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 Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:14 pm
He'd been gone for a while. It had been a sudden opportunity that the owner of Dripping Diseal's had a few connections and Kai heard of the appenticeship for Kraken's Clutch. It was a shot in the dark to be accepted, but the shop was in a pinch and Diseals wasn't hurting if he went. Considering he was still an apprentice, he didn't have a wide portfolio and lacked the more professional experience his other coworkers had accumulated through the years. This would help him have a better background and a healthier set of client images to offer.
He'd sent a message to Kioshi about the opportunity. His lease was flexible as it always was cheap and was offered as more of a favor to keep him living. With what little he had saved, he got on a bus and headed on over. It felt like a long time but after almost 2 years, he wasn't just an apprentice anymore.
It was nice to be back in Destiny, and he crashed on Diseal's couch when he returned. Apartment hunting was was going to be a chore.
The first person he notified outside of Diseal and his crew with Kioshi that he finally had been dropped off and was on the couch. He wanted to meet up, catch up in person outside of the few text messages, tattoo memes, and client photos they had sent once in a while. A few vents here and there but not much else. Still, it was nice to have someone to text, even if it wasn't anything too deep. It was like having some distant pen pal that you knew you could meet eventually again.
Laying on the couch with a small box fan, he sent a text and rested it on his chest as he looked up at the ceiling listening to the familiar sounds of the city again. Kai could hear his boss snoring loudly from down the dark hallway. The glow of a large iguana habitat in the corner as the creature stared at him. The pictures on several shelves said "Josey" featuring pictures of the loved lizard.
Text to KIoshi :3 Wanna meet up for dinner Sunday? Dying for burger from Jenny D's. My treat.
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 6:35 pm
The offer from Kai had been nice when it had arrived, for the others home, but somehow it hadn't sit well with him so he'd taken the offer the Negaverse had made. The only offer which didn't consist of moving into the barracks. He didn't like the idea of living near other people, as he really wasn't fond of most people, though now he was working his way out of that also. It would take time, as he knew and expected, but he'd get his feet under himself and get his own place in time. He was a hard worker, something he was certain his parents had instilled in him, and he was defiant enough to drive himself hard for what he wanted.
He also hadn't figured the other would be gone for so long, that he'd return soon enough and want to move back into his place, assuming no one would want to move into this s**t hole of a city. Hell, if there was a war to be fought elsewhere he'd be headed elsewhere to do that. This city was not a place he wanted to stay but he did; for the fighting. Knowing the war was done and over with elsewhere, that the senshi and knights had been dealt with, he wasn't so inclined to leave here where it was still active.
The texts had been slow, and sparse, as was to be expected when they were both busy and most of it was work related. It was nice to vent once in awhile, Omen was not the best at listening to his rants, and sometimes someone elses input was a good thing. Even he knew this, and would accept it when given in the proper format. At least kai understood how to word things in a way which wasn't bossy, he did not take orders from people well, it was why he'd left his parents inthe first place. He didn't know it all, and he didn't need to, he knew more than enough to make his own conclusions on why things had gone as they had. He'd never told Kai, didn't see a point in it, but it seemed the other still understood best how to talk to him and how he responded to things.
Sitting on his living room floor, Omen sleeping in his lap, he was working on a piece for a client. He was working on his line art, and fine detail, on this piece and while he hated such fine work he knew it was a skill he should work on and this would help. When the text came in he flippe dhis phone over, as he kept it laying on it's screen, and read over the message. "Mmmm...a burger." Not his favorite food but not the worst either, it wasn't McDonalds at least.
Tapping out a quick responce he hit send. He'd go to meet the other and of course the food was on him, he was still an apprentice and so didn't make as much. Even if he did also get paid hourly.
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2023 6:14 pm
He stared at his phone, scrolling his thumb up to look at the little conversations they had before before setting his phone down for the night. Saturday would feel too long with apartment hunting but it was nice he had something to look forward to.
