A Mark of the Heart

[riff_razor]

For Writer's Month 2022 Day 5: Heart (CW: references to child abuse)


Rik sat down with his cousin alone for once. It was a rare thing on tour with this many musicians. Mikkel was digging around in his bag to pull out his drawing pad and the inks. Rik pulled off his shirt and then walked over to sit on the chair beside his younger cousin. They had lived through hell together and there was something beautiful in watching the boy flourish now that he was away from the hatred and abuse.

“Here.” Mikkel shoved the open pad toward his cousin.

Rik took it and looked down at the drawing. The black and purple crossed guitars over a heart colored in half Union Jack and half the flag of Denmark. It was perfect and he smiled at his cousin. “The shoulder?”

Mikkel glanced over, both young men were rail thin, and he held the drawing up to Rik's shoulder. “Is that where you want it?”

“Yes. On the same side as my music notes.” Rik confirmed.

Mikkel gave him a smile because he knew why these tattoos belonged on the same side. Both represented men his cousin loved, would probably never stop loving as long as he lived. Rik was that way. He went in all the way, went in for keeps, or not at all.

Mikkel busied himself shaving and cleaning Rik's shoulder. “Does Billy know?”

Rik smiled and let out a little shy laugh. “No.”

Mikkel kissed his cousin's cheek. They were so much a like and yet so different. One shy and one a loudmouth but they shared a lot. They were unbreakable, determined, caring, and had a love for music and art that wouldn't fade.

“Do you think he will like it?” Mikkel asked while positioning the stencil and pressing it in place.

“I hope so.” Rik looked at the purplish black stencil lines on his shoulder. “I hope it will ease things between them.”

Mikkel was putting on gloves and pouring out inks while they continued to talk. “I saw them talking together earlier over drinks.: Mikkel knew the road had been rough. His cousin's current boyfriend and his ex in one place and sort of forced into each other's space. “If Sigurd can stop being a jealous bastard, anyone can.”

“Has he?” Rik started to laugh as Mikkel began the black linework.

Mikkel pausing to laugh. “Fuck no. He's just as ready to punch everyone.”

“That's not reassuring then.” Rik mused while twisting a little to watch the lines go in. “Have you tattooed Fredrik yet?”

Mikkel shook his head. “Not yet. He has great skin for ink though I think. Like yours.” Mikkel kept working though his mind was breifly on his best friend.

“What does that mean?” Rik'd curiosity obvious in the tone.

“Pale, soft, well cared for.” Mikkel shrugged. “Some skin is easier to ink than others. I don't know. I can just tell when touching it. Rekker's skin is a bitch. Red heads are like that. The ink tends to blowout if you aren't careful because their skin is delicate.”

Rik laughed enough that Mikkel had to pause in his work for the way it shuddered his body. “Rekker is the last person I would call delicate.”

Mikkel started to laugh too while cleaning and change out his tattoo needles. “I guess that is the trade off. You get to be a demonic freight train but your skin is delicate as flowers.”

Rik glanced at the nearly finished black lines. “I wouldn't let him hear that.”

“I don't know.: Mikkel responded while starting to work on the color and shading. “I talked to him about that sleeve he's getting to match Bjorn's and he wants flowers and things in it. I think some of that grouchy asshole persona is an act.”

“Oh.” Rik stiffled more laughter. “Like your bratty, loud mouth?'

Mikkel went quiet for nearly all the dark colors. The younger Dane lost in thought for a long time while he milled over his own thoughts. “I don't know. Probably. His parents locked him in an empty room too. We might have some things alike.”

Rik reached over and stroked Mikkel's arm while he switched colors. The worry he felt over how Mikkel was coping wasn't going away, even now that it was several months later. “You both have people to treat you well now.”

Mikkel went in to finish up the white and make sure the tattoo was clean. “Did you just suggest that Sigurd and Bjorn have something in common?”

The tattooing had to stop again as they shared a good long bout of snorting laughter. Mikkel shook his head. “Well, they both bitch when they don't get their way.”

Rk nearly doubled over laughing, partially because this was funny but exaggerated from the slight high of tattoo pain.

