RP:Strangers and Tandem Tattoos

This is a Rogue's Guild RP.

Summary: At SoulsKin, Rynvale's premier tattoo parlor, a stranger seeks out some fresh ink, having seen the designs in their dreams. Since the Stranger doesn't want to linger, Lita and Leo agree to do the work simultaneously. The meeting could potentially lead to fostering new relations and trade with Elimdor and Vhys. Mahri steals the Captain away for a chat when the work is done.

Lita is perched atop one of the glass display cases which dominate the center of the room, bare feet dangling off the floor, her ankles crossed. Dressed in the usual little black sundress and the new leather bracer which had become a favorite accessory post blood bowl tournament, she balances a sketchbook precariously on her knee. She should be working on more temporary tattoos for the upcoming beach party, probably, the remnants of the day's work having been scattered across the display case already. But inspiration had struck and demanded attention so here she is working on yet another new craft project for the upcoming event. She'd have to get Leo to drag a couch in here one of these days. Or maybe with all the renovations at the JR, she could just commandeer his.

It had been a few weeks since the dreams they’d unintentionally shared with Kanna, and not only had the bard--who Lhyrin had dubbed ‘Moon Goddess’--made an impact on the vampire, but different aspects of the dreams as well. To the point that, if the moon goddess was truly real and not just a figment of their unconscious imagination, then they wanted some way for them to be recognized by her, on the off chance that she’d catch sight of them before they saw her. The elf was not new to the art of body modification, as was evident by the many piercings that littered their face and long pointy ears, so the next step in the process was clearly getting a tattoo. They’d tried their hand at drawing out what they wanted, and though it was not as great as other artists in Lithrydel, it would suffice. Eventually, Lhyrin found their way to Soulskin, with their drawings and their usual muted green and black dark ranger attire, the black hood pulled up over their head to shield their gaunt and pale features from the summer Rynvalian sun. There was a brief moment of hesitation, but soon they entered the other vampire’s shop, carefully eyeing her before speaking. “Are you open or should I come back another time?” Their voice was rather monotone, neither overly masculine nor feminine, yet still held that Vhysian lilt as they got straight to the point with the artist, so as not to waste either of their time.

Lita glances at the door before it opens. It wasn't so usual to sense another vampire on the island. The wolves she'd gotten used to, and more. But vampires? Intrigued. "Please, by all means, save me from the mundane that is inspiration without canvas to paint!" Lita muses in her best woe-is-me facade, settling a hand on the sketchpad as she lifts the other hand to motion for the stranger to come on in. "Open." She says, as if she hadn't just rattled off some obscure quote. "Business or pleasure?" She asks with a slight grin. "Or both, perhaps?" She's eyeing the stranger's piercings here, without judgment, dark eyes taking in the vampire's attire, quietly assessing.

Lhyrin allowed a faint smirk to form at Lita’s theatrics as the vampire continued on in and closed the gap between them. “Both, I would think. Looking to get two separate tattoos if you’re up to it. One of them came to me in a dream, so to speak.” The forsaken elf removed the hood, their straight black locks pulled back into a half-ponytail, as stormy grey eyes fixed onto the other vampire. “One is a little more intricate than the other.” Two pieces of parchment were handed over to the woman, one with the basic Vakmatharas symbol situated on what seemed to be the nape of a neck (a skull with rubies for eyes, with one yew and one willow branch crossed beneath it) and the other of a black cobra that twisted itself from the bicep of the left arm, down to the forearm, where its head rested on the inside of the forearm, pointed at the wrist. Its stomach was silver with tiny stars dotting it here and there, to make it look as if a constellation came to life. The drawings themselves almost looked like something out of a medical book, as if Lhyrin themselves had an intricate knowledge of body parts that most rangers likely wouldn’t have.

Leoxander had spent from early morning to that afternoon working outdoors, evidence of which came in the darkened freckles across his nose and the tops of his shoulders, along with some sweat and bits of bark and wood chips clinging to the thin fabric of the ‘wifebeater’ style shirt he was wearing. Just be grateful he was wearing any shirt, at all, even if it didn’t do much to conceal any of the tattoos on his torso and looked as though it had suffered a stab wound or two. He might have even gone for another load of the firewood he had been collecting for the bonfire in a few days time if not for the scent he caught on his trek from the beach to the sand littered road that got rougher heading west. It was subtle but distinct at the same time, mostly because Leo had to search the database of his mind to identify exactly -what- it was, finding the answer in a journey to Elimdor gates not too long ago, and had a trace of the same trigger warning that had prevented him from actually entering the forsaken’s city. Latching a medium sized hatchet to the sheath on his belt near the hunting blade holstered at his hip, he gazed southeast. The rogue had mentioned to Lita that he’d be stopping by and conveniently, the closer he got to her shop the more that forest strewn scent pulled at his wolf sharp senses. Not that she couldn’t handle any threat, herself, but the Captain tended to keep track of who was wandering around on the southside of that island. So it wasn’t long after the elf’s arrival that the door opened again and a steely blue stare through work-damp blonde fixed on what seemed to be Lita’s new client, as he might have caught a word or two of their conversation before he made his appearance. To make certain the unfamiliar person (he couldn’t quite tell if it was a man or woman but that hardly mattered) wasn’t trouble. They had enough of those type on the island, already.

