“It’s awful, it really is.” said Terry Arsehole, Gammon King of all the Gammons. “Time was, 100% of presenters on the BBC were old, white men. With all this diversity nonsense, that’s now dropping as low as 95%. We’re being brutally oppressed, that’s what’s happening.”
gammon and daegan from bang and burn in a game of thrones (wildling and crow) au that was mentioned one fucking time in the discord and never left my head so i naturally obsessed over the idea!! anyway @bangandburnblog
Daegan didn’t regret his move to El Cruz. He didn’t even regret opening a flower shop. It was far from his childhood dream of being a police officer but he liked the flowers. Their smells and bright colors made his days better. Thursday’s were his favorite days in the shop. On Thursdays, his favorite client came by. He always had strange or funny or sweet reasons why he was buying the flowers.
He had named the shop Bang and Bloom. It was a nod to the life he wanted and the life he was living. The life he was living alone. He traced the letters inked on his side as he stood in front of the mirror. Jack. He wanted them gone. It was time for Daegan to let it all go. He was ready.
He finished in the bathroom and put on his Sunday clothes. They were almost the same as his work clothes but what did people expect? He was at the shop six days a week. He hadn’t even been open for a year now, he couldn’t go on a vacation or take time off. Not when trusting people to take care of it was almost harder than getting rid of the tattoo.
The store was downstairs from his apartment and smelled like all the different flowers he kept there. He probably still smelled like all the different flowers. The white of his nails had a permanent green tint to them. In a way he liked it.
He locked the store behind him. He had looked up the Sunday times for the tattoo shop on the other side of El Cruz. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if one of his customers was at the shop while he was getting his ex’s name covered up. Plus he knew Gammon, his favorite Thursday customer, was a tattoo artist, and recommended that very shop, but only because he liked their work. He would die from shame if the source for his small crush had to cover it up. He’d had nightmares about it for the past week.
He took the bus to the other side of town. At the beginning he’d tried to keep his car. Later he had noticed that he didn’t need it. He only left the store on Sunday’s and even those were spend in café’s close by.
The tattoo shop didn’t look as daunting as he thought. The first time, when he got Jack’s name, it had been a lot worse. It had been a lot of yes and no and pressure from both sides. In the end Daegan ended up with a name on his side and Jack ended up leaving. It wasn’t a good time for either of them.
He opened the door and the hot air from the shop slapped him in the face. He wished it was already spring. That way he wouldn’t get nauseated walking into different shops.
The second thing he noticed about the shop was Gammon sitting at the front. Daegan was ready to run out again but it was already too late. Gammon looked up and smirked. One corner of his mouth curled up and his eyes sparkled from, was it joy?
Daegan gave a small wave. He should’ve worn better clothing. Something other people wore on a day off, without the dirt stains that would never get out again.
Gammon walked around the counter and leant back against it. It was higher than the counter in Daegan’s shop. “How can I help you, sunshine?” Gammon asked.
Should Daegan tell him? Or just ask for something totally different. Daegan was just contemplating running away or yelling out that he wanted to date Gammon just to avoid telling him about the tattoo. Not that plan B would work. If Gammon took Daegan out for dinner he would not be strong enough to resist him.
Gammon stood up straight and stepped closer. “You’re fucking nervous. You sure you want anything from this shop?”
Daegan nodded. “Yeah, just give me a minute to think. I didn’t expect you to work here.”
“I told you I worked here.”
“No, you said they have good artists here.”
“They do. Me.”
Daegan crossed his arms. Luckily for him Gammon wasn’t hot and kind. The minute he opened his mouth it reminded Daegan why that would never work. “I need you or someone else in this shop to cover up a tattoo for me.”
His eyes shifted to the ground. Please don’t ask what the other tattoo is. Please don’t.
“What got an old lover on your right pectoral?” Gammon laughed. “In that case I seriously don’t know why I ever wanted a piece of your ass.”
Daegan squeezed his arms tighter around himself. Gammon liked him? “It isn’t on my pectoral…” He took a deep breath. “I was tricked into it.”
“You’re just dumb.”
Daegan kept his face blank. “Just tell me if you don’t want to cover it up.”
“I do. I’ll show you a design when I come by your shop.”
“You’re not gonna ask me what I want.”
“No. I’ve been coming to your store once a week for a long time. I know enough.”
Daegan was faced with the eternal question with punch him or not punch him. He wanted to say yes but did he have a choice when Gammon was willing to design him a tattoo?
“Where is it and how big do I need to make this?”
“Bigger than three inches on my ribs. I know it was stupid. I knew it before and I know it now. I don’t want to live with that regret anymore.”
“And you trust me to fix it?” Gammon walked behind the counter and pulled out a sketchbook and a pencil. Daegan didn’t know but he nodded anyway. If he didn’t like Gammon’s idea he could always refuse it. Gammon wouldn’t get mad at him for doing that, right? Besides, everything is better than Jack’s name.
