Nouveau Tattoo Pt 02 Taylor

Authors Notes:

I don't tend to write these, but because I felt that credit was due to another author I am going to write this brief note, and I appreciate the reader indulging me in it.

It was almost twenty years ago that I wrote some of my first stories here. Time tends to mellow the soul, and while my predilections haven't changed much, how I approach them and think about them has. Hopefully you'll enjoy these works that have grown more thoughtful and emotional and appreciate the characters that have, in some cases, become almost real to me.

Many stories are loosely based or inspired by the life I have been privileged to lead. My personal fingerprints, sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant, are on all of these tales.

This series was inspired by a similar concept by TattooedPup. I wanted to run with it, flesh it out, give it a little verisimilitude and make seem like a plausible thing.

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Amidst the recent chaos of Nouveau Tattoo, Cynthia and Taylor found a rare moment of peace, away from the bustling energy that had enveloped the shop in recent months. Cynthia's 'Tattooed for a Cause' campaign was over. The funds were distributed, and the land she was fighting to save from developers was now in the hands of a non-profit trust. Her sprawling tattoo, a masterpiece of intricate floral designs and vibrant colors that adorned her body from ankle to chin, was finished. But there were always minor imperfections that only the sharp gaze of an artist could see, areas that could be enhanced or refined to perfection.

Taylor swept her chestnut hair from her face as her light brown, almost amber colored eyes minutely scrutinized Cynthia's upper right arm, her concentration palpable as she slightly reworked a heron, its wings spread wide across Cynthia's skin, as if caught mid-flight among a thicket of mangroves. The bird's feathers needed little more definition, and the greens of the mangrove leaves a slightly deeper hue to mirror the vibrant life of Florida's wetlands and lend more contrast to the majestic bird that soared before them. This was just a portion of the tattoo that now covered the entirety of Cynthia's small, slender body; an homage to the natural world told in colors both bright and dark.

Taylor's voice was casual but there was a hint of genuine concern as she added a little white and lighter tones to the heron's feathers with her needles, "How you enjoying the tattooed life, Cyn?" she asked.

Cynthia laughed, her voice filled with affection. "It's been quite the ride, Taylor. I'll admit, those first few weeks felt like I was constantly under scrutiny. Every time I went out, it seemed like someone was watching or talking about me." She took a brief pause and looked down at the intricate designs that covered her skin. "But you know what? It's starting to feel less overwhelming now. The stares are still there, but they don't bother me as much anymore."

Her fingers absently brushed against the fern leaf tattoo that swept along the ride side of her face, a new habitual gesture she had acquired since she had gained that decoration. Her blond hair was now cut short in a cute asymmetric bob to better show off the bold tattoo that framed her face. A smile curved her lips as she admitted, "Seeing myself in the mirror now, it's like I'm finally seeing who I'm supposed to be. This skin... it's more me than I've ever felt."

"People say that in time you can't imagine yourself without your tattoos." Taylor said with gentle smile.

Cynthia grinned as she replied, "And if that is a sign that you've accepted them, I'm there."

Taylor gave a small nod and a smile as she carefully added a touch of green to the mangrove leaves, bringing the scene to life. "I'm so happy for you, Cyn. You went through a lot in that week, and I was really worried about you, but it feels like it has revealed your true self."

"Yeah," Cynthia agreed, her eyes meeting Taylor's in the reflection of the mirror. "And it's our story, isn't it? What we did together, for the land, for those ferns, the gopher tortoises, the woodpeckers. We made a difference that will outlive us. That is why this was all worth it. And I didn't know it going in - but I love being tattooed." Her gaze drifted back to the heron on her arm, watching as Taylor made it even more beautiful

"It is is why we started 'Tattooed for a Cause'." Taylor said, her voice brimming with pride for her tattoo art meets philanthropy concept. "I'm glad you were our first, Cyn." Taylor added, a little emotion creeping into her voice, "I can't think of a better person, or a better cause for it."

Taylor finished layering in some white and light blues on the bird, and stepped back to admire her handiwork. The heron looked as though it might take off from Cynthia's skin at any moment, a testament the artistic skills that captured the wild beauty of Florida's landscapes.

"Looks amazing, Taylor. Thank you," Cynthia said, her voice rich with gratitude and a hint of pride.

"Anytime, Cyn. You know I've got you," Taylor replied warmly.

