[PRP] Flowers of Ink

[Blood_Goddess]

Jerome always associated the familiar buzzing and dull pricking pressure of a needle gun on his skin to be a calming experience, along with the mild excitement that dark skinned Rocket had whenever he added more ink to the surface of his skin. new marks, embedded like memories into his skin and serve as reminders of his life.

It had been some time since Jerome had added new ink to his body, the last time he had even stepped foot into his favorite tattoo parlor was to get touch ups over his scars from a harrowing and troubling time, an attempt to cover up and help forget.
As he recalled it was also the night he had met Zacharie for the first time, the scrawny young boy who's hair was too long to really allow to show much of his face, jumpy and mouthy and to the man in a dark place an odd kind of relief.
Jerome glanced up over at the patron sitting in the chair opposite where he was lounged while a man with a shaved head and skin who's every inch was covered in various colorful tattoos, an artist that Jerome had known for a long time, years ago having had many of his tattoos done by this particular man, along with many of his late brothers and sisters from his street gang days.
Today though, It wasn't just Jerome sitting in the chair getting new ink, but also his younger partner, the scrawny jumpy boy, who by now didn't look like the same nerdy kid that Jerome had met some two years ago. from his hair, cut out of his intense looking eyes to expose a scar he had before been more self conscious about, and who's build, while still long and thin, was starting to develop more tone and muscle, though still had a ways to go to shake the 'teenage boy' look.

"How y'holdin' up?" Jerome asked, tilting his head back against the chair he was in, one arm pulled up over head head while the buzzing needle gun was worked over the sharp shapes over his ribs. while another artist leaned over the waist of the purple haired grunt, the similar buzzing of an ink gun working over the much paler skin

Up over the heads of the men a Gengar, arms and legs crossed with leisure and boredom as he half watched the two humans getting tattoos added to their bodies.  

[insidiousEnigma]

Wince...
Wince...
Wince...
Giggle

Zacharie could honestly say that he'd never thought that he'd end up in this position. 'This position' being reclined shirtless and with his pants pushed low on his hips on a stuffed tabletop while a stranger permanently etching a design into his skin. "Still doin' okay, kid?" The tattoo artist asked, not looking up from his work. The teen hadn't even realized that his breathing had sped up until he held his breath as the needle went over a particularly tender spot. "M'fine." He grunted, lifting his head to peer down the line of his stomach to get a peek at what the artist was doing.

That's right, Zacharie Rene Dubois was getting a tattoo.
It wasn't for a bet, a dare, and he hadn't even needed to be talked into it!
...Though he very slightly regretted the decision every time the needle came anywhere near his hip bones. Sometimes it tickled though, which was the confusing thing.

"I'm doing just f-INE!!" He had to physically restrain himself from giving into the urge to squirm away, instead letting out a sharp bark of laughter. "It just...it hurts, but it tickles!" He giggled, gripping the table tight, biting his lip, and trying hard to ignore the way that the artist was chuckling under his breath.  

[Blood_Goddess]

A soft grin spread over Jerome's lips, amused with the boy's reaction to getting his first Tattoo. Jerome wasn't even sure what brought about the teenager getting a tattoo as well, all Jerome knew was that of course he was going to support the idea! It wasn't a secret that he loved ink.
"Yo- dun' be s'tense" Jerome rumbled smoothly in response, his tone holding a soft chuckle in his throat. The artists hanging over his own torso glanced up as well toward the boy.

"You picked an interesting place for your first tattoo to be too. If I would have known you were like that I might have suggested someplace a little less sensitive."

"Naw-" Jerome piped in, "Zacharie can take it, S'been through worse, aight? One s'done it'll be worth it."  

[insidiousEnigma]

"I know, I knooahahaha!" The teen shut his mouth tightly and effectively stifled his laugh to a loud snort. "I really am trying to stay relaxed." He groused, slowly reaching up to push his hair back from his face with a shaky breath. "I don't have people touching there," He motioned down to the soft, now irritated, skin between his hipbones. "I wasn't aware that I was sensitive there." He muttered, wincing as the needles came too close to his hipbone.

Zacharie gave another snort of a laugh.

