by Okati, Willa
He gets a short nod, and swallows down a lump in his throat. This isn't something he's ever done before, but it looks like he's about to play counselor to someone just peeking out of the closet.
But hey, it's Josh. The quiet, unassuming medic. With shell-shock, can't forget that. Daniel thinks he can handle this. "Well, sometimes it kind of starts when you realize you're watching guys more than you are girls..."
***
Later that night, Daniel's still thinking over his conversation with Josh as he sits down in Rack's chair one more time. Rack's busying himself with putting on yet another pair of fresh rubber gloves, humming under his breath. Daniel's finally coaxed him into doing the piercings, and there was probably something about his attitude that's convinced Rack that tonight is the night.
He glances down at the purple lacings down his arm, admiring the view. It's gonna be gorgeous once everything's filled in -- hell, it's already spectacular -- and he adores the look of his lover's mark on his skin.
Josh has to get a tattoo, he decides. Or get his ears pierced. One or the other. Something to celebrate, to show him it's okay to come out of the closet. The military might have a "don't ask, don't tell" philosophy still firmly wedged in place, but out in the everyday world it's okay to feel what you feel. Maybe if he gets some reassurance, and a physical reminder that he can be himself, he'll ease up a little.
"Still thinkin' about your meeting with what's-his-name?" Rack asks, picking up a needle and a cork. "Open your mouth, and not to talk." Rack applies a clamp, which stings like a bitch, but hey, it's part of the game. "I want to get these just right."
Daniel manages to avoid wincing as the needle sinks through the meat of his cheek into the cork inside, but sighs as the stud is fixed in place. "You know the aftercare instructions well as I do," Rack says, scooting his chair a little away and leaning back. "Go on, then. You're worried about your chick hopping out of his nest."
"He's not my -- gees, Rack. I haven't adopted the guy."
Rack's face is deadpan. "Could've fooled me."
"He's just nice, that's all, and he's been through hell. He deserves a little TLC."
"How L is this TLC, then?"
Daniel frowns. "Hey, I don't cheat on you. You know the rules. Think I'm gonna break one now?"
To his relief, Rack shakes his head. "'Course not. Let me get back over here and do your upper cartilage before I have you move around to get the other side." He picks up a fresh needle and cork, gesturing for Daniel to lean down a little. The pointy end slides in with ease, and within thirty seconds Rack is clicking the bead of a loop together. He looks at Daniel with something like admiration. "Don't know why I waited so long, or why we didn't think of this before," he says. "You look proper fetching with those on you, and don't think otherwise."
"Wasn't planning on it." Grinning feels a little odd with the new metal in his mouth, but Daniel knows he'll get used to the feeling soon enough. "Other side, now?"
"Other side," Rack agrees, gesturing for Daniel to turn. Daniel obliges. Rack readies the next cork and needle, so Daniel opens his mouth like a baby bird. The punch hurts no less this time, but there's that feeling like he's flying again, and he can't help a laugh as Rack fastens the stud in place.
"Got you soaring, don't I?" Rack asks as Daniel bends down for the cartilage ring. "You like to spread your wings, don't you, bird? Yeah, and you look like a bird of Paradise, you do, with all your color and with that wild look in your eyes, as if you're about to burst into flames." He licks the lower part of Daniel's clear arm, trailing his tongue up the short hairs until they tickle. "Save a bit of that expression for the bedroom, will you? Else I'm likely to ravage you here."
Daniel waits until the cartilage hoop is in place and Rack's supplies thrown in the red bin before he wriggles and hops down, right into Rack's lap. "So what's wrong with ravishing me here and now? Thought you had an exhibitionist streak. And it's not like people haven't been paying attention to the man behind the curtain all day long."
"And you would not believe the folk who've wanted to try it out for themselves," Rack informs him. "I had one bloke ask for a bronco on his Willie. I told him to go have one bite it, see how he coped with the pain, and then come back if he felt the urge."
Daniel bursts into laughter, which he muffles in Rack's shoulder. But never one to waste a good opportunity to grope and be groped, he grinds his pelvis into Rack's and reaches around to get a good double handful of prime ass real estate. He rumbles with satisfaction, hearing an answering purr from Rack, and pulls back far enough for a kiss.
It's a good kiss, too, one that goes on for long moments, although Rack's careful of his new piercings and doesn't play as rough as usual with his tongue. Daniel enjoys himself all the same.
"Tell you what," Rack says. "Make good on your promise to pillage my willing body once we get up to the suite and I'll have a talk with your friend Josh tomorrow, should I see him walkin' by. Show him it's all right in me own way. That is, if I don't send him screamin'." Rack makes a face. "You know how I can be."
"Yeah, which is one of the things I love you for." Daniel kisses Rack again, humping him and not caring who might see. "How fast do you think we can get upstairs?"
"It's not a race, pet."
"It is when the winner gets to be on top first."
Rack bucks Daniel off him. "No fair starting until I've put my gear away," he warns. "This place gets secured for the night, and I'll fire the starting gun myself."