When Sunday evening came, Kai arrived at Jenny D's diner in cargo shorts, a tank, hair braids done and tied back, and sneakers. It was still warm out in the city but by evening it was already cooling down a little bit to not be unbearable to be out. Waiting outside, he felt his nerves getting to him again. It had been a while since he'd see Kioshi in person and he wasn't sure if the small conversations they had would be enough to not make things awkward. Would they have enough to still talk about? Would they have drifted too much apart since that time.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he took deep breathes and reminded himself that if Kioshi didn't want to see him, he would have said something. He wouldn't have kept in touch. He would have made some excuse not to be here today.
That made him feel a bit better, and he stared out at the city and enjoyed the summer night. For all that he was away, he liked being back here again. It felt more home than any other place he had lived.
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2023 7:10 pm
Sunday had finally arrived, the hours between the message from kai till now had been busy. Kioshi wasn't always tattooing, infact most of his day was spent doing other things, he had to clean and prep things for otehrs and keep the place clean. He wasn't a full artist yet, he was working towards that, but he thankfully wasn't the only person who cleaned in the place. The senior artists were kinda enough to often clean up after themselves or keep things fairly neat and tidy, they seemed to have some amoutn of respect for him, as he'd heard some appentrices got a lot of s**t and had to do really messy things.
The cleaning this week hadn't been too bad, nothing too insane, though there had been the one who had vomited inthe toilet because they'd decided being inked on an empty stomach was a good idea. They'd passed out as well, right after vomiting, and he'd had to clean it with his eyes squinted so he'd see as little of the mess as possible. That was one thing his stomach was weak to - vomit. He could handle a lot, thankfully, but that was the one thing which set him off and got him sick.
Tonight he'd gotten out early, because the shop closed early on a Saunday, and he'd hurried off to meet Kai at Jenny D's burger place. His sleeves rolled up, since it was still a bit warm out, he didn't want to sweat in his hoodie as he pushed ope nthe door to the place and took the time to look around for the other.
"Kai." Calling out as he made his approach, the other stood out against the crowd in the place, and Kioshi was certain he stood out as well but ******** it. ******** anyone who looked funny at him; because he didn't care.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:30 pm
"Kioshi!" He said, a little too loudly, and waved over as if he somehow didn't see him. "I'm glad you could make it." Of course he could make it. He wasn't going to ghost you. He texted back. It's fine.
Since it was Sunday, it wasn't as busy as other days and the church rush had long since had their lunch and left. Now that it was dinner, it wasn't as crazy and he could easily sign to the staff for a booth for two. The hostess was seat them, leading them over to the booth near the windows and set down laminated menus for them. It was a American style diner complete with sandwiches, salads, burgers, and old-fashioned shakes.
"It's been ages." He said, feeling as if it had been over a decade than a bit around 2 years. For the most part, nothing was changed with Kai. He hadn't grown any, his hair was still long and braided, and he still a mustache and beard trimmed neatly around his face. Sea-foam green eyes scanned the other.
"You got your ears done." He said, turning his head a little to see past the now shorter hair to the pointed ears. "Nice haircut." Though maybe it was just new to him but very old to everyone else. Maybe it was strange to be commenting on something that clearly pointed out he hadn't been around. He felt he missed too much.
"Um...right. You can order whatever you want. Don't hold back." He said, already feeling nervous again as he picked up the menu.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 8:34 pm
"I wanted to shorten it, it also helped with the ears and them healing." Since he didn't want to disturb them too much while they healed, due to his hair getting caught in the healing wounds or anything else, but they'd healed well and felt just like before. He hadn't lost any feeling in them, thankfully, as he'd heard of people having that issue when they went to some places. He figured those people were either unlucky or cheaped out on the ears.
Having been seated, and with a menu in front of him, Kioshi opened it up slowly in order to flip through it. "It has been a long time, but you were working and I was busy as well." With so many things he'd been busy. It wasn't always easy, but who expected life to always be easy, he found some things more difficult than others and it wasn't always fun getting past things but he did it. He'd put in the time with work and with being a corrupt senshi and so far it was working for him, even if he didn't have everything in life which he wanted.
