The Rose
The first time Liza got a tattoo she was fifteen. She had gotten money from her grandmother for her birthday that she was made to promise to spend on new clothes, her grandmother specifically said dresses but Liza had crossed her fingers behind her back.
Liza had sat on her bed with a phone book, writing down all the tattoo shops around Hawkins and the outskirts of the town. She had no clue what she would even get or even if the artists would be willing to tattoo a minor but she was hoping she would find one.
The next day, when her mother had gone out, Liza sat beside the phone with the paper of numbers infront of her. Each phone call went the same: what did she want, how big, where, is she even old enough because she didn't sound it. Each call ended up in disappointed goodbyes and then she was on to the next shop.
"Just ink. This is Elaine speaking." The woman on the other end spoke.
"Hi, Elaine. I was wondering if I could book an appointment?" Liza played with the phone chord as she waited.
"Sure thing, just a few questions. You have a specific artist in mind?" Elaine asked.
"Nope."
"Cool, I'll book you in with me. What are you thinking of getting?"
Liza cringed at this question, this was usually where people caught on that she was inexperienced. She looked around the kitchen, hoping for something to jump out at her. On the dining room table was a bouquet of roses, something her mother had bought her for her birthday.
"A rose."
"Oh, that works out perfectly, I specialize in botanical tattoos. Where are you looking to get it?" Elaine continued on.
"My ribs." Liza answered. It was the one place she could hide from her mother the easiest and she figured it shouldn't hurt that bad right?
"Ouch, is this your first tattoo?" Liza could hear Elaine cringing over the phone.
"Yes."
"You sure you want it on your ribs?" Elaine asked, when Liza didn't change her answer Elaine chuckled. "Alright, well thats a brave place for your first."
Elaine told Liza the time and date along with how much the piece would cost, adding in what she should wear to the appointment and that she should eat first. Liza eagerly agreed, writing it all down before telling the woman she would see her soon.
Liza hopped off the counter and grinned. She had managed to do it and she was buzzing with the excitement. She ran to her room and shoved the paper in her drawer. She counted out the money she had gotten, a hundred bucks and her tattoo would only cost her Eighty meaning she had twenty left over. Maybe she could buy some band shirts with the left over.
~x~
The day of the appointment, Liza faked sick from school. Claudia didn't exactly buy it but she wasn't going to argue when she had an appointment at the salon and then brunch with her book club. She told Liza she would be back eventually and to get some rest before she was out the door.
Liza threw her blankets off, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and loose shirt before running to the kitchen. She hastily made herself some Eggos, shoveling them down with a glass of orange juice before grabbing her skateboard and money. She was out of the door faster than a rocket.
She was thankful for the days she used to spend skating around Hawkins, it meant that she could get to the Tattoo shop without asking for directions. She made sure to avoid the roads that anybody who knew her mother lived on, which was hard considering how many people her mother actually knew.
When Liza stopped infront of Just Ink, she came to the realization that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She was only fifteen and this was going to be on her body forever, what if Elaine was a bad artist, what if she hated it in the end? The blonde shook her head, it was too late for her to back out now.
Entering the shop was a shock to Liza. She wasn't quite sure what she imagined a Tattoo shop to look like but it wasn't this. The green walls were covered in band posters and macabre art. There was a deer head hanging over the reception desk, a couch in the waiting area and a mirror. Liza could hear Madonna playing over the speakers and someone singing along.
"You lost, sweetheart?" A woman asked from behind the desk. Liza looked at her, the woman looked like a pinup, the kind that you would see in old magazines. She was covered in tattoos and had an eyebrow piercing, red lips and a killer cat eye.
"Uhm, no? I'm here for an appointment." Liza answered, walking closer to the desk.
"That's funny. Seriously why are you here kid?" The woman stood and came around the desk. Liza's eyes widened as she had to look up at the woman. She seemed as if she was ten feet tall.
"I have an appointment with Elaine."
"Holy shit. You're my rose appointment." Elaine's eyes widened as she took in the girl. "How old are you?"
"Old enough." Liza answered, shoving her hand in her pocket to grab the money. She held it out to Elaine, squaring her shoulders as she did. "Are you gonna tattoo me or not?"
"Morally I shouldn't. But then again, I've never had good morals, so yeah kid. I'll tattoo you." Elaine took the money and placed it on the counter.
