Labyrinth - the Tattoo & Piercing Parlor (Knockturn Alley)

Sevastyan swallowed the laugh he'd been about to let loose at her teasing. He sort of bit his lower lip and shook his head in a no. When House encouraged, Sevastyan replied with a courteous but firm, "No, thank you." There was an overtone of amusement there. He listened politely to the pair return to conversing about navel rings, though deliberately stopped himself from wondering when Amaranth would be wearing hers again. That was a completely different thought for an entirely different occasion.

The wizard's head turned to see where the green eyes were gazing, gray orbs landing on a piercing on the top part of the pictured person's ear. It was one of the ones he liked, and wouldn't mind having if it was what Amaranth wanted. Sevastyan nodded. "I like that vone as vell..." he replied and returned to her side. Unlike the tattoo, Sevastyan gave the pain-level of such a piercing very little thought. He'd watched his sister get her ears pierced, and it had been a quick and fairly painless process considering Sveta hadn't even flinched.

House shrugged. "You're missing out..." he shook his head in a sing-song tone, adding the final touches to the work of art on Viper's wrist.

The symbol glowed a myriad of colors: first a deep, crimson red, a burning orange, a blinding yellow, an emerald green, a sparkling blue, and finally a bright violet, before revealing it's final form: an infinity symbol with a heart, with intricate designs surrounding it.

House grinned in admiration of his work, grasping Viper's hand to examine it. "Damn, I'm good!" he breathed out with immense satisfaction. "Amazing, isn't it?" he asked, looking at Viper and Sevastyan, releasing his hold on her hand.

With her hand now free, Viper brought it closer to her face, examining it closely with a smile. "Not bad, House."

"Hell yeah, not bad! You try walking into a studio and getting one, half as good." he boasted loudly. "Now scooch your tuckus over so lover boy over here can get branded just like you." He said as he shooed her away, off the chair.

"Ready, dude?" House asked as he held a larger, more lethal looking needle than the one he held previously.

Sevastyan said nothing but shook his head with a degree of amusement at House's sing-song remark. When the artist's work was done, Sevastyan admired the talent and effort put into the marking along with Amaranth. He nodded in agreement though didn't have much to say, never having been inked before. However, he had to at least admit that it was very wonderfully done.

He couldn't help but snicker over House referring to him as Amaranth's 'lover boy'. Only vaguely did he wonder if the older gentleman knew just how precise that term was. Sevastyan assumed he had to have at least guessed once it became clear he wanted the same tattoo as Viper... Though, he personally wasn't so sure about the 'boy' part, but then again his father and grandfather still called him 'boy' so it really didn't bug him. Much.

As he passed Amaranth, Sevastyan gave her a flirty sort of smirk before seating himself in the chair she had vacated. He tugged the long right sleeve of his shirt up and made a small adjustment in his posture to get comfortable. When asked if he was ready, Sevastyan gave the device House was holding a glance. Was it just him or did this one look larger and much more dangerous than the other one? No, that was not nervousness to be detected in those stormy orbs! Well, about ten percent of it was nervousness.

"Ready," Sevastyan replied and nodded without a trace of hesitation.

"Alright then. Let's get you branded..." House beamed as he brought Sevastyan's wrist closer to him and began the process. He started off by taking a quick glance at Viper's wrist once more so he knew how to scale the image unto the wizard's wrist, taking a moment to sanitize the area before forming a layout in his mind. When he was positive how the design was going to work, he aligned the needle unto Sevastyan's wrist, pushing it into his skin, injecting the dye into the skin, forming an outline.

He sent a cocky grin at Sevastyan before asking. "Not too much for you to handle, is it?" he snickered. While he knew Sevastyan had a rather high pain tolerance, one could never be too sure.

Sevastyan allowed House to position his wrist, not knowing whereabouts to really rest it so the man could work on the marking. He watched silently as the 'canvas' was considered, and noticed that his wrist was a fair bit larger than Amaranth's, or so it appeared from where he sat.