"Yes...I would say that this is nothing compared to everything else I've been through." Despite the rather morbid topic, he couldn't help but smile. Yeah this was moderately painful, but he was bonding with Jerome in a way that they hadn't really bonded before. This was something that Jerome enjoyed. Not something that he just went along with for the grunt's amusement. "I feel like the question is a bit silly but...you're doing alright as well?" He asked, turning to look across the way at his partner.  

[Blood_Goddess]

The artist leaning over Jerome arched his eyebrows at Zacharie's comment "I don't know, I guess it just depends on who's touching it, I guess you were bound to learn sooner or later though, right? sorry this had to be your first time." He commended with a bit of a sly grin. No doubt just trying to make the other artists just as uncomfortable.

"Man shut up." Jerome accused the artist, though with no ill intent before looking back to Zachaire while the artist chuckled and returned to filling in the new sprawl over Jerome's torso.

"Take' this than a gun fight any day." Jerome admitted to Zacharie's words "Yeah man, M'bout ready to jus' take a nap here."

Bro snorted

Something in the tone of Bro's words caused Jerome to lift a hand and flick a strange sign at him with his fingers, probably from his street days, one that Bro responded to with a snort.  

[insidiousEnigma]

"I don't mind makin' 'im squirm like this." The artist paused in his work to waggle his pierced eyebrows at the other artist and Zacharie before ducking his head back down to return to work. "S'an honor to be your first, kid."

The purple haired teenager felt like there was an innuendo that he wasn't getting. . .
Another stifled bout of laughter derailed that train of thought though, thus making the matter irrelevant to him.

"Fall asleep?" He asked, his tone obviously bewildered. "How could you sleep through this? Doesn't it tickle or hurt around your rib bones?" He asked curiously, his fingers twitching against the table top and a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He couldn't imagine being able to sleep through something like this, though he was a pretty finicky sleeper to begin with. "Almost done kid, just gotta do a bit of shadin' and then you're good to go." Zacharie smiled widely in excitement. "Really?! Oh great, I'm very excited to see it!" He chirped, trying to peer down at what the chuckling artist was doing.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Jerome just shook his head lightly, a small smirk playing on his lips at the artists teasing, and Zacharie's obliviousness to what was being implied.
He moved his eyes back up to Bro' who was squinting back down at Jerome, giving the ex-gangster a more cheeky smile in return for the shared look.

"D'no man" Jerome replied to Zacharie "Somethin' kinda chill bout this, ya know? F'done it enough too I guess. Though- ain't ever actually fallen asleep fer'it."
It would be nice, though Jerome was such a light sleeper anyway, and he knew what part of town they were in. Even with his knowledge that the hood around here knew who he worked for now.

Once the other artists said that Zacharie was almost done, Jerome lifted his head up a little more once again, "Man already? C'mere and show that ink off." He said, pulling a hand up and gesturing for once the artists was done.
"I still got a while t'go-" He paused thinking about how much longer they would be here, and considering what else still needed to get done... though that instantly reminded him of something he wanted Zacharie to do. "Then ya should pick out a design f'one of my new ones."  

[insidiousEnigma]

When Zacharie moved to immediately go to Jerome's side, the artist gave a warning grunt and held him down with a firm hand on his hip. "Not yet, kid. Keep holdin' still." He glanced up and gave the grunt a wry smile before patting the hip and getting back to work. "Ah...alright." The teen muttered, settling back down and crossing his arms over his chest to wait. Though his head whipped to the side when he heard Jerome's request. "Really? You'd let me do that?!" He gasped, a wide smile stretching across his face. "What kind of design do you want? I brought my notebook so I can draw some ideas down..." He prattled.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Woh- yeah Zacharie, when he finishes." Jerome added to help correct himself.
"an- yeah, ain't nothin' big, somethin' simple. I figure ya know flowers n's**t, so ya should draw up a couple one s'ganna go on m'arm."
He explained, reaching out to pat his forearm to show the younger Rocket where it would be going.  

