by H. Q. Frost
"Justin said it'd be sexy if I got one on my stomach so I'm going to get lyrics from the first song I ever fucked Ian to."
"Oh stop!" Ashley continued to laugh, putting her arms out. "Stop, please."
Lilith grinned, wanting input. "You think it's stupid?"
"How boring would life be if you weren't stupid?" Ashley grinned back at her. "Tomo has tattoos. Nothing like sexy ass Justin's, but maybe he knows a good place."
"Text him!" Lilith excitedly blurted. "Don't tell him for me, don't even mention me."
"Shut up," Ashley muttered texting on her phone.
"What'd you say?" she asked when Ashley set her phone down.
"I said where's a good place to get a last minute tattoo bright and early this morning and I indicated an insane friend is the culprit."
"Ashley!" Lilith giggled, throwing bacon at her.
"Hey! Don't waste that." She picked it up from the booth and put it in her mouth.
Ten minutes later, Ashley's phone was ringing. Her eyes got wide and she gasped. "It's him!"
"Answer!" Lilith laughed uncontrollably, keeling over in the booth while they both acted like school girls.
While Ashley talked to Tomo, Lilith text Ian.
MY FREYJA: Baby, I had a few things to tend to before my day with the girls. If I don't see you before you head to Ashley's party, I love you and have a nice evening. Text or call. I love you. I love you
"Let's go," Ashley said after hanging up. She tossed money onto the table and Lilith quickly followed her out.
"Where?" Lilith asked concerned; Ashley looked pissed.
"He's gonna meet us." She grinned.
"What! No!" Lilith hit her arm. "No, I don't want anyone to know but you. I don't want him telling Justin."
"We'll mention it's a surprise. He said his good friend does tattoos and he lives above the shop he works at. He can have him up and ready in thirty minutes."
"Ashley!" Lilith blurted. "I don't want to get tattooed in front of Justin's friend!"
"Are you having second thoughts?" With raised eyebrows and a challenging grin she looked at Lilith.
"No," Lilith snapped, not wanting to back down. "Hell no. Let's go." Lilith tossed her the keys and got into the passenger seat.
The giddiness inside that car was enough to make Ashley finally groan at herself. That is until she saw Tomo standing outside the closed tattoo shop. Tight green pants with neon yellow shoes and a black leather jacket completed the man Ashley was in love with after only ten hours of knowing him. Lilith couldn't help thinking the man was made for Ashley.
"Morning." Tomo smiled when he saw her, then he noticed Lilith. "Hey!" He pointed. "You're the insane friend." A comforting grin was beaming at Lilith while he put his arm around Ashley's shoulders. Lilith couldn't help but giggle at the immediate connection they seemed to have.
"Tomo," Lilith said in a small voice. "Don't tell Justin, okay? I don't want him to know yet."
"Uh, yeah, no problem but—" He stopped when he was interrupted by a voice coming from the back.
"Alright, fuck stick, why are you waking me up so fuckin' earl—" Kurt stopped talking when he saw Lilith. His scowl turned upward, farther, farther, so big he looked like The Joker. "No shit." The small giggles coming from him were a little unnerving. He stepped to the side so they could enter.
"You do tattoos?" Embarrassed shock projected Lilith's words from her mouth.
"Yes I do, El. You want a fuckin' tattoo, eh?" That Joker grin worried her.
"Don't tell Justin, okay?"
"Is it a little surprise?" The delight in his tone made her glance at Ashley.
"Kind of. You're not going to tell him, are you?"
"Nope. Not a word." He mimicked locking his lips with a key. "This is fucking beautiful. I'm tattooing Justin's girl. I love today already. Tomo called and woke me up telling me it was an emergency. I figured it was some skank he fucked or something."
"'Ey!" Tomo yelled, throwing a pen at him.
"No skank. Just El… Jackass's girlfriend."
"Oh god," Lilith muttered as his evil grin spread farther up his cheeks.
Ashley walked away from Tomo and hugged her. "You're freaking her out more, don't be a dick."
"Don't be a dick!" Tomo smacked him in the back of the head.
"I'm not!" Kurt laughed and grabbed Lilith's hand. "I will make this the best tattoo experience you've ever had. Do you have other tattoos?"