"Did you hear about the tattoo shop on the west coast which puts people to sleep and tattoos them, multiple artists, in a hospital room?" So the customer got to cheat out on the pain and the time it took, and the multiple sessions and such. But they got slapped with the cost of the hospital and all that came with it. He wasn't pleased with it but he understood the appeal to those with money.
Landing on an option which appealed to him, a simple chicken cesar wrap, he tried to eat fairly healthy and this worked plus it did look good really.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2023 6:54 pm
"Yeah, it was busy. I still feel the first few months in was just a lot of junk work to help the rest of them out and even after that it was a little bit of learning in between the normal work like manning the phones and counter and helping get stuff cleaned up. And inventory. They said it was best I knew every little thing anyways so I could fill in if someone got swamped, but I thought I'd be going right into it. If I could have skipped to getting clients, I could have been here sooner." He grumbled, looking over the menu as well.
"I wanted to come over for the holidays." He sighed, having wanted to spend at least a little bit of the holidays with Koshi just to see the city all lit up. It was the few times the city looks magical.
Sometimes he'd think of scenarios where he'd just say ******** it, use up what little meger savings he had, and take a bus over to visit him. He'd watch a holiday special and think how nice it would be to show up on Kioshi's doorstep, snowing and bundled up, with a present. Then he'd embarass himself at the stupid idea and refill his hot chocolate.
He had a lot more of those little thoughts, but he chalked it up to not having many friends and being lonely in a different city.
"That seems kinda unfriendly. I think a hospital room would freak me out more than some tattoo studio. And what if they are a restless sleeper?" He thought it over and wasn't sure. "A lot of money to spend on a tattoo. You'd think pain killers would be cheaper." He said as he turned the menu over.
Burger and a shake sounded great. He'd decided on his selection. They waited only a moment before their eyes caught the attention of their waitress who came over and jotted down their order. Tucking the menu's under their arm, they went off to put it in.
"Any other big changes? Gonna do any more work?" He said, looking back to Kioshi's hair and little, pointed ears. The whole thing made him look unreal. Like he was about to stand up and sprout fairy wings.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2023 7:21 pm
"It does help though, it's the managing stuff that's needed. inventory and ordering...al lthe things you need to know to run a shop." In order to perhaps one day even own a shop. It was a skill set worth knowing really, and one he didn't know. If he needed something he mentioned it and it just turned up, and he paid for it of course, but what he needed turned up. He was still working on fake skin, though a lot more real skin, and still being taught and tested on things but he had been through this all before so it came easily, almost by magic. It made things boring and he really disliked doing the cleaning and sweeping and some of the b***h work. But it was becoming less and less and he was being asked about some things...because they didn't know as much about Japanese art, especially writting.
"Knocked out, just like if they were going under for surgery, so they don't move. It allows for no breaks and they can do multiple pieces, of big pieces that would be multiple sessions. They even have multiple artists and there isn't the worry of movement or getting in each others way - they can take turns." Since they had enough time to do it all in. "Some famous people have been getting things done that way." And while it made money, without a doubt, it just lacked in so many ways if you asked Kioshi and it seemed Kai felt similar.
"About 100k to get done it seems, from what I saw online." Which was insane for tattoo work, though the work was nice, it was more than anyone should have to pay for it. "Honestly I think the biggest issue I have with that is not going through the pain of getting inked. It feels like a right of passage - something you have to sit and earn." That you either took it or you tapped out and left. You earned the ink you had by dealing with it. Those sorry ******** got no pain while being inked but had to heal how much inkwork all at once. Like several sessions worth all at once. Those poor ******** no doubt felt it and itched like a b***h as well. Serves them right really.
