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Soulmates had become a normal part of this world. Your soulmate's first words to you would be written in black on your wrist. When you finally spoke to each other, the words would glow and change to white before your eyes. They would change to red once you fell in love.
But that didn't mean you could just become a horrible person and expect to still have someone to love you. If you ever became incompatible with your soulmate, the words would vanish, and there would never be any new ones to replace it.
Nathaniel always stared at the words he had gotten with amazement. They were compliments about his art. It was actually what kick-started his interest in drawing.
He was always trying to show his art to new people because of them, but he never got any results until an unfamiliar student walked into the art club.
Mr. Monlataing walked Marc over to him, Alix interrupting his introduction before he shut her up with a thrown paper ball.
“Welcome Marc. As you'll find out, the good thing about this place is you can say whatever you want and no one will judge you, or only in good fun.”
Marc looked startled before getting distracted by the papers in front of him, coming closer, “I... I saw your drawings on the school website, but they're nothing compared to the real thing. The movement, the expressions, the attitudes.”
Nathaniel gasped, “You-” He was cut off by a glow shining from his sleeve.
The two of them froze, before looking at their wrists in unison, staring at the illuminated words.
Both boys stared at each other, eyes wide.
"We're… Soulmates?"
---
Marc grew more panicked as more days passed without his words turning red.
He had caught a glimpse of Nathaniel's words, which had already turned red. But his words were still stark white against his skin.
Granted, it had only been two weeks since they met, but if Marc had fallen in love with Nathaniel, the other should be with him!
He couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy each time he saw Nathaniel blush at something someone else said. That should be him, right? He should be the one making his soulmate go red like that.
This thought process escalated until he was scowling at anyone who dared to approach Nathaniel. He shouldn't, he knows that, but he still does it anyways.
It was only a matter of time before Nathaniel noticed and dragged him to a closet in the school so they could talk in private.
"Why do you keep doing that?" Nathaniel questioned, "Everyone keeps saying you glare at them when they get near me."
Marc wrapped his arms around himself, looking at the ground, ashamed. "I-I-"
Nathaniel held Marc's face in his hands, trying to ground him back to reality, "Hey, talk to me."
Marc gave a small sob, "I.. I know we're soulmates. But I'm still scared you're going to realize that you can do better. I'm terrified of waking up one day and your words will be gone."
Nathaniel bit his lip, retracting his hands, “Marc, I’m sorry, but… I can’t fall in love in such a short time.”
Marc sniffled, wiping his eyes, “I-I get it. I know it’s selfish, expecting you to love me immediately.”
“Maybe, if you give me a little more time, I could grow into-”
“No,” Marc sighed, “It’s not right to force you into loving me just because we have words from an unknown deity or something." He stared Nathaniel in the eyes, "Fall in love with whoever you want. I'll be fine if it's not me." Marc's surprised he could say that without stuttering, considering how much his heart hurt just thinking of that possibility.
Nathaniel's eyes widened, seemingly not expecting that. His expression softened, "Thank you."
When Marc got home later that night, he noticed his words had a faint pink tint to them.