Mine was never inked to be “cool,” and I think it falls under one of your “exceptions.”
It’s on my chest, and is always covered. I choose a design that’s tied between something close to my mother who passed when I was young, and the Japanese art of Kintsugi (repairing broken ceramics with gold to reflect beauty in imperfection.) It exists as a reminder to myself when looking in the mirror at home - I can and will be better despite all of the damage, and that I will continue to build myself into the person that I want to be.
Tattoos are art, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes art is a little more personal too, and not always created to be shared with the world.





Gets out of the hospital, goes to a new school in this strange new place, gets shot, winds up back in the same hospital