Marlene wakes up with a throbbing headache, nausea and a weird sting on inner arm. She rolls over to her side and immediately regrets it. She runs to the toilet, jumping over James who is passed out in her hallway, and pukes in her toilet.
“Fuck.”
She feels the liquor coming up again, but this time someone is holding her hair up and softly rubbing circles on her back.
“Shh, it’s okay.”
After a while Marlene turns around and sees that it’s Sirius. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Here.” He gives her a glass of water and a painkiller. “I already took one, don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried about you-” Sirius slaps her head playfully, “I’m worried about why the fuck James is laying in the middle of the hall.”
“Marls, Mary is laying shirtless in the living room on top of Lily who also has only her panties still on, I think James is the least of our worries for once.”
“No way! They fucked?! In my apartment?!”
“Yeah, fucking finally!”
They laugh and Sirius says, “How much I hate to tell you this, it’s also our turn to handle the food and vomit of the others so chop chop girl.”
“Urg okay let me just get a bit cleaned up first.”
He steps out of the bathroom and Marlene looks at herself in the mirror. Her eyeliner is all smudged and her red lipstick is in the same state. Her spectrum piercing is crooked and her hair is all messed up. Marlene removes the leftover makeup and lifts her hand to put her hair up, only to see her right inner arm wrapped up in plastic foil. She droppes her hair and takes a closer look at her arm.
020 7946 0817
Call me maybe? x
“Ah fuck.”
It’s a tattoo. When the fuck did she get a new tattoo?
“Mornin’ Marls.” Peter says sleepy while walking in the bathroom.
“Yeah yeah, when did I get a tattoo, Pete?” She asks him confused. Everyone thinks Peter can’t deal with alcohol and that he gets drunk fast. It suprises everyone that he can actually deal very well with alcohol and if it’s someone that can remember where that fucking tattoo came from, it’s him.
“Last night. You lost the bet between me, James and yourself so you had to get a tattoo.”
“What bet?”
“We betted on when Sirius would say those outrageous pick up lines to Remus. I won, he didn’t even last until his tirth shot.” He laughs.
She looks down at her arm again, “So, tell me why the fuck I have this on my arm.”
“You really don’t remember?”.
“Peter, I have never been more drunk in my life. I woke up feeling like my head was split in two with an axe. I vomited more than I thought was possible for a human. Just please fucking tell me.”
“The girl that was gonna tattoo you, well you thought she was the love of your life.”
She groans, “Fuck yes, I remember that part.” Marlene closes her eyes and sighs.
Marlene is laying on the tattoo chair being mildly nervous. Her hair snapps up when a girl around her age walks in.
“Hello, I’m Dorcas Meadows and I will be your tattoo artist for tonight.”
“Hi.”
“I’m just gonna disinfect your arm really quick alright love?”
“...Mhm.”
She slowly blinks at the girl. Dorcas is beyond beautiful, she looks like a goddess.
“Are you nervous?”
“If I am, will you hold my hand?”
Marlene hears Sirius and Mary laugh their asses off, but she doesn’t care.
The pretty girl turns to her friends, “Is she drunk?”
“Very drunk.” Lily says giggling.
Dorcas is looking directly into Marlene’s eyes, “Darling, could you tell me what tattoo you want?”
“Can I get your phone number?” She ignores the question and is staring dreamingly at Dorcas.
“Sweetheart, what is your name?”
“Marlene. Marlene Mckinnon.”
“Marlene, you are way too drunk to remember me or my phone number by the morning.”
“So make me remember. I want your phone number tattooed on my inner arm.”
“Are you sure?”
“You are so gorgeous, Dorcas.”
“I- uhm thanks?” You can’t see it well, but she is blushing.
So the Dorcas girl starts tattooing her arm, gently moving the tattoo gun over her skin and yes, holding Marlene’s hand with her own free hand.
Marlene her head snaps up, “I flirted with the hot chick?!”
“Yes? Is that a problem?” Peter says confused.
“I wasn’t fucking kidding when I said that she was the love of my life! She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!”
“So call her.”
“I can’t call her because I made a total embarrassment of myself.”
Sirius yells from somewhere in the apartment, “Marlene, where are you?! We are supposed to get food, remember?”
“Yeah, uhm I have a problem so I pass.”
He walks in the bathroom too, “You can’t fucking pass on taking care of your friends- you got a tattoo?!”
“Yeah and it’s the number of the girl she likes.”
“Shut up Pete.” She says.
“Oh I pass then this is fucking hilarious. So what are you gonna do?”
“What is there to do?”
“Well, call her, you idiot. Otherwise the tattoo is for nothing.”
“I can’t because I was so weird last night and fucking drunk and that is how she is gonna remember me and I blew all my chances with the woman of my dreams and- Pete?”
Peter was holding out a ringing cell phone with Dorcas her number on it.
“You fucking traitor! You called her?! You actually fucking called her?! No, no I’m not taking the phone! I’m not doing this I can't-”
“Hello?” She hears Dorcas her voice on the other line and grabs the phone while making gestures to a laughing Sirius and Peter to leave the room.
“H-hi hello hey, how are you?”
“I’m good I guess? I’m sorry, who are you?”
“I’m Marlene, the girl you tattooed your phone number on yesterday.”
“Ah yes, the “Can I marry you already?” girl.”
