Well I already have the more tribal looking symbols from like AvP-R going around it and the numerics almost all look too much alike or are just a couple dashes in the corner, it would look weird, but since it's all solid black tribal I thought maybe a faint grey netting backing it. I have not yet started the tattoo, I'm drawing it up myself.
But it won't be my first tattoo, I've gotten them before, and all I can really say is honestly, everyone is different. My girlfriend has 4 tattoos, 6 piercings, and two children and is a far tougher person than I, but even she was crying and gripping her chair during her 5th (cover up of 1st), however I myself for my very first tattoo it's a large piece that took 2 separate 6 hour sessions and honestly it didn't really hurt at all. I was 100% fine the whole time. It was more like a scratching irritation than anything, and almost felt like a massage in some places. but everyone is different and in no way should you feel ashamed of any reaction. Some people pass out, and NOT from the pain, just because their body gets a little shock by the fact that something is happening to it that they don't understand, it's normal, what hurt for me was when he kept going back over the dark lines near my armpit at the top of the half-sleeve in the soft skin, it started to feel more like cutting but all I did was cringe a little.
Some people like the shading, hate line work, I loved the line work and really hated the shading. Everyone is different. It's an alien substance entering your body through repeated irritation, your body might react strangely, or you may look at it and go "hmph... not so bad, feels like you're just rubbing my arm" who knows. And of course it also depends on where on your body you get it. My girlfriend, 45 mins of crying and gripping, for me? 12 hours total of chit-chatting with my artist and texting friends. Honestly the way I looked at it going in was not with a "Yo I got dis, I'm tough a'f" attitude, no, nor did I go in short of breath and shaking in fear, nah, don't do that. I went in with realism and acceptance. Make sure you eat healthy before getting it, I recommend like Subway and a Powerade, not soda and chips and certainly not on an empty stomach, I don't know your life so I am not here to judge but no alcohol 24 hrs prior or drugs. Eat something healthy and go in with acceptance, I literally told my artist and thought to myself "Well, I think I have a good tolerance on pain, BUT, I realize I have never had one of these and truly do not know what it is like, I may take it like a champ, I may cry like a b!tch, who knows? We'll see when the time comes, all I know is I want tattoos, I love this design, and I'm ready to get it, so let's go."
It was weird at first, my artist told me bleeding, crying, shaking, passing out, all of that is normal and it would be okay if I did that and not to feel ashamed at all, luckily I was fine. but of course, after the tattoo, I felt good, sure it was sore for a week or two from healing (And because it's a rather big first piece) but after that, just think of the result, you won't even remember any pain, the art will (hopefully lol) look amazing, and you'll be one step closer to being who you want to be (if tatted is your thing) it's all in the idea and principle.
So in short, if you know it's what you want and you want the tattoo, don't be afraid, and don't feel embarrassed if you don't take it very well, it's all good, just muscle through and you will be fine in the end, even the screamers leave the parlour with a smile. And just remember, if some people out there can get their eyeballs, feet, and even their @sshole tattoo'd, you can get a little somethin' on your arm.