August 21

Rosseau, Muskoka

"Your parents are going to freak out when they see this, Grey."

Liam's laughter rolls over for me as I grit my teeth in the tattoo parlor. Fuck, this was a horrible idea, but nothing I can do about it now, the fucking tattoo's halfway done. Ry's next though.

Liam is perched on the stool next to me, watching as some biker my cousin knows with a handlebar mustache named Chad tattoo my left pec.

He'd taken sick pleasure in shaving half my chest when Chad decided to clear the patch of skin. Chad took pity on me and shaved the rest, eliminating the crazy design Liam had mapped out originally, much to his own sick delight. Ry, seeing the options ahead of him, promptly opted to have Chad do his, standing firmly behind his 'no' to Liam.

"I don't give a shit about what my parents think. But remind me, why did I let you talk me into this?"

"Us, G. You let him talk us into doing this. What about my parents? I'm the golden boy." Ry emphasizes the word us dramatically, grimacing as he watches the needle puncture and prick my skin, splattering ink.

"I'm sure as fuck not doing this alone. I swear if you back out, I'll tattoo this on you myself, we'll see how good that looks."

Ry frowns at me, "I said I'd do it. I can still complain about it."

Liam only continues to grin at both of us. "You guys are the best. See, this way, you'll never forget I was here, I'll be with you."

Emotion chokes me at Liam's offhand comment. He's been dropping these bombs on me for the past day and a half like he's preparing my brain for the inevitable. I focus on rubbing my finger over the small scar on my palm, where Liam and I had once made a blood oath to be brothers. Ink or no ink, there's no chance in hell I'll ever forget him. He's in my blood.

"Seriously, Liam. First, don't say shit like that, we've still got you here, don't check out on us. Second, you know that's impossible. We could never forget you." Ry's voice is serious, and I can hear the emotion behind it, and for the first time in the past thirty minutes, I'm thankful I have the pain of the needle to distract me.

Glancing back down at my chest, I'm surprised to see how much ink is splattered on my chest, just under my shoulder, right over my heart. Fuck, how big is this thing going to be? I'd specified something small, no bigger than a couple of postage stamps. How much space can three jersey numbers and a hockey stick take?

"Almost done, man. You want any text to go with this?"

I grit my teeth as he hits a particularly sensitive area. "Yeah, in like tiny caps or whatever, nothing fancy, add the initials L.B., G.P., and R.W. somewhere inside the stick, maybe in the grip, in the tape. As close to the picture as you can get."

Liam was no artist, but we wanted to replicate his handwriting for the initials he's scrawled on the post-it note.

"Will do. Hang tough buddy, maybe another five."

"It's no problem." Grinding my teeth together, I focus on the pain to distract me from my grief. I'm more worried for when he stops, for when I don't have the distraction anymore.

As each minute ticks by, Ry looks more nervously at the needle. "It's not that bad, Ry. Don't stress."

When Chad wipes my skin clean, he grins at the result before letting Liam and Ry have a look before he covers it with a gauze bandage, taping it down. "Take this off in a couple hours, wash the area, antibacterial mild soap. You can leave it open during the day, bandage it back up at night. Try not to swim until the scabbing is gone. Ten days, two weeks. Cover it when you shower, tape and plastic wrap, just don't leave the plastic on. Clear? Call if you have questions. That goes for both of you."

I step away from Chad, gesturing dramatically to Ry. "Do or die time, brother. Show us what we mean to you."

I kick my feet up onto the chair beside Liam and watch Ry squirm. For a normally tough dude, he sure doesn't seem to like this. He's chosen a different placement, down on his ribs, under his heart. That shit's gotta hurt.

"Think Elle will freak out? Her perfect lover boy tatt'd up?"

I laugh, fairly certain Elle will take it all in stride, as she seems to take everything. "She'll understand. I think she'll dig it, actually."

I think back to her teasing, at the beginning of the summer when she shared her list with me. Looks like I crossed off that imaginary bucket list option after all. I smile to myself, a small, private joke.

"What do they say about good girls and bad boys?" Liam winks at me. "But from what I heard the other night, there might be a little more bad in her that I gave her credit for."

If it were anyone but Liam, I'd throw down over a comment like that but I only shake my head. I think back to the night Liam's talking about, but draw a blank, we've spent the last few nights bouncing between his place and her place. But each night, no matter where we are, I show her a few more new things in the late hours of the night, clearly our nocturnal activities haven't been as subtle as I thought. I won't be telling her that, though.

"Keep that to yourself, brother. But yeah, you have no idea, she's this perfect, incredible combination of sexy and sweet, like a kind of pure carnal innocence. She's absolutely perfect."