Takign a sip from the water provided them, since his actual drink wasn't here yet, he shrugged for a moment before tilting his head and then let his upper lip curl up and show the fangs he had, "Bonded in, I wasn't going to go and file my teeth down to spiked nubs. It's not healthy." And while he did enjoy modifying himself, he really did, he wasn't going to do it at risk of his health. There were some things he thoguth looked cool but would never do, for that reason. The risk was there with everything but with some things...it was too high. "I found an actual dentist to do them." Rather than a body artist. Another sip of water and he set his glass down.
"What about you? Any more ink since last time?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2023 7:56 pm
"You gotta have a lot trust and same styles to be working on the same tattoo together. And all day working on someone. At least with a client being awake, you can take breaks with them." He said, thinking of how much it would take out of someone to go for that long.
"100 thousand!" He said, immedicately making an appologetic look out around him to anyone he might have bothered before looking back. "That's a whole dang house!" He said, just managing to scrape up rent and basic needs most months. "Damn, I wonder what their cut is. I bet all that anesesia cost a lot, but even a third of that would be great to pocket for one days work." The money alone made a convincing arguement, but in the end he knew he'd be too nervous to work on anyone who was sleeping the whole time. He hadn't even done any big tattoos before.
"I only ever did small things. I don't think I'd be up for something real big. " One day he'd like to do sleeves or a full back. That would feel like a major accomplishment.
The little fangs had his attention, and he was glad that Kioshi didn't hurt hismelf to get those. "Those are real neat. Does it bother you any when eating?" He asked, wondering to the other. Body modifications went hand and hand with tattooing, and some parlors offered small things like piericings here and there. Otherwise you saw a lot of clients with some alterations. Lots of piercings, but even things like split tongues. He'd even seen someone with a tattooed eye.
"Oh, just some more flowers for my one arm." He said, lifting up his sleeve to show more flowers added to the ones he only started having before. He wanted a whole bouquet for a arm one day." "I still kinda don't know much what i wanna do. I keep wafflin." He said, scratching the side of his cheek.
"You know what's weird. Been having dreams about being in the ocean lately for no dang reason. I don't even know how to swim. Then some big ol kraken is moving about. I think the shop name I was in got to my head too much, but for some reason my brain just keeps thinking about it. Like dang, that'd be a good tattoo. But then I go - What are ya? Shouldn't that have more meaning than just something you got rattling in your head randomly. But then i think, do whatever. Tattoos don't gotta have some deep meaning if you dont want to. It's just art. I could put a bunch of hippos on me if I just liked hippos." He said with a laugh.
"Now you got me thinking about what other stuff it out there." He said, but wasn't sure if there were many things that would good on him. Most of what Kioshi had felt very much - Kioshi. He didn't think it was something he wanted or could pull off. It felt somehow - just suited for the guy.
The waitress brought their drinks and told em their food would be out in a bit." He nodded and turned back to the other.
"So like, anything happen while I was gone in the city? With you?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2023 8:22 pm
"Not even together but like different pieces, different styles, and all done at once." He said shaking his head. It seemed like a good way to wind up with a mess. "I'm fairly certain there are videos up of what some people got done." He hadn't looked though, somewhat unsure if he actually wanted to see it. he wasn't sure if he'd wind up laughing or banging his head on his desk due to it all. "I agree, breaks are a need sometimes and not for them but us." An artist sometimes needed a break just to walk outside and get some clean air or clear their head for a moment. Typically though it was a bathroom or drink break, as both were needed.
"I know, it's a lot. But they are booking a hospital room plus the staff to put them under and watch their vitals. That's no even counting the tattoo artists working on them as well." It was a whole lot of fees that weren't needed, though he was certain those artists made a lot of money each time they worked on someone like this. He wasn't sure he'd give, to the idea of the pay he'd make, and do someone under such circumstaces. Though he also was certain he'd never get such a chance either.
