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 Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:19 pm
Seren walked into the tattoo parlor she had been recommended to try by her previous Artist. Sadly, he'd had to retire due to joint issues making his hands shake at times, and he wasn't going to risk ruining her back piece because of it, especially not with how important he knew it was to her. He might not have known the details, but he could see the results of what she wanted to hide, and he wanted her to get the best work for her back. Seren looked around, and walked up to the desk, blue eyes shy but friendly, and said "Hi... I have an appointment with..." She checked the name again. "Austen? At 2:30." Seren knew she was about 15 minutes early, but she always wanted to be early, not late. Late was rude, and implied her time was more important then the artist's. That wasn't an acceptable view, and Seren refused to give into it. It was the kind of thing that was like what her... well, some people she knew in her past... had done, and acted like. After the receptionist verified the appointment, she went and sat in the waiting area, gently grasping the folder with the sketches her previous artist had done. He had sent them along, so Austen could see what he had been trying for, and work her own style into it. She seemed calm and peaceful on the surface, as she waited, but inside, she was anything but still waters.
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 6:04 am
She had spent the morning meticulously re-organizing all of the things at her station for what was probably the third time in a week, much to the exasperation of Bluejay, the receptionist. He was, at this very moment was standing with his arms folded over his chest, staring meaningfully at her as she slid a tray of needles into the same drawer she'd just moved them from.
"Are you ever satisfied?" he asked, tilting his head so that the long, silky strands of his pale hair fell across a bare, toned shoulder. "You could just let things be, you know."
Austen closed the drawer with a satisfied snap and climbed to her feet again, sweeping her own hair back from her face. "I could, but then I'd look for things in all the wrong places, of course," she said brightly, and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, love, I'll just class things up a smidge and it'll all be fine."
Bluejay made a noise in the back of his throat, but there was a small chime as the front door was pushed open and he ambled back towards the lobby, shaking his head. Austen heard the low babble of voices, the tapping of fingers on a keyboard, and then Bluejay's head popped around the half wall that separated the front from the back.
"Your 2:30's here," he said, and glanced at her station. "Are you going to rearrange things again?"
"Piss off, mate," Austen said cheerfully and bounced to the front.
A girl sat in one of the sleek black chairs that ran in a semi-circle all around the lobby area, her feet on the black and white tiled floor, holding a folder in her arms. Austen sashayed up to her and thrust out a hand that had each fingernail painted a different bright, vibrant color.
"Hullo, love!" she said, in a crisp, high London accent. "Are you Seren? I'm Austen, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:46 pm
Seren had been glancing down towards the floor, lost in thought as she waited. When 5 fingers appeared in her view, she looked up, a little startled for a moment, then gave a shy but friendly smile to the hand's owner. "Yes, I'm Seren. The pleasure is all mine." She said, quietly, as she gave a polite, just the right amount of firm, shake to the hand. She took in the other woman's features, curiously, blue eyes flickering across the details for a moment. Huh, they both had blue eyes behind blue glasses. Interesting. The science part of her brain wondered if that was a sign that blue eyes were a little weaker. Then she kicked those thoughts off, because they were a distraction from meeting the woman in front of her. "Will said you were one of the best, when he recommended I go to you, and that you'd definitely be best for working from his style to your own. She stood, carefully, so as not to bang the other woman in the face as she moved, and considered, quietly, before saying "I have the sketches all here... I would prefer to go over them, and anything related to them and what I want, in a private setting." Will had been a small, one man shop. He usually did the basic consult in a pair of comfy chairs to one side of the waiting area, and she had had to ask for privacy to discuss things. It wasn't that she didn't trust the staff, but she wanted as little people in on the details of her scarring and her past as possible. Will had insisted on some explanation, but had let it go when she had said it had been abuse that stopped once she was 16, and she was safe. She had no idea how the woman in front of her would take it. However, Seren found herself admiring the brightness of the other woman, her clothing and hair. It gave a feeling of energy and happiness, she felt. She envied her the comfortable way Austen could wear clothing that was even semi revealing... But then, that's why Seren was hear. To maybe herself get to that point, so that she did not feel she had to constantly hide. She paused, then, with a very embarrassed blush on her face, asked "Are you British? If I sound like an idiot... I've never actually met someone from England before, and only ever heard back fake accents from idiots before..."
