Chapter 8 - Hale At Heart

Cody had been surprised by how much he liked going to the tattoo parlor. Neither side of his family was much for that kind of self-expression, but once he got that first tattoo, he was hooked. He loved the fact that he had a physical, visible reminder of who he was and where he was. It was grounding and fun.

He always brought someone with him when he went to the parlor, though, because his mom was still worried about him. He still had moments when he'd space out, though those were becoming fewer and farther between. He was getting better. A lot better.

So, he asked Zoe to go with him to the shop and spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not he felt comfortable enough with his own thoughts and emotions to dive in with her like he knew she was waiting for him to do.

They walked into the parlor together, and he stole a sidelong glance her way. Even though she was a shapeshifter, she didn't seem to care much for blending in. He was pretty sure she was cheating to make her hair an even brighter red than normal, and she had a few more freckles across her nose than usual.

"I kind of like the new look," Cody said with a ghost of a smirk as the door closed behind them. It wasn't a big place, but it was clean and quiet but for the buzzing of the artists working.

"Same to you," Zoe said with a grin. "What are you getting this time?"

"A P-51 Mustang," Cody replied with a smirk. "It's mostly going to be fine line, so it will take a while. Probably three sessions, maybe four. This is the first."

"Then we'll just hang out and chat for a while," Zoe said with a shrug. "What does the P-51 look like?"

"It's an old WWII fighter plane — all silver."

"I bet I could copy it," she said with a crooked smile — and just to prove it, she rolled up her sleeve to show him the Alaskan tattoo she was copying from his arm.

"You could copy the pin up girl on the nose," he shot back with a smirk.

Zoe stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, I didn't know you were into busty blondes. Typical."

"It's part of the history," he replied loftily. "And I didn't say it was a blonde."

She smirked at him and then shifted her hair to brown. "Better?" she teased.

"Closer," he said before he handed her the photo they were going to be working from.

Zoe laughed at him as her hair shifted back to its bright red, and she shook her head before handing it back. "You're going to run out of room if you keep up at this rate," she teased.

He shrugged. "That happens, maybe I'll send mom into fits and get something pierced."

"You're going full rebel Summers," she laughed.

"Good to know it's amusing to someone at least," he said, though he was smirking her way. He liked hearing her laugh, and he felt more comfortable around her than he had in a long time. And, he decided all at once, he didn't want to be his brother and overthink himself out of happiness.

He didn't have time to put words or actions to that thought before Cody's artist came out — obviously grinning his way. Cody was a regular, and the work he was getting wasn't the cheap stuff, either. He led the two of them back to his station and offered Zoe a chair as Cody took off his shirt and got comfortable.

Zoe pulled herself up to watch the process with a little grin. She'd already gotten to see Cody get the magnolia he had over his heart because of the texting mixup a while ago, but it would be more fun to see the whole thing come to fruition. Plus, there was plenty of room to tease about him being shirtless for so long.

Cody was looking at the magnolia as his artist put the finishing touches on his sketch. "It's healing up nicely."

Zoe leaned forward and smiled. "I think it's sweet. I still think you should have added a 'Hale at Heart' banner underneath it."

"Gotta think about it," he said with a smile. "And let it heal right."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh," she said, nodding along. "Which is code for you know I'm right and it'll happen when you come back, right?" She looked at the artist with a winning smile. "He knows I'm right."

"He's addicted," the artist said, shaking his head. "Even I'm telling him to slow down a little bit." And that was saying something, considering that this guy had both arms completely sleeved.

Zoe gestured at Cody wordlessly and then at the artist. "I'll sit on him so he has to heal up between tattoos."

"He'd probably like that a lot," the guy said with a laugh.

Zoe grinned, especially when Cody flushed. "Oh, yeah, I'm definitely sitting on you later," she promised. "Just for that face you're making."

"I'm not making a face," Cody said, then he gave his artist a look. "Stop that."

The artist was smirking — and that only got worse when Zoe illustrated her point with a perfect imitation of a blushing Cody face over the artist's shoulder. "This face?" she asked sweetly.