Lita lofts a brow at the mention of dreams, shifting a bit to sit a little straighter. How interesting a thing, at a time when she was having so much trouble with her own. She doesn't believe in such coincidences. Perhaps Kasyr had something, sent the vampire on one of his little errands and the tattoo was just a plausible introduction. She takes the offered sketches, biting at the inside of her lower lip as she's looking them over. "Certainly doable." Lita says without hesitation. "Are you wanting everything done in one sitting?" She asks as the door to the shop finds itself open again and Leo makes his entrance. She lifts her gaze to him with a soft smile, lifting a hand to beckon him closer, holding out the sketch for him to peruse as well. "My partner here," she says to the stranger, as if she'd someone summoned him there simply by thought. "He might be a better choice for the cobra, there. He tends to have more patience for it." Things which might require more repetitive movements of the client, that was. Especially if the stranger wanted the snake to wrap around their arm the way the sketch seemed to suggest. "But if you are in some hurry to complete the work today, I wouldn't be against doing both at once, perhaps. As long as you wouldn't mind?" She's asking them both here, glancing from the stranger to Leo and back again. And then she wrinkles her nose a bit at Leo, still grinning, but doesn't say anything about the smell of him. Sunshine and the sweat of hard work. Still getting used to that at the shop.

Lhyrin was certainly trouble, but not perhaps for Lita and Leo or most of the company they kept. Even their Mouse was safe from the ranger that actively ate people on a regular basis--even before they became a vampire! Not that Lhyrin knew that Loravelle was connected to these people anyway. But Lhyrin had standards and maybe a few, very vague morals, which was rare for a literal serial killer. “One session would be preferred as I don’t often hang out in these parts of the island for long.” They looked towards Leoxander as the wolf approached, a slender brow lofted somewhat before the elf returned their attention to Lita. “Both at once? I can likely do that. The pain is nothing to me, so as long as it works for the two of you.” Their monotone voice struggled to sound as pleasant as possible, but it was clear that Lhyrin didn’t often talk to others. As if that wasn’t bad enough, their eye contact was probably far too intense, as the elf was always in the habit of studying others, whether they’d planned on eating them or not.

Leoxander hadn’t expected to actually -work- at his place of employment, but Lita’s beckon did bring the wolf wandering nearer, his scent of sea and wood mixed with whiskey and sweat possibly offensive to the vampires’ noses. Too bad he didn’t seem to give a damn, at first. His gaze lingered on the pale… couldn’t be a woman. Couldn’t be a -man-. Even the voice didn’t clarify anything in that department for Leo, but he finally lowered his gaze to study the sketches of the skull and serpent, ironically both of which he had on either bicep, albeit in very different styles and purposes. He finally spoke, his voice a bit grated for the lack of a drink of anything in the last few hours, hauling firewood. “Patience is not somethin’ I fig’ered you to credit me for, Ace.” After a brief scan of the cobra, he handed the parchment back to Soulskin’s owner, and because he -was- working there he had the sense to leave a duffel tucked behind a counter or that display case where he removed a relatively clean shirt. Modesty wasn’t his forte, and either of them would be privy to the numerous designs covering the rogue’s upper body as he peeled off one shirt to get his arms in the short sleeves of another, fitting the hem down just below a steel buckled belt. The utility cinch hanging lower and harnessing his hunting knife and axe would be removed and dropped on top of his pack before he made his way to the washing station to rinse off his face, arms and hands, searching out one of those shop towels to pat dry the whiskered lower half of his face and palms - the left of which was wrapped in black fabric. It didn’t take long for Leo to start casually fishing for information as he crouched to retrieve a second tattooing apparatus, knowing his way around drawers and cabinets to collect some of the instruments and inks they would need. “You come from up north?” Names weren’t as important to him. It was the details that some foolishly overlooked or took for granted.

