AN: So, I feel this story should have a warning attached because there's mention of blood and body modification, but it isn't a video ... but I guess if you have a weak stomach it's best not to read this chapter.
"I can't believe you're doing this, babe."
"You're still going to love me, right?"
"Of course I will, but it's going to hurt."
"It will also feel great once it's healed."
"How is that suppose to feel great?"
"I meant for you."
Blushing, Roxas turned away from his boyfriend and looked at Larxene.
"Out of all the things we could have done as friends and all the places we could have hung out, we're in a tattoo shop."
"Don't worry, sweetie. We planned this months in advance ... you just happened to be here."
"What!?"
"It's true, Roxas. Larxene and I planned this shit out a long time ago ... I asked you to come along because I'm nervous."
Axel glanced at the scalpel and shuddered. It wasn't the scalpel itself that worried Axel, or the pain that was to follow ... Axel could take all of that, but it was the blood. Axel did not like blood at all.
"I still can't believe you freak out over the sight of blood. You do know you bleed for tattoos, right?"
"It's not that I'm afraid of the sight of blood. I just think I'm going to bleed to death and I barely see the blood when I get my tattoos done. But I'm getting my tongue cut in half ... I'm going to see, taste and feel the blood ... Oh Christ."
Roxas laughed and looked down at his boyfriend, shaking his head at the whole thing.
Roxas knew that people were surprised to hear they were together ... they were complete opposites. Roxas dressed in fitting jeans and fitting t-shirts, he had blond hair that he kept blond and he's had the same hair cut since he was 13. While Axel ... Axel was everything Roxas wasn't, appearance wise at least. He had spikey red hair that Roxas had to check and see if it was natural (it was), tattoos and piercings and his jeans were always torn and his t-shirts were always bag. It wasn't even that Axel bought his clothes with tears in them, he just did things to cause them to tear and stain ... things Roxas would never do, like go into an abandoned factory to check for ghosts only to have his pants catch on a broken pipe.
But Axel was sweet and kind, he was funny and incredibly smart and Roxas was glad he didn't judge Axel by his cover. They had been together three years and he loved every minute of it.
"Roxas? Roxas, don't zone out on me now, I need you!"
Shaking his head and looking directly into his boyfriend's eyes, Roxas smirked and shrugged.
"Sorry, was thinking about us. What's up?"
"Saix is about to cut my tongue in half so you know, try to focus."
"Oh ... you don't want me to hold your hand, do you?"
"No."
"Okay, because I'm going to film it."
"Why?"
"So you can watch it later and pass out at the sight of your blood running down your front."
"Why would you do that to me?"
"Because I love you."
Sighing and turning towards Saix, Axel stuck his tongue out and let Saix clamp the two forceps onto his tongue, one on either side.
"This is going to be so cool."
Roxas turned his attention back to Larxene, who was getting a tattoo of her cat's paw onto her arm.
"Are you sure you don't want to get anything done, Roxas? I think you'd look adorable with a labret piercing, or even a belly button ring."
"No, thank you. I'm fine how I am."
Smiling and rolling her eyes, Larxene turned her focus back on to Saix and Axel, watching with wide eyes as Saix picked up the scaplel.
"Ready?"
"Uh-huh."
"Awesome."
Pulling his camera out, Roxas began filming, but had to look away five seconds into the process, imagining the pain that Axel probably felt made his stomach turn and his tongue hurt. Glancing back to Axel, Roxas felt the colour wash from his face at the sight of blood.
"Looks like Axel isn't the only one with the fear of blood."
"It's because it's my boyfriend."
"Go back to shutting your eyes, you'll be watching the video with Axel later on."
Nodding, Roxas sat on one of the chairs and made sure the camera was on Axel.
"How's your tattoo?"
"It's almost done."
"Does it hurt?"
"Not really, no."
"I think I might get my lip pierced."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I think it would look cute on you, Roxas. A little stud though, not a hoop. Well, maybe a hoop ... go with the stud though."
"Done, you didn't want the cauterization, right? You wanted the stitches?"
"Sitches, yeah."
Larxene smiled and talked for Axel, knowing that he couldn't.
