Chapter Text
He turned the key in the lock, grabbed the cold, wet doorknob and opened the door. He smiled at the thought of getting to “carve” something on somebody’s skin. And no, he wasn’t going to do it for the first time. It was around his thousandth time. However, for the past two years that he has been doing it, it didn’t bore him for even a single moment. Ever since he was a kid he's been very interested in that stuff and would always doodle in his notebooks. He couldn’t take his innocent eyes off all the colorful designs around him. He even made a few himself, or maybe a dozen or so, or maybe even tens of them, but he didn’t count them – he found that unnecessary.
It wasn’t the quantity that counted, but their meaning. For example, on his left forearm, he had the number ‘72’ tattooed, as it symbolized the year of his mom’s birth, who is and always has been there for him, even though she lived in a different city. On his arm, he had quite a big tree, that represented mental bloom and growth. He had a few quotes as well, they were the ones that resonated with him the most. Roses, which by the way he liked a lot, and a few seemingly ordinary patterns, that weren’t in fact so ordinary, but we will come back to that some other time.
He pushed the glass door and entered his studio. Honestly? He never expected that his dream would come true and he would end up in a chair in his own tattoo studio, creating images on other people’s skin and see them leave with big smiles on their faces. He turned on the light, approached his desk, and dropped his black, leather briefcase, which was full of different designs soon to be put on his clients’ skin. He cursed under his breath when a few of the sketches he left on the wooden table the day before fell on the floor. Thank god, it wasn’t messed with the mud he brought in on his shoes. Speaking of which, he will have to clean that up later…
Oh, how he loved that weather…
But seriously, he loved the rain and its unique smell, which seemed so addictive to him. However, he hated cleaning and wiping his shoes whenever he entered the studio in weather like that. Well, everything has its cons, right?
He sighed while stooping to pick up the sheets, and when he had them in his veiny hands he felt a strong slap on his butt. He quickly straightened up looking at the person, who was none other than Yoongi laughing like a maniac at his younger friend’s slightly scared and surprised face.
- Fuck, slap your Elsa from across the hall and not me – he snorted, slightly pissed off. Yoongi’s expression said “what?”. A moment later he quietly snorted, seeing that Jeon is looking through some sketches, which were probably new ideas for tattoos.
- Don’t even mention him. What is that? – he asked while taking off his jacket, unceasingly looking at the images.
- New tattoos, but recently all of it has just been going very slowly – he sighed while running his fingers through his damp hair – I need that something, something that could inspire me, you know what I mean… - Yoongi nodded with a broad smile on his face.
The brunet threw his papers on the desk, took off his jacket, and hung it on the coatrack by the door. On his way there, he glanced at the busy city. Everybody was hurrying somewhere.
To work.
To school.
To university.
Even to the bakery to buy fresh bread.
While looking at that image that he loved to stare at, he smiled. The city, the people, the rain. It seems like nothing special, but true beauty can be found even in the smallest of things, after all. Things, that at a first glance seem not artistic, not magical, and certainly not worth any attention.
- Get your face off that window, Jeon, I’m not going to clean it later – Yoongi laughed, Jeongguk took his eyes off the pane and looked at the brunet. He smiled at him because he liked those stupid jibes of his, even though most people would be annoyed by them. However, he had to admit that they had their charm.
He approached the man and looked at the black clock on the wall. It was 9:04.
- How’s Soojin? – asked Gguk, as he was curious about what’s up with his favorite “kid”.
- I couldn’t sleep last night because of her – he helplessly groaned – She spent the whole night playing that new ukulele of hers – he explained, which made the brunet laugh at the thought of Min with a pillow pressed tightly to his face and Soojin having the time of her life – By the way, I made a few layouts for today. A few customers have made up their minds and are coming in. Finally, because I had to convince this one girl that it doesn’t hurt, but had to seem like I’m not trying to push her or anything. In the end, after a long conversation, she decided to do it – he sighed, and in response, the other man just nodded his head.
Gguk was about to open his mouth to respond, but something, or rather someone, interrupted him. It was the door opening and in it stood a blond, who at a first sight didn’t look like he fit in there at all. He was a bit shorter than him, and water was dripping from his light hair. He laid his eyes on the tattoo artists, who thought that he had an appointment, but they soon realized that their first customer was supposed to be there in an hour. The boy stood in the door in his drenched, beige coat and was smiling kindly.
- Good morning - he greeted them politely and bowed - Do you have some time? - he asked while rubbing one of his hands on the other to warm them up. The men looked at each other, not sure how to respond. They didn’t know what he meant, but they guessed that he wanted to squeeze into their schedule for a tattoo appointment.
- I’m guessing you would like to get a tattoo? - asked Gguk very straightforwardly and laughed. He wasn’t laughing at him of course. It was just a kind laugh.
The other one immediately nodded, hoping that they will find some time for him.
- Could I?
- It depends on what you want to get tattooed - he responded and slid his hands into his black pants’ pockets, that were the same color as the rest of his outfit - If you want a 20-inch tattoo on your back or something, then don’t count on it - he laughed.
- No, no! It would be something... quite small... - on his face formed a broad smile and he slid his fingers on his forearm on which he wanted said tattoo. He pursed his lips, looked at the arm covered with a sleeve, and a moment later at Jeon, who frowned, seeing the boy’s behavior.
- So? What would you like? - he felt confused, but also found his strange actions and unclear intent very interesting.
At first sight, you could tell he was a bit different...
At some point, he opened his mouth and from his well-cared-for lips, came out an even lower voice than he used before.
- A pansy... I would like to have a pansy…