"Morning." Kit said as I walked into the shop, I handed him his coffee. "Thank you." He was always here first for inventory and shit.

"No problem." I set my bag down my designated locker. "Ray in yet?" He shook his head. "Damn, wanna give me a piercing?" We had time, the shop didn't open for another hour or so.

"Always." He smirked. "What do you want?"

"Belly." I slide over to where all the jewelry is. "I like that one."

"Alright I'll get set up." I nod and he goes to the back.

"Wait don't leave me alone." I rush after him almost spilling coffee on myself.

"You're about to be 18 and you're still scared of being alone?"

"And what about it?"

"Aren't you driving yourself to and from Arizona and staying alone for the two days you'll be there?" Kit asks as he pats the table for my to lay on.

"Irrelevant."

"Whatever you say sunshine, whatever you say. Breathe in. Alright all done." I stand and look at the mirror.

"Well now that that's done I'm gonna start on my line work."

"Oh so fun."

"Don't make fun of me old man." I say as I heard him the money I owe for the piercing and a tip.

"I'm only 23."

"God your ancient." I tease as I sit by the counter and pull out my stuff. "Go put on music."

"You're bossy." Kit said and walked away from me. "I want no complaints either." He calls before the shop fills with music.

We just vibe to his very random playlist as I practice stopping and starting lines seamlessly and he cleans and preps for the day.

"Good morning sluts." Lani says as her and Vega enter the shop.

"Morning." I say not looking up, I feel as Vega looks over my shoulder. "You're distracting me."

"How?"

"You're breathing very loudly." I stop with the lines and turn to face her. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to see how you're doing." She shrugs. "How's the tattoo healing?"

"It's good." I hop up and pull my skirt down. "Look what I got this morning."

"Another piercing?" She shakes her head. "You're gonna be more metal than Cyborg."

"From Teen Titans?" (The og Teen Titans that is)

"Yup."

"Awesome." I smile at her again.

"Good morning girls and male." Ray says as he walks in. "Today is a horrible day and I plan to make it that way for everyone."

"Nothing new then." I whisper to Vega who laughs. "What's so horrible about today?"

"Everything Celeste, everything."

"Oh because that clears so much up."

"Good, now shop opens in ten so let's do our thing." Ray says. "And for you child I have a gift."

"What's the occasion?"

"Your birthday." He pulls a box out of one of the draws. I open it and can't hold in my shriek. "Loud."

"Thank you old man." I say as I pull the tattoo machine out. "And you even got me flesh how sweet."

"Don't call it that." Ray says shaking his head. "You're doing really well. You should be tattooing by the end of October."

"Awesome."

"Yea, now keep practicing lines." He says snuffing me and walking away whistling.

-

"What up loser." Alex says as her and Emmett walk into the shop. I look up from my drawing.

"Hello." I say and go around the counter to hug them both. "Do you have food?"

"Yes we do." Emmett said putting the bag of food on the table. "How's your day been so far?"

"I got yelled at by a lady." I tell them as I sit and pull out my food. "Which is unfair because it's Ray's rules not mine."

"What rule?" Alex says as she takes a seat and takes out her food.

"No infinity symbols." Ray tells her as he comes out the back. "I'll be back in 20." He says before walking out the shop.

"Why no infinity symbol?"

"He's says they're basic and stupid. And that he refuses to waste his talent doing that."

"Don't forget that they're usually the worst kinds of people to tattoo." Lani says as she comes over to steal fries. "All whiny and then cry about the price."

"That is also true."

"Vega wants to go on break, feel like being head of house for now?"

"I got you." I slap her hands away. "Now stop stealing my food."

"Never." She says stealing another fry before running to the back.

"Crazy." I mutter. "So how's the birthday gift hunting going?" I ask Emmett.

"We got her a car radio." Emmett says sounding proud. "At least that piece of junk will have a decent sound system."

"Leave the truck alone. You gonna install it so she can't say no?"

"That's the plan."

"Sad you won't be here for your 18th." Alex says. "The pack however has planned a party for the Saturday after."

"It's supposed to be a surprise dummy." I tell her shaking my head.

"Oh shit. Wait then how did you already know?"

"Magic. Plus Jared is a dumbass."

"That is true." I look up as someone enters the shop.

"Hi welcome to Aced Inked how can I help you today?" I ask slidding off my stool to go to the other counter.

"Hi I'm looking into get a tattoo."

"Today, or do you want to see what you want and plan for one in the future?"

"Plan because I want a custom one."

"Sweet man." I say pulling out Ray's portfolios. "This is our artist Ray's work. He'll be back soon but for now see if you like anything for inspiration."

"Oh he does traditional." The guy says frowning a bit.

"Mainly yea, he also does realism, it's just not his preference." I pull out Ray's second portfolio.

"Okay cool." He takes the books and sits on the couch. Before I can go sit and finish eating another person comes in.

"Hi welcome to Aced Inked, how can I help you today."

"Looking for a piercing."

"Today?" The girl nods. "Alright here's these forms to fill out, we need to see ID and I'll go get Kit." She nods and I head into the back. "Hey loser girl wants to get a piercing."

"Get her jewelry and I'll set up back here." I nod and head back to the front. I take the papers and check her ID.

"Alright what are you looking to get?" I ask and pull on gloves. Remember safety first.

"Thinking my tongue." She says. "The snake eyes."

"We don't so snake eyes here." I tell her. "They're really unsafe and can cause a lot of damage."

"Oh really I didn't know that."

"Yea there's other options if you want to look at them." I offer.

"Actually I'll just get a regular tongue."

"Great. Let's pick out some jewelry." I pull out the two boards. "Just let me know if you want to see any closer."

"Can I get this one?"

"Yup." I grab the jewelry and set on a tray. "Follow me." I bring her to the room and set the jewelry into the sanitizing machine that has some fancy name that I couldn't care less about. "Here's mouthwash to help her off extra bacteria. And Kit should be here in a sec."

I walk back out to finish eating before I stave to death and eat Alex as a result. Then I'd be a vampire or a cannibal, whatever floats.