The Red string of Fate

Avar

I'm more relieved then I wanna show Kalon, seeing him smile again lightens something in my chest. I don't like seeing him, or anyone for that matter, feeling so bad. I like it better when there's an air around us where I can flirt with him, where he feels comfortable to smile and to swing his legs like this. I don't know if he even noticed he was doing it, but it makes me melt inside. No other way to describe it. I want him to stay like this, legs swinging and smiling at me. And I'm going to do everything I can to ensure he does.

"How are you feeling now?" I ask after he's finished at least one hand of chips. And his beautiful blue eyes look deeply into mine, I can't look away either. It's like he's trying to find something in me. Trying to read my mind, guess what I am thinking. But I'm sure he'll never guess I'm thinking about how adorable he looks, and how his lips so bitten and broken hurt me. How I want to tell him to stop pulling his lip in, stop biting it. Making it rough for kissing... But it's not my place, it's Not. He looks away from me and down to his hands, a little salty and dirty from the chips. I grab a wipe and clean it off for him while I wait for an answer. I don't want to overwhelm him by pushing for it, not when it's clear to me that he's got some trouble talking. I think I might have too if I just fainted. That must have been so scary, and still he's sitting here swinging his legs with me. Thank god for that at least.

"Better" he says eventually, yet that doesn't feel like a whole answer to me. I don't know how bad it was to begin with. "I'm glad, but that kind of doesn't answer my question cutie. Are you dizzy? nauseous? or anything else really. I'm not an expert on boys fainting for me. And while it's really sweet of you, I'd rather you never do it again" I chuckle, and I rub his knee. I haven't felt this kind of anxious in a long time, I'm worried about him. I'm worried about how I'm looking, how I'm acting. If he's comfortable, or uncomfortable with me. If I'm saying and asking the right things. Or if I should just let him come to me with whatever he's feeling. I look up to him and he's hiding his face away to the side. "Both" he says soft and he stops swinging his legs. "My stomach hurts" he whispers and glances my way. I wonder what he's so scared to see on my face. "That doesn't sound nice, did you have the stomach ache before or after you fainted?" I ask, even if I have no clue if it matters.

"Before, just like the nausea" he says, and that makes me worry a little more. He sat down for a tattoo while he's nauseous and his stomach hurts? While he's sick? That's really not good. "Alright, well if your feeling sick and dizzy, I don't think it's a really good idea to continue" I try and say it gently, but his eyes blow up like I just kicked him and he grabs my hand tightly. "No please, we need to finish it today" he begs me. The urgency, the fear in his voice has me halting. "Kalon... what's going on, I really don't think it's a good idea to finish today" I tell him, I can't on good contious tattoo him when he's sick and clearly stressed out.

"I- I-" he starts, but it's like he can't summon the words. He lets go of my hand and looks down to his lap. Rubbing his hand over his leg tightly. "I w-won't come back i-if we don't finish today... I'll c-chicken out" he mutters finally. And while he's sitting here so tense, I can't help feel like he's telling me the truth. "Okay... but still, I don't want you sitting here feeling like your going to die" I tell him as soft as I can. "Avar please" He whispers and when his blue eyes meet mine, I think I decided then and there. I was going to do everything I could to help him, even if it meant cancelling all my other clients and spending 4 hours on a tattoo that should take me no more then 2. Anything to make sure he walks away from me with a smile, and not like I just kicked him in the gut. "Okay... okay, let me think" His eyes sparkle when I look now, and he's so full of hope. That I regret a little saying yes, what if I can't measure up to what he's hoping for?

"Okay, we are going to take a big break first then. You'll have to eat more then a few chips. So I'll order us some food. And I want u to pick the playlist, and if u feel sick or dizzy. Tell me. Cause your going to scare the crap out of me if you faint again cutie" I watch his face for some joy, perhaps. But he seems conflicted more then happy. But he nods, seemingly having finished whatever discussion he needed to have with himself before agreeing with my demands. "Good boy" I rub his knee and his cheeks pink up, gods he looks adorable like that. And when I get up I can't help pet my hand through his blue locks.

