Work Text:
Normally, Chuuya loved his job. After all, there was just something about being given the privilege of turning a person's skin into a work of living art, seeing the way his ideas came to life and the joy it brought other people.
It had taken Chuuya a long time to figure out what he wanted to do with his life after finishing school, while he’d always had an interest in math and physics, he could never really commit to building a career out of them, not sure if he had the patience for it.
Though, he’d also never believed he'd ever do much of anything with his art, beyond drawing in the margins of his textbooks or friends' skin any time they let their guard down around him and a marker.
But, with enough pushing from his family and friends, Chuuya had decided it was something worth pursuing, something he could do that still took a great amount of technical skill, while still allowing him enough creative freedom to not stifle him.
That, and he couldn’t deny, he did rather enjoy the fact that people actually paid for him to stab them with a needle gun– he’d be lying if he said that little perk hadn’t been counted among the deciding factors that led him down this path.
He didn’t think there was a better career out there for him than that of a tattoo artist
But, as with every job, there came the downsides- namely, the occasional terrible customer that would come his way…
For example: the ones who would ask for a very specific design and then decide, after he had spent hours working on and finally finishing their designs, that they no longer wanted the tattoo. Or the ones that couldn’t handle a small amount of pain and complained throughout their entire appointment. Or perhaps worst of all, were the idiots that couldn’t even make up their minds in the first place, and no matter how many prompts and suggestions he offered them, could not decide on a final design for their pieces.
That last one was the kind of customer that had Chuuya regretting all of his life choices at that very moment.
This customer was the reason Chuuya had been awake since the crack of dawn with his sketch pad and multiple pots of coffee, perched in one of the many small alcoves of his boyfriend’s flower shop sketching roses. Over and over again until every time he closed his eyes, all he could see were those goddamn flower petals!
Not that that was unusual, really; roses were often requested, and Chuuya was an artist, with practice, he had learnt to render a variety of different styles of rose– from the more beautiful, and delicate designs to the most dark, edgy and dramatic ones anyone could ever want.
Hell, the only thing he’d tattooed and drawn more than roses was probably feathers, so when he had gotten this latest enquiry, he never even for a moment thought it would be something he would struggle with, and the fact that his newest client was making him jump through so manny hoops to finish his design, was almost enough for him to consider whether or not it was too late to change his career paths.
Tearing the page from his sketch pad and crumpling it up, Chuuya dropped it into the basket at his feet, letting out a dramatic moan “Ugh, I quit! If I have to draw another goddamn rose today, I'm going to scream.”
As if summoned by his partner's anguish, Dazai appeared by his side, dropping down into the alcove next to his boyfriend and pulling him into a loose hug. “Come now, Slug… it can’t be that bad. I thought you loved a good challenge?”
“Yeah, a challenge , not mission fucking imposible! I don’t understand what this asshole wants," Chuuya growled, frowning down at his crumpled up pile of failed sketches. "He’s rejected every single concept piece I’ve sent him so far.”
Dazai followed Chuuya’s line of sight, taking in what little he could of the rejected designs.
As far as he could tell, they were all stunning. For someone to dismiss every one of them… Well, Dazai wasn’t sure this person even knew what they themselves wanted, let alone aware of the fact that they seemed to be deliberately wasting Chuuya’s time.
Part of him was tempted to call the customer himself, and after giving them a piece of his mind, tell the annoying asshole to stop torturing his boyfriend and not come back until he actually knew what he wanted. But he couldn’t do that, not only would it make Chuuya and the rest of his parlor look woefully unprofessional, but also probably annoy Chuuya more that the customer running him ragged did.
Chuuya had never been the type to let other people fight his battles, unfortunately for Dazai at that moment, that included him telling off particularly annoying customers.
In any case, something had to be done. If this kept up, his boyfriend was gonna end up completely burnt out.
Unconsciously, Chuuya had begun running one of his fingers along the outline of the little fish tattooed on the inside of Dazai’s wrist, it had been the first tattoo that Chuuya had given him not long after they’d started dating.
It had started with the redhead idly doodling patterns along Dazai’s arm the first time he’d seen it without the bandages he’d once worn, as if he were some kind of living canvas… Dazai had loved it so much that he demanded that his boyfriend tattoo it on him immediately.
And so he did.