~x~
Liza had been on the table for only a half hour and she wasn't sure she was going to make it. This was the most painful thing she had ever experienced and they weren't even halfway done. Her shirt was pulled up as much as it could go and her arm was at an awkward angle, everything about this was unpleasant.
"You need a break?" Elaine asked, peering up at Liza as she tried to keep her breathing even. "There's no shame if you need one."
"No, I'm fine. Keep going." Liza spoke through clenched teeth. She was bound and determined to finish this session, even if this ruined tattoos for her forever.
"If you say so kid." Elaine continued, this was the first she had talked to the girl since they started. She was curious and decided she needed to ask a question. "So why are you getting a tattoo at your age?"
"Wanted one." Liza huffed, she was trying her best not to flinch.
"And why the rose? What's the meaning?"
"Honestly? It doesn't have any. Just needed something to get and I saw roses on the table and went with it." Liza answered. The pain stopped and she looked to Elaine to find the woman staring at her with her mouth dropped.
"You're telling me that you are getting a rose because it was the first thing you saw?" Elaine was really hoping this wasn't the case but Liza nodded. "Jesus Christ, at least it wasn't a spatula."
"That was my second option." Liza joked.
"Not funny."
Now that the ice was broken, Liza and Elaine continued to talk while the continued. The conversation helped take Liza's mind off of the pain and she was able to relax into the table. She was coming to realize why so many people enjoyed getting tattoos, it was almost therapeutic.
"Alright, we're done." Elaine stated, wiping the area down with alcohol before nodding to the mirror on the wall. "Whatcha think?"
Liza carefully sat up, turning her head so she could see her side in the mirror. A smile broke out on to her face as she looked at her new tattoo. It was beautiful, realistic but still looked like a drawing. She wanted to touch it but she knew that wasn't smart so instead she beamed at Elaine.
"It's perfect."
"Glad to hear it. Now, if you decide to come back and get another, please for the love of everything that is holy, get something with meaning." Elaine pleaded as she grabbed a bandage.
"I promise!"
~x~
Liza was doing good with her tattoo. She followed the aftercare instructions to the letter, letting it heal fully and when she was finally able to admire it and touch it she spent an hour in the mirror just staring and tracing it.
She was able to keep it hidden from her mother for almost two months, always keeping her door locked when changing, never wearing clothes that could potentially show it. It was working perfectly until she forgot to lock her door one night.
"Elizabeth Rose Henderson! Is that a tattoo?!"
"Son of a bitch."
Steve's Bat and Crown
Liza walked into Just Ink with a drawing clutched in her hands. She was greeted by the young man at the reception, Elaine's new apprentice, as he looked down at the books.
"Hey, aren't you Harrington's girl?" The boy asked, leaning against his arms.
"Yeah, I am. Who are you?" Liza raised a brow at the boy.
"Andy! Stop badgering my clients!" Elaine huffed as she came into the waiting area. Her eyes landed on to Liza and she broke out into a smile. "Oh, Liza! What are you doing here?"
"Got something I want ya to do." Liza waved the paper in the air. Elaine took the drawing and frowned. Liza knew the next words that the woman would say. "It has meaning, I promise."
~x~
Liza had decided to get yet another rib tattoo. Not to hide it from her mother this time but actually Steve. She didn't want him to see it until it was properly healed and this was the only place she knew.
So she layed on the table, this time her shirt was on the chair leaving her in her bra. Elaine had set out doing the lines of the tattoo, asking Liza about what she had been up to since the last time they saw each other.
"Is it true that you are with the Harrington kid now?" Elaine questioned. When Liza walked into her shop all those years ago she would have never put those two together in her head. Elaine was shocked but if Liza was happy she guessed that's all that mattered.
"Yeah, almost a year now." Liza hummed. The pain wasn't as bad as it was the first time. She assumed it was because she was used to the pain or because she had been thrown around enough the last two years that she was desensitized to it.
"That's good, he treating you right?" Elaine continued on.
"Yeah, he's surprisingly sweet. Good with my brother too." Elaine nodded at Liza's words.
The blonde looked around the room. On the walls were picture frames with drawings, tattoo flash and pictures of Elaine and what Liza assumed to be her family. One particular flash art caught her eye, at first Liza wanted to laugh at the memories it brought up but then something told her to get it.
"Hey, Elaine?" Liza asked.
"Yeah?"
"That crown, how much for it?"
