[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"What happens if it happens again, or I get injured somewhere else - my line of work is fairly dangerous." He paused to think, and raised his head to look at the old man.

"Would you be able to repeat it? Or fix it, if the tattoos were damaged?" He hated how vain he sounded, but this was a major undertaking, a full body change, and he wanted to be prepared for its limits.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

The old man smirked, though it was difficult to see through the beard.

"Spirited, ain't ya Sonny? Sure, if ya wind up in trouble again I'll fix the damage, but you'll have to pay for it each time." He had a twinkle in his eye as he said it, and followed with a puff of his cigarette.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Iilanthys nodded his head in agreement. "That's fair, but I want it in writing".

He slid the paper and pen over to the old man, who chuckled as he scribbled down the additional terms.

"In return, I want yer loyalty" he muttered, glancing up at Iilanthys. "Ain't no-one gonna do like I do, so ain't no-one gonna touch yer unless I'm in the dirt."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Agreed" Iilanthys nodded, and pulled the proffered paper towards himself, reading over it one last time before signing it.

The old man signed it as well, before tearing it down the middle and handing him one half of the paper. "There" he murmured, folding the paper up and putting it into the till. "We have a deal."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Right" said the old man, as he stood and cracked his neck, followed by the knuckles of both hands. "Let's get started - let me get my kit out. Come on Sonny, you'll need to come into the back for the actual process."

Iilanthys obediently got up, and followed the old man around the counter.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As he entered the studio, Iilanthys looked around him in awe. The walls in here were also plastered with photos of the old man's previous work, but these were of a far more intricate - and intimate - nature.

He blushed, and turned away from a gorgeous picture of flowers and vines which he had realised a little too late wound up and around the naked thigh of a female, only to see the old man chuckling in amusement.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Don't worry, Sonny - everyone in here an' out there wanted to be shown off, so look all ye like. This ain't nothin' compared to some I've done - far too indecent fer photographin', that's fer sure."

Iilanthys tried to ignore the way the old man chuckled at him, as he sat down on the chair and rolled his sleeve back to expose his arm.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He gritted his teeth as the old man pulled on some goggles with thick lenses, and started up the needle. The buzzing noise was intense and grating, like a hive of beetanke were in the room.

"Now you hold still, Sonny" the old man said, screwing a bright bottle of what Iilanthys supposed was ink into the back of the needle.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"This is going to sting, so I'm gonna strap yer arm down so ye don't move an' ruin it" he muttered, buckling the belts around Iilanthys' wrist and elbow.

Iilanthys nodded and grimaced as the needle began punching into his skin. It was very uncomfortable, and bits of it were mildly painful, but it wasn't unbearable and by the time the old man stopped he had a pale network of Orange stripes from his elbow to his wrist.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Iilanthys nodded as the old man described the aftercare he would need and wrapped his arm in a bandage, before he was allowed to shrug his shirt sleeve down over it. He handed over the first of his payments and bid the old man goodbye, before leaving the dingy shop, a thin trail of smoke following him out as he closed the door behind him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He made his way to his accommodation, finding the ordeal had tired him out, and removed only his boots before collapsing into his hammock in the tiny room, barely remembering to close the door behind him.

When he woke, the sun had set, and he had to light a candle in order to make his way to the bathroom.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He gently unwrapped the bandage and diligently cleaned the tattoo, noticing absently that the colour seemed to have brightened as he had slept but unable to see just how much it had in the flickering candlelight.

He yawned, and returned to his hammock after searching through his belongings for something to eat and finding an apple and some bread.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He missed the ship, and the crew, and right now he sincerely missed the cook, who didn't care what time it was as long as he was awake. The humble fare he had for supper was so far removed from the delicious dishes and generous servings the cook provided as a staple, Iilanthys resolved to get himself contracted as soon as he was able to.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He grimaced; work would have to wait for a while, as even if he didn't have the contract with the old man, the Doctor had refused to sign him off as 'fit' and nobody would hire an unfit crewman in case something happened, as they would be liable for any injuries sustained by him or anyone who tried to help him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He sighed to himself, and placed the candlestick on the small metal shelf beside his hammock. He climbed in, pulled his coat over himself in lieu of a blanket, and blew the candle out, settling down to hope for better things from the next day. Soft sounds of breathing soon filled the tiny room.