“Come on.” Mikkel grouched. “I'm almost done. Then you can laugh all you want.”

“Ok.. ok.” Rik tried to hold it in and then went into more laughter. “You can finish.”

Rik bit on his lip to keep the laughter in and saw the twinkle in Mikkel's eyes that suggested he was doing his bests to stay quiet too. The two struggled through the last fifteen minutes of tattooing then the giggles broke free again.

“Go have a look in the mirror.” Mikkel patted Rik's thigh then went to clean up the mess from his work.

“OH.. Mikkel...” Rik stood at the mirror, hands over his mouth and almost in tears.

“It looks good on you.” And it did. The bold colors on his pale cousin popped out. “It's going to look good with all your red, purple, and black stage gear.

Rik turned and gave the other Dane a lingering hug. “Thank you.”

“I owe you so much. This can start making up for it.” Mikkel mentioned while clinging to Rik.

“You don't owe me anything, never.” Rik kissed his forehead and then smiled. “Except a drink after losing that game this morning.

Mikkel sighed and rolled his eyes, more like a teenager than the young adult he was. “Let me clean up.”

Comments

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

Billy came in half running because he was snorting out giggles. Something had happened down the corridor involving some of the other band members and Billy had been part of it. A prank. There was a shrill scream which caused more giggles to burst out from the Brit.

"Gilly had a flour bomb land on his head. Joe, Erik and me---we set it up. What's going on here?"

The Brit calmed down a little and slumped down onto a spare seat close by from where Rik was sitting with his shirt off. A tattoo? Mikkel had all his kit out and Rik had his shirt off so it had to be that. The youngest Dane was good at his craft and Billy had wondered what tattoo he should get for himself because he did want one.

[riff_razor]

Mikkel was almost done cleaning up when Billy burst in. Rik turned toward the door to see Billy running in.

"Gilly?" Rik could only imagine what kind of screaming and madness was going on where it happened.

Mikkel glanced between Billy and Rik. "You didn't tell me I was going another tattoo."

Rik shrugged helplessly while he put some haling cream on the new tattoo.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"How did you guess? Yeah, it's screaming tarty with a flour bomb on his head. He deserved it for flicking his cereal at me this morning."

Brothers. Billy noticed Rik putting healing cream onto his new tattoo and now the Brit was scooting over to get a better look. It looked a good job and---was that a British flag and Danish one? The guitars were done in good detail too.

"Nice job, mate. What do the flags mean?"

Billy squinting a little to try and guess what it meant.

[riff_razor]

"He's always missing and getting it into my hair." Meaning, Rik thought he deserved it, too.

Rik looked up from the tattoo and thought it was obvious with Billy's guitar over his flag and Rik's over his own. The Dane was confused for a moment. "They're our flags."

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"Yeah he is, fucking tarty mouth. Hunter needs to shove his cock in and shut him up."

Billy smirked and then noticed the detail of the guitars and flags. Now it made sense to the Brit who nodded. Of course. It was him and Rik, it had to be. A flash of jealousy ran through Billy's mind and assumed the Danish part was Ollie but then why would it be? Rik had done this especially because of Billy and they were in love. Pushing his stupid thoughts aside, Billy kissed Rik's cheek softly.

"I like it. Maybe I should get one too but I have no idea what."

[riff_razor]

"Just like you." Rik grinned at Billy and started to giggle before returning that cheek kiss.

Mikkel had been watching the two and shook his head. "It takes me time to draw a tattoo, love birds. If you're going to make sexy eyes at each other, go to your own room."

Now the young Dane was teasing the two older ones, though he was serious about the drawing part.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"You're calling me a fucking tart now? Rude, smukke."

Billy knew Rik was teasing and ran a hand through the Dane's hair. He would be mindful of Rik's new tattoo as to not touch or lean against it. Once it was healed he could hug and snuggle as much as he wanted.

"Don't worry we won't fuck in front of your brat eyes."

The Brit kissing Rik on the lips and then holding both his hands. What design could he get? Maybe something similar to Rik's?

"If I think of an idea shall I get the drawing to you?"

[riff_razor]

"You call yourself one all the time."

Rik started to laugh more and leaned into Billy while holding hands, careful of the new tattoo.

