Chapter Text
Galo felt the stare of the clerk keenly as he paid for his groceries. He met the young man’s eyes staunchly, a silent dare for the man to say out loud what Galo knew he was thinking.
Is this guy a Burnish?
No, Galo wasn’t a Burnish. No, he wasn’t going to spontaneously explode into a fireball and obliterate the building no matter what the colour of his eyes were.
Up until he was six years old, Galo’s life had been mundane. He’d been born with two different-coloured eyes, which was not unusual. One eye colour was his, and the other was his soulmate’s. When he met his soulmate, their irises would turn their natural colour.
In Galo’s case, that meant his eyes would be blue. Galo was certain of that. His soulmate’s natural eye colour was brown. Normally, that wouldn’t have been so obvious, but something had happened during Galo’s first year of school that had changed everything for him, and given him an insight into the identity of his soulmate that he could have done without.
Galo’s brown eye had turned a cherry blossom pink. That could mean only one thing. His soulmate was a Burnish.
Ever since then, Galo had gotten wary stares from anyone who saw his eyes. He was sick and tired of having to explain that he wasn’t a Burnish. He was sick and tired of having to show his drivers’ licence to prove it.
Children had taunted him mercilessly in school, attempting to goad him into setting himself aflame. His teachers had watched him like he was a bomb about to go off. The parents of his classmates had told their children to keep away from him, as if being Burnish was a contagious disease that Galo was carrying around.
Worse still were the people who pitied him. They seemed to think that Galo’s future prospects of love were doomed.
During his school years, Galo had hated his unknown soulmate. He’d felt that it was unfair of that person to place such a heavy burden on his shoulders, like it had been that person’s fault for becoming Burnish. Over time, however, Galo had become resigned to the knowledge that his soulmate was one of the Burnish.
Maybe his soulmate was one of the decent Burnish, the ones who were just trying to live their lives. Not all Burnish were terrorists. Just enough were to give the entire group a bad name.
Galo was just reaching to take his grocery bag when a loud crash startled him. Galo turned to see the front window of the shop exploding in a cascade of glass. The cause was very obvious. Some lunatic had driven a motorcycle through the window.
That was kind of unnecessary, Galo thought as he ducked and covered his head. They could’ve just used the front door like everyone else did.
Other customers and staff were ducking for cover as well. The motorcycle landed on the floor and its rider dismounted.
They were covered from head to toe in gleaming, dark purple armour. Burnish, Galo realised with mounting annoyance. Mad Burnish. He’d been unlucky enough to get mixed up in one of their supply runs, he supposed.
He’d be okay if he just kept his head down. The Mad Burnish were here for supplies, not to make a statement. If they’d wanted to make a statement, they would’ve picked a more political target, not a corner grocery store.
The rider’s fellow Burnish streamed in behind him—at least, Galo assumed it was a him. The form in the armour looked masculine. And definitely intimidating. Despite that, Galo couldn’t take his eyes off him. He felt as if he knew that person, as if he’d met the armoured stranger before.
Which was crazy, because he’d definitely never met that person before.
Galo’s foreign eye itched, and he wondered if something had gotten in it. Not glass, but maybe some other small piece of debris?
“Everybody, stay down!”
The motorcycle rider’s voice was deep and authoritative. Galo assumed he was the leader. He remained near his motorcycle while the other armoured Burnish made for the store shelves, bags in hand.
Galo kept his eyes on the leader, daring to raise his head higher to get a good look. Near him, he heard the clerk whimper.
The leader kept scanning the store, as if he were looking for anyone who dared to step out of line. Occasional sparks of teal fire danced along his armour, as if it simply couldn’t be contained.
The leader looked directly at Galo, and Galo felt his eye sting. He brought his hand up to cover it. His stomach churned as an upsetting realisation began to form in his mind.
He’d heard that the colour-changing process wasn’t entirely pleasant for everyone. Some people experienced mild irritation, like an allergic reaction. Some people felt as though something had stuck them in the eye.
The leader turned away, lowering his head. He lifted his hand to his mask.
That confirmed it. Galo cursed silently as the stinging in his eye eased. He glanced around, seeking a reflective surface. Finding none, he got out his phone and used the camera to check the colour of his eyes.
As he’d suspected, the eye that had been pink since Galo was six had turned blue.
The leader straightened. He turned his masked face in Galo’s direction, and Galo sensed that he was staring right at Galo through his mask.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Galo muttered to himself.
This Mad Burnish was his soulmate. His soulmate was a terrorist.
The armoured leader gestured to a nearby comrade and spoke to them briefly before he strode toward Galo. His steps were purposeful.
Galo had an urge to find a weapon, to defend himself, but all he had were his groceries, which wouldn’t do the job. Not when the Mad Burnish could turn this entire building into an inferno.
Galo rose to his feet, determined to face the Burnish on even ground. He refused to allow himself to be intimidated. All of the pent-up anger and resentment he’d felt toward this man throughout his life bubbled to the surface and stayed there like oil on water.
The Burnish stopped in front of him and examined him. Galo didn’t say anything, but he glared back.
Much to Galo’s surprise, the Burnish reached up and lifted his mask. The face revealed beneath was young and pale, surrounded by blond hair. And the eyes were cherry blossom pink.
Galo stared, captivated. The Burnish’s pretty face was in complete contrast to the intimidating armour he was wearing.
“Shit,” the Mad Burnish leader said with feeling, and Galo had to agree. This was clearly going to be a massive inconvenience for both of them.