"I've done big, recently, but it's the nature of Japanese pieces. You've seen how big most get and that is the typical." How often did you see a small Japanese piece? How often did a person get a half or a full sleeve or a whole back piece? It was more normal to see large pieces, it was just how it went, but it meant a lot of work and sessions. It wasn't easy for himself or the client. Worse was he made apprentice money, even if he got more exposure and work to add to a portfolio.
"No, they can crack but under normal use no. So I should be fine, provided I don't get punshed real hard inthe face." Which was something he was keen to avoid anyway, he'd sooner grab a starseed and kill someone before he let them hit his face. He kept his piercings out when he patrolled, and for good reason, he didn't need one getting yanked out or hit hard. He had to watch out for something that most did not, because of his want to modify his appearence.
"A kraken...interesting. Flowers aside a kraken would be a good idea for a bag piece if anything else. You could do the top of the shoulder as well, have it wrapping around and trailing, it lends itself to some flattering posistions really. I say if it's been in your dreams, a lot, than I'd go with it. There is obviously something there." Though it wasn't anything he'd done he could likely piece together an idea for the other, not that he said that just yet, he'd managed to get a headless horseman done for ******** sake. That was beyond out of his wheelhouse and yet he'd pulled one off. Let's not go into how long he'd spent researching it and working on it, how many sketches he'd done, he was if nothign else dedicated to his work. It was one thing he felt something for...that made his lbood run fast and his breath quicken. It was something he could dream of and live for and breath. Conventions were, even if he wasn't working at a booth in anyway, a place which made him feel alive in a way he normally didn't. It was thrilling and commanding in a way he couldn't put to words but just feelings.
"Not too much going on, I'm still an apprentice - again." Shrugging as he grabbed the flavored water he'd ordered himself, since they didn't have anything like green tea, and took a sip fro mthe glass. "I did a headless horseman on someones leg, don't even ask me how many hours I spent on it at home." He was proud of that damn piece, and all the sketches he'd done for it, he had them hanging on his walls in the shop mixed in with all the asian art.
"Oh, I got adopted by a cat, well kitten." The little fluff ball had, without a doubt, adopted him. He took the needy kitten in but they had decided to stay and own his bedroom, own his appartment and own him. He was used to it by now though even if it hadn't been all that long.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 8:09 pm
"I don't think I'm at the point to do something that massive. A whole back piece just seems like a lot of trust, and when you don't have that in your portfolio already, then most people don't pick you. Once I settle and start working here again, well, I'll need to advertise that. Discount a back piece just so I can start having examples. It's just deciding on a few designs I'd really want to do and offering it out like that. I know I've been gone for a while but, I still don't feel like I'm as good. Then I guess other people felt like that, but it's hard to think that way when they got their weeks all booked out." He really had to start cultivating his pieces and working out how to go about advertising.
"They were getting me on tiktok and setting up a instagram before. Said I gotta market more for the new age, but I still find it kinda hard to do. But that's kinda the way to do it now I guess." He had a few posts showing his work while at the Kraken, but he had stopped posting since he had to travel back home to Destiny and need to get settled all over.
"I'm so damn picky with artists. I wish I could just tattoo on my own back, but I know I can't do that. Gotta find someone who can even do a Kraken, and one who would do one in that kinda - feel that I want. Ya know?" He didn't know exactly how to describe what he wanted yet. It had been sort of a hazy dream in a way, but it felt like something profound that every time he had a dream with it, he wanted to grip it in his hands to solidify it and make it something tangible. Something he could really look at and examine from all angles.
For now, the only tattoo he had been thinking about was wanting to get something from Kioshi, but he just wasn't sure what or when he'd ask.
"I'd like to see that back piece, and that horseman. And anything else you'd been working on. I love seeing your work." He said, and took a drink as he waited for their food.
