The sun was hanging low over the horizon, casting an amber glow across the bustling streets of the town. Riggs walked with a swagger, his usual flamboyance on full display, while Hex followed behind him, a little more subdued and almost... cautious.
Riggs grinned mischievously as he glanced at Hex. “Alright, Hex, time for some fun!”
Hex raised an eyebrow, his deep voice echoing in the early evening air. “Fun? What are you up to now, Riggs?”
Riggs flashed a wicked grin. “You’re getting a tattoo!”
Hex blinked, clearly unprepared for that particular bombshell. “A what?”
“Come on, it’ll be fun! You need something to make that boring, mask-covered face of yours more interesting. Besides, I know a place that’ll make it... unforgettable.” Riggs winked, clearly already imagining the chaos they were about to cause.
Hex crossed his arms, an air of skepticism surrounding him. “I don’t know about this. I don’t really—”
“Listen,” Riggs interrupted, flashing his most charming smile, “this is all about embracing who you are. Besides, we’ve got the best excuse for your lack of glamour magic: cosplay!”
Hex raised both eyebrows now, clearly intrigued despite himself. “Cosplay?”
“Exactly!” Riggs practically bounced on his feet, clearly giddy. “You’re going as a dark, brooding character with a ton of mystery and depth—seriously, I’ll make sure the artist knows what to do. We’ll make this tattoo so you can keep your identity a secret while looking totally badass. No one will question it.”
Hex mulled over the idea, then sighed. “Fine. But I’m not doing anything too flashy.”
Riggs' smile stretched wider. “Oh, don’t worry. We’re going all out. And you know, I might be your adopted father, so you’re going to have to listen to me.” He threw the word “father” in with an extra flourish, as though the claim was made for dramatic effect.
Hex was taken aback for a moment. “Father?”
“Yup,” Riggs confirmed, almost too eagerly. “Just like how I’m the one who taught you how to get your anger under control. A true father knows how to make his son’s life extra interesting—and what better way than with a tattoo?” He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically.
“I’m not your son,” Hex grumbled, but he could feel the corners of his mouth twitching. The banter was ridiculous, but he knew Riggs wasn’t going to drop it anytime soon.
---
As they entered the tattoo shop, the faint smell of ink and antiseptic filled the air. The shop was quiet, the only sound the humming of tattoo machines in the background. A heavily tattooed artist with a sharp grin looked up from his work as Riggs practically dragged Hex in.
“Hey there, Riggs. Got a new victim?” the artist chuckled, eyeing Hex with interest.
Riggs winked. “You could say that. He’s here to get a masterpiece. Something that says ‘mysterious, dark, and dangerous,’ you know?”
The artist raised an eyebrow. “He looks like a ‘brooding anti-hero’ kind of guy. What do you have in mind?”
Riggs immediately started gesturing in the air as though painting a picture. “Definitely something with a raven or maybe a dragon, something that’ll make him look like he just came from the underworld. We’ve got to make it look epic, right?”
Hex stared at Riggs. “I swear, if you make me look like some cliché character—”
Riggs waved him off. “Trust me, Hex. You’ll thank me later. You’ll look incredible with this. Just sit still and let the artist work their magic.”
Hex reluctantly sat in the chair, trying his best to look as unamused as possible. “This is a terrible idea,” he muttered under his breath.
The artist grinned, clearly not fazed. “Don’t worry, man. I’ve seen worse. Let’s get started.”
---
As the tattoo gun began to buzz, Riggs leaned over Hex’s shoulder, clearly enjoying every second of the process. “Oh, look at you, Hex! You’re going to look so cool with this—just wait until the others see it. I’m already imagining the looks on their faces when they see you with your badass new ink.”
Hex flinched slightly as the needle made contact with his skin, but he didn’t make a sound. The pain was bearable, and despite himself, he felt oddly comforted by Riggs’ presence beside him.
“Does it hurt?” Riggs asked, leaning in closer with a grin. “I mean, you are a big, tough guy, so I’m sure you can handle it.”
Hex grunted. “Not much. But you’re way too excited about this.”
Riggs chuckled. “What can I say? It’s not every day I get to tattoo my adopted son.” He grinned, clearly savoring the ridiculousness of the situation.
Hex rolled his eyes. “You really are enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Obviously,” Riggs said. “If you’re going to be part of my family, I’m going to make sure you look the part.”
---
An hour later, Hex was staring at his reflection in the mirror, his mask now set aside to allow the artist to work on his face. The raven tattoo, sprawling across his upper arm, looked incredible—a mixture of delicate feathers and dark swirling lines, almost like it was alive.
Riggs, standing beside him, looked incredibly pleased with himself. “Now that is a tattoo worthy of a bad boy like you.”
Hex couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. “Alright, alright, you were right. It doesn’t look half-bad.”
“You can thank me later,” Riggs said, already wrapping an arm around Hex’s shoulders in an overly possessive manner. “Now, let’s go show this off. My son’s got a new look. It’s a family moment.”
Hex sighed, but there was a warmth in his chest he hadn’t expected. As ridiculous as the whole situation was, it felt... right. And maybe, just maybe, he didn’t mind being part of Riggs’ strange little family after all.
“Alright, Father,” Hex muttered under his breath, playfully rolling his eyes. “Let’s go make a scene.”
Riggs beamed, his arms theatrically raised to the sky. “That’s my boy!”