Lilith coyly shook her head no and he tried to fight the grin but couldn't.
"What do you want tattooed? I don't do butterflies."
"Lyrics." She stared him in the eyes, challenging him to mock her choice.
"Typical, but I'm down."
"I don't care if it's typical. It's what I want and it means something to me."
"And that's all that matters." He grabbed her hand again and pulled her into another room. "Tomo, make sure the front door's locked. I don't want anyone in until I'm done with her."
Lilith kept glancing back to the half door, wanting Ashley by her side. "She can come in here, right?"
"Yeah. I'm just gonna get you set up. What kind of script you thinking?"
"Something pretty." She shrugged.
"Where you getting the lyrics?"
"My lower stomach, hip to hip."
"Sweet fuck," he breathed and let out a laugh. He was both excited to see that much of her body and knew that'd be painful for a first tattoo. "It's gonna hurt, El." He stared at her wide-eyed.
"I understand."
"Okay." That sinister grin was in place again while he handed her a piece of paper. "Write down what you want then draw a body around it so I know placement. I'm gonna wash up."
"Kurt." The way she stopped him, he thought she might be backing out. "Thanks for getting up."
"Anything for my boy's girl." He smirked and walked away.
"Ashley!" Lilith called out after writing her lyrics. "I need you in here."
"I love that man," Ashley whispered with a lightheaded smile.
"That's so cute!" Lilith giggled. "Awe, baby, I'm so happy you like him." Lilith grabbed her hand.
"What if he doesn't like me?" Ashley quietly gasped.
Lilith was taken aback; self-doubt wasn't like Ashley. "I'm sure he loves you. He just got your insane friend in for a tattoo at ten-thirty on a Saturday. He likes you."
"Can I come in?" Tomo asked from around the corner.
"Yeah," Lilith called to him.
He walked in with a grin. "What're you getting, El?"
"Lyrics." Her response sounded lame coming from her lips.
"Oh cool." Tomo lifted his shirtsleeve showing his entire bicep wrapped around with script.
"What's it say?" Ashley stood, leaning in, touching his arm while she read. "This is so fucking amazing," she breathed.
Lilith stared, shocked at the unfamiliar character in front of her. The breathy dialogue, the dreamy gaze, none of these things were crass, pugnacious Ashley.
"Waste Land, T.S. Eliot." Ashley brought her eyes to his and he smiled shaking his head yes.
"He who was living is now dead. We who were living are now dying. With a little patience…" Kurt muttered entering the room. "I do his tattoos." He smirked.
"Do you do Justin's?" Ashley asked.
"No. The prick won't let me. Lowly asshole. But I'm about to do his girl's." He grinned and Lilith finally understood the pleasure he was getting from tattooing her. "Uh…alright, El." Kurt glanced at Tomo. "I need your pants down."
"Down?" she blurted.
"Well I need to get to your hips, so I need them low." He began to crank the chair she was in.
Lilith stared at the ceiling and with a shaking hand she unbuttoned her pants.
"I only have until two. You think you'll be done? Maybe I should come another day?" she nervously blurted and Ashley rubbed her shoulder.
"Nope. I'll have you out of here in less than two hours." Kurt chuckled at her nervousness then quickly stopped he
r from lowering her pants. "You want Tomo out?"
Lilith looked up and back at Tomo then Ashley. "I'm not uncomfortable, but if you guys are." She shrugged, not sure what to say.
"I'm not watching. I want to talk with Ashley." He smiled and nodded affirmatively.
Lilith saw Ashley was in la la land caused by the closeness of her newfound love and she held back a chuckle while looking at Kurt.
"How low?"
"Uh, well. Okay, don't punch me in the throat but I'm going to tuck this into your jeans, it just protects them from the ink." He showed her a blue napkin. "Ready?"
His fingers carefully tucked in the paper towel and began lowering her pants. The lower he got, the more nervous she felt, and not for what he might see, but because she was drawing closer to permanently inking her flesh. Hipbones and the upper half of her shaved pelvis was exposed to Kurt's gaze and he tried not to stare but it was an enticing sight.