Gammon began sketching. He shielded the paper with one of his arms. Over the last couple of weeks, Daegan had noticed a couple of the tattoos. He knew the crown on Gammon’s left arm and the snake and sword on his bicep. One night he had woken up, drenched in sweat, the sight of those tattooed hands on his hips burned in his mind's eye. The dream came back to him in bits and pieces, flashes whenever Gammon looked at him like that.
Wait, Gammon was looking at him. Daegan pulled his eyes away from the muscles to look at the artist. Gammon looked at him like he had asked a question, he probably had, and Daegan had been staring at his arms. He wanted to punch himself in the face but he didn’t want to look even weirder.
Luckily one of Gammon’s coworkers walked to the front at that moment. “Hey boss,” He said. He handed something over to a heavily tattooed girl with hair dipped in multiple colors. He let her pay and said he’d see her the next week. It looked like she knew Gammon too. Intimidly. “So, King, that was my last for the next couple of hours. Do you want some lunch? The lady’s are making sandwiches at home.”
Gammon waved a hand in the air. “No tomatoes. I’m finishing this sketch before my next appointment.”
Tannis nodded and walked out of the door. The bell jingled a bit still after he left. “You’ve got another appointment? Do you have time to make a sketch for me?”
“No, but I always make time for a pretty face.” Gammon winked his bad eye, he once told Daegan it had was because of a cataract, and Daegan hoped heaven had a place for him. The blue and white paired with all the tattoos made the good church goers call him a daemon but Daegan could only call them angel eyes.
“I can come back some other time if that works better for you.” Daegan was already taking small steps backwards.
Gammon didn’t look up at him again but did show him the sketch. Finally. Or not. It had felt like hours but the clock showed it couldn’t be more than thirty minutes. Daegan was slowly going crazy in that shop. Why couldn’t he have just chosen the shop next door.
“What do you think?” Gammon asked. He was squinting at Deagan's side as if he could see the tattoo there.
Daegan walked a bit closer to see the sketch. It was beautiful. In the middle was the face of a wolf with all around different kinds of flowers. Roses, buttercups, gerberas. He loved it. “It’s wonderful.”
It wasn’t more than a breath. It was soft and small. The tattoo was big. It would encase his whole side. How something so beautiful come out of Gammon’s hands. Daegan wanted to know for himself how soft their touch could be.
He took a deep breath and pushed his nails in his palms. He listened to Gammon tell prices and without thinking made an appointment in the middle of his days. It wouldn’t hurt to leave his shop for a little, would it? Vasha was always there on Monday. She would be able to keep the shop open.
Gammon threw another wink at Daegan before walking off with a customer. He had a picture of the design on his phone and Gammon’s number in case he couldn’t leave the shop in time. He was okay with this. Really. It wasn’t like they were going to be alone tomorrow.
**
The tattoo shops front was dark when Daegan got there. He didn’t know whether to knock on the door or just leave. He looked at the sign stuck on the window. Closed on Monday. But why did Gammon put his appointment for Monday? Or did Daegan get it wrong. Did he write down the wrong day? Was he supposed to come on Tuesday?
He pulled a hand through his hair. He forgot to braid it that morning and it had been hanging in his face all day long. Why did this stuff only happen to him?
A scuffle of shoes and a deep voice almost made him jump. “You’re early,” Gammon said.
“Or you’re late.” Daegan crossed his arms. He wouldn’t get distracted by Gammon again.
“I’m doing this for your ass on my only day off. And check your watch, you’re early.”
Sure enough Gammon was right. Daegan had been early and Gammon was doing this on his day off. He would feel bad if Gammon wasn’t such a dick about it. He followed Gammon inside and to the table.
“Let me see how far down those freckles go why don’t ya?” Gammon said. He was turned away from Daegan. His hands roamed through cabinets trying to find the right inks and needles.
A bright blush spread over Daegan’s cheeks and down, down, down. How could Gammon be so free with his mouth? No that wasn’t right! How could Gammon be so open about what he thought? Daegan pulled his shirt up and off to distract himself pointedly ignoring the wolf whistles Gammon send him.
“They go down far,” Gammon said licking his lips. “Now let’s see if we can get your tramp stamp off.” He motioned for Daegan to lay down on his side. His face towards Gammon. “I need to see how much it hurts, baby.”
It didn’t sound like an endearment. Not exactly.
During the process Gammon kept calling Daegan sweet names. Stopping the second Daegan scrunched his nose up a bit too much. Sometimes when Gammon went to wipe the ink away his fingers would linger a bit too long at Daegan’s side of he’d brush his fingers along his arm or push a stray hair away. Daegan would be content to be stabbed by that needle for hours if it kept Gammon at his side. Calling him baby, touching him. Oh god. He was turning into a monster. What if the downstairs apartment came to life while Gammon was facing that side. Daegan didn’t know anything more embarrassing and his face flamed up again. Apparently the blush went down far enough for Gammon to stop and look at Daegan.
