🏘 — Celestial Canvas Tattoos

@altair song "Ah so it means tall AND handsome," flattered and amused once again, though this time only a half smile conveys it. Eyes are too fixated on the other's face - admiring every details, aware of the 'appreciative' gaze, "and I'm pretty sure you heard this a lot; you have a pretty face. Especially your eyebrows," the half smile broadened, not praising for the sake of returning the compliment he got. The fancy or polite way of talking actually stems from his upbringing. From a young age, he was taught to speak in such manner however, around friends, Rico is informal.

"Altair it is," not going to pry into the family affair, the taller male follows closely behind without saying a word, scanning the establishment from one place to the other, grateful for the warmth, albeit the cold doesn't affect him that much, thanks to his clothing, "am I the first one to come in on the soft opening?" Brown boots stopped by the tattoo chair, hands tuck inside the pockets of his hoodie, briefly taking a look at the equipment before turning his attention to Altair, specifically his face, respectfully yet not so subtly, admiring, "not my intention to be nosy but I take it you're not originally from here?" He refers to the accent, "what makes you choose Wineport? If it's something personal then, you don't have to answer."

@rico kim "no one ever told you that you're tall and handsome? that's all that means, love." the words are playful, barely hiding laughter as altair not so secretly eyes the man before him up and down, more appreciative than appraising. the amusement grows within his chest, the lack of recognition of a compliment that was more than common within the streets of his hometown making the mirth dance behind his ribcage. still, he does not comment on it and instead just nods with that sharp grin on his face, taking another long drag of his cigarette.

"a business man, are ya'? makes sense, you do talk all proper and fancy-like," he answers easily, lightly, the smoke passing past his lips as he speaks. there is something disarming about the tall guy - rico - a light and airy quality the man seems to carry about him whenever he opens his mouth. it makes the artist snort quietly, more to himself than anything else, as he stubs out his cigarette against the bottom of his heavy combat boot and flicks it into a trashbin he deposited near the entrance of his shop. "mr. song is my father and i ain't talkin' to that old man anymore. y'can just call me altair," he throws out whilst already stepping forward, one shoulder pushing open the partially-glass doors to his shop, humming lowly as he steps away from the biting cold and into the warmth of his little parolor. "come in, then. welcome to 'celestial canvas', feel free to wander!"

@altair song The foreign expression amused the taller male, which is visible by the smile stretching across his face, "I've been called a giraffe and a skyscraper often but never a tall glass of water. Interesting," a soft chuckle followed suit, taking the comment as a compliment, "congratulations then. It's always nice to meet a young entrepreneur." his gaze followed the other's towards the shop. The small establishment reminded Rico of a photo back when the family's business just started. The office building was as small as this one, not as decorative though. The interior was plain but pleasant.

Just like the rest of the entrepreneurs, young or old that Rico has met, he would donate a generous amount of money to support their businesses out of genuine kindness as he knows how hard it can be although the hardship of starting from the bottom was never experienced. The playfulness is gladly returned with the fingers wiggling imitated, and the handshake reciprocated, "Rico Kim," brown eyes can't help but to admire the intricate ink on the other's up close, "a fellow businessmen and art enthusiast - a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Song," the lingering smile brightened up, gaze fixated on the soft features while hand retracted to the side, "may I come in and have a look?"

@rico kim the unfamiliar voice - as most still are in this town, altair has to admit, seeing as the weeks since his arrival were filled with him working on the shop and not socialising - pulls him out of his thoughts, immediately catches his attention. even as surprise flickers over his features for a moment, the grin never fades; instead, it melts into something that could be described at almost cheeky, the mild cockiness that always comes with pride shining through.

"well, ain't ya a tall glass of water?" he mutters around his cigarette, quite obviously not even trying to hide the comment - though he does dampen it by pushing off of the lamp and taking a step closer, one hand outstretched in an obvious invitation, even if the other one tugs the cigarette away from his lips. "yeah, my pride and joy. soft opening today, until i figure out how to fund a proper party."

for a moment his gaze flickers towards the shop windows before they find their way back towards the tall, handsome stranger. altair's own tattooed fingers wiggle slightly, a playful invitation for a shake. "altair song. it's a real pleasure to meet," he stops, nodding his head towards the few patches of inked skin he can spot on the other, "a fellow art enthusiast.

@altair song Just like any other tourists who visited Wineport, one of the first thing on their itinerary is to have a walk around town. Living in the city his whole life, Rico is mesmerized by the small, quaint town that he for a moment thought of becoming a citizen. Of course it was only a thought and Rico paid no mind to it. Though there is a possibilty for the idea to be realized in the future.

A pair of blue pants and a thick blue hoodie keeps the tall built warm as he strolls around town. A pair of glasses framed his gentle features so he can see better. Everyone who come across Rico is greeted with a head bow and a greeting. While Rico is going on his little adventure, his daughter Nina and their nanny; May, hangs at a cafe. The girl is exhausted and only wanted to stay in one place where walking is less required. Upon stumbling into what seems to be an odd yet interesting looking tattoo shop, Rico stopped in his track, intrigued as gaze taking in the decor, not the first time he has seen such unique parlor, "excuse me, sir," he called out to the handsome young man by the street lamp, assuming he is the owner or a staff member, given the multiple visible inks on his sleeves, "your shop?" As for Rico, the only visible inks on his person are the cross on top of right hand with alphabets on each four lower phalanges that spells 'amen'; while on the side of his right neck, 'our' is the only visible word as the rest is covered by the fabric.

pride is a strange thing. comes before a fall, as the saying goes, though stepping outside into the cold january air feels more like standing at the bottom of a cliff than toeing at the edge of it to altair; there is not much more room to fall after all - only a steady incline, a way back towards the top.

despite the freezing temperature, he steps out only in his t-shirt and jeans, the sleeves rolled up even further, almost tank-top esque that way. tattoed hands already wanter towards his face, one pushing a cigarette past his lips, the other flicking a lighter. the first drag of nicotine filling his lungs feels both like something holy and damnation at once - but so do most addictions.

as the smoke dances around him with an exhale, altair allows his eyes to wander, to take in the sight of his studio with the sign flipped to 'open' for the very first time. it isn't too shabby for the work of a few weeks - dark blue painted facade, multiple greek deity statues in the windows, prints of his past work and the loveliest of additions: a handpainted blue and gold sign with the words 'celestial canvas' placed above it all. the sigh is what fills him with pride, what makes the excitement buzz just underneath his inked skin. perhaps that is why it is impossible for him not to grin around his cigarette as he leans against a street lamp and just takes it all in.

beautiful. divine. all his.