Lilith tightly squeezed Ashley's hand and Kurt was still only setting up.
"You're going to break my hand before he even starts," Ashley muttered.
"El, I'm gonna put the stencils on then you need to look in the mirror and tell me if it's good placement, kay?"
"Kay," she squeaked and he smirked.
"You're not gonna cry are you? I watched you drop a grown man with one punch to the throat."
"What!" Ashley began to laugh and Lilith embarrassedly put her hand to her face.
He put the stencil on then helped her off the chair and to the mirror where she inspected the cursive script.
"Don't be nervous, El." Kurt put his hand on her shoulder while she studied the placement.
"I don't know if I like it." There was guilt on her face when she looked at him.
"We can change it. This is permanent. You need to be sure."
"Ashley?" Lilith turned to face her.
"I think it's hot." Ashley shrugged then looked at Tomo.
He put his hand up like asking a question in class. "Can I suggest something?"
"Please." Lilith nodded eager for opinions.
"Your hips are very defined and once you cover them with black ink they're going to barely be noticeable. Perhaps you…" He approached her, put both hands up so she wasn't alarmed when he touched her, then placed only his index fingertips to her skin. "Lower it, make it straight. It'll be right above your jeans if you wear lows. It'll bring attention to all of this." Gesturing a circle around her abdomen he said, "If you cover the hips, attention only goes here to the odd shape because of your defined hips. Only my opinion." With a shrug he looked at Ashley to back his assessment.
"I agree." Ashley nodded. "He's right, it takes away from your sexy hips."
"Okay." Lilith looked at Kurt.
"Let's change it?" he asked, wanting to make sure she was positive.
"Yeah." She lay back down.
Kurt put on music and for the most part they were all silent, anticipating Lilith's reaction. Lilith didn't know what to expect from the pain and she held Ashley's hand tightly until she got used to the constant aggravation.
"What's this from, El?" Tomo finally asked her.
Lilith exhaled.
"You alright?" Kurt asked, letting up a little.
"I'm good."
He smirked with a shake of his head, thinking 'this girl is too cute, too sweet for Justin'.
"The song's called Sins by—" She paused as a burning sting got her flush. "Terry P," she exhaled.
"I'll look it up." Tomo pulled his phone out.
Lilith closed her eyes and Ian came to mind. "He's going to kill me," she breathed and Ashley smirked, knowing whom she was thinking of.
"Justin? He'll fuckin' love it. He might kill you 'cause I'm doing it, but he'll like it," Kurt assured.
Tomo played the eerily erotic song with the catchy chorus that could get stuck in anyone's head: 'I may be poison but I taste so sweet'.
"I like this." Tomo began looking up more from the artist.
Lilith closed her eyes and thought about her stressful week and let the pain from the rubbing, poking needles soothe her anxieties. Her once pained face was suddenly calm, almost like she fell asleep. Kurt stopped and looked at her then Ashley.
"You alright?" he asked when Lilith opened her eyes. She smiled and nodded then closed her eyes again. "Almost done," he said after almost an hour. Lilith popped her eyes open and smiled at Ashley.
"You're a bad girl, sweet lips," Ashley said and grinned.
"I may be poison, but I taste so sweet."
"That's you in a nutshell, Lilith. I love you." Ashley ran her fingers through her hair, drawing attention to the fact that the girls had a deeper bond than friendship.
Tomo closely watched them, wondering how close they were. Kurt wanted to watch but forced himself to focus because if he fucked up Justin's girlfriend's tattoo, Justin would murder him.
"I love you, Ley." Lilith closed her eyes.
The beats of Bassnectar quietly thumped in the background until Tomo blurted, "Wait, hold on. What?"
Lilith opened her eyes, shifting them in his direction.
"What'd you call her?"
"Hmm?" Lilith glanced at Ashley, unsure what she said.
Tomo looked at Ashley with his mouth in an O and his eyebrows high. "Ley? L E Y?" he spelled.
"Yes. Ash L E Y."
"I'm in love with you." He dropped to his knees, grabbing her free hand. "Marry me."
Lilith almost jerked to look at them but Kurt pushed down on her hip.
"That's your work out there. You're Ley."
