Inks & Holes, Tuesday Afternoon

[not_every_mage]

After a few drinks, Anders and Kathy's brilliant plan to drink and celebrate the new year and her belated birthday had turned into a brilliant plan to go get tattoos.

The plan was feeling less brilliant as Anders approached the tattoo parlor and hesitated outside the door. He wanted a tattoo, especially the cat one he had in mind -- but he was just feeling the tiniest bit squeamish about the part where a stranger was going to poke him with a needle repeatedly.

"So," he asked Kathy, "Are you ready? Last chance to back out."

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

Back out? Had he missed the narration explaining what a brilliant idea this was? Bah!

"No chance," she told him with a giggle. Kathy got even more bubbly when she was tipsy. And also more clingy, which was why she practically hugging his arm and bouncing a little in place. "I even know the tattoo I wanna get! But with rainbows because they're important."

[not_every_mage]

Anders cocked an eyebrow at her and stifled his giggle behind his fingertips. "Rainbows are very important," he agreed solemnly. "They mean ... hope. And things getting better. And ... things."

He pressed the door open with his free hand. "After you, madame."

[spin_kick_snap]

"And Banzai," she reminded him in a conspiratorial whisper. That was more a conspiratorial normal speaking voice. "It'll be my secret Banzai mark that no one will know about."

Except for him, obviously. And the tattoo artist. And everyone else she was going to proudly show once it was healed.

[not_every_mage]

Anders wasn't much for logic right then. Kathy made perfect sense to him.

"Oh right," he said, and winked at her in a way that looked more like his eyelid had a twitch. "I can't forget Banzai."

[spin_kick_snap]

They were two perfectly responsible adults who were absolutely making reasonable choices!

"Who is a boy," Kathy grumped, face contorting in a scowl. "Apparently." She lifted her leg up into a standing split and pointed at it. "Does this look like a boy's leg, Anders? No! No, it does not."

And they'd thought the waitstaff at the bar had given them weird looks.

[not_every_mage]

"It's not nearly hairy enough," Anders agreed, nodding. (Which might not have been the reassurance Kathy was looking for, but oh well.) "The people in Los Angeles are blind, Kathy. Absolutely blind."

The workers had pointedly turned away from the display.

[spin_kick_snap]

The workers had seen worse on this island, c'mon now.

"Yeah they are," she sulked, finally letting her leg fall. "Just because I don't run around in skintight leather with a boob window and heels. That's a stupid way to fight crime! I'm not running around to be a perverted wank-off fantasy, you know. I'm making a difference."

And just when she seemed set to go on a rant for the ages, the open tattoo book nearby distracted her. "Oh! I have to see if they have my tattoo! You come look for yours, too."

[not_every_mage]

"It is stupid," Anders said amiably as he ambled along behind Kathy. "I've seen it at home, too, and it always makes me wonder. If people are trying to hurt you, shouldn't you want to be covered? They aren't going to look at your breasts and back off."

He went pink and clarified, "Breasts in general, I mean. Not your individual set."

[spin_kick_snap]

That clarification saved him from a stinkeye and Kathy protesting that she had perfectly satisfactory breasts, thank you. And since she wasn't drunk enough to also give him a show to prove it, avoiding the matter entirely was the best move.

"And you never see guys doing that stuff," she groused. "Running around tight pants that showcase their--" vague handwave "--everything." And then without missing a beat, "You wanted a cat tatt, right?"

[not_every_mage]

"Oh, I've seen plenty of warriors showing off their everything," Anders said airily. "It helps if you're from a place where codpieces are still in style. And I did. Something cute but not too girly, so I can respect myself in the morning. Why, do you see something?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"That's something I'd like to see," Kathy said, snickering. "The guys on the island swaggering around in codpieces. I mean, it would only be amusing for, like, the first twenty minutes or so, but for those twenty minutes, it would be hilarious."

She flipped through a few more pages before finding a few potential tattoos she thought he would find acceptable. "Any of these work?"

[not_every_mage]

"You just want to see whose is biggest," Anders laughed. "And -- oh, I like the one standing up in the middle. I could put it going up my ribs."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy waggled her eyebrows at him. "Like you can blame me. Besides, it would be handy information to have. It would circumvent all sorts of arguments between you guys if you all knew who was sporting what."