Cody stared at her for a moment and then couldn't help but laugh quietly. "Yes."

"Mark the day. He agreed with me," Zoe giggled, clearly enjoying herself.

The artist was grinning outright. "I won't say I'm going to rush, but I'll get this started and underway just as quick as is reasonable so you can learn how to help him with his aftercare." He didn't bother even trying not to smile as he started cleaning up the skin and prepping for the transfer stencil. "Can't leave your pin up girl waiting."

"Cody, did you steal a picture of me for inspiration purposes?" she asked, a wicked smile on her face.

"Not yet," he shot back with a smile. "You got any in that pose?"

She blinked at him for a moment before she burst into a laugh. "Tell you what," she said. "Just for you, I will. As soon as I disconnect my hips."

"No rush," the artist said, finally handing Cody the mirror so he could okay the placement. "We're leaving the nose cone empty for now."

"I mean, I could copy the girl in the picture. Her hair isn't as red as mine, of course," Zoe said with a little sniff.

"Today," Cody said.

Zoe gaped at him. "Oh, if you weren't getting a tattoo, I would hit you."

"You're already hitting on him," the guy said. "Which … carry on. Carry on."

"We're not distracting, are we?" Zoe asked sweetly. "Because I can be more obvious."

"Nah, not at all; as long as he doesn't start moving, you just go right ahead," the guy said. "Might give me ideas for the pin up girl."

Zoe fluttered her eyelashes. "She needs freckles."

"She'll have to be a lot bigger to even see freckles," he told her. "But I'll see what I can do." He looked up at Cody and then over to Zoe. "You ready to get started, or do you need her to give you a good luck kiss before we get moving?"

"Her call," Cody said.

Zoe looked surprised and then thrilled that he had finally given her permission to move past the careful dance they'd been doing all that time. And then, she leaned over to give Cody a long kiss that wasn't exactly polite, either. And when she was finally done, they were both grinning. "Good luck," she said, her hair somehow even redder — and not because she'd meant it to be.

Cody was smirking her way as the artist snickered to himself and simply got started. And though he got a lot done in the three hours they were there, it was clear that there was a lot left to do. When they were finished for the day, the tattoo artist gave Cody a smile and then pointedly turned toward Zoe and gave her the lowdown for aftercare. And how much she could get away with without compromising the integrity of the tattoo. In detail.

By the time they left the parlor, Zoe's hair was more orange than red, and she was shaking her head to herself. "And I live with Tony and Howard," she muttered to herself, though it was loud enough for Cody to hear too.

"He was actually being nice," Cody said. "I've heard him give much more exact lists of do's and do not's."

"Yeah, but..." She let out a breath and turned his way, one eyebrow arched up. I mean, unless you're a much faster mover than the rest of your family…

Guess we'll have to find out.

Zoe let out a delighted laugh and reached over to hit his shoulder. "You're fun when you're like this," she said.

"I'm glad to hear someone appreciates it. I usually get a vexed look from Chance."

"Cody, if you're hitting on Chance, we're going to have to talk," Zoe said without missing a beat.

He started laughing outright at that. "Oh. Yeah, no. That's not ever going to happen."

"Good, because you're old enough to know why that's so, so, so, sooooo wrong."

"So many reasons, but the cherry on the cake is to not date down on the looks," Cody shot back.

Zoe was grinning widely as she stopped and turned his way, popping one foot up high behind her to lean on his left shoulder. "But I'm cute, right? Pin-up worthy?"

"No. Not cute at all. But very, very pretty."

She grinned. "Nice. Good wordplay," she said. "I'm definitely sending you a picture just for that. Less busty, though. That's just stupid."

"I wouldn't complain."

Zoe grinned even wider and bumped shoulders with him. "Seriously, what changed? I'm totally not complaining, but I thought you weren't ready for dating or even flirting."

Cody smiled her way and offered her his hand. "Honestly? As weird as it sounds, waking up and seeing a tattoo has seriously cut down on the morning panic attacks. It's something concrete that reminds me Sinister is behind me." He paused. "And I can't keep second-guessing myself forever, so if I'm not having panic attacks, why hold back from trying to live my own life?"

