Work Text:
“What do you think?” the man in front of you turned the drawing around, offering it to you.
It didn’t take you long to approve it. The hellhound you’d wished for so long was finally close to being made.
“I love it,” you smiled.
Crowley—the tattoo artist — smiled. He was a handsome man, with strong presence and a smile that made your skin tingle. If only it wasn’t so cold, maybe you could check if his tattoos matched yours. If he was your soulmate, you wouldn’t be upset.
“I must apologise once again,” he stood up. “Our heating system is just a mess since winter started and the company has yet to come fix it.”
You just waved our hand dismissively.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry.”
This was the first tattoo you did voluntarily. The skin of your arms – both of them – was covered in interesting designs you’d seen growing the tears a sign your soulmate was actually very interested in tattoos.
“You can get yourself ready,” he instructed. “I’ll be done with this part in a minute.”
Four minutes later, you were lying on the chair with your left leg uncovered and lifted, and honestly had to fight to stay still. The day was really cold and as perfect as this place was, the building was 100% not prepared for winter.
“Is this your first?” he asked, reaching for your thigh to clean and shave your skin.
“It depends,” you rested your head back on the pillow he’d kindly offered you. It would be a long session.
“Let me guess,” Crowley turned back to you. “Soulmate tattoo?”
“A few of them, actually,” you chuckled. “I guess it’s time to surprise them too.”
The tattoo artist hummed a confirmation, and put his glove on before looking up at you.
“Well,” he looked up to your eyes, and you had to stop yourself from sighing. Goodness, he was very attractive. “Shall we start?”
. . .
Crowley wrapped your thigh carefully in plastic, making sure to cover all of the half-done tattoo.
“I see you in two weeks?” he asked, taking a pamphlet and offering it to you. “Follow the instructions here. If you need anything else, just call us and the receptionist will be able to answer your questions. If he can’t, them he’ll direct it to one of us.”
You confirmed, and waved goodbye before leaving the parlour.
The outside was just as freezing as you expected, and it was a relief to enter your warm house once again. You followed the instructions of the pamphlet you’d received regarding your tattoo, and it was only at night that you saw something out of the norm showing up on the skin of your right thigh. It wasn’t an infection, but a scribing.
‘ Nice ink’.
You raised your eyebrows in surprise. You didn’t even know you could do that.
Quickly looking for a pen, you tested it on paper before writing ‘thanks’ above. The first writing disappeared, and something was quickly written over where it was.
‘ What is it?’
Instead of erasing the first writing, you just wrote above it, suddenly feeling tense.
‘ A hellhound. It isn’t done yet. Hope you’re not religious...?’
You relaxed when a smiley face showed up on your skin.
‘ I’m not. Don’t worry. I like it. Might visit whoever did it in the future.’
You bit your lip nervously just as it disappeared again, and a number showed up where it was before.
‘ Text me?’
And you did, for days . From dawn to dusk, you’d be talking and talking, exchanging stories about your lives but never – ever – your names. For some reason, they refused to tell you their name, so you just withheld yours.
When it came the day to finish your tattoo, your soulmate wished you good luck, and promised to be around talking to you to distract you from the pain, which maybe melted your heart a bit.
At the tattoo shop, you were happy to notice how the place was clearly warmer, happily stripping from your winter jacket.
“You can go in,” the receptionist pointed Crowley’s door. “He’s waiting.”
You confirmed, walking into the room, but stop literally frozen in the room when you caught a glimpse of Crowley sat with his equipment ready to receive you. What stopped you wasn’t exactly him, but his arms. His shirt was rolled up to his elbows, exposing his tattooed forearms, which matched yours to the last inch. The musical notes, the book quote that made you fall in love with a classic you’d never heard about before him, the lighthouse… Everything you had on your skin, he had on his.
“So that was why you didn’t want to tell me your name?” you asked, more thrilled than annoyed at him.
In response, he raised his head and opened a smile.
“I wanted to surprise you. So… Surprise.”
You chuckled, feeling your cheeks flushing and your insides all warm and fuzzy.
“I have no appointments after you today,” he said, and you could see the hope in his eyes while he stared into yours. “Do you think we can… I don’t know, maybe get a coffee?”
You bit your lip.
“Yeah. I think we can do that.”