Lita nods at the stranger seeming, perhaps, surprised that they would be willing to complete both tattoos at the same time. "I was very specific with that credit, thank you." She says, glancing over a bare shoulder to admire the view as the pirate changes his shirt. Nothing she ain't seen before. "I think that means he's agreeable." She says to the stranger as Leo starts rummaging through drawers and cabinets to pull out his equipment. She hops down from her perch on the display case then, padding barefoot around it towards the work table and motioning for the stranger to follow. Lita pats the bench for the stranger to find a comfortable seat. "You want a stencil?" She asks idly of Leo as he poses that question about where the stranger had ventured from. Personally, she's far more interested in the dreams they'd mentioned but perhaps she'd get a chance to ask just yet.

Lhyrin didn’t even have to look at the wolf to know that they were being scrutinized by him, wondering just perhaps what gender they were and what exactly their aim was, if they even had an aim at all. They got that look often when they were actually out and about amongst people and at this point the questioning that was presented to them, whether silently or out loud, was always amusing to them. Even now they couldn’t hide the lowkey joy everyone’s befuddlement brought them and they offered Leo a fanged, not-so-innocent grin in response. They were entirely unbothered by Leoxander changing, neither hiding their gaze nor actively watching. “I do indeed come from up north,” they said to the wolf as they followed Lita to the work table, finding a comfortable position for both artists to be able to work on their respective body parts. They weren’t very forthcoming with the info Leo sought. Sorry, Leo. You’d have to work for it.

Leoxander gave Lita a look as he pulled on a pair of black gloves that spoke without so many words, ‘What’dyouthink?’ He’d likely never used a stencil, but might free hand draw without puncturing the ink if the customer found it completely necessary. Covering his hands wasn’t his attempt to be professional, it was more out of habit knowing the hazards of his blood to most, and while he was fairly certain this elf shared a common trait with his vampire partner (in business and crime), more or less confirmed by that smile, he still didn’t want to risk the loss of profit to some unforeseen complication. “Yer the first I’ve seen.” He admitted honestly in reply to Lhyrin’s answer, taking back up the cobra sketch to notice how easy the artist made it to read just where they wanted the dimensions of that coiling snake. “Since Miss Lich los’ her crown.” Testing the waters with his words, fishing to see if he struck a nerve or got the same stoic expression out of the mysterious stranger, without really even checking for any shift in the grey of their eyes. He dragged a seat over with a bit of a squelch against the floor and pulled the set up on his table closer, blue eyes shifting back and forth between the drawing and the task of filling caps of various shades of ink to mix or match, along with deciding what attachment of needle heads to use for outline, texture and shading. That was about the extent of his conversation, for now, giving the floor to the rightful owner of the shop so she had her window to take over. Leo was pretty quiet when he had to concentrate, anyhow.

Lita tends to prefer to freehand most of her work, using a roughly sketched outline in charcoal instead, just to make sure the proportions fit right. "You want this on the back of your neck?" She taps an index finger against the skull on the paper. "Need you to move your hood and hair." She's not surprised to get that look from the pirate in response to her question about a stencil and she shrugs at him but grins. Patience. For the second time in so many days, Leo is throwing that name around and Lita makes herself busy choosing ink colors in various shades of reds and greens. "I assume you don't want the skull colored in necessarily?" Lita asks, though it's not really a question considering the pale skin. A nice bit of stark line work and shading would do just beautifully around those rubies snugged into the skull's eye sockets. She can already see the piece coming to life before she's started. But unlike the pirate, she prefers to let the client fill the space between the work most of the time, preferring conversation that doesn't require a lot of focus to be pulled from the ink. "You said you saw them in dreams?" Lita presses with a quiet sense of excitement. "What do they mean to you? If you don't mind me asking."

Lhyrin removed the bit of long-sleeved soft leather clothing that adorned their top half as asked, leaving a muscle tank-esque silk shirt beneath. “Yes, please,” their words for Lita’s questions pertaining to the skull’s placement. Even with the clothing removed, it still wouldn’t help Leo’s quest to figure out just what Lhyrin was, as Lhyrin was rather flat-chested and just rather slim in general. A shrug was implied, but not actually done as the two got to work on Lhyrin’s ink. “My kind tends to keep to themselves. And with Our Dark Lady gone, things became rather quiet. But, Elimdor is changing. Expanding. They’re adding in a proper harbor and more shops and whatnot. It’s been quiet for too long, I suppose,” they said to Leoxander. “I plan to take Our Lady’s house for my own eventually, as I’ve been staying there anyway.” Lita’s questioning drew their attention away from the wolf. “Perhaps not fully colored in. Some shading with black to give it some depth would do though.” Other than that, they’d let the two do their work as they saw fit. “And yes, I did see it in a dream. Well… two so far.” Here, Lhyrin actually showed a bit of emotion that seemed out of place on the elf: confusion, and maybe even a hint of sadness or longing. “There was a woman. Short and shapely with long white hair. She said that she had been undead at some point and was now forsaken by Vakmatharas. She looked like a moon goddess and brought the stars down from the heavens themselves.” In the waking world, there was really only one person that looked like that: Kanna. “One of them was this snake, like it was meant for me.” There was another implied shrug as they turned their attention to the wall across from them, somewhat lost in thought. “I don’t really know what to make of it or why I even cling to the memory of it. It just struck me as… important?”

