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“Winchester!”
Dean looked up from his paperback and leaned to the side so he could see around Benny’s customer.
“We got a lost bet coming your way!” The receptionist’s voice echoed off the walls and the tattoo guns at every station paused for the artist to snicker before they all started back up again. Dean heaved a sigh, dropping his feet from the padded table in front of him and tossing his book on his supply cart, ambling up to the front desk.
A very sullen - very attractive - man stood across from the desk and Charlie turned to give Dean a very obvious wink before smacking him on the butt as she sauntered away. Dean pursed his lips, glaring at her over his shoulder before turning back to Mr. Hot and Grumpy.
“Hey I’m Dean,” Dean offered his hand and the man tilted his head to get a look at his palm, almost as if checking for dirt or a buzzer before placing his hand delicately into Dean’s. Dean waited. Finally, he cleared his throat. “And you are?”
“Does it matter?” The man replied glumly and Dean’s eyebrows raised.
“Well, you gotta sign some paperwork if you’re gettin’ pierced so, kinda?”
The man heaved a martyred sigh. “Castiel Novak.”
“Alright, Cas what part of your body am I gonna be punching a hole through?” Dean reached for a clipboard, grabbing the necessary paperwork from Charlie’s ready-made pile. Castiel mumbled so low Dean felt it shiver along his skin. “I’m sorry?” Dean touched his earlobe with two fingers.
Castiel looked miserable. “My nipples.”
Dean’s eyebrows raised as he handed over the clipboard. “Both of ‘em?”
“Unfortunately,” Castiel sighed again, taking the pen jammed in the clip and frowned as he read through the release. “Why am I even reading this?” He muttered to himself after a moment and skipped right to the bottom, signing with a flourish. “How long is this going to take?”
“Couple-a minutes.” Dean took the clipboard. “Can I see your ID?”
Castiel blinked at him. “You’re carding me?”
Dean sighed. The hot ones were always assholes. “Looks like it. No ID. No piercing.”
Castiel rolled his eyes, reaching back for his wallet, and pulled out his ID. Dean looked at it, then looked at Castiel. He had messy dark hair, a heavy brow, and deep blue eyes that Dean felt like he could fall into. The full lips, chapped as they were, were also really doing it for him. Dean gave a short nod, handing the ID back.
“Alright Castiel James Novak, please follow me.”
Dean led him back over to his station, glaring at Benny who gave him a shit-eating grin. So Dean had a type and his client fit it, Benny didn’t have to be a shit about it. Dean glanced at his work as he passed. “Hey that’s pretty good for your first tattoo ever,” Dean quipped and the sorority girl on Benny’s table lifted her head like her neck was on fire.
“ What?”
“Nothin’.” Benny patted her hip then returned to working on her tramp stamp. “Don’t say shit like that, man.”
Dean let out a mean little chuckle before beginning to prepare his area. He paused, turning to Castiel. “Uh, are you shy or anything? We can do this in the back-“
Castiel had already shrugged out of his tan overcoat and when he whipped off the plain white tee he had on underneath, Dean’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. “Not shy. Got it.”
“Let’s just get this over with.”
Dean gestured for him to sit and Castiel climbed up onto the table awkwardly. Dean grabbed up his trashcan and set it next to the table as a precaution before turning to his sink to wash his hands.
“Do you have piercings besides the ones on your face?”
Dean looked over his shoulder. “I don’t have my dick pierced if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
“I have one of my nipples pierced.” Dean shook off his hands and began gathering his supplies, lining them up on his tray. “And my tongue.” Dean sat in his chair, rolling closer. Castiel squinted at Dean. Dean opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. Castiel grimaced.
“That seems painful.”
“It was.”
“Glad I didn’t pick that.”
Dean paused, a bottle of saline in his hand. “You picked your nipples?”
Castiel nodded. “It was between nipples, tongue or-“ Castiel cut himself off, clearing his throat. “I don’t have a lot of sensation in my nipples so I figured that was my best option.”
Dean chuckled. “Oh, you’re about to my friend.”
Castiel grumbled miserably as Dean pulled on his gloves. “I don’t suppose you have any topical numbing cream?”
“Fresh out,” Dean said popping his glove and giving Castiel a grin. “Stand please.”
Castiel narrowed his eyes at him. “Are you some kind of sadist?”
Dean blinked. “No.”
“You seem almost excited to do this to me,” Castiel eyed him as he slipped off the table.
“What can I say? I love my job.” Dean reached for an alcohol pad and tore it open.
Benny snorted. “Yeah what other profession lets you play with people’s nipples?”
Dean was just about to sterilize Castiel’s right nipple when he pulled back, giving Benny a deadpan stare before flipping him off. “Sorry about him. He was raised by wolves.”
Benny threw his head back and let out a howl.
“Rude wolves,” Dean added and Benny laughed, going back to his work.
“You said you had one nipple pierced,” Castiel said, flinching as Dean wiped over his nipple and all around it until the nub was pebbled up and hard then did the same to the other. “Why only the one.”
“Because it hurt like hell,” Dean quipped and Castiel glared at him. “Oh come on I’m kidding. The other one rejected.” Dean grabbed up a small marker.
“R-rejected? How?”
Dean pinched at Castiel’s nipple, leaning in close as he made a mark on one side of it. “My brother punched me in the chest two days after I got it.” Castiel looked down at him horrified. Dean glanced up. “What it was an accident. He didn’t know I’d just gotten my nipples pierced.
“Why did you get them pierced?”
