In Aid

19. First Kiss For The Third Time

"Au-" I paused in the doorway and could only stare at Aubyn's naked back. There was a large tattoo that covered most of his upper back of what kind of looked like a cat, but its features were unlike any cat I'd ever seen. It was all black with bright blue eyes, had tall and pointed ears with tufts of fur at the tips, a long and thin tail and sabre teeth. There were gold markings on it, and symbols beneath it, but I didn't get a chance to keep admiring it because Aubyn turned around.

Aubyn grabbed for his robe and quickly shrugged it on, wrapping it around him. "Why didn't you knock or at least say something to let me know you were standing there?"

"I was kind of stunned at your tattoo," I admitted. He didn't look like the type of person to have body art big. "It looks amazing. Can I see it again?"

"No. At least not right now."

"Why not?"

"Just... not yet. Okay? I am going to take a shower." Aubyn took a change of clothes with him. "Thank you for cleaning up today. I appreciate it."

I lay on the bed to wait for him to come back but became restless and started pacing. When he came back dressed in his usual matching pyjamas, I went up to him. "How much did it hurt?"

"My tattoo?" he asked, placing his hands on my shoulders to turn me around and steer me back to the bed. "It did not hurt. Tattoos on Othanai are not done in the same way as tattoos on Earth. No needles involved, just a lot of time, waiting, and a very strong and very permanent plant dye that takes a long while to dry. It is partially absorbed into the skin, but it isn't toxic."

"Why did you get it?" I asked, getting onto the bed. "And when?"

"After I became an adult. It is a rite of passage."

"Why that... animal?"

"So many questions today."

"Aubyn, we're supposed to get to know each other. How am I going to get you to lower your guard and teach me how to kiss if you won't share this kind of information with me?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"It is a purka."

"Looks like a cat and you don't exactly look like your tattoo. Except for the eyes. The purka and you have blue eyes."

"I am the 'cat', and the 'cat' is me. It is my Hieu, my other half. S-Class Downtonians get a tattoo of their Hieu after coming of age and completing a rite of passage called a Buanle. It is to remind us of the power we hold and why we have our gifts."

"That's kind of cool. It sounds like a spirit animal. I wish I was part of a culture like that. There's not much of a rite of passage in my own culture that I'm aware of. And I think your tattoo is amazing. It's so detailed and lifelike." I had always wanted to get a tattoo, but I didn't want something random. I wanted something that had strong meaning and symbolism behind it, but I was yet to find that. Even if I did, I'd have to conquer my fear of needles to get it done. "Speaking of things about you that I didn't know, why do you keep your hair so long?"

"Religion and culture," Aubyn answered, a slight twitch to his lips. "And I am sure my ancestors will punish me if I cut my hair unnecessarily again."

"Again?"

"I did it when I was your age to rebel against my parents. They would not allow me to study on Karys and follow in my father's footsteps. Out of defiance, I cut my hair and ran away. Not a lot. Only enough to make it noticeable and incur disappointment."

"But you were an adult. It doesn't matter what your parents think-"

"Where I am from, parents are parents. They do not stop being parents when their children become adults. They will always play a very important role in my life as my teachers, my guides, and my advisors. I do understand that at twenty-one, I had already become an adult and therefore was responsible for my own decisions. I knew that as I got older their words would be more of suggestions instead of guidelines but disobeying them hurt us both. I do not want to endure that again. I still got to study in Karys because they realized how much it meant to me, but I hurt them, and in turn myself in the process."