Marc-André asked for a second date.

Rafael didn’t even know that it was a date in the first place. He thought Marc-André was interested by the tattoo. And he was, he had assured it to Rafael when he had asked. He was interested by the tattoo, but also by the tattoo artist, and Rafael didn’t expect that at all.

Neither did he expect the man who wanted the tattoo to come at the tattoo shop the next day, as he was available.

“So, you talked to him?” he asked when Rafael told him that Marc-André was on his way.
Rafael nodded.

“Yes. Don’t worry, unless he changed his mind overnight, you’ll like his answer,” he smiled, and the man smiled back.

“Good.”

Ten minutes later, Marc-André entered the tattoo shop, smiling at the two men waiting for him.

“Good morning Rafael, good morning sir,” he smiled, and they shook hands.

“I’m Lionel, nice to meet you. Thank you for taking your time to come here for that, it means the world.”

“I love the idea, so I really wanted to meet the man who wants one of my paintings on his body. It’s honestly the first time that it happens to me, and it’s also probably the last time,” Marc-André laughed, and Rafael smiled.

“I wouldn’t be sure if I was you.”

They spent almost an hour talking about the tattoo, the size, the place, and all these important matters. Marc-André wasn’t of any help in this conversation, but he stayed nonetheless, listening to everything that they were saying.

Lionel thanked him more than ten times before leaving, and Marc-André looked at Rafael with a smile.

"So...did you think about it?"

"About what?" Rafael frowned, lost.

"The second date? You didn't tell me when I asked so I gave you some time to think about it."

Rafael smiled.

"I know. I...I didn't want you to think that I'm only agreeing because the tattoo, you know? Like, I'm going on dates with the guy so he won't refuse the tattoo thing."

"It didn't even cross my mind,"
Marc-André smiled, and Rafael shrugs. "So is that a yes?"

"Yes. Of course."