Unique Love

Elsa gets a tattoo

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Ruby asked.

"Yes," Elsa replied. "Now that I've found you, I finally know what I want and who I am."

Ruby took her hand and kissed her. "And I'm thrilled about that. But just know that there's no going back after this."

Elsa caressed Ruby's arm. "I've been afraid of everything my entire life. Enough of playing it safe. It's time to take some risks."

Ruby gripped the strap of the black tote bag around her shoulder. "Okay then. Let's go." The two walked hand in hand. "Hook will tell you they don't hurt, but they do. Even if you've gotten them before and especially if it's your first time."

Elsa nodded, "I'm ready for this. I need something to say, "My name is Elsa, and I am a lesbian, and I don't care who sees."

They walked into "Grumpy, ink." tattoo parlor. A very short man with tattoos on his neck, arms, and legs asked, "What will it be, ladies?"

Tiny snowflakes drifted around Elsa. Ruby squeezed her hand for comfort. "Nothing for me today, Leroy, but Elsa would like to get her first."

"What did you have in mind?" He asked the blonde.

Elsa's face turned an even whiter pale. "Well, um...um......I wanted to get something that represents.........me............and my................ sexuality."

Leroy stroked his short goatee. "But you don't have a picture in mind?"

Elsa looked down at her feet. More snowflakes circled around her. "No."

Leroy studied the blonde a minute before speaking. "Take a look around." He waved his hand toward the flash sheets covering every inch of the studio walls. "Talk to me if you see something that interests you." Then, he went into a back room, leaving Ruby and Elsa to browse designs.

Elsa took a few deep breaths. I can do this. I can do this.

"Don't let Leroy scare you," Ruby told her. "He's just very frank. All of my artwork is his design. I trust him more than any other artist."

The snow slowly vanished as Elsa admired the gallery on the walls. She lost herself in the array of intricate drawings. At some point, Leroy walked out of the backroom with a sheet of paper. He showed it to her. "What about something like this?"

Elsa looked at a sketch of a snowflake, striped in a rainbow of colors. She smiled. "It's perfect."

"Where do you want it?" Leroy asked.

Elsa touched her left forearm. "Here."

Leroy raised his eyebrows. "You had enough food and water today?"

Elsa nodded.

"The inner arm's gonna hurt like hell, but it'll look good when it's done." He walked behind a desk and pulled out a form. "How long have you been alive?"

"Twenty-three years."

Leroy nodded, then filled out the form. "That'll be $200. Cash only."

Ruby held up her bag. "I got it."

Leroy made more marks on the paper, then he turned it around for Elsa to sign. She signed her name on the dotted line and he made her a copy. "I'll need a few minutes to set up, but then, we can start." The women waited as Leroy cleaned his workspace and prepared the machine, needles, and inks. After a quick smoke outside, the artist began.

Elsa sat in a chair with Leroy at her left side and Ruby on her right. The blonde started shaking, "I'm really nervous."

Ruby held her hand. "I'll be right here."

"What if it hurts so much, I move my arm?"

Leroy looked at her. "Trust me, sweetheart. This needle's gonna pin you to the chair. If you even try moving your arm, you'll have a gaping wound."

Elsa's eyes widened in terror.

Leroy turned on the machine. "But you won't move. You're tougher than that." He made his first cut in Elsa's arm.

Elsa screamed in pain.

Ruby gripped her hand. "It's okay. I've got you. Why don't you tell me more about Arendelle?"

Elsa told Ruby how she used to make it snow inside the castle for her sister as children.

"That sounds like it was a lot of fun. I love your design, by the way. You know that no two snowflakes are alike?"

Elsa raised her eyebrows at Ruby. "Of course, I know that."

"Okay, well, I think it's really cool that you're getting a snowflake because it's unique like you."

Elsa beamed at her. After a while, the pain subsided, and Elsa felt nothing more than light stinging. "It's not so bad anymore."

Ruby kissed her hand. "See, it gets easier."

When Leroy finished the outline, he took another smoke break outside before filling in the snowflake with color. Elsa whimpered when the needle hit her arm. "Ouch! Color is so much worse!"

Leroy grunted, "I warned you."

Elsa continued to squeal in pain as rainbow stripes appeared on her arm. She began to feel dizzy and faint, and then—"

"Done." Leroy lifted his pain.

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

"You did it!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you!"

Elsa looked down at her left arm and smiled. Leroy wrapped the tattoo in a sterile bandage, then accepted the payment from Ruby. "Thank you!" Elsa shouted as she and Ruby walked out the door.

"How's your arm?" Ruby asked Elsa.

"Really sore. It hurts to move it."

Ruby nodded. "It'll be that way for a few days."

"Hey Ruby, Elsa! What's up?" Snow just turned the corner with baby Neal in the stroller.

"Oh, nothing much," Ruby answered. She waved at Neal, who looked at her with wide eyes.

"Elsa, are you hurt?" Snow pointed to her bandaged arm.

"No," Elsa answered. "I got a tattoo."

Snow gasped, then frowned at Ruby. "This is how you show her around Storybrooke?"

Ruby just laughed at her.

"I wanted a tattoo. It was my idea." Elsa took Ruby's hand. "Thank you for taking me." Excitedly, she kissed Ruby on the mouth.

Snow eyed them, flabbergasted. "Oh! Are you two a couple now?"

Elsa gazed at Ruby affectionately, "Yeah."

Ruby looked at Snow. "Please don't tell my granny, though... I want to tell her myself first."

Snow ground her teeth for a moment. "I won't tell. I'll see you around." She continued walking.

Ruby turned to Elsa. "I have to go to work now." She handed her the black tote bag. "I made you a little care package for your first tattoo. There's antibacterial soap and fragrance-free lotion for you. Treat it twice a day. When you get back to the convent, take the bandage off and shower. And finally, no matter how much it irritates your skin, don't scratch."

Elsa smiled and panted excitedly.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"I just... I feel so...... empowered! Like I can take on the world.

Ruby grinned, understanding the adrenaline rush that comes with a new tattoo. "I'm proud of you, Elsa. You took a bold step in your identity."

Elsa embraced Ruby and kissed her on the lips before they parted ways.