#bubu

"it's just a doodle," you say when he kisses it later that evening.

a week later, he shows up at your door with it tattooed in the exact same spot.

"taeyong, what—"

"i wanted to keep it," he says, rolling up his sleeve. the tattoo artist copied it perfectly—every wobbly petal, every imperfection preserved.

"it's yours, so it's mine now. forever."

you just smile at him like he hung the stars.

the second one only comes naturally. it's been raining all day, and you're both under blankets, passing a marker back and forth. "let's do something bigger," you say mostly to yourself, drawing a little galaxy up his arm. stars, swirls, even a small crescent moon.

"why space?" he asks, eyes sleepy as he leans into you.

"because you're my universe," you say softly, knowing how cheesy it sounds.

taeyong doesn't reply, only smiling as he tucks his face into your shoulder.

two weeks later, the galaxy is permanent, and you run your fingers over it in wonder.

"you really don't hesitate, do you?"

"not when it comes to you."

the third one is spontaneous — a little heart on his ring finger while you're waiting for food at your usual diner.

"to match your heart," you grin.

months later, he casually mentions he got it tattooed that same week.

"wait, when?" you laugh, examining his hand.

"it's tiny, but it's there. like you, always with me."

you kiss him instead of finding words.

the most recent one catches you off guard completely.

"close your eyes," taeyong says one evening, voice full of that familiar mischief.

"why?" you ask, but you're already smiling.

"just trust me."

when you open them, he's rolling up his sleeve to reveal delicate script along his forearm — your handwriting, unmistakably.

you stare. "is that…?"

"your 'i love you,'" he grins. "from last week."

you remember now, scribbling it absentmindedly on his arm. but seeing it permanently etched into his skin makes your chest feel impossibly full.

"taeyong," you whisper, tracing the fresh ink.

his smile softens. "you always say they're just doodles, but they mean everything to me."

you don't know what you did to deserve someone who takes the smallest pieces of you and turns them into treasures.

"you're the most precious thing," you murmur, kissing his forearm where the words rest.

"i'm all yours," he says simply, fingers finding yours.

looking at the collection of little tattoos across his skin — each one gifted to him by you, you realize taeyong turned himself into a living love letter.

the ink stays, and so does he.

with love,