Trash Polka - 3. Chapter 3

The buzz of tattoo guns had always had a special way of soothing my soul. We were so slow today, that I had my leg hoisted onto my lap, inking my ankle. I’d seen some videos of other artists using stippling in their works and I hadn’t been able to shake my fascination. Which led to me folding my body in a horrible position and working ink into my own skin. It was a simple dahlia, but I’d switched out my normal shading for the new technique and so far, I was pretty pleased. Most of my work was black and white and this piece would be no different.

I hummed softly in acknowledgement as I felt Lukas move into the room. I had my headphones on, one side pushed back a bit so I could still hear bits of the outside world. My left ear was filled with music I hadn’t been truly listening to. I needed it while I was working. Especially if I didn’t have someone to talk to. My focus was a funny thing. My brain would stay on one thing with almost scary concentration, but if something broke that concentration, I would lose it. That lead to irritation and frustration and normally ended with a useless me. I would struggle to get back in the zone after that. White noise helped, but it had to be done a specific way. If my music was too loud, I couldn’t concentrate. If it wasn’t loud enough, same issue. Too many people talking at once would freak me out. Like my brain couldn’t pick one to listen to. It’s why I didn’t usually allow people to have guests while I worked on them.

Working on something by myself, alone in my little room was a bit different. That didn’t just go for tattooing either. I had to remind myself to take breaks and eat at home when I was editing pictures. God speed if I decided to read or something. I had to set alarms to remember I was little more than a plant with feelings. I needed to be fed and watered. Some days, that was a lot for me to remember. Which was a ridiculous thing to have to come to terms with. I’d tried medication. I’d tried therapy. So far, overstimulation and all my other symptoms were here to stay.

Swallowing, I wiped my skin, holding it tight still as I looked at my lines. Lukas was still here watching, but he kept quiet. He was used to how I worked after all these years. I wasn’t ready to converse yet, so my friend didn’t interrupt. Like the beautiful man he was. I put down a few more lines, wiped again, and then looked up at my boss and friend.

“Hey, man.”

“That looks rad. Stippling? I haven’t done much of that.”

“Yeah, it’s interesting. I’ve seen quite a few videos where they use it to make almost a glitter look to the tattoo. I haven’t decided if that’s something I want to try.” I said, eyeing the small piece.

“Well, a glitter tattoo wouldn’t be out of place on your skin, might clash with your overall aesthetic.” Lukas said, bending over to take a closer look.

“True, but it’s popular with the girlies. Never hurts to try something new and bring in a different crowd. Not that I hate our current one.”

“Fair. Hey, Cameron’s going to take off, so it’ll just be you and me. Pizza?”

I grinned up at him, setting my machine aside, “You’re not supposed to be eating pizza.”

“Okay, I know, but Cam won’t be here.”

I laughed, “You order, I’ll throw some money in.”

“How long are you here today?”

I stripped off my gloves, running my fingers through my hair as I yawned, “Late. August’s plane lands tonight and this was the only day he could get in.”

“Oh, yeah. His crazy back piece. How many sessions do you think that’s going to take?”

Stretching to crack my back, I lifted my hands to the ceiling before answering, “Probably a few. He sits like a dream, but it’s one of the bigger designs I’ve done in a while.”

“When is he coming in?”

I glanced down at the smart watch on my wrist, tilting it so the screen turned on, “Hour or so.”

“What’re you two doing after?”

“Hopefully nothing. I’ve got my fingers crossed that he’ll be worn out from everything.”

Lukas laughed, “Our Auggie? The man’s got infinite amounts of energy.”

“Ah yes, crackhead style. I’m hoping the tour, the endless flights, and sitting six hours for a tattoo will be the winning combination.” I said, grinning.

August was one of the only people on the planet who got me. Our brain wiring was messed up in different ways but they were similar enough to complement each other. All of my friends were the perfect people to surround myself with, but with Auggie, I found a weird balance.

I’d never show you how

But you’re in your own world now

And you’ve made you mom and dad

So proud, so proud

But when you turn off the lights are

you still alright?

The shop never knew what hit it. I heard the front door slam open and a familiar, raspy voice reached me all the way in my room with the door closed. In what felt like seconds, my door burst open, and August filled it with all his glory. His hair was a deep cobalt blue and was styled about his head in messy, choppy sections. He wore plaid shorts with a black band t-shirt and a distressed black vest with spikes on the shoulders.

“Honey I’m home!” He announced, throwing his arms wide.

“What’s up man?” I grinned, standing to give him a hug. I settled back in my chair as he moved around the room. It wasn’t much different than the last time he’d been in. The floors were honey-toned wood and my walls were painted emerald green. I had an entire wall dedicated to my own flash, bigger designs I’d made up in the hopes that someone would be ready for a commitment, and canvases of my more traditional art.

