Chapter Text
You were sitting in your favorite exhibit of the art museum, staring at your favorite painting, Monet’s Le Bassin aux Nympheas. You were thinking about the four years of art school that you really hadn’t needed and the useless degree you had gotten out of it. What were you even doing with your life at this point? The idea of being a struggling artist had seemed so romantic when you were in college. Out here in the real world, on the other hand? Not so much.
You were about five seconds away from being evicted from your apartment and you weren’t sure exactly how long you had been living on ramen, store brand chocolate and Funyons. You had been trying, but thanks to your pointless Fine Art degree, you couldn’t find a job to save your life. Instead, you sat in an art museum to stare at impressionist paintings. If only someone would pay you to do that, you’d be golden. You swiped a hand through your hair and sighed.
You have been admiring the Monet for quite some time,” a deep voice said behind you.
You jumped in surprise and turned toward the voice, looking up into a pair of lovely green eyes. “Yes, I suppose I have.” You slid over to make room for the stranger on the bench and motioned for him to join you. He looked straight ahead, but you couldn’t help but admire the living work of art seated next to you. He was like a Michaelangelo sculpture brought to life. His green eyes and high cheekbones were perfectly accentuated by his full lips and square jaw. You pulled your sketchbook from the bag next to you and put a charcoal pencil to the paper.
“Why this painting?” The man asked. He looked over at you.
“It’s my favorite,” you explained as you absentmindedly sketched. “I like to look at it when I’m stressed out. It’s so serene, ya know? Helps me clear my head.”
“What are you stressed out about?” His voice held sincere curiosity.
“Mostly being unemployed. Apparently, artists are not in high demand,” you said. “My name is Y/N, by the way.”
“Lovely to meet you, Y/N,” he said, but he did not offer his name in return. Instead he watched your pencil flying across the page of your sketchbook. “Is that me?”
You blushed furiously when you realized that you had, in fact, drawn a profile of the stranger beside you. “Um, yeah. I’m sorry. I should have asked first. It’s just that you are beautiful, and I really couldn’t help myself.”
The man smiled and his cheek flushed pink. “It’s quite nice. Don’t apologize for it.” He leaned in to examine the drawing more closely. “I may be able to remedy your unemployment situation.”
You looked up at him. “How’s that?”
“Do you have a portfolio?” He asked, pulling his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. You nodded as he pulled a white card out of the wallet. “Good. Bring it to the address on this card tomorrow morning at 10:30. Consider it an interview.”
“Thank you.” You took the offered card. “I’ll be there.”
“I must return to work now. I will see you tomorrow, Y/N.” He smiled and you and walked away.
You looked down at the business card which read in gold embossed print Heavenly Ink, Gadreel Novak and your eyes went wide. “No way!”
“Am I hearing you correctly, little brother?” Gabriel asked as he handed Gadreel a beer and leaned back against the counter. “You, of all people, are thinking about taking on an apprentice?”
“Yes,” Gadreel answered.
“Are you feeling okay? Because last I remember you were never going to have an apprentice.” He popped a chocolate in his mouth. “Besides, you don’t have the patience to teach.”
“In this case, brother, I do not believe that will be a problem.” Gadreel took a swig of his beer and then smiled. “She’s very good.”
Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “Oh, I see what this is.” He winked at his younger brother. “You like her. Tell me everything!” He rushed over and sat next to Gadreel on the couch, looking up at him with false enthusiasm. Gadreel laughed at Gabriel’s antics.
“She is a talented artist. That is all that need be said.”
“Uh-huh. So this has nothing to do with you wanting to spend time with a pretty girl?”
“No, of course not, Gadreel said. “Gabriel, we sat together for twenty minutes, possibly less. In that time she drew my face. Down to the last detail.”
“Pretty sure I’m supposed to be impressed by that,” Gabriel said. “Also pretty sure you have a crush on this girl.”
You had never been inside a tattoo shop, but you were pretty sure this was not the way they usually looked. After walking through the doors of Heavenly Ink, you stood in a tastefully decorated reception area with white walls and gold accents. The warm lighting made the room so inviting, you were surprised that people ever wanted to leave. The counter at the reception desk was polished white marble and behind it stood a man with longish blonde hair and a kind face.
You wondered if you could ever capture the mischief in his honey eyes on paper.
“Welcome to Heavenly Ink,” he said, smiling politely, “what can we do for you today?”
