The Tattoo (formerly Unbreakable)

The Stupidest Thing

The house was quiet when Ellie, Peter and Rylan returned.  The main floor was dark and deserted.

"Where do you think Mary and Ash are?"  Peter asked his wife.  She stayed silent for a moment, listening to the house.

"I think I hear a movie on downstairs.  They're probably watching it."

"I'm going to head to bed, goodnight you guys."

Ellie and Peter waved to Rylan, who hurried up the stairs.  He had ended the night on a good note with Avan and probably didn't want the chance for his day to be remembered any other way.  Peter took Ellie's hand and led her down the stairs to their room. On their way they peeked into the theatre, seeing only one head watching the movie.

"Where's Meriddion?"

Ash raised a finger to his lips and whispered a response.

"Sleeping."

Ellie sat down on a couch across from Ash and watched the movie for a little while.  It wasn't until she glanced over at him that she realized he meant Meriddion was sleeping in the room, head resting on his chest.

Ellie's mouth opened and she silently motioned from the sleeping girl to Ash, and back again.  He held his free hand up, asking her to stop, as a blush crept to his cheeks.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Please, Ellie, please don't ask me to talk about it until Meriddion and I have had a chance to talk about it," he spoke in a hurried whisper.

"So what? She just fell asleep and you just let her?" Ellie responded in the same manner.

"No, that's not," he hesitated. "That's not all that happened."

"What did you do?"

"Please, be quiet," he shushed her.

"What did you do?" She angrily whispered.

"We-we kissed."

"You what?"

"I know.  It's crazy, it's insane. It's the stupidest thing I've ever let happen."

"No! That's not it at all.  Ash, everyone knows that you two like each other,  well everyone except for the two of you.  We're really happy that this is finally happening."

"But that's just it, it can't happen."

"Why not?"

"I liked her before she changed, then she," he stopped, shaking his head.

"But she's different now too.  Can't you see that?"

Ash wrapped his arms around Meriddion, pulling her closer to him than she had been before, and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm just afraid."

"Why?"

"I just-the last time she changed it was right when I started to trust her.  I just started to act like I wasn't some cold, emotionless robot, and she snapped.  I can't help but think that I'm the reason why.  And-" his voice cracked, "I'm so scared that it'll happen again."