Joey was mildly surprised by the question. It was one he got frequently at the shop but one he always found surprising to get such questions outside of work. He smiled gently and tipped his head the other direction as he goes to answer.
❝ Well –– if you do it properly –– no, it doesn’t hurt. ❞ He explains, giving a small chuckle. ❝ It’s a really gradual process and honestly it’s mild discomfort for a while. We have to slowly stretch the skin so that it doesn’t warp or crack. It swells and burns a bit but otherwise if you take good care of it it feels like a very mild sunburn on your ear lobe. ❞
“Huh,” Syx pursed his lips and nodded, “That’s good then.”
He had no idea what to do or talk about but he was determined. He wanted to bond with the people in Emma’s life, the ones she talked so fondly of. This is what normal people did, right? Even his Uncles thought he needed to socialize more.
“Do you like robots?” he blurted out at near random, “Do… you want to see my robot?”
Joey’s lower lip tucked into his mouth as the boy went on. It was certainly rambling, and Joey sensed that it might either come from a state of nervousness, or shyness. Joey’s own shyness manifested in to keeping quite, but he knew that other people reacted differently to the same thing all the time. He let the boy go on until he stopped himself, smiling and letting out a small chuckle as he lifted a hand and fanned it downwards a little.
❝ It’s alright, ❞ He says, trying to keep the chuckle from his words to try and make Syx feel comfortable. ❝ But yes I own the parlour down on Campeau, and –– actually if you came into the parlour sometime, we could have a consultation with a few artists to get your head around an idea. We do a lot more than just give the tattoo’s. ❞ He explains with a small tilt of his head, trying to remember the other boys questions.
❝ I wouldn’t worry too much about looking like thug –– back when I got my first tattoo it was frowned upon, but now it’s more of an art form than an act of rebellion. Same with piercings. ❞ He muses, flicking the gauges in his ear that shined bright with the very clean silver inside them.
Focusing on the gauges Syx had to question, “Do those kind hurt to get done?”
He’d gotten his ears pierced several times though only once in the upper ear. It had hurt and swollen but he likes it all the same. Otherwise, he’d only gotten a stud through his eyebrows. The gauges had always drawn his curiosity but he doubted they were for him.
Syx shuffled around nervously and scuffed his boots on the pavement. Seeing the offered hand the teen jammed his arm out to shake in return, squeezing a bit too hard out of nerves.
Chewing on his lower lip the leather clad boy with spiked up blue hair and facial piercings eyed up the older man who Emma had been telling him about. Emma had been raving about how cool Joey was, but he’d also heard about how upset she’d been when her Mom first started dating. Stupidly he said, “So… you’re dating Emma’s Mom, huh?”
-Idiot!- he cursed himself, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Here he was putting his foot in his mouth immediately after getting the courage up to finally meet Joey.
Joey was never one to mind a firm hand-shake. His own was always much lighter than people expected –– the width of his arms and the stature he carried made him seem like the kind to take charge and be a little firm. The reality was that his hand shake was easy and comfortable rather than one that tried to prove his strength.
The way the boy dressed had no affect on Joey, working in a tattoo shop will allow you to see things you’d never before imagined people would want to put on, or in, their body. It took a lot to surprise him.
❝ Uh yeah–– ❞ Joey starts, though he doesn’t seem awkward about the way he answers, he almost proud to agree to it. ❝ –– a couple months now. Believe it or not meeting your girlfriends kids is way more nerve wracking that meeting her parents. ❞ He confesses, a little bit of playfulness dancing over his brow.
❝ Meeting their child’s friends –– no less nerve wracking. ❞
Syx shifted back and forth a bit, trying to lock a grin on his face that would hide his anxiety. Stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets, he shrugged, “I wouldn’t know. But! You own a tattoo parlor, right? Emma said so anyway. I always wanted one, but Uncle Mickey says I’m too young, but Uncle Tommy and Two-Teeth just keep arguing about what kind would be better and can’t decide. Aunt Beth just says it would make me look too much like a thug, cuz of how I have the piercings already and well,” he shrugged to draw attention to his studded and spiked leather, “But I always thought it would be cool, ya know.”
Fuck, he was talking too much. He let his eyes slid away in embarrassment, “I suppose you do… considering how many you have. Heh.”
“Hi, Syx right? I’m Joey – really nice to meet you. Emma talks about you all the time.” Joey offers, extending a hand to shake in way of greeting.
Syx shuffled around nervously and scuffed his boots on the pavement. Seeing the offered hand the teen jammed his arm out to shake in return, squeezing a bit too hard out of nerves.
Chewing on his lower lip the leather clad boy with spiked up blue hair and facial piercings eyed up the older man who Emma had been telling him about. Emma had been raving about how cool Joey was, but he’d also heard about how upset she’d been when her Mom first started dating. Stupidly he said, “So… you’re dating Emma’s Mom, huh?”
-Idiot!- he cursed himself, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Here he was putting his foot in his mouth immediately after getting the courage up to finally meet Joey.
“Syx, Jesus, come on it’ll be fine!” Emma urged, beaming from ear to ear as she practically skipped in a circle before facing her best friend. Her blue eyes were alight with amusement as she giggled happily.
“..Yeah yeah, its easy for you to say,” the man grumbled, sighing as he straightened his leather jacket out. Emma wasted no time opening the door, revealing a man somewhat taller than her, relying heavily on a cane. Looking up, the man’s green eyes widened a moment.
“Sam! Hi!” She greeted, him clearly not expecting Emma to have just shown up.. chuckling, he rose to his full height and put his weight onto his good leg to embrace his sister.
“Sam, this is Syx, my friend I was telling you about. Syx, this is my brother Sam,” she mused, stepping aside as the younger man drew himself up with as much confidence as he could muster.
“Hey,” he greeted, raising his chin high. Sam chuckled, inclining his head in a simple nod, “HEllo.”
RP backup 