[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

Inked At Last

Ten came running into the cafe with a paper in his hand, excitement practically dripping off of him he had so much. He was just lucky there was only one customer in there who had his headphones on, because if he had started shouting with a cafe full of people someone behind the counter would've lost it.

"I've got it! I finally have it!"

Johnny whipped his head up, knowing exactly what was on the paper without having to ask.

"For real? He actually signed it!"

Ten just nodded, too happy to fully express himself.

"I'll go get Yuta and Taeyong." Johnny turned around to go find them, but stopped a second later and turned back. "Oh yeah, do you think you can cover for me?" He asked Taeil.

"Yeah... what's going on?"

Since Johnny was already running upstairs to find Taeyong or Yuta, Taeil turned to Ten to repeat the question.

"My Dad finally got the permission slip signed so I could get a tattoo, so we're all going and getting tattooed together. Except Yuta, I think he's getting his ears pierced."

Taeil nodded as Johnny came running back down with Taeyong, the two of them heading straight to the basement to grab Yuta.

There was no way anyone in the cult didn't know about their tattoo adventures. Johnny and Taeyong had been talking about them for years, deciding what they wanted. Ten had of course designed his own, and the other two decided to wait for him to go all together. Lucas, who also wanted a tattoo when he was finally able to, was not being waited for because that would just take too long.

As soon as they had Yuta with them, who looked like he had just woken up from a nap, the party of four left, leaving Taeil to run the cafe on his own until he recruited someone else. They got on the bus to go to the tattoo place, practically vibrating.

"How'd you get him to agree?" Yuta whispered, not really wanting to be the only one talking on the bus.

"He never actually said no, he just kept forgetting to sign it and he finally did."

"You know, Lucas is going to be upset we went without him." Taeyong commented, and Ten shrugged.

"He'll get over it. We can always go back with him when he's old enough."

It took them longer than it should've to get to the tattoo place, mainly because Taeyong had been in charge of directions and he got discombobulated on the bus, but eventually they got there. 

Ten took his sketch for his tattoo out from his pocket, also having Taeyong and Johnny's rough sketches in his pocket. He almost forgot he had all the designs in his pocket until the tattoo person asked for them and Taeyong and Johnny just stared at Ten.

Yuta hung out and watched the tattoos being done, laughing every time someone winced or tried not to tear up. He had to wait for the piercing guy to start his shift for the night, but once he did he couldn't stop fidgeting until the second before the needle was about to be stuck in his ear.

Not a single one of them could stop looking at their tattoos when they were done, which Taeyong found to be very difficult. They had been waiting a little too long for the opportunity, that was for sure.

"Ice cream to celebrate?" Johnny asked, Yuta nodding with a small smile.

"We gotta."