He was still looking at Amaranth's tattoo when House began, though by the time needles were about to meet skin Sevastyan was looking straight at her eyes just to make sure she was alright with his getting a matching tattoo. This was her day, after all. Sevastyan didn't want her to feel as though he were trying to insert himself into the Honored Persons list. That wasn't his intent at all. Going along with a tattoo and piercing for himself was a gesture of love. As House had said - not many men were willing to 'get inked' for their girlfriends.

A brief flicker of discomfort when the tattooing process started caused his facial features to tighten slightly, but relaxed seconds later as Sevastyan attempted to get used to the sensation. By no means was it a comfortable experience, but nor was it unbearable. Curious to see precisely what was going on, Sevastyan focused his gaze on his wrist.

"Not too much for you to handle, is it?"

Sevastyan smirked at the snickered question and raised his eyes to the wizard tattooist. "Not at all; just takes some getting used to," he replied with an undercurrent of amusement. "This vill be my first time getting a tattoo, actually."

As House went on inking her boyfriend, Viper couldn't help but smile at him, meeting his gaze as she rested her forhead against his head in affection. "You sure about this? House's tattoos are a ***** to get off..." she warned in a light tone.

"Of course! Can't have all these pricks scrubbing off my priceless works of art, can I?" House retorted, keeping his focus on the tattoo.

Extreme delight lit up the older wizards eyes at Sevastyan's reply. "Brilliant! Oh do I feel naughty for taking your skin's purity!" he chuckled evilly before turning to Viper. "You must be an absolute angel to this bloke! Here he is getting inked for the very first time for you, wow. Well, all the power and luck to you both! "

Needles moved back and forth, tracing, darkening, and shading before the glowing rainbow of colors appeared once more on Sevastyan's wrist. Reaching over, he grabbed Viper's wrist, comparing the two identical tattoos. He whistled in delight, nodding in approval. "I know I said it before, but what the hell. I'll say it again. Damn I'm good!"

Sevastyan chuckled at Viper's and House's statements regarding the tattoo. "I am positive. And who says I'll ever vant it off?" he replied, the question asked in just as light a tone as Viper had used. The Russian wizard leaned into his love's affectionate gesture without upsetting House from his work.

The wizard blinked at House's exclamation, unable to not think about an entirely different parallel and subsequently feeling a little unnerved by it. Sevastyan chanced a sideways-ish upward glance at Amaranth as if to ask if she picked up on that, too. "In my opinion, she is an angel... vone of the first people I spoke to ven I came here. And thank you," he said politely. A smile curled his lips as he more or less deduced that House must have witnessed for himself the side of Amaranth that Sevastyan had not seen used toward himself.

Despite the discomfort of having needles poking one's skin seemingly over and over, Sevastyan remained still while House worked. While the Russian didn't really flinch, he did shift slightly during "breaks" when the needle was not aimed for or touching his skin. When his and Amaranth's tattoos were compared, Sevastyan couldn't help but agree with House: he was good!

"It is very good vork," Sevastyan verbalized his opinion before turning his head to face Amaranth, who wasn't more than a few inches away. "Vot do you think?" he asked her, smirking slightly.

"Hopefully never you," Viper replied, her smile widening as Sevastyan returned the affectionate gesture.

However, she shot a half-hearted glare towards House at the angel comment. "The Three Broomsticks Incident?" she asked with an arched eyebrow and mild amusement.

House nodded, barely suppresing a grin. "Hell yeah the Three Broomsticks Incident! Damn, you're ******* mental when you're pissed off! Well, technically you're pretty mental whatever mood you're in..." he snickered, leaning towards Sevastyan. "So glad I bet on her though. 100 galleons that was! Cha-ching!" he nodded his head eagerly. "You still banned from that joint, Viper?"

"Yep. Now I'm stuck at the bloody Hog's Head. Not too bad, I suppose, as long as I get my own glass." Viper shrugged, with a smile forming on her face. She wasn't necessarily proud of the fact she got banned from the popular pub for being involved in a fight with the owner's daughter, but it was just one of those memories that were quite funny when one looked back on them.