The room fell into a comfortable silence again, punctuated only by the steady whir of the compact, cordless tattoo machine as Taylor added some darker greens to the background of mangrove trees. These sessions, though few and fleeting, were a cherished respite for both of them--a chance to reconnect not just with each other, but with the reasons that had brought them together in the first place.

As Taylor was beginning to finish up, she again interrupted the comfortable silence they were enjoying while Taylor worked. "Thom started the 'Tattooed for a Cause' campaign in my name..." Taylor said, her voice flat, but tinted with a hint of anxiety.

Cynthia, momentarily pausing from the sensation of the needle on her skin, turned her attention towards Taylor, offering a quiet "Oh?" in response, her interest clearly piqued.

Taylor nodded, confirming her earlier statement. "The Wildlife Conservation Society, like you suggested. I'll have him send you the link. I'm not allowed to look at it. It's all supposed to be a surprise"

The statement caught Cynthia slightly off guard, prompting her to ask, "How much is the fundraising goal?"

"It's open. I get on me what it raises," Taylor replied, a hint of trepidation in her voice.

Cynthia spent a moment processing that, understanding the implications. Every dollar raised meant more ink on Taylor's skin. Considering Cynthia's own body suit and the fern leaf on her face represented just short of $300,000 in donations; with that bar being set, the potential for Taylor's campaign to exceed this was both astounding and daunting.

"And the deadline?" Cynthia inquired, her curiosity deepening as she considered the scale of Taylor's impending transformation.

"Another two and a half weeks," Taylor responded. "I don't know how much it has raised. Part of the surprise Thom says. But he seems pretty pleased with how its going." Her tone conveyed her nervousness; with so much time left, the campaign could indeed catch fire, as it seemed to be doing already.

"Oh my," Cynthia said, the reality of the situation sinking in. If this was going viral that meant it would get a substantial amount of pledges. Taylor was looking at a a lot of coverage, easily as much as her tattooing if not more, and Taylor seemed to have mixed feelings about it.

"Yeah," Taylor echoed, a long pause following her acknowledgment of the campaign's growing success. Then, with a somewhat grim smile, she added, "Roar?"

Cynthia knew Taylor suspected that Thom would do something tiger themed on her; a nod to the tiger-striped clothing that was her signature look. Taylor knew him better than anyone. She was probably right.

After two hours of meticulous touch-ups on Cynthia's tattoo, Taylor stepped back to admire their progress. A sense of fulfillment washed over them- this wasn't like the frantic, deadline-driven sessions they had when fighting to save that crucial piece of land. Now, in the calm and laid-back atmosphere of Nouveau Tattoo, Taylor could work at a slower pace, with more time between sessions that was easier on both of them. It was a far cry from the intense urgency that defined their earlier work together.

"We can be done for now," Taylor suggested, her hands beginning the routine cleanup around her tattoo station. Cynthia enjoyed this unhurried pace compared to the intense, deadline driven sessions she endured a few months ago.

Cynthia glanced at the clock, noting it was a little after 7pm. The memory of those grueling dawn-to-midnight tattooing marathons lingered in her mind, making the current time seem almost luxuriously early. She turned to Taylor with a playful pout, exaggerating a yawn for effect. "I'm just soooo exhausted, I don't think I could possibly make it home safely..." she said, her voice dripping with feigned weariness, but her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Taylor caught the look in Cynthia's eyes and couldn't help but return it with a knowing smile. "Wouldn't want you to get in an accident because you were sooooo... tired," she played along, her tone matching Cynthia's playful sarcasm.

Their smiles widened, and hand-in-hand they went upstairs to the guest bedroom that had been Cynthia's home when she was being tattooed for her cause; a place that she still affectionately thought of as 'her' room.

----

The soft glow of the candlelight illuminated the walls, giving the guest bedroom a cozy and inviting feel. Cynthia lay on her side, facing Taylor, their bodies pressed together under the warm covers. The faint sound of conversation and whirring tattoo machines could be heard from downstairs, a reminder of where they were. But in this moment it was just the two of them, sharing a peaceful moment of intimacy. Cynthia noticed that Taylor's gaze seemed distant and her body tense, despite Cynthia's efforts a few moments earlier. She reached out a hand to gently caress Taylor's cheek and asked, "Everything okay?"

