Page 44 of Ace of Spades

“SKC?”

He nods.

“They all had these incredible pieces. Each one told a story without ever saying a word. When I was little, I used to sit on the curb outside the bay and just… watch. Wonder why someone would choosethatsymbol.Thatname. What moment made them want to carry it forever.”

There’s a reverence in his voice that pulls me in.

“I never thought of it that way,” I say softly.

He shrugs, pulling open a drawer and organizing his inks by color.

“I figured... if something mattered enough to be inked into someone’s skin, it deserved to be done right. Better than any fancy gallery or hanging your art on a wall. People are walking billboards.”

I grin and drag one of the rolling stools over to sit across from him.

“That’s pretty special.”

I glance down at the tattoos wrapping Theo’s arms and legs. They’re chaotic, layered, and emotional. Like chapters in a story only he knows how to read.

“So your tattoos,” I ask carefully. “They tell your story?”

He glances down at himself, the easy grin slipping away. His jaw tenses before he looks back up at me.

“They say something, alright,” he mutters, voice tight. Then he straightens, brushing his hands on his jeans. “Anyway, I’ve got a client coming in soon.”

Dismissed.

The mention of his own tattoos clearly hit a nerve.

I push up from the stool, suddenly awkward.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"You didn’t," he says quickly. "I’m just... still figuring out how to talk about some of it.”

I nod, respecting the boundary.

I’m about to leave when he glances at my bare arms, my blank canvas of skin, and says impulsively, “You ever think about getting one?”

I hesitate.

“Yeah. Actually. I’ve been dreaming about getting something for my mom.”

His face softens immediately.

“You got an idea?”

I chew my lip.

“She loved motorcycles. And peonies. I was thinking... maybe something small. Delicate. Personal. Nothing too flashy.”

Theo’s whole posture shifts. Suddenly he’s all in.

"I'll do it," he says. "Free of charge."

I blink.

“Seriously?”

---