Work Text:
This world is stupid, if you think about it, it really is. Why could it not be like the fantasy worlds in books and movies where you got an endless amount of people to choose from, where you could be with anyone and not just the one person you're ‘destined’ to be with? In those worlds you could be with multiple people and not be stuck waiting for the one who’ll supposedly fix your life for the better. You see? Real life is dumb, where you’re stuck with some problem waiting for your one and only to show up and make it go away. Or at least they're supposed to. Some unlucky people are stuck with their problem even after their soulmate first touches them, or looks at them or, whatever. And it's not because those two were not made for each other, as usually with these kind of unlucky people they would lose their disorder as long as their soulmate was touching them; or if they were really unlucky, one of them would lose their disorder while the other wouldn't.
And why is it so hard to find your soulmate? Why not have it as ‘you have their full name written on your wrist’ or ‘you have a little red string tied to your finger that leads to your soulmate’? Who thought when creating the universe “Hey, how about when we make this Earth thing we make it so that instead of having a easy way to find the person you'll spend the rest of your life with - like having the first thing they'll ever say to you in your arm - we make it so everyone has some sort of mental or physical problem until they can find said person and it'll sometimes not even work!
It was something that Alfred had been asking himself (read: complaining about) for a long time now. He had, in his opinion, a very good reason to. What with now being the only one in his friend group and practically his whole grade to have not found his soulmate. Before he had thought Arthur and Francis were stuck in the same boat as him. Stuck watching everyone be happy and quote on quote ‘free’. But noooo, it couldn’t be like that. They had to be hiding something. Something that really should’ve been obvious, but nevertheless something that ruined Alfred’s day.
“Wait, so you’re telling me not only are you two are soulmates, but you’ve known for month but just never told us?"
“We were going to tell you just-”
“Just what Arthur? You know what, I don’t want to hear it!” Alfred couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Why would Arthur keep something like this from him? They’ve been friends for practically all of each other's life! “You guys don’t understand! All of you practically got your soulmates handed to you! You people don’t know what’s like to have everyone claim they’ll be there for you and that they’re doing everything they can to help. When everyone knows they can do nothing about it! Everyone knows you have to suffer until you find your one in 7 fucking billion!”” Everyone knew how Alfred felt about everyone finding their soulmate before him. That behind the fake smiles and forever alone jokes, it was obvious that Alfred was very annoyed about it. And in a way he did have a reason to be, everyone around him didn’t have to deal with their problem - well everyone who was lucky enough to have their problem disappear after meeting their soulmate - but pretty much everyone in his group of friends weren’t like that, but the one’s who were still had their soulmate. Someone who could be there with them through it, but Alfred didn’t have anyone. He practically couldn’t see at all without his glasses; they were a temporary solution as his family would rather have him not be able to know when he found his soulmate than have him wander around everywhere practically blind. They were also something his family had to replace a lot due to Alfred’s clear dislike for them.. Sure he had a reason to complain, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t throwing this out of proportion.
“Alfred you need to calm down, like Arthur said they have their reasons.” Matthew’s quiet voice attempted to break through the tension, somewhat rough as he strained to match his brother’s intensity. While Alfred couldn’t see Matthew couldn’t talk. Well, couldn’t talk until he met Gilbert last year. Gilbert was a very annoying albino, whose problem was he couldn’t see color (lucky bastard).
“Yeah I’m sure they did, but still they could've told us! Told me! Seriously it’s not like I would’ve freaked out or-”
“You know what Alfred, just shut up! We get it. You’re butthurt, because you’re the only one here without their soulmate! But you don’t have to remind us every two seconds! Can’t you just be happy for Arthur and Francis? No you can’t, you have to take this time to remind us that you’re ‘suffering’. It always has to be about you doesn’t it? God, Al you’re such an annoying, stupid, self obsessed, brat, who wants the whole world to feel sorry for him! And you know what, I wouldn’t be surprised if your soulmate was actually trying to avoid you!” The words hit Alfred like a truck. The truth of them ringing in his ears, and before Matthew had a chance to apologise - which he fully planned on doing the moment he understood what he had said and who he had said it to - Alfred was gone. Running down the hallway at full speed until he ran full force into someone.
Said someone stumbled back from the force of the blow, but unlike Alfred, they didn't fall over and and instead placed a firm hand on the blonde’s shoulder, an unconscious act to help keep them upright. The whole hall went silent, the only sound being the footsteps as Alfred’s friends raced over to where he was. Everyone had their eyes on the two, waiting to see what happened next.
Alfred glanced up ready to apologize, only to stop as he caught the sight of cold violet eyes and almost silvery white hair. ‘Oh no no no no’ Alfred thought as he studied the person more. ‘It couldn’t be him. It can’t be him. Oh god please don’t let it be-!’ the prominent nose and faded pink scarf confirming his fears, sending a chill down Alfred’s spine. It wasn’t just any student that Alfred had practically headbutted, it was Ivan motherfucking Braginsky. People said that he didn’t feel anything, or that he was a demon from the lowest circle of hell, or that he’d decimate anyone that ticked him off even the slightest. Well the last one really wasn’t a rumor as Gilbert could testify, but basically Alfred was fucked.
He looked into the violet hues, they were unreadable at the moment maybe the slightest bit shocked, but who wouldn’t be? Alfred wasn’t the lightest kid around. Out of the corner of his eye Alfred saw a hand move. He shut his eyes and braced himself for a punch to the face that never came. Whispers rose from the crowd, everyone trying to find out what was happening.
Confused, Alfred opened his eyes to see the fist he’d expected to be embedded into his face, right in front of him. Something thin and metal resting in between a few fingers. Alfred looked back up at Ivan‘s face, it was still unreadable with the hint of a smile on his face. Not the kind he normally gave, which could best be described as ‘creepy’. No, this one was small and soft, this is one you could only see if you’re as close as Alfred was now.
Noticing Alfred’s confusion, Ivan’s smile widened a bit. Gesturing the hand toward the sunny blonde, the motion pulling his eyes back down to the hand, or more specifically what was in them. The shape of the object was very familiar to Alfred, until it finally clicked.
It was his glasses.
Everything seemed to freeze at that moment, the whispers fell dead to his ears, and the rest of the world disappeared leaving only the ashen blonde in front of him. He could see, he could see! A wide smile formed on the blonde’s face at what this meant, his eyes going back up to meet his soulmate’s one last time. His next words coming out effortlessly,
“I don’t need them.”