"It is very good vork."

House raised an eyebrow. "No, no lad. Not good work. The best work! Best!" he corrected the younger wizard, nodding.

"Vot do you think?"

Viper returned the smirk, her eyes dropping to rest on the tattoo, identical to the one she now had. Instead of verbally replying, she opted to let her actions speak for themselves and closed the remaining distance between them with a gentle kiss to Sevastyan's lips.

"Never me," Sevastyan echoed Viper's words softly.

A raven brow quirked upward at the mention of an incident at the Three Broomsticks. He knew the place, and had broken up a duel between his second cousin and whom Sevastyan assumed was a new enemy of sorts. Sevastyan couldn't help but wonder just what happened during the 'incident'. The Russian wizard had yet to really see his girlfriend angry. Given what he'd just heard, Sevastyan decided that it would be in his best interest not to get her angry. Despite that, though, he couldn't help but grin at House's statement. Drawing from his own experiences, a statement like that usually referenced a fight. Sevastyan vaguely wondered who the unfortunate adversary was...

The wizard chuckled inwardly, but nodded to House's correction. It was the best work he'd ever seen done, though Sevastyan had to admit he'd not seen many tattoos to gauge quality. But this one was the best, in his opinion. Of course, what helped a bit was that Sevastyan was aware of what it meant for its wearers.

It only took a fraction of a second for Sevastyan to respond to the kiss, temporarily forgetting that House was practically right beside him.

Viper smiled warmly at the echo cadencing from Sevastyan, giving him a light kiss.

House was just about to dive into details regarding aftercare with potions and spells when he noticed the two engaged in a lip-lock. "Oi!" he exclaimed in mock horror, tapping the chair with his cane. "Uh-uh, none of that in my shop. This is a tattoo parlor! Needle actions, only!" he shook his finger at the couple in a manner resembling an old school marm scolding her pupils. "Hmmph. Kids these days, indeed!"

"So who's getting pierced first?" House asked as he withdrew an even larger needle than the tattooing needle. "Kids, meet Little-Litttle-Little Greg!"

Sevastyan was in bliss as Amaranth's lips met his, the slight tingle of pain lingering on his newly-inked tattoo melting from his mind for the time being. Pain simply did not - and could not - exist when he kissed her or vice versa.

The Russian wizard was startled out of the romantic moment with Amaranth the instant he felt the chair he was sitting in vibrate with the tapping of House's cane. Wide gray eyes fell on the other man, curious as to what had gotten his wand in a knot. "Sorry," he muttered, though neither the tone or his face seemed very repentant. A wry glance and smirk Viper's way practically confirmed that the words did not match what he really felt.

Stormy-irised eyes focused on the piercing needle. Sevastyan vaguely wondered how many needles House possessed, and if they came any more lethal-looking than this one. He had to hold back a laugh in regards to the fact that the needle had been named. The emphasis on how miniature 'Little-Little-Little Greg' was, however, was entirely understandable for him.

Before speaking up, Sevastyan decided to consult his companion. "Since you vent first last time, shall I?" he asked, a smirky smile in place as he surveyed her face.

Amaranth giggled silently in response, tossing her own muttered apologies. Although, like Sevastyan, her's weren't heartfelt as House would have liked.

"Sure you are..." House muttered, rolling his eyes.

She snickered slightly as 'Little-Little-Little Greg'' was introduced. "What happened to 'Little Greg'?"

House stiffened. "He's in some cretin's stomach. Bloke decided to get a tongue piercing so right when I've got the needle in, he swallows." House paused for a moment, the emotion thickening in his voice as he thought of his long lost needle."Bye bye Little Greg..." he whispered in a cracked voice.

A few moments were spent in silence as House briefly mourned the loss of his favorite needle before he cleared his throat. "A cartilage piercing, right?" he asked as he cast a spell on Sevastyan's ear, sanitizing the area.

