Awww, a Puppy! (Be More Chill, Werewolf AU, Boyf Riends Oneshots)

Pac-Man Tattoo

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jeremy looked uneasy.

"Of course this is a good idea!" Michael insisted, "It's totally safe."

"I don't think you're qualified to promise that."

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." Michael said, putting the stolen supplies back down onto the table.

For months Michael had been insisting that the two of them get matching Pac-Man tattoos. In Michael's words, it was like a permanent friendship bracelet that also announced their geekiness. Michael had even doodled the tattoo sketches on their arms multiple times to figure out the pattern. The two had decided that the ones that looked best had Pac-Man near their elbow with the white food pellets running down their arm over to a ghost from the game at their wrists. The red one, Blinky, for Michael, and the blue one, Inky, for Jeremy.

Jeremy was pretty excited, too. He loved the design and was glad that Michael seemed so happy. Jeremy was thrilled that Michael was thrilled. It was stupid, he knew, but seeing his best friend so excited was amazing and he wanted to preserve that happiness for the rest of eternity. No homo, though.

On the other hand, Jeremy was terrified of needles. Not only would there be a tiny needles stabbing at him over and over again, it would leave a lasting mark on his body that would be near impossible to get rid of. If he flinched in fear or pain, the design would be ruined and he knew it.

Jeremy was a bit conflicted, he wanted to make Michael happy with this, and the tattoos seemed really cool, but he was also really nervous to get them.

On the bright side, though, Jeremy reasoned with Michael that they, as minors, couldn't legally get tattoos yet. He figured that that would give him at least a few years in the clear to wimp in peace.

He was wrong.

He hadn't anticipated Michael actually going to his brother's workplace and taking the supplies that they would need to do their own tattoos. Michael had even watched his brother at his work doing tattoos on people, so he knew how to do it- well, the basics at least.

So, now, Jere was stuck at a crossroads, and didn't know what to do.

"It's not that I don't want to do it." Jeremy tried.

"Then why are you so nervous?"

Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. He'd never told Michael about how terrified of needles he was and didn't plan on doing that anytime soon. It seemed stupid and infantile. Definitely super uncool. "Dude, we're illegally using needles to imprint permanent imagery into our skin. How does that not make you nervous?"

Michael shrugged, "I dunno, I guess you're right, this is kind of stupid-"

"No! No, it's not!" Jeremy insisted, "It's just... You know what? Yeah, let's do this."

"Really?" Michael sounded hopeful and his excitement was coming back, fueling Jeremy.

"Yeah!" Jeremy offered a somewhat shaky smile.

"Okay, let's do this!"

Michael gathered the supplied again and began to put them together. He seemed a little confused about some parts, which made Jeremy very uneasy, though he tried to hide it as best he could.

"Ready?" Michael asked, once he finally got everything together and working.

"Ready." Jeremy confirmed.

The buzz of the needle filled Michael basement as he moved towards his friend's arm to do the tattoo, grabbing his wrist to hold him still as he went to work.

"What are you doing?"

Michael and Jeremy flinched away from one another, wide-eyed, as none other than Michael's tattoo artist brother came down the stairs and over to them.

The two best friends froze, unsure of what to do.

"Uuuuh."

Michael's brother's eyes flicked between Michael, Jeremy, and everything that they had spread around them, "You geeks could have just told me that you wanted tattoos. Now give that to me and let the professional handle this." He snatched back the inking needle and looked at the designs Michael had done on paper for them.

He set up the ink he would need and looked back over at the two others, "So who's getting their tattoo first?"

Jeremy immediately pointed to Michael, making Michael laugh a little, before nodding in agreement and moving over to his brother.

Jeremy watched as Michael's arm was sterilized and as he started up on the tattoo. The point of the needle zipped in and out as the pattern they chose was followed almost exactly on Michael's arm. Both boys were seemingly mesmerized by the work and Michael barely noticed when it was finally done.

"Did it hurt?"

"Like hell, but I think it's worth it." Michael shrugged in response to Jeremy's question.

In turn, Michael watched his best friend just as closely as Jeremy had watched him, "Hey, buddy? You look kinda nervous. You feeling okay?"

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."

As Michael's brother got to work, Jeremy winced ever so slightly and averted his eyes, looking paler than usual and a little sick. Michael's brother didn't even notice Jeremy's unease and was, thankfully, holding his arm so tightly that Jeremy's slight movement didn't cause anything to happen to the tattoo.

Michael, on the other hand, did notice. He went over and sat next to his best friend and grabbed his hand comfortingly while he got the tattoo. He didn't understand why Jeremy was so uneasy about this, but he did see the major discomfort on his best friend's face and felt the need to provide comfort.

Jeremy smiled at Michael, thankful for his best friend. "Dude," he whispered, "This is pretty gay."

They both burst out with laughter and Michael's brother shot them a glare, signaling Jeremy to stay still. 

Michael and Jeremy made an effort to stay as still as possible, but continued to joke around and be idiots. Suddenly, it didn't seem so scary anymore. Ah, the power of friendship.

It took a while, but once their tattoos had healed completely, they looked pretty radical.

Michael had been right, Jeremy decided. It hurt like hell, but was definitely worth it. 

Does Michael's brother have a canon name? If not, do any of you have any suggestions? I was thinking maybe Taylor, if there's nothing that's canon. (I don't remember them using his name in the novel, but there's a high chance that I'm wrong.) Anyways, tell me what you think!

Oh, and, if you couldn't guess, the digital doodles above were supposed to be vauge outlines of their tattoos...