Kitty Hearst

"Let’s not do that," she said and asked one of her employees for more shots. "The night is just starting after all. Should we dance while we wait?" she offered, getting back up to offer her a hand.

"I could do a blue moon," she mumbled as she struggled to put the cap back on the marker, then spat it away from her to get the right tools in her hands. She couldn't start, however, not yet. Her eyes looked into Kitty's for as long as she spoke, a smile growing wider and wider, as well as more bashful as she went on. Eventually, Aria had to look away, unable to hide the blush coloring her cheeks. "You are like... the sweetest person to ever walk this world– but I'm just... me, you know? You're making me sound like I'm some kind of deity that shouldn't be amongst humans," she giggled, inching closer with the ink in one hand, the needle in the other. "Besides, you've only seen the version I am with you around– maybe it's you who makes me be like this because I just want to see you smile." Aria bit her bottom lip, holding her eyes for a few more seconds before looking at the sketch of the tattoo.

"Okay, just... take a deep breath, and let me know if I should stop. We can take as many breaths as you need, okay?" She didn't put the needle down just yet, "and I mean, tell me– you don't gotta act tough around me. Promise you'll tell me."

Making a humming noise under her breath she nodded careful not to move any part of her other than her head. “Like how people like you come along once in a blue moon, I like it.” Turning her head to lock eyes with Aria as she explained exactly what she would say when someone asked about the meaning behind her new ink - or at least the essence of what she would say. Cheeks heating slightly because it was a pretty vulnerable moment but she pushed through because she wanted the other to know just how special she was to her. It wasn’t often Kitty used her words over but now she knew it was needed. When their eye contact broke she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, chuckling. “You are a deity walking among us that we don’t deserve, but I’m not going to kick up a fuss about it incase fairyland decides to snatch you back. See that - I don’t know how I’d cope with.” She shifted slightly on the sofa, making sure she was comfortable before the actual tattooing started. “Yeah? Well then it fucking works.” Smiling in exactly that moment as she let her eyes flick over Aria’s features, only to look up at the ceiling after a couple of seconds to stop herself from saying something potentially really stupid. 

“I promise I’ll tell you, Butterfly, don’t worry. I promise.” Taking the deep breath as instructed, closing her eyes once more in anticipation of the needle making contact. 

Jimmy shuffled down the hall with a full tray of breakfast in hand. He was never slow enough in these moments, notorious for spilling, but he tried to let every step be as graceful as possible until he reached the door, realizing that all efforts until now might have been for nothing. Luckily the innkeeper caught a glimpse of him down the hall. She rushed over to help as he stood there, pink cheeked. "Thanks" he said as she left the door askew for him. Nice enough to preserve the privacy of the room.

He smiled, embarrassed but not for long as he stepped in with the plate full of coffee, waffles, bacon...most importantly bacon, setting the tray on the nearest empty surface. Those were quickly running out. They had already done their fair share of wrecking the room. Beer bottles strewn about as well as several unfolded articles of clothing both worn and unworn scattered throughout. Jimmy kicked out of his tan firkenstock sandals (fake birkenstocks) before leaping into the pile of oversized blankets and pillows. Kitty was somewhere in the mix still sleeping.

"Good morning, sleepy head" Jimmy pushed back the bit of comforter that was covering her face before pressing a kiss to her forehead, his mustache likely scratching her awake more than anything else. "I have breakfast," he said, "and bacon". He cuddled up next to her in the grey hoodie that he stole from her, allowing his gaze to linger on her as the light poured in the dusty, crosshatched windows of the inn.

It wasn’t until the bed suddenly shifted under his weight that she cracked a single eye open, feeling the brush of his lips against her forehead that made her break out into a sleepy smile. Rolling onto her back so she could push some hair out of her face to meet his gaze with her own. “Morning baby…” her voice also only just waking up took on a gravelly tone but she didn’t care, he’d seen her in far worse states over the course of their relationship. “You brought me bacon? Ugh I knew there was a reason I loved you so much.” The girl teased as she extracted herself from under the blankets enough to close the gap between them and pressing a kiss to his lips, smiling into it. “How have you got so much energy? I would have thought after last night we’d both be needing a lie in.” The smell of bacon and coffee already drifting across the room to her, her stomach rumbled loudly betraying just how hungry she suddenly was. 

