The Tattoo

Disclaimer: I don't own any members of the Inu cast. This was an idea I actually came up with based off a drawing my fiancee did for me. It was a picture of Ayame, looking over her shoulder, her hair down, and in the middle of getting dressed. Her backside was exposed, and a pretty green tattoo was decorating the small of her back. Since no one ever really sees Ayame naked, let along her back, who's to say a tribal tattoo couldn't exist? This fic was actually written by both myself, Lilz(aka White Wolf Ayame)and my really good friend B-chan. With later contribution from my fiancee YourouzokuAlpha. Enjoy ^_^


Chapter 5- The Decision

Ephiny came the next morning, walking down the hall quietly. Dinner had been quite....*entertaining* last night. Especially with Kouga's appearance. However, she had managed to soothe Takkun's nerves a little that morning, so everything was now fine. Carefully, she rapped on Ayame's door to get her up and ready for breakfast and that sort of thing.

Ayame heard the distant rasping on her door, but growled lightly in her sleep, turning over on her side and turning her back to the sound. She was enjoying the warmth of her bedding, and she didn't feel like waking up just yet. But she knew she wouldn't have been disturbed if it wasn't important or if it was one of her friends.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes, sitting up and stretching her arms over her head, yawning widely. Her fangs flashed briefly in the morning sunlight before she climbed out of bed, and rose to her feet. She adjusted the small silk gown that had been a gift to her upon her last birthday.

It had been a present from the continent, something her father had once gotten for her mother. Her grandfather had held onto it, taking great care to keep it well kept until Ayame was old enough to wear it herself. It was white with silver designs dancing across the fabric. The top was comfortable, held up by two thin straps over her shoulders. The hem brushed around her thighs as she walked to the door, opening it partially to see who might be at her door.

"Hm? Oh...Ephiny-chan. Good morning. What are you doing here?" Ayame asked, opening the door widely.

Ephiny bowed her head slightly. "Ayame, I just came by to wake you up. You need to get ready to eat."

Ayame rolled her eyes, opening the door more for her friend to step inside before turning and heading towards the back of her room. "I haven't bathed yet...." Ayame said, running her hand through her thick mass of bangs.

"Wait a minute..." She said, turning around and regarding the other female curiously. "Why are you coming to fetch me? I usually head down myself. Is something up?"

She stepped in and looked at her carefully. "Kouga-sama came by yesterday." she answered.

Ayame rolled her eyes, opening the door more for her friend to step inside before turning and heading towards the back of her room. "I haven't bathed yet...." Ayame said, running her hand through her thick mass of bangs.

"Wait a minute..." She said, turning around and regarding the other female curiously. "Why are you coming to fetch me? I usually head down myself. Is something up?"

She stepped in and looked at her carefully. "Kouga-sama came by yesterday." she answered.

Ayame blinked as she looked at her friend, looking curiously at the female, raising an red eyebrow. "So?" Ayame asked. Inwardly, she couldn't deny that she was curious to why Kouga might have visited Ephiny, but then again...Ayame knew her friend's mate was friends with the brown leader. So she figured Ephiny would just come out and tell her.

Ephiny sighed. "Let me see how to put this...." She began. She looked at the redheaded princess. "Let's just say...Kouga's... almost rather displeased about you and Mikhail. I didn't tell him what you told me, but well...you know how men are."

Ayame was more than a little curious now, so she walked back over to her friend, taking a seat and offering for Ephiny to do the same. "Ephiny.....there's something you obviously came here to tell me...so please....just tell me. What happened last night? What did Kouga say?"

She looked down, her cheeks almost aflame with embarrassment. "Well...it's...it's not my place to repeat such things about a noble..."

Ayame smiled softly. "Ephiny...it's ok....I asked you....but if it makes you that uncomfortable....." Ayame trailed off with a sigh as she closed her eyes. "Then I have no right to ask anything more from you."

Ephiny looked up. "Let's just say....He doesn't think very highly at all of Mikhail-sama," she answered with a small almost apologetic smile. "Takkun was surprise, but we were both surprised at Kouga-sama's reaction."

Ayame opened her eyes, curiousity and confusion flickering in the depths of her jade irises. "What do you mean? What kind of reaction anyhow?" Ayame asked. "Ephiny....did Kouga do or say something?"

"He..." She bit her lip, trying to search for the right words. "It almost sounded as he...already marked you." She shook her head. "I don't know how else to explain it.....He...He seemed so possessive, it reminded me of how Takkun would act with the other males would mock me."

Ayame blinked several times in silence, letting the words sink in. She frowned lightly, reaching her hand up and sweeping the mass of rich red hair back from the smooth column of her neck. "As you can see....no mark." Ayame pointed out.

"Now what is this about what he said? Can you tell me anything specific? What would make you think he was being....possessive of me? I mean, you know what he said. He doesn't think of me as anything like that."

"Well, since he had really wanted to talk to Takkun, I couldn't hear all of it, since I left the room, but I do remember he was growling, 'How dare he take her?' and something along the lines of 'She was mine, not his.' "

Ayame nearly choked on her tongue in surprise, her eyes widening as she stared in shock and stunned disbelief at her friend. "Are you sure? Maybe you misunderstood what he was saying. This is KOUGA we're talking about. I mean....he's obsessed with the human miko."

She looked at her friend seriously, though she herself was confused by the brown prince's behavior from last night, and nodded. "It's the same Kouga-sama, alright."

Ayame sighed deeply as she leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. "It doesn't make any sense. I just don't see how he would be so....cruel....to me last night and then so possessive and predatory over me to Takkun. It doesn't make sense."

Ephiny frowned. "Ayame...Ayame, I hope I didn't upset you...I wasn't trying to," she replied remorsefully.