“Oh wait, this one’s new!” He pointed to a smaller canvas, 8x11, with a hyper realistic portrait of a woman with some geometry thrown in. It was mostly black and white, but the contrast came in with the slash of crimson behind the piece and the woman’s ruby painted lips. Her hands were held by her face, the fingers delicately framing it. The space where her eyes should’ve been was about as black as I could make with that medium. I'd admit it was a little dark, but then, I wasn’t really known for bright happy pieces with subtle colors.

“This is dope man.” Auggie said as he eyed it, his tongue flicking at the hoop through his lip. He turned to the next canvas that was new to him and I grinned, tapping away at my tablet to open the image I’d drawn up for him.

Soon, he dropped into the chair next to me, “Show me what you dreamed up there, Michealangelo.”

Shaking my head and laughing, I handed the tablet over. August’s eyes widened and he pinched his fingers together before drawing them apart so he could zoom in, “River…”

My ever-present insecurity got the better of me for a moment, “What do you think?”

“Man, it’s beautiful. I knew you’d come at me with something amazing, but this is…I don’t have words.” His voice was far quieter than normal as he studied the little screen. I was insecure, but I was proud of what I’d done. August hadn’t given me much to go off, knowing that I would do something he liked. He’d trusted me with one of the biggest open spaces on his body and the drawing was my answer to that. It was going to be epic.

He'd told me trash polka for the style (my specialty), some kind of big focal point, and accents of the deep red I was so fond of. I’d drawn up a compass rose, struck through with a splash of color. Below it was an entire full-rigged ship. I’d work a few other things in as we went, working with his body and the layout, but this was what we were starting with. I smirked as he traced the curved edge of the compass rose.

“Could we work some flowers in around this? Roses maybe?”

I nodded, taking it back and shifting some things around before I started to draw, “Course.”

“How’re things, gorgeous?” I could hear the smile in Auggie’s voice and it brought mine back out.

“About the same as usual. Tattoos, pictures, videos, and being mommed by our other friends.” I sighed, erasing a petal and starting again.

“Uh oh, what’ve you done?” Fingers brushed the hair off my forehead and I hummed at the gentle touch. I didn’t get many of those.

“The normal. Being irresponsible in my choice of partners for my dance card.”

August scoffed, “Who cares who you do the horizontal tango with as long as you’re clean and safe.”

When I stayed quiet, he shifted in the cheap metal chair he’d taken. I focused on the frame of roses, my eyes dropping down to make sure the placement would make sense. August shifted in the chair again and fingers slid gently over my shoulders, “What aren’t you telling me?”

I stopped drawing and looked up at him. When I stayed quiet for a few more seconds, he smiled and waved. Chuckling, I sighed, “I’ve been…a little more reckless. I’m still clean, but I’ve been adding things to my normal drinking.”

“Adding things? Ohh like forbidden snow? Frowned upon candy?” His smile widened and he leaned forward, “Obviously, I’m not going to judge.”

“They’re just worried that I’m not being safe.”

August raked his fingers through his already messy hair and laughed when I stared at his fingers. He held his hand out and wiggled his now blue digits, “I can’t keep dying my hair different colors all the time man. Or I’ll fry it and the shit will fall out.”

“Oh, so this lovely shade is temporary?”

“As temporary as violently blue hair can be. It’ll fade to a gross ass green and that’ll be my next color.” He shrugged, still looking at me. He was waiting. He leaned back in his chair as I went back to drawing. I looked up when he stood back and stretched, “You want to talk about it more. I know you do. Let me know when you’re ready, friend.”

It turned out that “ready” came when we were three hours into the tattoo. August was talking animatedly about the tour his band had just been on while I outlined the big ass ship. I wiped some blood and ink away, looking down at my friend. He was sitting, his chest against the chair and his back to me. We couldn’t make eye contact like this unless I moved around him or he turned almost all the way around.

“When you’re home from tour, do you ever get…lonely?”

He stiffened a touch before I watched him relax, answering softly, “I’m lonely all the time River. I love my bandmates but when we’re not doing shows and I’m in the RV in my bunk alone, it eats at me.”

I frowned. We’d never talked about this before and I felt guilty. August had been feeling alone for a long time from the sounds of it, but he’d never brought it up. That shouldn’t surprise me. My friend was an open book and gave information freely when asked. You wouldn’t know what was going on if you left the book closed, though.

“Why didn’t you say anything? You could call or video call. I don’t want you feeling like that man.” I kept frowning as I lowered the machine and pulled a few more lines while August stayed quiet.