Mikkel sat down now that his stuff was cleaned up. "That's not what Aarne says about you two."

Rik returned the kiss and shook his head. "Oh! You can talk after what I heard about the clubs."

Mikkel stuck his tongue out at Rik before answering Billy. "Yes, if you have any references for parts of it, that can help me."

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"I'm not as tarty as my brother. He screeches louder than a fucking banshee. Hunter's cock is his mouth cork."

Billy loved hearing Rik laugh and nuzzled into that blond hair for a moment before pulling back out. What did Mikkel mean about what Aarne said about them? The Brit raised a curious eyebrow wanting to know more.

"What do you mean about what Aarne says about us? What does he say?"

This should be good.

"Rik is right about you and clubs with your dirty daddy."

[riff_razor]

Rik started to giggle. "You better hope he doesn't think to start saying that about mine for you."

Rik could only imagine Billy's face if his brother turned that around on him.

Mikkel shrugged. "Something about your naked ass everywhere and Rik using you as a blanket."

Mikkel crossed his arms and stared at both of them. "You two are stupid. Clubs don't let patrons touch the dancers. There's nothing fun going on except watching Sigurd waver between teased to madness and ready to bite people for looking at me while I work."

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"What that your cock is my mouth cork? I doubt it, smukke. Gilly is a tarty trashmouth."

Billy couldn't help but laugh because the whole mouth cork cock thing was pretty hilarious. Mikkel's words got the Brit staring a little at the younger Dane and realised this stemmed from the time back at that top floor bar where they fucked in the toilet and fell asleep naked.

"Rik and I fucked in a bar toilet and Rik laid underneath me as we slept off the booze. I think Tom found us in the toilet naked."

The Brit wasn't shy talking about what happened because everyone else was smashed and fucking each other too. The punks had stolen the limo and Ronno was fucking Ziggy naked in a corner, Joe fucking Aarne at the bar counter. A good night had by all.

"I thought the customer could pay to touch you a bit? Maybe I got the wrong information about strip clubs. Private booths are a free for all though aren't they?"

[oprorsk_sode]

"He said there were other times." Mikkel shrugged because he was just going on what the other drunken musicians had told him. "I'm not surprised by it."

Rik shook his head at Mikkel who sighed and changed the subject. He laughed at Billy.

"You can but the clubs book me as some barely legal virgin." He shrugged and lit up a cigarette. "Sigurd bitches about how expensive I am."

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"You're 18 thought aren't you? Sigurd is such a fucking dirty bastard from what I've heard. Gets sucked under the table. You charge your boyfriend for dances?"

Billy was a little taken aback by that but then this was Mikkel's job and it was only right to charge Sigurd as a patron just like anyone else. Maybe he got a cheaper rate? Billy knew he couldn't work at strip clubs because he thought they were full of weirdos and stuff. Creepy old men only there to fawn over young dancers.

"How about I do a strip dance for you, smukke?"

The Brit giggling getting up and pulling off his shirt revealing his hairy chest.

[oprorsk_sode]

Rik started to laugh. "Sigurd got to him.. two weeks? after his 18th birthday."

Mikkel blushed but then shrugged. "I started dancing at 13 but the club doesn't care if we're dating. He pays or I lose my job."

He was being honest as he smoked. "Not in here! I heard about your naked ass. I don't need to see it."

Rik started to laugh as Billy opened his shirt.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"Two weeks? What a dirty old bastard."

Billy giggled and then sat back down on the bed and slid a hand up Rik's non-tattooed arm, gently caressing it. Mikkel was so young when he started dancing which caused a serious expression to cross the Brit's face. Too young. There were far too many predatory men out in the world for a 13 year old to deal with. Mikkel was but a mere boy.

"Makes sense. My naked ass isn't out as much as Joe's or Ronno's."

[oprorsk_sode]

"How long did it take you to fuck Rik after you met him?" Mikkel raised a brow. "Sigurd and I hung out for awhile before anything happened."

Rik leaned into Billy's touch and then listened to Mikkel. He knew too much about what Mikkel was saying but did crack another smile.

