So this was a fun chapter to write and you'll find out why towards the end =D Also, longer then all the other chapters... I hope you like it anyway =) Have fun reading it.
Joanna looked at Sam's back as he walked ahead of her and sighed. He had been quiet since she'd woken up the day before and practically refused to speak and she knew why. They had both been so close to getting Dean back. Then Jo had screwed up, gotten captured and possessed. And Sam had chosen her over his brother.
He didn't blame her, had already forgiven her but his silence reigned supreme and Jo knew that Sam had yet to forget.
"Here," He mumbled, gesturing to a spray-painted building. Jo didn't know where they were going or why but now she did. They were at the tattoo parlour. It was a grim looking building that was worn and the spray-painting was obscene and rude. But through the decorated windows it seemed bright enough so Jo went in before Sam when he opened the door for her.
"Good evenin'," A bald man with tattoos decorating every part of visible skin, and most likely non-visible skin, sauntered over. He had piercings rimming his ears, eyebrows, lips and nose. When he spoke, Jo could see an orange gem in his tongue.
"Ow can I 'elp ya?" His speech was slurred and lisped, raggedy even. "Here to get a tattoo," Sam replied, his voice stronger than before but no less sorrowful. The man smiled but it looked more like a leer and the hunters could see the horrible grime on his teeth.
"What type, eh?" Turning to the small counter the man leaned on it and dragged a folder over, flipping it open. Jo looked at the page he'd opened to. It was full of roses and hearts. "Just like this one." Sam pulled his shirt down a little to show the anti-demon possession tattoo.
The man whistled lowly, "Nice." He turned to Jo and eyed her over. The gaze made her uncomfortable and she subtly stepped closer to Sam. "So where's the pretty lady gettin' er tat?" He kept staring at her and she looked up at Sam but he'd crossed his arms and was watching a lady with glasses get a nose piercing.
"Uh," Jo thought for a bit and eventually lifted the bottom of her own shirt to reveal her right hip. "Here." Sam glanced down at her then away and the man gestured over to a tattoo booth. "Take a seat o'er there, lovely."
With a barely concealed glance of disgust, Jo took her seat gingerly and Sam stood beside her. "Does it hurt?" She watched him and he smiled but it seemed forced on his features. "Not really."
Jo laughed, the sound quick and hesitant, "Sounds like fun." The man returned with the folder and he flipped through it till he found an image that matched Sam's tattoo to the line. "What colour do ya want?"
Biting her bottom lip in thought, Jo stared at the paper cut out before settling on a colour, "Black." It was simple and easy. "Got a special on colour today," The man lisped and he grinned with those horrible teeth of his. "Could add a lil flare around the edges," He turned the image and gestured at it.
"Red or blue," He looked at Jo, "Even green or some'ing."
"Rim it in green," Jo agreed nearly instantly and she just caught the sight of Sam smiling from the corner of her eye. She turned and poked her tongue at him cheekily, trying to get another reaction from him but his silence had taken over again.
"'Old still," The man caught his own tongue between his teeth in concentration as he took up one of the needles in his hand; the black. Hiking up Jo's shirt a bit, the man studied the image before pressing the needle to her delicate flesh.
It stung and a faint pain radiated from the point of contact but upon closing her eyes Jo found she could ignore the fleeting discomfort. Without seeing, she turned to Sam. "This tickles," She whispered, a faint smile curling her lips.
With no vision she couldn't see the flash of sadness that brushed across Sam; those words had been the same that his brother had said.
The two hunters remained there for time unknown and occasionally Jo scrunched up her nose when the needle hit a sensitive part but otherwise she stayed still. At her side, Sam never seemed to move, arms folded over his chest and brow furrowed.
"Done-it," The man muttered and sat back; a grin of self-satisfaction on his face. He quirked his eyebrow and winked to Jo when her eyes opened but she merely sighed and rolled her brown eyes.
"Take a look," A mirror was pushed into Jo's hands and she angled it to check out her new tattoo. It was black, like Sam's, bar the green tinge lacing the flames. "Awesome," Joanna smiled happily, missing the look that stole over Sam for a second. That word in itself brought back too many memories.
