It’s justa little flash tattoo. Nothing special.
Just a heart with a little shading to show my style.
But for me, giving this college girl her first tattoo feels significant. Not only am I right there, front and center under the Blade banner like a fucking legend, I’ve got Matty smiling at me, too.
He stands back, not close enough to see the finer details of my work. But that impressed, glowing smile on his face is like a reward, waiting for me every time I glance his way.
Fuck, why does it feel so good to have him smiling at me like that?
“You holding up, Steff?” I ask the girl. “Just keep breathing.”
“I’m good,” she says quickly. “How’s it look?”
I draw the machine down her bicep, letting the needle glide along the line of the heart. “Looking good,” I answer.
My attention settles into the work. Only a moment later, though, I catch Jeremiah from the corner of my eye. He stands beside Matty, looming there.
I pull the needle back as I grimace. “Just one second,” I say, stepping back as I pretend to do something at the desk.
Never work distracted. I know that.
But Jeremiah getting in Matty’s face is plenty distracting. Pausing, I search through the noise of the convention, trying to eavesdrop on the two of them.
“Funny how Stone over there just ended up gay one day, don’t you think?” Jeremiah asks, sounding like a total ass and obviously projecting his voice loud on purpose.
From the corner of my eye, I see Matty cross his arms over his chest. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“Whatever you say, man. All I mean is not a lot of guys like you in our work, you know? Hell, I thought Stone was trying to pull one over, claiming he was a queer.” He laughs, the sound ratcheting up in a way that makes my skin crawl, and I can feel Matty squirming and trying to inch away. “I still think it might be a joke,” Jeremiah says, his voice aggressive.
“Is everything okay?” the client asks sweetly.
I turn back to her, my heart pounding. “Fine,” I say quickly. “Just getting ready to finish.”
Not working distracted is important, but not forgetting the client’s there is even more vital.
Still, my attention is torn between the simple tattoo and the conversation.
I promised Matty I would keep an eye on him, but that was before I knew I’d be working.
Trying to do both at once feels like actual hell.
It’s my client’s first tattoo, so I grit my teeth, promising myself I won’t screw it up for her. This is something she’ll have for the rest of her life, and it needs to be a good experience, especially under the Blade banner.
I steady my breathing. “Here comes the last line,” I say, drawing the machine down to complete the heart. “Now I just have a little shading.”
“Okay,” she answers with a tight breath. “Great!”
I switch to the flatter, larger needle I’ve already prepared, then return to work. As soon as my attention falls to the details, though, I hear Jeremiah, starting up even louder than before.
The prick really wants to mess with me.
“Nothing to act embarrassed about, Matt. I’m just fucking with you.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to watch Stone work,” Matty says. There’s an ache in his voice that hurts me, and I suck my lips in while I struggle to focus.
“Just tell me this,” Jeremiah says loudly. “Are you the girl or the boy with this loser?”
My body moves faster than my brain after that. Carefully, almost delicately, I finish the long stroke and draw the needle safely away. I wipe the client’s arm and lower the machine back onto the table. Everything feels still and calm, but there’s a fire raging inside of me.
