Chapter Text
Beep! Beep! Beep—
Norton sat up in bed and slammed his hand onto the alarm clock, turning it off. He glanced at his phone and sighed when he saw the date. It was June 1st.
Mike’s 16th birthday.
How old were they when they last talked? 8? Damn, Norton thought to himself, has it really been that long? Norton couldn’t help but wonder how Mike was doing now. How tall was he? Does he still get along with his sister? Does he have the same freckles and toothy grin?
Did he... hate him?
Norton wouldn’t blame him if he did, it was his fault they stopped talking, but he still hoped that Mike didn’t think badly of him. They were soulmates after all. Norton could still clearly remember when he got his first message from Mike. It was written rather messily in blue marker on his arm and read “Hi I'm Mike! What is your name?”
After a bit more talking, their parents exchanged numbers and set up a time for the two to meet up at a nearby park. It turned out that they lived just a town away from one another so they could play at the park together quite often and they got along really well.
Neither of them really understood what it meant to be soulmates until a year later when they were taught about it in school. Norton proudly declared to his class that a boy named Mike was his soulmate, seeing as he was one of the few to have already met their soulmate.
“Ew, you’re gay!” One of his classmates shouted.
“Gay? What’s that?” Norton had never heard that word before.
But instead of an answer, he got ridiculed. He became the new victim for his peers to tease and make fun of. But if he didn’t play with Mike anymore, the bullying would stop, right?
That night when Mike wrote to him, Norton didn't write back. He didn’t go to the park either. He completely ignored Mike in hopes of no longer being called “gay”, whatever that meant.
Looking back on it, Norton wanted to bash his head into a wall. He stopped talking to Mike with no explanation for 8 years. Why the hell did he let himself do that? He had wanted to apologize many times to the blond but never found the right words. Mike had stopped trying to reach him a long time ago but guilt still filled Norton whenever he saw notes Mike would often write for himself on his hands and wrists to look at later.
He glanced back down at the date on his phone. Maybe a “happy birthday” is a good place to start.
__________
Mike yawned as he dragged himself out of bed. He rubbed his eyes and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and nearly dropped his toothbrush when he saw something scrawled across his arm. It read, “Happy birthday Mike”.
He carefully traced the words on his arms and stared in disbelief. Norton actually wrote to him. And he remembered his birthday.
He rushed out of the bathroom, leaving the toothbrush forgotten in the sink. He scrambled to find a marker and held it up to his arm before hesitating. What should he write? He didn’t know why Norton stopped talking to him in the first place but he didn’t want it to happen again.
He thought for a few more seconds before finally writing, “You remembered my birthday?”
A minute for two later, he got a response. “Of course I did. I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything.”
Mike wasn’t sure how to feel. He was happy that Norton had finally written to him after all these years but still angry that he ignored him for so long without any answers as to why.
“Why did you stop writing?” Mike was worried Norton would stop talking to him again but he needed an explanation.
Norton stared down at his arm. He knew this question was coming and yet he still didn’t know exactly what to say. Writing small as to save space, he wrote, “When the kids from my elementary school found out my soulmate was a boy, they started teasing me for being gay. I thought they would stop if I stopped talking to you. Stupid, I know, and I’m really sorry.”
Mike’s eyes softened as he read the message. He grabbed his marker. “Here’s my number. It’ll be easier to talk that way.”
Norton sighed in relief. Mike probably didn’t hate him if he still wanted to talk. He typed Mike’s number into his phone and they continued chatting until Norton realized he was going to be late for school.
Throughout the school day, Norton found Mike doodling all over his hands and arms. As the weeks went by, Norton became accustomed to the random drawings but Patricia and Naib continued to playfully tease him about it. The school year quickly came to a close and everyone started making summer plans, including Mike’s best friend, Margaretha.
“Where should we go?” Mike asked her.
“How about a water park? You could bring your soulmate too. What’s his name again?”
“Norton. And we haven’t actually met up again yet,” Mike smiled sheepishly.
“Really? Why not?”
“I want to but I’m not sure if he does too. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable or anything.” He wanted to see Norton really badly but he didn’t want Norton to suddenly stop talking to him again.
“You should at least ask.”
“Ok, ok, I will later.”
A few hours passed and Margaretha headed home. Mike pulled out his phone and started typing.
__________
[Texting]
Mike:
hey do you wanna maybe meet up sometime?
:Norton
Yeah of course
:Norton
?When and where
Mike:
maybe at that park we used to play at? im free all week
:Norton
?What about right now
Mike:
wait rlly?
Mike:
I'll see you in 20 mins!