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 5:45 pm
Austen's white hair with its pastel streaks of color was pulled back into a messy ponytail at the back of her head, several long strands falling free around her face. She was dressed in her usual ensemble of mixed and matched patterns and colors that somehow worked; a mesh top over a neon pink tanktop, bright blue pants and pink heels that clicked every time she walked. A mass of jangling bracelets and various other jewelry clinked every time she moved, bare arms covered in a litany of ink.
She was bright and cheerful and, well. A direct opposite from her cousins, but Austen was okay with this. She shook Seren's hand enthusiastically and then gestured for her to follow her to the back, plucking the folder from the girl's fingers and flipping it open.
"Oh, that's quite lovely of Will to say that, isn't it?" she said with a laugh. "Don't worry, love, we'll talk in my office, it's around the back of the shop, here. You needn't worry about being bothered, I take private consultations all the time."
The office was a cluttered mess of things here and there, along with stacks of paperwork, but Austen flung herself into the chair behind the desk and flicked a hand at the chair across, indicating for Seren to make herself comfortable. A glance upwards at her made her raise her eyebrows, and then Austen was laughing again.
"No, I'm quite English," she said with a grin. "My cousins are from Leavesden, they also live here, but I was born and raised in London."
Seren was given a wink. "All London, all the time baby. Now," she added briskly. "What is it that you want to do here? Oh, this is quite lovely, a wonderful design."
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 6:14 pm
Seren found Austen's energy fascinating, even if she was a little nervous about the folder being flipped open as they walked. Still, she was going to have to trust this woman with her... secret... if she wanted her to do the work, so she took a small breath as they walked. The hair, the colors, the energy... She focused on that to help herself feel calmer, better. It made her feel safer, oddly, being around someone who clearly was energetic and outgoing. Maybe it was because all of that meant Seren felt less likely to bring attention to herself, with the more energetic personality next to her. "Thank you. I do appreciate it. And I'm sure he meant it, completely. He wasn't one for hyperbole." She glanced around the office, taking in the details, then settled into the chair. And she blushed at the laughter, but also felt relieved when it was confirmed, because she felt far less stupid. She had gotten it right, she was not a total idiot! "Somewhere I want to go, someday. Like much of the rest of the world. My brother told me it's lovely." Her tone was wistful. And then the question was asked and she took a long, slow breath, her eyes closing for a moment as she stealed herself to explain. When she opened her eyes, her hands were trembling a little on her knees, but she was otherwise apparently completely calm. "I have a... very scarred back. Very. I want to cover it up. That was what Will and I were working on. The Starscape was something that I felt would work as a cohesive piece to cover all of my back, while also being something connected to my favorite things in life." Her eyes closed again, for another moment, swallowing as pushed back memories. "I want to be able to go out in public in a tank top, or go to the beach in a bikini, and not have anyone notice."
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Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 6:57 pm
Austen was many things, and insensitive could be one of them when she wasn't at work. But at work, in this profession that she had worked long and hard for and that she loved more than anything in the world (save for fashion and makeup, really), she was only too aware of the conversations she sometimes had with her clients. Tattoos were often highly and intensely personal; if she couldn't accept that with tact and class and empathy, then she might as well just throw in the towel now.
Austen's painted fingers traced the lines of the mockup picture, her brows drawing together in concentration. Seren's blush was cute, and so was her desire to go to London one day, but she was more focused on the reasoning behind what she was looking at, her expression shifting from one of playful teasing to one of serious consideration.
After a moment, she leaned back in her chair, eyes flickering over to Seren. It was a contemplative look, pink lips pressing together, and then she said, "Scarring might take a bit more time to ink over, but that just means I have to work damned hard to make it look fan-bloody-tastic, and I promise you that I will."
She stood up and crossed around to where Seren was, propping a hip up on the desk.
"I can get the stencilling done for you in about twenty minutes or so. How does that sound? Then we can get started."
A broad grin stretched across her face. "We'll make you look bloody beautiful in those tank tops. Not that you aren't already, of course," Austen added with a wink.
