Part Time Job, Full Time Hell . . .

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani sighed and shifted on the high stool behind the counter, and open car and driver magazine lay before her and she was flipping through it listlessly. She was resting her head on her right arm, which was propped up on the counter as her left hand flipped the pages. It was a slow day, not that everyday wasn’t slow-ish, today was just worse than others. They had only had one costumer and they still wouldn’t let Dani leave. She’d done enough paper word to cover the whole month for Christ’s sakes. But of course everyone else had been allowed to bail for lunch, leaving Dani alone to manage the desk with specific instructions “if we haven’t trained you, you make ‘em wait.” Meaning she couldn’t assist a customer really because not many people were looking for the traditional piercings of ear lobes.

She yawned and twisted in her seat, grimacing as her jeans scratched against the worn vinyl seat that was desperately in need of replacement, there was a crack in the vinyl that had been patched with duct tape. She sighed and shook her head, adjusting the edge of her black tube top before leaning over and turning on the radio then resuming her flipping. Occasionally she would mark some item with her pen then glance out at her Trans Am and picture how nice it would look with whatever she had just marked.

Her stomach growled and she checked the clock. She was supposed to have gone on break an hour ago, but the other girl had gotten sick, Dani suspected a hang over from the killer Friday night party she herself had been forced to miss, and so no one could cover her while she went to eat. She sighed and hopped down from the stool, going over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water in hopes it would tide her over.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.

[quinn reynolds]

Sleep and Quinn Reynolds had not been well acquainted in the past week. He'd been up for days, working on some the neighbors house. Everything in the guy's house was shot. Hot water heater'd blown a plug, furnace was acting up and the fridge had died. At least he was paying okay, pain in the ass though the whole job was. Today was a well deserved day off, but it was one of those things where even though he needed to sleep but couldn't swing it. He'd laid down in bed for an hour that morning and tried unsuccessfully. Finally, he'd just decided to go for a ride. So now, Quinn was on his bike motoring through Hartwich. He was hoping that it'd tire him out. It was having the opposite effect. Riding the shovelhead through town had only amped him up. He still looked like hell, but at least he wouldn't go flying into a wall.

He came up around a corner and saw Skin Deep coming up. He'd heard of the place, but had never visited himself. All of his tattoos, he'd gotten back in Weed before he headed north. He had a few ideas, and if the prices were reasonable something to mark his new home might not be too bad. He drove the motorcycle up and parked it behind a red Trans-Am sitting out front. Quinn pulled himself off the bike and stopped to admire it for a moment. Someone had taste. He circled the vehicle slowly, walking out into the middle of the road to get a look at it. It occurred to him how crazy he must have looked to any observer, but opinions be damned. That thing had curves.

He grinned and headed inside the studio. There was a woman working, looking like she'd rather be anywhere but where she was. Quinn walked toward the counter, and gave her a nod "I'm looking at something for my forearm. Tattoo. Looking at prices."

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani pulled some water from the fridge and downed half of it as soon as she had straightened up, then she moved back to her seat and resumed looking through the magazine. She heard the phone in the boss’s office ring and she stood to get it, but the machine had already got it. She growled and plopped back onto the stool. They can’t even trust me to answer the damn phone! She thought venomously as she flipped the page angrily. She watched the people pass buy and she frowned, narrowing her eyes at a few as she tried some mind control to make them come in and get their lobes pierced. Needless to say she failed. She frowned and slumped forward on the counter, groaning in defeat.

She lay like that, glaring at the counter top, when she heard the rumble of a motorcycle. Her head popped up in curiosity and she blinked as she waited for it to pass. She watched the bike park behind her Trans Am then the guy slid off. She watched for a moment until he started to look at her car. She tensed and her eyes narrowed, watching him more intently. Sophie had got her the car so she was a little paranoid when it came to her baby, suspecting everyone as plotting to wreck it.

When he started in she realized she was glaring and set herself to work reading again, trying not to look tense. She looked up, feigning surprise when he walked toward the counter. She smiled and pushed the magazine to the side, straightening up. “Everyone else is out to lunch right now so you’ll have to wait.” She said apologetically. “Of course if you need a pretty stud in your ear I can help you with that.” She half sneered, more mocking her current abilities than actually offering to pierce his ear.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.

[quinn reynolds]

Quinn didn't respond straight away. His eyes moved to the Trans-Am outside again. Pretty. Very pretty. "That's some ride out there." He inquired "That your car? You, like, a gearhead and working at a place like this? That's a whole bundle of tough right there." He was clearly impressed. Machines were more complicated than people assumed. It wasn't just twisting screws and nailing things on. There was math, there was feeling involved in the process. A bunch of different things coming together. If she'd done that herself, she'd have to have one mighty good head on her shoulders. He raised an eyebrow, impressed.

