Master’s Tattoo
Chapter 1
The new shop had opened in what had long been a vacant building just on the edge of the city near the only parking lot I could afford at the time. I had seen the transition of the once abandoned building into something that refurbished but still dark. It had a gothic façade that was exposed during renovation. From the side street I could not tell what type of business was opened so I decided to take a stroll even though I would be late again. My girlfriend has been on my ass; while she understands that this internship could land me a job when I graduate next year, she always expects me around. I’m amazed where I find time to keep up with my studies, basketball and of course her.
There are a few strobe lights that caught my attention making the window hazy and hard to focus on. I am jolted back to reality when a guy pats me hard on the back and holds my shoulder. I spin and gasp at first to catch my breath. The guy was wearing leather trooper pants and a short sleeve leather shirt that rode half way up his bicep. The beginnings of an intricate tribal tattoo shown ran up his right arm and continued under the leather. I can’t remember how long I stared, taking in all of the muscles that seemed ready to break out of their leather cocoon. A crooked smile with a glint of pure white teeth brought me back to reality.
I keep myself in shape, but this guy put me to shame. I’ve been playing ball since I was 2, ran track for a time, football and for the hell of it some water polo. Each muscle rippled and the tight uniform that he wore showed every detail. I wasn’t going to jump him after all I not gay, but you have to give credit where credit is due.
“My name is Damien. Just opened up shop tonight. Are you interested in a tattoo?” I was trying to pry my eyes away from him. “Nev…never given it much thought”, I stammered. I took in a large breath and caught the scent of leather and musk. Again he flashed the crooked smile.
I found myself following Damien into the shop as he corralled me and was almost knocked over by a more concentrated dose of leather and musk. I began to look over the various designs that were pictured all over the walls. There were so many men with so many tattoos. Some were covered from head to toe, others a little more subtle. There were no butterflies, no unicorns, no frilly designs…just designs a real man would have. I felt myself relaxing and taking in deep breaths and began to feel the heat building in my body.
Damien reached for a portfolio bound in the same leather that he wore. “These are my personal designs. Perhaps you might find something in here?” This was crazy. I have never been into tattoos. My parents had raised me to respect my body and never to change the way the good lord made you, but I found myself mesmerized by the designs inside. Damien could see the internal war taking place inside my head. Again I caught site of the crooked smile; it made my heart race. What the hell is going on.
Suddenly the spell was broken by the loud voice coming over my cell. My girl was bitching that I was over an hour late, without any call. She just kept saying, I know your there, answer me. I grabbed the phone and told her I had a flat and that AAA just finished the change. Sometimes you need to lie to calm her rage.
I went to return the portfolio to Damien, but he said I should keep it and return it another day. “There’s a website you can check out. It’s listed in the back if you want to see some more designs. I wouldn’t let your girl see it though. She seems a little controlling. It always amazes me the power we give over to the wrong people. Soon you end up blindly following orders. I always like to take charge, buck up and be a man. “
“Thanks. I’ll take a look through. Don’t get your hopes up though. I don’t think I could go through with it. My names Trevor by the way.” Why was I nervous and why was I giving him my name? This was just a weird experience. On my drive home I kept thinking of what it would feel like, what it would look like to have a tattoo. I pictured my arm looking like Damien’s.
My girlfriend was riled up when I got home. I must have said sorry about 100 times in between chomping down my meal and still the temper lived on. My saving grace was a new sleep medication her doctor had prescribed. It seemed pretty strong so she was out barely an hour after dinner. I wasn’t ready to go to sleep so I went out to the living room to catch some ESPN highlights. My work bag was beside the couch and I remembered the portfolio Damien had lent me. I pulled it out and reveled at the feel of the leather binding. I caught a hint of the musky scent from the shop and brought the portfolio up to my nose and took a deep breath. It was the same. I opened and started to flip through the pages, this time reaching the end too quickly. The last page had his website listed so I decided to take a look.
The site had links to designs and artwork. The tattoos were all up close shots of the arm or back or leg. There were also explanations for what different designs meant. I entered into the tribal tattoo section as they related most to Damien’s original designs and read about the history. That it was transformational and brought you closer through pain, permanence and loss of the life source (blood). There were symbols that identified which tribe you were affiliated with, great warrior symbols, and those that brought luck or cast spells. The most documented and understood of the magically charged tribal tattoos was for the purpose of love spells and charms. These tattoo magicians would mix special herbs and potent concoctions to their dyes and would apply the tattoo to a small, generally hidden area to activate the magic.
