Work Text:
Neil didn’t believe in soulmates. Of course he knew they existed thanks to the garish “fuck off” permanently tattooed on his wrist. If those were his soulmate’s first words to him, he clearly wasn’t missing out on much anyway. To him it was more of an impracticality. He knew he was going to die soon so finding his soulmate wasn’t really much of a priority. His parents weren’t soulmates either and they did just fine didn’t they? (Not considering the fact that his father was a bloodthirsty monster and his mother ran away first chance she got.)
And so this was why Neil was alone but that’s not to say he was lonely. He had his cat. His cat who wasn’t feeling well and had gotten sick all over his work clothes and had him yelled at by his pesky little boss. That’s how Neil finds himself, exhausted and irritated at the local vet. He recognises the overly cheerful boy at the reception and normally he would put up with his incessant prying and chatter but he really isn’t in the mood today.
Neil can hear the boy’s obnoxious voice as soon as he enters through the door, “But it’s blind from one eye, Andrew. Don’t you think that’s too much responsibility for a first time pet owner?”
“I like them a little fucked up.”
Assuming it’s nothing important, Neil ignores the other customer and places his cat cage over the counter, “My cat’s sick,” he announces to the receptionist, ignoring the guy he’d shamelessly cut.
“Fuck off.”
At first, Neil thinks it was the receptionist who had spoken only to realise that no, the voice came from behind him. Years and years of hiding his wrist in shame because of the ugly words etched into his skin. All because of this guy. This guy Neil had no intention of ever encountering. Almost hoping he’d be dead before it ever happened.
Neil turns around, his blood hot and fists clenched, facing a short blonde boy looking completely unaffected and unbothered which only served to infuriate Neil further.
“OH! SO YOU’RE THE MOTHERFUCKER WHO GAVE ME THE WORST FUCKING SOULMARK EVER! WELL GUESS WHAT I WILL NEVER LET THIS GO THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING THE WORDS 'Fuck off' PERMANENTLY MARKED ON YOUR SKIN!"
Out of breath, Neil glares at the boy noticing for the first time a slight glint in his eyes
“Well, imagine having that fucking essay written on you in caps-lock.”