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The last thing Cassandra Shepard expected to be doing was trying to cut a rug with Jack. She'd walked into Purgatory to look for Joker, but was surprised to find Jack sitting in the middle of the club, looking over training rosters. Cass was even more surprised when she agreed to accompany her onto the dance floor to take a break from work.
“You're on shore leave, Jack. The work will still be there after a song or two,” Cass said.
And now the Commander found herself sitting for a few minutes, trying to catch her breath. Being an N7 meant she had to be in great shape, but that didn't mean trying to dance was an easy workout. Jack grinned as Cass rolled her neck, sighing when a couple of vertebrae audibly popped back into place.
The pair hadn't been particularly close when they were chasing the Collectors, but something seemed to click when Cass showed up at Grissom and saved Jack and her kids. Jack's kids... the thought still made Cass smirk and shake her head in wonder.
“So, you gonna let me in on the joke?” Jack asked, taking a swig of her drink. It was some krogan concoction Cass couldn't pronounce if she tried, but Jack had a cast iron stomach and alcohol went through her system faster than a hanar in water.
“Hm? Oh, I'm still trying to wrap my head around how much you've changed,” Cass shrugged, running her fingers through her hair. “It's all a good look for you.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Jack mumbled, draining her glass. She leaned back in her chair, draping her elbow over the back and crossed an ankle over her knee. “Speaking of good looks, I was thinking about something my kids suggested.”
“Oh? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?” Cass smirked. She reached behind her head and gathered her long, red locks into a loose knot at the base of her neck, then reached for her drink - something much easier to pronounce and kinder to her metabolism than what Jack had.
“Fucking smartass,” Jack grumbled. “No, I was wondering if you have any ink. You don't, do you?”
Cass paused with her glass in midair and frowned. “Jack, you've seen me change out of my armor. You know I don't have any tattoos. What a weird question.”
“Yeah, well, that was months ago. People change,” the young woman shrugged. She waved down one of the servers and asked for more drinks. “So, you didn't get inked while you were locked up?”
Cass sighed and put her empty glass back on the table. “No, Jack, I didn't get inked while I was locked up. Why?”
Jack hummed her acknowledgment before downing a shot. “Remember how I told the kids we were all getting inked? Most of them have never had a tattoo before and they want you to come along. I don't know, help them not be scared or some shit,” she added when Cass gave her a skeptical look. “Look, they were asking questions about it, how long it takes, if it hurt or not, and they wanted me to ask you if you'd come along.”
Jack paused long enough to down another drink and ran her hand down her mouth. “So I'm asking.”
.
Cass leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, giving Jack's request some serious thought. She'd wanted a tattoo for a while now but just never seemed to have the time. “When are you taking them?” she asked.
“Tonight,” Jack answered, spinning her shot glass on the table. “There's a hanar shop down in Zakera. Sounds fucking weird, I know. Like, who'd think those damn jellyfish could tattoo? I'm still trying to figure out how they hold the needle gun. Anyway,” Jack shook her head and sighed, “since they can hold more than one tattoo gun, they get done faster, but the work is great.”
Cass knew enough people with tattoos to know they took the art seriously. If someone said a tattoo artist did good work, chances were good they were right. Crappy tattooists didn't last long – word of mouth put them out of business pretty quick.
“I don't know,” she mused. “It's kind of a bad time to get something that will take a while to heal and is permanent. I mean, I'd like some time to think about it.”
“Ok, so, first of all, Cerberus did all that shit when they rebuilt you, gave you implants or whatever and you heal faster than most people, right? So a tattoo for you would heal in about half the time, but...” Jack held her hands up when Cass gave her a withering stare. The Lazarus Project was a touchy subject, one she was still trying to wrap her head around.
“...what if I told you they'll do something temporary?” Jack straightened up a little, excitement tingeing her voice. “No healing time so you don't have to worry about your armor fucking it up. It wears off after a week or two. A couple of the kids are doing that because they aren't sure, either.”
