Getting the Tattoo

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa looks nervous and excited as she pulls James through the door to her Uncle Manu's which looks out over the water. The house itself isn't huge but it has clearly been constructed and worked on by someone who is good at making things, there are lots of wonderful small touches of carvings and paintings,

"No one else is here but him at the moment. I convinced Mum that she didn't really want to see me getting tattooed and she agreed. So no questions to deal with for now."

Comments

[notthatpotter]

"Needles, not chisels, right?"

He does look relieved not to be surrounded by a bunch of Tiwa's family, he admits.

[piwakawaka]

"Yup, and you don't have to watch them if you don't have to."

Her uncle comes out of the house and he's even taller than Tane with tattoos on his arms up to his forearms and a few visible under his shorts, there are even a few on his face as he sweeps Tiwa into a hug,

"Hey girl. So you're the lad, well come in. Can't be worrying her Mum too much."

"She's good as gold, Uncle."

"I know you, little bird, she's baking up a storm."

After a while she's set down and the Uncle grins and heads inside towards the room where he does his tattoos. Every wall is covered with paintings and carvings that seem to slightly glow, but the tattoo chair is all modern and new.

[notthatpotter]

James is taking his time, looking around the room and observing the paintings and carvings with interest.

"Wicked," he murmurs, more to himself.

[piwakawaka]

"Glad you like them, I even learned from some of the older fellows, don't want to forget things. There's a seat for you."

Tiwa sits down and her smile's a little wobbly as she looks over to James. Her Uncle's smile is huge and he says,

"Right, I'm going to freehand the first version before I do anything."

Then using a sort of metal pen, he starts tracing over her skin,

"Look both of you, trying to make sure that I've got what Tiwa is in there, flight and tails and laughter and strength."

[notthatpotter]

"Is that where the magic bit comes in?" he asks, leaning forward just a bit.

"Tiwa told me you'd be including that somehow while you give her a tattoo."

[piwakawaka]

"Partly, the needle I'll be using was made carefully and the drawing helps me get it right."

Its hard to follow someone drawing on your own arm but Tiwa's trying to and smiles at James,

"How does it look to you, James?"

[notthatpotter]

"Really cool so far," he remarks, nodding with approval.

[piwakawaka]

"Tell me about yourself then, James, right? Always hard to get something straight out of Tiwa."

Manu asks while moving around the curve of Tiwa's arm, she winces slightly as the drawing passes truly over the scars.

[notthatpotter]

"Er. What do you want to know?" he asks, shrugging.

Seriously. Talking about himself is so much harder than he makes it look when he's pulling off his 'I'm so Cool' demeanor.

"I'm a friend of Tiwa's. I'm also a wizard. I go to a school in Scotland called Hogwarts."

[piwakawaka]

"She said some confusing thing about you flying but don't quite see how that works."

Tiwa sighs at her uncle, he's not always that helpful,

"Don't need to ask too much, uncle,"

"Reckon I should be asking him his intentions but I told you that I'm being good. Aren't I, James?"

[notthatpotter]

"Uh. Yeah, I suppose."

Seriously, what is with Tiwa's family always being so curious about his so-called 'intentions'? What does she tell them about him anyway?

[piwakawaka]

Her Uncle just laughs at the look on his face,

"Don't look so scared, lad, reckon I'm just curious because of how girl goes rather bird when she talks about you. Makes it hard to get anything straight from her."

Tiwa gives James a pleading look, she really hasn't said Anything, he doesn't need to look so worried,

"There, give that a look and if you like it, we'll start."

Changing the topic good and she turns over her arm and she smiles, looking rather excited,

"Looks brilliant, uncle."

[notthatpotter]

Well.

Okay.

Fine.

He can deal with this. He shrugs, feigning nonchalance at the whole ordeal. Back to business as usual!

"It does look really cool," he remarks.

[piwakawaka]

Manu just beams and grins at them, youngsters,

"Right, now Tiwa I'll be starting on your forearm and working around and you're allowed to make any sounds you want. Both of us know you're brave so no worrying."

She nods and rests her arm again then gives James a quick smile as her Uncle gets out the tattoo gun which shimmers with some magic.

Then he starts in and he's singing quietly in Maori so the air has a slight tinge of magic to it. Somehow Tiwa finds James' hand and just squeezes since it does hurt but she is going to be brave.

[notthatpotter]

James watches the master at his craft, despite the fact that needles make him a little queasy.

"How long have you been doing this?" he asks Tiwa's uncle.

[piwakawaka]

"Since I was your age, learned from one of the best."

Even as he talks somehow the music is still there which helps Tiwa who is quietly singing along, its oddly calming,

"One of the elders of the craft thought I could learn to it and have been since then."

[notthatpotter]

"Wicked," he says, approvingly.

"Do you tattoo a lot of people?"

[piwakawaka]

"Yes, but I can be a little choosy."

He reaches out and wipes that tattoo as it keeps appearing and Tiwa gives a little sigh and smiles,

"That's cause few enough like you, Uncle."

"Thank you, Tiwa and its still going to keep hurting."

She opens and closes her mouth a few times as he grins at her, there's a touch of her in that look,

"Not too much now."

[notthatpotter]

James simply watches the uncle and niece - and the tattoo - with some amusement, and interest.

[piwakawaka]

Manu uses that distraction to keep sneaking up and around her arm with the tattoo and James gets his hand squeezed again,

"Tell me, James, do you know what you'll be doing in a few years?"

[notthatpotter]

He'll just be the strong support! So he doesn't do any sort of squeezing or anything in return.

Y'know. Being rock-like and all.

"Um." Thaaaat's not something he's really been giving too much thought. "I actually ... don't know. I mean, I've been thinking a lot about trying out for some of the English Quidditch teams, but. Nothing's final yet."

[piwakawaka]

Now Manu grins at him,

"Quidditch, that's the flying thing, right?"

Tiwa chirps up, "More than just flying, Uncle, bit of footie to it."

"Oh and how do you know so much, watched him play, have you?"

"Kind of."

[notthatpotter]

James laughs.

"Yeah. It's kind of an aggressive sport in some ways," he adds.

Really. It takes a whole lot of skill! And finesse! And all that good stuff.

"Did Tiwa tell you a bit about it?"

[piwakawaka]

"Not too much, hard to get straight and simple from the girl."

"I'm not that bad, uncle."

"Course you are, fluttering all about."

Its clear this is an argument they've had many times before as she pouts at him,

"I'm getting better."

"Yeah, growing up, little bird."

Then he smiles at her, "There you are, all done."

[notthatpotter]

Now James takes a better look at the tattoo.

"Wicked. I mean, that's really a piece of artwork or something," he comments.