Tattooed

XIV

It's Saturday night and Wes and I are sitting cross legged on my bed. For the past nights he's been coming over after I finish work and leaves after an hour or two of talking. But since it's the weekend he visited his mom first so that we could talk until twilight if we wanted.

I've really enjoyed talking with him lately. We become closer each and every night. Sometimes I end up sitting in the library just thinking about him and it's been really disconcerting. Whenever Corinth talks about Donny and love I end up blushing because he’ll end up being on my mind.


"So check out this new tattoo I got." He said showing me a tattoo of barbed wire around the wrist that didn't have his Courageous mark. "I think it symbolizes the wire fence I have to cross every night to get here."

"I haven't gotten a tattoo since the day we got Branded." I said apprehensively. I still didn't know if that was a bad thing or not.

"Maybe because you don't do anything." He replied poking me. I huff at him and he smirks. "Relax, it's not like you're going to be sorted into Colorless just because you haven't gotten a new tat in awhile." I nodded and told him he was right. He stretched over me to get another one of the meatballs I made.

"I have an idea. Let's play a game." He announced.

I raise an eyebrow. "A game?"

"Yeah! Let's play Truth. We take turns asking personal questions and if you don't answer truthfully you have to do something."

"Like what?" I asked. He gave me an almost evil-looking grin.

"Whatever the person wants."


Wes let's me go first and I take a minute trying to figure out what to ask him. A question pops into my head but I feel embarrassed to ask it.

"Come on Cecil just ask anything."

I sigh. "Alright. How many girlfriends have you had?" I asked trying to sound nonchalant. He pretends to count on his fingers and I roll my eyes. He grins jokingly at me.

"Three serious girlfriends." I make sure to not let the surprise on my face show. But he must've still noticed because he gives me a cocky smirk. "Why so surprised Merzel?"

"Oh you know," I answer coyly, "I've told you before you're not exactly a heart-stopper."

His smirk disappears and I laugh. "I'll have you know Cecil you seem to be the only one immune to my wicked charm."

I snort. "Wicked?"

His eyes stared into mine twinkling like they knew a secret. "Yeah, wicked."

I felt my neck go hot.

"My turn Merzel, how many boyfriends have you had?" I don't look at him in fear I'll turn pink.

"Zero." I murmured. Now it was Wes' turn to look surprised.

"Really zero?" I nodded. I don't know why he looks so surprised. "Not one?" I throw my hands up exasperated. "Alright I'm sorry, I just don't know who wouldn't want to run their hands through that blonde hair of yours."

Now he was just trying to make me blush. "It's because I'm too shy and quiet." I answer.

"You? I mean at first yeah but not once we started talking. You're actually very sardonic. In a good way."

"Hm must be you rubbing off on me." I retort. He grins.



We go late into the night taking turns asking questions. I ask about his family, he asks about my tattoos, and we learn things about each other I don't even know about my own family. Then he asks me what's the most Courageous thing I've done.

"I don't know." I didn't really do courageous things. That was my sister's specialty.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Wes exclaimed.

"I don't know! If I did Courageous things I would be sorted into Courageous." Wes shook his head.

"Courageous doesn't mean jumping off a bridge, it means doing something you're scared to do." He said softly.

"I-I still don't know." I matched his tone. He always turns things serious in a split second. It was confusing. He moved closer to me until our knees were touching.

"Do something right now that's Courageous then." He told me. I refused, that wasn't part of the game. "Come on Cecil just do it." He was so close to me. It was then I noticed his green eyes actually had flecks of gold in it. "Do something you are afraid to do."

I could see him breathing calmly while my heart was beating erratically. Then I did the first thing that came to my mind at this ungodly hour. I kissed him.

He was soft and salty and smelled like coriander. I pulled back before I could notice anything else. He sat there dumbstruck for a few seconds while my face was burning red. I hastily started to move away and apologize until he grabbed my arm and pulled me into another searing kiss. This time I noticed everything.