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"Oh my God," Lamb had to tighten their grip onto Kallamar, who kept squirming around his seat, avoiding the needle in the lamb's hand. "Can you just stay fucking still?"
"No! That needle is gonna hurt me!" Kallamar holds his arms altogether, shaking his head aggresively.
"Kallamar, the needle is not gonna hurt you." They sigh, "look at our setup and tell me I didn't sanitize this place properly." Lamb said, gesturing towards the piercing set on the towel to the side of the table Kallamar sat.
"B-But it's a needle! I don't care how much you sanitize your needles and the jewelry neccesary, I'm conscious and I can feel everything. Please, can't you just knock me out and pierce my ear instead?!" The squid cries, with Lamb wanting to successfully punch the bastard in the face but decided violence was not the answer at the moment.
"Then tell me, who's ear am I gonna pierce now, if not yours? I did all this for nothing?" They put a hand on Kallamar's chin, turning his head to face the side so they can look at his ear again.
"Kally, look, it will just be one sting. One. A pinch. Okay? Do you want me to pierce my own ear to show you? I'll literally just change my gloves and use a different gauge needle."
"No! I don't like the needle! It looks scary going through the veins of your ear, and," Kallamar squeezed his eyes together. "I-I changed my mind, I changed my mind! Please don't pierce my ear. I'm sorry for wasting your time."
Lamb, unamused, stared off into the distance for a couple of seconds. Would there be another way to convince that cowardly Kallamar?
They look back at the squid who had been shaking, beginning to cry, which made Lamb release their hand from his chin.
"Look, I just wanted to do my job—you asked me in particular since you said you don't trust Leshy nor Narinder to help you do this." They reference a past point, "plus you can't practically feel anything going through this ear, can you? It's all bandaged up and bleeding after a milennia, surely you won't feel the needle going through the very tip of your ear."
Putting their pointer finger and thumb together, they pinch the top skin of Kallamar's ear, making him squirm. "What, what? Was I wrong?"
"Yes! Obviously you were! You can't go making bold assumptions like that." He pouts, making Lamb feel more hopeless.
"It wasn't a bold assumption, I just merely thought you wouldn't feel it."
"That's exactly what a bold assumption is." He crossed his arms, still sniffling and sobbing, tears streaming down his face.
"Okay, Mr. Perfect, so my next 'bold assumption' will just me piercing your ear while your body is unconscious, since apparently you want that so badly."
"Which, by the way," Lamb puts the needle down on the table, "is impractical. I can't pierce your ear while you're unable to be there for it. One quick moment, an easy pinch! At least I'm not using a piercing gun."
"Hmf. A piercing gun would've been much easier…"
Lamb clasps their hands together and inhales. "Kallamar, you poor, poor thing, if I used a piercing gun not ONLY would it give you a major infection," Lamb grabs the top of his ear, "but we will have to rip your entire ear off this time. So, enlighten me, do you think a piercing gun would be much better?" Their eye twitched.
Kallamar whines, nodding his head, when realizing he meant to shake his head.
Lamb felt slightly bad considering how afraid he must've been, despite it being a little needle that wouldn't even hurt him.
They exhale, closing their eyes and taking off their gloves, depositing it in the nearby trash. God forgive them, they didn't have time to deal with a trembling squid.
Sitting next to Kallamar, placing their hand on his shoulder. "Mar, none of this will work if you keep sobbing and sobbing." Turning their body, getting the tissue box and pulling out one, bringing it up to Kallamar's face and patting it. "I don't actually have to pierce your ear. Really, all this had been your idea, not mine. I was shocked you even asked me."
Kallamar sniffles, his hands on his knees, embarrassed. "I do really want the piercing, I do… I can't do it myself because the bandages in my view block the way, and… I just thought it'd be better if you did it."
Tilting his head to the setup that had been unused. "Or, um, at least tried to. Sorry."
Lamb rolls their eyes with a little grin on their face. "You're fine. I know it's not entirely practical, but, it's a little better to trust someone with experience rather than someone without it."
Gesturing towards their ears, turning their head to show of the four piercings they have, Kallamar looking in struck. "And, you'll never believe it, I learned to even do these by myself. That could encourage you, maybe?"
"But how did you even do that? You must have more courage than me."
…More courage than Kallamar? Lamb laughed: fork found in kitchen.
Stay back! Stay away! Mercy, Red Crown, mercy…
Yeah, right. They definitely had more balls than Kallamar ever could. What a funny thing to think about.
"I dunno," Lamb shrugs. "I got beheaded and my entire family genocided, so, guess I learnt painful coping mechanisms somehow. Ya know?" Raising their eyebrows at Kallamar, to which the squid looks away awkwardly.
"That's what I thought, nerd. Anywho, if you can manageably get brought back to life after thousands of times me leaving you in Purgatory, don't you think you can handle a little pinch?"
Kallamar… glances to the side. For a moment, he considered their words, despite feeling awkward about his past being a Bishop.
Turning his gaze back to Lamb, who had been glaring at him, making the squid nervous—his shoulders drooped. "Okay. You're right, in some way. Listen, get it over with, and I'll be fine with this entire thing. I'm entrusting you which is far more dangerous than running into Darkwood without a weapon."
"Pff, love how you have to insult someone to make yourself feel better." Nudging his shoulder, to which he responds with a pained noise. They got up from the bench they sat next to Kallamar, and went back to their piercing setup.
Pulling out a box of latex gloves underneath it, leaving it there when they quickly run over to the sink, washing their hands for thirty seconds.