Liam's eyes darken, and I know he's thinking about Sam. I've tried not to think about what's going through each of their minds right now, I've tried not to think too much at all, if I'm being honest.

"Will you guys look out for her? For Sam?" Liam's question leaves me stunned, choking on emotion once again. All I can do is nod as my brain fires around the emotional loop of a rollercoaster ride.

Thankfully, Ry is more absorbed in pain than grief, so he manages to promise we will look out for her.

"Don't let her be alone. You'll encourage her to date again? When she's ready? I already asked Elle to keep an eye on her too, but you guys are my brothers, I need to hear you promise it too."

I clench my fists, grind my teeth together until I can choke out the words he needs to hear. "Yeah, I promise."

Blinking back tears, I stare at the small scar on my palm again, finding no comfort there for once.

Liam's attention thankfully shifts back to Ry, who's gone white. Chad has to stop three times as Ry wonders aloud if he's going to pass out. He doesn't, but when Chad finishes dressing his tattoo up, he's looking a little green.

"Fuck it you guys, I'm getting one too. I don't care. I want it in the same spot as Grey's." Liam yanks off his t-shirt and flops down on the stool.

When I nod at Chad, he only shrugs, prepping for the third patient of the day. Liam holds up better than Ry, but has to stop halfway for a break, chugging some juice and eating a few cookies. Ninety minutes later, we're pulling t-shirts back on and I pay for the tattoos on my dad's credit card like the subtlest fuck you I can think of.

"Can you take a picture of us?" I look at Chad, tossing him my phone when he nods. "Sorry boys, shirts back off."

We line up, and Liam grabs us both around the shoulders, pulling us in for the shot, pointing to each of our tattoos as he wraps his arms around us. Ry and I each point to his, grinning for the camera. Chad tosses my phone back to me, and I stuff it in my pocket, slapping the bandage back on and yanking my t-shirt back over my head.

"Don't tell your dumb friends looking for their first drunken tatts that I did these, you hear me? I only did it because your cuz is a solid dude, little Pruitt."

I roll my eyes at Chad's nickname. I'm about fifty pounds heavier than my cousin, and nearly five inches taller than Greg, Hunter's middle brother. "Appreciate it Chad. They won't hear it from us." I shake his hand, shoving out the door, trying to refrain from rubbing at the burning patch on my chest.

The three of us climb into my truck, and I hit the old stereo, letting Liam scroll through as we drive back to his cottage. When he stumbles across an old classic rock channel, the three of us belt out the lyrics, completely off tune, to ACDC's Hells Bells at the top of our lungs.

Pulling back into his drive, Sam's there to meet us with a smile. She doesn't know what we've done, not yet, but I can't wait to see her face when she finds out.

Somewhat predictably, Sam goes nuts for Liam's tattoo.

Nurses Doom and Gloom, Sandra and Anne, I remind myself. We'd abandoned the nicknames from earlier this summer once we realized they didn't actually want to ruin our fun.

Sandra and Anne were less thrilled, but took over as the three of us tried to follow Chad's instructions for cleaning, shaking their heads and frowning at us. I'd barely managed to contain my eye roll as they'd fussed over us, scolding us like we were kids.

Well, I guess we are. But kids can make dumb ass decisions, that's what kids do.

Unfortunately, in Sam's excitement, and trying to convince Sandra and Anne that we were all fine, Sam let slip all to Jacqueline while preparing for dinner.

Liam's mom had promptly turned to all three of us as we'd played video games in the living room, demanding to see the results. I'd been sure she was going to skin me alive for this, but to my shocked delight she'd laughed, clapping her hands and calling her husband over to see.

Paul had been more reserved, obviously quite emotional over the sight of the permanent, or well as permanent as it gets, memory of his son tattooed on our bodies, like a quiet reassurance he'll live on in us. It sounds lame, but that's why I'd agreed to do it.

No matter that I'd never forget him, that no matter how much time passes, that he'll always be my best friend, my brother, there was something oddly comforting that I'll have his number tattooed over my heart forever, a reminder of his steady presence in my life, and the brotherhood we'd created, then slowly expanded to welcome another misfit into.

Looking over at my friends, I commit the past weeks to memory, tucking the bits and pieces away to replay one day, when I need them most. And then I wonder, even with these memories, whether I'll be strong enough to survive the loss of my friend, my brother, when he's always been the strongest part of me.

- - -

Thoughts on tattoos? I'm a big fan, and this will be the first of a few tattoos we'll see Greyson get as he develops.

Get engaged! Let me know what you think in the comments, or send your love by voting if you liked the chapter. It means so much to me to see when you do, and to hear from you!

Xx Toria