“I’m Y/N. I, uh, I’m here to see Gadreel.” You voice shook with nerves. Gadreel Novak was the best of the best in the world of tattoos, and you weren’t really sure why he asked you to come. You didn’t know anything about tattoos. Hell, you didn’t even have any tattoos. Maybe he wanted you to be the receptionist. Honestly, it didn’t matter anymore. You needed a job.
“So, you’re the pretty girl!” The blonde man said, pointing at you with a lollipop. “Well, you wait right here, lemon drop, I’ll go get him.” He smiled as he popped the sucker back into his mouth and turned on his heel to retrieve Gadreel.
You were still blushing. Gadreel thought you were pretty? Enough to tell this man that worked for him? On one hand, you were flattered. For someone as beautiful as him to think you were attractive was quite a compliment. On the other hand, it made you wonder if that was the only reason you were here.
“Y/N, I wasn’t sure you would come.” Gadreel’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts and you smirked at him.
“Well, what kind of fool would I be if I turned down a desperately needed job interview from a strange man in an art museum?”
“Oh, she’s sassy,” Gabriel said, winking at Gadreel. “I like her already.”
“Please excuse my brother,” Gadreel said. “He simply doesn’t know when to stop talking. Would you like to start with a tour of the shop?”
“We can start however you like. You do own the place, after all.”
“That I do.” Gadreel led you through the shop, which was much larger than you expected. Each artist had their own room in which they served their clients. Each room had its own personality, reflecting the artist that worked within it. When you reached the very last door, Gadreel smiled and said, “Step into my office.”
You returned his smile as you stepped through the door he held open for you. His ‘office’ wasn’t really an office at all. There was a tattoo chair in the middle of the room, and more white marble counter lining one wall. The countertop held neatly organized inks, individually packaged needles and tattoo guns. On the wall opposite the door there a mural of two angels locked in a furious battle. It was exquisite. You walked over to it and reached out to run a finger across the cheek of the dark haired angel.
“Do you like it?” Gadreel asked. You could only nod and smile over your shoulder. “It’s the Archangels Michael and Lucifer engaged in a battle for the fate of the world. It took several weeks to complete.” He sat on a rolling stool. “May I see your portfolio?”
You turned and stepped toward him, pulling the file out from under your arm and handing it to him. You noticed that he had pulled another rolling stool out and you sat on it, facing him. Gadreel methodically pored over your pages of artwork in silence. You watched him, trying to pick up any reaction you could, but he gave nothing away. Until he got to the last page. He smiled down at it and then he closed the file and looked up at you.
“Your work shows mastery of multiple mediums, and your attention to detail is exquisite. You have a complex understanding of how colors work together. And I would be willing to bet that you had all or most of that before you went to art school.” You nodded, blushing. “When can you start?”
“Gadreel.” You hesitated. “I still don’t really even know what it is you want me to do. You never told me what I was interviewing for.”
“I apologize,” Gadreel smiled sheepishly. “I should clarify. I want you to be my apprentice. When can you start?”
Your jaw dropped almost to the floor. He wanted you to be his what? “I, uh… I don’t know anything about tattoos. I’m not even sure I could do it.” You were frozen under his intense gaze. He sighed.
“Okay, I will make you a deal. I have a client coming in for some new work in about fifteen
minutes. Stay and watch. Then decide if it’s something you may be interested in doing. If you decide it is not, then perhaps I can find you another job to do.”
You found yourself silently nodding your agreement.
Twenty minutes later, you were watching Gadreel transfer the image of an eagle from paper to skin. He made easy conversation with the client as he they checked the placement with a mirror and he started with the outline of the tattoo. The buzz of the tattoo gun was almost soothing and Gadreel made the job look as easy as putting pen to paper.
Truth be told, you were watching Gadreel more than his work. He was so relaxed and in his element, it gave you a chance to really look at him. Everything about him was magical, like he came from another world. The sound of his soft laughter and the crinkles in the corners of his eyes when he smiled gave you butterflies. You could see why he was so sought after. His deft hands were making quick work of the detailed eagle, even the most delicate of lines didn’t phase him.
You still didn’t know if this was a good idea, but Gadreel had piqued your interest in more ways than one. So after the client left and Gadreel asked again when you could start, you answered with no hesitation.
“Tomorrow.”