bring on the ink

[requiemshark]

Who: Lup and Ephemera 

What: Magic can do a lot of things, including tattoos. 

Where: Spires

When: Present. 

Warnings: Nothing/will update as needed. 

This time, Ephemera's actually made an effort to clean the apartment up a little, gathering up his various paints and brushes and rolling up the drop clothes. The entirety of the mess is his, which Drake has always been gracious about tolerating, but Ephemera supposes he ought to make an effort now. He's asked for a favor. 

In the meantime, he makes coffee. It's something to do. 

He's - not nervous, exactly. But edging close to it. He hasn't gotten a new tattoo for years and this one matters. Or at least he wants it to matter. 

The knock on the door's a relief. He opens it with a grin. "Hey, Lup."

Comments

[restinglichface]

Presumptuous to assume Lup ever knocks.

But either way, the elf is there waiting with a grin when Ephemera greets her, the woman slipping in quick to press a kiss to his cheek, her fingertips lingering affectionately at his forearm. Her eyes flicker around the apartment, at how neat it looks, but then her gaze are right back on Ephemera, her mouth curling into a grin.

"Hey yourself, handsome. How's tricks?"

[requiemshark]

"Ah, you know. I get by." Things are going pretty well, actually. Much better than they have in recent months. He can't complain. He grins, offering her his arm. It's easy to move around Lup. They understand each other, the back and forth, and the banter. It feels natural. Like family. "We gonna do this thing?"

[restinglichface]

Funny how just having Drake back changes everything, huh?

Lup takes his arm without even having to think about it, slipping in next to the man like it's the most natural thing in the world. "Duh, that's why I'm here, isn't it? You want to get your big, gay tat and I've got such a weakness for that sappy shit. Makes for a perfect pair."

[requiemshark]

"You're sappy as fuck," Ephemera agrees easily, bumping their elbows together. Lup is one of his favorite people in Hadriel. No competition. "So, how's this work?"

[restinglichface]

"Me!!! Hell nah, that's you, my guy! I'm not the one sportin' my gooey love on my skin permanently." Nah, she's just the woman who binded her soul to her husband's through a necromantic ritual, that's all. "Might as well ditch the whole concept and just write 'Drake 'n' Ephemera, sittin' in a tree..."

But she's laughing too hard to continue that, already rolling up her sleeves before she's shoving her friend into the nearest seat. May as well get comfortable for this, even with as quick as it'll take.

"Just a little spell, babe. It's not ink, more like an illusion on the skin, but that just means no touch ups."

[requiemshark]

"Tch. I gotta have some standards."

Ephemera leans back in the chair, watching curiously. Magic's always been an unknown to him, though one that he'd like to learn more about.

"Think you could touch up a couple of the others while you're at it? Got a couple that're scarred over."

Burned or slashed, either way they've covering up the ink. Which is a shame. Ephemera likes his tattoos. They all have meaning.

[restinglichface]

"You? Standards?" Oh, she's absolutely going to dance around him at that, sticking a tongue out. "Sounds like a first from you, my guy."

This is friendship.

"For sure! I'm happy to give you whatever little makeover you want. Drake loves the Lup special so the offer is always up to you too. If you feel like dipping into another hair color someday or want a dope tan, you know how to find me."

Her hands finally settle on his arm, taking the image that he wants transferred to his skin just so she doesn't mess the style of it up. "Point out exactly where you want it, hon. I'll magic that shit on."

[requiemshark]

Ephemera swats at her, though not hard, and huffs out a laugh. It's easy to be around Lup. He likes the simplicity of their friendship, the easy way they can tease each other without having it hurt. "Everybody's gotta start somewhere. Even you, babe."

Maybe. Probably.

He taps his left arm, almost at the shoulder. "Right there. Drake's got one like this on his right, so."

They'll match, now.

[restinglichface]

"Even me," she parrots with a laugh, amusement and absolute fondness warming her expression. "Only took a hundred an' twenty-some years for me to make a friend outside of my brother, alright? Barely any time at all."

But Ephemera points out exactly where he wants his new tattoo and Lup pulls her focus together just to press her palm into the place. There's a warm, building heat that starts there where their skin meets, but just as soon as it starts to heat up, it's over, Lup pulling her hand away and leaving a perfect replica of the image left on his arm.]

Ta-friggin'-da! Whatcha think?

[requiemshark]

"Age before beauty," he drawls, flashing her a grin before he reaches up to touch the tattoo. It didn't even hurt. He can feel the raised ink under his skin. "Holy shit. That's something else."

[restinglichface]

"Pretty dope, right? Didn't feel a thing. That's the power of magic, my guy!"

Lup watches him reach out to touch it, watches the way his fingers drag lightly against his skin. It makes something warm and happy bubble up in her chest, knowing she was able to give him something so significant.

"Lemme brush up the others and you can pay me back."

[requiemshark]

"Power of magic," he agrees. It is pretty cool, and there don't seem to be a lot of limitations. He's kinda surprised Lup isn't ruling the world back home. He flicks at her hair playfully. "Have at it."