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“Never have I ever met my soulmate.”
Bitty drank, to the surprise of no one. Ransom and Holster tapped their beers together in solidarity before gulping from theirs, and Nursey took a long pull from his own drink to the shock of every person in the room - except Dex.
Dex knew Nursey had met his soulmate, he had known since the first day of their Taddy tour when their eyes met across the room and Dex’s entire world exploded in a cacophony of color. Nursye’s face had lit up, only to fall a moment later when Dex turned away. Dex had suspected he was gay for a long time, but having that as confirmation send him into a panic. By the time he had recovered enough to begin breathing again, Nursey had walked away.
And Dex - well Dex had never gotten up the courage to confront him. Nursey was handsome, smart, and charming. Why would he want someone like Dex? It was Dex who’d end up alone in life, too ornery and broken to be loved.
“I didn’t know you’d met your soulmate,” Chowder said, first one to break the silence following Nursey’s revelation.
Dex took a sip of his drink, but everyone else was too focused on Derek to notice.
“Who is it?” Tango asked, eyes wide and trained on Nursey.
Despite ample opportunities to talk about their connection, the two of them had never discussed it. Dex had wondered if Nursey was ashamed of him on more than one occassion, but then Nurse would sling an affable arm around his shoulder or smile at him when he thought no one was looking, and Dex’s heart would flutter and his traitorous brain would think maybe.
At first he was nervous about having a male soulmate - he hadn’t grown up in the most open minded of homes - but almost two years at Samwell had done him good. The last time he’d gone home he’d laid the groundwork to start preparing his family for the fact that his soulmate was male. He was probably jumping the gun since he and Nursey had never so much as kissed, but their ending up together seemed almost inevitable now.
They went to Annie’s together and argued over who would pay. Derek watched him fix things around the Haus he swore were already broken, and would hand Dex tools that were almost always wrong, but Dex couldn’t find it in himself to correct him. They’d sit together on the couch watching movies they’d argued over who would get to pick, and once Nurse had been so tired he’d slumped over on his side and fallen asleep with his head pillowed on Dex’s shoulder. Dex was fairly certain his face was flushed a brilliant red for the entire two and a half hour long movie. And if he let Nurse continue to sleep on him, snuggling further into his neck long after the movie ended, no one would have to know.
So yes he’d laid the groundwork with his parents because he wouldn’t make Nursey hide. Once they were together Nursey deserved to be able to tell anyone he wanted - to hold Dex’s hand, to kiss him whenever he wanted. Dex hoped Nursey wanted a lot. Dex’s parents had reacted far better than he’d expected. He made an offhand comment about the possibility of his soulmate being a guy and his mom had hugged him and his dad had clapped him on the shoulder and told him if there was already a guy, to invite him over this summer. Dex had absolutely not cried.
They should probably talk about things soon, but Dex wasn’t the most gregarious person and he’d always assumed Nursey would be the one to bring it up. Nursey glanced at him now, eyes flicking over to him before going back to Tango.
“Mine is a one sided connection,” Nursey said, voice just a hair too flat.
Dex furrowed his brow as everyone else stumbled over apologies. Why couldn’t he just admit they were soulmates? They were getting along now - hell Dex had figured they were already together at least for the most part, but Nurse couldn’t even admit what they were to one another to their closest friends.
“What the hell Nurse?” Dex said, unable to reign in his temper.
Nursey whipped his gaze to Dex, eyes wide and confused - which just served to piss Dex off further. He’d been doing so much better at not letting his temper get the best of him lately too.
“Are you ashamed of me or something?”
Nursey opened his mouth but no words came out. The rest of their friends watched them in mute fascination.
“I just don’t get it,” Dex said, voice breaking and god that was embarrassing. “Do you not want to be soulmates?”
Nursey’s mouth snapped shut. After several long silent moments he finally spoke, voice no more than a whisper. “I’m your soulmate?”
Dex nodded slowly feeling like he was missing something.
“I thought the connection was one way,” Nurse said. “You never said anything.”
“Neither did you,” Dex said petulantly.
“We are so fucking dumb,” Nursey said, lunging across the room and stopping just short of crashing into him. He stood close enough his breath hit Dex’s lips in short pants.
“I - uh I told my parents about you,” Dex said, unable to think with Nursey in such close proximity. “In case you want to visit this summer.”
“You told your parents about your soulmate before you told your soulmate about your soulmate?” Nursey said, eyes smiling.
“I thought you knew,” Dex said dumbly.
“I tried so hard not to fall hopelessly in love with you.”
Dex’s breath caught. “Did it work?”
“I am desperately in love with you, irrevocably in love with you,” Nursey said, “But no Dex, not hopelessly.”
Dex smiled and finally, finally kissed him.