NOTIFICATION HEARTBEAT

Lia: I swear if you ghost me one more time, I’m flying to your country just to slap you with a fish.

Xander: Make sure it’s salmon.

Lia: You’re unbearable.

Lia: Also hi. I missed you.

Lia: But I’m still mad.

Xander: You always miss me.

Lia: Shut up.

Lia: You missed me too, admit it.

Xander: … Maybe.

×××× Lia/pov/

Her room was dark, except for the glow of her phone screen. The fan creaked above her, spinning the same way her mind did whenever Xander texted back after disappearing for days

She was supposed to be studying.

But instead, she was curled up in bed, staring at the one person who lived oceans away,

He was gone for three days without a word.

And all it took was “Maybe” to make her forgive him again.

Pathetic?

Yes.

But love—whatever this was—had never been logical for her.

×××××××

Lia: Be honest. Did you even think about me this week?

Xander: Sorry...I thought you’d message first.

Lia: You always wait for me to talk first.

Xander: Because I don’t know what to say.

Lia: You don’t have to know. Just… show up. That’s enough.

Xander: I’ll try.

×××××× Xander/POV/

His room was silent except for the low hum of his laptop fan. The screen in front of him was filled with unfinished code and blinking tabs. But his eyes stayed on Lia's chat.

He didn’t know how to do this—whatever “this” was.

Feelings didn’t come with labels or clear edges for him.

He didn’t say much.

He never knew how to say much.

But tonight, he typed two words and meant every letter.

I’ll try.

And that…

That was his version of "I missed you too."

×××××× | 3 months ago |

It started in a group chat.

Not a romantic DM, not a random meme. Just… a casual message about tattoos.

Xander was talking to someone else in the group—something about line work, painting, and how piercings were easier to commit to than tattoos.

Lia was quiet. Watching.

But then he said something that made her pause

“I like tattoos that mean something. Symbols. Codes. Quiet anger.”

And just like that, she jumped in.

Group Chat | 8:17 PM | 3 months ago

Lia: Wait you have tattoos??

Xander: Yeah.

Lia: That’s so cool. I thought I was the only tattoo obsessed one here

Xander: Apparently not.

Lia: Do you have piercings too or just ink?

Xander: Piercings too.

{She typed: “marry me.”

Deleted it.

Typed: “hot.”

Deleted that too.}

Settled for:

Lia: That’s actually so attractive

He didn’t reply in the group.

But thirty minutes later, her DMs pinged.

××× Private chat|

Xander: You said tattoos were attractive.

Lia: I stand by that

Xander: You have any?

Lia: 4 so far

Xander: …wait, really?

Lia: Yep.

Xander: Didn’t expect that.

Lia: Why not?

Xander: I don’t know. You just seem… soft. Not the type to handle needle pain.

Lia: That’s cute. But I changed a lot

Xander: You’re full of surprises.

Lia: You’ve seen nothing yet.

She smirked at his surprise.

Most people assumed she just liked the aesthetic of tattoos—not the sting, the buzz, the ritual of it. But Kia? He wasn’t judging. He was curious.

She liked that.

×××

He stared at his screen a little longer than usual.

He hadn’t expected her to be inked.

And that did something to him.

Made him curious.

Made him want to keep asking questions.

×

×

×

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***