The bike wasn't all his work. His father had helped him with it, his brother had done some work on it as well. A family project. He was sure he couldn't put together anything like that car outside on his own. He looked past her, to the design board sitting up on the wall. Crosses. Just what he was looking for. He started to study them, not quite paying attention to her response as he should.

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani’s eyebrow twitched and she looked at him then nodded, unable to keep the grin of pride from her face. “Yup. That’s my baby out there.” She said as she shifted in her seat, leaning to rest both her elbows on the counter. She nodded. “Yup, not all my work of course, but back at the last place I lived I got to know the mechanic and he helped me out.” She hadn’t done any of the big stuff herself, but she had bled and sweated for that car, and when Sophie died she had made sure it was listed that Dani got it so her mom couldn’t do shit about it. The paint was actually a fifth attempt, sort of training for Dani. Every time she messed up she’d sand it down and start again until she got it just so. It still wasn’t done, but constant contact with her old friend ensured she knew just was she needed to get.

She watched as he looked past her and she turned, looking at where he was. The crosses. Not so popular any more, unless you went for the West Coast Choppers ones, but in her mind they were some of the classier ones. She smiled. “Looking for anything specific?” She asked, feeling a bit more sociable since the guy had obviously admired her car. She couldn’t actually put the tattoo on him, but she could get everything ready for when someone got back.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.

[quinn reynolds]

He could see the pride on her face when she talked about the car. He was much the same with the bike. You could get him talking for hours on it. He grinned a bit at the few details he got on the car. Wasn't so much what he was told, even though her managing to make something that good even with help was impressive, it was the way she talked about it. Pride in one's creation.

The mechanic studied the board again. Most of them weren't his thing. You could say one thing for crosses, there was variation. They had everything. The WCC crosses that everyone and their mother loved, all the way up to the bling style jewelery crosses he'd see the hip hoppers sport. He let out a disgusted snort when he saw it. There was something reasonably conservative at the top right corner of the board, just a plain old cross. Exactly what he needed. He pointed at it "Top corner. Just in case you couldn't tell by me roaring up on the bike I'm humble." Yeah. The way a hand grenade is humble. That wouldn't look half bad on his right arm. He had a wrench on the other side. There was something fitting about it. The tools on the left side, the church on the right. He muttered his next words almost to himself "I don't know. I need something simple. All my other ones are simple."

It would look solid there, and unlike the wretched tribal junk on his arm he couldn't see himself wishing he could take a cheese grater to the thing in a few months. It was a solid option.

"You promise me they ain't gonna cut off my arm?"

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani couldn’t help but notice his grin as she talked and she realized she must sound like a fool. A girl workin’ on cars? Unheard of. She just mentally shrugged it off though, even if he was mockin’ her it’s not like it mattered much, wasn’t like she planned on making a habit out of running into him in the future. Course, she rarely planned anything most days.

She waited patiently as she watched him look over their selection of crosses and she mused silently, considering getting another one, maybe a chain on her arm. Her newest, a barcode on her hip, was a few years old her last big fling before she began conforming for Sophie, of course Sophie wasn’t here anymore so there was no one to conform for, plus she was 18 now so no one could really complain. She looked up as he snorted and she chuckled. She nodded and leaned over, jotting the code down on a piece of paper. She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Never seen anyone so humble.” She teased. She smiled and looked back at him. “Someone should show up in a bit.” She said, silently adding “I hope” after that, “So if you wanna run and do whatever it is you came into town for then come back I’ll make sure they getcha in.” She’d feel bad if the guy waited around for god knows how long for someone to show up, he might as well run errands rather than wait.

She started to turn to get everything ready so when someone did get back they could just get started when the bell rang, signaling someone entering. She turned and looked up, sighing slightly in irritation as the main tattoo artist paraded in with a bag of fast food clutched in his hand. She glared at him, biting back some bitchy comment, well aware she might lose a customer that way. “We got one.” She snapped as she held out the note for him and gestured to Quinn.

She looked at him and smirked. “I can’t promise what I aint sure is true.” She teased him, ignoring the glare she got from her co-worker.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.

[quinn reynolds]

"She's got real confidence in your ability, man." Quinn chuckled. He pointed at the cross on the board again "Thirteen on right forearm. Think you can do that for me?"

Pleasantries and prices were explained over the next few minutes, until a satisfactory arrangement could be reached. He pulled off his coat and hung it on a hook by the door. Thankfully, he was wearing a short sleeved shirt so they'd have easy access. The guy who'd come in, clearly from his lunch, didn't look too impressed by a new customer coming in. He was muttering something while he put his food to the side. Quinn watched him for a couple of minutes, fishing through his coat pockets on the hook for his wallets and watching him. Hooray for pride in your job. Guy would be going at his arm with a needle gun, and he didn't seem to care too much about it. That was perfect. Quinn tucked his wallet into the pocket of his jeans and headed back over to the counter. The man opened his mouth to speak, but Quinn cut him off with words directed at the woman behind the counter.

