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Everyone was born with a sentence tattooed on their body that indicated who their soulmate was, reading out the first thought that your soulmate had about them. It could be anywhere, could be any size or color, could be in any font or language, whatever. Some people had more than one soulmate, some had none. Your soulmate could be romantic, platonic, familial (Skeppy was fond of one of his friend’s soulmate mark. Her soulmate was her dad, and her soulmate mark read, ‘I’d do anything to protect you’. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he cried when he learned that and then advised her to sell that concept to an author or movie maker). The one thing that remained the same, tattoo to tattoo, was the basis of the sentence.
Skeppy thought his soulmate’s first impression of him was pretty funny. It was hard to see, written on the outside of his upper arm so that he had to stand in front of a mirror and twist his shoulders around to read it. It was worth the hassle, though. In crisp black text, with a bubbly handwritten font with i’s that were dotted with hearts, it read: ‘Oh muffins, that is a lot of color.’
Which was fair. As Skeppy hit his teen years, he stuck out a lot considering his ah… unique fashion sense. With his technicolor platform boots, dangling earrings with small rubber ducks hooked on them, the holographic stickers dotting his face, and the bright rainbow clothing he wore, he was more than noticeable. It made his dad cringe sometimes when he stepped out of his room in the morning, but he loved it. Kidcore fashion made him happy. So why not throw on some more bracelets? Why not stick some butterfly clips in his hair? He wasn’t hurting anyone. Even when he went with more simple outfits, he liked being the center of attention, so it worked for him.
Today’s outfit wasn’t a simple one.
He wore a long-sleeved color block shirt with a red front panel and purple back panel, the sleeves yellow and green. Over it, he wore a baby blue crop top with a rainbow embroidered onto it. His shorts were a darker blue, rolled at the cuffs to make them rise higher, and he wore rainbow thigh highs held up by blue garter belts (his dad’s eye really twitched at that one, but he gave him a forced grin and a nod when Skeppy asked if he looked good that morning). In his hair, he wore an assortment of colorful butterfly clips and he had five smiley face stickers dotting his face. His neck was lined with cheap rainbow bead necklaces and his arms looked about the same, a sky blue kandi cuff on one wrist surrounded by thinner kandi bracelets and the other covered with beaded and rubber bracelets. He wore his rubber duck earrings, because he always did, and opted for white extra tall sneakers instead of his usual boots. He was going to be doing a lot of walking today, no need to kill his heels.
“I’m going out with Techno!” he called as he headed out the front door, slipping a backpack shaped like a duck onto his back. His dad yelled for him to be back for dinner and Skeppy bounced down the front steps to his friend’s car.
“Quite the outfit you got going there,” Techno deadpanned as Skeppy dropped his bag on the floor and swung into the car. “What, no rainbow boots today?”
“I’m already wearing rainbow thigh highs, adding the boots would just be overkill.”
“Oh, right, because this outfit is so demure and plain.” Techno started the car and pulled out of the driveway. “Ask me what I’m wearing today.”
“What are you wearing today, Techno?” Skeppy grinned and leaned back in his seat, glancing over his outfit as his friend explained.
“I considered a few outfits today but realized that all of them looked basically the same, so I just combined them as much as I could. I have this nice cream white turtleneck, I got it at Hollister. Apparently, Hollister carries turtleneck sweaters, didn’t know that until I got it.” Techno tugged on his neck and Skeppy snickered. His hand drifted down to the dark blue coat he wore. “The trench coat is from uh, I dunno. Some weird foreign shop on the internet, probably. It says it’s Burberry but I got it for like, $15 and it took five months to arrive, I was convinced I got scammed.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Yeah.” He picked up the necklace hanging around his neck, letting it glint in the light. “Knife necklace. Matching knife earring.”
“The constant,” Skeppy agreed.
“And I have nice black corduroy pants. Look, they’ve got boxes on them.”
“You mean they’re checked?”
“Whatever you say.” Techno grinned, tossing his long pink hair over his shoulder. “Now compliment me.”
“Quite the outfit you’ve got going on there,” Skeppy shot back at him, smug as Techno groaned. “What are we doing today, anyway?”
“Meeting up with Dream and his friend who is visiting town at the mall, they wanted to get something from Spencers and I didn’t want to go alone.
“I mean, we usually go to the mall together anyways, it’d be weirder for you not to bring me.”
“Exactly. I’ll take you to Claire’s as a reward anyway.” Techno glanced over at him and Skeppy gasped, giving a bright grin.
