Carmen:

"Give me more attention." Van said suddenly, pressing his lips against my forehead. I let the phone fall back into my bag and wrapped my arms around him, tuning back into the conversation. Emily's eyes met mine and she smiled, waving a hand at us.

"I'm still shocked. Van the man, finally settling down."

"It's not like I'm retiring Em." He rubbed my back, smiling. "I knew I had to lock it down somehow."

Something flashed in Emily's eyes. "Is she the girl..? Congratulations you two, you make a cute couple."

"So who wants to get a drink?" Bondy spoke up.

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"A mouth tattoo?" Van laughed. I rubbed my temple, grinning. "You know my thing with needles."

"I know, but I just I don't know. We're in New York and I want to remember it. And I may or may not have had too much of that tequila Bondy kept ordering." I shrugged, feeling another rush that made me wrap my arms around myself.

"I didn't have too much of that but I can pretend I did. A mouth tattoo?" He pulled his bottom lip down with two fingers. "It would be class in that mysterious type of way."

"Yes!" I said a little too loudly. I tended to not pay attention to the volume of my voice when I had a little too much to drink. "That would be so hot. So so hot."

"You ok?" Van asked.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be? I'm in this great city with the love of my life! Who is so so so hot. And we're going to get mouth tattoos and then afterwards..." I hooked a finger inside his jeans, biting my lip. I pushed against him, feeling my heart race when his lips met mine. We were in our bedroom back at the hotel, the guys still at the bar with Emily and Larry.

"Alright." He finally said in between kisses, pushing his hair back. "But what? And are you sure? Like really sure? I don't want to wake up with you positively mad about me enabling you."

"I am sure. Very sure. What about....I can't think. Think of something please."

"How about...."

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"Does it hurt?" I asked Van, watching him flinch as the guy finally drew the needle away and stick a piece of gauze over the area.

"Not as much as I thought."

"Just be careful with eating and drinking. And kissing." The guy looked on as Van stepped forward next to me. "They don't last forever unfortunately, but I'm sure you two already knew that before coming in."

"Uh yes." I answered quickly, stepping forward and sliding into the chair. Blinking under the bright light over my face, I pressed my tongue against the roof of my mouth and focused on the ceiling.

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Van:

"Where were you two? Figured you'd be asleep by now. Kept the party going elsewhere?" Bondy looked at both Carmen and I, settling into the couch.

"You could say that." The bit of gauze inside my mouth made my speech a little off, but I don't even think Bondy noticed. "We got tattoos."

"Ha ha." Bondy said, not turning away from the television. "Now maybe Carmen I'd believe. But you're a wimp with needles McCann."Carmen walked over to him and pulled her lower lip down, laughing at his expression. "Oh my Christ! Wait, so you two really...? What'd you get? What if it gets infected? That won't affect your singing will it?"

"Oh, we didn't....I didn't think of that."

"To be young and in love. I'm sure your lip won't turn into a swollen fountain of pus, don't worry." Bondy laughed. "So what'd you kids get?"

"You'll see when we take the gauze off." I answered before Carmen did. She shrugged and walked towards our bedroom.

"That's love. Getting inked like that. Did you cry? Why am I asking you, I'll ask Carmen, she'll tell the truth."

"I didn't cry! Maybe I wanted this just as much as she did. Step out of the box for a bit. Are Ben and Bob asleep?"

"Out cold. Should've seen Bob going at it with Emily."

"Really? I didn't figure her as his type."

"Embarrassed to say it was only because he'd had a bit too much of the juice. Didn't pull anything off thank god, but we decided it'd be better if we got out of there. Emily asked why you and Carmen had left so early." He scratched his head. "I forget you two had that thing. Really weird thing."

"Really weird thing." I said sleepily, looking at the television. The inside of my mouth stung a bit as I sucked a breath in and got up, walking towards Carmen and I's bedroom. She was laying on top of the sheets, pulling her bottom lip forward with a blank expression. "You alright?"

