The Gods of Song and Poetry

Chapter 11 - Tattoo

We lay there quietly for a little while. Kala kept running her fingers through my hair, relaxing me.

"Kala?" I finally broke the silence.

"Yes?"

"I hope we get along this well when we're sober. I think you'd be an amazing friend."

"Me too," she smiled.

"Kala?"

"Yes?"

"I have to warn you, if we're going to sleep in the same bed, you should know that I'm a very aggressive cuddler."

Kala treated me to one last snorting laugh. She covered her mouth quickly.

"I'll be prepared to defend myself," she said.

"Hey, Kala?"

"Yes?" she sighed, as if she was losing patience, but her smile let me know she was enjoying this sleepy conversation.

"Can I see your tattoo again? I want to hear about it."

She got a mischievous look in her eyes and reached below the blankets. I went wide-eyed and my heart jumped when I realized she was removing her bottoms. She tossed them over the side of the bed, then removed her top, all while keeping her breasts hidden under the blanket. She reached across me and pulled the blankets towards her, snaking her right leg out from underneath, then tucked the covers between her legs so that her left leg and groin area were still covered, but her whole right side was exposed, her leg on top of the blanket. She held the blanket to her chest, then rolled onto her left side while sweeping her hair above her head to expose the rest of her tattoo. I could see her entire back from head to toe.

She began by explaining the process her ex-girlfriend had used to do the tattoo, then went on to explain the symbolism of the elements like wind and water, the various animals and flowers, the geometric patterns. They told the story of Kala through her former lover's eyes. After I got over the fact that I was staring at her naked body, I could appreciate how beautiful that was. I found myself touching parts as she would describe them to me, imagining her partner marking her forever with images of power, of life and death, of histories, virtues, family, and love. My fingers traced the swirls, points, and frozen life forms down her back, across her right buttock, and around her thigh. The artistry of the tattoo and the art that was Kala's body merged to become a single, awe-inspiring piece. The whole situation felt very intimate, but not in a titillating way.

By the time she finished, I was near tears.

"Kala, that's so beautiful. It's like having a poem written about you by someone who loves you, letting you see yourself like they see you, and then spending hour upon hour making it a permanent part of you, so you can never lose it, never forget how special, how awe-inspiring, someone thinks you are."

Rambling in my sleepy, tipsy state, I didn't even know if I was making any sense. I surely wasn't expressing myself well. My finger kept skimming the parts of her tattoo that most fascinated me.

Kala had fallen silent, and I thought she was asleep. I was going to try to cover her up, when I heard a soft sniffle.

"Oh Kala! I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I-" She cut me off by reaching up and pulling my head towards hers, pressing my cheek to hers in a sort of hug.

"It's okay. It's true."

We readjusted the covers and I wrapped my arm around her, hugging her to me.

* * *

When I woke up, it was full daylight. It looked like it might be early afternoon. I had that disorienting experience one gets when they wake up in a new place for the first time, but I was so comfortable, I didn't freak out. My face was pressed up against the back of Kala's head, and I could smell her hair. My right arm was around her, going across her chest, and my hand was holding her left forearm. Her right hand was on top of mine, and my right leg was tangled between Kala's long legs. Her bottom pressed into me.