It was fascinating and I kept clicking through all of the galleries. It was then that I notice a new link on the page for a slideshow of Damien’s art. I clicked on the link and relaxed in my home office chair. There was music in the background and some voices that I could not make out. The slides contained pictures of designs up close at first and then changed to show large sections of the body. It began to show two pictures at a time cycling out and then transitioned into pictures with two guys showing off their body art. Other pictures started to flash between fades, but I could not identify what they were of before the next set of pictures came up.
I woke to the sound of my girlfriend waking me. I had fallen asleep at the computer. I jumped to attention to make sure the tattoo site was not still up, only to see recent scores on ESPN.com. She gave a strange look and started complaining about her day. Normally I would tune her out…but her voice was like pulling fingernails across a chalkboard. My head was aching…maybe I should dump the bitch.
I arrived at the parking lot and found myself staring at the Tattoo Master’s Shop. I knew that I should get to work but I couldn’t compel my feet to move. I notice that there was a for rent sign hanging in the window above the shop and felt a jolt through my body. Maybe I should make a call and see what it would cost to rent. That would make the break up easy. I could just pack up my clothes and be out, then start over new again. I would be close to work and still get to campus easily. The sign didn’t have a number so it must be Damien that’s renting the space out.
I had sped through my work quickly today so it gave me some idle time. My mind seemed to be working with such clarity today. I ran things though my head again and again what I should do about breaking up/moving and decided I should go by the shop on my lunch break. Maybe he would be in.
So here I am, in my business suit walking into a tattoo parlor mid day. It wasn’t exactly business hours, but Damien looked like was hanging more of his work. The smell of leather and musk surrounded me as I entered. “Good to see you again Trev.” Everyone called me that on the basketball team so I didn’t give it a second thought. “You ready to go for a ride in my chair?”, he said tapping the leather seat. “N…No tattoo to..today”, I said. Where was all this stammering coming from.
Damien gave that crooked smile again. “What can I help you with then? You can trust me. I am always a great friend.” His eyes were locked on mine and I nodded, paused lost in space somewhere and then came around enough to ask in he was renting the apartments upstairs. My voice sounded unfamiliar or distracted. I knew what I was saying but my focus was elsewhere…on him and his eyes and that amazing body. What the fuck is going on in my head.
We went upstairs and it was a small apartment, but already furnished. All I had to do was pack my suits and be out. Damien turned on the water and it splashed all over his black shirt. “You don’t mind…were all friends here,” as he slipped out of his shirt. I could now see the tattoo as it snaked up his arm, around his shoulder, onto his peck and down his back. It was amazing, twisting and turning with some focal points here and there that ended in spinning circles. The definition of his body, the perfect eight pack the bulging veins…everything was spinning like the circles and I could feel my body getting hot again. I blanked out for I don’t know how long.—I looked down and suddenly realized I had a pen in my hand and I was signing the lease for the apartment upstairs. It looked to be a fair price…less that what I paid for my share with….with…Katie my uh friend. I called back to work and said that I must have had something bad for lunch and I would need today and tomorrow off.
I was at my old apartment is less than 20 minutes, through the door and packed in 10, leaving everything but my clothes behind. The note I left on the table told my girlfriend Katie that I had some things to think about and needed some time away. I dropped my cell on the way out the door, knowing I would get a new one later. It felt liberating. I was making a clean break from the past. Now I would have this new apartment in the city living under the same roof as Damien. A place to hang, have great parties, and invites some teammates over. I’d always been the conservative member of the team. I was feeling more alive by the minute and I owed this new sense of freedom and adventure to Damien.
I arrived back at my new place above the shop and was amazed by all of the furnishings. All I really needed were my clothes…everything else had been taken care of. A new computer with one of those larger than life screens was in the corner of the living room. I went to check it out…a kid in a candy store. I clicked the “e” and up popped Damien’s website. There was no comparison between my old system and the new. The pictures almost looked life sized and the detail was amazing. It was like seeing the site for the first time. The pictures started out pretty vanilla –Egyptian hieroglyphics and masks. Then it started to get a little darker with tribal swirls of demons and dragons and other spirits. The solid black lines, their power almost calling out. Why are my parents against these amazing works of art?
I clicked on a new gallery link and was met by 20 pictures that continued to shift. These photo’s started with arms and legs and backs, then slowly added in full body poses. I did not register the change in the pictures when they changed to men posing, holding the sides of their jeans, chests fully exposed. They started to move in a scattered series, flexing, laying on a rock, pulling their jeans down, exposing their armpits, full naked back shot. My interest peaked when I saw pics of Damien going in the same series. I found myself searching out his next picture.