"Yeah." She sat up, pushing her hair back. "We didn't think about that tattoo affecting your singing. I didn't think about it, I'm sorry."

"It won't affect anything babe, don't worry about it," I sat on the bed and pulled her towards me. "You said we were going to do something after the tattoos, I hope you haven't forgotten." She turned to face me and leaned in, her lips grazing mine.

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Carmen:

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling goosebumps as Van tossed my shirt aside, pressing his lips against the base of my throat. A large laugh/scream from Bondy sounded through the wall, and I laughed quietly while Van smiled and pressed his hands against my face.

"Remember what the guy said..." I felt the words die in my throat as Van's lips met mine.

"Fuck what the guy said." He laughed, pressing one hand lightly against my stomach while he held onto the button of my jeans. "I'll just make sure my tongue doesn't touch that part. Don't think it can anyway."

I wrapped an arm around Van's neck, pulling him down closer to me. "Let me fix you up first."

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"Carmen! Van!" Bondy's voice sounded outside the door. I squinted, rubbing my eyes and looking towards the window, rays of sun bursting through.

"Van! Carmen!"

"Van." I nudged Van, who moaned and buried his head in the pillow.

"Five more minutes."

I slid out of bed and grabbed the first thing I saw, Van's button up. I buttoned it and crossed my arms, walking towards the door.

"Bondy, what is it?" I cleared my throat, fighting back a yawn.

"We're going out to breakfast. I figured you both might want to come and get some nourishment, but judging from your face and Sleeping Beauty behind you, I guess you'll be ordering in?"

"We'll meet you guys over there. Just text me where and we'll meet you guys."

I shut the door and yawned, padding over to Van. He was still lying on his stomach, hands wrapped around the pillow. I traced his back, stopping on his birthmark. "Van." He didn't move. "Van." He groaned. "Ryan. Van. You have to get up now." When he didn't budge, I slid on top of him, planting a kiss on the back of his head. He suddenly shifted, pushing me against the pillow and planting slow kisses on my neck. "Why have breakfast when I can eat now?" He whispered, his voice hoarse with sleep.

"Mhm?" I laughed, as his lips melted against my throat. "Come on, I have to eat something or I won't be in the mood."

"So you're not in the mood right now?" He asked in disappointment.

"Ok, well maybe I am, but we can't leave the guys waiting for us, so come on." I shoved him off of me and moved back, unbuttoning his shirt to change.

"Ok, thanks for not wanting to fuck me but still giving me the temptation of seeing you dress." I ignored him and changed, fighting back another yawn.

949-786-5826: Totally not offended you didn't respond to my earlier messages

But Lynne wants me to go over your designs.

Let me know when you're free

Tell Van I said hi :)

I tossed the phone back in my bag and brought my hair up in a ponytail, fixing my lipstick before stepping outside the bedroom. Van was standing at the door, fiddling with his phone. My fiancee. My heart warmed at the thought and I went up to him and pressed my lips against his.

"What's that for?"

"Being totally in love with you." The tattoo was a dull ache in my mouth. I couldn't help running my tongue over the gauze as we walked farther away from the hotel to meet the guys.

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Van:

I had a nightmare of the tattoo needle getting stuck in my mouth.

I poked the gauze with my tongue as I walked next to Carmen, pushing my sunglasses up and looking away from the crowd. I was dead tired, and I'd much rather have laid in bed for another eight hours.

But alas, real life called. And we were leaving in a couple of hours to catch a flight to our next spot, where we had an hour of soundcheck before the next show.

I followed Carmen down the street, pressing against her to let more people pass, bringing my chin down on her head. It hurt my mouth a little when I did that. The thought of the needle going into my mouth made my legs shake. I didn't think I was going to stomach breakfast.

When we walked into the restaurant, the guys were all sitting at a booth at the corner, sunglasses on indoors.