Leoxander, being the scoundrel he was, did spare a glance to the chest area as if it might be the missing piece of the puzzle. Not much goin’ on for them in that department, if it was a woman. Gradually he stopped caring or wondering and focused on the one thing he could figure out easily enough. Transferring artwork permanently to skin. And if this sonuva… daughter-... well if this blaggard wasn’t the pale sort, but the rogue was also checking for any telltale scars among that complexion. “Yer tellin’ me…” He murmured a reply in regards to Ryeanna as he removed a matchstick from a box in pocket, and if there wasn’t need to strike it for a heat source to those steam powered contraptions, the sulfur dipped head would remain tipped in red. Either way he bit on the wooden part to chew on like a toothpick since Lita was strict with the liquor at work rule and he had a plethora of bad habits. He didn’t ask for any clarification on the details as Lita did, figuring the elf would speak up if he had any specifics by the time any sleeve or fabric or hair in the way was pushed aside. He fixed the handheld device with black ink and a sharp point and wiped down Lhyrin’s arm with a disinfectant soaked gauze before he leaned in to begin the outline that would not fully connect and have intentional gaps in places, in order to brighten those stars in the design to look more realistic and less sketchy. Now and then he stopped for a split second to refresh the print of the design in his mind’s eye, but the forsaken did give him reason to pause and grumble, “Try’n no’ do that, mate.” However light their shrug was. Continuing at a steady pace, excess blood and ink would be wiped aside to keep the image clean and precise. All the while listening to the talk about dreams.

Lita isn't sure what a moon goddess looks like, or if she believes in such a thing. Maybe more so now with her own foray into the world of dreams and the influences of blood pacts. Being a supernatural being, you'd think she'd be more open to the belief of such things, and yet. "Dreams do that sometimes." She says a bit softly, wiping at the back of the stranger's neck with a cloth dipped in antiseptic before a piece of pale blue charcoal is lifted from the worktable and used to sketch a general outline of the tattoo design that she could follow. "They get under your skin, work their way into the fabric of you and make themselves a home. At some point you've got no choice but to let them stay." And sometimes a tattoo was a small price to pay to honor the existence of them, a small sacrifice of self to prove, with some tangible form, that they'd existed at all. The heel of her palm settles against the stranger's shoulder to steady her hand as she sets to work on the outline of the skull in black ink first. It's quick work and she keeps the line thin, just to keep the shape, before she's switching needles and colors, choosing a brighter red for those rubies and setting to work coloring them in. The black outline of them and shading around them would come after, far easier to do over top of the brighter color than work within the confines of the black. "Elimdor sounds like it's coming along nicely." Lita manages a polite tone, probably shooting the fellow artist a look here over the client's shoulder, knowing he's not so fond of the place. "I was there just a few weeks ago for dinner at a new restaurant. Very nice, everything was so clean and polished." Sterile, was the word she'd used, but beautiful none the less. "It's nice to hear things are going well with so much else going on across the lands."

Lhyrin actually grimaced a little, another show of emotion that didn’t seem to suit them right, at Leo’s warning. “Sorry. Haven’t actually done this before. Did the piercings myself even.” The piercings were one thing, but they weren’t even going to attempt the ink on themselves. As Leo examined them all sneaky like, he’d find that there were indeed scars that peeked out somewhat from beneath the tank top on their back, along the edges of the hem. There were no scars anywhere else, however. No place that could be seen anyway. If the intent of said scars were to punish, it was to do so and not be seen by the public. “So it would seem,” they said to Lita, in response to her assessment of how dreams tend to affect people. Unlike most, there’d be no flinching or signs of pain on Lhyrin as the two worked away. It’s as if they had no feeling at all or perhaps they were just that used to it. “Elimdor certainly is looking more and more beautiful each day as the construction progresses.” Well, ‘beautiful’ was subjective anyway, as Vhys as a whole was very Vailkrin-esque in aesthetic. “They’ll be worrying about trade routes and the like next, I believe. I tried my hand at trying to sway King Macon into getting themselves a proper port, but his brain’s harder than that famed Larketian stone he loves so much.” The insult was casual, with no amount of hatred behind it. Exasperation maybe, for the King could not even sacrifice his people to Vakmatharas properly. It was always done in secret. Never in public, where it could make a full impact. Alas.