"Everyone in the world saw Ronno's ass on the TV." Mikkel mentioned, glad that the subject didn't linger.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"Not long. The same evening we met at the bar."

Billy couldn't wait to lay alongside Rik because he figured the boy needed a good lay after having his head shoved inside a load of books. The Brit wondering what all the orchestra stuff was about but now he knew. Rik was a man of many talents and could play many instruments with skill.

"Yeah, I think you're right. It was fucking hilarious though, not to mention brave as hell to do that live on TV. I bet Ziggy loved it too."

Would Billy do such a thing? No fucking way. Not only that but Rik wouldn't dare and he knew that.

[oprorsk_sode]

"You're dirtier than Sigurd." Mikkel started to giggle a little. "Rik was almost a virgin too."

Mikkel shrugged and then started to flush bright red. "I.. I don't know about on TV but I would on a club stage."

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"What? You reckon I'm dirtier than your dirty daddy?"

Billy just burst out laughing because no one had ever called him dirty before and it amused him. Tarty, brash, jealous, cheeky, possessive perhaps but never dirty. Mikkel was a good bloke though.

"Oh? Right in front of everyone else you'd get your naked ass out and have it pounded by dirty daddy? That's fucking kinky as hell but hot."

[oprorsk_sode]

"Right into bed the night you meet, like a slut." Mikkel tries desperately to say that with a serious face but he can't and starts laughing.

He's still giggling when he tries to respond to Billy. "Could you imagine the tips we'd get thrown at us?"

Sigurd would have to be drunk, really drunk, and teased for a long time before that would even be an option. The younger Dane shrugged. "I like the idea of people seeing that I'm his in such a... I don't know raw.. erotic way?"

Mikkel wasn't really sure what word to use at the end but it was certainly trie.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"A slut? You're a fucking cheeky bastard, you know that?"

Billy started laughing too because it was true what the boy said about the Brit. Hunter had set him up with Rik and it hadn't taken Billy long at all to flirt with the Dane and get him into bed. Mikkel though---such an exhibitionist.

"You'd really get fucked live on stage at the club? Just like Ronno fucked Ziggy."

Billy had seen it live on stage and had laughed. Gilly must have gotten a good few of Ronno's naked ass from where he sat at his drums. Mikkel liked being owned by Sigurd and Billy could understand that. Fucking kinky boy!

"Rik isn't into public sex and I respect that."

[oprorsk_sode]

"He told me you were a groupie."

Mikkel just giggling even more about this. Of course he knew all about Billy since Mikkel and Rik were still incredibly close.

"How he likes his lapdances in the club, it's not much more." Mikkel grinned but it was true. Sigurd got dirty as soon as he forgot about the other people in the club.

"Except for the backseats of cars." Mikkel snorted a laugh because he'd seen more of Rik naked in a car than anywhere else and that was with them sharing a room most of their life.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"I am his groupie. Sort of. Watching him on TV perform on stage and admiring how he played. This makes me his boy groupie boyfriend."

Billy just shrugged but laughed softly. The part about back seats of cars caused the Brit's face to fall slightly because Mikkel meant when Rik dated Ollie. The jealousy was still there but this was in the past so there was no need to feel bad about it now was there? Rik loved Billy and the Brit knew this. He was doing better and trying to push past all the negativity around Ollie and Rik because it was childish to get upset over memories.

"I heard. Maybe I'll get a car someday and take Rik out in it."

[oprorsk_sode]

Mikkel started to giggle. "Did you have dirty dreams about meeting him?"

The Dane frowned though when he saw that fall in Billy's expression. Mikkel was hyper aware of other people's emotions. He shifted immediately so he didn't upset Billy any more.

"I can teach you to drive?" He wondered if that was why the Brit didn't have a car.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Billy shoved Mikkel playfully in the side and knew the boy was just being a tease because Rik was his cousin so it was a natural assumption that the Brit did have dirty dreams. Everyone could have fantasies.

"You would? I can ride a bike I've just never needed to own a car before but now---maybe I think it's time I did learn. Ronno wants to learn too at some point. He told me so he can drive Ziggy around."

If Mikkel was willing to teach Billy to drive then who was he to say no?