How Green Becomes Wood

"It's your party," Milo replied, "You can boss me around a little."

"It's fun sometimes though, once we convinced a bald father to get a bow on the back of his head," The artist happily told Xander, "It was a really fun family."
 
Alec smiled. "Never! Well, maybe a little. Have you said hi to Ivy yet?"

"Yeah?" Xander opened one eye but didn't look at her work. Instead, he asked, "Have you seen my dad? What would you put on him?"
 
"I did when I came in," Milo replied, "I like that she's been imprisoned."

"I have met him," She nodded, "And that depends: am I picking a tattoo I think he'd like, or one that would be funny?"
 
"Yeah, we didn't want her getting too overstimulated, but I think she's mostly just stared at the balloons," Alec laughed.

"If I can't have both, then it should be funny, and maybe on his hand or something so my little sis can see it easily," Xander said.
 
"Are you going to have her be painted?" Milo asked.

"In that case, we have a great stencil which says 'Princess' with a little crown on it and I'd do it in sparkly pinks," The artist answered, "But for one he'd actually like, I'd stick with a skull and crossbones or a bat. Maybe the spider."
 
"I hadn't thought about that," Alec admitted. "It might not be safe if she tries to lick it off or pick at it too much. I could ask Mama and Ba about it, though."

"Nice," Xander said. "He'd go for the spider, I guarantee it. Mama would get the goose. Could you make the edges raised with the glitter? Will it feel any different?"
 
"I was only curious," Milo shrugged, "She'll enjoy seeing them, I bet."

The artist thought about it for a moment, "The glitter always feels raised on the skin after it has dried down, so we could theoretically do it as an outline, or just do the whole thing in glitter. Once it dries down its not going to go anywhere."
 
"Absolutely!" Alec agreed. "Have you thought about what you want?"

Xander considered the options. "I think she'd like an outline better. It might be easier to figure out what it is."
 
"I might get a bird," Milo said after a little while, "Or two birds, maybe? Like my grandparents' birds."

"Sounds like a plan," The artist said contentedly, finishing up, "And you're all done, take a look!"
 
"It's what he asked for," The artist replied, "I can't tell you why."

Sloan came over to look at it, "I'm surprised he didn't ask for every colour in the rainbow packed into it. Really, Alec showed restraint."
 
Xander heaved a sigh. "True enough." He looked at the artist and nodded. "Thanks. It's good work." He moved out of the way so the next person could get their's done. "Milo, you want a picture of this? I'm going to show my folks right after."
 
"It looks amazing!" Alec grinned, looking at it. "What do you think, Emma?"

"Oh, yes, it looks like it suits him well," Emma agreed. "I suppose I could go next?" She said it with a "let's get it over with" vibe.

Alec shrugged. "I don't know. Sure? Unless someone else had dibs."

Peter and Austin both indicated they didn't mind if she went first.

"It really pops against your dark clothes," Alec told Xander. "I love it!"

Xander snorted. "It's cool, I guess." He moved over to where Milo was taking pictures and let him take one of him and his new tattoo.
 
"A heart farther up my arm, please," Emma said, pulling up her sleeve. "Just red, nothing too fancy. Unless you could put an A on the heart?"

Alec and Xander went to show Dark their tattoos, Alec displaying his proudly to his father.

Becky had started on one of the paintings while Austin stood back watching over her shoulder. Peter waited to take his turn after Emma.
 
"I could do that, whatever you like," The artist assured her, looking over the paints and glitter, "What colour are you thinking for the A? Gold? Silver? Blue? And what shade of red were you thinking? This one is our true red, this one goes a just a little bit pink, this one is a bit orange...? You've got options, girl!"

"Oh wow," Dark replied, impressed, looking over them, "That is not what I expected either of you would choose."

"What did they get?" Daizi asked, going over to them, leaving Ivy to play.
 
"True red with a silver red," Emma said stoutly. "That'd would be perfect. Thank you."

"Xander chose a skull with a snake, black and grey, and I chose a pink and blue octopus with glitter!" Alec told her, grinning. "And then... We put them on each other!"
 
"Alright, great!" The artist said cheerfully, getting to work and, as always, making small talk.

"Ah, that makes more sense." Dark nodded.

"What? That's hilarious!" Daizi laughed, "What made you decide that?"
 
Emma was polite and talked with the artist, but she seemed really reluctant about this whole thing. Hilariously reluctant, considering it was only temporary.

"It was Milo's idea," Alec told her. "It's the best idea I think he may have ever had!"

"Oh, and you gotta get in line for your tattoos, too," Xander told them. "We've already picked them out for you."
 
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