The Birth of a Hyena

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Buffy/Yakuza AU
Chapter Summary: Xander gets a tattoo started.  Annoying Angel to keep Angelus at bay is just a bonus.
Word Count: 515
Rating: Teen

           On one hand, someone coming at him with a needle really gets his stabby instincts out in full.  On the other, he feels naked.  So he strips down to all but his favorite boot-knife (clothes are still there, but they don’t matter) and takes off on a little impromptu expedition to the city of the angels (well, at least one in particular).  He takes the motorcycle, of course.  The wind feels nice in his ponytail, and he doesn’t get half the stares for the eyepatch if he’s driving a car, which is more than a little pointless.  Sure, it’s dangerous, but so’s livin’ on a mouth of hell and he’s still kickin’. 
           When he’s halfway there he realizes he forgot ta let the girls know he’s gone and spends about two minutes tryin’ ta decipher if he’d meant ta do that ta get a good fight outa Buffy, or if it’d been entirely accidental, before deciding it doesn’t really matter an’ he’s wastin’ his time.
           The tattoo artist lady’s kinda scared by his look and his request, and probably the only reason she actually goes through with it is he doesn’t look Japanese.  She gets a little scared when he gets his shirt off and she sees all his scars, but he’s lucky enough he hadn’t seen fit to discard Majima’s Sotenbori days and can still glibly talk his way through.  She does mention it’ll be more difficult to tattoo over the scars, but he mentions, as polite as can be, that he’s fine paying more for the effort and just kinda won’t take no for an answer.  When the idea had first occurred to him a couple of days ago, he’d had a lot of whispers from a mad dog in his ear insisting he’s not gonna half-ass this.  He insists on a Japanese influence, and she knows exactly what it means. 
           In the center he goes for a laughing hyena.  Not traditional, maybe, but it’s definitely a personal touch, which is enough to quiet the growling in his head.  As a nod to Majima, he goes for white snakes on either shoulder.  To finish it off, he goes for cherry trees with cherry flowers and falling cherry blossoms, a reminder of how temporary life is.  Fortunately, she knows her stuff and goes for half-sleeves and a visible stomach.  It takes hours just for the outline and he’s bored stiff, but at least there’s pain to take the edge off, keep him focused and relatively relaxed.  He’ll have ta come back, which he hadn’t anticipated an’ really should have.  He’ll warn them next time, probably.
           He’s a good boy and doesn’t stab the lady even a little, so as a treat he’ll go and bug Angel until Deadboy loses it and calls for Buffy to come collect him.  Angel’s not too inclined to see his handsome eyepatched face around, but the vamp’s still got a hard-on for brooding and making up for his past, so as usual a reminder that this can serve as a source of repentance oughta get him a couple hours.