Chapter Text
It was late at Grey Sloan Memorial, and the hospital was settling into the calm of the night shift. Meredith Grey, still buzzing from a particularly challenging surgery, wandered into the residents’ lounge, hoping for a moment of peace. Instead, she found Addison Montgomery lounging on the worn couch, sipping coffee.
Addison glanced up as Meredith entered, her smile a mix of friendliness and mischief. “Well, if it isn’t Seattle’s newest superstar surgeon.”
Meredith grinned, sinking into the chair opposite. “Please, don’t inflate my ego more than it already is. You might regret it.”
Addison laughed, a rich sound that made Meredith’s heart skip a beat. “Maybe I’m just seeing if you can still fit your head through the OR doors.”
Meredith chuckled. “If my ego doesn’t get me, this place will. But it’s worth it. We did some good today.”
Addison’s eyes twinkled with a playful glint. “I hear you saved a life or two. But tell me, Meredith, do you have any guilty pleasures? Something less virtuous than saving lives?”
Meredith raised an eyebrow. “Guilty pleasures? I’m not sure. What about you?”
Addison shrugged, her smile widening. “Oh, I have a few. One that might surprise you is tattoos.”
Meredith leaned in, intrigued. “Tattoos? Do you have one?”
Addison’s eyes met Meredith’s, her smile turning sly. “Maybe.”
Meredith’s curiosity deepened. “Oh, come on. You can’t drop a bomb like that and not tell me more.”
Addison leaned back, crossing her legs. “Where’s the fun in just telling you? Besides, you seem like the type who enjoys a challenge.”
Meredith rolled her eyes, but a playful grin tugged at her lips. “Alright, I’ll bite. If you do have one, where is it? What is it?”
Addison took a slow sip of her coffee. “I’ll give you a hint. It’s not in a place most people would see. And it’s… a bit more exotic than a typical tattoo.”
Meredith’s mind raced. “Exotic, huh? Let me guess—lower back? Upper thigh?”
Addison chuckled, shaking her head. “Good guesses, but no.”
Meredith leaned closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. “Alright, give me something more. What’s the design? Something classy? Something wild?”
Addison’s smile grew predatory as she locked eyes with Meredith. “It’s a dragon.”
Meredith blinked, surprised. “A dragon? Really?”
Addison nodded. “It starts here,” she said, brushing her fingers lightly over her lower abdomen, just above her hip, “and wraps around to my back.”
Meredith’s heart skipped a beat, her eyes following the path Addison had traced. “That sounds… intense.”
Addison’s smile widened, clearly pleased with Meredith’s reaction. “It is. But it suits me, don’t you think?”
Meredith nodded slowly, still caught up in the image Addison had painted. “Yeah, I can see that. But now you’ve really got me curious. I might just have to find an excuse to see it.”
Addison’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find a way. You seem resourceful.”
Meredith laughed, the flirty banter coming more naturally than expected. “You know, you’re making it very hard to focus on anything else now.”
“Good,” Addison replied softly, a hint of challenge in her voice. “Consider it payback for all the times you’ve distracted me in the OR.”
Meredith smirked, her competitive side emerging. “Oh, so this is a game to you?”
“Maybe,” Addison said lightly, though her eyes were serious. “But if it is, it’s one I intend to win.”
Meredith’s pulse quickened, the tension between them unmistakable. “We’ll see about that.”
The conversation lingered in Meredith’s mind for days. Every time she saw Addison, her eyes strayed to where the tattoo might be hidden. She imagined it in vivid detail—the dragon’s tail curling around Addison’s hip, the wings stretching across her back. Her curiosity—and desire—grew.
Late one night, Meredith was heading to the on-call room when she spotted Addison in an empty hallway, gazing out at the dark Seattle skyline. Meredith approached, her steps quiet.
“Addison.”
Addison turned, a slow smile spreading across her lips. “Meredith. Can’t sleep?”
“Something like that,” Meredith replied, her heart racing for reasons beyond exhaustion. “You?”
Addison shrugged. “Just thinking. It’s peaceful at this time of night.”
Meredith stepped closer, her curiosity and the charged atmosphere pushing her to be bolder. “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot too. About your tattoo.”
Addison’s eyes flicked to Meredith, her smile widening into something almost feral. “Still on that, huh?”
Meredith nodded, closing the distance between them. “It’s been driving me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Addison’s voice dropped to a husky whisper. “And what exactly are you thinking?”
Meredith swallowed, the tension between them palpable. “I want to see it.”
Addison’s smile turned into a full-on smirk, eyes dark with amusement and something else—something dangerous. “Is that right?”
Meredith nodded, her pulse pounding. “Yeah.”
Addison paused, then slowly untied the drawstring of her scrub pants. Meredith’s breath hitched as she watched Addison reveal a glimpse of skin, the top of a detailed tattoo peeking from above her hip.
Meredith’s eyes widened at the sight—the dragon’s tail, coiled elegantly, scales rendered in intricate detail, the ink dark against Addison’s pale skin. It was even more beautiful than Meredith had imagined.
Addison’s voice was low and teasing. “This is just the beginning. The rest… you’ll have to earn.”
Meredith felt a surge of adrenaline, her competitive nature and desire pushing her to take a step closer. “I think I’m up for the challenge.”