Dean shrugged, moving Castiel’s nipple around, marking the other side. “Something to do.” Dean cleared his throat, switching to the other nipple, pinching lightly before making a mark. “So… what did you bet on?”
Castiel shifted and Dean placed a hand on his hip to halt the movement before pressing against his nipple again to mark the other side. “It was more of an alternative dare.”
Dean huffed a laugh and Castiel shivered. Dean sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. “Sorry. Uh… what was the other dare?”
“To kiss a girl.”
Dean’s arms fell to his sides as he stood at his full height. “You chose getting your nipples pierced over kissing a girl?”
“Yes.”
Dean looked over his shoulder at Benny, gesturing to Castiel and Benny just shrugged, going back to his work. Dean looked to Castiel again, raising his hands in question. “ Why? ”
“It’s been longer than two minutes can we get on with this please?” Castiel’s blue eyes flashed and Dean showed his palms.
“Sorry, sir. Lay back with your head facing that way please.” Dean indicated one end of the table and Castiel hopped on, laying back.
Dean grabbed for the needle unpackaging it before slathering a bit of vaseline on the outside of his gloved hand to hold the needle. Dean reached for a cork and the forceps opening them as he leaned over Castiel’s chest. He took his time getting the placement right.
“Slight pinch here, m’kay?”
Castiel grumbled crabbily and winced as Dean locked the clamp into place “I don’t kiss girls.”
Dean tugged on the forceps a bit, checking the placement again before grabbing the needle off his glove. “Again, I ask why ? Take a deep breath for me. In and out.”
Castiel did as he was told. “How would you feel being forced to kiss a man?”
“Depends on how hot he is. One more deep breath. In…” Dean placed the needle on one side of Castiel’s nipple. “And out.” On Castiel’s exhale he pushed, quick and hard, sinking the needle into the cork and Castiel’s body went tense but he made no sound. “Okay just gonna add the jewelry here.”
“You’re attracted to men?” Castiel asked as Dean threaded the bar through his nipple and twisted the ball on the end.
“Some of ‘em,” Dean gave a shrug. “Alright sit up. Slow!” Dean’s hand landed on Castiel’s shoulder as he spun himself so his legs dangled off the side of the table, sitting up straight. “You feel dizzy?”
“No. It didn’t really hurt.”
Dean grinned. “Good. Head down there please.” Dean indicated the other side and Castiel did as he was bid. “This one should hurt even less. You’ve got the endorphins going now.”
“Wonderful.”
Dean laughed. “Anyone ever tell you you’re kind of hilarious?”
Castiel let his head fall back as he let out another martyred sigh. “All the time.”
“See I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not,” Dean chuckled, unpackaging a new needle and sticking it to his glove before going for the forceps again.
“Those hurt worse than the needle,” Castiel complained and Dean looked down at him, mouth opening.
“ Right ? No one ever believes me when I say that. Deep breath in.” Castiel sucked in a breath. “And out.” Castiel closed his eyes as he exhaled. Dean took a second to admire his face. “Another deep breath in.” He positioned the needle. “And out.” Quick push in and he reached for the other barbell. “Good job, dude.” He slipped it in and applied the ball. “Hold still, I’m gonna spray you down with H2Ocean.”
Dean went over basic aftercare as he patted at the piercings, admiring his work and frankly the canvas as well before taping gauze to Castiel’s chest. Castiel nodded along, threading his arms back through his shirt and letting it fall back covering his torso. Dean started walking him to the front.
“It’ll be at least nine months before it’s fully healed. Just try not to touch them and you’ll be fine.” Dean nudged Charlie out of the way and leaned on the front desk. “So that’s twenty for each piercing and thirty-five for each piece of jewelry.” Dean watched as Castiel reached back gingerly for his wallet, his hipbone peeking out as he did so. Dean licked his lips. “Eh just make it an even hundred and we’re square.”
Castiel looked at him and blinked. Dean just shrugged and Castiel nodded, handing over six twenties. Dean smiled, pocketing one of them. “If I have questions about the aftercare, can I call you?”
“Yeah sure but honestly you could just google- OW!” Dean looked over his shoulder at Charlie who had just hit him hard on the bicep. “Yeah man call any time.”
“I don’t have your number…” Castiel eyed him, shifting from foot to foot.
“Oh shit, yeah.” Dean leaned over fumbling at the little business card holders but didn’t see any of his. “Eh this one is Benny’s but it’s got the shop number on there.”
Charlie heaved a sigh, sounding incredibly put out as she nudged Dean out of the way, grabbing a marker. “Here’s his cell. He works Tuesday through Saturday and he’s free this Sunday if you want to take him out for coffee.”
Charlie handed over the card and Castiel looked at her then looked down at the card then looked at Dean. Dean just stared back. Charlie elbowed him hard in the ribs. “OW! Yeah! I would love to get coffee.”
“There’s a place on North River Ave that has a roastery.” Castiel shifted from foot to foot, a shy smile pulling at his lips.
Dean beamed back. “Perfect I love roasteries.”
“Dean likes pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks,” Charlie supplied and Dean glared at her betrayed but was instantly soothed by Castiel’s deep rumble of laughter.
“I knew he had to have a flaw in there somewhere.” Dean blinked at Castiel, his face flushing deep red. Castiel turned a little pink himself. “I’ll see you Sunday. Say 10:30?”
“I’ll be there.”
Castiel gave him a small smile before turning to leave, letting out a small throaty laugh as he heard the shop behind him explode in wolf whistles, Dean’s voice shouting over the din. “Yeah, yeah, you’re all a bunch of rude-ass wolves.”
A series of howls followed.