Work Text:
He didn’t expect the parlor to smell so clean. For a place that specialized in marking up skin, making people bleed, and punching holes in paying customers, the sterilized smell worked its way into his consciousness. He expected to see the artists and piercers more tattooed and pierced than most of the people in the room, but the woman Felix was talking to was fairly minimalist in her selections. Alice’s skin on her arms was untouched, her nose and ears the only parts on her head that held jewelry. Locus flipped through the albums of other tattoos, both on skin and as stock images for those who could decide. Felix raised an eyebrow at him, as Locus had never taken an interest in looking at the already completed tattoos that other people had received at all of the previous times that he had come in with him.
Felix helps her set up the padded table that he will be laying on, scooting the normal chairs and cushions out of the way to put the table into place. Locus watches from behind the waist height wall behind them, noting all of the preparation that goes into the ritual. Felix wipes down the table with her antibacterial spray, used to the varying steps included in getting his tattoos done by her. Digging through the drawers, she pulls out the outlining needles, the shading needles and the ink she plans to use.
He perked up when Felix grabbed his hand, pulling him along to sit next to where she was going to do her work. Felix pulled his shirt over his head, handing her the design of the pair of moths curling in on one another, a Lunar and an Atlas. Locus brow furrowed at the selection, as well as the location, just below the tattoo of the knife Felix carried on his ribs. The moths weren’t exceptionally large, but they covered enough of his ribs for Felix to take a deep breath as soon as she made the stencil.
Locus watches Felix tense as she wets his skin, pressing the stencil to the side of his ribs, the cool spray making him shiver. The press of her fingers into his skin after she unwraps the needles, pouring out the green, orange and black into little cups. She wraps the rubber bands as he flexes his legs, getting into a comfortable position with his arm tucked under his head.
Once she got the needle into position, she dipped it in the black in first, looking up at his face and telling him to exhale once she pressed the needle to his skin. He tenses again like he did when she sprayed his skin with the cool water. The artist pays no attention to his little twitches or ripples to his skin, but Locus can tell he is brimming with excitement from the endorphins that have begun to flood his body.
She dipped the needed back into the ink, pressing to his skin to finish a line and another, the moths coming into view, morphing from a pale purple line into a thicker black one. Felix controls his breathing as he nibbles at his lower lip. Locus pays no attention to the woman who is giving him the greatest high, as he calls it, because the look on Felix’s face is enough to watch at the given time. He notices the small changes to Felix’s face when she brushes the tips of her gloved fingers over the freshly inked skin, smudging the leftover ink away from the new lines. She leans over to get a better look at his ribs, detailing some of the smaller lines in the wings of each moth. Dip, press, buzzing needles moving rapidly. Felix curls his lip as she goes over a spot she had already outlined in an effort to not pick up the needle, biting into his lip as the needle hits already inked skin. She filled in the shading in black, creating a gradient for the oranges and greens to go once she added the color.
“You doing okay Felix?” She had noted his silence toward the end of her inking, an unusual occurrence when she had her hands on him. Locus studied his face as soon as Felix’s eyes slipped closed as soon as she finished the outline over a half hour later, spraying the skin with the water she had used to wet it to press on the stencil.
“Mmmm, love that part,” Felix purred out, turning his head to look down at what she had finished thus far. She produced a mirror from her station, switching out the needles for a set that looked like five of the initial needle put together in a row. They were larger and Felix licked his lips before meeting her eyes. “Love it even more when you have your hands all over me.”
“You’re such a fucking masochist,” she stated once she rewound the rubber bands, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She replaced her gloves, snapping them on at the wrist. The gun clicked on again, and this time, Felix didn’t hiss when the needle hit his skin.
“The vibration on my ribs feels so weird,” he said to no one, his eyes slipping shut again. “Locus, you should get one.”
“I’m thinking no,” he answered, not moving from his spot behind the wall. Locus watch Felix try not to wiggle under the press of the needles, the picture on his skin coming to life as the picture of orange and green started to bloom on his skin. The moths really came alive once the Lunar moth was colored, popping off of his skin as she cleaned the needle to color in the oranges of the Atlas Moth. She poured out some white and a smidge of brown after wiping down the tattoo again to clean off the extra green ink. Locus admired her handiwork, noting the hiss that did escape Felix’s lips as she went over a tender spot of shading as she filled in the Atlas moth.
Almost two hours later, Felix was slipping his shirt back on, careful to not brush against the plastic wrap covering secured with tape after she had moistened the freshly inked area.
He laughed when she handed him the instructions on proper aftercare, and she smiled, still sending him with it after he scheduled a touch up and another tattoo for a few weeks later.
The drive home was quiet. Locus turned the few streets until they reached their shared apartment, Felix itching to take the plastic wrap off to clean the tattoo and give it the ability to breathe.
“She said not to take this off for several hours.” Locus handed Felix a glass of water, taken aback when he swallowed it quickly and handed the cup back to Locus, his eyes asking for more.
“I know what she said. It doesn’t stop me from wanting it to be now instead.” Felix lifted his shirt and went to a mirror, admiring what little of the handiwork he could see through the window of weeping tattoo.
“You’re so impatient.” Locus handed him the second glass of water, running his hand down his other side and settling on his hip, watching Felix’s eyes in the mirror.
“You know, you should get a tattoo. We could get matching ones. I could show you what I’m getting next and you could get one too. Here, I’ll call Alice. She can do you right after she does me.” Felix was already pulling out his phone when Locus grabbed it out of his hand and stopped him.
“I like how the tattoos look on you. I’m not so sure just yet about putting one on me.” Locus locked the screen right after exiting out of the phone app, pocketing Felix’s phone.
“What? You scared? You don’t like pain? Or are you just not ready to have something stick with you like that for the rest of your life?” Felix pressed with questions after he lowered his shirt, poking Locus in the side as he tried to get an answer out of him.
“Not scared. Just not sure if I want one.” Locus’ simple answer gave Felix room for doubt but he didn’t press the issue further, instead heading to his sketchbook to add finishing touches to the next portion of his sleeve that Alice would be working on in the upcoming weeks. Locus followed him into the living room, looking over his shoulder at the design.
“Felix, I will think about it. I am not getting a tattoo that matches yours though. Nor will you be getting one to match mine.” Locus enjoyed the exaggerated pout, leaning over to kiss him. “That’s a face I never tire of seeing.” Felix stuck his tongue out as soon as Locus pulled away.
“Oh shut up.” Felix lifted his shirt again. “Has it been four hours yet?”
“Felix, we have been home for 30 minutes.”
“That’s four hours right?”