The whole process didn't take long and Roxas turned back to Saix with his eyes wide.
"You're done? Already?"
"I'm done the cutting, yep. Just need to stitch him up. How you doing, Ax?"
Putting his thumbs up, which were shaking, Axel blinked and looked at Roxas, who looked like he had just had the procedure done.
Stitching Axel up didn't take long either, and Roxas just stared and was glad he was sat down.
"Ou okay?"
Nodding, Roxas blinked and looked at his boyfriend, amazing that he was able to talk and still had colour in his cheeks.
"Ou ook ick."
"No, I just can't believe ... Wow."
Turning his camera to Larxene, Roxas zoomed in on her now complete tattoo.
"That looks really cute, Larxene.
"Yeah, thank you. Are you getting your lip done?"
"Oh ... yes. I am."
Looking at Saix, Roxas smiled and shifted slightly.
"... I'd like my lip done, please, the labret. With a stud, if possible."
"You have to fill this form out, hold on."
"Ou illy gunna get it done?"
"Yeah. I think it would suit me too ... I'm just scared of needles and that's really been the only thing holding me back.
"Oh.. okay. Ou know at I uv ou no matter what ou have, ight?
"I know. Don't worry, I'm not getting this thinking that you want me to. I really do want a piercing."
"Well be careful, Roxas. They're addictive."
Looking at Saix and nodding, Roxas took the clipboard and began filling the information out as Axel stood slowly and made his way out to pay for his tongue, followed by Larxene.
"Wait, you two are coming back right?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Yeah!"
Finishing the form, Roxas handed it to Xemnas, the tattoo artist, who nodded and placed it aside while Saix got everything set up.
"Alright, swish this in your mouth, spit it here and then sit in the chair."
Standing and feeling his legs turn into jelly, Roxas made his way to the sink and did as he was told, then to the chair and sat down fast.
"My legs feel like jelly."
"Did you eat before you came here?"
"Yes."
"Didn't drink alcohol last night or take any drugs? Pills?"
"Nope."
"Are you on any blood thinners?"
"No."
"History of bleeding in the family?"
"Nope."
Axel and Larxene returned and smiled at Roxas, both of them pulling out their phones to take a video of this. Marking where the piercing was going to be, Saix showed Roxas in the mirror.
"Is that okay?"
"Yeah, it's great."
Roxas smiled at the little dot by his lip, right in the middle.
"Perfect. Ready to go?"
Shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath, Roxas nodded and waited for the worst pain of his life.
He felt the forceps clamp on, he heard Saix tell him to take a deep breath in; which he did, and then he felt ... a pinch and the feel of skin splitting in two, like he had just ripped a dead piece of skin off his lip.
"Done."
Cracking his eye open, Roxas glanced down and back up at Saix, who was currently putting the ball onto the stud.
"What? You're done?"
"Yep. How was it?"
"I ... But it was supposed to hu ... what the fuck?"
Hearing Axel laugh and then whine, Roxas turned and glared, but stopped at the puppy eyes he was receiving.
"That didn't hurt as much as I thought it would."
"It never does."
Standing up slowly to make sure he wasn't going to faint, Roxas listened to Saix explain the rules and took the piece of paper handed to him.
"Since I know your boyfriend and he comes in here often, this one is free."
"This one? Oh, no, I won't be getting more."
"We'll see."
Saix winked and Roxas and returned to the main counter, leaving Roxas there confused.
"Well, I know you two don't want to eat and probably can't, but I'd like a milkshake ... And you two can have water ... Nice, refreshing water."
Looking at Larxene, both Axel and Roxas nodded and left the store holding each other's hands.
Passing by a mirror, Roxas glanced at his reflection and smiled at his new piercing. It looked awesome ... But not as awesome as a nose ring would look on him. Thinking back to Saix's words, Roxas sighed and knew Saix was probably right. And Roxas knew that his father would be there with his usual speech ready.
"I told you hanging out with those two would be trouble."
But hanging out with Axel and Larxene had given Roxas love and amazing memories. Hanging out with his friends helped him when nothing else could. And if one day he didn't want his piercing, he could take it out, but he could never remove the impact these two had made on him.