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Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:47 pm
Seren saw the focus on the other woman's face, and the seriousness, and felt a lot of gratitude. She'd seen that on Will's face, and it meant a lot to her, because she knew it meant they both were taking this seriously, and not going to judge, either. People tended to either pretend this issue didn't exist, if they found out, treat it lightly... Or judge. All things she'd unfortunately encountered in her life, despite her efforts to keep her back, and her pain, a secret from most of the world. Her voice was filled with the gratitude she was feeling, when she responded. "I believe you. I am glad to work with you, too." She watched the other woman move closer, eyes curious, and then nodded. "That sounds amazing. That sounds utterly fantastic, in fact. But did you need to see what he's done so far? Or did he mark that on the notes, I... don't recall." She blushed again, realizing that part, and feeling like an idiot. She should have checked that part, or asked Will. Sometimes the obvious didn't occur to her, when obviously it should. And then the comment about looking beautiful, and being so caught up and she blushed even MORE. She wondered if it was possible to combust from blushing but all she said was a simple, heartfelt "Thank you."
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:14 pm
It was always such a pleasure to get to work with people who were willing to work with you back. Austen, as an apprentice artist the last few years, had certainly had her fair share of customers who didn't want to work with such a young person, let alone a young woman. She had started early and had never stopped, and she wasn't about to stop for those who weren't worth her time.
Seren seemed the sort to not mindlessly go along with anything, but who knew what she wanted and who, in spite of being a little soft spoken, was willing to work with her artist, rather than against them, to get it. Austen could respect that a great deal.
Plus she was cute, and this of course was always a bonus in Austen's mind.
"Oh, yes, that would be grand," she said brightly. "Let me see what you've got already, and we'll see about what I need to fill in and continue."
Austen gestured at Seren. "We're in a private space, is this all right for you?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 7:43 pm
Not having any idea of what the other woman was thinking, Seren just nodded at the comment about it being a private space. "Yeah, this is fine. Privacy is all I care about." She paused, and added "I would prefer no apprentices observe while you work, please?" She knew that that was how apprentices learned, and normally she would be accommodating, but in this situation... The presence of another person would make her potentially panicky. As she said that, she turned so that Austen would have a good view, and carefully pulled her t-shirt up, all the way, revealing first the large number of scars on the young woman's back. None were new, all were at least six years old, but there were a lot of them. The majority were around the middle of her back, the areas easiest to keep covered by shirts, but it went up and onto her lower shoulders, though the tattoo-work that was already done had begun to cover that. The tattoo itself, what had been done, went from the very upper edges of her back, and down to about midway through her shoulder blades. "As you can see, it's enough that if I wear a t-shirt, nothing is really visible but the ink, but there's a lot to go." Her voice was soft, but there was a tremble to it, and to the fingers holding her shirt up. Then again, she was revealing something she clearly felt vulnerable about to the other woman.
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 5:59 am
"Not a problem," said Austen breezily. "Most of the others have clients today as well, so handling things just between you and me is quite all right. Don't worry, we'll maintain a level of privacy for you, love, don't fret. This is as good a place as any to get what you want."
She would have winked again, but Seren was already looking nervous, so Austen refrained. The scars across her back as she lifted her shirt were many and jagged looking; Austen would have asked where she had gotten them from, except that it was none of her business. She had had clients with all sorts of body issues before, scars and bruising, and to ask would be to essentially be rudely sticking your nose into something that wasn't about you.
Not to mention that it was clearly a struggle for Seren as it was. Austen could see the way the shirt shook ever so slightly as Seren held it up, her voice wavering almost imperceptibly. Austen didn't touch, but reached out and gently tugged on the hem of the shirt to pull it back down.
"It's beautiful so far. All right, love, why don't you go get ready? There's a private room across the hall from this office where we take clients; a table's already been set up for you to lay down. Let me work out a new stencil and I'll be with you in about fifteen?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 7:57 pm
"That sounds... that sounds wonderful. Thank you." She waited until Austen was done, though she was surprised when the other woman pulled it down. She started, just a little, but smiled and nodded in thanks. It didn't bother her, obviously, and she sighed, happy to have the 'reveal', so to speak, over with. It made it easier for her to when they were ready to go. "Alright. I'll see you shortly. Thank you again." She slipped out of the office, and into the room mentioned. She pushed the door almost closed, so that no one would be able to see in without the door being opened, and went over to the table. She removed her shirt and bra, and tucked the latter, with her purse, onto the space provided for her belongings, then went and lay down. She draped her shirt over her back, like a modesty sheet, so that if anyone came into the room by accident, or was passing when Austen came by, nothing she wanted kept to herself would be seen. Then she settled down, eyes closing for the moment, taking slow, meditative breaths to calm herself fully. She needed to be in full control of her emotions, after all, when Austen returned. No panic attacks from pain on the back, not this time. She'd done it last time, and she hoped she would be able to control her reactions.
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