Chapter 9

Messiah was knocked out on his couch after practice, cat curled up on his chest, when his phone started buzzing. He grabbed it without opening his eyes, expecting it to be Dom.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Were you sleeping? My bad chiquito."

Messiah's eyes snapped open at Javier's voice. He ain't even know Javier had his number saved from the tattoo appointment.

"What you want?" He sat up slightly, careful not to disturb his cat.

"You trying to help me with something? Need someone to practice tatting on."

"Hell nah, I look like a practice dummy to you?"

Javier laughed on the other end. "Nah not for real tatting. Just trying out this new machine, using fake skin. But it's boring as hell doing it alone."

Messiah should've said no. But he was already bored sitting at home and something about Javier's laugh made him want to... he ain't even know what.

"What time?"

"You can come through now if you want. I got the shop to myself tonight."

Messiah looked down at his sweats and tank. "Give me like 30 minutes."

At the shop, Messiah found Javier with music playing low, spread out at his station with some weird rubber-looking stuff laid out.

"The fuck is that?" Messiah asked, dropping into the chair next to him.

"Fake skin for practicing. Feel it." Javier held out a piece.

Messiah touched it cautiously. "That's weird as hell."

"Right? But it works though." Javier was setting up his machine. "You want something to drink? Got some water and shit in the back."

"I'm good." Messiah watched him work, noticing how focused he got when he was setting up, even just for practice. "So you just sit here doing this by yourself usually?"

"Sometimes. Usually got music or FaceTime my sister while I practice." Javier started the machine. "She be having mad drama to tell me about."

"Little sisters be like that," Messiah said without thinking, then caught himself. He ain't talk about his family to nobody.

But Javier just nodded, starting to work on the fake skin. "Facts. Mine think she grown now cause she almost 16. Be trying to go to parties and shit."

"You let her?"

"Hell nah. That's my baby sister, she ain't ready for all that." Javier glanced up. "You got siblings?"

Messiah tensed slightly. "Yeah."

Javier must've caught his tone cause he just nodded and changed the subject. "You see the game last night?"

They fell into easy conversation about sports, Messiah actually relaxing in his chair while he watched Javier work. The machine's buzz was kind of soothing, mixing with the low music and Javier's voice.

After a while Javier sat back. "Ight what you think?" He held up the practice piece.

"That's actually hard," Messiah said, leaning forward to look closer. Their shoulders brushed slightly and he felt Javier pause for a second before continuing to explain the design.

"You want to try?" Javier asked after he finished.

"Nah I'm good." But Messiah was still studying how the machine moved in Javier's hands.

"Come on, just feel how it works." Javier held it out. "Promise I won't let you fuck up too bad."

Something about his playful tone made Messiah reach out despite himself. Javier adjusted his grip on the machine, his hands warm where they guided Messiah's.

"You gotta hold it at an angle, like this." Javier's voice was close to his ear as he demonstrated.

Messiah tried to focus on what he was saying and not how close they was sitting or how gentle Javier's hands were over his. The machine buzzed to life and he almost dropped it.

"I got you," Javier laughed, steadying his hands. "Now just try making a straight line."

The line Messiah made was shaky as hell but Javier just nodded. "Not bad for your first try."

"Whatever, I'm sticking to getting tatted, not doing them." Messiah handed the machine back, trying to ignore how cold his hands felt without Javier's over them.

"You want more?" Javier asked, already reaching for his sketchbook.

"Nah not right now. Got rent coming up."

"I got you whenever you ready." Javier started cleaning up his station. "You hungry? I was gonna grab something after this."

Part of Messiah wanted to say yeah. But he'd already let his guard down more than he meant to tonight.

"Nah I should head out. Got early practice tomorrow."

"Ight well good looking out for keeping me company." Javier walked him to the door. "Get home safe chiquito."

This time Messiah just shook his head at the nickname, not even bothering to argue. In his car though, he caught himself touching the spots where Javier's hands had been on his, remembering how it felt to have someone be that gentle with him.

"Stop," he muttered to himself, cranking up his music. He wasn't bout to catch feelings over some tattoo artist who probably acted this nice with everybody.

But later that night, laying in bed with his cat curled up next to him, he kept thinking about how natural it felt just hanging out with Javier. How for a few hours he ain't feel like he had to have his guard up so high. That shit was dangerous though - letting people in only gave them more ways to hurt you later.

Still... something about Javier felt different. Like maybe... nah. Messiah pulled his bonnet on and forced himself to close his eyes. He wasn't trying to think about any of that right now.