Tattoo Mates

Chapter 5

She knew. Of course she knew. She wasn't stupid. Well, ok maybe a little. But she knew the moment they touched. Her and Red were soulmates. After getting to know the other girl better, she came to the realization that she wasn't interested in all this soulmate stuff. Chloe being Chloe, didn't want to push her. So she kept it to herself. Stealing glances, slight touches every chance she gets. Her body craved for her soulmate but she couldn't. If anything, not to scare the poor girl. But it has taken a toll on her. She's heard from her parents that prolonged absence of touch from one's soulmate can cause sickness. Chloe unfortunately had to witness that once when her father had to travel to Charmington for work, leaving their mother behind to watch over Chloe and her brother. The results were horrific, to say the least.

Now, she sat on a chair in the hospital, next to her soulmate. Her hand never once let go. Doctor's orders, believe it or not. "Your soulmate is lucky to be alive. Any longer and she might not have been." Chloe's throat goes dry. "What would have happened?" She dare ask. "Well, her body would have gone through withdrawal. Eventually it would shut down, put her in a coma. And....she might not have made it. But i wouldn't worry. She's stable. Keep holding her hand and she'll be just fine." Chloe nods. "Can i ask, doc, what caused this?" Uma glances at the red headed girl. "Soulmate Sickness. It happens more often than you'd think. Usually because someone takes a business trip or goes somewhere for a long time. The max anyone can go without physical touch from their soulmate was about three days? I think? After that your body starts to react." Chloe sighs as she squeezes Red's hand. "Doc, Chloe has tournaments coming up. While we do allow soulmates to travel with them, winter break is coming up as well." The doctor shrugs. "Well, then i guess they're gonna have to figure it out. But until she gets better, no leaving her side for anything. You go with her to the bathroom for all i care. Any loss close physical contact can cause her to revert back. Got it?" Chloe and Uma nod. "I'll be back later." Once the doctor leaves, Uma turns to Chloe. "This goes without saying but you're both excused from classes till Red feels better." Chloe sighs and nods. She feels Red squeeze her hand and immediately stands up. "Red? You ok?" She squeezes back. Red slowly opens her eyes. "What happened? Where am I?" She starts looking around.

"You're in the hospital. You fainted. The doctor said it's cause you haven't touched your soulmate for days." Uma glances at Chloe. "Now, i just wanted to make sure you're ok. You need to rest. You and Chloe have been excused from classes for the week. Until then, i don't want you two leaving each others side. Spend as much time together, as much physical contact as possible. Now, I'll leave you two alone to talk. I'm gonna go sign your discharge papers." Uma gives them a moment. Chloe squeezes Red's hand as she looks at her. "Don't give me that look." She pulls her hand away before she winces in pain. Chloe quickly grabs her hand back. "Physical contact, remember?" She raises her eyebrows. Red rolls her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Chloe asks her. "It wouldn't have mattered." Red mumbles. "Yes it would have. Red, you could have died! Do you know what happens when someone's soulmate dies?" She shakes her head. "They have to take medicine every day for the rest of their lives to ease the pain. I heard it's still so unbearable that they actually want to die themselves." Red scoffs. "Well, talk about a major design flaw in the universe." "Yeah, tell me about it. You didn't answer my question. Why didn't you tell me?" Chloe squeezes her hand. "Because you're off looking for your princess charming, no pun intended. It's like you already had this image of who you wanted to be your soulmate and look at me. I definitely don't fit that image." Red shakes her head. "Red, you think i didn't know? You think i can't feel what you feel whenever we don't touch?" Chloe asks. Red shrugs. "I don't know, you just made it seem like...." "Red, i was in agony. You couldn't tell? The glances, every time our shoulders brush against one another. Everytime i tap your shoulder for a pencil? When was the last time you've seen me unprepared in class?" Now that she thinks about it, it was so obvious right in front of her. Chloe would always brush shoulders with her, tap her shoulder for a pencil when you know this girl definitely has everything she needs and more for class, grabbing her hand to walk to class. How did she not see it before? Of course Chloe knew. She's always known.

"Why? Why didn't you say anything?" Red asks her. "Cause I didn't want to pressure you. You said that you don't believe in all this soulmate stuff. So i didn't want to say anything, i figured if you changed your mind then you'd let me know." Chloe shrugs. "But how- when did you know?" Red starts rubbing her hand. "That we were soulmates? Right away. We shook hands remember? I felt it." Chloe nods. "But you always seemed so...i don't know, unaffected. You didn't feel those burns? The warmth?" Chloe nods. "I felt it, i felt all of it. But like i said my body gets cold easily so when i feel something warm, sometimes i don't notice it or I'm unaffected by it. Not unless it's for a long time, then it gets hot. Remember? In the hallway? When we fell on top of each other?" Red blinks. "But you made it seem like you didn't know, you kept trying to find your 'princess charming' this whole time." Chloe nods. "Yeah, i know. Like i said, i didn't want to pressure you. But now i realize that probably just made you doubt everything and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Red." Red smiles as she holds her hand. "It's ok. I forgive you." That warm feeling was back again. In a good way this time. It didn't burn, it just felt like a warm glow. Speaking of glow, Red notices her tattoo glowing through her hospital gown. And for the first time, she notices a glow behind Chloe's hair. Chloe must have felt it too because she brushes her hair to the side and reveals her glowing tattoo. "Chlo...." "Yeah, i know. Yours too." Chloe smiles as she points to the glowing light shining through. "It doesn't burn." Red points out. Chloe smiles. "My parents said that when they met, my mom wasn't the most welcoming towards him, something about despising royalty. So she and my dad both felt what we felt, denying their obvious connection. It burned until he ended up in the hospital, kinda like us." Red nods. "I guess history really does repeat itself huh?" Chloe smiles and kisses her cheek. "Not anymore. That's their story, this is ours." Red smiles and blushes. "I'd like that." "Red, you're turning red." Chloe teases. "Shut up!" She places her hand on Chloe's cheek, pulling her in for a kiss. Their tattoos glow with a comforting warmth.