"You make very good points," Zoe said, bouncing with every step and tickled almost literally pink with this turn of events.

The drive was full of teasing and back and forth as Zoe looked more and more delighted, but that all changed when they got back to find Chloe and Kaleb watching the news with Kari.

"Ooh, what's going on now?" Zoe asked in a sigh that was half interested and half dreading the answer.

"Howard Stark and Sadie. Kissing in the street. Like no one would be watching them," Kari said.

Cody frowned for a moment and looked toward Chloe and Kaleb, but it seemed at least like they weren't too upset — at least, not for the reasons Cody was worried about. A quick scan told him they didn't think Sadie had just dropped Kaleb for Howard — because she'd told them both as much and they believed her. Instead, Chloe was worried about her friend's choice in rebound.

Give her a little credit, Chlo, he projected to her, which had her rolling her eyes at him.

It's not her I'm worried about.

It should be, Cody said, smirking hard — and then smiling outright at her sort of shocked, scandalized expression before she broke into a smile all the same, knowing he was right.

Yeah, poor little rich boy, she projected, her tone sarcastic and complete with a very Summers-esque look.

Cody just had to laugh at that as he and Zoe sat down, though Zoe made sure to sit on his left side specifically so she could sit closer to him and hit him in the shoulder when she realized he was in his head with his sister.

"Oh come on," she said. "You were being hilarious all day. Don't go quiet and mysterious now."

I thought you wanted me to keep my flirting where it belonged. Away from my siblings.

She grinned up at him and shook her head. Well yeah. But that doesn't mean you have to shut up around them. I'm not shy. I'm a Barton.

Just having a conversation about this little bit of drama.

You mean the thing that literally everyone who lives with Howard has seen coming for forever?

Ah, but … it's still kind of shocking for this group. Since they haven't seen him pushing.

Zoe leaned forward as if she was whispering, even if she was speaking telepathically. She hadn't grown up around telepaths like the kids whose parents were X-Men, so she wasn't nearly as good at holding back her physical cues in her conversations. Nikki overheard him telling his dad he'd keep trying until there was a ring, she said. He was in the vents. Sneaky spy brother.

That could go more than one way, Cody replied.

It really, really could, Zoe agreed. But if these guys don't know how determined Howard was… She took a deep breath and looked at the others. "Really, I'm just surprised the press is picking it up now. He's been pining after her for so, so long."

"They follow him and just wait for a story though, right?" Kari said with a frown. "This … kinda sounds like a story even if they haven't had a lot of Stark news."

"It is a story," Zoe agreed. "A gorgeous ballerina has a boyfriend."

Kaleb snorted. "Yeah, that's what it's gonna say in the headline, too."

"Is Uncle Logan going to kill him?" Zoe asked, clearly entertained.

"For public kissing? We'll have to wait and see," Kaleb said. "It seems like a possible killable offense."

"I'm just not very patient," she said. "I want to know if there's going to be murder, and I wanna know now."

"Then you should probably go ask him if he's seen the news yet," Kaleb suggested with a growing smile.

Zoe grinned at that. "Want to express me there?" she asked. "Be a good fellow Hawk?"

Kaleb matched her grin — and a moment later, Zoe and Kaleb were in the pool room, where Logan and Kurt were joking around with each other when the two Hawks showed up.

"Uncle Logan!" Zoe called out, rushing over to go wrap him in a hug the way her mom always did.

Logan barely got his cue leaned against the table before she attached herself, and he wrapped her up in a hug and kissed the top of her head. "What's got you all fired up, punkin'?"

"I want to know if you're going to murder Howard — and can I come?" she asked.

He frowned at that and leaned back so he could look at her clearer. "Why do I need to murder Howard?"

"Oh you don't necessarily need to, I just thought if you were going to, I'd want to be there."

"I probably do if you're asking if I'm going to."

Zoe looked over her shoulder at Kaleb, who was smirking hard beside his rather suspicious-looking father. "He's on the news," she explained.

Logan glanced over to Kurt, though he didn't turn his head. "Do I wanna know?"