“You okay, sweetheart?”
Daegan nodded.
“Not having dirty thoughts without me, are you?” Gammon snickered. “If you are, tell me. We could have some fun with them.”
Daegan's blush deepened. He was a mess. A mess for Gammon.
Too soon Gammon was finished. He let go of Daegan and he felt like he could finally breathe again. He stood up and walked to the mirror. He was in awe at the image on his side. It was detailed and beautiful and wonderful. He was in love. With the tattoo he meant.
So wrapped up in the inked petals on his side that he didn’t notice Gammon coming closer. That he hadn’t noticed Gammon until his still gloved fingers were wrapping cling foil over the tattoo and putting his chin on Daegan’s shoulder. He their eyes met in the mirror. The corner of Gammon’s mouth turned up and he raised the eyebrow above his blue, blue eye before pressing a kiss to Daegan’s skin. This must be a dream. This could not be true. Daegan was out of his skin and burning and melting and Gammon’s mouth and tongue were roaming over the still exposed skin and he wanted to turn around and kiss the broad man.
So he did.
Gammon’s mouth wasn’t soft and it tasted vaguely like coffee and whiskey and Daegan hoped he wasn’t drunk. Because Daegan was already drunk on the moment and someone ought to have the wheel.
Gammon pushed him backwards until Daegan was pressed between him and the cold mirror. He didn’t know what the cause was of the shivers down his spine. He did know he didn’t mind. It was so, so long since his last kiss. So, so long since someone was hot enough to make Daegan feel flustered.
Gammon bit his lower lip this side of too hard before moving his lips to Daegan’s ear. Hot breath blown over sensitive skin and Daegan was as good as gone. “Want to take this to my house, sweetheart,” Gammon whispered.
Daegan pushed Gammon away. What was he doing? Vasha was still waiting in the shop and he couldn’t kiss his customers could he? Gammon was doing him a huge favour by covering up Jack’s name and Daegan just plastered himself to his skin.
The blush returned, his eyes wide. “I have to go,” he said. “Vasha is waiting for me. I’m the only one with keys.” He clamped his mouth shut. He was making this worse. Why did every word come out like this? “Sorry. I’ll see you in the shop.”
**
“See you in the shop,” Vasha said. She arms were crossed and that frown was just a permanent fixture on her face by now. “You mean the worst you did was just run out after your appointment. You had to wait three days to tell me this because?”
“Because that wasn’t the worst,” Daegan said. He was preparing a bouquet for the old lady that came by twice a week. She always had sunflowers or some other yellow flower in it. It was her favourite colour.
“Don’t hold out on me now, Dae.” Vasha lugged a big vase out of the storage. It was a blue, blue colour. The same as Gammon’s eye. Daegan was ready to slam his head against the counter.
“You’ve seen the tattoo. He kept stroking my side, which was sort of normal. Still, after I was looking in the mirror and-” Vasha gave him an angry look. “We kissed okay. Not like small kiss on the lips no full blown, ravenous, make out.”
He didn’t have it in him anymore to blush. Gammon had taken it all Monday.
He was still sputtering to Vasha when the bell above the door rang. Customers. “Hello,” he said. The big smile on his face fell off when he saw Gammon standing at he door. Oh why, why, why?
Daegan ignored the looks Vasha send him. “How can I help you?”
“I want a piece with the flowers in your tattoo.” He plucked a couple leaves off a rose and held them up against the light.
“May I ask why?”
“No reason.”
Oh. Daegan had messed up, hadn’t he? He walked around the shop picking the best flowers. It didn’t take him long at all to make a bouquet but it still felt long with Gammon so nearby, it was all seconds and years and eons and minutes with him.
Gammon paid for the flowers and thrusted them back into Daegan’s hands. “Be ready by seven. I’m picking you up.” That annoying smirk crept over his lips again. “I want to know if you took care of that tattoo. Maybe look for some other places to ink up.”
Daegan pursed his lips. “I only do that for good dates.” But Gammon had never said it was a date, had he? He just wanted to check on the tattoo. Oh Daegan was screwed. Figuratively because he just messed up all chances at the literal kind. “Not that I mean-”
“Maybe not good,” Gammon interrupted. His eyes had lit up at Daegan’s stumbling. “But baby, I will give you a night you’ll never forget. Remember, seven.”
Gammon turned and walked away. Daegan almost sunk through his knees. What just happened?
He looked at Vasha to see what she nought but her mouth was open and she looked almost just as shocked. Then she smiled. “Go get him, tiger.”
Daegan scrunched his eyebrows together even more. He may have not ruined his chances with Gammon yet but he had no clothes for their sort of date. Oh well, he’d worry after work. For now he had to think about flowers. And maybe a bit about Gammon’s ass.
