends eyes, before leaning in and kissing her on the lips. Unless she didn't want to go all the way, which he wouldn't mind and would rather go at her own comfortable pace, he really wanted to make love now. Not have sex, make love. Ryder leaned in and captured her lips in his own and didn't release the two of them. Marley smiled in the kiss and put her hands to the back of his neck and pulled him closer to her, taking in his kisses and never wanting to release apart from him.
The two of them continued to make out and soon after they started Marley felt a little frisky. She tugged at the bottom of Ryder's t-shirt and began pulling it up towards Ryder's head. When she reached the limit of pulling Ryder sat up and took the rest of it off and threw it behind him, then leaned in and gently pushed Marley down so she laid with her head against the pillow. Ryder assumed she was ready, so he began tugging at the bottom of her tunic and pulled it up. Marley reacted and still worried about the tattoos she turned her lamp off and made the room dark with only the moonlight from the window as their source of light. Ryder continued pulling her tunic up and when it was over her head he tossed that behind him too; leaving Marley in her black bra. He'd seen her once in a bra when he walked in on her once after they she moved in for the summer and he while he said he forgot about it; he never did.
Ryder leaned down and kissed the newly exposed skin as Marley took deep breathes and inhale her surroundings. She rubbed his dark silky brown in between her fingers and grinned with her eyes closed. When Ryder reached the side of her neck and began leaving a mark there, she started moaning. Oh crap. She's made out with guys before but none of them made her feel this wonderful or happy before. Ryder left his mark there and then slowly kissed his way from that spot back to her mouth and kissed there.
Marley was so into the moment that it took her minutes to realize where this was going to. Losing her virginity. She wasn't exactly ready to lose it yet, even though she did love Ryder with all her heart and would do anything for him, but something so life-changing that can change her was scary. How would she feel after that? And what would happen if they did it, then when she told him about the tattoos that he didn't want her anymore and they broke up. Maybe she would go on a little longer like this and then act scared and tell him she isn't ready. He'd understand. Right?
They continued making out for a couple of more minutes, his hands rubbing her all over her body in places that made Marley giggle with a touch and also places Marley never knew were so sensitive to a touch and that made her turned on more. She felt Ryder's hands going behind her back and start unclasping and fiddling around with the hooks; she didn't want to stop but at the same time she wanted too stop. Nobody except Marley had seen her in less than her shirt so now being this parted of her clothes she felt vulnerable but close to him, strangely. Something overcame Marley and she found herself pulling her own bra off and throwing it to the side of the bed, the moonlight shining on her bare chest now. Ryder stared at his beautiful girlfriend, admiring her goddess body, before leaning down and kissing all over her exposed chest.
Marley moaned again, as Ryder cupped each breast in his firm hands while he continued to kiss all around her chest. Her breathing began to grow a little bit, breathing deeper than before, but now rapidly wild. As soon as Ryder's mouth landed on her left breast and he began kissing and sucking and eventually gently biting the nip, she moaned loudly. "Oh shit, Ryder." She moaned lightly, breathing heavier. Ryder kept his actions going for another minute, rubbing her other breast with his hand, before he kissed her nip and then switched sides; now giving attention to her right breast as he rubbed her left breast.
Marley felt like she was losing her mind. She somehow got her hands on his pajama pants and rolled the top of it down slowly, rubbing his waist skin as he came out from the pants. She heard him moaning in to breast as he finished giving attention to the breast, kissed the nip and pulling himself away to pull his pants down. Marley watched in amusement as Ryder rid his pants and was only left in his white briefs. "Of course the one day I don't wear my boxers," He laughed as he kicked away his pajama pants and then climbed back on to the bed to join Marley, who was blushing hot red as she saw Ryder's grown bulk in his underpants. Slowly she felt herself rubbing her hand over it and hearing Ryder moan into her ear as she stroked the outside. The slower she went, the louder the moan. Finally as Ryder locked lips with Marley to keep her distracted Ryder hooked his fingers onto her pajama pants and her underwear and began pulling them down quickly.
