Chupacabra | 18+ | ✔️

▪︎■ 21 ■▪︎

▪︎■ Ainara Moreno ■▪︎

I decided to ignore his cockyness the moment I saw him close his eyes for only a second, as if he told himself 'why did you say that'. My image of him was positive enough to assure he only fell back into his usual behaviors and I was willing to overlook it. After all, he had done and said some pretty positive things during the time I got to know him.

I didn't know what I should say to his earlier statement though. He decided to trust me.
My thoughts were too disordered and chaotic to answer so I just stared at him, probably looking like something hit me in the face.

"Don't make me regret it, Ainara."

But what if I do? I'm not lying to him, but he doesn't know the whole truth either... I never had a problem with lying or taking advantage of the situation to get what I want. I was never in a business related position where empathy or morals mattered for me. I always did what I had to do to keep my little family safe. So why am I feeling bad now?

Suddenly I remembered why I couldn't be honest. 'We need something that makes it impossible for him to stay hidden.'
His exact words he said during one of our first meetings... He was eager to kill Emilio and I couldn't be sure about him not using Erlina if he knew.

I gulped and nodded while my gaze wandered down to avoid eye contact, naturally meeting his chest and the many tattoos that formed a clear contrast against his caramel skin.
He must have noticed because he slowly and quietly began to talk, decreasing the pressure for me to form an answer.

"I started when I was seventeen."

"Huh?"

"My tattoos," he said.

"Oh, how many do you have?"

"A few, I don't really know the number anymore."

I nodded and let myself properly explore them with my eyes. I could see some flying birds on his ribcage, a few delicate roses, knives, a falling angel, lettering that said "in vino veritas" and many more. And that was only his chest. I wondered if they had meaning like mine or if they were only decoration.

"In vino veritas?" I asked.

Adrin nodded. "In wine there is truth."

"How ironic for me to point that out while being drunk myself..." I smiled slightly. I had some ideas about the possible meaning, but I decided to not ask any further, thinking about his words before. His family seemed to be a sensitive topic for him.

"Seventeen is quite young... Do you regret any of your tattoos?" I asked instead.

"I tried to do one by myself with a needle and ink when I was a teenager. Now that I think about it, it wasn't the best idea considering my missing knowledge about basic tattooing. But I wouldn't say I regret it."

I smiled and hummed. So he made a stick and poke...

"What about you?" He asked.

"Actually, no, I don't. I started when I was nineteen because I wasn't allowed to have any tattoos. Always wanted them, though."

"I see. When did you come to the US?"

"I was eighteen when we came here. I couldn't speak the language at all, but somehow managed over the years."