Leoxander wasn’t as speedy as Lita when it came to getting through those colors and her artful shading, but because he hadn’t taken the time to draw a guiding like and the piece was nearly a three quarter sleeve in size, he anticipated her to finish before he did. The snake design was a bit more fluid and less symmetrical in places, and there were moments his boot eased off the foot trigger to turn the elf’s arm at an appropriate angle to provide that pattern to the inside of their arm, as was depicted in that by-the-book sketch. When Lita shifted the topic of their talk, he couldn’t help the slight chuff of breath that escaped between his surprisingly white rows of teeth cornered by longer than natural canines that gave away hints of bestial blood in a humanoid form. He spoke low around that bite on the matchstick. “...’less you count the smell.” Maybe it wasn’t as obvious to a vampire as it was to his lycan kind, but something sinister had warded the rogue away from the beauty of cobblestone streets and pale, polished spires. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it actually was but his instincts warned him that he didn’t want to. Uprighting from his forward slouch to stretch his spine and switch out needle tips for a narrow cluster of pinpoints used for shading, any pain Lhyrin did feel would be the most potent then as Leo started to fill in the scales with meticulous care. Even if black was a good choice to avoid missed spots, he added some gradient texture to each one individually so it looked like the light was reflecting in a flowing line down that twisted creature, gradually detailed into a more three dimensional look rather than flat ink on canvas. It could always be filled in if that didn’t appeal to them. His expression darkened a degree at the mention of Larket’s King. “If your lot end up needin’ cargo hauled you ain’t gotta look that far. Man doesn’t bloody to do anythin’ but sit on his ass and look down his damn nose, anyhow.”

Lita manages a polite enough smile at mention of Larket but doesn't have anything fond to say of the place. She'd been at that wedding. She'd worn shoes. Unfortunate choices had been made all around that day, it would seem. And the pirate seems to be of a similar mind, which is likely why they work so well together. "The right trade routes can be, sometimes far more difficult a thing than merely convincing a king what might be best for their kingdom." The words sound almost fond, more than likely not spoken about Larket at all, considering current political standings of the world. She finishes the gradient red hues of those rubies and she changes out the needle again before wiping excess ink from the stranger's neck. She might be a bit quicker with the artsy stuff these days but she's had a bit of practice in the pirate's absences. She doesn't appreciate the work as much when she has to keep moving the canvas. A necessity that in her mind, only interrupts the creation. So each time he moves the stranger's arm, the hum of the tattoo gun in her palm falls quiet a moment and she holds a clipped breath. This is how she'd come to view his patience. Finally, she stretches her shoulders back for a brief respite and looks over the sketch for another moment. "The two branches here..." she taps an idle finger against the page. "I can outline them in black if you like but it might make the piece look a bit, hmm, too artistic?" That's not quite the word she's looking for, "Juvenile, I think. I can leave the black outline off on those parts, it will give the branches a softer touch and will allow the skull and rubies to really pop more from the piece. But, it's ultimately up to what you'd like." She'll allow the stranger a moment to think it over if they need and is admiring Leo's work instead. It feels nostalgic and right to be working alongside him at long last, after so many years. Even if it's a different shop with a new name, it still feels like theirs.

“Mmm, that would probably be the undead and the fermin, unfortunately. Ryeanna always had a soft spot for them. And while the nobles have their ways of covering up things like that, it doesn’t always pertain to the rest of the city. And I think they had been inclined to keep it that way to scare others off, what with the history with the high elves and all. Maybe that’ll change now with everything else,” Lhyrin said, in regards to the smell. Lhyrin wasn’t even sure why they’d involved themselves in the politics of Vhys. It had never done them any favors, whether within their own family or the city as a whole. And yet, they still clung to it, because it was the most familiar thing to them--to the point that they even endured the nightmares it inflicted on them on a daily basis. “So it would seem,” their words for Lita now. They took a moment to think about her question regarding the branches. “If that’s what you think, then I trust your judgement. I’m not really much of an artist, so I will leave decisions like that to the two of you.”