Cass nodded and ran her fingers along the neck of her bottle. This was something she didn't remember ever talking about with Kaidan or Garrus, so she wasn't sure what their opinions would be. Garrus had his clan markings, which were kind of the same but more culturally important. And Kaidan didn't have any ink. She didn't think the guys would care either way and at the end of the day, it was her body and her decision. But if it was temporary....
“What time?” Cass pulled up her 'tool to check her schedule.
A smile tugged at the corners of Jack's mouth. “Appointment's for six,” she said. “There's three jellies working and they can get through the kids each in under an hour. Probably less depending on how simple some of them want. So we're looking at three hours, tops.”
“I can't do six, Jack, I'm sorry. I have a meeting with the asari counselor and I have a feeling that's gonna take a while.”
Jack's smile got a little wider. “And if Pierce is willing to stay to get you in?”
“I don't know how long this meeting will be. I could very well be tied up for hours,” Cass explained. “I don't want him to stay there all night just waiting for me.”
“Shepard, he won't fucking care. Who else will get to say they gave the Queen of the Girl Scouts her first fucking tattoo?”
Cass sighed. She was intrigued and now that she's given it even just a modicum of thought, she wanted to have a tattoo. “Fine. Call your guy, tell him I'll get there as soon as I can. Besides, if worse comes to worse, I can use the excuse of another appointment as a reason to cut the meeting short.”
Jack sat up in her chair, excitement shining in her eyes. “You're seriously going to do it? Fuck yes!!” she yelled. “I can promise Pierce can get you in. He's excited to be the one to do the work.”
As Jack pulled out her omnitool to call the tattoo parlor, Cass shook her head and wondered what she was getting herself into.
The tattoo shop was in a seedier part of Zakera ward, if there really was such a thing. Cass had to check the address three times to make sure she was in the right place. She realized she shouldn't have been surprised about there being a tattoo parlor here or that Jack not only knew of it but was apparently a frequent customer.
Any doubts she had about the place were quelled when she walked through the door. The smell of antiseptic was so strong Cass thought at first she was in a hospital. The lobby was large and well lit, with dozens of magazines and photo albums scattered on the various pieces of furniture. Cass did a double take at the massive neon sign announcing the name of the shop.
“Squid Ink?” she snorted and turned to Jack, who was lounging on one of the couches, cup of coffee in hand. “Seriously?”
“I think it's a fucking great name,” Jack laughed.
“I don't disagree,” Cass replied, marveling at the marketing genius who came up with it. “So,” she breathed, giving one more look around the lobby, “how does this work?”
“You tell Pierce what you want and he gets it on your skin. You can pick something from one of these books,” Jack gestured around the room, “or if you've thought of something yourself, he can sketch it out.”
Cass grabbed the closest magazine and started flipping through the pages. There were a lot of beautiful tattoos and several that she shook her head at. “I don't know,' she finally sighed. “I don't want something someone else has. I want it to be different.”
Just then, a hanar floated from the back of the shop into the lobby. It had a piercing through the front of its 'nose' and quite a few tattoos along its body. “Miss Nought,” it said, its bioluminescence flickering in recognition. “This one is pleased to see you.”
The hanar turned to Cass and continued, “Commander Shepard. This one is most humbled to have you in our shop.”
“Hey, Pierce,” Jack stood, “thanks for waiting to take care of Shepard.”
“This one is pleased to help.” Pierce shivered and its bioluminescence flared brightly. “You are a favored customer and, this one hopes, the esteemed Commander will be, as well.”
The hanar turned its attention back to Cass. “What art will this one be creating for you today?”
“I really don't know,” Cass said, glancing at Jack. “I've never really given it any thought.”
.
“This one would suggest perusing the periodicals and photographs showcasing other tattoos,” Pierce explained, gesturing around the lobby. “If you find something you like, this one would be happy to customize it to your preferences.”
