I get up to go see what the tattoo is and am not surprised to see a quote from Alice from his favorite fairy tale.
I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.
“I want you to sign it as Alice,” Nick says.
“I don’t know how to tattoo,” I say, taking a step backwards and shaking my head.
“Sign it,” he says as Mateo hands me the gun.
“I’ll walk you through it,” Mateo says with a smile. “No worries. It’s not like it will be on his skin forever.”
“Fucker,” Nick says playfully as he punches Mateo in the arm. “You aren’t helping.”
I take the tattoo gun, listen to Mateo’s instructions and bring the gun to Nick’s skin. “You want me to tattoo the word Alice, right?”
Nick nods. “You’re my Alice. Seems fitting that it’s you signing your name.”
Taking a deep breath, I begin, finding it isn’t as hard as I thought. It’s actually… exciting and fun. When a piece of my hair falls in front of my face and I try blowing it out of the way, Nick reaches with his free hand and gently swipes it away. I’m so focused on the tattoo that I try not to pay attention to how intense his stare is on me. Not the tattoo. On me.
Taking my time, I mark the man’s skin forever. It’s not perfect, but then again, nothing is. Once I finish, I step away and admire it. Nick is also looking down with pride.
“I love it,” Nick praises. “Mateo, you may have just lost a client.” He hops out of the chair and extends his hand to me. “Your turn.”
I take his hand and allow him to help me into the chair.
“Have you decided what you want?” Mateo asks me.
I arch an eyebrow at Nick. “Are you going to answer the man?”
Nick chuckles. “So I get to choose?”
“Wasn’t that the plan all along?” I ask, already knowing the answer. “Matching tattoos.” I’m starting to be able to read Nick a little bit better as I get to know him. He may not like the fact, but it’s the truth regardless.
Nick shrugs with mischief glimmering in his eyes as he reaches for the pen and paper again and begins writing. And just like before, Mateo begins tattooing the exact same spot on me as he did on Nick. The difference is Nick stands by my side the entire time. His hand is possessively on my thigh, as if another man touching me—even a tattoo artist—is hard for him to take.
When all the writing is complete, Mateo hands Nick the tattoo gun and says, “It’s ready for you to sign.”
Nick walks around the chair, takes the gun, looks at me in the eyes, and asks, “Ready?”
I nod. “It’s not like it’s on my skin forever.”
With a slight chuckle, he begins.
Trust. That is what today has all been about. Absolute and complete trust. Not only that, but we both will be on each other’s bodies forever. Forever.
When Nick is done, I look down at my tattoo on my arm and fight the tears threatening to fall. I had purposely not watched the entire time I was getting the tattoo. I wanted it to be a surprise. Never could I have imagined a more perfect tattoo.
I will sit with you in the dark. ~Mad Hatter
Which goes with Nick’s tattoo:
I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then. ~Alice
And just like that, I fall in love. Hard, obsessive, suffocating love. A love that will never go away just as this tattoo will stay with me forever.
Two tattoos that speak volumes for who we are, what we are, and how we will be. He captured us perfectly. He marked us with our reality. He declared it so.
He will sit with me in the dark, and we can’t go back to yesterday.