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"There's nothing to be afraid of," Hannah told herself. "It's just a tattoo shop. Full of needles. Needles I want to pay someone to stab me with."
Standing on the doorstep of a tattoo shop was an odd place to have second thoughts. It was also the last place to have second thoughts; her pride wouldn't allow her to back out once she had entered. If she didn't commit to it now, she knew she'd never have the guts to do it.
She'd even chosen a wardrobe for the occasion, something to boost her confidence. She wore a yellow cami and a short denim skirt. It was the sort of minimalist outfit that elicited unkind remarks (indeed, Hannah had made such comments in the past). But she needed to look the part of a daring woman if she was going to convince herself she could get a tattoo.
If only she had brought someone along so she couldn't chicken out. Barbara would've held her accountable. Maybe if she went back and got Barbara...
"Oh, never mind." In a fit of self-directed annoyance, Hannah put her hand on the door handle. She half-expected it to burn her. "Let's get this over with." Before her determination had a chance to wither, she wrenched open the door and stepped inside.
The tattoo shop was warmly lit, bringing into sharp relief the numerous tattoo designs covering the walls. Hannah wandered through the shop, gazing idly at the art and made her way to the front desk. The woman behind the desk had a broad build, pink hair split into two pigtails, and a nametag that read "Jasminka."
"Welcome," the woman said. "How can I help you?"
Hannah explained that she wanted a tattoo, that she had already chosen a design. Jasminka told her about the consultation process and that they could begin today.
"Am I allowed to ask for a specific tattoo artist?" Hannah asked, blushing slightly.
"Depends." Jasminka smiled knowingly.
"A-A-Amanda O'Neill."
Jasminka didn't seem surprised to hear the name.
"I-I've met her before, and I'd prefer s-s-someone I know."
"I see, I see." Jasminka nodded. "She's free now. Through that door, room on the far left."
Hannah muttered a thank you and followed Jasminka's directions. She knocked on the door and got a gruff, "Come in."
She did her best to calm her nerves and opened the door.
Amanda O'Neill, tattoo artist, stood with her back to Hannah. And what a back it was. Amanda's tank top did little to disguise the impressive musculature of her back, nor did it obscure the mesmerizing tattoo covering her shoulders. A pair of fiery wings spanned the breadth of her upper back. Hannah wondered how far down Amanda's tattoos went, which naturally led to thoughts about how she could learn such a thing...
Hannah jumped when Amanda turned around. The tattoo artist grinned when she saw Hannah.
Oh my god, Hannah thought. She knows I was staring.
"Hey there," Amanda said. "Hannah, right?"
Hannah blushed. "Y-y-you remember me?" They had met several times at Luna Nova University's on-campus bar. Amanda had left quite the impression
"I never forget a babe." Amanda winked. "Especially one who keeps making eyes at my back."
The blush intensified. "I'm s-s-sorry."
"Don't be." Amanda waved away her concerns with a flick of her hand. "My back is free advertising. The way I see it, the longer a girl looks at my back, the more likely it is she shows up here for some tats."
Or some tits, came the unbidden thought. Hannah found it difficult to meet Amanda's eyes. "Well, it sure worked on me."
"Glad to hear it." Amanda sat down in a beaten-looking leather swivel chair. "So do you have a design picked out already?"
"Yes." Hannah pulled out a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and handed it to Amanda.
The tattoo artist unfolded the paper and looked at the design: a pair of small, feathery wings. The inspiration was obvious, but Amanda had enough tact not to comment on it. "Cute," she said. "Do you know where you want it?"
Hannah bit her lip. "On... on my lower back." A tramp stamp. She wanted a tramp stamp. Could she be any more of a cliché? She felt more like a rebellious teen than a university student.
Amanda nodded. "Popular spot. I've had plenty of practice with that area. Easy enough."
"Right." Hannah shifted nervously. She usually carried herself with more pride and poise, but she was woefully out of her depth and had forgotten how to swim. The "lifeguard" being so attractive didn't help. I must seem so silly to her, Hannah thought.
"Ease up, sweetie." Amanda smoothed her nerves with her voice. "Plenty of girls get tattoos, it's nothing to worry about." She paused. "But if I'm being honest—I'm always honest to girls—I didn't take you for the type to get a tattoo."
"Well, I'm not really. That's the thing. I realized that I'm not the kind of woman to get a tattoo, and I'm not sure I like being the kind of woman who doesn't do things. If that makes sense." Meeting Amanda had been something of a revelation to Hannah.
"Makes perfect sense, sweetheart," Amanda said.
There was a bit more to it than that. Hannah had chosen the design—and its location—as a way of spiting her family's expectations for her as a squeaky clean girl. A boring girl, she thought.
But Amanda had probably intuited her backstory already. Hannah probably wasn't the first girl to waltz through her door with pretensions of rebellion.
"Alright then," Amanda said, clapping her hands together. "We can't get right to tattooing today, but let's get a look at that lower back. Gotta make sure the skin's all good there. And we might have to make some alterations to your design."
"Oh. Right." Hannah had been mentally preparing for this part. She stepped toward Amanda, turned around, and hiked her cami up a few inches to show the relevant skin. She resisted the urge to show a little extra.
"Everything looks good," Amanda said. "Is it alright if I touch you?"
"Y-yes."
All the mental preparation in the world wasn't enough to prevent her sharp intake of breath as Amanda's fingers brushed across her bare skin.
Amanda paused. She waited, but when Hannah didn't protest, she continued. Hannah clenched her jaw tightly as Amanda's fingers mapped out the cartography of her lower back.
"Everything seems alright," Amanda said. She placed the paper against Hannah's back. "Looks like the design will need a few changes to look its best. Maybe a little bolder line work." She placed the paper on her desk.
Hannah turned back around and rolled her cami back down. When she mustered up the courage to raise her head, she saw that Amanda's cheeks were tinted pink.
Amanda gestured to Hannah's tattoo design. "I'll fix this up for you and we'll get you all inked up next time you come in." She smiled. "I can tell you were nervous about doing this. You're pretty brave."
"You're just flattering me so I'll come back," Hannah accused. As if such a thing would be necessary, she thought.
"Absolutely," Amanda said without a trace of shame. "I doubt you'd need it though. If you're still feeling antsy, you can bring someone for moral support."
"I will." Barbara was the first person to come to mind, though she knew she'd be teased within an inch of her life about her reactions to the attractive tattooist.
"Rad," Amanda said. "Run by Jasminka and she'll squeeze you in for an appointment." She fired off another wink. "Can't wait to see you again."
Hannah shielded herself from the flattery the only way she could think of: deflection. "Do you want to see me, or my lower back?"
Amanda perked up. She grinned. "Come again and you'll learn everything you need to know about me."
Hannah snorted. "Are you allowed that kind of talk during business hours?"
"Meet me in the LNU bar tonight and business hours won't be a problem."
"Shut up, you big flirt."
"You're gonna be there!"
" Shut up!"