Once we get to a tattoo shop I know accepts walk-ins and is almost never full we walk up to the front desk grabbing our forms. We take our seats in the empty room, filling out all the information needed before handing them in. Jack asks for a scrap of paper and then hands it to me asking me to try a few stars on the page.
"Why?" I ask, but follow instructions. I hand the paper back to him as he lowers his face down to mine to say, "Because I'm getting them tattooed." He kisses my lips walking away from me when his tattoo artist is ready for him. I sit in my chair stunned at his choice for a first tattoo. "Tris, you ready?" Suki my usual tattoo artist asks, waving me over.
I get up from my seat and take the chair next to Jack. She places my stencil on my forearm after shaving and sanitizing my arm. Jack has his shirt off and is on his side getting the stars I just drew inked onto his skin. He takes it like a champ, only scrunching his face up a few times. Suki starts on me while I'm distracted with Jack.
I make sure to stay as still as I possibly can not wanting to have some fucked up tattoo on my arm. She finishes it pretty fast since the tattoo itself is pretty small. I look down to see "Love Lennon," in his handwriting on my forearm and think it's perfection.
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The reason I got another tattoo in his handwriting is because the first one I got was hidden. I didn't want to see it but I wanted to know that it was there, now that I've healed a bit more I want a reminder of him that's more visible. And this felt right.
Once Jack sits up, done with his tattoo he looks over at mine before pursing his lips. He walks backward to sit back in his chair. "I have a question," he says shyly, a bit awkwardly. I nod my head, hopping off my chair once Suki wrapped me up. He pulls me in by my waist, subtly pushing the band of my skirt down to show my tattoo.
"Can I get this on me?" he asks for permission to get my Stargirl tattoo on himself as he runs his finger over the ink. It amazes me that he knows exactly where it is without looking. I sometimes forget where my other tattoos are. My heart swells at the question and I ask why with a smile.
He fiddles with the fabric of my skirt as he says, "Because you mean a lot to me and it feels right." It feels right. I give him the all-clear and ask Suki if she'd do Jack a solid since she already has the stencil on file. I tell her what he wants and they work out the sizing. While she walks away to prep for the tattoo I walk back over to him.
Based on my quietness I think he's interpreting it as nervousness because he says, "From where I'm from it's good to do things that feel right." trying to joke with me, but even though the thought of us having matching tattoos should scare me it doesn't. I'm completely and hopelessly inviting it. "That's weird, I think I'm from there too." I tease to show that the matching tattoo is something I'm okay with.
Suki tattoos my favorite nickname on his forearm, around where I got my newest piece of ink. She wipes it off, moving everything away from her station. I look at it once it's done and shake my head. I was okay with it when it was being said but now I'm wondering if this was a big mistake. What if he hates it in a few years? What if we break up?
