Tattoo Artist AU requested by Wallylovespie

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that belong to DC.

" So, you want to get a tattoo?" The owner of the shop asked. He was a tall, broad shouldered man, with longish black hair and an unusual white streak through one side of his bangs.

" I was planning to get one. Is there a problem?" Irey raised an eyebrow, her form much smaller than his. So much that he towered over her.

He smiled at Irey, as if he was laughing internally at the girl's intentions of getting a tattoo.

" Hey, Damian?" He called suddenly, keeping eye contact with her the whole time, the grin lessening, but not vanishing.

" Yeah, Jason?" Came the reply from the back room. Jason stood up and walked towards the door, she couldn't make out Damian but she could see his shadow.

" I've got a chick here who wants to get a tattoo. Could you do it? I need to go and see if my bike's been fixed." Irey's nostrals flared at the word chick. What an ass, why did Bart recomend she come here?

Jason gave the hidden guy a thumbs up, showing Damian must have agreed. He then spun on his heels and brushed past her on his way out the door.

Irey cleared her throat and Damian emerged. Her jaw almost hit the floor.

His hair was black, Clipped closely at the sides and left longer on top and spiked up. He was tall like Jason but not as bulky looking. And to her he was cute. Irey composed herself as he walked towards her, still smiling nervously to herself.

" what do you want done?" He leaned against the desk. Irey produced a slip of paper with her design on it, from her purse and handed it to him gingerly.

He took it and set it down on the table, looking back at her with a question in his eyes, " a swift? Has that got any special meaning? Or is it just your favourite bird?"

Irey chuckled, " It's a bit of both. It is my favourite bird and it was my nickname on the track team in highschool, my brother came up with it."

Damian perked up, as if he'd heard something familiar. " what highschool?"

" Keystone...why?"

" well, well, well. Iris west, I'll be damned if I thought I'd run into you again."

He laughed at her expression, " I knew your brother, we used to play soccer on a saturday."

" wait...you knew Jai?..." Her eyes went wide and an shocked smile came to grace her features, " holy crap, Damian. As in Damian Wayne? Oh my god I do remember you!" She pointed an acusing finger, " you were a complete asshole to me."

Damian just laughed at her, " yeah that's me." He put his hands up apoligetically, " I'm sorry about being a jerk to you, I promise I'll behave." He winked at her and scarlet stained her cheeks. He picked up the paper again, and shook his head disbelievingly, " God, I haven't seen you and Jai since we were like, sixteen."

" I know." She sat down on one of the padded benches.

" How old are you now?"

" I'll be nineteen in three weeks. You should come to the party, I'm sure Jai would be happy to see you."

Damian nodded, heading back over to the desk, doing the outline of the tattoo in order to transfer it onto Irey's skin. He came back to her after a few minutes and gestured to her, " where are-

" Just on my side." She lifted her shirt and pointed to the skin just above the jut on her hip. " here."

" Okay." He pressed the paper down, and rubbed it for a few seconds, peeling it back to reveal a faded outline of blue ink. " Let's get started."

After an hour of numbing spray and awkward conversation, Irey's tattoo was finished and shaded. The redhead stood up and shuffled towards the mirror, turning to the side to admire the artwork that was now permanently drawn on her skin. " Is it alright?" Damian asked, pulling off his gloves.

" It's awesome!" She turned and hugged him, " Thank you!"

Damian was taken aback, " -tt- it's no problem. I'm just glad you like it."

They took a picture to put on the board outside the shop. And Irey paid what she was due. She was about to leave after saying thank you for the fifth time in a row, when she stopped dead. " oh hey, If you still wanna come to the party." She fished about in her purse, " here is my number and the address."

Damian smiled and took the paper from her.

" I'll be sure to keep in touch, Iris."

I don't understand how I can't make these longer and it's driving me mad.

Again, please Review, PM, yada yada.

:)