Leoxander was set to change for a grey cartridge in due time, although the sketch depicted more of a silver. He didn’t mix those bits of light reflecting particles to create any true metallic hue like Lita did (she could always go back over it and fix that if requested) but once again he’d be using the plays of white to give it that sleek, steeled quality that a snake’s scales often possessed, especially with a recent molting. And in a lot of ways, that felt appropriate for the forsaken elf who had ‘never done this before’ and was possibly preparing to take more than one new experience in life, in their consideration of ‘Their Lady’s Seat’. “Seems we’re lookin’ to be neighbors, either way. Ace ‘n I keep an eye on things down this end.” He wouldn’t mention the rest of the gang ready to turn into an army should whatever tentative accord that might be forged go array, keeping that coin of information tucked away in his pocket, for now. If the eyes of the cobra had been drawn visible on the sketch, it would reflect in the ink further taking form, the placement of its head poised for wrist as instructed and he was finishing some of the shading in that spot as he broke away from the territory topic to ask, “...You want these another color?” That was only if they showed at all, but most vipers kept their eyes locked on their target. There were still plenty of details to fill in and those stars to make look like the sky maps he often followed at sea, but the creation was gradually coming together, piece by piece as irritated skin likely grew more inflamed and irritated the longer they sat on that bench. Their tolerance was impressive enough, though.

Lita tries not to look like she's a kid who's just been handed free reign of a candy store- or like Lora getting any sort of gift, which is too pure a sight for this world. No, Lita is a professional. Which she reminds herself of as she nods at the stranger's decision. "Got it." She reaches for a few pots of green inks in varying shades and sets to work on the branches next. Freehanding them without an outline will add more movement into the piece. Here she doesn't have to work against the natural movement of the stranger's skin because the branches don't have to follow strict rules and guidelines. Even the tiniest of mistakes in the line work will only add to the natural flow of the piece and make the artwork look more three-dimensional. Lita starts with lighter shades for the base and then adds layers of darker hues to contrast and shade for depth. Every few minutes she leans back a bit to inspect the piece and then will lean forward again to add a few more lines. Once satisfied, she'll change the needle again and gather blank ink at the needle's point to draw the think lines at the facet edges of both rubies. Followed by making the outline around the skull a tad thicker. She'll leave a bit of conversation for the pirate to carry and interject if need be to ask, "What silver are you using for those stars?" Whether he nudges it her way or nods to point it out, she snags it for a moment, changes the needle out a final time and adds a bit of highlight on the front facets of those gems. Most would have done it in white, but the silver will stand out more against the alabaster skin and the skull, and will also match that color of the stars in Leo's piece. Satisfied, she wipes the excess ink away to clean it up and hands the client a mirror, holding one as well so they can see the work.

Lhyrin ’s stormy eyes shifted towards Leo, offering the brief stare in acknowledgement instead of the nod that their brain told them to do instead. They didn’t nod though. Gods, why was it so hard for them to sit still throughout this? Well, Lhyrin, maybe it’s because the only people you allow in close proximity to you are the ones that die within seconds of said close contact and this was entirely out of your comfort zone, you silly elf. “Apparently,” they said to Leo. “And I’ll keep it in mind, the cargo-hauling. Pass the word along to whomever’s going to deal with that.” Trying very hard not to move their head, they turned their line of sight down to the snake’s head, and let out a ‘hm’. From the sounds of it, Lita was trying to get things to match so… “Let’s go with the same red as the rubies, please, for the eyes. The woman from that dream said there was some long-lost association or some such with snakes and Vakmatharas, so it fits to match the two.”

Imagine Mahri's surprise when she thinks that maybe she could use some new ink, only to find - when she opened the door to Soulskin - Leo and Lita working on someone in tandem. Closing the door softly behind her, the lycan makes her way to a chair nearby to sit down without invitiation to simply watch. Silver-grey eyes move from one piece of art to the other. "Impressive." She meant it. "Now I think I need to rethink what I wanted." Actually, she had no idea what she'd wanted thinking to leave it up to the artist. Too much thinking hurts the brain.