Daniel gets off Rack completely and leans against the tattoo chair with, yes, a shit-eating grin on his face. They've done this before, but it never gets old. Sex in the offing, and Rack promising that he'll be nice to Josh. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
He isn't aware of it, but he's about to be pleasantly surprised, and more than a little shocked, once the next day arrives.
Chapter Three
Breaking in a virgin is never an easy thing -- or so Daniel's been given to understand. He's feeling it first-hand now as he has to lead Josh almost by the hand over to Rack's booth. Another day has gone by, and Daniel's proudly sporting the purple that was applied the day before.
While they were sharing another coffee earlier that afternoon, Daniel couldn't help but notice that Josh never took his eyes off the fresh ink. There was a sort of longing and deep sadness in his eyes, like a diabetic kid yearning after a fudge brownie.
"You ought to, ya know," Daniel had said, taking a cautious sip of steaming hot liquid.
Josh jumped. "I...I ought to what?"
"At ease, soldier. I couldn't help but notice you looking. If you want a tattoo -- and God knows, you've seen enough of the process to know if you can handle it -- then why not get one?"
Josh shook his head and looked down at his hands, clasped around the cup. The coffee seemed to soothe him rather than get him pepped up, which was unusual, but hey, in Daniel's world the unusual was the norm. Anything could happen, and it usually did. "I don't...don't know what I would get."
Daniel pounced. "Ah-ha! But you have been thinking about it, haven't you?"
"Do those piercings hurt your teeth?"
"Don't dodge the question, mister." Daniel leaned back and grinned. "At ease. And you really respond well to being commanded, so stop it, okay? No, wait, that's an order itself. Aw, damn, you know what I mean. If you want a tattoo, get one."
Josh mumbled something.
"What was that?" Daniel leaned forward.
"I said, no one's better than Rack. I've seen." Josh lifted his head, looking apologetic. "I've thought about approaching him, but he's always got such a big crowd around him, and I... I don't do well with... with crowds. Or lines. I can't wait in a long line. I've got stuff to do during the convention."
Yeah, like run around with your clipboard and check things off. Why the hell are you trailing this tour, Josh? "Okay, I can understand where you're coming from," Daniel said with some sympathy. "But I bet I can make an arrangement for you. Rack might work
on you after hours."
Josh flinched again. "Wait, no...no. I don't want him to go out of his way."
"It won't be," Daniel assured the ex-soldier. He let himself grin. "I can talk Rack into just about anything if I promise him what he wants."
Josh chuckled. After a minute, Daniel did, too. The fellow-feeling passed between them and left a warm afterglow. In that period of quiet reflection, Daniel decided that he would ask Rack to do Josh's tattoo, for sure. He'd offer up his own cock in the Gates of Hell, if the thing would fit. That ought to do the trick.
Sure enough, Rack's jumped at the bait, and now, as Daniel's leading Josh along, he can see Rack moving among his equipment, getting things out and ready. Josh hasn't decided on a design yet, so Rack has a few books of flash sitting on his table as well.
"I...I really don't want you going to the trouble," Josh says, his voice soft and hesitant. Daniel decides that despite the stammer, he really likes the way Josh speaks. It's cozy and warm, wrapping itself around you like a hand-woven blanket. "I'll be fine finding someone once I get home."
"Why wait when you have the perfect opportunity right now?" Daniel asks reasonably. "Rack doesn't mind, I swear. He loves the chance to practice his art. He is the Master, he is Zen, he loves this shit. And he is the shit when it comes to putting on some ink. So come on, already."
Josh half-laughs, and they move along more easily. He does freeze up a little when they get close enough for Rack to notice them and he gets treated to the full-on diamond stare, but there's enough army backbone in Josh not to freak for long. He pulls himself up, almost rigid, and Daniel worries that he might salute and say "Reporting for duty."
To ward off any sort of flashbacks, Daniel reaches forward and gives Rack a kiss, not too long and not too hard, just saying 'hello' as it were. "Hey, love," he says, imitating Rack's accent, which earns him a fond growl and a roll of the eyes. "Wotcha up to, then?"
"Waitin' on you lot," Rack says lazily. He sits down in his chair and stretches his arms. "So you'd be Josh, then, would you?"
Josh nods mutely.
"Don't say a lot, do you, Josh?"
"Rack, take it easy on him." For some reason Rack's bristly as his hair, and Daniel can't figure out why for the life of him. He can't be jealous, can he? Daniel and Josh are just friends. God, that ought to be obvious, and Rack trusts him -- he knows that for a fact. "Josh is a newbie to this whole tattoo thing."
"Thought you'd been following the tour. God knows I've seen your mug at every city we've stopped in."
Josh turns faintly red. "I...I have been. I'm not new to tattoos. I've never gotten one before, is all."
"Yeah, I've heard that a lot today." Rack idly begins to flick through a book of flash. "All these cowboys in their nice, tight Levis with asses that make you want to just grab a handful and squeeze. None of them had any ink, but they walked away satisfied." His eyelids lower. "So did I."
Daniel frowns, not sure what to make of the comment. He was at Rack's side for most of the day, so there wasn't any inappropriate touching going on -- at least not that he noticed. Was there?