__________
Norton quickly got ready and headed out to their meet up spot. He hastily shoved his keys in his pocket as he slammed the front door shut, rushing towards the train station. When Norton got on the train he started to fiddle around with his fingers, was he really that nervous? He sighed as he leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes.
Once he stepped out of the train station, his heart started racing. With every step he took, his heartbeat quickened, Norton couldn’t bare it anymore, he wanted it to go away. All these mixed feelings, worries, and butterflies in his stomach, he wanted them gone.
So, he started running. He didn’t care if anyone saw him, nor did he care if people were staring. All he wanted to do was to see Mike; that was the only thing on his mind.
Norton was out of breath when he arrived. He clenched his chest, gasping for air. When he looked back up, his eyes widened.
His soulmate, Mike, standing in front of him trying to catch his breath as well. They both fell silent when they saw each other, the light summer breeze filling the silence.
Norton admired Mike’s beautiful blue and yellow eyes and soft expression. He wore a pink T-shirt with blue jean shorts along with an old pair of white converse while carrying a small brown crossover bag. A few of his golden curls fell in front of his face, and his freckles were the same as always. Oh how Norton missed him.
After a moment of just staring, the two quickly engulfed each other in a long awaited hug. Mike started crying while Norton was on the verge of tears. They were finally together.
“Mike...I’m sorry.”
Mike shook his head and tightened his grip, still crying. He was just so happy to see Norton after years of thinking he never would again. Mike’s tears stained Norton’s sleeve but he couldn’t care less. All that mattered was the fact that he had Mike in his arms.
The hug lasted for a while, neither of them wanting to let go. But eventually they stopped hugging and let go of each other, not breaking eye contact.
Mike wiped away his tears and gave Norton his famous toothy grin, “Sorry for crying.”
Norton smiled, “It’s ok.”
He then turned to take in their surroundings. It was around 7 pm so there were no kids around. There was a colorful play structure complete with swings, monkey bars, and a few slides. Next to that were several picnic tables and a mostly empty field dotted with a few trees which provided some shade. There was even a hammock hanging in between two trees. It was truly a serene and nostalgic sight.
Mike grabbed Norton’s arm and dragged him over to the monkey bars, “Remember how we always used to sit on these?”
Norton laughed slightly, “And how you would always fall off of them?”
Mike pouted at Norton’s comment and crossed his arms over his chest, mumbling, “Not always .” Norton rolled his eyes and climbed on top of the rusty bars. He sat there while Mike was hanging upside down from them.
They chatted for what felt like hours before Mike asked, “Hey, do you wanna get some ice cream?” Norton nodded and jumped down from the bars as Mike did the same, almost falling in the process.
As the two set off for ice-cream, they held small conversations, talking about anything and everything, as if no time had gone by at all. Mike skipped along the side-walk, humming a small tune and feeling the soft sunset breeze along his face. Norton quietly followed him, listening to Mike’s soft humming and the leaves rustling in the background.
The small ice-cream parlor came to their view and Mike excitedly ran ahead, screaming “ice cream” and leaving Norton behind in the dust. The taller male just smiled and shook his head at the blond’s childish actions before running after him.
As they got closer, Norton held the door open for Mike and the shorter boy happily strolled inside. Mike’s blue and yellow eyes sparkled as he admired all the different flavors that sat in front of him. The two chose their desired flavors and the cashier smiled at them.
“What a lovely couple. That will be $9.48.”
The two blushed at the cashier’s comment while Norton handed them the money, “W-we aren’t a couple…”
The cashier apologized and handed them their ice-cream. The two boys waved good-bye as they headed out. The two sat on a nearby bench enjoying their ice cream in silence.
Mike looked up at Norton and smirked, he dabbed the tip of his finger in his strawberry ice cream and booped Norton on the nose, resulting in a confused and slightly flushed Norton with a small pink blob on his nose.
“Pff...You look really dumb-”
Norton gave Mike a playful glare and did the same back to Mike, the chocolate ice-cream slightly smudging on Mike’s nose. They continued their boop war as laughter filled the air.
__________
The two boys looked down at their now almost-empty cups of ice-cream. They looked back at each other and realized the mess they’ve made. Mike laughed as Norton started wiping off the strawberry ice cream off his face with a napkin before handing another napkin to Mike.
Mike glanced at his phone to check the time, “It’s getting kinda late, I should probably head back.”
“Let me walk you home,” Norton insisted.
Mike nodded and they headed in the direction of his house. They admired the colorful city lights until they arrived.
“Thanks for today,” Mike smiled.
“Of course. Sorry we didn’t do it sooner. Well, good night.”
“Good night!” Mike said in return before heading inside.