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Harry was eighteen when he got his first tattoo. He first noticed it while shedding a jumper in exchange of the warm park air on his skin. It was a small rose placed just below his thumb. This, he thinks while looking beyond the activity in the park and towards the rose garden, is not a coincidence
To others, it looks just like a regular tattoo, a stupid mistake made while he was a teenager but Harry knows differently. He knows that tattoos are not inked into skin but are representative of a person’s soul mate. The longer it takes to get your first tattoo, the shorter the wait will be to find your soul mate. The tattoos come often after the first, almost twice a year and for this, Harry is glad. He likes the tattoos that ink his skin, the way they appear at the weirdest times. Harry also knows that once you have found your soul mate, it is rare that you get another tattoo unless it’s a marriage or widow tattoo.
Harry’s mother Anne was twenty when his first soul mate tattoo showed up and it was a mere month later that he found his soul mate. This relationship, however, was short lived as Harry’s mother found an X marked upon his wrist in commemoration of Harry’s father who passed away when he was only a small child.
His next tattoo appears almost a year after the first. This time, it appears on his left bicep, a word. He's sure this has to have a deeper meaning as how can a simple "thanks" mean anything? Harry thinks that this might be his last tattoo as his friends have already found their partners after receiving tattoos just a short period of time after himself.
I was wrong, he thinks almost six months later when his third tattoo shows up. He notices it while in the shower, a small L written in script on his left collar bone. I'm getting closer, he thinks to himself.
Only a month after the L appeared Harry receives yet another soul mate tattoo. This time, it was easy to notice a large cupcake sitting on his outer left bicep. It was pointed out to him by his friend after work one day as he was finishing his shift at the Bakery in James Street.
“Weird,” he said to his friend, Harry was unsure what it meant that he received another tattoo so quickly after the last.
On his way out of the bakery after his shift, he ran into someone. He was short in height, he noticed, with short brown hair swept to the side and bright clothing on. Harry was bent over at once, helping his collect the books he had dropped.
“Thanks,” he muttered shyly as he stood up and collected his books. Harry took this time to examine his more closely. He had a shy smile and his eyes were a piercing cerulean colour.
“Beautiful,” Harry said aloud. When the boy’s eyes widened and expression turned to shock, he thought he might have said something wrong and immediately started backtracking his words.
“I’m sorry, I just really- I- I’m sorry,” Harry stuttered and the boy giggled.
“You said that already,” he pointed out, gaining more confidence.
“I’m sorry you just looked really shocked and I thought I might have done something wrong,” Harry explained himself.
“You did nothing wrong don’t worry,” he smiled and lifted a hand to fix his hair. This was when Harry noticed something about the boy.
“I’m really sorry about this, I should have asked earlier, but what is your name?” he asked, almost shyly.
“It’s alright, I’m Louis,” he said kindly, carefully pulling at strands of his hair. “And you are?” he prompted.
“Harry, I’m Harry. I’m sorry if this is a bit blunt but your tattoo…” Harry trailed off and gestured towards his hand.
“A rose,” he explained showing him a tattoo that matched his own. He rolled up the sleeves of his jumper to reveal more tattoos. “A word,” he stated showing him the word “Beautiful” scripted on his left bicep. “A cupcake,” he showed him the outer side of his left bicep and Harry was speechless. He pulled down his sleeve and pulled on his collar until his collar bone could be seen. “An H,” he finally stated and looked towards Harry in a kind of wonder.
Harry took it upon himself to follow as he did. He showed his the rose on his hand and then the word, thanks, on his inner left bicep. He showed him his latest tattoo, the cupcake on his outer left bicep and finally showed his the L inked into his collar bone. When he was finished, he looked up at his in a sort of amazement.
“Hi,” he smiled.
“Hi,” he responded, mirroring his smile. This, Harry thinks, is the start of something beautiful.