A grin started spreading across Sevastyan's face at Greg's response to their apologies. If anyone had been able to hear his mind-voice, they would have heard a continuous cadence of chuckles not unlike Viper's giggling. Only, Sevastyan's mirth was deeper in pitch.

A quiet snicker escaped, however, at Viper's inquiry. Sevastyan hadn't even thought about that one. Gray eyes blinked in mild surprise that someone would swallow during a tongue piercing, but then again he supposed it was not impossible. Personally, Sevastyan wasn't quite sure what to say so he remained silent. He contemplated how much a tongue piercing would hurt, instead of speaking.

There would be no tongue piercings for this Russian...

"Yes... not qvite at the top of the ear, but close," Sevastyan replied, attempting to ignore the odd sensation of the spell. "It is the vone on the top left corner of the poster," he added, conjuring a copy of the image in mid-air.



"...Right?" he asked Amaranth, just to be sure he had the right one in mind.

Viper nodded in comprehension to the misfortune of House's needle. "What about Little-Little Greg?"

House lifted his cane with a grin. "You're looking at him." He replied, eyeing the walking aid with fondness. "Word of advice, kids. When the time comes for you two to get yourselves one of these, head over to Wilson's. Best. Canes. Ever!" House nodded enthusiastically. "Flames, Fangs, Scales, anything you want on these babies!"

Viper nodded towards Sevastyan's question. "Yep, cartililedge."

"Goodie!" House beamed, bringing the sterilized needle towards Sevastyan's ear.

When Sevastyan found out 'Little Greg' was a piercing needle and 'Little-Little Greg' was a cane, he couldn't help but snicker silently.

He made a noise of approval in the back of his throat in regards to a place to buy canes, though couldn't help but hope that that wouldn't be for many years to come. The Russian didn't nod, under the assumption that the sterilization of his ear indicated that House was going to do the piercing any second. Once Amaranth confirmed that was what they wanted...

'Goodie?' Sevastyan wondered with a slight raise of eyebrow at the word. The wizard didn't spend too much time contemplating House's choice of word, instead deciding to focus all of his energy to remaining nearly still as stone; mentally preparing his tolerance to pain for round two... though he was fairly certain that the tattooing process was likely the more painful between them. Then again, Sveta's piercings weren't in the cartilage...

"Stay still, now. You move, you're screwed." he paused a moment to smile to himself. "Hey, that rhymes! Move, screwed, move, screwed. Brilliant!" before leading the needle towards the cartilage area as directed.

Viper leaned closer to Sevastyan to whisper into his free ear. "It's not so much pain that you'll feel. It's moreso pressure."

House scoffed. "How the hell would you know? All you can feel is the pressure!" He exclaimed as he rolled his eyes. "Alright, one, two, three!" Quick and swift, House jabbed the silver needle through the destination, giggling softly at the the familiar sound of popping as the needle made its way through.

With skilled ease and youthful swiftness, a small, silver hoop earring was inserted through just as the needle was pulled out. House grinned. "Nifty little move, eh? Picked it up in China during a business. Makes things so much easier."

Waving a hand, House conjured a handmirror, handing it to Sevastyan. "What do you think?"

Sevastyan laughed without moving more than his lips when House pointed out his rhyme. Gray eyes went as far as they would go in a sideways direction to behold Amaranth and her opinion on the procedure. He assumed the banter between her and House was all in play, and before he knew it the sharp object was already at work.

Brows furrowed slightly, awaiting a pain that did not arrive. Or, at least, not in the magnitude Sevastyan had expected. The popping noise was slightly disconcerting, as was the sensation, but other then that it was fine. What was perhaps slightly weirder was that he could feel the needle being pulled through, with the earring not at all far behind. Sevastyan could see the logic in using the technique, and found it rather impressive.

Taking the offered mirror, Sevastyan glanced into it and easily found the new adornment. "Excellent, and impressive. The only other piercing I had, vich is now healed over, vosn't nearly as skillfully done," Sevastyan complimented the wizard and handed him back the mirror. What he didn't mention was that one of his older cousins, who had just started a piercing parlor, had been dared to give all of the other cousins present a piercing of their choice to see just how good he was. Turns out, said cousin wasn't all that great in his field yet at the time.