Taylor shrugged under the covers. "It's the fundraiser," she confessed, the words tumbling out suddenly. "You know, being a tattoo artist without tattoos has always made me kind of an anomaly. Sure, I've toyed with getting inked. How could I not? I've mulled over designs, done some sketches for myself. But this campaign..." She paused, struggling to articulate the rush of emotions. "It's stripped away the luxury of time and choice. Thom's worried about the shop's credibility, and what that means for 'Tattooed for a Cause.' If I don't go through with this, what does it say about us? What does it say about me?"

"You've got to do what's right for you, Taylor," Cynthia offered gently.

Taylor sighed, the depth of her worry clear. "I know. But what's right for me also involves the shop, our reputation. It's all so intertwined." Her gaze drifted away, lost in contemplation. "And with how viral the campaign is going... I'm scared of what it means for me personally. How much of me Thom will cover in ink."

"How far do you think Thom will take it?" Cynthia asked, her tone gentle, encouraging Taylor to voice her deepest fears.

Taylor looked over at Cynthia, her eyes traced the elegant fern leaf tattoo that swept along the side of Cynthia's face; a mark left on her by Thom that demonstrated his uninhibited philosophy. "Thom will take it all the way," Taylor said, her voice a resigned acknowledgement of her own future.

Taylor let out a long, weighted sigh, a tangible release of the turmoil brewing inside her. "Will you be there for me, Cyn? Hold my hand?" The vulnerability in her voice was palpable, seeking assurance in the face of the unknown.

Cynthia's response was immediate, her smile warm and affirming in the dim, flickering light of the room. "Of course, Taylor, every step of the way." She paused, and grinned a little wider. "And I need to agree with Thom on this one..."

Taylor, curiosity piqued despite her apprehensions, turned to face Cynthia more fully. "What's that?" she asked, a hint of amusement breaking through her concerns.

Cynthia's grinned, "You'll look hot with tattoos," she said, and they shared a lighthearted laugh.

----

Three weeks later Cynthia pulled her little hybrid car into the familiar lot of Nouveau Tattoo. The early morning was quiet and still, reminiscent of a scene from just three months ago when she nervously arrived for her sessions as the first participant in 'Tattooed for a Cause.' But today, as she stepped out of her car, there was a notable difference - her tattoo was complete. Her body was now adorned with a sprawling tapestry of Florida's native plants and wildlife, a living canvas that spoke volumes about the causes she held dear. Her journey with ink was complete. Unless, of course, Thom or Taylor proposed another cause worthy enough to extend the artwork to the untouched side of her face, a possibility Cynthia remained open to for the right charity.

However, today was not about her. For the past few weeks she had observed with a mixture of admiration and sympathy as Taylor's campaign had caught the fancy of their fans, with more joining every day. Donations poured in at an astounding rate, surpassing even her own campaign's success. The constant stream of pledges on the ticker was relentless, foreshadowing a final total that could potentially exceed $400,000.

As she pushed open the door to the shop, a wave of nostalgia washed over her as she saw the studio in its new setup. The shop's signs were not lit - but the studio was far from still. The familiar atmosphere struck a chord of déjà vu within her, sending shivers down her spine. The padded table, surrounded by cameras and bright lights, brought back memories of the time when it was her turn on that table. But this time, it was Taylor at the center of attention, not Cynthia. The calm and collected tattoo artist she had known before was now replaced by a jittery bundle of nerves, pacing back and forth with an intensity that revealed the emotional turmoil she was caught in. Dressed in a simple black bikini that contrasted against her lightly tanned, yet to be marked skin, Taylor's nervous energy betrayed her real feelings about what was to come.

"She's going to wear a trench into that floor!" Thom joked, his usual charisma failing to mask the underlying seriousness of the day ahead.

Taylor' looked up at Thom's remark and smiled at Cynthia. Cynthia saw in Taylor the vulnerability and resolve Cynthia herself had grappled with on her own day of transformation. "Thanks for coming, Cyn," Taylor said, her voice tinged with gratitude and a hint of fear.

Cynthia approached and they embraced, Cynthia's arms wrapped tightly around Taylor. "I wouldn't miss it," Cynthia whispered with a smile, her voice conveying her own experience with what Taylor was facing.

Taylor broke the embrace, wiped her eye and said, with a little more courage than she was feeling, "Alright, let's do this." She climbed on to the padded tattoo table.

