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]

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.

[piwakawaka]

He gets two beautiful beaming faces as Manu starts cleaning and wrapping her tattoo up,

"Thank you, suits you, little one."

Once her arm is wrapped, Tiwa hugs her uncle and then James, "Thanks."

"I've got lunch going if you two want something to eat."

Tiwa looks over to James, its up to him.

[notthatpotter]

He shrugs.

"Sure, why not? I could use something to eat."

[piwakawaka]

"Thought you would. Tiwa knows where the kitchen is, I have to clean up in here."

She still hasn't quite let go of James' hand so takes him through to a room that's a bit more open with a worn wooden table covered with random doodles. On the table are the makings for lots of sandwiches including some newly grilled lamb,

"He must think you're like Tane and going to eat most of it."

[notthatpotter]

"Yeah?"

In truth, James isn't that big an eater. He's about average on the scale.

He shrugs.

"It does smell good."

[piwakawaka]

"Yeah, clearly you're a boy. Thanks for coming here."

She starts constructing a sandwich for herself since that way he won't see just how much she's beaming.

[notthatpotter]

"Of course," he says easily. "It was really cool to see your uncle do that."

He watches her for a moment.

"And you were bloody brilliant sitting through it all too."

[piwakawaka]

"Hope I didn't hurt your hand."

He gets one of her grins,

"Should help yourself while its still warm."

[notthatpotter]

He shakes his head, waving his hand at her to show just how unhurt it is.

"S'fine," he says cheerfully.

And then he proceeds to help himself as she said.

[piwakawaka]

They're in the midst of eating when her uncle returns and he kisses the top of Tiwa's head as he makes a sandwich,

"So, what did you snag from your Mum's place for us to have for dessert?"

Tiwa gives him a look but pulls out from her pocket a good sized bag,

"Just some afghans."

[notthatpotter]

James laughs.

"You're always swiping things, aren't you?"

[piwakawaka]

"Not swiping from Mum, she always makes extra."

Not that she wouldn't mind snagging one of his ties or anything but that's different. Her uncle just laughs,

"Have to watch what shines round her."

[notthatpotter]

"Yeah, clearly," he agrees, laughing again. "S'all right, though. I don't exactly own anything shiny."