House beamed and nodded eagerly in agreement. "Indeed!' Once it was revealed that Sevastyan had a previous piercing both House and Viper raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Where?" they asked simultaneously.

"Nose, eyebrow, tongue? You look like a snake bites man..." House stated as he glanced closely at Sevastyan's face, perhaps leaning quite a bit too close for comfort, searching for signs of closed piercings. As he observed the wizard's face, he made a shooing motion with his hand. "Time to scooch your tuckus over, this time. It's your lady's turn again."

It was then Sevastyan realized he hadn't told Viper about that. Despite himself, the Russian smiled. Gray eyes widened as House surveyed his face, curious what he was looking for at such close proximity.

"Eyebrow..." Sevastyan replied, pointing out a barely-noticeable scar on his left eyebrow. A short ways under the ridge for said brow was a small round scar. On the other side, the circular scar looked more like an oddly-placed freckle.

"Time to scooch your tuckus over, this time. It's your lady's turn again."

With a snicker, Sevastyan stood, turning as he backed up so Viper could sit down. Just as she stood by his side, he would stand by her. Sevastyan couldn't think of any other place to stand that would be fitting.

"Interesting..." House nodded as he leaned even closer, observing what was left of the eyebrow piercing. "Did it reject or did you just let it seal up because it 'went out of style'?" he inquired, using quotation fingers.

"So no chance of a re-pierce?" Viper asked in a teasing tone and eyebrows raised in interest, her heartbeat quickening at the thought of the man she loved's highly above average good looks with an eyebrow ring.

Viper did as House directed, hopping into the chair.

"Alright, Viper. You know the drill..." he stated as he sanitized Viper's ear and sterilized his equipment. He had been through this process several times with her and didn't feel the need to stall any longer. A fact evident by they way he felt it unecessary to go through any additional statements. Brace yourself." he warned her before jabbing the needle through: hard and swift. Like Sevastyan's, leaving a silver hoop in the place. "Yes!" House nodded in delight. "What do you think?" he asked, handing the mirror to Viper.

Viper examined herself in the mirror, smiling slowly at her reflection. "Looks like you haven't lost your touch after all, House."

House pretended to look hurt by her statement, grabbing his chest in mock agony. "Look at that!" he exclaimed to Sevastyan. "I work hard and this is the thanks I get?!? Hmmph. Alright, be that way. You're next piercing will be slightly tilted to the left." he warned her before laughter got ahold of him and all seriousness he might have grasped dissolved into snickers.

Sevastyan felt a bit awkward under such scrutiny. However, he chuckled slightly at House's question. "Vell... first time, it vos ripped out by another boy I had sqvabbles vith..." he explained, simulating a hand grabbing and pulling the piercing that was no longer there. "A bit of magical assistance made it good as new, and then I got it re-done. However, as you guessed: it rejected."

The wizard grinned at Amaranth's teasing tone. "Perhaps..." was all he said on the topic, though there was a reciprocated teasing tone to his voice as well. There was even an undercurrent of possibility that he would get it re-done a third time... at some point.

He watched the piercing process, noting how House didn't seem to find it necessary to go through any extra talk with her. Then again, given the amount of piercings he'd heard rattled off earlier, Sevastyan could understand the dispensing of such preliminary topics.

Sevastyan couldn't help but chortle at House's antics. However, he was slightly curious where Amaranth's next piercing would be. He had a feeling that it wouldn't matter if the thing were straight or tilted: it would look great on her regardless. However, that kind of talk was probably best left for a time that was rather more... personal. Despite his decision, the gray orbs were still alight with the mentally-posed question.

House winced upon hearing how the eyebrow piercing had been lost the first time. "Lovely..." he commented dryly, remembering a few similar incidents that required his skill to correct on various clients. "Well, if you ever do decide on re-piercing, you'll know where to go then. eh?" House winked, grinning madly.