“Will you buy me-?!”
“No, buy it yourself.” Techno rolled his eyes.
The rest of the car ride devolved into Skeppy begging Techno to buy him something and the other coolly denying him, all the way up to them pulling into the mall. Skeppy fell silent, eyes going wide and pressing against the window to look around the mall parking lot, seeing if he could spot anyone around. Many people from their school hung out at the mall on weekends and as had been pointed out, Skeppy liked attention. His outfit today rocked, he deserved it.
“Did you bring that necklace you borrowed from Dream?” Techno asked, pulling Skeppy out of his thoughts.
“Oh, yeah! It’s in my bag.” Skeppy leaned forward to grab his bag, rooting through it quickly before coming back up. He held an intricate kandi choker, several layers of rainbow beads with dangling Perler bead charms on the bottom. “Tada! Only, you know, three weeks after I borrowed it.”
“I’m shocked you didn’t break it.” Techno parked the car and cut the engines, giving Skeppy a minute to splutter.
“Break it?! Do you know how hard Dream works on these things? I don’t wanna make him cry! Oh my God.” Skeppy scrambled out of the car and leaned up on his toes to loom over the car roof, glaring at his friend. Techno got up with far more grace, raising an eyebrow at Skeppy. “You stupid Dark Academia bitches, you have no respect for the arts!”
“I literally own several kandi cuffs and bracelets that Dream made me.” Techno folded his arms on the car roof, leaning up as well to rest his chin on them.
“Do you wear any of them?” Skeppy raised an eyebrow, pressing further forward against the roof. Techno was silent for a moment then shoved off the car, turning towards the mall. “I fucking told you! No respect! He made those for you!”
“Can we go and find Dream and his friend now? They’re supposed to be in the food court but I know Dream is probably wandering around Hot Topic or something.” Techno waved for Skeppy to follow him and he groaned, dropping back onto his heels and hurrying around the car to follow him. “Anyways, don’t tell anyone.”
“Don’t tell anyone what?” Skeppy asked. Techno slid up the sleeve of his trench coat, revealing a bright pink and green kandi bracelet around his wrist. Skeppy blinked, eyes going wide as he dropped the sleeve back into place. “You do wear them!”
“I wouldn’t know what you’re talking about,” Techno replied. The mall’s doors slid open in front of them, blasting them with a chill of cold air, and Skeppy froze as an odd sensation ran up his back. Techno kept walking a few more steps then turned back. “Skep?”
“Do you feel that?”
“… the air conditioner?”
“No!” Skeppy finally found his feet, launching himself to Techno’s side and latching onto his arm. Techno began walking again, dragging him along. “It was like, electricity! A little shock up my spine. Trembles but not in a cold way, I know what an AC feels like, dumbass. It was different!”
“You got shocked?”
“No, it wasn’t electricity, it just felt like-” Skeppy cut himself off as he saw him. Standing tall in heeled boots with too many buckles, the other teen wore black skinny jeans tucked into the boots and a red and gray band tee, tattered around the edges. He had a leather jacket thrown over it, adorned in studs and spikes and what looked like a cartoon demon hand-painted onto the back of it. Around his neck he wore a thick silver chain necklace, both ears adorned with similarly silver studs and spikes, and when he turned back towards Skeppy, he saw that he had a chunky piercing through one eyebrow. They made eye contact, blinking at each other as Techno walked Skeppy forward. His eyes were green, Skeppy could make that out even from a distance. Green eyes and short brown hair that looked fluffy, an odd soft contrast to everything else he had going on.
After a long moment of forming zero coherent thoughts, Skeppy finally pieced together, Whose funeral is he attending? because he was a bitch like that. Immediately afterward, he thought, can it be mine after he steps on me?
“Every time I see you, your boots are taller,” Techno said in a deadpan, his voice raised, and the absolute masterpiece of a man holding Skeppy’s attention laughed. Oh God, he had the most contagious laugh Skeppy had ever heard in his life, and he found himself giggling softly despite not getting the joke.
“I don’t know what you mean! I’m this height naturally.” The punk - he had to be punk with that get-up, he had to be - said with a grin, adjusting his feet as if it would hide the three-inch heels. His voice was higher than Skeppy was expecting, gentle and playful, intoxicatingly sweet. He wanted to listen to it forever. “It’s nice seeing you, Technoblade.”
“Same to you.” Techno gave him a thin smile. “Where’s Dream?”