Damien was pleased that his plan was working faster than he had expected. His research had paid off. He had identified the lone wolf, far enough away from family, now single and two months before the college session would begin again. His computer gleamed with multiple angles of my apartment. Preparing the next batch of photos that would appear in the slideshow. The fact that I had not backed off or turned away from the photos showed that his conditioning was taking effect. Being a risk taker he decided to add more frontal pics, while my attention was glancing over to find his pictures. Perhaps I wouldn’t notice the change.
A smiling picture of a well muscled guy, tattoos covering both shoulders and biceps (his right showing a guy being surrounded by fire looking on as if nothing was happening, his right a dark creature ready to pounce on a confused man). His fingers were hooking into the sides of his underwear, slowly bringing them down. The next photo showed his right arm rose behind his head, body flexing and massive erect cock released and the underwear band pushing the balls out. The next photo showed this stud laying down on a rock stroking his cock.
The series played on changing from one model to another with barely a flicker of attention from my search to find pictures of Damien. Damien clicked on the next batch and loaded them into the queue. Was he going to get his reward tonight; would he be able to claim me?
The next round intensified, pictures of men standing very close to each other. A picture of this shaved muscle dude with another hunk barely fitting the head of his cock in his mouth. Another with three guys – showing a guy riding his friend while kissing the other. I felt my cock twitch at first and heat building inside my body before realization hit. I jumped up from the computer…had I just looked at pictures of guys getting it on. My mind was swimming. Maybe I was just tired. There’s no way Damien would have that shit on his site. If he was gay I would know it…right. I definitely wouldn’t be moving in to his place if he was.
Damien was quick seeing that he had pushed things too far quickly changed the pictures back to more plain photos. Sure there were a few guys hanging out together, but nothing that would cause alarm. Just buds hanging out showing off the amazing works of art on their bodies.
I slowly crept up to the screen preparing myself for the worst. I inched closer and looked quick seeing the more tame pics. I almost jumped out of my skin at the loud knock at my door. Part of me was relieved that it was all in my head…part of me was horny and needing some action. Damien came by to invite me to a bar not to far from the house. The bar scene usually isn’t my thing….I like to chill with a few friends…but all the people and noise. I almost said no but I didn’t want Damien to be upset with me so I consented.
An alarm should have gone off inside my head when we walked into the place. There were guys, big muscle guys, athletic, some bearded and hairy. Damien looked me in the eyes. I could not turn away. “You trust me right? Trust me. This place is great. The guys are real men. Drink. Play pool. Relax. .. Relax.” He handed me a beer. “Drink and relax. We’re going to live it up tonight.”
I lost count after 10, by far the most I had to drink in a long time. Had I been able to focus I would have notice the scene playing out near the dark corners of the bar. One guy was on his knees , tight cropped hair and beard of the same length, lips wrapped gently around this muscular dudes cock that was out the front of his leather chaps. His hand held the base of this dudes cock, brushing up against his balls and he was sucking almost like that was his drink His eyes were closed and a blissful expression held on his face.
Just down from where we sat, two dudes in leather biker caps, full body harnesses and one with leather gloves were roughly kissing. The aggressive dude had an eagle, globe and anchor tattoo and thin beard. He was holding the other guy with his hand controlling the back of his neck and thumb controlling his mouth.
Had I registered this I would have run out the door, scared shitless back to my car and make the drive home. But right now there was only Damien. We were just chillin. He was a friend. He would protect me. I looked up to him. I wanted to be like him.
At 2AM we started to make our way back to the apartment. He told me he had a few things he wanted to get done in the shop. Needing him for support, knowing that I probably wouldn’t make it upstairs on my own, I told him I would wait. He sat me down in one of his leather chairs dentist style chair. I watched for a while as he did his work straightening things up. I reached over and started to thumb through another portfolio he had laying around. I did not hear him approach but I looked up, our eyes locking. “You would look so great in one of my tats.” Damien did not want to press me too far. He was going to get a little win tonight…and he would build on it from there.
“Does it hurt?” I asked. I could see the crooked smile stretch across his face. I could not pull my attention away from him. I could feel the heat rising in my body again. I was too drunk for my mind to act rationally. After all, there was no reason to be nervous around Damien. I could trust him.
“Why don’t you let me put a little mark on your bicep? It will look like a freckle. No one would be any wiser.” His eyes smoldering now.
“One freckle? That’s all? Just to see what it feels like.” He nodded his head. “It’s a deal,” he said, holding his gloved hand to me.
I felt the pain as it the needles penetrated my skin. Just a freckle. I registered the pain but also felt like someone had injected me with some kind of drug as well. A feeling of euphoria washed over me. My eyes locked on Damien’s.
His eyes were on fire. “I’m inside you now.”