INK | 18+

fifteen: inked.

y'all still here ?🌚❤

X A V I E R

The next day.

"That looks fucking dope, thanks bro," Jerry exclaimed looking at his finished tattoo. "No problem man," Xavier smiled.

He took on the challenge of sobriety — again. This time, he reported the way he felt to Daphne and if he ever felt tempted he'd hang out with Jerry.

His moods were getting better and he was proud to announce that he had been feeling a little more okay than before. "So, you replace me with red riding hood?" Jerry asked.

"Why do you call her that all the time?" Xavier chuckled. "Her hair is red — she rides your dick and she's weird," Jerry listed. "You don't like her because she happens to be the mature friend."

Jerry glared at Xavier and nodded in disbelief. "Fuck, I'm tired. I'm gonna dip," He said getting off the rest. "Okay — go pay Reece then," Xavier said, cleaning up his workspace.

"Ciao," Jerry said, leaving with the door flying closed behind him. As Xavier felt at piece cleaning up his workspace, he heard the door open and turned to see Ten, his drug dealer, walk in. He mentally cursed himself as he felt his blood boil; who gave Ten his place of work?

"What the fuck are you doing here, dude?" Xavier angrily spat. "Chill..." Ten slurred. "Man, I'm just here to get inked. No need to piss your ass."

"Fine, how'd you find were I work?" Xavier interrogated. "I ain' even know you work here, I assumed rich Asian kid would be hanging out in the hamiltons with his math buddies," Ten said, cracking his knuckles. Xavier rolled his eyes and ignored his remark. "What do you want?" Xavier confronted. "I want money," Ten suggested, glaring at Xavier. "Sorry, not available."

"Come on, Xavier. Mane, you know I got a kid. Young lil' kid, man."

"I don't fucking care —"

"You ain' never known what's like out in those streets. Lucky for you, you had a life going on man. You born into a rich ass family and you ain' never struggle with shit. I became a dad at 14...now I'm lying here...with no direction. No job. I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to be a teacher. I ain't  never wanted to sell this shit," he exclaimed. For a second Xavier assumed he was supposed to care — but he didn't.

"I did not ask for your fucking life story. What fucking tattoo do you want?" Xavier exclaimed, crossing his arms.

"You know...it's satisfying," Ten started. He leaned into Xavier as he spoke, "Seeing someone coming from such a...hopeful background...losing their life to drugs. It's like I'm successful, Xavier. I know...I may not be some rich kid, or successful...and I ain' expecting you to feel bad for me, muh'fucker. I'm just saying. I did something with what I had — but you...you lost. You're unsuccessful. I have love in my life. I have hope — it ain't much...but I still got my fucking life. I've succeeded. I dropped outta school but I still be getting bank from druggies like you — I'm not a druggie..." He chuckled.

Xavier's fists tightened, and his face became warmer, his jaw clenched as useless words poured out of Ten's mouth. What made him angry was knowing that all the bullshit Ten was saying, was true; and everytime the word 'druggie' or 'drug' came up he found his heart rate accelerating. The mounting exasperation tightened his throat, and the anger within his body roared and next thing Xavier knew, his fist met the sharp outline of Ten's jaw.

Ten looked up at Xavier — with the same fury that Xavier had. "Fuck you!" Xavier pronounced on every syllable, along with a rhythmic pattern of punches. "Shut the hell up," Xavier finished as Ten rested in uncomfortable pain on the floor. After a few seconds, it didn't make sense when Ten glared at Xavier with a grin growing upon his freckled face.

"Why aren't you fighting me?" Xavier said softly. Ten began chuckling and he smeared the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth against his hand.

"Because...this anger...it's what a fucking drug addict does. Once you take your first hit Xavier, you became my first victim. I can't hate you. You hate yourself. You couldn't win — you couldn't fuck-" He chuckled.

Both Xavier and Ten's attention turned to the door of Xavier's tattoo booth that flew open.

"What the fuck, Xavier!" Jelani shrieked. His mouth dropped as Jelani stood at the door, in absolute shock with Jerry following behind her.

Ten laughed maniacally. "Guess I'll come another day, Xavier," He stood up, holding his chest. "Ow."

Jelani looked at Xavier in fear. Ten raised his brows in a jokey manner. He shrugged past Jelani, accidentally bumping her in the shoulder.

"What the hell-" Jerry said as his gaze noticed Xavier's bloody hand. Xavier didn't look them in the eye, until he realized what he had done.

"He was-" Xavier started. "You can..." Jerry stuttered, walking off.

Jelani walked closer to Xavier slowly. "Who was that?" She asked softly. "Ten — he's..."

Jelani cupped his face with her warm hands. "What's going on, baby?" She asked. He felt himself feeling settled, like his emotions finally reached a serene down.

"Jelani-"

"Talk to me," She suggested, walking in closer. "I think I need to go."

"Not unless I take you home," She sassed. "Lani, I don't want you seeing that side of me...that's not me," he said. He wasn't going to cry. He just couldn't.

"It's fine. As long as the nigga's alive, Xav," She sighed. "You need to rest, and you'll come to work, fresh and clean and happy, okay?" She smiled. "Then you'll do my tattoo."

He smiled. "You wanna get another tattoo?" He asked. "Sorta, I do," She giggled. "Okay."

They walked out of the parlour; Xavier felt a little bit more...jovial?

Content? Happy?

He didn't care, he just felt like being with her.

___

Song: When Ur Sober by Tàya [Acoustic]

double update like 🥰💅🏾

im so grateful for the immense support on this book.

this was a short chapter (im sorry </3)

but i did want yall to understand xavs anger. and ten lol.  ill prolly update on Sunday or Monday.

thank u, bye.