Marley felt herself becoming naked, something that only she had seen herself (and times she hated it because she felt fat and overweight) and the cold winter air hitting her body. Ryder pulled her pants and underwear down to her ankles before Marley pulled him back up and kissed him, kicking off her own underparts. Once her clothes were off of her Marley pulled Ryder onto her and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer to her as their chest came in constant content. Ryder laughed every few seconds when he pulled away to get a fresh breathe of air. "Innocent Marley Rose," He breathed lightly. "Naughty girl, aren't we?"
"Not yet," She muttered. Ryder rubbed the sides of Ryder's briefs slowly, indicating what she wanted, "Take these bad boys off Ryder Lynn."
"What if I don't want too, Naughty Girl?" Ryder smirked.
"Take off the fucking underwear right now." Marley said, she had no time to play games. She wanted him naked now.
"Oh, now we're very naughty." Ryder chuckled as he stood up from the bed, taking her pants and underwear and throwing them across the room, then stood before Marley and slowly stripped himself of his underpants. Marley tried to not look there and instead his face, but she was curious as to what a penis looked like. She had never seen one before. Soon enough Ryder had his underpants in his hands and tossed those away, but the moonlight on Marley's stunned and astonished face was amusement to him. He stood there letting her look upon his body and study it. After a minute he said, "From that look on your face you look like you have never seen one before."
Marley was still mute, her eyes didn't even meet his brown eyes, and she nodded. Oh wow, that's...something. That's what one looked like? She can't compare it to anything, like how Kitty could compare one to another, but Ryder seemed like the biggest one she's ever even though of. Bigger than she imagine. "You're so big..." She said aloud without realizing she was speaking it aloud until it was too late. "Oh, I mean, uh...I...it's big..." Now she was lost at word? It had to be now?
Ryder chucked and he moved from where he was standing and back onto the bed and closer to the stunned brunette. "Thank you Marley," He whispered and pecked the top of her nose. "Can I ask you something?"
"Hmmm?" Marley nodded.
"Are you a virgin?" Ryder smirked.
Marley felt her face turn hot red. The brunette virgin lost her own words. They never really discussed their sex lives before, as friends or dating for the past few months now, but she knew her history was short. A virgin. Ryder had probably had a lot of girlfriends which meant lots of sex and experience in that department. "Mmmmmmmm," She said for a while before softly saying, "Yes." To him, feeling embarrassed. Here she was, a virgin, with someone who she assumed wasn't a virgin and is very experienced. "I just never felt close to anyone...and...well...that's a big thing...to happen...I've just...waited." She said.
Ryder kissed her cheek softly. "It's okay. I'm actually glad you waited." He said. "It just means that when you're ready to finally experience this with someone you love, it'll be more special."
Marley said, "You're not, right?"
"A virgin?"
"Yes."
"Unfortunately no, damn high school Ryder was an ass-head." He admitted. "Do you feel comfortable right now, doing anything?" I knew by the sound of his tone that he was asking me if I was ready to do the dirty with him. One more great thing to add to the list of why I love Ryder, he seemed comfortable with whatever I wanted to do. Slowly I shook my head with some confidence in me. "Okay then, that's perfectly fine." He grinned.
Marley smiled and pulled Ryder into a tight embrace, her arms around his back, as one arm of his was wrapped around her and his free hand was rubbing her back up and down serenely. We held each other tightly and rocked side to side, loving the connection we had right now. She felt closer than she had ever felt before in the past with any guy and she loved Ryder for his heart and the way he was with her. "I love you," She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I love you too." Ryder replied, tickling her back and Marley erupting giggles as he did so. "You're perfect."
"Oh shush, I'm not perfect." She commented.
"Yes you are. You're very perfect." Ryder told her. "You're intelligent, you're sweet and caring, you're honest, you put people before yourself, you're responsible when it comes to you and Kitty going out and Kitty gets too drunk to do anything," Marley giggled when he said that. Sad but true. "And you're not like other girls who go out and party hard and end up doing stupid shit. Like random piercings on their bodies and random, stupid-ass tattoos."
Oh there he goes again with tattoos. "What's so bad about tattoos again?"
