Black and grey neo-trad style tattoo on a back showing two embracing figures, a clock face, an owl and scroll banners with lettering.

Embracing figures, owl and clock on upper back

Neo-trad · Back · Black and grey · Photo

A large black and grey tattoo shows two stylised figures embracing in front of a starry background, with a clock face and a barn owl beside them. A scroll banner above reads "It's only forever not long at all" and another below reads "You have no power over me". The shading is smooth and detailed, with soft greys on the faces and clock and strong black outlines on the scrollwork and lettering.

Neo-trad Lettering Back Couple Owl Clock Lettering Star

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Tam, the clock on the Gutter Street tower has stopped again, and Mr Ogilvie swears it is the owl's doing. She roosts in the works now, wedged between the escapement and the bell, and every time the hammer swings she puts her head out to glare at it. I have stopped trying to shift her. You told me once that a thing which will not be moved has already decided where it belongs, and I have decided she belongs to us.

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The boats came in on Tuesday with the weather behind them, six of the twelve, and the Mary Ellen was not among them. I walked the quay with my lantern until the harbourmaster sent me home. I kept hearing what you said on the pier, that it's only forever, not long at all, and how you laughed at my face when I didn't laugh back. The stars were out over the breakwater, thick as spilt salt, and I could not tell which of them was yours.

This morning the owl came down from the tower and sat on the rail outside my window, pale as a lamp, and would not leave until I had read her the tide tables aloud. I took that as a sign of something, though I am not sure what. Mr Ogilvie says the clock will run again by Friday if the bird keeps her talons off the works.

I am putting on my good coat and walking down to the slip. If the Mary Ellen rounds the point, I will be the first to see her. If she does not, I will sit on the wall and wait, and you may tell the owl I said she has no power over me, though I suspect she knows already. Yours, Nell.