I shake that train of thought off and begin again, carefully outlining the design so I can do the shading and detailing afterwards.
“I’ve been practicing, by the way,” she says, relaxing more and more now that the initial shock of the very first stings are over and done with. Using her left hand so the muscles on the side I’m drawing on don’t move, she signs,I know a little more ASL now, signing ‘now’ one handed instead of two handed, but I still understand what she’s saying. Her signing is flawless. Maybe just a natural talent. I get the impression she has a lot of natural talents.
Something inside of me starts to tingle and spread, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it. I find myself grinning broadly at her in the mirror before I catch myself and rein it in a little. But not before she notices, and not before her face breaks out into a highvoltage smile of triumph in response. “Are you impressed, or are youimpressed?” she asks teasingly.
I’m always impressed by you, I think as I apply the needle to her skin once more. Instead of telling her that, when she’s unlikely to know the signs and when I shouldn’t be saying shit like that to her anyway, I just nod, and return my attention to the ink.
From a new WhatsAppchannel started by Leo Mills called DEAN HAS A GIRL WTF SINCE WHEN??????!!!!!!!!! (Members: Leo Mills, Sadie Stewart, Eli Gastright, and Emily Cole)
Leo Mills: I want to meet her and talk to her, guys
Leo Mills: How am I gonna make this happen? I need ideas
Eli Gastright: Leave it
Leo Mills: Think outside the box
Leo Mills: I’m not leaving this, why would I leave it?!
Emily Cole: Eli’s right, Leo. Let Dean figure this one out in his own time. It’s too early for the whole Meet The Family thing
Emily Cole: This is only like the second time they’ve been around each other or something
Emily Cole: Let things develop naturally, he’ll let us in if/when he wants to
Leo Mills: Emily, sweetheart, I love you to death but NOPE
Sadie Stewart: I can’t believe you created a WhatsApp group for this you dweeby bellend
Eli Gastright: Really, Sades? You’re surprised by this? It’s LEO
Sadie Stewart: Fair point.
Leo Mills: He’s working OUTSIDE OF CORE HOURS
Leo Mills:For this woman
Leo Mills: This is DEAN we’re talking about
Leo Mills: He doesn’t date, EVER
Leo Mills: And I want to know what’s so special about her
Leo Mills: And why he likes her
Leo Mills: And if she likes him
Sadie Stewart: Calm the fuck down, Leo, and stop blowing our phones up
Leo Mills: And if she’s good enough for him
Leo Mills: How are you all so chill about this????????
Leo Mills: Dean - DEAN - likes a woman, and she needs to be vetted, STAT
Sadie Stewart: Leo, if you don’t relax your hole and wind your neck in, you could ruin it for him, and then I swear to Tom Ellis’s Lucifer I will break your face
Leo Mills: Jesus, I’m not going to ruin it for him, fucking hell
