it's been a while.
my mental health has been bad and then ive been super sick the past week not to mention ive been working a ton.
but IM BACK.
I missed you guys SO much.
she knew.
mackenzie knew that billie knew but neither of them actually said anything.
billie was just asking questions about her work and who's she's worked with.
"what's your favourite tattoo you've done?"
"ive spoken to a few celebs who you've worked with, who's the worst one?"
"what's your favourite tattoo you've ever done?"
"how long have you had this studio?"
"do you only work here?"
"have you always wanted to be a tattoo artist?"
the questions keep coming and mackenzie answered them, asking her own.
but then she got the question she feared the most.
"why don't you have any tattoos?"
almost everyone asks her this and she gives a different answer this time.
but mackenzie didn't want to lie to billie.
"I do have some, they're just in places you can't see" mackenzie smirks, dipping the needle back into the ink.
"so it's not because of your instagram account?"
mackenzie looks up, lifting the gun from billies skin and is at a loss for words.
she wasn't expecting that.
"uh" mackenzie clears her throat "yeah that too"
tattoos are easily recognisable and with millions of followers, she knew that if she showed any of the tattoos she has, they'd connect the dots and figure out who she is.
and mackenzie wanted to keep herself a secret.
she wanted to keep herself safe.
"so what tattoos do you have?"
"I have eight which are either hidden in my underwear or can be easily hidden or edited. I do have plans for tons more though"
"you tryna show me?"
"so you're as horny in real life, huh"
"hell yeah" billie scrunches her face up and mackenzie lifts the gun. "you good?"
"imma be real, it's hurting so bad dude"
"we've got quite a lot of work left to do. you can tap out if you need too"
"I ain't a pussy" she might be saying this but mackenzie knew how much billie was struggling.
her tics were getting worse and her leg was twitching.
"look we can take a break and see how you feel once laura gets back"
"but I don't wanna be annoying"
"you're not I promise" mackenzie turns her machine off and places it down, pulling off her gloves. "it's a big piece and is in a painful place. to say you're having a bad tic day, you've done so well"
"okay, if I tap out, when will I need to come back?"
"it'll take a while longer to heal but I would probably re-book you in six weeks. is that okay?"
"laura has my schedule so we'll check when she comes back"
"no worries" mackenzie grabs her water bottle and there's a knock on the door.
"hello?"
"it's sully"
mackenzie looks over to billie and billie furrows her brow. "it's my body guard"
"do you mind if he comes in?"
billie shakes her head so mackenzie shouts for him to come in. he pops his head round the door.
"harry is here, he says its an emergency"
mackenzie huffs and stands up, telling billie to wait a minute.
when she steps out into the waiting room, she hears her sisters wails.
"dude I left you alone for a few hours, what the fuck have you done?"
harry comes over and talks to mackenzie in a hushed voice. "hallie was using the bathroom and started screaming that she was dying. I ran in and I think she uh..started her period"
"are you kidding me? she's eleven!"
"she was crying that she was bleeding, I tried to call you" harry hands her a bag "just threw some clothes and some of your tampons in a bag but I didn't know what to do"
holy shit.
"hallie, c'mere sweet girl"
the young girl runs around the corner, hiccuping through her tears.
"sissy im dying!"
Mackenzie picks up her little sister and rubs her back. "I promise you're not dying, come on"
she hugs her sister, holding the young girls face against her neck, walking back into the studio.
'sorry!' she mouths to billie, walking towards the bathroom at the back and closes the door, sitting down on the toilet.
"hallie, do you know what a period is?"
"at the end of a sentence?"
"oh darlin'" mackenzie opens the bag. "we'll get in the bath when we get home, can you take your leggings and panties off?"
"but im dying!"
"hallie, are you feeling okay to have a big girl chat? or do we need to calm down first"
"im a big girl I promise" hallie takes her pants off and mackenzie sits her on the toilet, noticing the blood on the younger girls leggings.
"women bleed from their vagina every month. it's called a period. it isn't because they're hurt or they're dying, it's how the body gets ready for a baby. we can use both tampons or pads which catch the blood so it doesn't go on our underwear"
"sissy I have so many questions"
mackenzie laughs and opens the cupboard underneath the sink where she keep supplies for customers to use, grabbing a sanitary pad.
"we can talk about it properly when we get home but we need to put this pad in your underwear "
"it's like a big band aid!"
"yes it is, do you have tummy ache?"mackenzie slides the underwear up her little sisters legs, watching her nod.
"okay sweet girl, do you want my ipad?"
"can we go home?"
"im still working, do you want harry to take you home or are you gonna stay here?"
"stay here"
"okay, why don't you take my ipad and go and lie down on the comfy chair in harrys studio"
"okay!"
"come on sweet girl, we'll have some medicine when we get home for your tummy"
once hallie was back with harry, mackenzie went back into the studio, running her fingers through her hair.
how the fuck was she supposed to explain to an eleven year old what a period is?
"is your sister good?"
"she's just started her first period"
"wait isn't she like ten?"
"eleven" mackenzie drops down in her seat and pulls her phone out, looking on the internet for something to show her sister.
"she doesn't even know what it is. why aren't they showing kids this shit in school?"
"I was home schooled, my mom taught me everything when I started mine at twelve"
"I was thirteen but she seems way too young"
"so what's the deal with your mom? cause the way you are with her, it's almost like you're her mom"
mackenzie sighed. "long story short, she prioritises her love life over her children and she always has. she's not a bad mother and she's never been abusive but that doesn't mean her boyfriends haven't been. my sister is old enough to chose not to live with my mom so she's living with me"
"will this be permanent? your sister living with you?"
"I don't know. she will live with for as long as she wants. im lucky enough to have the money, my own place and harry who's helping me with everything. not to mention that im basically my own manager"
"I love that you've basically dropped your life to look after your sister, I really admire you for that"
"thank you" mackenzie smiles "I want to give my sister the life I didn't have"
"you're basically a milf now"
"damn right"
"can we carry on? I wanna try and get some more done"
"you sure?"
"yeah"
mackenzie puts on another set of gloves and wipes some gel over billies skin, picking up the gun.
when she starts tattooing again, she can see the pain on billies face but she focuses on the tattoo.
"so do you only do tattoos?"
"no I pierce too"
"you do?"
"yeah, it's not very often though because im usually fully booked with tattoos"
"next time I want a piercing, you tryna come over and do it for me?"
"what do you want?"
"well I have my belly button. I got this when I was like fifteen" billie runs her fingers over the jewel and mackenzie glances up at it, imagining herself licking down.
now was not the time.
"and I had a bunch in my ears but ive taken them all out"
"so are you looking getting another body piercing or facial or ear?"
"I have no idea. what do you have?"
"eight in my ears, my tongue, nipples and belly button"
Laura comes back into the room and billie cheers when she sees the taco bell bag in her hand.
"gimme gimme"
for the next twenty minutes, billie endures the pain of the needle before tapping out.
carefully, Mackenzie cleaned the area, taking plenty of photos so she had reference to make sure the stencils were correct for next time and wrapped up the skin, explaining to billie what she needed to do to keep it clean and fresh.
mackenzie just hopes she actually listens so when she returns in six weeks, everything is fully healed and she can finish the piece off.
"ill see you in six weeks"
"bye mama, thank you" billie hugs mackenzie, tightening her grip around the taller girl.
"look after yourself, okay?"
"I will"