“Urg, you remember?”
“Of course I remember, I wasn’t the one that was drunk.”
“Yeah well, I’m very sorry for that. Normally I’m not like that.”
“I didn’t expect you to actually call me.”
“I didn’t either, my friend called you and shoved his phone in my hands, the cunt.”
“Haha well I like your friend already. I’m happy to hear from you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You are gorgeous too, you know.”
“Then you have to see me when I’m not drunk because you’ll be stunned.”
“I already can’t wait, sweetheart. Today, 19:00 at my shop, don’t be late Mckinnon.”
And then she hangs up the phone. Marlene’s heart is beating so hard that she feels the need to hold it into place so it doesn’t fly out her chest.
“Why are you blushing so hard?” James asks while walking in the bathroom.
“Gosh, why is everyone in this goddamn bathroom?!”
“Because everyone thinks Lily and Mary are going for round 2 in the living room. But don’t dodge my question, why are you blushing?”
“I called the tattoo artist girl and she is gonna take me on a date today.”
“Today?! Step in that shower Marls, get your ass ready. She saw you last night. Last night. Not to offend you, but after a few drinks you look like you are electrocuted and slapped back to life by a zombie.”
“‘Not to offend you’ my arse.” She rolls her eyes in a playful way.
“Go get her Mckinnon!”
“On it, Potter.”
So she steps into the shower, after that she wickles a towel around her and walks to her closet.
It is 2 PM when Remus is finally awake, he was sleeping with Sirius in the guest room. He walks in on Marlene stressing about clothing options.
“Marlene, everyone tells me I can’t walk into the living room. Tell me why I can’t walk into the living room?”
“Because our best friends are getting some. Now, do I wear the black suit or the red one?”
“They are what?!”
“Stay focused Lupin, black suit or red suit.”
“Lily and Mary are shagging?! How did that happen?!”
“Remus, when two people like each other very much-”
He throws a pillow to her head. Marlene laughs it off and says, “You are even more oblivious to it then Potter. And that says a lot. It was so clear that they liked each other, they just needed time and apparently, alcohol.”
Remus says, “Well, I’m happy for them but I am gonna need my book.”
“You brought your book with you when we went out?!”
“Do you even know me, Mckinnon?”
“Okay anyways, black suit or red suit. If I wear the black one I'll wear a red tie and if I wear the red suit I’ll wear a black tie.”
“Why do you need to be dressed up?”
“I’m going on a date with Dorcas.”
“The tattoo artist from yesterday?”
“That’s the one.”
“Then definitely the black suit with the red tie. And wear a lot of eyeliner! You will look amazing.”
“Thanks, nerd.”
“You are never gonna drop the fact that I took a book with me on a night out, are you?”
“Never.” She winks at him.
So the hours pass, she does her hair, puts on her suit and tie with a white shirt underneath, of course not buttoning it up all the way. When she is looking for the right shoes, Lily walks in.
“Ah, there is my favorite ‘fucking our best friend’ girl. Hey, how are you?”
“I’m fucking amazing!” She falls down on Marlene’s bed staring dreamingly at the ceiling.
“She is the most beautiful woman on earth, Marlene! She is so gorgeous I just wanna, I don’t know, eat her!”
“Well, you did eat her…”
“Marlene!” This is the second time a pillow is thrown to her head that day. They both laugh and talk for hours while Marlene keeps getting ready.
“And we talked, like really talked, and we are dating now!”
Marlene drops her mascara in less than a second and is jumping on Lily from happiness. “Oh my god Lily, that’s great! I’m so happy for you guys!”
“Thank you, Marlene!” They keep cuddling until Lily says, “You smell nice, you smell really nice. Why do you have your good perfume on?”
As a grin grows on Marlene’s face she says, “I’m going on a date with tattoo girl.”
“And you waited so long to tell me?!” Lily shoves her arm.
“It’s not that cool compared to you and Mary!”
“But that doesn’t mean it isn’t cool, come on tell me everything!”
Marlene tells her everything while Lily finishes off her makeup and picks her shoes.
“What time is it?” Marlene asks.
“Almost 7 PM.”
“Shit! Thank you Lily, I love you and give Mary a big kiss for me but I really got to go!” As Marlene is running out the door of her apartment she runs into Peter. “Quick Pettigrew, how do I look?” She spins around and Peter says, “You look fuckable, gorgeous, breathtaking, stunning, and angelistic.”
“I love you! Bye!”
“Good luck!”
Marlene runs to her motorcycle that is parked outside the building. It’s a red one, Sirius and her bought them at the same time, he has a black one.
She puts on her black helmet (Sirius has the red one), and rides to the tattoo shop.
“Hello beautiful, right on time.” Dorcas greets her as she is losing her helmet and stepping off her motorcycle.
“You look marvelous, Dorcas.”
“Same goes to you, Marlene. Do you have a motorbike?”
“I sure as hell have one. Cool, isn’t it?”
“And so fucking sexy.” Dorcas says shamelessly.
Marlene blushes and fidgets with her fingers as Dorcas asks, “Are you nervous?”
“You can tell?” She laughs.
“Do you want me to hold your hand?” Dorcas asks with a grin on her face.
She laughs and softly slaps Dorcas on her arm, “Very funny, Meadows.” Marlene does give Dorcas her hand and they walk together with their hands intertwined.