"They're just stupid." Ryder said. "Everyone I know who has gotten a tattoo in the past ended up regretting it but had to deal with it. Or like this one guy I know who managed to get the money to get it removed, so he wasted like a thousand dollars just because of a butterfly tattoo he got while he was drunk."
"What if they had good meanings?" Marley asked him.
"Hard to imagine. I know more people with non-meaning tattoos than meaning tattoos. Like if you got a friends name or parents name or even some sort of symbol because a friend or boyfriend or girlfriend died, or even a pet, that's one thing. But if they're just random things with no meanings like that then they're pretty stupid." Ryder explained. "Only stupid people do that."
Marley frowned. Hers had meaning, but they were probably just random things from his perspective. She didn't know if she should tell him or not and if the latter, leave a note for him and just move in the someone else for a while until she's back on her feet or somewhere close to that. But these having meanings, he won't call me stupid for those. But the other side said the opposite; that he would break up with her. All of this caused a big sigh from her mouth, something Ryder did notice.
"What's wrong?" he pulled back, but still held her close in his arms.
"Nothing." She lied.
"No, it's not nothing." Ryder told her. "Is it those bad voices again?" Marley had mentioned months ago when they first moved in about her bulimia in high school. She didn't do anything stupid, but she still had thoughts in her head. "Marley?"
"No. Not that." She said sadly.
"What is it?" Ryder asked her.
"No, forget about it." She said as she pulled out from his embrace. "Let's just go to bed."
"No, tell me." Ryder said to her. He wasn't going to let her not talk. "Is something wrong?"
"No." She said.
"I mean, deathly wrong?"
"No."
"Than what's wrong? Please tell me." Ryder said. "Please?" He begged.
Marley sighed again. Better now than later, right? She turned around and put her light on, making the room shine brighter from the lamp and enough to give light on Marley's body. "I have to tell you something, I've been hiding it for a while."
Ryder looked at her perplexed. Hiding? Hiding what and for how long? "What are you talking about?"
"This," Marley said and lifted up her wrist up and held it so that the brown hair boy could see her wolf tattoo. "It's a tattoo."
Ryder looked at the tattoo on his girlfriends wrist. A bear? "A bear?"
"What? No, it's a wolf." She said.
"Oh...that's interesting." He said, still amazed at this new discovery. "When did you get that?"
"When I was a junior," Marley said. She felt like her voice was cracking. "I was nervous about Sectional's for Glee Club and my bulimia started to relapse and I had a dream about wolves and if you dream about wolves it means that there is pride and self-confidence and seeing the brighter side of things."
"Marley, don't cry please." Ryder felt bad now. Here he was, talking shit about tattoos and how he hated them and now the love of his life felt like she wasn't good enough for him because she had these tattoos. "Don't cry, I like this tattoo."
"You're just saying that!" Marley said, close to sobbing. "You hate tattoos! I have tattoos! You hate tattoos, I have them, so you hate me!"
"No," Ryder said softly for her to hear and pulled her into a hug. "I don't like tattoos that have no meaning, this wolf has a meaning Marley." He told her.
"Then my fucking bike is the reason you'll break up with me."
"A bike?" He asked her.
Marley lifted her leg up and showed him her left foot that had the bike tattoo. Ryder held her foot up and examined the bike. "A bike?" He asked again.
"I got it when I was sixteen with my Moms permission. I never learned to ride a bike before so I just thought it'd be cool to have a bike," She sobbed.
"That has meaning." He said. "Any more?"
"Two on the back of my neck," Marley said. Marley flipped her head over and pointed to the feather and the word on her neck. "The feather because when I felt like my life future in songwriting wouldn't happen, this dream about feathers made feel better about my future and 'free' because I thought I'd be stuck in Lima forever and never free to have an adventure in New York." She sobbed. "You don't like tattoos and you don't like me!"
Marley sobbed again. Ryder held her and comforted her with kind words, hoping this would soothe her down. After what felt like a while Ryder leaned down so he could get as close to Marley as possible. "Marley Rose, I love you."
"Hmm?" She asked him.
"I love you." Ryder said again, with a smile. He held her up and faced her directly. "I love you, I don't care that you have these or not."
"You don't like tattoos." She said.