"Don't you all look like a bunch of douches?" I sat down after Carmen, taking my own pair off.

"Fuck off McCann. Come on then, when does the gauze come out for that tattoo?" Bondy rested his chin on his hand. "I must say ink makes a man sexy. If I couldn't resist you before I'll surely want to be ripping my clothes off the minute you step into the room now."

I stuck out my tongue while Carmen laughed. "Fuck right off Bond, I'm taken. Get yourself a new man."

"Alright, Ben you're my new man. We'll have to hold hands in public now so the youth publish fanfiction about us shagging after concerts."

"That's oddly specific Bondy, have you been catching up on your reading lately?" Carmen took a sip of coffee, unable to hide the grin on her face.

Bondy grinned. "Gotta see what the kids are into nowadays."

Carmen's phone rang loudly while we talked. She checked it, rejecting the call and letting the phone drop back in her bag.

"Anything good?" I asked curiously.

"Nope." She looked at me over her coffee cup, finally turning to look back at the guys.

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Carmen:

"Hey. Yeah, he's been texting me about work. Nicole, help."

"Oh no, I'm telling you, I can fix this. I'll just tell Lynne the truth?"

"That I dated her boyfriend? She'll kick me off the campaign."

"No she won't, a contract's a contract."

"I find that very hard to believe." Van was taking a shower after we'd landed in Chicago for the next concert, and I was using that opportunity to talk to Nicole about the Zach thing. "I'm pretty sure Van would have a stroke if he saw Zach reaching out to me as much as he has now."

"Your boyfriend's so jealous. But yeah I get it. Leave it to me."

"You're an angel. Grateful for you always. Forever."

"Everything you just said, but ten times more. Alright, I'll call you later babe, have fun. Bring me a souvenir from Chicago. Like an I heart Chicago shirt."

"Will do. Bye." I hung up just as Van turned off the shower, leaning back and looking at the ceiling. We weren't doing a suite right now, Van and I had gotten our own room that connected with to the guys. Van opened the bathroom door, towel around his hips and pushing his hair back. "You're kidding." I murmured, watching the way he leaned in and looked at himself in the mirror, rubbing a hand across his face.

"Sorry love?"

"Nothing." I stretched out on the bed, scratching my eyebrow. "Just admiring my fiancee."

"You can do way more than just admire."

"You have soundcheck in twenty minutes."

"You're kidding! Christ." He grabbed his clothes and started changing. "Christ Christ Christ."

"I'll be waiting for you backstage." I said as he buttoned up the last button on his shirt.

"I'll be looking forward to that." He kissed me quickly, slipping his jacket on.

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I got a call from Zach on the way to the concert.

I didn't know it was him as it showed up as unknown, and I honestly don't know why I didn't realize it was him until I answered and his voice felt like a bucket of cold water.

"Can you stop sending Nicole to piss my girlfriend off? She's not your fucking mom Carmen, and I don't know why I expected better from you. Old habits die hard I guess."

"What the fuck do you want me to do? You're not supposed to be working with me. And can you stop bringing Van into this with those messages?"

"Trust me, I'd rather not bring Van into anything. Unless you're tired of him yet?"

"Fuck right off Zach." I hung up, rubbing my temple and trying not to look at my uber driver through the mirror. This could not get any more awkward.

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"And then she said, yeah I knew a little bit but not that much. Why would I care about his old relationships? And I was like sis, you're putting them to work together. God I was so like, um what the fuck? The entire time she was talking." I bit my nail, watching the line of people outside the venue.

"Zach called me and said to stop having you act like my mother." I laughed when Nicole laughed, feeling my body sag with relief from just the mere action.

"Zach can fuck right off."

"That's funny because that's also what I told him."

