I slowly walked into my local tattoo shop. I was really nervous about getting a chest tattoo, but I was going to push on anyway. I made my way over to a chair and sat down to wait. Trying not to focus on my nerves, I looked around. Sitting next to me was a large, burly man covered in tattoos with long, curly hair thrown up into a messy bun. Despite his obvious love for the tattoo art form, I noticed the nervous look on his face and how his hands shook ever so slightly.
Swallowing any resolve I held inside of me, I spoke; "You look pretty nervous".
His eyes flicked up in what almost seemed like alarm but he quickly pulled himself together. In almost a whisper he spoke, "I'm worried about getting through this one by myself, face tattoos aren't necessarily a walk in the park".
The seductiveness in his voice caught me off guard. The gravely tones it held made my knees quake. I almost forgot to respond. "I'm nervous too, I'm getting my first chest tattoo and I heard that they hurt pretty bad".
"How big of a tattoo", he asked.
"I'm getting one of those mandala things that goes under the um...", I trailed off.
The strange man sat back with a smirk on his face and seemed to loose himself in thought. I was standing up and about to step out of the door for a smoke when I heard his enchanting voice beckon to me.
"Wait um....", he trailed off not knowing my name.
"Drew", I responded.
He smiled and said "I'm Austin but most people call me Post".
I smiled back at him but was at a loss for words. Austin stood up and sauntered over to me. Leaning against the wall next to me, he smirked.
"I'll hold your hand if you hold mine", he followed with a wink. This man had me feeling things I hadn't felt in a very long time.
"I'd like that," I whispered with a blush. I was about to say more but Austin grabbed my hand and led me to the tattoo artist that I just now realized was walking towards us. Austin conveyed our plan to the artist because I couldn't seem to form any words. I was completely oblivious to the conversation taking place in front of me. Instead I was focusing on the way Austin's body moved as he spoke. It was enchanting.
"Drew", Austin whispered as he shook my shoulder. "Hey are you alright", he asked with concern lacing his voice.
Blinking, I brought myself back to reality. My face blushed a deep red color and I quietly whispered "Yeah. I'm okay".
"You had me worried there for a minute," Austin whispered softly. Taking my small hand in his large and warm tattooed one, he led me towards the tattoo chair. I began to shake with nerves as I realized I was about to let a stranger see something I had spent yeas trying to hide. Austin felt my hand shaking and turned to look at me.
"Drew it's okay, I'm gunna go first because my tattoo will take less time. I'm going to be right there with you". Austin's voice somehow managed to calm me. Slowly he let go of my hand and laid back into the now flat tattoo chair. I watched intently as the artist placed the stencil.
Underneath Austin's gorgeous blue eyes were the words "Always Tired" written in elegant script. Austin reached out for my hand and I grabbed it tightly as I saw that he was beginning to shake. Austin took a deep breath and upon exhale, the tattoo gun met his skin. His face twisted in pain as the needles punctured the delicate skin beneath his eyes. Austin's face was turning bright red and his mouth would continually twist up in pain. I kept rubbing his hand and whispering that it was nearly finished. As the artist drew the final line, tears began to fall from Austin's eyes. The pain had gotten to him and he was struggling to make it through.
