Tattoos ➳ 𝓜𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓾𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓤

The tattoo

The ocean eyed girl raced into school, not a second to spare. Why couldn't she had just transformed? She thought to herself. Being Ladybug would've made this so much easier, I could've been on time! 

She dodged a PE class and the principal, who appeared to be roaming the halls. She leapt up the stairs and practically kicked the classroom door open in one movement. The class was startled yet not surprised. The girl was never usually on time anyway. 

"I-I'm so sorry I'm late. There was a... um-" She fiddled with her hands, trying to find a suitable excuse.

"Not to worry, Marinette." Miss Bustier, her teacher replied.

Marinette had always admired Miss Bustier, the tall, reddish-orange haired teacher with her pink lips, and face flicked with freckles. She's kind and can see the goodness in everyone. That includes scheming little brats like Chloe and Lila. Miss Bustier's tattoo was quite pretty. A single feather, half of it appeared to be dipped in colourful inks that dripped down to form smaller birds. All tattoos were different. Some, more complex than others.

"Miss, I was late again. Shouldn't you- I don't know? Give me detention? Make me stay after school hours?" I mentally face palmed. Way to go, Marinette. I got lucky and blew it with my big mouth, she thought, facepalming. But Miss Bustier, being the forgiving person she is, gave the girl hope.

"I believe it's your special day?" The teacher stated, resulting in a few murmurs that went around the classroom, everyone exchanging looks. "It wouldn't be any good celebrating the day of your tattoo arrival in detention now, would it?" Miss Bustier proclaimed shaking her head.

"Definitely not." Marinette smiled a smile that practically screamed thank-you, before sitting down next to her best friend, Alya. Alya was quite curvacious and had wavy reddish-brown ombre hair just passing her shoulders, hazel eyes with large black glasses.

"How's it hangin' birthday girl? Come on, don't keep us all in suspense! How does it look?" Us? Did Alya say us? The girl looked around the room, only to soon realise all eyes were on her. Everyone practically being pulled towards her as if she was some kind of magnet. Marinette glanced around, even Miss Bustier was leaning slightly, her face portraying curiosity and eagerness.

Her eyes soon drift down to the boy sitting just in front of her, with his shiny blonde hair and his light green eyes. Ever since Adrien received his soulmate tattoo only a week ago, he started wearing a jumper and hiding his wrist. Whenever someone tries reaching for his hand he pulls away. Her mind went blank for a moment, her eyes getting lost in his glimmering emerald ones that sparkled in the light of the morning sun. Marinette forced herself to snap out of it.

"W-well I uhm, it hasn't appeared y-yet. I'm sure it will soon."

The class sighed in disappointment and began to sit back down, making the area around Marinette less crowded. She breathed a deep, heavy breathe. Most people had long sleeves anyway, you rarely saw anyone's tattoos during autumn. A few of her classmates hadn't received theirs yet. She knew Alya, Rose, Chloé, Nathanael, and Lila hadn't. Even though Adrien got his tattoo a week ago, he hasn't really told anyone about it. He looks... broken. Perhaps it's Chloé. Marinette almost laughed, but stopped herself, feeling like a monster.

Although Marinette considered Adrien to be her one and only, she knew it was almost impossible for them to have the same tattoos. This is what made her upset, having to let go. It would be selfish to keep liking him. She let out another sad sigh.

"Don't worry, Marinette. I bet your tattoo will turn up before school ends," the tired, green eyed boy gave her an assuring smile and turned around once more to face the front. Blush crept it's way onto her face before fading away a second or two later.

But it won't be the same as yours.

⥈

Class after class, she would check her wrist, nerves rushing through her as she lifted it, expecting the tattoo to be there.

"Still nothing?" Alya said downhearted.

"Nothing," she sighed deeply. It's almost the end of school and it's still not here. I know it comes at different times for everyone but come on! The suspense is almost killing me, the girl reasoned.  The final bell rang and a few of Marinette's classmates congratulated her on their way out.

"Let's go, girl. I'll walk ya' home." Alya looked at her with sympathy.

"Yeah, alright."

They began walking home in a comfortable silence, like usually. While walking past the park, the girl's spot Adrien and a photographer, probably setting up for another photo-shoot.

"Looks like they're about to start, quick go on- talk to him!" Alya gave her little nudge. Marinette  knows she's only teasing though. As if I can just walk over there and talk to him, I'm a stuttering mess, she looked over at him and the photographer.  

"It doesn't matter anymore, Alya. Don't you understand? It's not going to be him, there's no point. I'll get my tattoo any... hour now. It wont be the same as his. Impossible."

"So what if it is impossible. It's not a crime," her friend mocked.

"It's still frowned upon."

There is a moment of silence between them.

"Okay, okay girl, I get it." Alya speaks first, breaking the silence.

It is true. There is nothing wrong about going out with someone with a different tattoo, but the guilt will eat you up inside. If you date someone who isn't your soulmate, there's that constant reminder on your wrist, the love of your life is somewhere out there, while you take someone else's partner. The tattoo chooses, but it's the person's decision.]

Marinette suddenly remembered when her friend Mylène received her tattoo and found out it wasn't the same as Iven's. They were disappointed and hurt, but that didn't stop them from liking each other.

"I just don't want to get in the way of Adrien and stop him from finding his soulmate, that's all. His tattoo surfaced recently and I'm about to get mine. It's just not right." Marinette told her as they continued to walk past the park and on the way to the bakery. Alya only nodded in understatement.

"Well, I don't think he's too happy about his tattoo..." Alya admitted. Marinette's home comes into view and she decides to check her wrist one more time as they walk towards it. Expecting nothing once more, Marinette lifts her grey sleeve effortlessly.

She stops walking immediately after doing so. Her ocean eyes widen, staring down at her wrist. It was as if she had been put on pause while the rest of Paris continued busily moving on around her. Alya had noticed the presence of her best friend was no longer beside her. She turned around to find her looking down at her wrist, face full of wonder.

"What are you doing? Is it your tattoo? Has it c-"

"Alya! Get over here, look."

Alya ran over a few metres to where her best friend had stopped in her tracks. She glanced down at her wrist where Marinette's new tattoo had appeared.

It wasn't detailed, it wasn't complicated, it wasn't full of colour but, surely it had to be symbolic.

There, on Marintette's wrist, plain and simple was the yin-yang symbol.

☯