Oh, this is nice, in a hurty kind of way. I especially love that you didn't describe the tattoo artist physically in a way that would have immediately twigged me that it was Sam (like pointing out that he was tall), so it actually took me a while to figure it out. Of course, when I did, I had to re-read, and see that he was completely in character all along (surly but kind! detail-oriented to the point of being obsessive!), which was subtly and beautifully done.