"That have no meaning." He told her. "Tattoos with no meaning are stupid, but you told me all the reasons you got these tattoos." Ryder smiled. "These are good reason, very good reasons. And whether you had them or not, I still love you because you're perfect to me."
"But — They seem kind of random." She said.
"They are, but they're good memories. Good reasons." He told her again. "And..." He smirked. "They're kind of sexy."
Marley raised an eyebrow at him. "Sexy?"
Ryder nodded. Ryder lifted up her foot again and studied the bike on her foot. He took his finger and traced along the parts of the bike on her foot, soothingly so that the touch was soft and almost ticklish for the girl with the tattoo. He loved the tattoo and as he admired it he leaned down and started placing soft kisses over the tattoo. The clean foot smelled like vanilla. Marley couldn't stop smiling as he continued kissing the tattoo on her foot, making sure to leave plenty of kisses on the tattoo. After several long minutes Ryder started to peck kisses away from that tattoo to the next one, on her wrist, but Ryder took his time going up and following his way up he left kisses all over her legs, her thigh—Marley moaned when he kissed and left kisses on her inner thigh— and each area of her thin stomach, paying attention to the three freckles on her stomach that weren't in sight unless she was in a crop top or in nothing. He kissed the side of her rib cage and kissed his way up to her shoulder, then down her arm and to the next tattoo. He ran the tip of his tongue along the wolf art piece and slowly he pressed his mouth onto the tattoo and left more kisses on the tattoo. Marley moaned and giggled at the feeling of her wrist being kissed. She didn't think Ryder would be so turned on with the wold tattoo.
After he kissed the tattoo plenty of times Ryder kissed his way back up her arm, to her shoulder, to where his love mark was on her neck, back to her lips. "Turn around," He whispered.
Marley obligated. She got up on her knees and turned around, knowing what he was going to do. She held up the back of her hair and held it forward, exposing her two tattoos. Ryder wasted no time in kissing the tattoos. Ryder leaned in and began pecking kisses all over the dried ink on his girlfriends neck. He loved kissing her neck and now he had more reason to love kissing her neck, to admire the feather and 'free' on her back neck. Once Ryder finished kissing the tattoos he kissed his way down from the neck, down her spine—making Marley shiver and moan lightly as his lips met with her bareback—down to her waistline and kissed along there for a while longer.
Ryder made his way back up, wrapped his arms in front of Marley and pulled her back so that she was leaning/laying on him and he held her. "I love you."
"I love you." She said. "So you like the tattoos?"
"I love your tattoos," Ryder smiled. "Maybe we should get a matching pair?"
Marley laughed. "Oh no, I'm all set for tattoos! My Mom will ASSASSINATE me if I get one more tattoo, whether or not I'm old enough to get a tattoo."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The following morning when Marley woke up first, she escaped from Ryder's arms and got up to go shower. After her shower she dried her hair and placed it up in a high messy bun, wore a coral pink tank top and black skirt with black knee-cap leggings and stayed barefoot. She felt comfortable now with her tattoos and Ryder, and even more herself now. She loved them.
Ryder woke up a few hours later after his phone went off. Twenty minutes later he put on a pair of sweatpants and followed into the kitchen and spotted the feather tattoo neck. He tip-toed over and kissed the back of the neck startling her. "Morning."
"Morning," She said. She turned around and faced him. "Who was that?"
"Jake. He told me a funny story about Kitty."
"Oh, what's that?"
"She got her first tattoo for free because of a California guy named George and got his named tatted on her, so she had to add Harrison. And he's not her favorite Beatle." Ryder chuckled. "Now you have better reasons."
"I love you." Marley said.
"I love you too." Ryder said.
Then they kissed.
Okay this had to be the longest one-shot I have ever written in my life. Almost 11,000 words in total. That's crazy!
Fun Fact: I copied all of Melissa's tattoos. Her bike tattoo story is true, I saw it in an interview (Craig Ferguson) where she told it. Her wolf tattoo is because she is part Native American and she's from Colorado (She told Craig Ferguson that's how people get around). IDK about the feather and word 'free' so I just made up some things for this.
Enjoy reviewing!