Page 142 of Scrimmage

“Yeah, Koda mentioned that a few times.”

“Did they fill out the paperwork?” I call out to Angel.

She appears in the doorway, ready to watch this all unfold. “Got it all right here.”

I roll up my chair. “You got a design in mind? Where?”

“I was thinking my shoulder. I know you’re the expert. So I figured you could do your own take on this.” He pulls out his phone and hands it over.

Angel shakes her head. “Oh, you don’t want to put that power in her hands."

It’s a photo of a vase with Hedylogos, one of the seven Erotes in Greek Mythology. The god of sweet-talk and flattery.

“Fitting,” I sigh. I grab my marker and clean his skin before I start marking it. I set the phone on my stand and loosely draw.

“Aren’t you supposed to stencil or something?” Alexi asks nervously.

“Sweetheart doesn’t do that,” Angel giggles. “She’s a freehander.”

Alexi yanks himself away and turns to me. “A what?”

“Freehand. Ya know, I do it as I tattoo and see it in my head.” Alexi sucks in a breath. “Ready to turn back?”

He glances between us. “No.”

“This isn’t peer pressure, Alexi. No one will think you’re being a bitch,” I say earnestly.

“That definitely makes it sound like I’m being a bitch.”

“If you leave, we will all plead the Seventh Seal of Silence.” I look at them all forcefully.

Smith holds his hands up. “I won’t say shit.”

“How about all of you give us a second,” I suggest. Koda immediately gets up and shoves Smith out of the room, followed by Angel, who shuts the door behind her.

Alexi looks around at the walls. “Are these yours?”

I realize he’s never seen my work. Not really. The one I did on Prince, sure, but usually people are here to get whatever bullshit they like. Not something original.

“It is.”

He stands up and runs his fingers along one of them. “This is really fucking good.”

“That’s what they say.”

“Koda was right.”

“What do you mean?”

“Before break I decided I wanted to get tatted. He said I should come to you, so I booked the appointment.”

“Wait, you didn’t book this today?”

“No." He shakes his head vehemently. “Like a month ago. I wasn’t sure I would follow through. Koda asked me six times this morning if I was sure. He said you were fucking talented, and I’ve seen those little ancient drawings, but shit, Ashy. This is, like, fucking talent.”

“It’s a plague, but I’ll take the compliment.”

“I’m ready.” He sits back down in the chair and puts his back to me. “Just don’t draw a dick.”

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