Skin Deep

(2) All Grown Up

Wipe you tears by Halsey is the video up above. I don't own the song or video, but I think it portrays the meaning of this chapter perfectly. I also mention another song in this chapter and it is called Wake up by Black veil Brides. The picture up above is a visual for something you'll understand when you get to it. Anyway, thanks for sticking around! Vote and comment, please! Happy reading!

"Do you think I should get a piercing on my dick?" Clay asks me right before he pierces the needle in this older guy's penis. He's a regular at the shop. His name is Cleetus. I was going to give them some privacy, but Cleetus said it was fine if I stuck around. Honestly, I think he was just flirting with me.

"Um." How to respond to a question you never thought you'd be asked?

"Do you have any candy?" Teagan comes around the back, his head popping around the curtain, saving me from having to come up with an answer to Clay's ridiculous question. Clay stops what he's doing for a second to glare at Teagan.

"Why the fuck would I have candy?" He questions. "I run a tattoo shop. Not a candy store!"

"Actually," Dani, who is Clay's older sister interjects. "I run it. You just work here." Dani has long, flowing light blonde hair, pale skin, slightly down-turned nose, green eyes and is of a 5'3 height to my 5'8.

Both Dani and Clay's parents had run this tattoo parlor called Muse Tattoos and they both recently decided to give the shop to Dani and Clay (when he becomes of age). Their parents still come here sometimes to check that the shop hasn't burnt up in flames yet.

It's kind of cool because it's like they're the family that Teagan and I were never lucky enough to have. His parents died and mine didn't want me, but that's a topic for another time.

"I just thought Royalty might want some candy." Teagan shrugged.

"What?" I exclaimed. "And rot all her teeth? She's only allowed candy on special occasions." I see Royal tap Teagan on the shoulder and he leans down to her height so she can whisper to him.

"And on weekends when grandma and grandpa sneak a few pieces of chocolate for me." Teagan and Royal both share a secret look and then collapse into a fit of giggles.

"I heard that." I pipe up, but that just makes them both laugh even harder. I look up at clay, but he just rolls his eyes, trying to hide the curve of his lips peeking out from under his forced serious expression. "Kids will be kids." Clay says before finishing up on Cleetus's piercing and telling him all about how to treat it so it doesn't get infected.

"Hey. I'm older than you." Teagan butts in, clearly offended by clay's jibe.

"By a month." Clay grumbles.

Dani walks over to Teagan from where she was at the front desk and shoves a red lollipop right in Teagan's mouth, standing on her tiptoes to pat him on the head. "There's a good boy. Now suck on that lollipop and keep quiet before I have to get the paddle." Teagan takes the lollipop from out of his mouth to pretend to bite at Dani, meanwhile Royal just giggles.

Dani looks at me with another red lollipop in her hand, a questioning look in her gaze. I look at Royal to see her already giving me the puppy dog eyes complete with the jutting out lower lip and I know I'm in trouble. "Alright." I sigh, giving in and wishing I had more strength when it comes to saying no to Royal. Dani unwraps the lollipop for Royal and Royal takes it with shining eyes.

"Thank you." She says to Dani, who nods with a smile clear on her face. She ruffles Royal's hair, making Royal giggle before Dani goes back to the desk scheduling appointments for tattoos and piercings.

"Just remember to brush your teeth when we get home real good." I warn Royal. "You don't want to get any cavities. Believe me." I tell Royal remembering my own experience when I had a mouthful of cavities at thirteen when I had no authority guiding me on what to and what not to do. I didn't want that for Royal. I never wanted her to have to learn the hard way when it came to things that I could help prevent.

I know I can't protect Royal from everything, but it certainly doesn't hurt to try.

Royal just nods at me and I know she's just doing that to keep me from continuing to lecture her, but I'll make sure she brushes her teeth if I have to shove that toothpaste down her cute, little throat.

And I mean that in the nicest most non-abusive-parent-way possible.

"Hey." Dani waves me over to the desk and I go see what she wants.

"What's up?" I ask just as Clay sidles up next to me to collect his pay from Cleetus.

Dani shows me her sketch book with a picture of a tall and colorful sunflower and I immediately feel myself start to connect with the design. "I know I already tattooed a sunflower on your hip, but I was thinking that maybe we could put the sunflower just below your right ear." Dani steps up on her tiptoes and slightly peels at my pink turtle neck just to expose my neck a bit. Her hand brushes away softly at my auburn hair as she touches the spot where she wants to tattoo the flower onto me.

"Wouldn't it look so good right here?" I feel my heart beating faster as she closes the distance and runs her tongue down my neck sopping up the little drops of sweat that accumulated under the heat of the cloth. "Someday, you'll be proud to wear your tattoos." Dani whispers as her tongue slowly massages my skin. "Won't cover it up like there something to be ashamed of."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Clay exclaims, throwing his hands up and making Dani's sweet tongue leave my skin. "We're running a tattoo shop. Not a sex shop. Save it for your work Kai." Clay interrupts and we both nod, thoroughly chastised like two school girls caught talking by a teacher. When Clay leaves we both erupt into laughter.

Once our laughter dies down, I tell Dani to set up an appointment on Saturday just before I leave with Royal to go to her grandparents house.

Speaking of Royal's grandparents, their ringtone (Wake Up by: Black Veil Brides) interrupts my thoughts and I answer it stepping away from Dani for a bit of privacy. "Hi Mrs. Davis." I greet her. She never liked me calling her by her maiden name, Shanice, not even when I was engaged to Tyrus (her son), but it is what it is.

"Did you forget that we get weekends?" There Mrs. Davis goes again, skipping all the niceties. "See I knew this was going to happen!" I can just picture her turning to Tyrone (Mr. Davis) with irritation in her gaze and her hands thrown up in frustration. "As soon as that girl gets an ounce of freedom, she thinks she doesn't have to follow the rules. Well, I got news for you little girl."

And then the door opens and I see Tyrus walking in, Royal's usual happy demeanor growing serious. For some reason, Royal always goes shy around Tyrus now when she sees him, when just a couple of weeks ago she would jump in his arms when he showed his face around her. Whenever I bring it up to Royal she always shuts down, refusing to talk about it.

I was hoping it would go away within time, but it's been three weeks and Royal still hasn't warmed back up to Tyrus.

"What are you doing here?" I ask Tyrus, forgetting I'm on the phone with his mother on the other end.

"Doing here? What are you not doing here?" She raises her voice and I cringe from the loudness.

"Sorry, Mrs. Davis. Time must have gotten away from me. We'll be right there." I say and hang up before she can object.

"It didn't seem like you were coming and I know that time always gets away from you when you're around your friends." Tyrus shrugs. "So, I thought I could drive you guys."

Well, it would be nice rather than to take the subway again. One dude almost groped me the last time I got on there, so I don't really have the most fond of memories there at the moment.

"Royal, you okay with us riding with your daddy?" Something passes in her deep brown eyes. A somber look that no five year old should ever be capable of having and suddenly I want to do whatever I can to make that smile again. To make her giggle. Make her happy again.

But, before I can think too hard about that look, she just nods and puts on a little smile and my worry subsides. For now.