~x~
Turns out the crown was only five dollars for Liza. It was small and she was already getting a tattoo so Elaine let the girl have it at a discount price. Liza had gotten it on her upper thigh, something she could cover with shorts.
Once she had paid Elaine, Liza practically ran to Family Video. She knew Steve was off and Robin was working so it was the perfect time to show her friend. Luckily for her, the video store was only down the street from Just Ink.
"Robert! I wanna show you something!" Liza exclaimed as she rushed into the store. It was empty so Liza grabbed her friend and dragged her to the back room.
"Okay, okay! You keep pulling me and you're going to rip my arm off." Robin rubbed her shoulder once Liza dropped her hand. "What's so important that you need to show- oh my god."
Liza had pulled her shirt up to show off the baseball bat with nails inked on to her ribs. Robin stared at it wide eyes, unsure what exactly to say. Liza grinned at her friend before fixing her shirt.
"I got another one too." Liza stated, pulling the waist band of her sweatpants down just enough to show off the crown.
"Are you insane?" Robin asked, crouching down to get a better look at the crown. "Steve is gonna go bonkers when he sees these."
"I know, but he isn't gonna see them until they're healed. So you gotta keep it a secret." Liza urged Robin.
"You know I'm terrible at secrets!" Robin groaned as she stood. "Like the literal worst, do you remember when Dustin and the kids wanted to throw you a surprise birthday party and I told you?"
"Robin my birthday is in three weeks. That hasn't happened yet." Liza bit back a smile. Robins eyes widened as she cursed herself. "You tried."
Liza couldn't wait to show Steve her new tattoos, unfortunately for her she wouldn't get to show him the way she wanted to. They would stay hidden until spring break, when they were close to dying in the Upside down.
Liza also didn't get her birthday party.
Eddie's words
'Youre stronger than you think.' such simple words yet they had become important to Liza. They repeated in her head like a mantra most days when she felt defeated or on days where she needed the extra reminder.
"Gareth, I need your help." Liza said as she came up beside the boy at his locker. Gareth spun to face the blonde, the last time he helped Liza almost got him killed at the hands of his friend and the look on Liza's face told him that this was also something that Eddie wasn't involved in.
"What is it?" Gareth shut his locker, walking down the hall with Liza by his side.
"I need words translated to Elvish and you're the only person I know who actually knows it besides Eddie." Liza began, she held out a piece of paper to the boy.
"If Eddie knows Elvish then why not ask him?" Gareth took the paper and looked at it. The words staring back at him were easy to translate, he already knew what it was just off the top of his head.
"Because Eddie's Elvish is spotty at best, also he can't know about this yet. Think of it as a surprise for him, and if you tell him I will keep your balls in a jar." Liza answered. Gareth looked between her and the paper before sighing. They stopped at a class room, it was empty and he dragged Liza in.
"Fine. If I end up dead though, I'm coming back and haunting your ass." Gareth pointed at Liza with a warning glare. The blonde just beamed at him as he grabbed a pen out of his bag and sat down.
Liza hovered over Gareth as he wrote out the Elvish translation and then handed back to her. She stared at the words, her eyes widening at how much longer the phrase was now. Gareth raised his brows as Liza shoved the paper in to a book, he stood up and was pulled into a hug by the blonde.
"Thanks Gare, you are the best and I owe you one!"
~x~
Liza had brought the paper to Eddie's that night, she had one more step to her plan before she got the words on her body forever. She just hoped that she could do it without Eddie catching on.
"Hey, Rockstar?"
"Yes, Witch?" Eddie looked up from his campaign book, watching Liza as she fiddled with a ripped piece of paper.
"Could you possibly redo this in your hand writing?" Liza held it out to him, her heart beating out of her chest. Eddie took the paper, reading it over.
"What is this?" Eddie asked, brows knitted together in confusion.
"Elvish."
"Yes I know that, but I can't read it. It's not the Elvish I know. I know Eldarin and this isn't it." Eddie stated, he had spent alot of time learning Eldarin for a campaign once so he was quite adept in it. There was only one person that he knew spoke and read Elvish and that was Gareth, but he also knew Quendian and Telerin. With a closer look this was also in the boys handwriting. "What did you get Gareth to write?"
"I can't tell you yet." Liza huffed, she didn't expect this many questions when she planned this. "Can you do it?"