[not_every_mage]

Anders rolled his eyes in return. "True. but flirting would loose something. And what do you think of this or this?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I like the first one better," Kathy said after a moment of though. "The face alone is too cutesy for you. This one?" And then in almost the same breath, added, "And I disagree. I like knowing what I'm working with. Or will be." She grinned at him again all tipsy, naughty amusement.

This was what you got for plying her with drinks, Anders. This.

[not_every_mage]

"I still like the one with the cat looking up," Anders decided. "It seems ... sly. Intelligent. Like a friend."

He snorted at her statement. "So would it be false advertising if someone picked an oversized codpiece?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"The one that was going to climb up your ribs?" Kathy asked. "I like it. Though you're going to have to explain how sly reminds you of your friends. Hmph, I'm going to find one that reminds me of you then." She flipped a few more pages and pointed to one. "There. That one. It's lazy."

And also adorable.

[not_every_mage]

"No, the first one I showed you," Anders clarified. "... but dear Maker, that sleeping kitty is the cutest tattoo I have ever seen. I may have to get that one. Or" --he flipped ahead a few pages -- "I could get this one to remind me of you."

[spin_kick_snap]

"You should absolutely get that one," Kathy decided. "You can get it and think of me after I head off to college this summer."

A thought that actually made her sad to think of right now, so she wasn't going to.

"Get it somewhere really prominent, though. Like on your chest all the way up to your neck. Maybe the rainbow could end right on your cheek?"

[not_every_mage]

"... no." Anders told her, with slightly wobbly dignity. "Not unless you get one to match."

[spin_kick_snap]

"But I won't need to remember Banzai," Kathy said, employing big eyes for all she was worth. "But you will. Won't you?"

[not_every_mage]

"I'll remember Banzai with or without a rainbow on my face," Anders said, eyes intense. "Anyhow, you haven't even suggested a tattoo to remember me by. It's not fair at all!"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Of course I'd get a...magicky...tattoo to remember you by," Kathy retorted indignantly. "We'd just have to find one! I was busy helping you look for cute kitties instead."

She was not getting two tattoos today, though. And not on her face. There was no way she could hide that from her parents.

[not_every_mage]

"I don't even know what a magicky tattoo would look like," Anders admitted. "I'd need to think on that. Maybe after i get the sleeping cat on my back."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Going with sleepy over sly?" Kathy asked, nodding. "I like it. It's really cute." She reached for the book again, flipping around to find the tattoos she'd had her eye on the last time they were here, getting their ears pierced.

Except, rather than the one she wanted, she found three. "Okay, best friend opinion time," Kathy announced. "Which one of these?"

[not_every_mage]

"And now I'm back to trying to make up my mind," Anders sighed. "Sleepy is cuter, but I like the feel of sly. I think I'll go with sly."

He frowned over Kathy's for a moment. "I like the second one, I think. But they're all nice. And then you're going to have a rainbow ribbon?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yup!" Kathy said, weighing her three options. "I'm thinking a nice rainbow gradient." She smirked at him. "Figures the guy would go for the pose with the leg behind her head. Guys."

[not_every_mage]

Anders frowned and leaned over to run his fingers over the sketch, tracing the limbs. "Oh, that is a leg," he realized. "I think I thought it was her arm. I should have had a dirtier mind."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Honestly, Anders, what kind of teenage guy are you?" Kathy teased. "I thiiiiiink I might like the third one best? It looks like a move that I could be doing as either a gymnast or a crimefighter." She nodded to herself. Excellent, first choice down! "So, sly cat and high kick. I'm going to get mine on my hip, I think. Where's yours gonna go?"

[not_every_mage]

"Good reasoning," Anders said approvingly. "And mine'll be on my ribs."

He eyed the tatoo artist, who was still patiently waiting for them to make their choices. "Ladies first?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy gave him a V-sign. "No bailing on me once this gets started," she warned. "I know where you sleep, remember."

Well, usually, anyway.