Leoxander was a walking anomaly for the fact he typically only got physical with people with knuckles or knives, especially when he didn’t know them well enough, and yet his warmer-than-human hands had to keep pieces of the client’s body still or at times stretch skin for a certain effect or correction in that line of work. Poor Lhyrin would have a play of hot and cold on one shoulder and the other arm as the two worked together, Lita’s question answered as the two exchanged the shared silver and crimson hues and he leaned to inspect her work, maybe pointing out something that wasn’t a flaw but a suggestion before he leaned back to let her take in what he’d managed so far, passing the machine into her hand if she saw something to enhance or detail. Once it was back in his grip, he switched out the pieces and cartridge for that sanguine color and would shade to afford a white reflection glare so that the cobra’s eyes gleamed, not unlike the jewels set in a skull. Mahri’s arrival triggered the instinctive pause for distraction. “Please say you’ve got somethin’ on you. This damn woman keeps me chained in prohibition.” Big word for a pirate that usually spoke in a curse-filled brogue. But his fellow alpha would know what he’d be after when the work was done. So back to the task he went for those finishing touches.

Lita will not admit to keeping a case of whiskey stashed in the tunnels below the shop. Not yet, anyway. Last thing she needed was a bunch of heathens drinking at the shop and stabbin' at each other with pretty colors. She'd cleaned blood off the floor too many times in the past. So the pirate's words garner a warm smile as the vampire turns in her seat to regard the she-wolf. "He's been good, he deserves a treat." More than likely Mahri will have more than enough on hand to share. She stands, stretching at last, leaning a bit to inspect and admire the pirate's inkwork. "It looks fantastic." She murmurs, not at all surprised. "I hope they are what you envisioned." She says to the stranger. Then Lita turns back to Mahri. "What'd you have in mind?" She was pretty exhausted but she's intrigued.

Mahri probably had a flask on her as well as a few other things. Speaking of the former, the wolf withdraws it from a duster pocket, unscrewing the lid before taking a drink. "Sure do Cap'n." And since Lita gave the okay, she might just pass it over to Leo as soon as he took a little enough break. Mahri isn't ignoring the canvas, not entirely. Lhyrin gets a once over, certain details being filed away for reference should they meet again. Lita's question draws silver eyes her way. "Actually, I'm not sure."

Lhyrin can’t really turn their head at the moment upon Mahri’s entrance, but the scent of another lycan was unmistakable. Another one to add to their list of inedibles, apparently. Oh well. The mainland was full of people for them to feast on. And if there was to be some sort of alliance with these folk in the future, it would probably be best to not eat them. With Lita’s completion of the tattoo, they turn their head just a little, to catch sight of her out of the corner of their eye, to muster a smile for the artist. “Thanks. I’m sure it’s great. Do you happen to have a pair of mirrors so I can look at it? For when your partner’s done anyway.” See, Leo? They’re learning. Just ignore the rest of the vague squirming.

Leoxander cast a look toward his ‘employer’s’ direction when she confirmed that he was due for just rewards, but he fixed his attention back on finishing the last of Lhyrin’s tattoo. Maybe Lita would have asked the customer if they wanted to tolerate all that pain and irritation in one sitting, but the rogue didn’t like to leave jobs unfinished and didn’t have that sort of compassion or decency. Maybe he was learning a little patience, a little of something, anyhow, because he muttered through that match still in his mouth. “Yer almos’ done, mate.” And so was he. They might not have a lot of options for sleeping positions but maybe the vampire would recuperate as well as a werewolf did. And finally, the vibration and burn of ink and needles ceased and Leo was wiping down the large depiction of the black and silver cobra with its position marked by stars, slitted rubies for eyes and aimed for wrist, some shading hinted just outside the outlines of the underside to make it seem like there was actually some sort of serpent thrashing on itself and seeking a target on the forsaken elf’s arm. It was outlined in red, or whatever color irritation made their complexion, but once it was cleaned up and salved a bit he would let the ranger have a look as he stood, and leave it to Lita to decide if it needed covering, since she was of their make and knew the process of healing between them. He went about cleaning up, dropping things tainted with vampire blood into a strong solution and stripping gloves from his hand to clear the space, eager for a drink.

Lita flickers dark eyes towards Mahri’s arm where she'd put that last tattoo. "Something new?" She can't help but sound a little excited at the prospect. Always went that way with art for her. Leo is finishing up so she waits for him to move before stealing his seat. "Should heal fine," she muses at the stranger as she reaches for a bit of gauze to wrap the new ink with. She keeps it snug but breathable against their skin. "I'd just say keep it wrapped for a good day just to keep it clean and keep any dirt and debris off it while it heals up. The one on your neck should be alright with your hair down and your hood up if you're traveling any. And please, if you have any concerns or issues, stop back in and we'll see what we can do." She settles dark eyes on the stranger's features, for the first length of time since they'd entered the shop and an unsettled feeling flips itself through the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was just all that early talk of dreams and goddesses and what not. She reaches for the sketch the stranger had brought in. "Mind if I keep this? Add it to the collection?"

