X - Y - Z

FOUR - LEO

FOUR - LEO

It was kind of a slow night at the shop. Raven just finished a leg piece he's been working on for the last four hours.  I have to say it looks freaking awesome. He's in the back now probably doing paperwork.  Gabriel is currently tattooing a pink heart with a thick baby blue outline onto Luke's lower abdomen right near his adonis belt.

A few month's back Sang asked me to tattoo her.  She wanted something for all her guys - something permanent. She's not really the tattoo type, and she didn't want it visible all the time in case some of them didn't like it.  She told me how Luke never even wanted her to get her ears pierced, but it was still something she wanted. So... I put it on the front of her rib cage, just below her left breast - a heart filled in with equal segments of each of the guys' favorites colors and outlined in pink.  Of course, they all loved it. I'm pretty sure a few of them cried.

They're going on vacation in a few days, and they've all gotten a pink heart outlined in their individual favorite color for her as well. They're relationship goals for sure. I'd love something like for my team, but the odds are so slim. We're having a hard enough time adding one more guy to our mix. 

Just as I'm think of the only guy we've all been equally interested in, he walks in the door.  Exley's cool, definite academy material, and seems like a perfect fit for us, but he's never allowed us to move from friendly acquaintances to actual friends. Huh. This is the first time he's ever brought someone with him, though. Damn, she's pretty.

"Exley, my man, how's it going? Been a while."

"Leo, fellas, good to see ya." He pulls the pretty (did I mention she's pretty?) girl into his side with an arm over her shoulder.  I can't decide if the gesture is friendly or possessive...maybe both.

"This is Hazel. She's my very best and oldest friend." He emphasizes the sentence, and they are looking at each other kinda strange - like the sentence has more meaning that it should or like it's a lie. I don't know. It was odd. Hazel squeezes Exley a little tighter, and then they turn their attention back to us.

"Nice to meet you Hazel. Are you guys here for some work?"

"Maybe so. There are a few things I'm wanting, but the big piece, it's mostly just ideas. Important things that need to be pieced together. Ex says you guys are good at that. I was hoping to talk to someone and see what they come up with. Depending on how it goes and what time it is, maybe get something small while I'm here too?"

"Absolutely! Glad to hear you're recommending us, Exley."

"Well of course! I wouldn't keep coming back if I wasn't pleased with the work," he says with a smile. I love how you can tell he genuinely means what he says.  It feels good. I know we do good we do good work, but it nevers get old hearing it.

"You want to have a seat, and we can talk it through? Would you like something to drink?"

"Yeah, sure. Just a water would be great." Her voice is so sweet. Not high by any means, just sweet.  I see her eyes taking in the shop, and she seems to like it. I hope so. It's not mine, but it's still a point of pride for me. I can't help but smirk when her eyes land on Gabe and Luke. They're finished now, and they're both examining the heart in the mirror. Then Gabe situates so he's holding his forearm to where you can see his own pink heart outlined in orange next to Luke's.

Hazel stand up and makes her way toward them. I wonder what she's thinking. Probably that they're together. That's how most people would see it.  People tend to think that about Gabe anyway, Luke sometimes too, just because they're handsome and stylish.  People are assholes.  The heart does take it to the next level though, so I wouldn't blame her. Still, I can't help but hope she doesn't make assumptions that easily.