at first, you'd had dreams of becoming 'an entirely different person'. straight out of a movie, moving to a student city and becoming Cool. that hadn't quite worked out. unfortunately, you'd taken all of your previous issues and personality traits with you when you moved out. but at least you can try out some new things, right?

you'd never gotten your ears pierced as a kid and you'd never been a fan of needles, but you want to, now. Claire's and Superdrug don't sound like prime locations to avoid an infection so you want to head somewhere else. the reason you go to Tatt's A Wrap is because 1. the name got a smile out of you, 2. it's pretty cheap, and 3. the reviews are pretty good.

from what you can gather from the reviews, two blokes run the shop and all the complaints are about the tattoo artist. (who seems to, if the reviews are anything to go by, make a habit out of tossing out customers he doesn't like.) the other guy, who you'll be booking an appointment with, seems a lot nicer. nice lad chattered my ear off until i forgot i was getting a piercing in the first place. only remembered when he started pulling out the needles.

you won't have to deal with the tattoo artist because you're only getting your ears pierced! so it sounds pretty solid to you. when the time for your appointment rolls around, you enter into a quiet downstairs area with an empty receptionist's desk. as you wait, you start to fret about whether you're even in the right place at all. as if there wasn't a sign above the door. there's muffled music playing in the background.

the door on the side of the room opens into a stairway and who you assume to be your piercer—johnny, the website had said—opens the door. the shaved sides of his head perfectly show the copious amounts of jewellery decorating the helix and earlobes on both his ears. he smiles at you in a way that has the own corners of your mouth quirking up without even thinking about it. your name is on his lips in a questioning tone.

"come along, hen. studio's upstairs. sorry 'bout the cold welcome, s'not very inviting, is it? we're still looking for someone behind the desk."

their interior design choice is… interesting. it honestly looks like the upstairs has been split in half with the way that the rooms have been furnished. one side's sparsely decorated and monochromatic. it's practically only black, silver and white, nothing much more than the chair for people to sit in and a desk a man is currently hunched over, presumably sketching.

you can't make out much of his face, though you can only assume this is is mr. 'bad reviews'. he doesn't have a name listed on his website. the man only lifts his head a little to wordlessly look at you and you catch a glimpse of a skull-patterned mask covering the lower half of his face. (that seems to be a theme. when you'd glanced at his portfolio, what had greeted you first had been drawings of death and demons.)

"dinnae worry about simon, he's just like that." you give another glance out of the corner to your eye to simon but he doesn't respond at all. at least nothing you can hear over the music.

johnny's side of the room, where you're quickly taking place in the chair, is more wooden. he's got a brown leather seat and band memorabilia hanging up on the walls. you're trying to commit them to mind in an effort to distract from the wriggling in your stomach. children get this done. you'll be fine.

as he's getting his tools ready, he talks a bit about himself but mostly asks questions about you. you tell him about what you're studying and where you're going to school. he hums and responds in a way that makes you think he's genuinely interested— he's just a nice guy.

"you've never got anythin' done before?" johnny asks as he pulls your ear back, his gloved hand swabbing your earlobe with a disinfectant. you thought that was obvious and maybe it is because he continues. "that's okay. you nervous?"

"a little," you admit. you press your thighs a little closer together. looking up at him now as he's preparing the needle, you can see a circular scar dug into one side of his head. barely covered by the thin, shaved hairs. it looks a little raised. pink, even.

"earlobes barely hurt, promise. s'just a wee pinch and then it'll get all warm. i'll explain how to clean it then, aye?" you nod obediently and swallow to wet your dry throat. your thumb rubs over the knuckles of your other hand.

"i'll count down from three. 3, 2…" just as you're about to brace yourself fully, there's a short stab of pain in your ear. you hiss in a breath and your shoulders jerk upwards to your ears. a hand on them soothes them back down. "sorry, sorry. deep breaths. it's already done."

"you did it at two," you say. your tone has a whiny undercurrent that makes you think of a little kid and you immediately regret it.

"aye, that wasn't so nice of me, was it?" johnny says without batting an eye. the hole burns and throbs as he puts a ring in it that you'd pre-selected online. "but you did it. only one more."

it repeats once again but, this time, instead of piercing your skin at two, he does it at one instead. your annoyed huff makes him laugh. …but he'd been right. it really didn't feel that bad at all.

"good girl," he tells you. "you did great." and, for some reason, hearing that from a handsome man a couple years older than you. he explains how to look after your piercing during the healing process and you're listening, but your brain has also turned to mush.

when you're leaving, he leans over just a little and you take a tiny step back. johnny's still smiling. "hope to see you again, lass. i think you'd look even more bonnie with a few more. anythin' would look good on you but, if you need suggestions, let me know, okay?"

you end up leaving, a little breathless, cheeks hot, already fiddling with the new rings in your ears despite the advice you'd gotten less than ten minutes ago.

"you're going to scare 'er off if you keep that up," simon grumbles from the other end of the shop. "can't blame everythin' on the hole in your head."

"you jealous, si?" the smile is audible in his voice.

"you can have a pet if you want. not like you can leave me anyhow."

"let's get the lass in your chair and you'll be smitten too. she's real cute."