Five months. That is how long the whirlwind lasted. From May to October 2018, the world watched as Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande moved at warp speed, going from "just dating" to "engaged" in what felt like a weekend. Along the way, they treated their skin like a shared diary.
Honestly, the pete davidson ariana grande tattoo tally became a spectator sport. Fans weren’t just tracking song lyrics; they were zooming in on paparazzi photos of fingers and necks to see what new ink had appeared overnight. It was a lot.
Some people call it "love bombing." Others see it as two young people swept up in a chaotic, beautiful moment. Whatever you call it, the sheer volume of permanent ink dedicated to a relationship that lasted 150 days is still a pop culture fascinator. Now that we’re years removed from the breakup, the story of those tattoos is basically a masterclass in how celebrities try—and sometimes fail—to erase their past.
The Matching Ink: A Timeline of Shared Skin
The tattoos started almost immediately. Most couples wait for an anniversary to get matching ink. Not these two.
They started with the clouds. You’ve probably seen the photos: tiny, minimalist clouds on their middle fingers. It was a nod to Ariana’s Cloud fragrance and, more generally, the aesthetic of her Sweetener era. Simple. Small. Easy to ignore if things went south, right?
Well, it didn't stop there.
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Next came "H2GKMO." If you weren't on Twitter back then, that stands for "Honest to God, knock me out." It was a catchphrase Ariana used constantly. They got it on their hands. Then there was "Reborn," a one-word tribute to a Kid Cudi song that they both apparently resonated with during their "fresh start" together.
The Deepest Cut: 8418
This one was different. It wasn't a cute phrase or a cartoon. Pete has "8418" on his arm—the badge number of his father, Scott Davidson, a firefighter who died on 9/11.
When Ariana got the same numbers inked on her ankle, it felt heavy. It signaled a level of integration into Pete’s family and his trauma that went beyond a typical summer fling. It was a permanent tribute to a man she never met, but whose legacy defined the man she was about to marry.
- Mille Tendresse: They both got this on the back of their necks. It’s French for "a thousand tendernesses," a line from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Ariana actually had hers since 2014, but Pete got his to match her during their engagement.
- The Bunny Mask: Pete went big with a tattoo of the Dangerous Woman bunny ears behind his ear. It was his most visible "I'm with her" statement.
The Great Erasure: When "Always" Isn't Always
Breakups are hard. Breakups when you have ten tattoos of your ex are a logistical nightmare.
Once the engagement was called off in October 2018, the "pete davidson ariana grande tattoo" collection became a liability. The cover-ups started almost immediately, and they weren't subtle.
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Ariana was the first to pivot. During a pre-taped performance for NBC’s Wicked special, fans noticed a Band-Aid over her "Pete" finger tattoo. Soon, that name was gone, replaced by a black heart.
The most emotional cover-up, though, was the "8418" badge number. She eventually replaced it with a tribute to another ex: Mac Miller. She had "Myron" (the name of Mac’s dog, which she took in after his passing) tattooed over the numbers. It was a move that felt like a definitive closing of the Pete chapter while honoring a different, perhaps deeper, grief.
Pete’s "Cursed" Transformation
Pete’s approach was a bit more... Pete.
That "Mille Tendresse" tattoo on the back of his neck? He didn't just cover it with a flower or a bird. He had the word "CURSED" written over it in bold, black ink. It was a loud, public declaration of how he felt about the relationship's end.
The bunny ears behind his ear also vanished, replaced by a large black heart. It mirrored Ariana’s heart cover-up, almost like they were still matching, even in their attempts to forget each other.
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Why the Pete Davidson Ariana Grande Tattoo Saga Still Matters
You might wonder why we’re still talking about this in 2026.
It’s because Pete Davidson has since spent a literal fortune—reportedly upwards of $200,000—undergoing laser tattoo removal for the majority of his body art. He’s been candid about it in interviews, mentioning how he wants a "fresh start" and doesn't want to see "SpongeBob smoking a joint" or old relationship regrets every time he looks in the mirror.
For Ariana, the tattoos evolved. She told fans that adding leaves over her "Always" tattoo (which was in Pete's handwriting) wasn't a cover-up, but "evolvin'." It’s a poetic way of looking at it. People change, and sometimes the art on their bodies has to change with them.
What You Should Know Before Getting a Relationship Tattoo
If you’re feeling inspired (or terrified) by the Pete and Ari saga, here’s the expert take on how to handle relationship ink:
- Placement is everything. Finger tattoos fade fast, which is a blessing if you break up but a curse if you want them to last. Necks and ribs are much more permanent and painful to remove.
- Think about "The Blast Over." Pete often used "blast overs," where a new, darker design is tattooed directly over the old one. It’s faster than laser removal but leaves you with very dark, heavy ink.
- Symbols over Names. A cloud is just a cloud once the person is gone. A name like "Pete" or "Ariana" is much harder to explain to your next partner.
- Laser is no joke. As Pete has demonstrated, laser removal takes years and costs thousands. It’s not a "reset" button; it’s a grueling medical process.
The era of the pete davidson ariana grande tattoo serves as a permanent (well, semi-permanent) reminder of a specific moment in pop culture history. It was a time of "big dick energy," whirlwind romances, and the belief that ink could make a feeling last forever.
If you're thinking about getting matching ink with a partner, maybe start with a temporary one. Or, at the very least, make sure it’s something you’d be happy to turn into a black heart or a bunch of leaves one day. Because as these two superstars proved, sometimes "always" only lasts a few months.
To really understand the impact of these choices, you can look at the current state of Pete’s arms in his 2025/2026 public appearances—they are significantly clearer, showing just how much work it takes to undo a summer of impulsive decisions. Keep that in mind before you head to the parlor.