"I've been working in this shop for five years and I've never been on this thing..." Taylor mused, her humor cutting the tension that had been growing in the studio.

Thom, quick with a playful retort, said, "Not true, I saw you take a nap there once!" The room filled with nervous laughter, a brief respite from the gravity of the moment.

Thom shared a knowing nod with Cynthia. She rolled up to Taylor's left side on a rolling chair, armed with a familiar soft black blindfold. "Remember this?" Cynthia teased, a hint of mischief in her voice.

"I believe that is worth an extra $5,000 to the save the tiger fund," Taylor quipped, a nod to the time she had blindfolded Cynthia during her own transformative session.

"Right you are," Cynthia grinned, securing the blindfold with care before planting a gentle kiss on Taylor.

"Cyn, you have the live feed and the chats. Let's get started!" Thom announced. Cynthia turned her attention to the Instagram live feed, announcing, "We are live, and at this early hour, over 750 people watching!"

"Those will only go up..." Thom predicted.

Thom then took the floor, his charismatic showman flair coming to life. "Ladies and gentlemen, everyone's favorite, Taylor, is here for 'Tattooed for a Cause.' And, as of this morning, she has raised an incredible $378,000, with more pledges rolling in. You, our amazing audience, will help decide how far this goes. This is an open campaign! Taylor will get as much work as you folks donate!"

Taylor, even hidden behind the blindfold, tensed at the mention of the amount--$378,000 was a staggering figure, one that hinted at the enormity of the commitment she had made.

Thom took up an orange Sharpie, and slowly circled Taylor's blindfolded body. She was trembling slightly, not knowing where, or even precisely what tattoos she was soon to bear. Finally he stopped at the foot of the table. Taylor let out a small sigh, one that carried a with it a sense of relief as the pen touched near her ankle.

Thom began by sketching broad, widely spaced stripes, continually referencing sketches and photos of tigers and a diagram of a woman's silhouette from various angles. The design mimicked the natural pattern of tiger stripes, fewer and farther apart at the lower legs, becoming denser and more pronounced above the knee. After the basic lines were in place, Thom refined them with a darker, red marker. Thom moved with precision, this hour of sketching setting the stage for what was to come.

The pens were eventually set aside, and Thom picked up the tattoo machine. His grin broad. "You made me wait a long time for this," he said, a mix of jest and earnest anticipation in his voice.

"Worth the wait?" Taylor asked, her voice still carrying a slight tremble.

"Absolutely," Thom affirmed, and gave her a long kiss. A moment later he picked up the machine and it whirred to life. Thom brought his hand to a stripe drawn above her ankle. He paused, the needle hovering just above her skin, appreciating the gravity of the moment. The long wait to decorate the woman in his life was finally ending. He adjusted his hand slightly, closing the distance, and the whir of the machine muted slightly with as it touched her skin. As his hand moved a crisp and bold black line replaced the red marker.

"So that's how it feels," Taylor said, exhaling softly, her voice a mixture of wonder and pain.

After about two hours of meticulous lining, the clock struck one, marking a transition in Thom's artistic process. He set aside the buzzing tattoo machine in favor of pens, extending the intricate drawing of tiger stripes up Taylor's buttocks and hips. Here, the stripes began to cluster densely, a faithful representation of the natural patterning found on a tiger's body. Cynthia watched, captivated by the precision and artistry of Thom's work. She had never before considered the detailed grouping of a tiger's stripes and the thoughtfulness required to translate this onto the human form. The way Thom adapted the patterns to Taylor's contours was nothing short of genius.

The design was striking in its simplicity and complexity, exotic in its appearance and yet so intrinsically fitting on Taylor's body. As Thom returned to the tattoo machine, his satisfaction was evident. He worked with a steady hand, lining the newly sketched stripes into Taylor's skin. The stripes followed and accentuated her natural curves, each line enhancing her beauty and allure. The markings seemed to belong on her, as if they were always meant to be part of her.

Cynthia could see the transformation taking place, not just in the addition of the ink to Taylor's skin, but in the way it altered her presence. The stripes, though merely lines for now, added a layer of depth and mystery to Taylor's appearance. Thom's work was more than just a tattoo; it was a metamorphosis, amplifying Taylor's enticing curves through the art of ink.