i just feel like writing

the chicks beginning

I love tattoos and soldiers more than anything else in this world. So the fact that tonight I'm getting to tattoo a whole room of them at a welcome home party is amazing. I love my day job as a tattoo artist, its the most fun job I could imagine, but the welcome home parties that invite me to set up shop, those are my passion. Tonight one of my clients invited me, an even greater honor seeing as his best friend is one of the returnees.
Since I had to be here an hour before the party to set up I'm able to watch each person come in and I happily greet each of them. Soon enough Uzi arrives and I jump up from my currently empty station to accept the hug he offers. "How'd you manage to keep the masses away from your staion girly?" He asks as he releases me.
I laugh turning to hug his gorgeous little wife whom also sports some art by me. "Waiting just for you guys I guess," I roll my eyes turning back to Kim, "how's the latest piece healing up? I could do a touch up while you're here."
Kim grins widely as she tugs down the neck of her shirt to show me her piece, "no need, its healing up perfectly."
"Kim were in a room full of freshly home soldiers, will you please leave your shirt up," Kim rolls her eyes but readjusts her shirt. Uzi smiles gratefully and refocuses on me, "brought in my buddy here, think he's been looking for a piece and I couldn't imagine a better artist to do it."
I beam under his praise and switch my focus to the guy Uzi just slapped on the shoulder. He's tall just like Uzi easily standing over six foot, his hair is the blond you get from being out in the sun, something that isn't actually common in solders seeing as they are perpetually wearing helmets, and his eyes are the dark grey the sky turns just before a storm. Even in his simple jeans and tan tshirt I can see the clear mucles underneath. I give him a warm smile, "do you know what you're looking to get?" He squirms slightly and I redirect my attention, "Uzi don't you need to go mingle and show off your wifey?"
Uzi thankfully smiles and leaves gracefully simply giving the guy another slap on the back. Before I even try to breach the tattoo issue again I unfold the changing screens I brought. I always bring the screens to provide as much privacy as I can when I'm really just in the corner of a really crowded room of soldiers. The screens a midnight black with some funky red asian design, a real thrift store jem. Once the screens up I sit back on my stool letting my back rest against the wall and motioning the soldier into my chair. "So, what are you thinking of getting?"
The guy sits on the edge of the chair squirming slightly, "I wanted the word kitten, but with a bullet hole rather than a dot on the i  and I wanted the letters made up of dead bodies."
He's obviously expecting me to gape and question it, but I don't instead I ask "did you have any special design for the bodies or is it just any old thing?"
He's stunned a moment but when he recovers he says "three soldiers, the rest irainians."
I nod and begin a sketch without even looking up I ask "do you know where you want it?"
"I was thinking up high on my bicept." I nod as I continue my sketch.
"How does this look?" I inquire a few minutes later once I've produced what I feel is a pretty bad ass tat. The dude doesn't smile, just gives a solem nod and pulls off his shirt. At that moment I'm thrilled with my experience in my profession because without it I might have just melted on the spot. This dude is working with a major six pack as I already suspected from the muscel I could clearly discern with the shirt on. Beyond the majorly sculpted body he has scars, I mean a lot of scars. When I look a moment longer I notice some aren't scars some are fresh puckered and pink wounds.
Out of courtesy I ignore it and slide closer to him, as if reading my mind he points to a spot high up his left bicept. A few minutes latter my machines humming as the soldier sits stock still in my chair. He certainly isn't talkative, but I accept that and just fordge ahead with the tattoo. He sits incredibly well enabling me to finish in under two hours. I give him the detailed after care instructions, complete with a print out, and happily pull away my gloves giving my hands a needed stretch. I wrap his arm before allowing him to pull on his shirt and finally pull back the screen.
I've barely finished cleaning my station when Uzi comes and plants himself in my chair. I give him a warm smile, "what'd you want this time?"
"I'm thinking a glass slipper tattooed on my rib cage, I'm planning to come into the shop to add the rest so maybe these other guys can get something" I laugh as I grab a sharpie to start practicing my shoes. "So what'd you think of Josiah," when I cock an eyebrow he laughs and says "the buddy of mine you just tattooed."
I blush realizing I should have made the connection and hide behind holding up my favorite shoe. Uzi nods and pulls away his shirt still awaiting an answer. "He seemed nice, really quiet but nice. He's got those military manors" I tease using one of Kim's favorite terms.
I see Uzi roll his eyes as I begin using sharpie to draw the shoe atop his ribs. Just then Kim herself walks over. After crouching down to give her soon to be husband a kiss she asks, "so did you ask?" Uzi shakes his head and Kim starts talking before he could even form a response, "so Josiah still hasn't gotten himself anywhere to stay yet and we know you're looking to rent out some newly vaccated space. We would really really be amazingly gratefull if you'd think of renting to him."
I glance around the room involuntarily as I pull my gloves on and spot Josiah talking with a few other military men. I nod, "ok I have been looking for a while and that place is way to big for one person. If your friend wants the room its his"