I spend the next hour just chatting with him, or well to him. The more time I spend with him, the more I notice how quiet he is. But not in a way where there's nothing, he nods and shakes his head. He gives me smiles and little frowns, and he laughs at my jokes. He just doesn't say a whole lot back, I've never had someone be so loudly quiet with me before. We picked music, and I saw the way he relaxed when the shop filled with his favourite tones. Music I'd never heard of before, but god I think it's now my favourite thing ever. I asked him what he liked to eat, and he was so quiet and unsure that I ordered my own favourite lunch instead. Sandwiches from subway, a bottle of coke for me and pink lemonade for him.

I'm scarfing down my food, I notice him picking at his sandwich. Slow and careful, I'd almost say he's scared to eat. Yet he finishes it, and I pray that he won't ask to go to the bathroom to throw it up. He looks like he might, and I don't know what I'd do if I knew he'd thrown up. If I couldn't help him, if he was struggling like that and didn't want to tell me about it. I know I'm a stranger, or well a little less then a stranger now. But... But I care, I care a whole lot. And I don't know how to tell him that.

"You ready to try and continue?" I ask him, and this time he looks a whole lot less frightened when he nods his head. I set him back in the chair, and start slowly. A few lines and then I look up again to see his face, to watch how he's doing. But he seems much better, and I'm almost sad when 2 hours later, I wipe away the last of the ink. And place the Saniderm over the beautiful butterflies flying freely on his arm. "There you go cutie~" I purr, and his eyes wonder down to his tattoo. And gosh, the ways the corners of his lips ripple into small lines. How his cheeks get the faintest dimples, and his rosy cheeks blush while he admires my work, heat me up inside. He's more beautiful then anyone I've ever seen, and it's not because of his face, or his body. It's because while everyone smiles freely, and without care. He seems reserved in who he blesses with those sparkling eyes of joy, and soft lips. It feels like an honour to watch him smile, to watch him come alive.

"Thank you" he whispers to me and I smile back at him with my own kind of admiration. "Your welcome Cutie, now. Don't take the Saniderm off until it starts peeling off on it's own in a few days, and then take it off in the shower when it's wet. After it's off, you can just let it air dry. But remember to put some Vaseline on a few times a day to keep the skin supple. Don't let it get too much sunlight and if you're wearing short sleeves, I'd recommend putting on some sunscreen. But I'll give you all of this on a flyer just to be sure. And if you ever have any questions you can just text me" I explain while cleaning up my work place a little. He slowly got up, and I'm glad he's less dizzy. Watching him be steady on his feet does me well, and I'm thankful the rest of the tattoo went smoothly. "I don't have your number" He says, and I chuckle before I jog up to the register and get myself one of my business cards with my personal number on it. When I turn around he's already followed me and is admiring his arm again. "Here" I hand him my card.

He puts it away in his pocket and rubs his upper arm. "Can you get my jacket...? my wallet is in there" I snort and nod "Yeah of course, hold on" I'm back a minute later and hand him his jacket. And I calculate the price for him before setting up his receipt. "Don't worry about the extra time we took by the way, and the food is my treat. I'm just glad your okay and we got to finish your butterflies" He chuckles soft and nods. "Thank you Avar, that's sweet" I find myself blushing a little, I hadn't expected him to react much at all. "Your welcome" I hand the receipt to him, and he puts down the amount in cash. "Thanks" I say, and now it starts to dawn on me that he's going to walk out in a moment. And I don't want him too, I don't want to go work on my next client. I want to create a few more smiles and learn more about the boy with blue hair and pink cheeks. "Have a nice day then, bye bye bye" he waves to me and I hold the register to prevent myself from walking after him. "You too Kalon, hope too see you again in the future" I wave and he smiles. And then he walks out, and the shop feel a little less bright. But I know one thing for sure, if it's up to me this wasn't the last time I'll be seeing him. And I think it's official now, I am a giant simp and if my dad hears about this I'll never live it down.