"A kitten? What's their name? Do you have pictures?" He hadn't thought that Kioshi would want a kitten, but now that he had said he had one, the guy came off as more a cat person than a dog person. Kai had a stray he liked to feed back when he first met Kioshi, but it was never hit cat. It came and went and was too much a street cat to stay indoors for long. He tried once when it was very cold out, but all it did was meow to be let out and vanished as it always did until he decided to visit again. When he moved, he had left some food out for it, wishing it all the best in life.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 8:39 pm
"If you want you could even do the drawings for back pieces, a head of time, and offer those designs up. Like flash art but bigger and for the back instead of some little thing." Or how some shops had a small capsule mashine where you got whatever was in the capsule you got. If you asked Kioshi he wasn't the sort to like random tattoos and leaving things to chance, like a capsule machine, he liked having control over what decorated his body. His sleeve he'd drawn himself and had someone else do, because he couldn't tattoo himself, but it was his work on himself. He had control issues, and he knew it, but he also hadn't a single ******** to give about it.
"Could depend on the style they do." Shrugging as he sipped on his drink and went to take a bite from his food. "I don't get a lot wanting asian pieces either. It's a very particular group of people which are into that style, especially since Japanese israther strict with it's rules." And most people who got such tattoo did follow the rules for it, though some didn't, most liked it for what it was and didn't go out there with the style. It also did lend itself to larger pieces and not everyone wanted to commit to a large piece like that. Some pieces were small, thankfully, and those weren't too bad for people. Little fish here or there or a little kanji word or something else. At least they knew whatever word they wanted they were getting with him, and that it was the proper kanji for the word.
"I have an instragram already. I'm thinking of setting up most as well, I need it, so I'm working on that. Some artists announce when their bookings are open via social media. They fill up fast doing that. But it reaches people in other states, some who will come for a piece by someone, it helps." Something as traditional, and ancient, as tattooing was still alive and well and had gone modern as people showed off their work, their own pieces of ink, and advertised all online now for the masses to see. It really was a good thing for the industry, as it kep it alive, and made it more acceptable socially. It wasn't such a mysterious thing anymore and more people saw it and took a liking to it. It softened things around the edges and it didn't seem like just a thing certain groups of people could have. Now he saw a lot of young females coming in for little things, it was so damn common, and even buisness people with high paying power jobs.
"I know what you mean...and if I could do it as you'd want I'd offer. But I don't know if I could." Another bite from his food, a thoughtful look crossing his features as he leaned back in his seat, chewing slowly. "You could explain it to me and I could try and do something? I don't know if you'd want me to, or if you'd trust me with something that important, but I could give it a try?" Offering the idea up. There were squid and octopus in some traditional Japanese peices but he'd not done any yet, he hadn't run into anyone who wanted that, it was more phoenix, dragon and koi fish really. He'd even had a fu dog which wasn't Japanese but it was asian so it had all been good. "But clearly it's a profound and important thing to you and shouldn't be ignored." No, if he was dreaming it, that much, he really needed to get it done. There was some reason there and it wasn't going to be ignored. Kioshi would help if he could, which he might be able to, he just worried about getting it right but he did that with every tattoo he did. He worried because a lot of trust was put into him by each and every client. This was on them for life, not himself, and they had to trust he would get the right feeling behind it and the colors and look right. He needed to be spot on with whatever was in the clients head.
Sipping his drink he fished his phone out of his pocket, shifting in his seat to get it, and unlocking his pohone with one hand he started to pull up his instagram so he could show off the two pieces. He had a lot of pieces up already, some large and some small, a lot of asian pieces but some water color as well. Then there was the stand out headless horseman on someones thigh. It was detailed to hell and back but he'd gone full tilt perfectionist on it. "I think I did over a dozen sketched out ideas for it, each one different, so the client could pick something, or even mix and match, so I could get it right." The time he'd spent looking at the clothing of the time period, and of horses, he'd really gone all in on it and the work showed just how much time he'd put into it all. He'd lost sleep on it, suffered a migraine, and he'd still nailed it really. "I'm surprised I got asked to do such a piece, it's not my usual thing, but I found it interesting and dark enough I wasn't going to turn it down either." He was a bit darker in personality, prefering darker colors in his apartment and having a darker sense of humor. He was just that sort of person. He never hid what he was like either, no reason to, so he'd found it a fascinating topic to do and had enjoyed it.