Cass nodded and picked up a magazine, flipping through the pages. “I don't know,” she murmured, putting the magazine back and taking another. “I don't want something everyone else has, you know? Like these armbands.” Cass pointed to a spread of photos of barbed wire tattoos that wrapped around biceps. “I want it to be different,” she said again.
“So how about a girl scout logo or something?” Jack laughed when Cass shot her a dirty look. “Ok, then, what about the Alliance symbol?”
“Do you know how many Marines and soldiers have that?” Cass scoffed. “Thanks, but no. I want something different”
“The Spectre logo, then. I mean, there are only two human spectres now, right? You and that boy scout of yours. Match made in heaven right fucking there.”
Jack laughed again at Cass's withering glare. “What? I'm serious. Plus he could get a matching one.”
Cass just shook her head, knowing Garrus would feel left out. Becoming a Spectre was probably the most pride she'd felt in herself in a long time and sure, a tattoo of the Spectre logo wasn't something everyone else had, but she still wasn't sure she wanted a tattoo in the first place. She continued flipping through a photo album and Jack leaned forward, looking at the pictures over Cass's shoulder.
“Oh, wait,” Jack exclaimed. Her hand shot out and kept Cass from turning the page. “That one, there. A phoenix.”
“Seriously, Jack?” Cass sighed. “There are, like, fifteen of those in this book alone! Or did you miss the part where I said I didn't want the same kind of tattoo other people had?”
“I heard you, but this one looks different than the other ones. See? It's facing you with its talons outstretched. Plus, you can have Pierce customize it. Maybe make it different shades of blue instead of the red or maybe just have more blue in it since the phoenix is about fire.”
“Jack,” Cass started.
“No, listen, it's fucking perfect! The phoenix dies, right? Bursts into flame or some shit then rises from its own ashes. Just like you!”
The Psychotic Biotic tore the page from the magazine and ran to the desk to grab a pen. “So, there's already blue at the tips of the wings, right? So you can extend that color back some, yeah? And see how the talons are outstretched? You can put something there, maybe the Alliance logo or some shit.”
Cass leaned forward and watched Jack sketch over top of the photo, intrigued by her ideas and impressed at her artistic ability.
“Oh, and you could have Pierce add Garrus's face tattoos to the phoenix's face. You know, so both your boyfriends are included in the ink.” Jack finished sketching out her ideas then leaned back to admire her work. “Damn, that looks good. I can't believe I didn't think of something like that for you sooner.”
Cass studied the finished work, fascinated by what she saw. It was beautiful and she could easily see herself having the art permanently etched on her skin, especially with how Jack was able to tie in her relationship with Kaidan and Garrus. She still wasn't sure about their reactions, though, which made her hesitant to do anything other than some temporary work.
“I didn't know you could draw,” she murmured, tracing her hands over the photo.
“Yeah, well, who do you think designed half the shit I have?” Jack shrugged, relinquishing the pen when Cass reached for it.
“Maybe instead of the Alliance logo, we could do the Spectre one,” she mused, drawing over Jack's rough sketch. The Spectre logo would still tie Kaidan in and was also more important to her than the Alliance logo was.
When she finished, Cass leaned back and a smile toyed at the corner of her lips. “I think I like it,” she said.
Pierce hovered quietly while Cass and Jack worked, only speaking up when Cass voiced her approval. “This one would be honored to commit that work to your skin. It is beautiful, as any tattoo should be, and meaningful as well. Where would you prefer to have your art?”
The hanar turned and made its way to one of the back rooms, gesturing for Cass and Jack to follow.
“I'm thinking my right bicep. How long will it take?” Cass asked.
“Not long,” came the soft reply. Pierce set about cleaning and shaving her upper arm. “This one utilizes several tentacles to accomplish perfection.”
Cass warily eyed the hanar as it retrieved several ink guns and loaded them with different colors. “Um, I don't want something permanent. Not yet, anyway.”