"So, you got a chair in here? Want to show me where I'm going?" He sounded a little more gruff about the whole thing than he normally would, but something about it irritated him. The whole staff was gone when he showed up and now the guy comes out from his rock not looking like he gives a damn? Nah, that wouldn't do at all. He ignored the artist as much as he could, and kept his eyes on her.

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani chuckled softly as the guy teased Mick and she quickly covered it up and looked away as Mick glared in her direction again. She’d overheard him once complaining that she was cheeky and disrespectful. And she’d give him the cheeky, but she only respected those worthy of respect. So far he wasn’t worthy to lick Radars shit off her shoe.

As they haggled over price and all that fun shit she listened idly, doodling on a note pad in front of her as she waited for them to be done and the guy to pay and give her some meaning in life today. So far she had done nothing that proved today was even worth crawling out of bed for, the only reason she had was she got paid for it. She sighed and took a drink of her water bottle. She watched as Mick shuffled around, grumbling, and the guy went to get his wallet from his jacket. The guy didn’t look as excited about his ink as he had before. She chuckled softly and thought about shooting Mick’s “good attitude” speech right back at him when Quinn directed his attention to Dani.

Mick glared and stormed back into his station, grumbling and getting everything together. She looked up and blinked and nodded, standing. “Yeah, right back here.” She gestured for him to follow as she led the way to Mick. “Don’t worry, he may be an ass, but he’s the best we got. Never had an unsatisfied customer.” She assured him with what she hoped was an assuring smile.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.

[quinn reynolds]

((ooc: This would be a placeholder. I'm off to bed for the night, will respond tomorrow.))

[danica rose hale]

{ OOC: Alright, G'Night hun. Take care. }

[quinn reynolds]

He grinned a bit as Mick headed off to his station and nodded "Yeah, I bet. You don't get an attitude like that unless your real good at something." He followed her back through to the station and lay back on the chair. Mick was going through his prep work, getting ready his tools before he did the work. It also gave him an excuse to ignore Quinn, which was something they were both grateful for. Maybe he was just spoiled from the ones he'd gotten back home. He'd known Greedy Jones, the guy who worked the parlor, from church and they had all kinds of small talk while he inked him up. Still, Mick could do something to make him a little secure. He was starting to get nervous about the whole thing.

"I'll tell you though, if I'm wrong and he starts tearing me up I'm gonna be mighty annoyed. I'll jump at you Mick, I swear to god. You'll have to get, uh-" He looked up at her and realized he hadn't gotten a name "Uh, Miss, here to hold me down. Between you and me I don't think she could do it. So don't go stabbing me." He was probably wrong about that last part, in all actuality. She looked like an ass kicker to him. What he knew of places like this told him you couldn't be a woman and work there unless you had thick skin. Places were jerk magnets. He was joking though, that much was clear by his tone.

Mick just snorted as he went through his routine. Quinn rolled his eyes and looked up at Danica again "So, what is your name? I'm Quinn."

[danica rose hale]

(You naughty thing)
You're ripping up the dance floor honey.
(You naughty women)
You shake your ass around for everyone.

(You're such a mover)
I love the way you dance with anybody.
(The way you swing)
And tease them all by sucking on your thumb.

Dani smirked. “Ego’s too big, startin’ to add too much pressure on the inside of the skull.” She muttered to Quinn, a small scoff following it. It came with the territory. Skill=Ego and it just grew and grew the better you got. Everyone did it, no matter how humble they claimed to be. She moved to sit back on the stool, which wasn’t too far away from Mick’s station. She leaned against the wall and turned so she could watch Quinn and Mick, not like she really had anything else to do. She picked up her magazine and half looked at it as she watched Mick get ready, still grumbling. She rolled her eyes and turned the page, his current rant lately was how ungrateful today’s youth was, today’s youth meaning her.

She looked up at Quinn and chuckled as he threatened Mick, who looked at him, unsure whether he should laugh or deck the guy. She raised an eyebrow and grinned. “I have my ways to stop the two of you.” She teased him with a small smirk. She was referring to the tazer in her back pack, but even if she didn’t have it she was fairly certain she could find something sensitive and connect some part of her own body to it in a very painful way. She chuckled as Mick simply rolled his eyes and got the needle ready.

She smile. “Dani. Nice to meetcha Quinn.” She said nodding at him, since a hand shake wouldn’t be so easy to manage with a needle near his flesh. “So what are you doin’ in this quaint little town?” She was half mocking the town. She didn’t hate it persay, just hated the circumstances that had led to her being here. And so she wished she weren’t here.

You're so much cooler when you never pull it out
'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth.