09-02-2014, 01:41 PM
Lucas laughed at Aria's response. But then she sat down in the chair and put her feet up. She seemed to be breathing deeply, as if nervous. It was a common feeling when you first went under the needle. And hers was old so unless she had tattoos where he hadn't seen them, this was nearly her first time.
So he did what he always did to first timers. He began to talk and ask questions to take her mind off it. And he moved methodically, as if in ritual. It was a ritual, in a way. Gently he took her forearm and positioned it so that it was firm on the chair. Frequently, he looked up at her and smiled reassuringly. He use a cold-wipe to clean the arm as well as to numb the skin somewhat. Then he got his design sheet and carefully transferred it to her arm, positioned so that both dragons were on either side of her original tattoo. He had her look at it. "All good? You happy with the placement?"
She looked at it for a moment and then nodded, saying little. That was ok.
He lowered his voice so that it was a more soothing tone and continued talking and asking questions, trying to help her unfocus. In the meantime, he'd gotten a new needle and added black to his gun. He took in a deep breath, centering himself. This was for Aria. It was her struggle, her fight. And she wanted him to help her. He looked into her eyes and put all his support and concern for her there. He'd started the gun but the buzz of it became background noise. He looked at her a moment more and then nodded to her. "So I want you to count backward from 100 by 3's, ok?"
At her look, he smiled. "Trust me."
It took more concentration then people realized. He waited until she got to 82 before he started the tattoo. She gasped. "Keep counting,"
he said as he wiped along where he drew. She needed to get used to the pain.
Slowly he fell into his place as time slowed down. He was immersed in inking Aria's struggle. He felt that peace come over him as he was let into yet another person's private place.
So he did what he always did to first timers. He began to talk and ask questions to take her mind off it. And he moved methodically, as if in ritual. It was a ritual, in a way. Gently he took her forearm and positioned it so that it was firm on the chair. Frequently, he looked up at her and smiled reassuringly. He use a cold-wipe to clean the arm as well as to numb the skin somewhat. Then he got his design sheet and carefully transferred it to her arm, positioned so that both dragons were on either side of her original tattoo. He had her look at it. "All good? You happy with the placement?"
She looked at it for a moment and then nodded, saying little. That was ok.
He lowered his voice so that it was a more soothing tone and continued talking and asking questions, trying to help her unfocus. In the meantime, he'd gotten a new needle and added black to his gun. He took in a deep breath, centering himself. This was for Aria. It was her struggle, her fight. And she wanted him to help her. He looked into her eyes and put all his support and concern for her there. He'd started the gun but the buzz of it became background noise. He looked at her a moment more and then nodded to her. "So I want you to count backward from 100 by 3's, ok?"
At her look, he smiled. "Trust me."
It took more concentration then people realized. He waited until she got to 82 before he started the tattoo. She gasped. "Keep counting,"
he said as he wiped along where he drew. She needed to get used to the pain.
Slowly he fell into his place as time slowed down. He was immersed in inking Aria's struggle. He felt that peace come over him as he was let into yet another person's private place.