It finally clicked in Skeppy’s head that this must be the friend from out of town. In a rush, he stumbled forward, holding out a hand to shake and interrupting the start of his answer. “I’m Techno and Dream’s friend, Skeppy! Nice to meet you! I love your jacket.”
The other teen blinked, startled, then returned the handshake. Skeppy realized he wore rings, heavy and silver, as they pressed into his palm. “You too. I’m Badboyhalo, but you can call me Bad or Halo.”
“What, not Badboy? What if I wanted to call you that?” Skeppy smirked, tilting his head and glancing him up and down. “It would definitely fit.”
Bad laughed, that melodic sound again. Skeppy could die. “You can if you’d like, sure. I like being a bad boy.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“Bad,” Techno cut in. “Dream?”
Bad startled as if he had forgotten Techno was there in the few seconds of eye contact with Skeppy. Honestly, Skeppy sort of had as well. “Oh, muffins, sorry. He’s going to the bathroom quickly, he’ll be right out.”
Skeppy stared for a moment. “Muffins?”
“It’s something I say, I don’t like swearing.” Bad gave him a cheerful smile. “I know, it’s odd considering my whole look, but it’s just how I am. You can laugh if you want to.”
“No, no, I don’t want. I was just wondering,” Skeppy stumbled over his reply, looking at Techno. Techno, who knew exactly what his soulmate tattoo said. He had seen it several times, puzzled over the ‘oh muffins’ just as much as Skeppy had. Techno had to have made the same connection he had immediately, he was a genius.
His friend smirked back at him.
That bitch knew.
“Techno! Skeppy! Hey!” a new voice cut in, Dream half-skipping over from whatever alcove nearby the bathrooms were tucked into. “You guys found us! I’m surprised, this mall is huge, I said food court for a reason.”
“Human GPS,” Techno replied, waving. “Skeppy has your choker.”
Skeppy nodded, pulling it out of his bag again and offering it to his friend. He grinned, taking it with a thumbs up. Dream was nearly as colorful as Skeppy was, though clearly, he was trying to focus on neon green today. He had a green raccoon tail extension clipped into his blonde hair, swooping down to cover his right eye. He wore a face mask made out of kandi beads, sky blue and fiery orange alternating with black in a checkerboard pattern, and his plain black t-shirt and jeans were overwhelmed with rows upon rows of kandi bracelets and necklaces. Though many were rainbow or blue or orange, for the most part, they were eye-searing green. Without a moment’s hesitation, he unclipped the choker he just got from Skeppy, looping it around his neck and clipping it back into place. He bounced on his heels and the plastic rainbow chains dangling from his belt jingled against each other.
“Thanks, man, awesome! I’ll make a new one soon that you can keep.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Skeppy said but Dream waved him off.
“No, please, I insist. I can make it so it jingles when you walk too, with bells and stuff. It’d be fun.” Dream’s eyes crinkled in the corners, showing that he was smiling. Skeppy bit his lip. “Please, it gives me an excuse to procrastinate my homework.”
“Dream!” Bad scolded and Skeppy laughed, nodding eagerly.
“Sure, Dream, you can make me a choker.”
“Yes!” Dream pumped his fist and Bad groaned, whacking him over the back of his head.
“No! Do your homework!”
“That isn’t very anti-establishment of you, Bad,” Techno droned, starting the walk away. The rest of them followed him without question. “I think Dream should just skip school entirely. Stick it to the man.”
“Fuck yeah, I should.”
“Language!” Bad huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. Skeppy wondered how he did that without stabbing himself on all those spikes. Maybe he just didn’t care. Or his jacket was thick enough that he didn’t notice. “Dream still needs to graduate, he’s gotten this far. He can stick it to the man once he gets his GED.”
“We can’t all go to college like you, Bad,” Dream joked and Skeppy blinked.
“You’re in college?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m a freshman. I graduated high school last year.” Bad grinned. Skeppy felt his heart skip a beat.
He was hot and older and maybe his soulmate. Fuck.
“Hey, Bad, can you take Skeppy to Claire’s while Dream and I check out Spencers?” Techno asked. Skeppy’s eyes went wide, glancing back at him, and Techno gave him a sly wink. “I promised him I’d take him but I think he’ll try and talk me into buying him frilly hair clips so I’m not going in there.”
“Oh, sure! I don’t like Spencers anyways, it’s so… vulgar.” Bad rolled his eyes and Dream snickered. “Dream, if you see any black wallet chains or anything else you think I’d like, can you grab them? I’ll pay you back later, promise.”
