Tattooing Hope
He looked up when he heard the little bell above the bass that thrummed out of the speakers around the small shop. She was a tiny little thing, looked like a virgin too. He strongly doubted there was a drop of ink on that porcelain skin. He walked over to the counter and looked at her. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
She smiled nervously. "I want to get the word 'hope' tattooed on my wrist."
Daryl nodded his head. "Fill out this paper work, and I'm gonna need an I.D. Once that's done flip through this book and find a script you like." He left her at the counter while he went to set up his station. He wiped everything down, got the new needle ready and set out the ink, the paper towel and the tape for when he was finished, fetched a new bottle of water, and the healing gel they used. He wiped down the table one more time before going back over to her.
"I like this one," she told him, pointing to a sexy cursive script.
"Okay, go ahead and have a seat back there, I'll get the stencil made up and come back." She nodded her head and walked back to his table and sat down, pulling her sleeves up.
"Who is that?" Merle asked, coming back to make his own stencil.
"Name's Beth." Daryl pulled his out and headed over to the station.
"Better be careful with that cherry," Merle called after him.
Daryl saw Beth stiffen a little. "Don't mind him; he's an ass to everyone." He sat down and looked at her. "Wrist?" She held it out slowly and he didn't miss the scars there, he knew them all too well. Growing up the way he did, he'd seen those on too many people. He didn't say anything about it as he gently put the stencil over her wrist and peeled the paper back. He looked up at her as he picked up the needle gun. "This ain't gonna feel good. You need a break you say somethin'." She nodded her head
"Better just send her home now," Merle called out. "Little southern bell like her won't take it."
"Merle, shut the fuck up. You cried like a baby when you got your first one." Daryl looked at her. "You ready?" She nodded her head a little. He smiled and bent his head over her wrists and started to work. She jumped a little at first and he could feel her tense up but she was stronger than she looked, had to be if she'd come through all that shit on the other side. He watched her face, making sure she was okay as he finished the outline and started to shade it in.
She smiled when he'd finished, looking down at the ink on her skin. "Thanks." He nodded his head and cleaned it up before putting the bandaged on it. He went through the aftercare procedure.
"Come back any time."
She smiled and nodded her head. "Count on it."