Chuuya had also been in a creative slump at that time too…
Suddenly, almost as if that fond little memory had helped spark the new idea now forming in his head, Dazai jumped to his feet, pulling the sketchpad from Chuuya’s lap and tugging him to his feet before dragging him towards the door, abandoning the artist's belongings in his rush.
“Atsushi, we’re going out! You’re in charge until I get back,” he called out right before the door closed behind him. He was a man on a mission, and he would not be slowed down.
Completely ignoring Chuuya’s protests, Dazai hauled him across the street to Executive Artistry, the Tattoo Parlor Chuuya co-owned alongside his siblings. Looking around as they entered, it appeared that neither of Chuuya’s elder siblings were inside, only their niece and sole apprentice, Kyouka. Barely stopping to greet the young girl, he continued into the private room where his boyfriend normally worked before plopping himself down on the table and beginning to remove his shirt.
“Uh… Dazai, y'know this is a sterile environment, right?” Chuuya asked awkwardly, to which the brunette just laughed.
“Yeah, I know, " he grinned as he made himself comfortable."Now, grab your markers- you're gonna draw on me until you feel better."
Frowning in confusion, Chuuya slowly did as he was told, and went to go seek out the non-toxic markers he used for free handling designs on clients. Once he had found them, he proceeded to grab his stool and drag it over to his workbench. He glanced over at his partner, who lay with his eyes closed, and a relaxed smile on his face. "So, what am I meant to be drawing?" Chuuya asked.
"Anything, just draw… No restrictions or requirements. Just clear your mind, and let the inspiration come to you. I'm just a mostly blank canvas at your disposal," Dazai murmured into his arms where his head rested.
Chuuya smiled at his boyfriend fondly, before pulling out his black marker, and with no hesitation, began to go to town on one of the few clear areas of skin on Dazai.
He started with a few swirls and jagged pulls of the pen, no aim in mind, just scribbling random lines and curves over Dazai's side.
Eventually, he began to pick up a few more colours, and added them to the more defined lines and shapes he was now creating. Slowly, they began to take form, looking more and more like the distinct appearance of a Fox– a kitsune, if he were being specific. Adding in detailed shading and colours the longer he spent drawing, the small creature began to truly come to life under Chuuya’s skilled hands. Gradually, he started to build on more and more of the details: small berry bushes with leaves and flowers to add little pops of colour.
Dazai laid there for almost two hours while Chuuya turned his back into a variable canvas, allowing his creativity to flow out and release the tension he'd been carrying since the beginning of his latest project. To finally be allowed to let his imagination free and just draw whatever came to mind, completely clear of judgment and criticism…
This was for him and him alone.
It was one of the many reasons why he loved Dazai, the man truly knew him better than anyone, understanding what he needed and caring for him like no other. Chuuya would forever be thankful that their worlds had collided the way they had, and that they’d been able to build the bizarre, yet beautiful relationship they had.
Another half hour had passed, Dazai practically falling asleep under Chuuya's gentle hands, before he heard the clicking of his boyfriend's marker box being set down. "You done?" he asked drowsily, moving to sit up before he felt a hand press him back down.
"Yeah, but stay still," Chuuya ordered, quickly getting up and heading towards the door. "I got inspired and I gotta take a picture of this before you smudge my work. Back in a sec!" Knowing Chuuya, he was probably off to steal his niece's phone, since his own was still back at the flower shop, where it had been abandoned alongside the rest of the equipment he'd taken over with him that morning.
Thankfully, he returned a moment later and swiftly began photographing his work, spread out across Dazai’s back.
"Alright, I'm done. You can sit up now." Chuuya told him, satisfied that his art had been well documented. He left the room once again, to return Kyouka's phone and probably have her send him the pictures. Carefully standing up, lest he mess up the still damp ink work, Dazai moved to the full length mirror to finally look at what his partner had created.
As with everything Chuuya did, it was beautiful– a mass of odds and ends all coming together to create a gorgeous collage. It was almost as if he were looking at the embodiment of the other's soul, laid bare across his skin.
Dazai loved every part of it.
"I definitely have to get him to tattoo that Fox for real at some point," he mused to himself, before picking up his shirt and heading back out to the Parlor, to join his beloved Chibi as he eagerly chatted about the new concept ideas he had for his customers' design.
Yeah, he had a feeling that today was going to be a fortunate one indeed.