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He had enough, Tattoo definitely had enough.
This was getting on his nerves, he was getting on his nerves, the way Aran was behaving like this place belonged to him was getting on his nerves, his questions about everything were getting on his damn nerves and right now that rich son of a bitch was riding his last nerves with his ……… with his whole being.
He was constantly talking with Hoy, so loud Tattoo couldn't even hear his own thoughts let alone the conversation on the other side of his spying toycar that was following Jack around the building complex, he really had to infest in some damn headphones after his mom had sold his last ones to buy more holy accessories, his Laptop wasn't the newest either so that in addition to the loud talking around him made him finally snap.
“ You two were geese in you last life or some shit like that how about you keep your damn beaks still for a fucking second so i can hear that shit” he belted out just as Rose seemed to ask Jack something.
He could only hear something like
“ don't you like him”
The two geese actually stopped talking just in time to hear Jack's response, loud and clear like he stood right next to them, even someone as dense as Hope would have known who this was about.
“ That was harsh” Aran said in seemingly shocking disbelief as they heard the car starting and driving away…….
“ That didn't seem like a lie too,” Hoy added even he knew that Jack wasn't a very good liar, and even if Jack used the trick of telling halftruths this was…… hurtful even for Tattoo.
He had seen these two together, how Joke looked at Jack, like Jack was cookie Joke wanted but wasn't allowed to have, like a Necklace that was unbelievable rare and valuable but unstealable even for this masterthief himself.
“ He has to hear this!” Aran stood up and was so upset like these words were directed at him, he even curled his long fingers into fist and stomped on the ground which reminded Tattoo of a cute five year old that felt wronged, not that he found Aran cute tho.
“ Than thank my blessed self that i calibrated this whole thing so it saves everything it hears” he took his laptop and stood up.
“ Lets bring this audio to the one that was meant to hear this”
They found Joke at the little Bar he worked Part time at, just one of his three jobs he had seemingly taking on after grandmas collapse , he was washing some glasses behind the bar, a black shirt on his sleeves rolled up and even Tattoo had to admit his friend looked hot with this combo not that Joke was anywhere near Tattoos type.
“ What's the occasion that you all are turning up here?” he asked with a half grin that was typical for Joke, but something deep inside Tattoo saw or just knew that this was a facade, a good one tho this was still Joke but a facade nonetheless, his friend had a rough day behind him seeing someone he liked waltz around with such a makeshift princess that was so out of this world she seemed like an alien from mars.
Even before Tattoo or even Aran could say anything Hoy began yapping like crazy.
“ We were spying on Jake the whole day and while he was in the car with Rose, after she said he didn't have her to drive home but he insisted he asked if he had a lover and he answered no and the she asked about you because even she saw that there was something between you guys and he called you a homeless weirdo that was harassing Grandma and basically just decided to live in his home without asking for consent and we have installed a recorder on this” he was pointing to the computer that Tattoo held in his arms,Joke looked like Hoy had driven him over with a car and then eaten just to spit him out again. Hoy definitely had missed his opportunity in becoming an underground rapper because the speed he had talked in must have been a world record.
“ Slow done tiger, Jack said what?” Joke had put down the glass half washed and looked at the trio before him confused. Aran seemed to finally also snap
“ Just show him” he nudged Tattoo at the shoulder with a power you wouldn't think a guy his size would have and for some reason the spot he had touched felt hot afterwards…
“ He totally slandered you “ the mafiason added and it looked like Jack had insulted him instead of Joke.
“ Here see for yourself” Tattoo put down the laptop on one of the small tables and Joke came from behind the bar to listen to it all.
After he just seemed hollow. Hoy made the movement as if he wanted to lay his hand on Jokes shoulder but the other one just stood up went behind the bar again, picked up the Glass he had already previously washed and began cleaning it in an almost robotic way. “ Joke ….” Aran started but stopped as Joke lifted his head and looked at him.
“ My shifts ends in 4 hours so if you don't want to buy anything please leave” The tall man seemed like he still wanted to say something and Hoy also began opening his mouth but before either of them could even make a sound Tattoo had grabbed both of them by the arms and began dragging them outside, Joke seemed like he needed some alone time so he would get it.