"I can. Am I gonna be told what it's for?" Eddie retorted, standing so he could hold the paper up out of Liza reach when she went to snatch it. "Uh uh, I'm doing it either way. I'm just nosy."
"You'll find out eventually." Liza promised, crossing her arms. Eddie rolled his eyes and sat back down, grabbing his pen and rewriting the words that Gareth had before. Liza grinned as he handed her the paper back, she kissed his cheek and stuffed the paper back in the book.
~x~
Walking into Just Ink, Liza found herself face to face with the one person she didn't expect. He hadn't noticed her yet, his head in a magazine as he bounced his leg. This had to be some kind of joke the universe was playing on her, how she wasn't quite sure but it was.
"Eddie?" His head shot up, eyes landing on his favorite blonde who looked like a deer caught in the head lights. He assumed he looked the same. "What are you doing here?"
"Uh, getting a tattoo. What are you doing here?" Eddie repeated the question.
"Getting a tattoo. I didn't know you came here for your tattoos." Liza said as she sat beside Eddie, he instantly wrapped his arm around her.
"I don't, not usually. But I needed something specific so I looked around and found someone here." Eddie explained, not wanting to reveal too much.
"Elaine specializes in florals. What are you getting?" Liza questioned, her nerves were getting the best of her now.
"Not telling. But I'm not here for Elaine, I'm here for Andy." Eddie answered.
As if he was summoned by his name, Andy came to grab Eddie. He eyes the pair with a look of shock before telling Eddie to head back. Once the metalhead was behind the curtain, Andy spun on Liza with his hands on his hips. He wanted to know everything that had happened between this appointment and her last. Last time she was here, she was King Steve's girlfriend now she was cuddled up with Eddie the freak.
"Ask Elaine after." Liza stated, pointing towards where Eddie had disappeared. Andy groaned and stomped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum but listened.
Shortly after, Elaine brought Liza back. The blonde laid face down on the table, the stencil was placed along her shoulder and she was nervously chewing on her lip.
Elaine started quickly, deciding it was best to start before they started talking. She had only made it through one line when Liza blurted out that she and Steve had broken up. Elaine let Liza have a few moments to process the outburst, she wasn't quite sure how the blonde was going to react and from experience, crying while having ink jabbed into your skin just isn't the most comforting.
"I heard. Family Video isn't that far from here, pretty sure I heard about the fight from atleast three clients." Elaine spoke softly.
Liza nodded, she should have guessed that. The stares of pity and anger she got for weeks after made it perfectly clear that all of Hawkins knew, she wondered briefly how Amelia and Clarke took the news. Probably threw a party. Liza sighed and nodded when Elaine asked if she was okay to continue.
"I'm fine, really. It sucked for the first month. I kinda became a hermit." Liza began to explain. "My friend and brother eventually got me out of my room though. Oh! And then I became friends with Eddie. Hes this su-"
"Munson?"
"Yeah, Eddie Munson." Liza nodded, Elaine went to speak but it seemed Liza had more to say. "He was probably one of the biggest helps. Now we are in this not-actual-relationship, we are basically together but we haven't even kissed or made it official because he's okay with going at my pace. God, Elaine. He's honestly so sweet and I know I sound like-"
"A regular teenager."
"A total teenager, but something about Eddie makes it come out in me. Like with Steve we were so domestic, and don't get me wrong, it was great. It worked for us but with Eddie it's fun, it's stupid jokes and being . . . Well like teenagers." Liza rambled, she couldn't see the smile on Elaine's face as she went on.
Elaine was glad to see a smile on Liza's face. She wasn't quite sure what the girl had been through but she had noticed more scars on the girl then when she has first met her. The last time Liza came in she had a haunted look in her storm blue eyes, now they held the same spark she had when she was fifteen.
"What does Eddie think of the, uh, previous tattoos?" Elaine asked, she wondered how Steve had reacted but thought it was better not to ask.
"He thinks their cool, said it was just reminders of where I've been." Liza answered, she sounded less excited and more far away. As if she was remembering where she had been when she had gotten them.
"And this one? What's the reminder for this one?" Elaine questioned.
"Less of of reminder of where I've been and more of a reminder of what I am." Liza answered, wincing as Elaine went over a line.
"And what are you?"
"Stronger than I think."