Viper smiled as well, excited at the possibility of seeing Sevastyan with his little add-on. "You wouldn't happen to have any photos of yourself during that era, would you?" Viper asked in a light, curious tone. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours..." she laughed softly before kissing him gently.

She scowled and stuck out her tongue at House, much to the older wizard's amusement. "Oh come now, Viper, you know I was kidding. Will that be all for now?"

Viper nodded. "Yes. For now, at least..." Viper smirked. After all, who's to say the witch wouldn't want another little marking or symbol in the near future? She moved her hand into her overrobe pocket, meaning to withdraw her Gringotts Card, the Wizarding Version of a Muggle Credit Card. True, the interest and service fee was rather ridiculous, about 1/5 of the sum spent, but if you were like Viper, a shopping addict and a person who hated to jingle as filled coin bags tended to force one to do, the GC was a must-have!

House shook his head immediately, protesting loudly to Viper's attempts to pay. "No no no. Put that away! You and your special friends don't pay here, Viper. I like you remember?" House joked lightly, smiling. "Just spread the good word about my amazing talents and that'll suffice."

Viper smiled in response. "Of course." she nodded. "Ready to head on for your errand, love?"

Sevastyan gave a single snicker to House's comment on the first time he'd lost his piercing. 'They did ask...' he reasoned with himself. The Russian wasn't going to lie about it. "That I vill," came the wizard's jovial reply.

He laughed at Viper's question. "I... I might. Not on me at the moment, though. If anything the family photo album is in my qvarters back at Hogvarts," he answered with a grin. "And I think that is a fair trade," Sevastyan added before meeting her in the gesture of affection. He kept the kiss equally gentle.

Sevastyan nodded the same time Amaranth did. And, like her, he also reached for his own charmed leather pouch that he carried a specific amount of gold around with. He just hadn't gotten around to the whole card thing... not to mention he was rather used to having at least a little actual cash on him. The wizard often put a silencing charm on the pouch so it wouldn't jingle.

The wizard had to confess to himself that he was surprised: the work of two tattoos and two piercings... for free? At Viper's response of 'Of course,' Sevastyan nodded his own thanks with half a smile.

Said smile widened even further at the question directed at him. "If you are ready," he replied. Sevastyan had temporarily forgotten that Amaranth had no clue where they were going next until she'd said that. After wishing House a good day, and thanking him again for his work, the wizard strode over to the door, preparing to open it for Viper when she approached.

House waved to them as they moved to exit the parlour, with a smile. "Well, whenever you two decide to get inked and pierced further, just drop by. Viper, you know my hours: open all days. Except Sundays."

Viper raised an eyebrow. "Why not Sundays anymore?"

"That's my special day with the Mrs." House replied with a nod.

"Mrs? I was under the impression you were still a bachelor."

House sighed. "I never said she was my Mrs..."

Viper snickered with a smiling smirk. "I see... Well have fun, House. We'll see you around then."

"Bye." House bade them with a smile, as he waved his wand sanitizing his equipment.

At the demonstrated act of chivalry, Viper smiled in response, whispering her thanks as they exited. "So where to, love?"

Sevastyan nodded, though too was curious why Sundays were out. Unless it had to do with a religious observance... the Russian found out, however, that that was likely far from it upon House's next statements. He tried not to eavesdrop too terribly.

"Do svidanija," Sevastyan bade House farewell in his native tongue with a smile and a wave. There was no doubt, judging by the tone, what he'd just said.

"Velcome... as alvays," he replied to her thanks. The wizard chuckled lightly at her question. "Still a surprise... but I recommend you cast a varming charm on cloak if you've not already." While he tried to keep an enigmatic countenance, Sevastyan was unable to keep the wide smile from his face.

"Venever you're ready, let me know," Sevastyan added and held his arm out for Amaranth to take when she was ready to apparate to their next destination.


((You can either have Amaranth talk with Sevastyan for a bit longer or they can have part of that 'talk' in Saratov... I'm gonna make the topic now, and have Sevastyan "land". ^_^))