That must have been the most dreadful thirty seconds of Kallamar's life that he waited for.
Patting their hands dry, making sure no water drips down their elbows, they walk back over and put the pair of latex gloves on. There were different sized needles, so Lamb figured to go with the 16g, since it'll go through much easier compared to a 14g one.
Lamb turns their attention to Kallamar. "Do you want to get this quickly over with? And avoid looking at what I'm using so it eases you a bit?"
"I'm not a child, I already know what you're using… please just get it over with," Kallamar tilts his head down.
"You're not a child, no, but you are a baby. A big one at that." Lamb laughs, "but I got everything set up again. So, hold on, lemme…"
From the table, they grab the marker, placing a dot on the top of Kallamar's ear. Placing the marker's cap on and putting it back down, they aim the needle towards the marked spot, figuring out which way would be the easiest.
"Laaaaambbbb…!" Kallamar whines, impatiently tapping one of his feet. Lamb looks at him like an annoyed teacher.
"Dude. I have to do this stuff. You want me to just stab away without much thought? No precision making?"
"That's what I did with my old piercing a thousand years ago. Stabbed away without much thought." Kallamar pouts.
"Ok, grandpa, I don't care what you did back in your 'Old Faith' days," Lamb mocked in a sarcastic tone, "I'm piercing your ear now, in the present. I'm not time traveling for this shit."
Lamb aims the needle in a perfect place, tapping the marked spot with the bottom side of the needle, preparing how it'll work.
They hum, only making Kallamar more nervous. This lamb is out to kill me, I know they are.
"Okay, great!" Lamb exclaims, holding his ear with precision. "I found a spot. On the count of three, you're gonna feel a liiitttleeeeeee pinch here. Got that?"
"Mhm… how many times do I have to beg you already?" Kallamar groaned.
"Eh, it's fun to make you beg, it makes you look more pathetic." Lamb readies the needle behind his ear.
"W-What? Huh?"
"Nothing. Be quiet. Now… one, two,"
Kallamar squeezes his eyes tightly, holding onto his robes.
"Three." Lamb pushed the needle through the marked spot, Kallamar twitching his head to the side, the needle going through the ear completely.
"Anddddddd we're done! You did it." They turn around to grab the golden pearl earring, pushing it through the needle in the front.
Kallamar pauses, realizing he was holding his breath. A heavy exhale emit from him, relieved it wasn't as bad as he thought.
"I-Is that entirely it? Really?"
"Yes, really," Lamb took out rubbing alcohol and put it on a small hand towel, placing the towel on Kallamar's ear. "You did great, sweetie," they laugh at the way they phrased it.
Kallamar still kept his head down, scoffing. "I'm not a baby nor a child. You're so annoying with that, just like my siblings."
"Not a baby, nor a child, gotcha," placing the towel down on the setup and taking off their gloves.
The Lamb walks over to the sink and washes their hands, tossing their head over to Kallamar. "So you're a toddler! That makes much more sense; when you whine and complain without much rational thought. No problem."
"Your words are just mere projection, Lamb. I won't take word from a false idol."
Lamb dries their hands with a towel, making their way back to Kallamar, placing their head over his shoulder. "Wow, and you sound just like Narinder when he first arrived at camp! Incredible, I can truly see the resemblance between your family now." Lamb laughs, teasing him.
"And you know," Lamb lifts their leg over the bench, sitting next to Kallamar again. "I won't take words from a cowardly squid," pinching his cheek, Kallamar growls in response.
"But for now, let's push away the insults, and let you look at your new earring." Lifting their arm to the set up, grabbing the mirror and handing it over to Kallamar who snatched it from their grasp.
The upset look on Kallamar's face softened when he turned the mirror to the pierced part of his ear. A golden pearl, it shined from the light alone, knowing it had been from no other place than Anchordeep.
Lamb smiled at Kallamar's adoration of his new piercing, his mouth going from a 'V' shape to now a upturned smile that always shown his sharp teeth.
"I underestimate you sometimes, Lamb… I think that I'm—"
"Gee, you think?" Lamb leans their elbow on his shoulder.
"I wasn't done talking." Kallamar peeved, but continued on, "I'm grateful I could have a piercing again. Do you think you could do another two more for me? I have a golden star and a golden hoop in my shelter that looked just like my old one."
Lamb's face darkened. "Do I have to go through the entire process of thirty whole minutes of reassuring you I won't and can't kill you with a needle?"
"No, I learned better from this, I haven't gotten my ear pierced in a millennia. You'd try to cater to my fear if you understood my situation."
Lamb shook their head and pinched their bridge. "Yep, yeah, sure. Sure, Kally, I'll understand that at some given point when I reign for another thousand years."
Kallamar continued admiring his piercing through the mirror. "Good, good. Could I consult you for another time next week?"
"Why not now? I already have my setup here." Averting their eyes to the piercing kit they collected from Anchordeep, different parts.
"No, no, I want to heal on my own for a week. Spare me, you sacrificial beast." Kallamar said, emphasizing on the last word.
Lamb squints their eyes, furrowing their brows. "Well, now, just for that I'm gonna pierce your ear in your sleep. How's about that, hum? Ya want a piercing while you sleep? That it?" Pinching his ear with their sharp claws, Kallamar shrieked like a broken car engine.
"N-No, no! I'm fine, really, thank you! One piercing is good for a day…!"
"But Kallamar, we only just begun your piercing journey. Join me!" Lamb taunts the terrified squid, chuckling as he shrunk down from Lamb pulling out another pack of needles.