Bringing the page with the chosen tattoo on it up to the artist, she explained how she wanted it altered, looking relieved when that was waved away as an easy change. Explaining where she wanted it was a little more difficult.

"You're going to have to pull the skirt up," the artist said. "And your underwear pretty far over." Kathy started sputtering, but the artist just shrugged. "Can't tattoo over clothing, can we? Did you want to pick a new spot?"

"This is the best place to guarantee my parents won't see it!" Kathy yelped.

"Then looks like we'll be tucking a modesty towel over you and calling it good," the artist said, unfazed.

[not_every_mage]

"I won't look," Anders promised lightly. "Mage's honor."

Which was no honor at all, but it was the best he could do.

"But how did you think he'd tattoo you without your clothes coming off?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I never thought you would," Kathy assured him. "Even though I do have nice legs."

Yes, Kathy, thank you. That commentary had been very important to include.

"And...I dunno! I didn't think about that, either!" Which was why getting tattoos while tipsy was a brilliant idea, yes.

Red-faced, she went over to the adjustable chair she'd been pointed to, tentatively pushing her skirt and underwear down to the tops of her thighs. The tattoo artist was entirely professional about it, having her lie down and giving her several towels she could drape over herself to preserve her modesty. He outlined the tattoo she wanted, verified the placement and size, and then prepared the needles. "You ready for this?" he asked.

"I--yes?" Kathy said, sounding suddenly much less certain. "Anders? Will you come hold my hand?"

[not_every_mage]

It was such extremely crucial commentary that Anders felt within his rights to ignore it completely and go back to examining cat tattoos.

He turned away when Kathy called his name.

"All right," he said easily, and went to take her hand. "It'll be fine. Plenty of people do this."

[spin_kick_snap]

But it was true commentary! And she would have pointed that out to anyone!

Though the trust she had in Anders to not look was limited to a much smaller number of people, so there was that.

"I know that," she told him. "And I'm not scared." She started slightly as the needles began buzzing. "I just don't know how much it's gonna hurt. I want to be prepared."

Which clearly meant clinging to Anders' fingers. Clearly.

[not_every_mage]

"It'll probably hurt less than running into a burning building," Anders said, because he wasn't letting that go quite yet,then squeezed her fingers and settled into a more soothing tone. "It's fine. You're doing a great job."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Technically that didn't hurt at all," Kathy grumbled. "Well, not really/ Not till the end, anyway."

The artist snorted and shook his head. The kids on this island. "Okay," he said softly. "I'm going to start in three--two--" He didn't bother with one, and Kathy flinched--then relaxed. "Oh!" she said, sounding surprised. "That doesn't really hurt at all! It kinda feels like--scratching, maybe?"

The artist nodded. "The first minute or so is usually the worst," he said. "If you're getting a small one, I mean. Keep holding your friend's hand and talking to him and this'll be done in no time."

Kathy peeked up at Anders and squeezed his hand. "That sounds doable, right?" she said. "And I'll do the same for you during yours."

[not_every_mage]

"Because you were running on adrenaline," Anders chided, and used his free hand to tug her ponytail omghairmodding. "But shh, see? You're doing fine. He's almost done with the outline..."

He wasn't healing her, but even when he wasn't on official healer duty he knew how to talk to someone who was hurt. That showed now.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy would have appreciated it had she consciously noticed what he was up to, but she didn't. Which just went to show how skilled he really was.

"Fine, it only hurt a little," Kathy grumbled. "And only to breathe, at least at first." Not making a great case there, Kathy. "Also, how many--" She stopped, sucking in a sharp breath. "Moved to filling it in, huh?" she asked n a small voice.

[not_every_mage]

"Oh, it only hurt when you breathed," Anders said, squeezing her hand again. "Too bad that's not optional."

He tilted his head to glance at her tatoo. "Yes, he's filling it in," he confirmed. "Almost done with the black bit, looks like."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Pfft, for you mere mortals, maybe," Kathy lied. "But for superheroes like me--" Whatever she as going to say got lost in a wince. The artist murmured something probably meant to be soothing and patted at her hip with a towel. "I see why you just went for an outline," she joked. "I'm not gonna be kicking much ass in Baltimore for a few days, I think."