[insidiousEnigma]

The teen eyed the expanse of skin intently before giving a serious nod, "Alright, I'll pick something really nice." He said slowly before lapsing into contemplative silence. There were a ton of different flowers that he thought would suit Jerome very nicely...but what it really came down to was something that Jerome would like. After all, his best friend was the one that would have to wear it on his skin for the rest of his life.

"Should've given him somethin' to do earlier...he's holdin' real still now." The artist muttered as he wiped some ink off the Zacharie's skin before leaning back to inspect his work. "Alright, kid. You're all done." He said cheerfully, reaching back to grab a tube of antibacterial and slathering a decent amount onto the area as he gave the teen instructions on how to take care of it. "I'll give ya a piece of paper with the instructions on it and I'm sure Jerome'll remind ya if ya forget." The purple haired grunt gingerly sat up and peered down at his stomach, a smile slowly stretching across his face even as he winced a bit. "Is there a mirror?" He was directed to the other side of the room and he wasted no time in hobbling over to it to inspect the artist's handy work. "Wow!" Idly, he reached down and prodded at the skin before all but running over to his friend. "Jerome, Jerome look at it!" He exclaimed excitedly, his hands on his hips and his chest puffed out proudly.

Cradled between his hipbones was the word 'Veritas' in dark blue ink in crisp, neat letters.  

[Blood_Goddess]

A little surprised himself as to how still and quiet Zacharie got while he was thinking, he couldn't help a chuckle at the comment the other artist had given, the one working on him giving a snort as well.
It got him through the rest of his tattoo anyway, and by the time he was done and hurrying over to Jerome, the gangster held a hand up to stop his artist for a second so the darker Agent could sit up and take a closer look.

Jerome let out a whistle, leaning down to look closer at the new ink. "******** sweet Zacharie." Jerome admited "Man ya look good with Ink," He held a hand up in a gesture to give Zacharie a high five for the kids first tattoo! "How's it feel on ya?"  

[insidiousEnigma]

Zacharie eagerly returned the high-five, still grinning ear to ear as he watched his friend examine his first tattoo. "It feels..." He stared down at the red, puffy skin and cocked his head slightly. "It's sore, I guess...it mostly just feels really...tingly. Like he's still working on it." He tried to explain, frowning slightly at his inability to find the correct words. "It doesn't really hurt though, I thought it would hurt a lot more." He confided in his friend, reaching down to lightly poke at the irritated skin. "I like it a lot though. You're sure it looks good on me?" He'd been a bit nervous in the beginning, not that he'd admit to it. He knew that he was still pretty scrawny compared to Jerome and well...what most people would consider to be 'nerdy'. But he had been filling out! He definitely had some muscles now and he had grown a whole inch since the last time he had measured himself!  

[Blood_Goddess]

Jerome reached a hand out to move Zacharie's hand away from the irritated skin. "Shouldn't go touchin' it. S'best t'baby that thing till s'done healin'" He reminded his friend.
Leanding back a little to get a better look, his blacked eyes narrowing a little as he cocked his chin up and nodded "Looks ********' sweet." He replied, then glanced over to Bro who floated by, looking at Zacharie quizzically. "What ya think?"
Bro put his thumbs up in the air and gave Zacharie a wide smirk.

"S'that mean anyway?" Jerome asked with a gesture to the words.  

[insidiousEnigma]

At the others prompting, the teen let his hand fall back to his side even though he just wanted to continue poking at the newest aspect of his body. "Right, right." He murmured, fingers twitching before he just decided to stuff his hands into his pockets. At Jerome and Bro's assurance that he did in fact look good with the tattoo, Zacharie felt his smile grow even larger and a pleased blush settle on his face. "I like it too." He bounced happily on his toes. "It means truth. In Roman mythology Veritas was the goddess of truth. Her father was Saturn, who was seen as a God of generation, dissolution, plenty, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal and liberation, and the mother of Virtue...which is basically just the moral good." He explained.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Jerome wasn't even the least bit surprised that he had no real idea of what Zacharie was talking about, but he got most of it, or at least the important bit about what the tattoo meant.
"Ya know too much." Jerome chucked, but made a light gesture toward him again "S'very you though." He admitted "an ya know that s**t ya gave me the first night we met? Ya should use that on the new tattoos, actually keeps em nice while they heal up."