The Skincare Incident — Tala X Julia
Tala had seen plenty of chaos in his life—countless tournaments, brutal training sessions under Boris, even missions with the Blitzkrieg Boys that tested every inch of his patience. But nothing, nothing, prepared him for the sight that greeted him in the bathroom of their newly shared penthouse.
His icy lavender eyes blinked blankly at the bathroom cabinet, trying to process the sheer invasion of space. Rows upon rows of bottles, jars, tubes, and containers occupied nearly the entire cabinet. His toothbrush looked comically out of place next to a jade facial roller and a pink hair serum.
"What the hell is this?" Tala muttered, rubbing his temple as he scanned shelf after shelf. Five out of six shelves were packed to the brim with Julia's skincare and makeup products—serums, toners, cleansers, masks, mists, oils, creams, balms, and things he didn't even have words for. The sixth shelf, supposedly his, was barely holding its own. It had his shaving cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant... plus two extra mini-bottles of Julia's stuff that clearly couldn't fit on her already overflowing shelves.
Julia, humming casually from the bedroom as she sorted her clothes into the closet, heard Tala's confused grumbling. She peeked into the bathroom, resting against the doorframe with an amused smirk. "Problem?"
Tala turned, raising a brow. "Julia, why is our bathroom looking like a cosmetic store?"
Julia giggled. "It's called skincare, Tala. You should try it sometime."
"I don't need this much." Tala gestured wildly to the cabinet. "Why are there so many of these?"
"You don't understand," Julia said, stepping in and flicking through the shelves like a proud artist showcasing her gallery. "This is cleanser, toner, exfoliator, serum, essence, ampoule, moisturizer, sunscreen... and that's just for the morning."
Tala blinked. "There's a night routine, too?"
Julia nodded like it was the most obvious thing ever. "Of course."
The redhead crossed his arms, frown deepening. "How do you even remember the order?"
"Simple." Julia grinned, stepping closer. "I've been doing it for years."
Tala backed up instinctively, only to bump against the bathroom counter. Julia trapped him there, eyes playful. "And you're gonna join me tonight."
"I—what?" Tala tried to dodge, but Julia grabbed his wrist.
"You're mine now, mister. It's non-negotiable."
Tala sighed dramatically. "Julia—"
"Non. Negotiable." She winked.
Later that night...
Tala sat stiffly on the edge of their bed as Julia prepped everything. His stoic expression did little to hide the skepticism written all over his face. Julia approached with a cotton pad soaked in toner like she was ready for battle.
"Stop frowning, you'll get wrinkles," Julia teased.
"I'm not frowning," he deadpanned.
"Right." Julia snorted. "Now sit still."
Tala grumbled but obeyed. Julia worked carefully, massaging cleansers and serums into his sharp features, treating him as if he were made of glass. At first, he tensed at every touch, unsure of the foreign sensation. But as Julia's fingers worked skillfully over his face, his shoulders visibly relaxed.
"There we go," Julia cooed, noticing the shift. "Feels nice, huh?"
Tala tried to scoff, but it came out weak, barely convincing even himself. "It's... tolerable."
Julia chuckled softly and continued. When she started using the jade roller to massage the serum into his skin, Tala's eyes began to flutter shut involuntarily. The cold stone and gentle strokes were surprisingly soothing.
"You're enjoying this." Julia smirked.
"No, I'm not..."
He let out a relaxed sigh and leaned into her touch like a literal cat. Julia bit her lip to hold back a giggle. She finished the routine carefully, patting moisturizer into his skin before stepping back.
And that's when she realized.
He was fast asleep. Right there, sitting up on the bed, with his head tilted slightly, soft breathing, and utterly relaxed features.
Julia stared for a second, then burst into quiet laughter, covering her mouth. "You big baby."
She grabbed a blanket and gently draped it over him before sneaking one last look at his now glowy, slightly pink-tinted face.
"I swear you'll thank me later."
The Next Morning...
The next morning, Tala, surprisingly well-rested, adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, glancing at the mirror on his way out. He frowned for a second, noticing how… different he looked. His usually sharp and dull complexion had a healthy glow. His skin, which often endured dry winters and stress, now looked hydrated, smooth, and just the right amount of dewy.
He scowled. "Damn you, Julia," he muttered under his breath, recalling how she'd knocked him out with that relaxing skincare routine. Still, he wasn't about to complain—not when he felt this fresh.
At HQ, Tala walked through the glass doors like he owned the place, shoulders squared, steps light. His usual intimidating aura was still there, but there was something distinctly softer about him today. Less 'I'll kill you,' more 'I'm well-moisturized while killing you.'
Kai, already settled at his desk, sipping coffee, immediately noticed. His mauve eyes scanned Tala's face once, then twice, and a rare flicker of confusion crossed them.
"You look… different," Kai commented flatly.
Tala casually threw his coat on the back of the chair. "Different how?"
Kai took another sip, eyes narrowing. "You're glowing."
Tala deadpanned. "I'm not expecting, I swear."
Kai almost choked on his coffee but recovered like the professional he was. "Never said you were."
Tala shrugged. "Maybe I'm just naturally radiant."
"Well." Kai leaned back, crossing his arms. "Your face is literally shiny."
Tala's smirk twitched. He suddenly remembered Julia, last night, working those serums and creams into his skin like a dedicated aesthetician. And how he may or may not have fallen asleep halfway through it, fully giving in to the pampering.
He tapped his fingers on the desk, pretending to think. "Maybe I just… had a good night."
Kai's eyes narrowed more. "You never have 'good nights.'"
Tala chuckled darkly, resisting the urge to spill the secret, savoring the fact that he knew something no one else did. "Well, maybe you should try a face massage, Kai."
Kai scoffed, clearly uninterested. "Pass."
Tala shrugged again, more smug than necessary, before focusing on his work. Yet every time he passed by a glass panel or reflective surface, he caught himself glancing, just a little too long, at how good he looked.
Meanwhile, Julia texted him:
Julia: "How's my handsome glowing diva today?"
Tala glanced at Kai typing away, oblivious to the text conversation.
Tala: "Might have blinded Kai accidentally."
Julia: "Good. He deserves it. P.S. Don't forget your SPF."
Tala grinned to himself, pocketing his phone. Sure, he might've been roped into skincare against his will, but he couldn't deny it—he secretly liked it.
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That's it guys! I hope y'all liked it XD I personally enjoyed writing this so I'm hoping similar response from y'all ;) See ya!