Addison’s eyes flashed with something almost predatory as she leaned in, her lips brushing Meredith’s ear. “Good.”
Addison pulled her scrub top up, revealing more of the tattoo. The dragon wound around her side, extending toward her lower back. The wings were partially visible, scales shimmering in the dim light.
Meredith’s breath caught as she reached out, her fingers tracing the tattoo’s outline. The touch was light but electrifying, sending a shiver down Addison’s spine.
“It’s… stunning,” Meredith breathed.
Addison’s smile was slow and wicked. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”
Meredith let her fingers trail over the ink, feeling its raised texture. “How did you… why a dragon?”
Addison’s gaze was intense. “A dragon symbolizes power, strength, and the ability to protect and destroy. It’s a part of me—reminding me of what I’ve overcome, of my inner strength.”
Meredith nodded, mesmerized by the tattoo and Addison’s words. “It’s perfect for you.”
Addison’s breath hitched slightly at the compliment, but she masked it with a playful smirk. “I know.”
Meredith’s hand lingered on Addison’s skin, the moment charged with intensity. Finally, Meredith looked up, her voice low and challenging. “I want to see the rest.”
Addison’s smile turned dangerous. “You’ll have to work for that, Grey.”
Meredith’s competitive side flared. “Oh, I plan to.”
Addison’s gaze lingered on Meredith before she stepped back, pulling her shirt down. The sudden absence of contact left Meredith’s skin tingling, her pulse racing.
Addison’s smile was coy as she turned to leave. “Maybe next time, if you’re lucky.”
Meredith watched her go, a grin spreading across her face. The game was on, and she was ready to play. This was far from over.
The tattoo had deepened their connection—a mix of playful tension, flirtation, and undeniable chemistry. Meredith knew she’d spend the coming days—and nights—thinking about Addison’s dragon and what else might lie beneath the surface. And she couldn’t wait to find out.
The days after the tattoo revelation were marked by heightened awareness. Every encounter with Addison crackled with unspoken tension, each glance and word laced with deeper meaning, inviting the next step.
Meredith found herself thinking about Addison more than she’d admit. It wasn’t just the tattoo—it was Addison’s confidence, the challenge she presented. Meredith, used to being in control, found herself enjoying the game with Addison more than she expected.
Late one night, while finishing paperwork in an empty conference room, Meredith looked up to see Addison leaning casually against the doorframe, her expression unreadable.
“Burning the midnight oil, Grey?” Addison asked, her voice smooth and teasing.
Meredith leaned back, trying to appear nonchalant. “Someone has to keep this place running. What about you? Couldn’t stay away?”
Addison stepped inside, the door clicking shut. “Something like that. I thought I’d check in on you. See how you’re doing after… everything.”
Meredith raised an eyebrow. “Everything?”
Addison’s smile sent a shiver down Meredith’s spine. “You know exactly what I mean.”
Meredith’s pulse quickened as Addison moved closer. “You’ve been on my mind,” Meredith admitted, her voice serious. “The tattoo… and what you said about it. It got me thinking.”
Addison tilted her head, genuinely interested. “Oh? And what did you think?”
Meredith hesitated, then decided to go for it. “I thought that maybe I’m not as done with challenges as I thought.”
Addison’s smile grew, the predatory gleam returning to her eyes. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Meredith stood, closing the distance between them, her heart pounding. “I’m ready to see more, if you’re willing to show me.”
Addison’s eyes darkened, her breath hitching slightly. “Are you sure you can handle it, Grey?”
Meredith smirked. “Try me.”
Addison held Meredith’s gaze for a long moment, tension simmering between them. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, Addison reached for the hem of her shirt.
Meredith’s breath caught as Addison revealed more of the tattoo, the dragon’s wings spreading across her lower back, its head curling around her side. It was a masterpiece—strong, elegant, and powerful.
Addison’s voice was a low murmur. “This is who I am. All of me.”
Meredith’s fingers trembled slightly as she reached out to trace the dragon’s outline, feeling the warmth of Addison’s skin beneath her fingertips. “It’s… incredible.”
Addison’s breath hitched at the contact, but she held Meredith’s gaze. “There’s more to me than what you see. More than what anyone sees.”
Meredith nodded, drawn in by Addison’s intensity. “I want to know all of it. If you’ll let me.”
Addison’s eyes softened, the usual sharpness replaced by something more vulnerable. “I might just take you up on that.”
Meredith smiled, her heart racing with anticipation. “Good. Because I’m not backing down.”
Addison’s smile mirrored Meredith’s as she stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on Meredith’s hip. “Neither am I.”
As they stood there, the distance between them barely a breath, Meredith knew that this was just the beginning of something neither of them had expected but were both eager to explore.
As they broke apart from the kiss, Meredith couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking her head. “I should have known you’d make everything a challenge, even this.”
Addison grinned, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “What can I say? I like to keep things interesting.”
Meredith rolled her eyes, her smile broadening. “You definitely succeed at that.”
Addison crossed her arms, leaning back with a smug expression. “So, what’s next? You think you can keep up?”
Meredith’s competitive spirit flared up again. “Oh, I’m not just keeping up—I’m planning to win.”
Addison’s laughter echoed through the room. “Well, then. Game on, Grey.”
With a final wink, Addison turned on her heel and sauntered out of the room, leaving Meredith grinning from ear to ear, already planning her next move.