"No problem," The man picked up a gauze bandage and proceeded to wrap the tattoo securely, a size-fitting Band-Aid over the ink as well. Giving instructions to the care of the ink, the man led Jo and Sam back to the counter. There it was paid for and the hunters left the building but not after the man gave Jo another disgusting wink.
"That was fun," Jo grinned and stretched her arms above her head, letting her shirt ride up a bit. Sam simply stood still, staring off into the distance and Jo sighed, lowering her arms and walking off. She could hear his footsteps behind her and so didn't look back; what would be the point in seeing the sorrow and grim face of a man who's lost everything?
"Hey, Sam?" She called back over her shoulder and was responded with a light grunt. "Do me a favour and never go to Heaven." Those footsteps paused and Jo swung around anyway to find Sam with an eyebrow raised in question.
"Cause my mother's going to kick your ass for letting me get a tattoo."
That had the desired affect and Jo caught the fleeting smile he shot her way. With a self-satisfied smirk, Jo turned away. The small smile quickly faded from Sam's lips; he'd made that move to make Jo happy. He still hadn't told her the truth about what happened when she was possessed. She didn't know about the demon blood, still didn't know why he went out occasionally or why he carried that flask around.
They walked for several minutes; Sam had parked the Impala a far way down the road, round bends and across intersections. Jo was just ahead of him and she kept looking down the alleys between buildings as if waiting for something to leap out at them.
And then she stopped. Jo turned to the alleyway at her left and stared down into its depths. It was eerie and dark; riddled with garbage bins and filth. "Sam?" She turned slightly to face the taller hunter and he came up beside her.
There was something rustling in amongst the garbage bins. "Could be an animal," Sam muttered, narrowing his eyes to try and glimpse anything through the darkness. Jo shrugged, taking her dagger from her belt and holding it in her left hand. Her right side was too weak in a fight from the fresh tattoo. "One way to find out."
Inching down the alley, Jo took point towards the rustling. Sam had his hand on his gun and he kept glancing around. No-one noticed them.
Just before Joanna walked into the pile of garbage bags they rustled a final time before heaving to the side. Jo jumped back a bit and from within the pile leapt something small and orange. It collided with Jo who let out a small scream and stumbled back into Sam. Like a dominos affect, the two hunters fell to the ground amidst the filth.
And then the purring began. Opening one eye, Jo stared at the small, fuzzy kitten on her stomach. It was a ginger and its fur seemed to stand on end as it purred contentedly, tiny claws digging gently into her skin. She started to laugh, unaware of Sam lying beneath her trying to get free.
"Sam, Sam," She turned over somewhat to tap his chest with a grin and show him the kitten. "We got taken out by a kitten." Jo laughed again, somewhat disbelieving as she stood up, the kitten clasped in her hands. Sam took to his feet behind her and dusted himself off grumpily.
He swung around to find Jo cradling the small feline in her arms and swaying gently. It purred contently and its eyes had started to drift shut. "We gotta go," Sam spoke up, trying to get past the fact that a kitten had taken them to the ground.
Jo looked up, her brown eyes wide and pleading, "Can we keep it Sam?" She had nuzzled the kitten in to her chest and her fingers drifted through its fur. "No." Sam turned away and started to walk from the alley. Jo hurried after him, the kitten still in her clasp.
"Well, I'm keeping it," Jo stated with finality and Sam sighed, running a hand over his face. "Whatever; just don't let it shed in the car." He let that sentence hang for a little while and they both knew why it was so important; such a simple thing.
Holding the kitten in both hands, Jo held the sleeping animal up to eye level and appraised it. A moment later came her statement, "I'm calling it Lucifer."
Sam whirled around, "No." He was adamant and just caught Jo's smirk, "Lucifer, it is."
So did you like it? I liked it. And Lucifer is soo adorable =D ^_^ I just had to add that. Also, mainly because I just read a Tasertricks in which Darcy got Loki a kitten... And I wanted a kitten in my fic... Now I'm happy. Lucifer is just going to be around, not a big part of this but an adorable part. Anywho I hope you liked this chapter =D Jo got a tat! And it has green. I wonder why... *CoughDeanHasGreenEyesCough* Well, tune in next time for- *Insert next chapter title here*. Over and Out Hunters!