Ayame smiled as she shook her head. "No...Phi...you could never upset you. I just....wish I knew what was Kouga's problem." Ayame said before slowly opening her eyes. "He made his choice a long time ago.....why should he expect me to keep waiting around on him?" She asked. "Mikhail is nice...and sweet....and he is handsome. He would make any girl a great mate."

"He would," she agreed and touched her shoulder lightly. "Ayame, just don't choose rashly or too quickly. Wait and let your heart tell you. I can promise that whoever you choose, it will be for the best."

Ayame sighed as she shook her head lightly. "I don't know Ephiny, I just don't know. I know...even if it's pointless....how I feel about Kouga. And that's why it hurts so much. But Mikhail is so perfect for me. And he makes my stomach feel like butterflies."

She smiled faintly. "You don't know what to think when you're around him?" she asked.

She blushed lightly as she nodded. "Something like that...."

Her smile grew slightly. "I remember those feelings." she replied, almost laughing lightly at the memories.

"Ayame..." she began, then walked over and sat down next to her patting her shoulder gently. "Ayame, no one can tell you the best choice for your heart...only *you* can do that. Do me one favor, for me and yourself...Don't rush into a decision, okay?"

Ayame considered it for a long while before she smiled softly and nodded. "Yes....it's the least I can do if you ask me. Besides, there really is no rush. It'd be nice to be chased after for a change....since usually..." She trailed off with a light blush. "It would just be nice to have a guy sweep me off my feet. Mikhail is that kinda male."

She smiled back. "He does appear to be so. I'm sure no matter who you choose, everything will turn out alright." She stopped then laughed. "Now, come on. You need to get some breakfast. You can't become anyone's mate if you pass out from starvation and accidentally fall on your face or something," she teased.

Ayame sighed deeply as she closed her eyes, biting back the pain that rippled through her heart. "But I can't do anything....How can I move forward if I can't get over Kouga?"

Ephiny looked down. "Heartbreak is the hardest thing... But, you... I don't know how to explain it. You just move on. You find other things that make you happy to keep the pain away," she answered, keeping her blue eyes focused on the floor.

Ayame nodded softly, her eyes cast on the floor before looking up at her friend with a smile. "Ephiny....I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you to confide in. Thank you. I'll do whatever it takes....I'll give Mikhail a chance. I've got no reason not to. In fact...." She blushed deeply at the thought. "I'll take him up on his offer this afternoon. I'll go visit him."

She smiled faintly. "That's what I'm here for...would you want me to tell your grandfather?" she asked.

"No....I'll do that myself. I appreciate it though." Ayame said with a smile. "So...enough about Mikhail...we can talk about him more when I return from visiting him." Ayame said with a flirtatious giggle. "Tell me more about what happened last night. Did Kouga stay with you guys or leave after dinner? I haven't seen him all morning."

She nodded. "He left about a hour or two after dinner. I went out for...a walk, but when I came back, Takkun had said he left to go back home," she answered.

Ayame nodded slowly, trying not to show her disappointment outwardly. She didn't want to admit it, but she was hurt he hadn't even said goodbye to her. Then and there she made up her mind. Kouga truely cared nothing for her. Why was she putting herself through so much pain? Her mind made up, she intended to throw herself fully into this new portion of her life. She would give Mikhail her full undivided attention, and she wouldn't think about Kouga anymore.

"You okay, Ayame?" Ephiny asked. It wasn't that her friend looked really upset, just...there was this sadden aura around her.

Ayame smiled as she nodded. "Just thinking. Growing up I guess you could say." Aymae said with a soft smile.

She smiled back. "Is there anything you need?" she asked.

Ayame studied her for a few moments before shaking her head with a laugh. "Yea...a bath before breakfast." Ayame laughed softly. "I'm thinking a few new changes are in order. I think I'm going to wear my mother's royal armor when I do go this afternoon. I won't waste anymore time. I don't want to wear my pigtails anymore either...." Ayame though, frowning lightly.

"Maybe....just a thick ponytail?" Ayame asked, gathering her hair in a bunch and holding it up as if she were putting it up in a ponytail as she showed it to her blonde friend. "What do you think?"

She studied her face for a moment, then nodded. "It would look nice like that." She walked behind her friend and began to gently 'brush' her hair with her fingers.

Ayame blushed softly as she allowed her friend to brush up her hair, closing her eyes as she sighed contently. "You really think it looks ok? I don't know...I've never worn it in anything but my pigtails...Yesterday was the first day I'd worn it down too..."

She smiled and nodded. "It would look nice, really. You have pretty eyes, you need to show them off and your cheekbones."

Ayame blushed as she smiled greatfully. "Thank you Ephiny. I'll do that. I guess, the pigtails are a little too childish anyway. It was about time I changed myself really. I'm of age, I should start acting like it. And doing something to look like it too. I kinda feel.....older....with my hair out of pigtails too." She said shyly.
She smiled and let go of her hair gently. "Well, I'll let you get changed." she replied.

Ayame smiled as she turned to her friend, wrapping her arms around her as she suddenly gave her an unexpected hug. "Thank you so much Ephiny. You have no idea how much your friendship and kindess means to me."

Ephiny paused before walking out the door and smiled at Ayame. "No problem. You have no idea how much our friendship means to me either." With that said, she calmly walked out the door to give her some privacy to change and get dressed.

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AN: To check out the cover art for "The Tattoo", specifically the image that inspired this story, please visit my fiancee's deviantArt page at the following link below. I want to thank YourouzokuAlpha for the time and patience put into this work. It's beautiful.

http://yourou.deviantart.com/#/d2qdp3f