Leopold nodded as he finished out the last design. He may not like tattoos, but that didn't mean he couldn't give tattoos to others.
He brushed a stray curl back behind his ear and his finger grazed the reason he didn't like tattoos on him. He sighed, then shook his head.
The bell above the door rang and Leopold looked up to greet a customer. "Hello, welcome to Fitz's Body Art, how can I help you?" he asked, repeating the greeting he'd come up with the day he opened.
A blond man came in with a dark haired girl trailing behind him. The blond blinked at Fitz, looking surprised to see him, but shook it off and smiled. "Hi. We're here for an appointment." he said calmly, even as the girl looked nervous.
"You're my two o'clock. The Rogers, yes?" Fitz asked, shuffling some papers around.
"That's us." The blond replied.
Fitz nodded, "Alright, come right this way. I'll get the supplies ready and Kara will fix you both fixed up." Fitz held aside a curtain that led to the back room where the tattoos would be drawn.
The blond man flashed a smile and led the girl back by the hand, whispering. She mumbled back in shaky Italian and Fitz got the feeling that she was here for the first time. Several more customers came and went, including his favorite customers, Daisy and Lincoln (such sweethearts).
"Daisy!" Fitz cried, coming out from behind the curtain from helping Joey restock. "Hi!"
"Hey Fitz!" Daisy replied, holding out her arms and hugging the younger Scott. "How are you?"
"Well, the day has been busy, but I always have time for you. Are you coming in for a new one?" he asked pulling back.
"I sure am. What's new?" She asked.
"You'll love these." The younger promised, pushing over a few papers. "Hi Lincoln." he added to the blond man.
Lincoln nodded with a smile. "Hey Fitz, how's life?"
"Can't complain yet." Fitz replied.
Daisy tapped one of the papers. "This one. I love it." Fitz took up the other papers, leaving the one with a rose petal and daisy chain on the counter.
"Alright, come on. I'll get started right away."
Ten minutes before closing time and no one had come in for an hour, so Fitz decided to lock up for the night. Then the bell above the door rang again. "Hello?" called a female British voice. "Is anyone here?"
Fitz came from behind the curtain to see who was out there and his heart nearly kept out of his chest. "Um... Hi," he spoke meakly.
"Hi." the girl smiled.
Her wavy chestnut hair and matching eyes paralyzed Fitz, he found himself unable to look away. Then he shook his head and put on a friendly smile. "Hi, welcome to Fitz's Body Art, how can I help you?" he asked.
"I own the flower shop just across the street. I came over to say hi, and see if you could get me in today." the girl walked up to the counter.
"We close in ten minutes, but if it isn't too long, I'm sure I can get it in. Do you have a design in mind?" Fitz asked, cocking his head.
"Yes." The girl slid a piece of paper over the marble surface of the counter.
Fitz opened the smooth paper and found loopy letters spelling a name and date. "Where did you want it?"
The girl exposed her inner wrist. "Here." she replied, tapping her forearm just below her wrist.
"I might have to split it into two sessions, but I can get it all done by... tomorrow," he told her. "Leopold Fitz." he extended a hand.
"Jemma Simmons."
Twenty minutes later, Fitz was putting ink to Jemma's skin. "Can I ask who Will is?" the reddish-blonde man asked.
"He's my former husband. He died a few years ago while exploring space for life beyond our solar system." Jemma replied. "I've mostly gotten over it, I just wanted to remember him."
"That's lovely." Fitz smiled.
"What about you? Have anyone in your life?" Jemma asked.
Fitz paused, eyes going wide, then he shook his head. "No. Not since high school."
"Oh my God!" Jemma cried and Fitz pulled the ink back, the tattoo finished.
"What, what is it?" Fitz asked.
"You where in my high school." Jemma put a hand to her mouth.
"I thought your name sounded familiar." Fitz laughed as he put the ink and other materials away.
"Oh my Gosh, it's great to see you!" Jemma smiled, pulling Fitz into a hug. "I was a year behind you, but you where really smart and God, I was so jealous."
Fitz laughed. "The first one's on the house, so you don't have to pay, but there are instructions." He warned, pulling back.
Leo waved as Jemma walked down the street, then went back inside to close up.
While wiping down the counters, he found a slip of paper. When he picked it up, the words Call me followed by a number where written on the paper in neat loopy lettering.
Fitz smiled and pocketed the paper.
Maybe tattoos weren't so bad after all.