Tattoo

Michael grimaced under the needle, but did everything in his power not to squirm or pull away. He had never been very good at taking pain - even small pins and needles had made him jolt and jump. But he was doing his best to train himself out of that habit. To be stronger and more withstanding. But perhaps getting a tattoo had not been the best way of testing that for himself. This was incredibly difficult for him, and it was going to last for a long time. They had estimated the length for his tattoo at three hours. For some reason, he had agreed to that.

It didn't help that he was getting the tattoo on his back, directly between the shoulder blades. Every time the needle moved over his spine, it sent a shock through his entire system, and he clenched his teeth hard together, trying to stifle back the pain. They had advised him against getting a tattoo like this, but he had insisted on it regardless. He was now wishing that he had followed their advice. But it was too late. He had to sit through and come out the other side. He just hoped it would feel as empowering as he hoped it would.

The procedure ended up taking even longer than they had estimated. Partially because of the involuntary shivers that ran through Michael's body as they gave him the tattoo. That added on an extra hour thanks to pausing and adjusting small mistakes. But at the end of it, Michael had a tattoo on his back, and it actually looked good. They had a couple of mirrors prepared for him so he could see his back, and he carefully moved over to see what they had made.

He had requested a tattoo of his family crest, as a symbol of the people he had lost and the family he hoped one day to be able to rebuild. The desire to become stronger had begun after his father had died, which was the last in a series of family deaths. Everyone above him had suffered and died, and he had been left on his own to take care of his younger brother. They were the only two left. Michael needed to be stronger for his brother, but he had spent a very long time crying and curling himself up into a ball, trying to pretend he wasn't alive.

But he knew that that wasn't what his parents would have wanted from him. It wasn't what his brother needed. It would hurt. But he would live for his family.