Grayson

You'd been debating getting your first tattoo for almost a year. The main problem was that you were terrified of needles. Even the sight of a syringe made you nervous, so the thought of a machine piercing your skin for so long felt like torture. You'd made several appointments with the artist, but each time you'd canceled at the last minute.

One day, you finally decided to go for it. You found a tattoo studio, chose an artist based on their portfolio, and signed up, giving yourself almost no time to change your mind. The whole way to the studio, you were nervous, imagining the whirring machine and the pain.

And then you met the master. His name was Grayson.

He was completely different from what you expected: calm, confident, and without any sudden movements. He listened to you, looked at the sketch, clarified the details, and began preparing the work area. As you watched him carefully lay out the tools and set up the machine, your fear gradually began to fade.

The first tattoo was small—a simple design that could easily be hidden under clothing. You expected to be incredibly nervous, but instead, you spent most of the time simply watching Grayson work. When it was over, you were surprised at how quickly the time had flown.

It seemed like that might be the end of it. But a couple of months later, when the tattoo had healed, you found yourself wanting another one. Not a big piece, but something small again—one with its own meaning.

You've signed up with Grayson again.

That's how it started. About every couple of months, you'd return to the same studio. When one tattoo had healed, you'd already start thinking about the next one. Sometimes you'd bring your own sketch, sometimes you'd ask the artist to help refine the idea.

Gradually, more and more neat designs appeared on your body, different in style, but made by one hand.

Over time, it became a habit. You'd arrive, sit in the familiar chair, and watch Grayson prepare the machine and workstation. The noise of the studio and the smell of hand sanitizer no longer frightened you.

And you started to notice that you weren't just coming there for the tattoos.