"Yeah, it's on my insta also, I named him Omen." Because of course he had, it was fitting really, and he couldn't think of a better name for a black cat. "He was a starving little kitten outside the grocery store that I saw." And being the closeted bleeding heart that he was he'd gone and scooped the little thing up and took him in. Now the cat owned his damn appartment...and he was ok with it. "He owns my home, more than the nighttime job does, and he owns me. I've come to accept it." The nighttime job being the Negaverse, which he assumed the other would understand.
"We could, if you want, work on that kraken piece together, if you trust me."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 4:48 pm
He looked at the phone, watching as Kioshi moved his finger to scroll through picture after picture. Each one of a history of the time away and his ongoing apprenticeship. At this point, Kai already though Kioshi could be a full-time tattoo artist. It didn't seem right that he was still being kept as an apprentice. His skills were just as much as the other artist he worked with, and his style was unique and clear. The Instagram already had a impressive portfolio that could generate business, and had a concrete style. He didn't know many people who could pull off a watercolor affect. He'd met a few artist who could do softer shading and watercolors, but they were often for more floral designs or at least it's what he had often seen in their client's request. Then again, sometimes a artist posted one piece and were locked in with their clients for the same design over and over again. It was good to be known for something and have an ongoing flow of income, but sometimes it could be a curse to not be able to try anything new. Being a tattoo artist relied a lot on the clients. For someone to come in and bring a challenge or something new and trust you to do that move without a prior example to exactly match. It was a hope gently placed in your hands. The pressure was still there, always in some degree. You could do something a million times over and there was still worry that it wouldn't match a vision. Then again, some clients had some crazy visions and unrealistic expectations. It took all kinds in the end.
His eyes wavered, listening to Kioshi as his attention focused on his hands. They're slender. He thought to himself. His eyes glanced to his own hands, thicker and rough from odd jobs before he finally started learning to be a tattoo artist.
The offer caught his attention. "You - You'd be okay trying that? I wouldn't think such a weird creature would be something you'd even want to try." He was surprised, but in a delighted way.
"I was debating if I wanted flowers or them to be wrapped around something. It's a lot to think about." He said, still not sure of the design just yet.
He took a bite of his burger as he looked at the new kitten. "Omen's a good name. Could be good or bad. They look to be in good hands." He said, smiling.
"Have you been doing much else outside of work?" He asked, a little twist in his gut that dared to ask something. It had been over a year. Almost 2. A guy on his own could have gotten up to a lot in that time. Stuff that he might not have wanted to share over a text to some friend living a town over.
"Aside from the nighttime shift. Which, I guess how has that been? I was only doing my basic chores for that since being away. It's going to be weird being back here and working here now at night. Different animal and all."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:43 pm
"I could try it, I do traditional Japanese more than water color, as you can see, and they do have octopus and squid though rare. It is something you can find in traditional pieces." While he hadn't done it, and keeping track of the tentacles would be hard he was down for it, he'd make it work. He would, without a doubt, fret over it endlessly and make sure it was perfected to within an inch of it's life. He wasn't going to put something on a person without it being as close to perfect as humanly possible, especially if it was going on another artist. He would not risk ruining someones skin.
"It's something I haven't done yet, even in my usual style, so I'd be interested in the challenge it would present." Because he liked a challenge, so long as it was somehting he was comfortable with, there would always be things he didn't like to do be it due to the style or the concept itself. He wasn't going to jump at everything and make it work and learn how to draw and ink it. That would be insane but also, in some cases, uncomfortable and too much. This however he was certain he could do.
"You think on the idea and come to be with a full idea of what you want. If you want more than the kraken let me know and I'll work on ideas." He might just work on ideas anyway, to get things started, but he wasn't going to say that. He might even do some quick videos of himself sketching out ideas and concepts of a kraken. Who knows how much attention it might generate for him, and with that could come buisness. He had to grow as an artist and prove himself, always, and while he stood out in his shop and not just because of his looks it didn't mean he could rest on his laurels. He needed to keep doing and showing his skill.
