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"I was thinking about getting a tattoo."
David scoffed, but lifted his head from the paperwork anyways. "That half sleeve wasn't enough for you?"
"These are nice but it's time for another one." Tank smirked at the eye roll they received. "Yes, Davey , it works like that."
"Tell me what you're getting then, since there's obviously no point in stopping you."
"Well," they sighed and sat forward in their seat, resting their elbows on the desk. "His birthday is coming up soon and I was thinking, maybe, you'd wanna go with me to get something. For him."
There was silence for a few moments, David simply holding the pen in hand, eyes staring down at the paper scattered on the desk. Tank watched him carefully. Gabe was still a sensitive subject, they knew that, and unlike most other things, they were unsure how David was going to react to this request.
After a deep breath, he set the pen down, giving the other wolf his full attention. "I…don't hate the idea."
"Really?"
He nodded. "I thought about it myself but…I never could figure out the right thing to get."
"Lucky for you I've found the perfect thing." Tank reached down into their backpack, pulling out an old folder, covered in stickers for various punk bands. "Do you remember when we were sixteen and Gabe made us help him babysit some of the younger kids over the summer?"
David grumbled. "Yes, unfortunately."
"Do you remember when we did finger painting with them?"
He was staring at the folder now, the memory coming back to him. "...I do."
Tank pulled the aged paper carefully from the folder and handed it to David. "I was going through a box of my old things the other day and I found that."
"...it's his paw print."
"Yeah," Tank nodded, eyes stuck on the large purple paw. They gave a sad laugh. "I remember that the kids had been getting fussy, they didn't want to paint. So he shifted for them so they could have more fun."
David tried (and failed) to secretly wipe the tears on his cheeks. "You remember that one who tried to use his tail as a paintbrush?"
Tank nodded again, another sad laugh gathering in their throat. They remembered everything about that day.
"I don't really know why I kept it," they sighed, and now they were the one wiping at their face. "That day, it was the first time I had felt like I belonged with this pack, that this could be my family. Gabe…he was always there for me, always tried to make me feel loved."
David looked up at them. "You are loved. And you are a part of this family. You mean a lot to me, I hope you understand that."
"...I do."
"Good." David set down the print and after a moment, he shook his head. "I can't believe I just let you talk me into a tattoo."
"So you'll get it with me!?"
"Of course."
Tank smiled an honest-to-god, genuine smile. "Love you brother."
"I love you too."