The First Age

It was the third tattoo artist in Moscow she'd gone to see.  It wasn't that the others couldn't do the job, was more the vibe of the place was all wrong.  And the vibe was everything.  And this needed to be perfect.  The artist had to have a fine hand.  A skilled artist could do any design, but that wasn't everything.  The place had to feel right, be right, have the right balance.  And none of the other places had been right.  Something was always just a little off for Kali.

Every trophy needed to be showcased in the right light, in the right time.  Despite all it's glory this one had taken the longest.  Perhaps it was the fact that her prey alluded her.  She'd chosen the boy over the soldier.  The soldier would have been easier to find, there were only so many places he could hide.  But the boy, he was.... elusive.

Kali could have moved on, but that felt wrong.  And everything needed to be right.  She'd found a toy, he was suspetible, if a challenge.  And Kali didn't back down from a challenge.  It had been several years since she had left home, left the pointed expectations of her family.  The self servitude of serving the community - helping others and ignoring herself.  No, she wasn't a healer.  Far from it.

But she would never be taken advantage of ever again.  Not ever.  The boy was sweet in a cute little lamb sort of way.  Kali should just move on.  She knew this.  But she was stubborn, and that feeling of wrong never went away.  It had to be just right.  She kept telling herself.

This was the forth shop.  Maybe it would all be right.  The Dueling Dragons.  It was a quaint little shop, the door chimed as she pushed it open to find others standing in front of the counter.  A well sought after shop - that was a good sign of caliber.  Maybe she would get what she want here.  

A man in a suit, another dressed casually talking with the man who had to be the artist - or an artist, and a woman who was behind the counter but not.  She didn't work there.  That was good - getting along with customers was good.  Kali smiled as she stepped up between the two men and set down her purse.  Brushing each of their hands with a gentle touch filled with a desire to help her as she smoothed out her blouse against her hips.  

It was rude to interrupt but Kali smiled and would soothe it all away at a touch if anyone objected.  She pulled her design and set it on top of a picture laid on the counter.  At least until she saw the picture of the little lamb.  Her smile grew wide and she brushed the fingers tapping against the picture directed at the artist.  "A friend of yours?"  She asked sweetly.

Beto switched flirting directions abruptly but his words were all kind of right and Ana laughed open-mouthed.  It was strange though, almost as if he had his own private joke with...himself.  Mainly because they were all strangers here.  He didn’t really react to the norms: her magnificent breasts, the suggestive way she drank from the bottle, transparent innuendo.  He wasn’t gay, that she could spot from miles away or high-brow about this place either.  Married?  Into Dom?  She could see that. Hmm.  Ana smiled sweetly.  “Well don’t you worry about that, Sergei has party experience.”  As in sex parties.  She’d only been to one though because once it had become a fad to get inked while the other person did their absolute best to get you to move in the throes of ecstasy, she had grown disinterested. Plus the few that had tried weren't any good.  Ana shrugged.  “Still, if that’s what you want I’m happy to chip in and do my part.”  That was two separate things.  She’d do it too, if only to call his bluff.


Ana was engaged with her prey but smiled at the newcomer.  She was behind the counter after all and again, she wasn’t going to be rude to the cash cows.  She didn’t know what Jerry was trying to sweet talk out of Sergei but clearly the woman was a part of it with the walking in and inserting herself right in the middle.  Jerry had flirted with her too.  Casanova.  Maybe they were swingers.  Eh, it didn’t matter.  Back to Beto.  “If you’re getting a kitten I’ll get a patch of sunlight.”

Sergei's brows drew down over his blue eyes. He really didn't know Aria. She seemed far too serious for him, anyway. Perfect for Lucas though. Poor fool. His buddy was always looking for someone to save. Street kids, addicts, people who were trapped. Privately, Sergei thought he felt guilty for having gotten out of the life- and so luckily too. In a little more than five years, he went from a kid thrown out onto the streets, selling himself for whatever smack he could get his hands on, to owning his own shop. Well, sort of. Valentin was the money guy.

And that was luck. Valentin hadn't picked him off the street to keep as his boy toy, after all. In that state, Lucas woulda done it too. No, the man had a heart of gold.

Lucas' dying was a hole in the old man's heart. He'd lost his son and seemed to have aged 20 years at least, since.

So....if Aria was involved...Yeah, he had no interest in protecting her. But then again, he didn't know this guy from Adam. And he wasn't gonna sell someone out just cuz he was cute.

