I’ve had a couple glasses of wine and all I can I think about is stoner tattooist Keith who’s most recent hookup was the local universities astrophysics professor.

He’s sweet and smart and the first time Keith meets him is through a dm on his insta. He’s asking about a tattoo a simple design that’s sat in his available section for far too long. It’s small and cute and Keith looks forward to tattooing the man.

Especially when he decides to delve into the mans profile. It’s full of selfies taken in mirrors in the gym, ripped abdominals bared for everyone to lust over. Amongst those thirst traps are very disconcerting pics indeed.

Pictures of a duck and her ducklings crossing the university crossing. Gravitational experiments with his students. It’s sweet and really confuses Keith. He doesn’t know what to expect

He definitely doesn’t expect the man who turns up in shirt and wool v neck sweater, glasses sat on his nose, freshly shaved face and eyes bright and youthful despite the grey of his hair. More white than grey, Keith thinks as the guy moves further into the shop.

He looks lost and so out of place surrounded by heavily tattooed and pierced people while he awkwardly shrugs his backpack on his shoulder, his one arm clenching awkwardly around his phone.

“You ok sweetie?” Romelle asks from the front desk.

“Uhu.” Shy Keith thinks as he watches the guy almost flush with colour at the things he’s seeing. “I’ve got an appointment with, um...Keith.” Keith watches as the mans eyes flicker nervously over the shop. Over regris and kolivans great hulking shapes bent over people on beds.

Keith thinks he can almost see the man gulp beneath the tight collar of his shirt.

“Right. Takashi is it? Keith’s right through there, second bed on the left. Have fun!” Romelle says cheerily with a wave while she greets the newest customer.

Keith watches as he walks through the shop. Eyes wide in fear as he notes the large flaming patterns Thrace is tattooing onto a young woman’s thigh.

Keith almost wants to laugh, not at him just at the hugely differing realities he gives off. Hulking mass of body and a nerd.

“Hey.” Keith says from his seat, finishing unpacking and sterilising the instruments, not letting himself gaze for too long at the way the sweater pulls on his obviously muscular chest.

“H-hi.” The man stutters and Keith watches the way his eyes wander over his barely there-

Tank top, arms dipping low enough that his chest is on show, while his tight jeans sit snug against him.

“I’m Takashi...” he says standing awkwardly before Keith.

“I know big guy. Hop up on the bed and I’ll get everything ready. Still want it on your arm right?”

He asks eyeing the arm that is whole.

Shiro nods. “You want me to take off my top?” He asks innocently, while Keith’s mind rings out ‘fuck yeah’.

“Yeah if you could take off enough so that I have easy access to it.” Keiths cheeks heat at the implication.

The tattoo is a pretty simple design and Keith quickly sets about sorting out the press on print. By the time he turns around shiro is sat bare chested on the bed, muscles bulging in a way Keith won’t admit to have seen too many times already on his insta account.

“You didn’t wear a sleeveless?” Keith questions as he moves closer, placing the sheet of his work to Takashi’s arm where they’d discussed.

Shiro blushes. “Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable.” He says looking to where his other arm cuts off in gnarled scars.

“No, no!” Keith is quick to defend. “No! I just...usually people like to stay...covered. Not that you need to! I mean cause...” he gestures awkwardly at the mass of muscle he’s sporting.

Shiro blushes then, properly. To the tips of his ears. “Thanks.” He mumbles.

The tattoo goes smoothly. Keith tried his best to stop the distraction of flexing muscle. He doesn’t make a mistake, but perhaps he could have done better. Not his finest piece of work and possibly not the most painless either.

He can feel the large man flinching in pain.

“Sorry. Not long left.” He tells Takashi while his other gloves hand takes ahold of the mans bicep that really has no right being as big as it is.

“It’s fine. Worse than I thought it would be.” Takashi says with another flinch.

“I thought you’d handle it better.” Keith says.

“Me too.” Takashi squeaks our a laugh.

Keith laughs too. “You not a fan of pain?” Keith asks and then stupidly wants to smack himself int he head at the sight of the scars.

“Nah, it’s never meant anything good for me. But this seems like something good really.”

“Why are you getting it?” Keith asks. “No need to answer by the way, just curious why a college professor would all of a sudden want a tattoo.”

“Just finalised my divorce and I’ve always wanted one you know. He just never likes the idea. Didn’t like a lot of them really.”

“Well I think it’s an excellent idea.” Keith tells him, feeling himself float a little higher in his presence at the knowledge that Takashi is interested in men.

“I can tell you’re not opposed.” Takashi says with a nod at Keiths arms that are littered with tattoos.

From his fingers to his shoulders and further down too. He’s enjoyed the tattooi lng process ever since he was old enough to fake his way into getting one.

“Yeah, some would call it an investment I think with the amount of money I’ve spent.” Keith tells him with a laugh.

“You make them look good. I mean...” he coughs out a flustered fuck. “They look good on you.” Takashi mutters another fuck, looking away from Keith and blushing again in a way that Keith really enjoys seeing.

“Thanks. This looks good on you too. Even if I say so myself.”

Keith finishes up with swipe of antiseptic before he wraps up the insanely muscular arm in cling film.

“It’s done?” He asks Keith with a glance down at where the moon and stars sits on his muscle. He looks so excited that Keith is quick to hand him a mirror to see it better.

“Yep all done. What do you think big guy?” Keith asks as he today up and sets about throwing away his gloves and tidying up his station.

“Oh my god. It’s amazing!!” Keith grins at the excitement he hears and feels himself blush when he sees the way shiro is admiring his art.

“Glad you think so.” Keith attempts at playing it cool. “It looks good.”

“Yeah?” Ship asks, eyes wide.

“Yeah.” Keith tells him.

“Could I...maybe take you out for dinner? Unless you’ve got another appointment?” Shiro asks quickly and Keith is taken aback at the question.

“That’s not your way of getting out of paying is it?” Keith asks playfully and thrives when he hears shiro laugh loudly. It’s a beautiful sound beneath the music playing in the shop.

“No! I just...I’d like to. If you’d like to of course?”

“Sounds good to me.”

(Imma take a break and ask what you want from this thread cause im enjoying it too much)