Trust, trust, trust, he reminds himself as he steps behind Josh, making him inch forward a little. "Go ahead," he encourages. "Pick out something you like. That one is full of Rack's own designs, and these are tribal --"
"Tribal," Josh says, his voice steady for once. "I'd like something tribal."
"Mmm." Rack looks noncommittal. "Armband, maybe? Something you can hide under your shirtsleeves?"
This is a challenge. Daniel can feel it, and he senses that Josh can, too. "You have a better idea?"
"Yeah. You need something that'll show. See, Daniel's told me all about you. With your permission, or so I hear. But you need something that'll show, tell the world you had something to commemorate."
Josh looks frustrated. "Outside of my face, there's no piece of me that can't be covered with clothes. And don't...don't even go there. I don't like metal near my eyes."
"Hmm." Rack tilts his head to a side. "Tell you what, then. Not one piece, but three."
"Three?" Daniel blurts.
"Yeah. A tribal armband, sure, but then two small pieces of my choosing on your chest. Fair enough?"
Josh looks uncertain. "I don't...don't have that much money."
"On the house, mate." Rack waves a hand. "Welcome to the wild and crazy world of gay men, eh?"
Daniel's beginning to feel distinctly uncomfortable. "Josh, if you really don't want to do this..."
But no, Josh is stripping off his tour T-shirt. What's underneath is enough to make both Daniel and Rack stop and stare for a moment. Josh is ripped. He must still do the regulation exercises three times a day, or whenever he can find a few spare minutes. He might be meek, but with muscles like his he could rip either of them in half. His arms ripple and flex as he crosses them over his chest.
And he's got a few barbs of his own when he asks, "You like...like what you see?"
Rack stares for another few seconds, then grins. "So you've got the balls to match that brawn. And brains, too, I'd wager. Right, then. So you're ready to put yourself in my hands?"
"I hear they're...they're talented hands."
"Best on this tour," Rack says as a simple statement of fact. "I won't do you wrong. And I tell you what, we'll revise the offer a bit. You pay me say, twenty, and I'll do the armband plus a few piercings, and forget the chest pieces for now. Man like you ought to have a bit of tough metal hanging off him."
The way metal and medal sound alike isn't lost on Daniel. He doesn't think it's lost on Josh, either, who turns slightly darker, but gives a curt nod. "I'm...I'm game."
"Then you're on." Rack pats the tattoo chair. "Hop on up. This arm work for your band?"
Josh gives a glance down. "Yeah, it's fine."
"Don't be too picky then, will you?" Rack shakes his hand. He reaches in a nearby bin for a purple surgical marker and begins sketching lines on Josh's bicep.
"That tickles. What are you doing?"
"Drawing me a pretty picture. See, lots of artists, they have to go by a stencil," Rack says, his natural personality effacing away into his usual still calm. "Me, I do all my artwork freehand, but I still like a bit of a guide. Don't want any lines going wonky."
Daniel stands back and watches. The design Rack is drawing looks fierce, all sharp edges and hard turns. Not the kind of thing he would have picked out for the quiet, gentle Josh, but with his shirt off it kind of matches. Josh is tougher than he appears at first glance.
Josh has his head turned so he can watch. Every now and then he gives a murmur of approval. Rack's eyes flick up at him, and he gives Josh a quick, tight smile. He likes it when someone approves of his own designs. This is one Daniel's never seen before, which means Rack is doing that weird aura thing of his, where he just reaches out into the ether and comes up with the perfect design. You can almost hear the puzzle pieces clicking into place.
It's almost a little too perfect.
After some adjusting -- they decide on the band being three-quarter length instead of circling all the way around -- Rack reaches for his ink and pours out three tiny caps of black. "No colors on this one," he says. "You ever decide you want anything else, we'll talk about shades. But a tribal like what we have here, it needs to be a good solid midnight color. Remind you that you're a warrior, eh?"
Both Daniel and Josh flinch, but Josh recovers first. "Right," he says slowly, his eyes never leaving Rack as Rack readies his tattoo machine and puts on fresh rubber gloves. He breaks open a new needle and inserts it, then gives Josh's lower arm a brisk pat. "Ready, mate?"
"I'm not your mate. And I'm ready." Josh leans back, resting his head, but his jaw is clenched tight enough to break teeth. Daniel applauds the balls, but he's starting to question the wisdom of this little endeavor. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed Josh so hard.
Josh does flinch when the machine starts buzzing, and once again when it touches his skin, but aside from that he seems fine. Rack gets
through the outline with no trouble at all. He stops. "Want to give it a few minutes before I start filling in the blanks?" he asks. "That's the worst part for a neophyte."
"I can...can take it," Josh says flatly. He glances down at his arm, and there's a flicker of something Daniel can't interpret in his eyes. It could be pride. "Go ahead and do what you're gonna do."
Rack's look is definitely pleased. "Right, then. But if you need a break --"
"I won't. Just...just go on and do it."
"Hey," Daniel says softly, coming up on Josh's other side. "Look, you don't have to be such a total tough guy, okay? Here, take my hand." Josh whips his head around and stares. "All I'm offering is something to hold on to. Seriously, take my hand and hang on. You've got the adrenaline, sure, but it does hurt like a bitch if you're not used to this."