From Amy to Kitty (@kitty-hexrst)

"You know what, that's fucking perfect. I love that. I may need to get something red, too– or maybe I can get the moon in blue. We'll see," Aria grinned and slowly scooted closer to the couch, exactly where she needed to be to start on the tattoo. "Okay, now I'm curious, what exactly are you going to tell them?" Aria quirked an eyebrow, reaching for the pen to start on the drawing. "Is this okay?" She asked quietly before putting the marker down on Kitty's smooth skin.

“A blue moon! Oh god that would look so pretty on you, but to be honest we could do any colour for you. You’ve got the most perfect milky skin it’ll stand out so beautifully.” She reached her free hand out to run a finger along her best friend’s arm with a smile playing on her face, then readjusting so she could be marked properly for the tattoo. “Mhm.. that’s good…” she nodded, closing her eyes as she focused on the sensation instead of the woman who was drawing on her. “Tell them? Probably that I got tattooed by an actual butterfly because you seem to move through the world on the wind making everyone who sees you smile because they just can’t help themselves, because your so colourful and not of this world that no one can help but gaze at you. And that butterfly happens to be my best friend, so they need to back off and get their own one. Something like that.” She murmured, voice low. 

"Indeed. Business keeps me away often enough," he noted, reaching for his glass and taking a measured sip before setting it back down. He had no intention of discussing business with her, and doubted that, however long their arrangement continued, he would find the desire to. He knew enough about the woman before him. And he would rather ensure she had access to something less destructive than whatever she had been finding on her own, rather than discuss money and work.

He looked at her around the cigarette smoke from their sticks. "Necessary choices do tend to become comfortable ones," he noted, tone even as he kept looking at her face, at her reactions. She seemed to be enjoying herself even if talking of what he knew wasn't a good part of her life - her alone time in Ennora. This was a good sign for him, even if he still didn't trust her enough after the podcast episode. "Though I imagine you have learned how to make use of it," he added and then leaned back slightly in his chair, the cigarette resting between his fingers once more, smoke curling out of his mouth.

"Tell me," Mark mused, tilting his head. "Do you usually move through life this easily? Or do you simply make it appear effortless?" he asked it with a blank tone, not an attack, not an accusation. "What is something you have actually worked toward?"

“Make use of what? My time alone? Well I’m here aren’t I. So I certainly keep myself busy. Never a dull moment.” Then she paused, breaking out into more of a grin, challenging him. She leant forward slightly and rested her elbow on the table. “Assuming you plan to keep things interesting, this whole evening kinda lands on your shoulders what with you doing the inviting.” His next question had her pausing though as she dug through what exactly what question was meant to mean. This was Mark so no doubt it wasn’t meant to be straight forward, nothing with him ever had been. 

“Move through life easily?” That was comical, Kitty felt like every day was the equivalent of wading through treacle but here was this rich asshat implying she’d never actually worked towards anything, it made her see red. Lips curling into a sneer as she looked around his house stuffed to the brim with expensive tat, it was so performative he had to see that. “Just because I don’t have money to burn it doesn’t mean I haven’t worked towards anything I have. I’ve been on my own since I was thirteen, you want to know what I’ve actually worked towards? Getting to the age of fucking twenty seven without ending up having a dirt nap, how about we start there.” 