"Well let's see what Lynne says. Honestly I don't even know what to expect anymore. I'm going to do a face mask right now just to prevent any wrinkles from that conversation." I noticed the girls standing at the front of the line stare at me as I waved at Vanessa, one of the label representatives setting a board cutout of the album cover at the entrance before moving past her inside. "Alright you do that Nic, I'll talk to you later."

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I ordered a drink at the bar before taking it backstage, listening in on the tech guys moving everything around. The footsteps sounded across the auditorium as the first audience members came rushing in to get a spot at front. Music blasted from the speakers, and everyone was singing along to Someday.

I took a massive gulp of my drink, feeling the sting of it as it soaked through the little square of gauze covering the tattoo. Oh shit, well, it was supposed to come off soon anyways.

The opening act was a band gaining popularity with this tour, and they got a big round of applause as soon as they stepped off. The lights dimmed down and I heard people chanting for Catfish, screaming as soon as Larry came out to help setup. The lights dimmed again when they were finished and everyone went back to screaming.

I saw the guys run out from the other side of the stage, getting into their positions. Van licked his mouth and pressed it lightly against the microphone. "Chicago, we are Catfish and the Bottlemen." If I didn't know Van like I knew him already I would've been so intimidated just looking at him. He seemed so sure of himself.

As expected, the audience just about lost it. Even my heart sped up a little seeing Van signal Bob, pulling his guitar upwards before launching into Pacifier.

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Van:

I collapsed on the hotel bed, bringing Carmen closer to me. She was leaving tomorrow already and it'd be at least another month before I saw her. She took a deep breath, burying her face in my shirt. "I'm so tired but I want to stay awake all night with you." She said.

"Your flight's early tomorrow."

"Not that early."

"But early."

"Mhm." She wrapped her fingers around mine. Her phone rang. She groaned.

"Are you gonna get that?"

"No."

"Maybe it's work."

She stood up and grabbed her phone from the desk, answering quickly. "Hello? Hi. Yeah I heard. Well it was just really weird and I'm not comfortable, I would think it's weird for you too. Yeah he told me you'd given him my number. Uh no, of course I didn't, why would I? I would much rather never see him again no offense. Uh huh." She looked at me then looked away, scratching her neck. "You do whatever you want, it's your decision, but no that's not going to happen. Lynne, you're giving me this great opportunity but if you don't want to keep me around then you definitely can't keep my ideas for free either. I wouldn't even mind if they were inspiration for other pieces but-yeah, no. He hasn't done anything actually, those are all my pieces. Yeah well....ok. Alright. Uh huh. Bye."

"What is it?"

She set the phone down. "Just things."

"Things with Lynne. And the him, I assume is that fucking-Zach."

"It's no big deal. God if I knew it would be this complicated I never would've accepted this damn job. And my mouth hurts. And my flight is tomorrow." She laid back down next to me, reaching over to run her fingers through my hair. "And I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too. But you know what you can do to ease the tension?"

"Don't tell me, it'll probably be something dumb like 'send nudes'."

"You know me so well."

"Screw you Van." She laughed finally, her smile breaking through her somber expression like the sun bursts through the clouds.

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Carmen:

Back home was as it always was when the guys weren't around: quiet. I was glad to be sleeping in my bedroom and my own comfy bed, but I needed Van to be lying next to me to really finish off the picture. Until that happened though, I went to work and worked on Lynne's campaign. She was finally seeing the light and had told Zach I could do things on my own. Turned out Lynne hadn't even given Zach my phone number to begin with, he'd just taken it from her cell. Van would've blown a fuse if I'd told him though.

Nothing a simple block couldn't do though.

It became a habit to pull my bottom lip down to study the mini ampersand inked on the wall of my mouth, a matching one on Van's as well. It made me strangely proud to see it, even if it would be gone after a while. It would always remind me of New York and Van and everything else that was to come.

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I locked the door behind me as I got home from work, letting myself fall on the couch and taking a deep breath. My head had it's own heartbeat right now and I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep already. But I couldn't sleep yet because Van was going to call me.