The geese started to gaggle again.
Especially Aran kept going on how Tattoo could dare to drag him like some ragdoll, by the way the tall one was moving it more felt like he was trying to drag along an oversized mantis than a ragdoll but okay.
“ And what does that do” Aran asked and leaned forward with this movement a cloud of fresh smell followed him that Tattoo couldn't ignore, he had no clue how Aran did this , as he was using Tattoos shampoo and bodywash, to Arans one disbelieve a 2 in 1 combi, but the Mafiason still smelled like his Shampoo had real gold in it or someshit.
Right now he was looking over Aran's shoulder as he was looting something at the Toycar he had used to spy on Jack.
“ Im trying to improve the Audioquali of this thing “ tattoo mumbled under his breath while trying to hold his hand as steady as possible as he reconnected some wiring.
This was kind of their everyday right now , ever since Aran had moved ind wich has been a few weeks he had watched Tattoo tinker while asking thousands of questions or complaining about his current situation, or the lack of skincare in the bathroom or the way he had to wash his laundry by hand with a cheap soap or one of the other many things he liked to complain about.
Aran leaned in even more and once again the absurd good smell hit him just as Aran body touched his shoulder there was a loud knock on the door that pulled Tattoo out of his fixation and made him slip away with the looting tool resulting in a ruined cable.
Loudly cursing he stormed to the door, noting that Aran had vanished into the bedroom in a millisecond to hide, he most likely thought that hs fathers men were here to collect some debt.
Which they had no reason to as Tattoo had been paying his monthly invoice regularly for a few months now.
As he opened the door he was ready to meet a punch or be greeted by a grinning Hope ready to collect some extra but all he saw was a bottle of liquor that was shoved in his face.
“ lets get fucked up” a familiar voice was heard and a grining face popped up behind the liquor bottle, Joke grin was what some would call slightly unhinged almost twining with the smile tattoo on his hand.
Tattoo took the Bottle and looked at it, it was some high percentage shit that was way too expensive to even look at.
“ Where did you get this, and with which money?” Tattoo asked as he stepped aside to let his friend in, Joke just shrouded his shoulders, “ I found it on the streets” it was obvious he stole it but what the hell, that men had performed greater heist then stealing some Bottles of expensive, Whiskey he thought maybe its whiskey.
Joke flung himself on the small and old sofa in the room, another two Bottles in his Hands and arms.
“ It's just Joke” Tattoo announced loudly and Aran appeared like he was summoned.
He took one look at the liquor in Tattoos hand and his face lid up like fireworks.
Pretty.
That word circulated in Tattoos mind for a second and he had the looming feeling of threat in his chest, no he wouldn't think about the son of a Mafioso like that, not to mention someone like Aran with his nose so high it almost scratched Buddahs booty.
“ That is a good one if you look for something a bit cheaper “ Aran said and pulled Tattoo out of his trance, taking the bottle out of his hands to look at it more clearly.
“ I drank that in some of my wilder years when..” he stopped and looked around like he had been caught saying something utterly out of pocket.
Tattoo was itching to ask him what he wanted to say but they were interrupted by Hoy that came out of the Toilette where he had been for almost half an hour.
“ No one should use the bathroom for about an hour “ he said grinning at himself
“ oh hey Joke” he fell on the sofa just next to the masterthief and looked at the bottles.
“ uh are we gonna drink?” He was excited like a little kid seeing cotton candy and their mom said yes to them buying it.
“ Na my friends tonight we gonna get fucked “ Joke said opened one of the bottles and drank straight from the neck, wich earned him a disgusted noise from Aran.
“ Spin it again spin it again” Hoy was so loud that Tattoo knew he would get angry messages from the neighbors tomorrow, they were sitting on the floor in a tiny circle so small that his thighs touched Arans and Hoys next to him in between them laid an empty whisky bottle that Aran just had turned and that had stopped at himself again. That was why Hoy was screaming for a respin. They had empty that bottle in less than an hour and the second one was also almost finished, Aran next to him just gulbed down a big portion of what was left in it. His body was swaying even sitting down, but it was immaculate just how much that skinny boy could drink.