He looked at the picture. Troublemaker, was what he saw. "Not really. She hasn't been around since Lucas died." And what the hell was that? He was fucking 23 years old and has a heart attack?! He didn't hide the sorrow. It was enough that the Suit's comment shocked him instead of making him laugh. He briefly looked at Ana. Yeah, she knew all too well. The SexInk parties. She was at the last one. Didn't really enjoy it. Tattoo went on perfectly as the couple of guys clearly had no clue what the hell they were doing. Not that he did, either. But then again, he wouldn't'a tried either. He would have winked at her, normally, if he wasn't feeling so nostalgic.

Not now. The look he returned to the guy was resigned.

The doorbell chimed. Damn, but it looked to be a busy morning. He glanced at the wall display. Good thing Leinani would be in in a few. Ana and Suit were up next. And then, a brunette walked in. Despite it all, his mood lightened at the response in the room.

Suit barely took notice until she actually touched him as she brushed past. And then his intensity was suddenly focused on Ana. Ana might have raised a brow. Hard to tell. She wasn't exactly particular about sex. So maybe she was interested in those lips- or hips, he supposed. And the cute guy he was talking to didn't seem to overreact. All of which made him smile slightly to himself. Maybe his flirting might be reciprocated?

Poor girl. he almost felt sorry for her. Walked in and didn't own the room. If this was a Friday night with a bunch of drunken frat boys, it'd be a different story, of course. Very different. Instead, just a whole lot of indifference.

He very nearly laughed until she got close and touched both of them.

Well was something he had never noticed. Like seriously ever. Suddenly, those eyes seemed to be very inviting. And those full lips...His heart sped up a little. More than a little. Briefly, he glanced at Beardy and felt jealousy spike. He tried to speak first. "Yeah, I know him. I've talked to him a few times too!" He couldn't help but shoot a triumphant glance at Beardy. Douche. He hoped she smiled at him.

Beto affected a smile. She was persistent, he'd give her that. It had been a while since he had to carry on extended interactions with people- especially people he saw everyday. With his old secretary, he carried on the persona of a flirty charmer. She was always trying to set him up with her daughter or niece or some other young friend, but he was able to keep her at bay by saying he only had eyes for her. To which she swatted at his shoulder with a laugh- and a comment that if she were younger, she might just teach him a thing or two.

It was always a balance. Just enough charm to be affable and attractive- which elicited trust and openness- but not enough to invite someone into his life.

By far, the most difficult and exhausting was his interaction with his family. Correction. His Puerto Rican family. Thankfully, his responsibilities allowed him to miss all but a handful of the innumerable family affairs- birthdays, quinceañeras, Christenings- a truly astronomical number- and the like.

Jet had been pleasantly standoffish, respectful of his privacy, as he was of the man's own. Idly, he wondered where he had gotten off to. Daiyu still languished while he tried one angle after another. Perhaps another visit to the Guardian might help.

So in many ways, this trip to Moscow was truly liberating. Knowing no one, he was as free as he wished to be as sociable as chose. And he did need to keep up the practice. A deaf person remembering what it was like to speak, how to mouth the sounds, had to practice or their knowledge would change, their words becoming less intelligible.

So Ana was fun to practice with. And he didn't know her so it would be easy enough to blow her off when the time came. He smiled vaguely. "Ahh, yes. Kitties do like sun. And to be petted. I do remember that...from long ago, anyway." He laughed to himself. More like never. Once or twice when he was a teenager he had gotten close. Odd how being disinterested only made him more attractive. Walking the line between aloofness and friendliness was something that had taken him years to learn to perfect.

But even back then, as a girl tried to escalate, something always held him back. He'd read enough. The constellation of patterns that linked sexual pleasure and other experiences- any experience- was powerful. In fact could be the most powerful. And most controlling. It seemed too dangerous to take a chance on. Not if he was to keep control of himself. And so he endured their anger and accusations, borne of their wounded pride.

Another reason he avoided his family. Their expectations.

At that moment the door dinged and a woman walked in. From an objectively male perspective, she was stunning, as if designed to epitomize the perfect fertile woman.

He ignored her and looked back at Ana. At that moment, the woman brushed past him....

His eyes widened as if he had been jolted by electricity, as if something had been switched on. He breathed in sharply as, for the first time in his life, emotion flooded him from chest to fingertips, from head tofoott. He felt intoxicated and timed seemed to stop, his eyes going out of focus.

An eternity seemed to pass before he could breath again, before his eyesight returned. But the feelings remained.

There was something about Ana...

A woman can in, pushed in between him and Beto making herself right at home. But before Jerry could say anything, a feeling of calm washed over him. He'd do anything to see her smile at him. Which she was doing, but she was also taking his attention away from her. He looked down at the picture of Durante and frowned. "Not my friend. I'm looking for him though."

Jerry smirked up at the tattoo artist. "I was just asking my friend here if he had his last known address. And he seems to want to talk to you." He turned to face her with a bright smile. "I'm Jerry, but you can call me Jer. That's Beto and Ana, and...." Jerry looked over at the name on the plauge, "This is Sergei. Could you help a guy out?"

Everyone accepted her intrusion. She smiled at everyone in turn and laughed at Sergei's triumphant look. She did love a good competition. "Spoken to him. I would love to speak to him again. Just cocky enough to make you want to see more." She ran her a long painted finger along the tattoo artist's chin, even before the man in leather and the beard spoke. Jer, she said to herself. He was a charmer too.

The suit next her was all but ignoring her. Kali's bottom lip stuck out in distaste. "Maybe they should get a room?" She laughed, her voice highlighted by the bell that tossed in her head as she threw her hair behind her shoulder.

From the look on Jer's face he knew more than he was saying about the boy in the picture. Elusive land slippery, where had he gotten to. He hadn't returned to the Red Light District, and all but vanished from where she'd found him.
"Can you help a girl out?" One hand placed gently on top of Jer's and a finger tapping Sergei's chin flirting with a bright smile.

Beto smiled and that was a point.  Gawd, he’d look even hotter with a little shadow on his face.  Nothing scruffy, like a guy trying to grow his first beard but a little rugged never killed anyone.  Ana smiled and laughed again.  “Bey-to, I’ve got a kitten at home just dying for some attention.”  She ran her hand down the cool glass of the bottle before taking a long pull of the soda.  

Then he appeared more interested.  Well, sometimes it took a while for the mood to kick in.  Like, maybe he got now she was serious.  Her white smile was all kinds of inviting.  “I could actually use your help picking out the colors for my back if you’re interested in taking a look.”  Let him read into that.  All she did was breathe but her chest rose and fell in a way to call attention to the unrestrained girls.  Ana looked looked down and made a vexed sound.  “Oh, my nips are showing again.”  She blinked up at Beto and curled a suggestive grin.

The people next to her were almost to the point of being distracting.  Ana turned her helpful smile in their direction.  “If you guys want to go out “looking for him,” Beto and I will hold down the fort.”  She grinned at Sergei.  “I can clean up after myself...wouldn’t be the first time.”  Ana winked at the artist.  Sergei, you sly fox.  Sleep with that woman just to bump it with Jerry?  She laughed melodically.  

Ana Barič

NPC

She touched his chin and it was as if her face suddenly grew, as if nothing existed except that exquisite slightly caramel oval, dark chesnut hair seeming to pick up and reflect every possible shade, deep dark eyes holding secrets swimming in its depths. And those lips....they curled into a smile and his heart raced. They called to him, the way they twitched and pursed, hiding and teasing white flashing teeth, and he could almost feel her mouth on his.

Alien. So alien. Never had a woman affected him like this.

He swallowed, suddenly, a spike of jealousy jutting into his heart as she touched Jer. He blurted out "I have his last address! He was staying with a girlfriend of my buddy!"

He shot Jerry a triumphant look.

This wasn't a competition buddy. He smiled at him, then at the girl. "Mind getting it for us?" He asked politely. He already knew the last known addresses, but the girl Ana didn't have a bad idea. He turned to look at the brunette, she was hot. Though, he had a feeling she was playing him,"We could venture there together." He wasn't inviting the tattoo artist along, but he smirked at him anyway. See how he liked that.

Kali smiled at the information and clapped her hands together, and rewarded Sergei with another quick touch relaying her happiness. "It would be great if you could get that for me." She understood Jerry's comment and she didn't want to acknowledge that he'd get the address at all. "But I would very much like to see what Sergai can do with the tattoo I want. I did come all the way here just to see what he thought he could do for me."

Kali pulled out the intricate drawing and turned around lifting the back of her blouse and tugging her jeans down so the current design could be seen on her skin. "I'd like to add a link to either side of it." Kali smiled to herself and to Jerry who couldn't see what she was offering the other. A little favoritism maybe. Though it was him who had the real information about the boy she wanted. And she knew it but first the easier target.