~x~
Eddie had stuck around after his appointment to drive Liza, he wondered about what she had gotten. The both of them seemed to keep their ideas a secret from the other and that's when a certain paper came across Eddie's memory. He had tried to get Gareth to tell him what it had said but the boy had shook his head. Apparently Liza was scarier than Eddie and if the blonde found out that he had told Eddie there was threats of violence he didn't dare to repeat.
When Liza came out of the room, she smiled and lightly hugged Elaine. Andy came beside the two woman, he whispered something to Liza and she looked at Elaine while saying something Eddie couldn't quite make out. The older woman nodded and took the money that Liza was handing her.
Elaine watched as Liza walked over to Eddie, the pair smiled at each other before Eddie dramatically bowed and offered Liza his arm. The blonde snorted and looped her arm through his, letting him lead her out of the shop. Elaine looked over to Andy who was bouncing in his spot.
"Alright, I'll tell you. So apparently Liza and Eddie-"
~x~
Eddie had brought them to his place, both were cautious of their new tattoos as they moved around the trailer. Eddie was going to wait for his tattoo to heal to show Liza but it seemed as if she has other ideas as she pulled him into his room then promptly tore off her shirt. Her back was facing him and he had to take a moment to calm his heart before fully looking at the new ink.
Eddie's eyes traced the writing, his writing on Liza's skin. He was still lost on what the Elvish said but the thought of his writing on Lizas skin forever made him giddy. He could only imagine the look on Steve's face if he ever found out.
"Am I allowed to know what it says now?" Eddie asked.
"You're stronger than you think." Liza recited, looking over her shoulder to see Eddie's reaction. She could swear he physically melted. He stepped closer, raising his hand to lightly touch her back, being careful not to touch the actual area of the tattoo. "In Tolkien's Elvish because that was the book I had when we first actually hung out."
"Doll, that's. . . Wow." Eddie huffed, he was truly at a loss for words and he suddenly felt leagues better about his tattoo. "You really are the perfect girl."
"Uh huh, I showed you mine. You gotta show me yours." Liza stated as she carefully put on her shirt. She turned to look at Eddie, he rolled his eyes and pulled off his shirt. Liza didn't hide the way her eyes roamed Eddie's chest and arms, a small smirk on her face. Eddie cleared his throat, pointing Liza's attention to where it needed to go. Liza brows furrowed as she took in the piece.
A potion bottle on his bicep. She knew Eddie's tattoos were usually references to songs, campaigns or - in the case of his bats - things he got because he thought they were cool but there was something about this one that stumped Liza on which it was.
"Andy did a good job." Liza commented as she placed her hands on Eddies arm. She looked closer at the details, the horn on the cork, the piece of paper that didn't have anything written on it. "Why a potion bottle though?"
"I wanted something to remind me of my favorite witch." Eddie smiled down at Liza. Her eyes widened as head shot up to stare at the metalhead. Eddie took the reaction as a sign she didn't like it and decided he needed to explain himself. "It's just that, I had told you that your bat and crown were reminders of where you've been and if we don't work out I want to be able to have something to remind me of the best time of my life."
"Rockstar."
"And my nickname for you is witch, so I figured why not get a potion. Like that time I ran into you at the mall and that was the day I started calling you witch because your coffee sucked and I told you-"
"Eddie." Liza placed her hand over his mouth, silencing his rambles. Eddie grinned sheepishly as she removed her hand. "I love it, it's amazing and this is going to be an adorable and hilarious story to tell."
"What do you mean?"
"We got tattoos to remind each other of the other, on the same day, the same shop, completely unaware of what the other was getting." Liza explained, looping her arms around Eddie's back. Eddie grinned and wrapped his arms carefully around her, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Yeah, it's definitely a story for the grandkids." Eddie joked, ignoring the images in his head of him and Liza in the future with children and grandchildren. They weren't official, he shouldn't be thinking like that right now but god was a family with Liza a dream.
"Oh, we'd be the coolest grandparents." Liza rested her head against his chest. "The kind that the kids would love to come over because grandpa Eddie and Grandma Liza do fun shit like bring em to concerts and shit."
"Maybe the wave will take us there." Eddie commented, hoping Liza couldn't hear how fast his heart was beating.
"Maybe it will." Liza said, focused on the way Eddie's heart rate picked up.
A/n: a little glimpse at Liza's tattoos with another mention of Eddie's tattoo for her. Also here is what Eddie's tattoo for Liza looks like