"Most figure the darker context for the name Omen, and I'm alright with that. I find a black cat fitting a dark name." There were plenty of names he could have gone with, now that he'd had time to think about it, but Omen had come to him and he'd stuck with it. If he ever got a hairless it would be Goblin or Gremlin, he knew that already, not that he was planning on any more cats for the foreseeable future.
"No, nothing else, I work two jobs as you know and now I slave away for a cat. I'm trying to save up for a place of my own." He really did want to own a place of his own, to own something that was his and no one elses, it was something he hungered for and planned to work for. He was a rather driven sort of person it seemed, perhaps something which came after changing sides, he wasn't sure on that to be honest. He had not seen anything from Hisoka about it. "I earned my wings, so there is that. But otherwise everything has been the same. It's rather boring, I know, I don't have a social life like everyone else seems to. However, I can't find it within myself to care. It's amusing that people think I'm some sort of party animal, given my looks, but they couldn't be more wrong and they go on thinking as they want." And he found that utterly amusing, though he did dislike the whispers of people talking about what a wild sort of bad boy he must be. "
"What are you planning to do now that you're back in the city? What did you get up to, outside of work, while you were away. I'm certain there were things to do." And he was certain most people were not as boring as he was.
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Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 8:01 pm
"I'm sleeping on Diesel's couch right now. He let me crash there since coming back. He's going to get me situated back in his shop and he wants to see what I can do now that I'm back. He can't give me a permanent bench like the others, but I can take clients. Since I moved back here, I gotta rebuild my reputation here and hopefully, it can be a more permanent one." He said as he thought about what laid back in front of him. "It's nice to be back in a shop I know and stuff." He took another bite, thinking it all over. Kai ate well, but always in a way that showed how much he appreciated any food he got. Some days, if he wasn't paying attention, he would eat too quickly and destroy a sandwich in no time. There was a old concern built in that, if he didn't watch himself, he'd let himself be feral in how quickly he ate. It was a old habit growing up with so many kids. Grab what you can, eat it quickly, and hope it would pay out in giving you time to grab seconds. Eat slow and the food would be gone.
"I hate to find a place. I got some money but I was paying rent for a apartment I could barely afford just to do that apprenticeship. I had enough to get here on the bus, and I got some easy clients Diesel is giving me. Small s**t like stylized names and a few barb wires. They passed it over to me since it gives the other guys their time slots to take on bigger jobs. I got them this week coming up. It's not much, but enough where I can start with rent towards a place. I just gotta slough through finding a place. Diesel was nice finding me my old apartment, but he can't do that again since once I left, his cousin took the spot. They needed the help so I get it."
He breathed out, steeling himself to having to apartment hunt. Destiny City was a thriving city and that meant apartment hunting was rough. "Luckily I'm not looking for nothing fancy. Just enough space to sleep and sit on a couch to watch TV. And yeah like, no rats and people trying to rob me ever night. Luckily I know those places to avoid."
To the question of what he was up to, he shrugged. "I'm not that exciting. Some of the crew took me to their dives for a drink after work and out to eat but I didn't have much to be doing anything crazy. I got dragged to a club. It was - okay. I think they just hoped I'd find someone to hook up with while they were out looking for some." He hadn't, and he walked home cause he didn't want to use up what little money he had on a uber. It had been a long night, and he had a lot of time to feel awkward and introspective on his walk back to his small apartment.
"II went to some free events. They had a museum for their local river but it was really badly lit and I don't think they had more than 2 people running the whole place. They had a food truck event though. That was fun. I ate a korean corn dog. It had sugar on it. Really threw me off. I don't think of corn dogs as sweet."
"Oh and there was like a summer petting zoo and they had a camel. Never saw one in real life before." It drooled a lot.
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