“River, while I’d appreciate that and hope we follow through with it, let’s talk about why you asked.”

Another few minutes passed as I worked. Both on the tattoo and on what I wanted to say to my friend. It seemed silly. I was just going to be complaining, but then again, August was always ready to listen and far less quick to judge. It wasn’t in his nature.

“I’m not sure. It just hit me recently, my life has settled into a routine. Which, that’s great, but it made it easier for me to realize that at the end of the day, I go home and I’m alone. It never used to be a problem. Being single and unattached wasn’t an issue, but now I wish I’d made some kind of connection that was just…more. Does that make sense?”

“Oh yes. I had started to feel that way when Sage and I started seeing each other. To be honest, when he’s too overstimulated to want to see me, I still feel that way.”

I felt my jaw clench. August was my dear friend. Sage was also an amazing friend. The two of them together made me almost instantly cook up a headache. They were so different and to be honest, I wondered pretty frequently if they were even compatible. Sage would probably relish spending 99% of his time alone. August wanted to be around him all the time. Auggie was a touchy-feely type of person. Sage was not a fan of being touched, really at all. Then there were the two times August proposed, only for Sage to turn him down without a thought. Auggie always bounced back, but I knew there’d been a lot of hurt there. I loved the two of them, but I didn’t love them together. Which made me judgy and horrible.

“How are things going with that?” I asked, starting to really get into my work.

“I’m never sure. Sage is an enigma. Sometimes I think he’d rather be left alone all together. What about you? Anyone circling around that’s worth more than a single night?” His voice was still light, but there was an undercurrent that hurt my heart.

“I wouldn’t really know. I don’t talk to them more than I have to for the most part.”

“Have you thought about trying that out?” August laughed and I smacked his shoulder lightly after pulling the hand with my machine away.

“In other news, this weird guy came in the other day and has me all shook up for reasons I cannot explain.”

“Ohh, do tell friend.”

I laughed and glanced from the references I’d printed off to the skin under my hands, “I was manning the shop alone and this sweet girl comes in to get her navel done. She was a 10/10 customer. Friendly, helpful, cooperative and then this other guy follows her in. I decided on brother. Anyway, he was the total opposite. A complete asshole.”

“I bet you loved that!” August laughed.

I grinned, “I gave as good as I got. It was weird though. He was nice-looking but I wasn’t kidding when I said I was all messed up over him. My brain keeps feeding me flashes of him even though the whole interaction was maybe a half hour?”

“So, he was more than hot. His soul said something to yours. Whether it be good or bad.”

Leave it to August to casually drop something super deep without meaning to. Smiling, I worked for a few minutes before answering, “I think they were Japanese. Not that it matters, but I also think he might’ve said something nasty to me before they left for being rude right back to him. The girl looked at me like I should be afraid.”

"Well, she got the wrong one. I’ve never known you to be afraid of really anything.” August chuckled.

“True. I think he may have been a customer, though. Not of the shop’s. My own, private customer. If you catch my drift.”

“I do. The drift has been caught. Why do you think that?”

“He said I was familiar. My voice and what not.”

“Gotcha. Well, I mean, you’ve managed to get quite a following. I’m not surprised.” August glanced at me over his shoulder, “That reminds me. I’m in town for a few days. Did you want to do another shoot?”

“Hell yeah, that was one of my most popular ones. I made a shit ton of money off of it. Like I’m going to make a shit ton of money when we finish this fucking mural on your back.”

August chuckled, resting his cheek against the foamy chair back, “Let’s get after it then.”

It was almost nine pm when we finally threw in the towel. I yawned as I put things away and cleaned up. August was standing in front of the full-length mirror, grinning as he looked over his shoulder at his back. The compass and ship outlines were close to complete. I rubbed my sore neck as I stretched. I had forgotten just how much detail went into those damn old-fashioned ships. My back and neck were killing me and my eyes were dry and scratchy. I twisted this way and that before grabbing the plastic and tape to wrap him up.

“Now what?” August grinned at me. The eyeliner around his light brown eyes was smeared now from his time with his face smashed against the chair.

“What do you mean, now what? You should get some freaking rest! We both should!”

“But the night is young and I haven’t seen you in the flesh for months!” August whined.

I began wrapping him up, shaking my head. How did Luke call this one? I was exhausted and my entire body was sore. It always was when I had an appointment this long. The last thing I wanted to do was go out and be amongst the populace. They were the worst. Especially when you were worn out. There was no way he made me interact with other humans. I was going home and that was final. We both needed to get some rest. It’d been a long day. Nope. There was no way August talked me into making horrible decisions tonight.

No way.