“You got it.” Dream gave him a thumbs up then started bouncing off, chatting Techno’s ear off. Skeppy slowed to a stop, glancing at Bad, who was already looking back at him.
“I uh, like your outfit, by the way,” Bad said after a moment of quiet. “It’s a lot of color. Not really my style, but I’ve always liked cute things.”
Oh muffins, that is a lot of color.
Skeppy preened at the compliment, looking around to orientate himself before starting off towards Claire’s. “I’m a cute thing?”
Bad spluttered, his cheeks flushing red, and Skeppy laughed. “No- I mean- you’re fine but your outfit is cute! That’s all I mean!”
“Well, you look like you’re going to a funeral,” he replied, jabbing a finger into Bad’s side. He yelped, batting his hands away.
“I get that a lot,” Bad said with a sigh, his cheeks still red. Skeppy poked at him again and he grabbed his wrist, holding it tightly. Skeppy could feel his own face darken with a blush. “My soulmate tattoo says that, actually.”
“Really?” Skeppy’s grin grew wider, his spine straightening at the admission. Holy shit, Bad really was his soulmate. “Nothing about you stepping on them?”
“What?! No!” Bad half-shrieked, scandalized. Skeppy would be relieved if he hadn’t just thrown himself under the bus with that. “Why in the world would it say that?”
“Hey, wanna know what mine says?” Skeppy tugged the arm that Bad was still holding on to, reaching around with his other arm to poke at his bicep. “Wanna know? Huh? Huh?”
“Skeppy-!”
“It says, ‘oh muffins, that is a lot of color’, and the ‘lot’ is underlined, and it’s written in like, the world’s cutest handwriting. Do you dot your i’s with hearts?”
Bad slowed to a stop, blinking at him. Skeppy giggled.
“It says- you- show me?”
“My sleeve doesn’t roll up high enough. You show me yours!”
Skeppy laughed, delighted, and Bad let go of his wrist with a mechanical movement. He moved slowly, as if it were a trap but he trusted Skeppy enough to go along with it. He untucked his shirt from his belt, pulling it up and twisting to show his hip. There, in black graffiti-style font with a bright blue drop-shadow, were the words ‘Whose funeral is he attending?’
“Sorry I’m such an asshole, but you’re probably better off, my next thought was-“
“-that you wanted me to step on you,” Bad filled in, face freshly flushed red, and Skeppy gave a sheepish shrug.
“You’re hot.” He tucked his hands into his back pockets, tilting his head, and Bad blinked at him owlishly. “Or handsome, pretty, whatever you prefer.”
“Thank you,” Bad said. He seemed more awkward now, fumbling as he tucked in his shirt, looking at Skeppy like he was seeing a ghost. “That’s… you… Oh, gosh, I go back to school tomorrow. Muffins. Can you drive? I can drive. How far are you willing to drive?”
“Are you trying to ask me on a date?” Skeppy teased. Bad rubbed the back of his neck, eyes sliding away, and he bounced on his heels. “If so, yes. I’d drive anywhere if you wanted me to. How far is your campus? I’ll make sure to time it so we can spend the whole day together, I don’t care if I get home at 3 am.”
“I will. You are not going home at 3 am, that’s dangerous. I’ll have you home by 10,” Bad replied with a grumpy grumble. He hesitated, then lowered his hand from his neck to fidget with his rings. He pulled off one and handed it to Skeppy. “Here. Take this. I don’t have any kandi cuffs on right now, so-“
“Aw!” Skeppy gasped in delight, slipping it onto his ring finger. He scrambled to pull off a red and blue bracelet in return, offering it back to him. Bad moved to grab it and Skeppy snatched his wrist, stepping closer and sliding it onto Bad’s arm for him. Bad’s hand was warm in his. “PLUR forever or whatever. I’m not in rave culture, I’m kidcore actually. That’s so cute though.”
“Oh, my bad.” Bad laughed and Skeppy grinned up at him. He really should’ve worn his platforms today. “Are you gonna let go of my hand now?”
“Nope!” Skeppy laced their fingers together, pulling him as he started walking again. “This is officially our first date! To Claire’s!”
“Oh. Okay.” Bad laughed, scrambling to follow him. “To Claire’s.”
He squeezed Skeppy’s hand once and again, Skeppy felt that almost electric chill run up his spine. He gave a breathless giggle and squeezed back, his heart fluttering in delight.