7PM: Sasha and Zach
Zach didn't think or hesitate before he reached over, fingertips tracing along the pistol on Sasha’s hip before moving over to the heart. His touch lingered as his gaze moved from the ink there on his skin to meet his eyes again. “I have a heart too,” he said, stretching his left arm out straight so it could be seen where it was on the inside of his upper arm, just above his elbow. “Our bodies are a canvas. Or… like how people say your body is a temple? I don't want to have a boring looking temple.”
It was hard for Sasha not to take note of Zach’s fingers against his skin or the way it felt as the other man traced his tattoos and then let them linger. He let his gaze shift down to where Zach’s hand was for only a moment before he lifted it again. “Yours has a little more realism to it than mine,” he remarked with a laugh, comparing his cartoonish heart to the anatomical one Zach had inked.
“I like the idea that you’re just making sure you don’t have a boring temple,” Sasha remarked with a half-smile. “Personally I like having some kind of margin of individuality, you know? Like I don’t want to walk down the street and look like every other dude who’s walking down that same street.” He had always assumed that was an artist thing, but then there were people like his dad or Bishop who made statements with their hair or lack thereof. So maybe it was just a person thing.
“Sasha, I hate to break it to you, but you don't need tattoos to keep from looking like every other dude walking down the street.” Zach grinned softly, his thumb absently brushing against where it was resting near Sasha’s hip. He couldn't help it, really. His skin was soft and right there to be touched. “I mean the individuality thing - yes, I'm right there with you. But there definitely isn't anyone else in Austin who comes close to you.”
The other man’s absentminded action sent a shiver down Sasha’s spine and his compliment brought a wide unabashed grin to his face. “Careful, you keep staying things like that and you’ll inflate my ego to where I can’t get through doors,” he joked. In truth Sasha was well aware of his own attractiveness and how his particular Russian and Pakistani heritage set him apart from many others in Austin. “I mean I would argue though that Austin’s boasts a pretty attractive population,” Sasha countered, “Especially current company.” Said with a sly, flirtatious smile.
“Now you be careful,” Zach murmured, a soft smile turning up the corners of his mouth and his gaze dropping down to where his hand was resting for a moment before it flickered up to meet Sasha’s again. He leaned in, closing the small distance between them to press a kiss against his lips - which he didn't consider too risky considering Sasha had kissed him already without even saying hello first. It was short, soft, and when Zach pulled back he didn't move too far away. “Thank you.”