Aria watched Kitty fiddle with the needle on the pencil. It was archaic, but she had tried an actual professional needle made for this purpose, and it just hadn't been the same. The classics left a feel and an aesthetic that nothing could actually compare to. What was the point of having a friend do a stick and poke tattoo on you if it was going to end up looking professional? It was exactly the reason why she didn't mind anything Kitty could do on her. "Listen, don't give me that option before my mind goes places," she teased, "but of course I have faith in you, silly billy! You can do absolutely anything you want– I'll trace the shape if you want to, then you just have to follow the line. It's easy, I promise." Aria assured her. "Okay, so... lie down on the couch. I can be on the floor," she grinned, grabbing a pair of pink latex gloves she had also brought with her, although she didn't put them on just yet. "We have a couple more choices to make– I brought some colors with me– black is the one that'll show the most, but I also have red ink, which I think would look cute for your butterfly. I also have blue, but unless you're as pale as I am, it'll probably look too close to black anyway."

“I love when your mind goes places.” Catching the other’s eye as her stomach flipped and she did everything she could to ignore it, swallowing and having to immediately look away. Pulling her top off instead so it didn’t get in the way of where she wanted the tattoo, she’d not had a bra on anyway so there was no need to discard of that too. Manoeuvring herself so she was laying face down on the couch with her head up at the end her best friend had set up the stuff, laying on her arms to reveal her ribcage properly. Listening to her talk through the colours she felt the cool air against her skin which made goosebumps ripple across her skin but her lips curled into a contented smile as she gazed at the other, nodding as best she could from her position. “I mean, artists choice. What if we were to do black but with a bit of red involved in some way, maybe in the middle of the wings? Because I want to make sure it’s visible enough for everyone to be able to see. So then they ask about it and I can tell them exactly the reason for it.” Jesus Christ, why was it every time she was with Aria the sappiest shit seemed to come out of her mouth without permission, it made Kit frown slightly to herself. God she needed some self control. 

Most of the material Aria used was handmade. She did her very first stick-and-poke tattoo on herself when she was fifteen, and none of them had gotten infected. She was very careful with keeping everything clean and sterile before starting, but it didn't take away the fact that the main needle she used was a plain, common needle attached to the eraser in the back of a pencil. The type of ink she used had changed through the years; now she had more money to buy actual tattoo ink, and it made healing a far easier process.

Aria liked to keep her stick and pokes on the smaller side. It wasn't a painful process for her, but people had different pain thresholds, and she wasn't about to have Kitty act strong, like she was sure she would. She'd brought a few drawings and ideas she had drawn herself, hoping one would tickle Kitty's fancy, and no! She would not let Kitty tell her to do whatever she wanted– it wasn't her skin that would be marked forever, although the idea of it being something of her doing did warm her heart a little bit.

With her small station settled, Aria turned to Kitty with the widest smile her face could pull off. "So... I have a few ideas," she started, pulling out a small sketch notepad she always had with her, "I think a couple of koi fish would look very cute on your shoulder blade. I can do... a little butterfly, because you know, that's what you call me," Aria said with a blush spreading across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, "I could do... a sun, then you could do a moon on me! Or... a star, a little heart, a flower... the possibilities are endless."

Now they were settled in the living room Kitty took a sip of her Diet Coke straight from the still cold can, grinning as she listened to the options or rather suggestions for what her newest little tattoos could be. The mention of a butterfly caused an immediate squeeze around her heart as warmth spread across her chest because it was a no brainer, of course she wanted an ode to the blonde done by her on her body, that sounded perfect. 

“Okay how about, you do me a butterfly right here.” She pointed to her ribs on her left side, just below where her heart was sitting (but she didn’t explicitly mention that, no idea if Aria would catch one). “And then you do a sun on my shoulder blade and I do a moon just exactly in the same place on you - because then we’re matching but not matchy matchy. But we’ll know.” Nose wrinkling as she gave her a pointed smile, one eyebrow raising as she tilted her head to the side to gaze at her friend. Truth be told inside Kitty there was something that ran a lot deeper than just friendship but well aware that it was likely unreciprocated after all this time she just maintained a cheeky level of flirting like the two always did. Reaching over to pick up the needle attached to the pencil making sure not to touch the actual needle least she make it no longer sterile. “Or I can do whatever you want to you, assuming you still have faith in me.” She added, pulling a face.