“ Otay Otay “ he said with a speech impairment that was way too cute for Tattoo to not blush, or was it the alcohol that was seeping into his brain, he didn't know he only knew that he was far gone from being just Tipsy. And all of them were like that , Joke had puked into the toilet twice already, but he kept on drinking and drinking and drinking and to be honest no one would blame him for that.
Aran leaned for almost falling over just barely catching himself with a hand on Tattoos thigh which made that part of his skin tingle as if he was touching something very warm. He spun the bottle again, this time the neck came to an hold just before Joke. he was leaning against the Sofa his head needed Support so he was leaning against the armrest.
“ Oh it's me” he slurred and smiled wide. “ i take truth” this was answered by loud booing by Hoy as he always did when someone chose truth over dare.
“ mmmmmh “ Aran seemed to have problems thinking cohesive thought and making up a question so Tattoo wanted to help, even though he was just as drunk.
“ How do you feel about Jack?” The question came out even before his brain could think of the letter H. And it made Aran squell and hit in the side which did knock the wind out of him for a few seconds, that boy had to learn to control his physical strength better.
Jokes' eyes rolled sarcastically in their sockets and he let out a bitter laugh.
“ Right now? Right now i wished i could ruin that pretty face of his with a well placed punch a ', maybe that would heal his current dumbness too.” he again laughed bitterly and his eyes started to fill a bit with tears, it seemed like he wanted to say something but he was cut off by Hoy that screamed “ finished” while holding up the empty second Whisky bottle, he smiled like he had just won the Olympics before his eyes turned back and he just logged out.
That made Aran and Joke laugh in unison and even Tattoo couldn't hold his chuckle.
He felt that Aran was staring at him for that.
“ You wanted to say?” tattoo just had to distract himself from the piercing of those pretty eyes and how his gaze would scan over his face.He looked back to Joke to hopefully get help from him but the Thief's face became pale and he almost fell over in a rush to the bathroom, seconds later you could hear how he thought about the Whisky for a second time.
A hand on his face brought Tattoo back to Aran, the other man was leaning near him one hand on his face the other on Tattoos thigh to stabilize himself, and even with that he still swayed like a flag in a monsoon, or was that Tattoo himself, he couldn't really tell.
“ Pretty” Aran said and came even nearer to Tattoos face, the weightshift put even more pressure on his thigh and Tattoo was suddenly very aware of Aran and his body. From this position he could see down the neck of his sparkly silver shirt, and he was more aware of the beauty of that man. Aran came closer and closer, his eyes shifting between Tattoos eyes and his lips, which he bit in instinct to that incense gaze.
“ Ah nooooooo” Aran whined and tried to touch Tattoos lips but ended up poking his nose which made Tattoo chuckle again, Aran's eyes lit up.
“ Do that more” his words were dragging along almost like he had to fight to get them out, he was near that Tattoo could smell a mixture of Whisky and just Aran's smell , he could feel the breath on his own skin. His eyes fluttered close expecting a touch on his lips ….
which never came, the world around him collapsed and his head landed hard on the floor, a weight on chest, a breathing weight that laid half on top of him. Tattoo opened his eyes and the world spun around him, he was laying on his back on the floor Tattoo half on top of him, the alcohol had claimed him and the nausea was claiming Tattoo as well. with the warm weight of Aran on him he drifted away into the dream lands.
He didn't really wake up, he just heard his mothers voice and her hand trying to get him to stand up, nah he didn't go to school and he didn't need to go to work today so his mother had no right to wake him up.
His head was throbbing like he had been hit with a truck and last night was only a whirl of colors and words.
mumbling he rolled to the side embracing something warm on his stomach, was it Hoy?
he didn't really care as long as he could sleep some more, the person he was cuddling lifted one of his legs and pulled him in further.
The smell of something sweet was cuddling him and Tattoo went to sleep again.
He awakened alone and cold late that evening.