This is on a 2016 V60 Osmium grey.

This grey has some metallic in it and I've always found it is hard to touch up a larger area of paint that has metallic in the paint. The particulates don't always come out of that little bottle in the same amount.
Some where along the way something hit the nose of my car, right next to the grill. There are two gashes, not very big but not just a chip. The one filled very well and is almost imperceptible from two feet away. Probably nobody would notice but I know where to look. The other gash is a tiny bit bigger. What showed up behind the paint is black. Is the nose part a rubber material? The second gash just doesn't want to cooperate and likes to stay very apparent. I've attempted several tries but end up with:

A. I remove the touch up
B: The touch up will come off with buffing

I also think that applying clear to it makes it darker but the clear coat helps protect it.

I'm thinking of getting a can of light grey primer and using something to dab a bit of that on top of the black. Allow to cure and then apply the Osmium grey base coat.

In the past I've had some beater cars in my ownership that sat around to be used to pick up lumber, etc. One Subaru had terrible wheel well rust that I fixed and painted that rear panel. It came out great and was good at 5 feet away, which was ok for a beater car. I've done the same to other cars. I can paint fairly well with a rattle can. So I'm wondering why I can't get this one little mark to work with me????? Working out of those small bottle of touch up paint always makes me wonder what isn't getting in the mix? I shake it a lot to get it mixed.

A picture of the mark is included (rainy day). There was another mark almost the same size right beside it but that one is fine. Why is it black under the grey? Is that primer or some kind of rubber bumper like material? Sorry for the large size pic.

Looking online I may have a problem getting it right with a brush tip

"Paint Pens, Brushing and Spray cans
Do not try to use the paint pen on areas larger than a pencil eraser. Do not try to brush areas larger than a dime. If you do, the area will look very uneven. When you apply metallic paint with a pen or brush, the metallic flake will not lay down properly. Even with a perfect paint match the paint will look darker. Save yourself lots of grief and use a spray can for larger areas!

Any ideas.