As she ran down the stairs to the parlour Kyla hummed to herself. There was nothing like the fresh feeling of a new piercing or tattoo to take your mind off anything troubling you. A tattoo gave a slow, burning pain whereas a piercing was short and sweet.

She ran into parlour, the strong smell of sterilants and disinfectant invading her nose, the steady hum of the tattoo gun filled the shop. She glanced at the receptionist and smiled widely. Alex Sharp was every girls wet dream, probably every males wet dream too if Kyla was being honest. Tall, dirty blonde hair, sea green eyes and a chiseled jaw he was quite the looker and had the charm to go with it. "Kyla my sweets what can I do for you?" He stood in one fluid motion and bundled her into his arms, squeezing her tight.

"Okay, okay, lemme go before I lost all ability to breathe you oaf!". She laughed and hit Alex's arm once she was set back on the floor. Alex was the closest thing she had to family, he had worked below her apartment since she moved in. He occasionally helped her pick out tattoos and he was the only guy she ever let touch her skin with a needle.

Although he was a 3rd year apprentice, his tattooing skills improved everyday and it worked out well for Kyla because his work was done at an apprentice rate so she didn't have to fork out as much for piercings or tattoos. "I want...my tongue pierced". She nodded her head firmly as if to convince herself rather than Alex. "Yeah, my tongue."

Alex just shrugged his shoulders, "Let me just get set up for you dollface, I'll be 2 minutes"

She nodded, used to this by now, taking out a consent form and filling it in while she waited. The door behind her jangled open as she sat on the reception desk swinging my legs, scuffing the tops of her Docs against the linoleum floor. Her eyes travelled across the floor until they met a pair of black combat boots.

Her blue eyes trailed up the body, taking in the black ripped jeans, the black ripped T-shirt and black leather jacket until she reached the face of the person. She rolled her eyes in recognition and turned before yelling back to Alex, "Alex you've got another customer!"

She heard a muffled shout come from the piercing room as she turned to look back at the newcomer. His dark brown eyes were locked onto her face, a slight frown adorning his features. Kyla took this opportunity to properly take in the strangers face. He had the darkest brown eyes she had ever seen, his nose was slightly crooked as if it had been broken before. He was built like a football player, his shoulders were probably triple the size of Kyla's. His hair, a dark brown almost black colour was tied up into a tight bun at the back of his head.

The thing that Kyla found most attractive about him though was his piercings and tattoos. She was in complete awe of them. She wondered what his lip ring would feel like under her touch, what tattoos he hid under his shirt. She shook her head violently to get rid of these thoughts, a slight blush spread across her pale cheeks.

In the couple of minutes that he had been standing in the reception area he hadn't said a work to her, and she didn't make any move to speak either. Alex finally came rushing out of the back, a medical mask tied around his face. "Okay pretty lady time to get stabbed!"

He laughed awkwardly as he looked between Kyla and the newcomer. "I'll be with you in a couple of minutes sir, I just need to do this and I'll be right out"

He grabbed her hand and brought her into the room, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her all the while. "He's handsome!" he whispered loudly. Kyla just rolled her eyes in response and say on the plastic wrapped medical bed.

She sat on the bed as Alex waffles on about aftercare if the piercing, nothing she hadn't heard before. Finally, he asked her to stick out her tongue and clamped it. Breathing in deeply, Kyla felt the needle push through her skin, causing her mouth to water slightly. Alex gently let go of the needle and moved away to pick up the bar piercing.

The sharp scrape of the needle was cool against Kyla's chin as she sat there waiting for Alex. Her eyes glanced into the mirror and looked at herself. Eyes bright and gleaming, tongue stuck out with a needle shoved through it. She pulled a face at herself before glancing out the door and locking eyes with the guy from her course that was still in the reception.

Alex stepped into her line of view and quickly put the bar in. "Now Kyla, be careful. I know you're a trooper and all but the next 3 days are going to be hell for you babygirl. You're going to find it difficult to eat so I'd suggest sticking to smoothies and ice cream!"

She nodded her head and got down off the bench, walking out to the reception area, digging out her purse and phone, flexing her tongue inside her mouth, wincing slightly. "Alex you're a star, what do I owe you?" She looks down and unzips her purse taking out a $50 note.

"$20 and a cup of coffee the next time you stop in" Kyla laughs and hands over the $50 taking the change and putting it away again. "You, my friend, have a deal! Thank you so much Alex!"

She sticks out her freshly pierced tongue before turning to walk away, walking right into Mr Silence. "Shit. Sorry"

She shakes her head before apologizing again and walking out the door. "I want my septum pierced" was the last thing she heard before the door swung shut behind her.

As she climbed the steps to her apartment she couldn't help but think about the guy downstairs again. Who the hell was he? What was his name?! Kyla wanted answers but knew she wouldn't get them easily because again, nobody talks to her.

She unlocks her door and falls straight into bed after doing her nightly routine. Her tongue is starting to throb slightly but she knew that was to be expected. She knew that the slight discomfort she had now was going to be nothing compared to what tomorrow was going to be like for her.

She set her alarm for work, before turning over and quickly drifting off into a land of dreams that revolved around swirls and patterns of dark black ink.

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Hi guys, Kj here again. I don't know about this chapter if I'm being honest. I know it's soft and kind of a filler but I wanted to introduce Alex and show the connection between "the new guy" and the tattoo parlour.