"It's not horrible," Zoe promised. "They're only kissing. But in public where the paparazzi got a great action shot." She grinned almost maliciously. "Good form, both of them."

Logan growled — though it was clear he didn't mean to. He thought it over for a moment, then shook his head. "Nope."

"Nope… no murder?" Zoe asked, one eye closed.

Logan shook his head again. "Not yet."

"But you'll tell me if there will be, right?"

"Nope," Logan and Kurt both said at once.

Kaleb leaned forward with a smirk. "You're an Avenger, Zo. You don't need to see that if it happens," he teased. "It's too hot for you."

"You," she said, leveling a finger Kaleb's way, "are mean-spirited."

"He's right, though," Logan said, going right back to his pool game and cigar. "Keep yer goodie two shoes in your own business."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Just for that, I won't tell you about my new career as a pin-up girl."

"'Sfine," Logan said easily as he lined up a shot. "I'll give your mother the heads up on that, though."

She stuck her tongue out at him and then darted over to kiss his cheek right at the shot. "So mean."

"Underage pinup girl, get real," he growled out.

"First of all, I'm nineteen," she sniffed.

"Can't drink," he said, not missing a beat. "So what is it you're all proud of being old enough for?" He turned to look her way with a challenging glare.

Zoe blinked at him for a moment and then scrunched up her nose. "Old enough to be gorgeous," she said airily.

"Uh-huh," he said, shaking his head and turning back to his game. "If you're too shy to talk about it, you shouldn't be doing it."

"What makes you think I am?" Zoe shot back.

Logan gave her a look, then raised an eyebrow. "You really want me to answer that?"

"Because I'm not," Zoe continued.

"I know that too."

She tipped her chin up a bit. "Not yet, anyway."

"If you can't talk about it, you shouldn't do it."

"That's your rule," she said with her nose scrunched up.

"And it's a good rule," he said. "Works with everyone else."

Zoe waved her hand at him. "Whatever."

But that had Logan smirking wickedly to himself, which had Kurt starting to grin. "Uh-huh."

"Ugh. I came down for murder bonding and get grilled about sex instead," Zoe said, rolling her eyes.

"Murder and sex go hand in hand," Logan said. "Ask your mother. She'll corroborate."

"Mmm, no thanks," Zoe said. "Dad's already given me 'the talk' in way more detail than I ever wanted to hear."

"I'm not talking about that — and I don't know if you got it in the detail my kids got it," Logan replied.

"She did not," Kurt said, shaking his head slowly. "But maybe she should."

"Oh my gosh, it's not a competition," Zoe grumbled. "You're both ridiculous."

"It's a very informative talk," Kurt defended. "Even I heard things that sounded new."

"I'd rather learn by doing," Zoe sniffed, turning for the door and all but stalking up to where the other kids were, totally ignoring the two laughing elves and her stupid uncle.

The others were all chatting about the latest drama on the news, but Zoe went right to Cody to pull on his hand to get him to his feet. "Come on, Cody," she said. "We were having fun before all this nonsense."

He frowned her way but let her pull him along. "You got a major attitude change."

"My great-uncle is being not so great," she said, rolling her eyes as she pulled him around a corner and then spun on the spot to face him and stand on her toes to kiss him again.

That is the weirdest way to start a makeout session, Cody projected, though he wasn't exactly complaining as he settled his hands at her waist. But you should know … that's all this can be. I am a gentleman, Miss Zoe.

Zoe pulled back a bit to frown at him. "What happened to 'let's find out how fast I move'?"

"We can find out, but seeing as we haven't even had a date yet, my mother would skin me if anything went too far," he said with a smirk.

She let out a little snort. "See," she said, "this is why you need that banner under your magnolia."

"Like I said," he replied before he leaned down to kiss her again. "I'll think about it."

She let out a little breath and then rested her hands on his shoulders. "So hurry up and ask me on a date, then," she said. "Slowpoke."

"Now I feel as though I'm being coerced," he said, smirking her way. "But … seeing as I kind of appreciate this kind of coercion … wanna go split a milkshake or something?"

She smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, that sounds like something a proper gentleman like you would do."