Her signature tags around the city proudly displayed her tag name that Lilith rarely used and it made her heart rate quicken that she gave Ashley away.
"You're my hero." Tomo's exaggerated sentence made Ashley giggle in a way Lilith had never heard.
When Lilith noticed the blush across Ashley's face, she looked away to give them a moment.
"You have a girlfriend, Kurt?" she asked him, trying to ignore Tomo and Ashley but it was such a strange sight to see Ashley caught up like she was.
"Uh no. Girls are toxic." He let out a laugh. "Very fitting tattoo, El."
"You have to find the right girl."
"The right girl is always taken." With a final wipe across her stomach he said, "All set."
The cleaning solution cooled her red, irritated skin.
"I love it." Ashley stared on proudly. "He'll love it."
"Yeah, I don't think he'll mind it." Kurt was thinking Justin again. "He doesn't like tattoos of butterflies, names, nothing too girly, uh." He looked at Tomo for input.
"Cartoon characters." Tomo chuckled. "He hates flowers—"
"He has flower tattoos," Lilith protested.
"He doesn't like the girly flowers with stars and bees and shit," Kurt said.
"What?" Lilith laughed. "I think this is my only tattoo."
"Mmhmm." With a chuckle he began cleaning his station.
Noticing Lilith staring in the mirror for several minutes, Kurt stepped behind her.
"You like it?"
"I really do. Thanks, Kurt."
"You did surprisingly well. The way you were worked up I really thought you'd be crying."
"I can handle some pain." Lilith smirked and pulled the blue paper towel out of her pants.
"It's cute. He'll like it."
"Cute?" She frowned.
"Uh sexy?" He smirked.
"A little better."
"It's a hot song, real catchy. They're cool lyrics, a little suggestive of pleasure and pain. I like it. I know he will, and when he asks who did it, tell him the hottest artist in Chicago. He'll know." Kurt grinned.
What it takes to play JUSTIN's game
Tonight's the night El's supposed to stay the night and I had to wait until some sex class was over with before I could start our date. When I get to her apartment, I only get a hug.
Immediately, I notice Pumpkin cousin is here and this better be why my girl's acting like we're long time friends
and I didn't just make her squirt all over my hand in a parking lot last night.
"Hey." I nod at Pumpkin.
"Hi." This girl is really weird and she's staring at me like she's an alien.
"Sup?" I look around awkwardly.
El's run off to get a vase for her flowers that I had Pam make six calls to find. It just so happens to be coincidence that they're lilies. They were my mom's favorite flowers. She liked the white ones though, but red is more suiting for El. The huge bouquet I bought her the other day were the only ones in a local store so it was a hunt finding more today.
"Nothing. Whatcha guys doing?" The begging expression on this girl's face is like she's hoping I'll extend the invite. Not a fucking chance.
"Not sure." I shrug through my lie.
"Cool."
Thankfully El comes from the kitchen and I can focus my gaze on her tight jeans with her side hanging out because these pants ride low, really low. I want to run my tongue over that exposed flesh and nothing will stop me from tasting her today. She either saw my glare or felt the cool air because she pulls her red shirt down and brings the vase of flowers to the table. With a bright smile she steps back and stares at the flowers that I have no doubt she loves. Instinct is to step forward and grab her into a kiss, but then I remember Pumpkin, who's still staring at me.
"How old are you?" she blurts, reminding me of an uncensored child, like I'm taking her mom out on a date and she's mad about it.
"Twenty-seven." I'm trying my hardest to be cordial. Last I really remember of Pumpkin was me screaming at her because she got El in that situation with the drug money.
"What do you do?"
"I make corpse wigs." I'm staring her dead in the eyes and I see the gears turning; this girl's almost as stupid as the Heidi bitch.
"Corpse? Like dead people? That kind of corpse?"
"I wasn't talking about the Misfits. Yes, dead body corpses."
"Misfits? You don't make wigs for living people?" With a wary glance at El, she takes a step away from me and I want to laugh. Her discomfort makes this so much better.
"I don't know anything about living people hair!" I blurt like the question's absurd.
"It's not the same?" she asks quickly, confused.
"Have you ever seen corpse hair?" My dumbed down voice isn't getting the point across.