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"Dude, you really are a masochist." Devon set the needle to the other man's skin, face impassive and tone low. "If you live with her and she hears that, you're dead. For real."

Ignacio peered down at the drawing, squinting. Then he twisted his arm one way and then another. Thrusting it back at the other boy, he grinned. "T'anks!"

"Just me and Jaws over there, yep." Devon squinted a bit and leaned over his work more. While normally a tight-lipped man, his choice of work had encouraged him to learn small talk for the sake of the customers. "Which is why I'm glad for the daycare thing that center runs. Makes life easier since I couldn't keep bringin' him into work or leavin' him with the neighbor. Well, not after he bit her cat."

Ignacio beamed whitely and picked up the pen. Then he pushed at Harper's sleeve. "Up," he ordered. "Do a..." He looked around the shop and his eyes fixed on a piece of bright flash art pinned to the wall. He pointed. "That."

It was a flaming skull with a snake crawling out of its mouth and dice set to snake-eyes in the eye sockets.

Even as Ignacio stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth in concentration and pressed pen to skin, it quickly became apparant that he shared none of his adopted father's artistic talent. The skull became a wobbly circle, the flames crude squiggles, and the snake somehow looked like a deflated balloon.

Devon spared a moment to look over at the children and abruptly lifted the needle from Eliot's skin. "Hey, lady, is that stuff washable ink?"

"Good, good," Ignacio agreed cheerfully. He looked up from his work to study the reference picture once more. "Wanna 'nake?" he offered, pointing at another piece of flash featuring another snake. This time the reptile was winding itself around a heart.

Devon's expression didn't change from the immediate look of stony sullen-ness that had appeared when he had first noticed what the kids were up to. With a flick of his hand, he snapped off the needle and moved to set it down more safely. "Sorry, man," he muttered to Eliot. "I'll be back. Just gotta check to make sure your 'girlfriend' didn't poison my kid."

Ignacio shrugged and held up the pen as Devon moved to lean over the fencing. "What's that? A Bic?" Ignacio waved it and reached for Devon's hand. "Uh uh. Write on your new pal all you like if he's cool with it. No writing on me." Satisfied, Devon withdrew and returned to his stool. He paused just long enough to roll his eyes at Ashley before reaching for Eliot and the needle again.

Smiling, Ignacio turned back to Harper and handed him the pen. He pointed at Devon and attempted to give a thumbs-up. Coordination being what it was, the gesture looked more like a gun aimed at the put-upon artist. "All good."

Ignacio's smile was megawatt and he cheerfully began covering Harper's other arm with grafitti. "Like this," he announced. "Dada does."

Devon paused, needle lifting a bare millimeter from skin, and he blinked a bit. "Cost?" he repeated vaguely. A laugh just behind him twisted his head around and he directed his thoughtful expression at the petite girl, decorated in demure piercings, emerged from the back room. "Tess?"

"Thank God we don't let you run the place, buddy," she snickered. Coming over, she investigated the work and nodded before quoting a price. "And that's pretty low," she added, "'cause it's a redo and it's Devon here. We take pity on his victims."

Spotting the woman, Ignacio cooed and dropped the pen. He tugged on Harper's hand and pointed. "Tess," he explained.

Tess ignored the diva's look and merely crouched beside the playpen, smiling at the toddlers within as she absently pushed her long blonde braid back over one shoulder. "Hey, Iggy," she said. "New friend?"

Ignacio nodded furiously. Then he pointed at her again. "Tess," he repeated to Harper. The finger shifted towards Ashley. "Mommy," he added, reminding Harper of Ashley's apparant 'name' again. Reaching out, he pulled Harper's arm into better viewing position. "I did. 'S 'Arper."

"I can see that. Just like your dad, huh? We'll put you to work as soon as you can reach the shelves."

Even as the child puffed up with pride, Devon snickered under his breath and went back to finishing the redesign. "See?" he muttered. "Don't need babysitters. Iggy's got Tess."

Alarmed, Ignacio opened his mouth wide as if to join his friend. Before he could, however, Tess had sprung to her feet and reached within the pen to scoop Harper up in her arms. "Hush, honey, hush," she murmured quickly. "Your mommy'll be right back." She turned so Harper could see Eliot. "See? Your daddy's still here."