Lhyrin often slept in a tree when not staying in Lady Ryeanna’s guesthouse, so they’ll be fine. #JustRangerThings or something. The impossibly tall elf stood finally after Lita dealt with the gauze, their lanky body feeling rather stiff from sitting for so long. “Appreciated. I’ll be sure to let you know. Thank you, to both of you. It looks amazing.” Despite the monotone of their voice, there was still a slight amount of excitement and happiness lingering there. “And you can certainly keep the sketches. What do I owe you for it all?” They reached into a pouch on their hip and retrieved a bank note (it made far less noise as opposed to carrying actual coin) and a small refillable fountain pen that somehow managed to look brand new, despite the fact that they’d had it for years. The bank note itself looked fancy, with the official seal of the Rynvalian bank from just down the street, as well as the seal from their own household. It was even in gold… A thing that usually came with wealth. Perhaps things were not as they seemed with the dark ranger. Another mystery for Leoxander to uncover eventually?

Lita doesn't usually charge for her work from anyone other than tourists, but the fancy bank papers catch her eye. "We'll say, a hundred gold even, so I can pay up at least." She nods towards Leo here. "But mostly, I hope you'll keep serious consideration over sending us any trade business you might have. I know our islands haven't always played nice but maybe, with changes in leadership and infrastructure, we can build something a little more stable."

Mahri 's still holding that flask for Leo and admiring the work that he and Lita had done. She didn't introduce herself to Lhyrin, but then they didn't introduce themselves to her either and while it looks like Lita is playing diplomat, the wolf had no need to really say anything except to answer the artist's question, "Probably."

Lhyrin smirked somewhat and nodded at the other vampire, quickly filling out the note. “I will do my best to convince those in power back home and we’ll see how things end up.” Oh -whoops-. There’s an extra zero in there. You get 1k gold instead. Without missing a beat, so as not to attract attention to it until Lita goes to cash it eventually, the elf gathered their things and headed off towards the door with nothing more than a slight wave of their hand behind them to the three.

Leoxander retrieved said flask with a grateful plant of a whiskered kiss on Mahri’s cheek, still smelling a bit of the wood he’d harvested through the day and now a bit of vampire blood and skin healthy ink to a fellow lycan’s sensitive nose. Hearing Lita’s words, he took the match from his mouth, tucked it behind the cuff of his ear, and took a drink from the she-wolf’s supply standing beside her. He wouldn’t block the door, but he’d fix his eyes (a little less suspiciously) on the forsaken elf if they made their way toward it. Ace's proclaimation set further ease in the Captain that he'd made the right decision.

Lita has used the last of her energy for the next few days. Sleep feels like a daunting prerequisite if she's to make it through the beach bash. She manages a nod of thanks at the stranger as she folds the bank paper and doesn't bother reading it as she stands to join the others. Handing the paper out for the pirate to take- assuming he'd pass it on to their bookkeeper- she waves a hand at it for him not to argue. She fixes dark eyes on the she-wolf then but she has more questions and exactly zero energy left. "Do I get the honors of the next one, too?" She wouldn't be offended if Mahri had Leo do her next piece. Maybe a little. She'd pout. She needed to spend less time with the Mouse, probably.

Mahri accepted that kiss to her cheek with a smirk for Leo. Yeah, he smelled a bit but not in a bad way. He smelled like they needed a good run, soon. Lita, she could see, was exhausted. "Yeah," she answers Lita, "But not tonight. You need to rest."

Leoxander nodded to agree, and he was a bit wary of it, but still stepped forward to issue the same scratch of stubbled features to the vampire’s cheekbone in farewell. “I’ll be on the beach tomorrow, likely the next day. If either ‘o you need me.” He almost took Mahri’s flask with him but paused, took another pull and headed out, retrieving one of Cal’s cigarette’s he’d stolen at some point in the building and the match behind his ear to light it once he got outside, uncertain if Mahri would follow for the walk or stay. Leoxander in fact handed the silver eyed she-wolf that flask back.

Lita nods at Mahri's words. She doesn't have the energy to argue. She makes a vague wave towards the stairs, the room upstairs good a place as any to crash for a spell. She presses a kiss against the pirate's cheek and then Mahri's, tugging at the sleeve of that duster for a moment, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She lifts a hand for a wave and moves to head towards the stairs, leaving whoever leaves last to hopefully lock the door behind them.

Mahri gave Lita a small smile of sorts and watched the vampire head up those stairs before trailing after Leo. If he didn't, she would make sure the shop is locked and secure. The returned flask is brought to the she-wolf's lips for a short drink before it's offered back.