I drove to my cousin's shop and got out.
"Come on, he's nice." I smiled.
Eli nodded and got out with hesitation.
We walked in and my cousin looked at us.
"What's up M dog." He came and hugged me.
"Nothing much." I smiled.
"So, what kind of work are we doing today?" He asked.
"I might get one later, but my friend here needs a tattoo." I gestured to Eli.
"Oh, what's up little man." He gave Eli a handshake.
"Hi, Rico." He stuttered.
"Is it his first?" He laughed.
"What gave it away?" I laughed.
"He looks nervous." Rico laughed.
"He is." I looked at Eli.
"So, what are we thinking for that tattoo?" Rico looked at Eli.
"I have no idea. Maddie you choose." Eli looked at me.
"I was thinking a Hawk on his back." I turned Eli around.
"I like it, and then we can put a mohawk on the hawk." Rico smiled.
"Yeah, let's do it." I was excited.
"You ready little man?" Rico led Eli to the table.
"Maddie, you're not leaving me right?" Eli grabbed my hand.
"I'm not going to leave you." I laughed.
"Ok, thank you." He let go of my hand.
"Alright, little man take off your shirt and lay on your stomach." Rico instructed.
Eli took off his shirt slowly. Dear lord, this man had abs, I couldn't help myself from starring.
"Maddie, can you come over here?" Eli pointed to in front of him.
I walked over to the front of him and placed a chair where I was going to sit.
"Alright let me do the stencil, and then we can get to tattooing." Rico was excited.
"M dog are we doing anything for you today so I can get that stencil to?" Rico stopped before he went in the back.
"Uh, you know what yeah. Let's do a rose bush with three roses starting from my rib going down to my hip." I smiled.
"You got it." He gave me thumbs up.
"How many tattoos do you have?" Eli looked shocked.
"I have four." I counted in my head.
"Where are they, because I never see them at school?" He asked.
"I have one of my ankle, one on my back, one on my hip, and one on my left side of my ribs" I explained.
"What are they?" He asked.
"The ankle one is a tiny horseshoe, the hip one is a small snake, the rib one says "bitch", and the back one says my last name." I looked at Eli who looked really nervous
"Did they hurt?" He looked worried.
"Depends where you get them." I shrugged.
"Did the one on your back hurt?" He looked over his shoulder at his back.
"Only where my shoulder blades were." I was being honest.
"How bad on a scale of 1 to 10?" He looked scared.
"The shoulder blades were about a 9 and the rest a 2." I explained.
"Oh god, what did I get myself into." He laid his head down.
"I'm going to be right here with you, you'll be ok. I promise." I grabbed his hand.
"Thank you." He smiled.
There is was again that smile that drove me crazy.
"Alright, stencil time." Rico came back to the front.
"Lay completely flat." Rico instructed.
Eli did as he was told.
"You can place your hands under your head to rest if you want." Rico grabbed his supplies.
Eli did what Rico suggested.
"The stencil is going on." Rico laid the stencil on Eli's back.
"It's cold." Eli laughed a little.
I smiled at how precious he was.
"Ready little man?" Rico sat down.
"No, but let's get this over with." Eli sighed.
"Want me to hold your hand?" I asked.
"Yes please." He smiled at me.
I grabbed his hand and intertwined my fingers with his. My fingers fit perfectly with his like a missing puzzle piece. Eli took a deep breath and relaxed.
"Let's do this." Rico placed the tattoo gun on Eli's back.
Eli squeezed my hand from the pain and then he eased completely.
"I think he passed out." Rico laughed.
I looked at Eli and he did for sure indeed pass out.
"Yup, he did." I laughed.
"That's alright so did you." Rico laughed at me.
"I did, didn't I?" I laughed.
"It was pretty funny." Rico laughed.
"Yeah, it was." I laughed at the memory of getting my first tattoo.
I took the chance and I kissed the top of Eli's forehead.
"You like him?" Rico looked at me.
I nodded yes but just incase Eli was listening I said the answer no out loud. Rico got the message and nodded.
Hours passed and Rico finally finished Eli's tattoo.
"Eli." I whispered.
Nothing.
"Eli." I shook him a little.
This time he woke up and shot up.
"What happened?" He didn't remember.
"You're all done, little man." Rico laughed.
"I am?" Eli looked confused.
"Yeah, you passed out." I smiled.
"My back is sore." He groaned.
"You just got it tattooed. It's going to be sore." I laughed.
"Can I see?" He asked.
"Turn around." I instructed.
He did as I said and I took a picture. Then I showed him.
"Oh my god, that is so dope." He looked at it with awe.
"Told you." I smiled.
"Alright M dog your turn." Rico gestured to the table.
"Do you got a towel or a blanket?" I asked.
"Yeah, they're under the sink in the bathroom." He pointed to the bathroom door.
I went into the bathroom and stripped my clothes. I had to be naked because my underwear would get in the way and so would my sports bra. So I wrapped the first towel around my whole body and then grabbed another one. I walked out.
"Turn around really quick so I can get situated." I twirled my finger at Eli and Rico.
"Don't turn around until I say." I instructed.
They nodded.
I unwrapped the towel and laid down I placed the first towel over the bottom of my hip where I wanted the tattoo to end, then I placed the second towel over my boobs. So I was completely covered and they couldn't see anything.
"Alright, you guys are good." I let them know I was good.
"Oh my god, Maddie." Eli sounded shocked.
"What?" I questioned.
"Your body is way different than I imagined." He sat in front of me.
"What do you mean?" I was confused.
"I always thought you were chubby, that's why you wore baggy clothes." Eli sat.
This made me laugh.
"That was the reason why you thought I wore baggy clothes?" I was still laughing.
"Yeah." He looked confused.
"No, I wear baggy clothes because I don't like showing off my body, unlike my sister." I laughed even harder.
"Hold still M dog." Rico instructed.
I calmed down and laid still. Rico placed the stencil on my side and then lifted it off.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Yup." I prepared myself.
I winced a little because he started at the bottom and it was right on my hip bone. Once he went up it eased and I was good. I kept a straight face the entire time.
"Wow." Eli looked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"You take pain easily." He looked at the tattoo.
"You get used to it." I raised an eyebrow.
"Want me to hold your hand?" He asked.
"If you want to." I smiled.
He took my hand in his and once again it was like a missing puzzle piece that fits just right.
Hours passed and I laid there quietly and calmly as Rico tattooed. Once he got to my ribs I winced a little because it was directly on the bone but when he was finished I was fine.
"Alright time for the shading." Rico looked at me.
I nodded and he continued.
More hours passed as the shading took the longest. Finally, he was done and he stepped back.
"Alright, M dog you're good." He smiled.
"Alright, you two turn around." I instructed.
They did as I said and I walked into the bathroom. I looked at my tattoo and I loved it. While Eli was nocked out I told Rico for my tattoo to include "Eli" in something. I looked at the whole tattoo and I finally spotted it. It was written along on top of the middle stem in cursive I got dressed and walked out.
"Thanks Rico." I hugged him.
"No problem." He smiled.
"What do I owe you?" I grabbed my wallet.
"No money today. What time is your lunch?" He asked.
"11:30." I was confused.
"Alright, tomorrow at your lunch swing by and let me add something to your tattoo and also bring me some Starbucks. You know my order." He smiled.
"Alright, I will." I smiled.
"Oh and bring little man." He winked at Eli.
"Will do." I smiled.
Eli and I got in the car. He gave me his address and I drove him and dropped him off.