“This one is aware,” Pierce replied. “This ink will absorb into the esteemed customer's skin for a few weeks. The purpose is to not only allow one to see how a tattoo would look, but also give one an idea of the discomfort you may feel with the process.”
“Jack said there wouldn't be any healing time. I'm a combat soldier. I can't have this healing when I need to be in my armor.”
“Miss Nought is correct. The temporary process is similar to the permanent one, however instead of the needles pushing the ink into the skin, the ink rests on the top layer and is absorbed that way. The ink is thicker than the holes in the needles allows, therefore it cannot be pushed into the skin.”
Cass inhaled deeply. “Ok, then, let's do this.”
Cass winced when Pierce started to work. The pain was... different, like being pinged by a bunch of bees. As the work progressed, the discomfort became a little more intense. Cass was used to pain – she'd been shot, stabbed, had broken bones, died – but each sensation had its own way of being dealt with. She inhaled sharply and gripped the armrest tighter when Pierce shifted the needle.
“You good, Shepard?” Jack asked. If her grin had been any wider, her face might have split in two.
“Yeah, I'm good,” Cass replied, “just not used to this kind of thing.”
“You get used to it,” Jack assured her. 'They're actually kind of addicting. Once you get one, you want another and another and next thing you know, you look as good as me.”
Cass bit back a laugh and said, “Yeah, that's pretty much what James says, too. I doubt I'll ever have as many tats as you two have, though.”
“Eh, he's still a baby when it comes to ink,” Jack smirked. “I'll get him caught up, though.”
Cass grinned at the idea of James and Jack bonding over a love of shared ink, getting new tattoos at the same time, sharing ideas for new artwork. The pinch of the needle on new flesh made Cass wince and promptly change her train of thought.
“So, I take it your face name has something to do with your line of work,” Cass asked the hanar, hoping some small talk would distract her from the stinging needles.
'Yes,” Pierce replied. “This one does body modifications and piercings in addition to tattoos. It brings happiness to help others change whatever is necessary for them to be joyful with their appearance.”
“So you like your work?” Cass asked. She tried to watch what the hanar was doing, but it was using four tentacles that blocked most of her view. Not only that, it was moving so quickly she couldn't keep up.
“This one believes finding pleasure in one's work means it isn't really work and this one very much enjoys what it does,” Pierce replied.
Cass nodded and smiled. She remembered an old earth saying, “Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.”
She was surprised at how fast the picture was coming to life on her arm. Pierce's tentacles moved quickly, making it seem like she was watching a sped up vid. She was so fascinated with watching the hanar work she stopped paying attention to the pain of the needles. Before she knew it, Pierce pulled away, studied her arm, and gently wiped her skin with a cool cloth.
“This one is finished,” it announced. “This one hopes the esteemed customer is pleased with the results.”
Pierce held a mirror for Cass to examine the art that covered her upper arm. The colors were bright and the lines were sharp and bold. She almost asked for something permanent right there, knowing Kaidan and Garrus would think it was gorgeous, too. Cass held her tongue, though, as she turned her arm and flexed her muscles.
Jack let out a low whistle. “Damn, Shepard, that looks fucking amazing.”
Cass nodded in agreement. “Pierce, this is beautiful,” she murmured, returning the mirror. Her fingers hovered over the art, unsure if touching the piece would smear the ink. It was so detailed, so vivid, Cass thought it might have some texture to it.
Pierce was quick to lay a gentle touch to her shoulder. “This one strongly recommends the esteemed customer try her best to not touch her arm for at least twelve standard hours. While the ink does dry quickly, there will be some residual color on the surface that might smear, thus rendering the art less than ideal.”
“Right. Of course,” Cass said, nodding her head again.
“So, you think your boyfriends will approve?” Jack asked, leaning back against a wall. “If they don't, let me know so I can beat some sense into them. This is some of Pierce's best work.”
“Yeah, it's...” Cass's voice trailed off, unable to adequately voice how much she loved the work. She just hoped Kaidan and Garrus agreed.