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“Scooby! Slow down!”
The chocolate-colored Yorkie continued its veering path off the sidewalk. Sapnap was yanked to the side while still struggling to keep a hold on the other leashes. The dogs in his possession were trudging forward down the street. Though the rest kept on the path Sapnap had set, they practically dragged him along. He stumbled and tripped on his way back to the apartments.
As a part-time dog walker, Sapnap was used to the struggle of wrangling his client’s less than well-behaved animals. However, today was more difficult than usual. His morning had been spent running late to his 8 am class, his desk-mate spilling their coffee all over him, and a big fat F on his last exam. His professor had kept him after class to let him know that if he failed one more exam, he would fail the class.
Sapnap had moped along for the rest of the day. The next two classes he’d attended had passed at a slower rate than he would have liked, and with his growing stress, he felt like he was about to boil over.
But he still had a job to do. To pay his bills and support his stress snacking on $8 croissant sandwiches, he got a job as a dog walker. It was a slow business for the first couple of months. He’d had to sleep on the floor of his studio apartment throughout his freshman year of school.
Then one day, when Sapnap was walking to class, he spotted an old lady struggling to cross the street. Now Sapnap, having been raised in Texas on old-fashioned manners, disregarded his potential tardiness to class and went to assist the lady.
He’d approached and offered her his arm, she’d accepted with a grateful hum and let him escort her across the traffic stop. They stopped at the other side and Sapnap removed himself from the woman’s grasp and bid her farewell. But then she stopped him.
“You’re a nice young man. I don’t meet many these days.”
“Well thank you, ma’am. My mother never would have forgiven me if I’d seen you in need and done nothing.”
“Oh, how sweet. I wish the young man working for me was as thoughtful. He always shows up late with an attitude. And my poor dogs. They come back muddy every week.”
“Dogs?”
“Yes. I have two dogs. A little dachshund and a pomeranian. My walker takes them out every other day for me but I plan to cut back his hours since he does such a terrible job.”
“Oh.” Sapnap felt an opportunity on the horizon. “I’m a dog walker.”
He tried to feign a look of innocence with his slight suggestion but was met with the old woman’s jubilance.
“Really? Oh, how wonderful. When can you start?”
Sapnap gaped. Well that was easy.
And so began his stint of long walks and longer hours. But it was all worth it.
The old lady, as it turned out, was rich. Like really rich. She lived on the upper side of town in a building filled with high-priced condos. Why she had been on the lower side of town where the college was? Sapnap still didn’t know. But he thanked the Lord every day. The woman was not cheap and loved Sapnap. So much in fact that she recommended him to all her neighbors. All her rich neighbors.
Sapnap began walking the dogs of most of the residents of the building. He had a packed schedule that his clients fought to book. He spent every day taking a bus to the upper side to walk the dogs. About five or six per trip. He’d even befriended the doorman, who held the door open for him during his strenuous departures and arrivals to the building. Because, although he thought himself an excellent dog walker, dogs were still dogs.
A thought Sapnap had when he got to the front of the building, circus of mutts in hand.
Sweat dripped down the back of his neck despite the biting cold of the midday air. He couldn’t wait to take a shower when he got home, but that would still be pushed back until after he took the six dogs back to their respective apartments and then got on the bus for his 30-minute ride back to the lower side.
He sighed, let’s make this quick.
Sapnap stepped up to the glass double doors and paused. Where was Marcus the doorman?
He peered inside, frowning when he saw no one at the front desk either. Then he remembered what Marcus had told him yesterday. He would be moving his lunch break up an hour so that he and his soulmate, Jess, could get lunch. Jess also just so happened to be the front desk lady.
Sapnap had been privy to their first meeting. A wonderful moment that each person anticipates in their own right. He had been walking dogs for the building’s tenants for about a week and was entering the doors just as the doorman had clocked in for work. The man had walked around the corner, greeting Sapnap with a smile, when his eyes locked with Jess’s. She had also been in the middle of welcoming Sapnap in, introducing herself on her first day of work. Her hazel eyes had jumped from Sapnap to Marcus’s and almost visibly sparkled. They both froze and Sapnap remembers freezing himself. The situation slowly dawned on him as a smile crept on his face. He had left the two to talk, but as he’d entered the elevator and turned back to them tentatively introducing themselves, he'd had a thought.
He couldn’t wait to meet his soulmate.
His existence as a lonely, lowly college student was unsustaining. Sapnap either needed to find his soulmate or graduate tomorrow otherwise he’d go out of his mind from boredom and numbness.
But no one could wish their soulmate into their life. It was just something he’d have to wait for and long for. And he did oh so long for them. His soulmate.
Sapnap sighed and reached for the door handle to let himself into the building. The double doors were always more convenient to get the brood of canines through, but on his own today, he’d have to make do with just one.
Or not.
As the door was pushed open with one hand, the other wrapped in leather leashes was yanked roughly. The dogs burst through into the lobby, Sapnap in tow. He yelped at the abruptness of the action.
“Ranger! Arnold! Sit!” He yelled at the dalmatian and husky leading the way.
He practically sprinted to catch up with the dogs, but when he did, he ran right into Ranger. Who had listened and sat. Sapnap gasped as he tried not to step on the dog, only causing him to stumble back into the german shepherd that halted to his left when they’d reached the elevators.
Balance stolen from him, Sapnap went plummeting to the floor. Luckily he neglected to land on any of the dogs, but that was only a relief for a moment. When Sapnap blinked up at the ceiling and groaned at the fall, he was immediately rushed upon by slobbering blobs of fur.
The dogs lunged onto Sapnap, trampling him in an attempt to lick all over his body. Sapnap let out a surprised scream and curled into himself to hide his face from the excited tongues prodding at him.
He didn’t know how long he was huddled in the fetal position on the floor of the lobby, but the moment was suddenly broken by a commanding shout.
In an instant, the air around him became easier to breathe and he took haggard breaths while his vision refocused. Leather shoes came into view as he registered a voice gracing his ears.
“Are you alright?”
Sapnap was startled at being addressed.
“Huh?”
“I asked if you’re alright? You don’t look mauled but that must not have been a fun experience.” The voice tried again, this time Sapnap hearing and huffing out a small laugh.
“All part of the job.”
A light chuckle was heard in response. “So you are alright?”
Sapnap breathed out a long breath before beginning to sit up, face still downcast as he looked himself over.
“Yeah, I think so. My hip hurts a bit from the fall, but other than that, everything is pretty intact.”
He paused as the man’s presence fully resonated in his mind. “Everything aside from my dignity.”
The man did laugh then. A lovely, yet painful sounding wheeze erupted from above Sapnap. It made him smile despite himself.
“No shame in getting taken down by some dogs. Especially this bunch. I’ve seen my neighbors wrangle them from time to time. They can be a handful.”
Neighbors? So this guy lives here?
Sapnap nearly face palmed. Of course he lives here. Why else would he be here?
He looked around himself from his place on the floor. The dogs he’d just been heavily harassed and humbled by were sitting politely in a circle around him. Had this guy done that?
Seeming to notice Sapnap’s line of thinking, the man cleared his throat.
“I love dogs. I don’t have one of my own, but when I visit my neighbors I get to spend some time with these guys.”
Sapnap could hear the fondness in his voice.
“They must like you a lot if they’re that obedient. I wish I could relate.”
“I think they’ll warm up to you. Overtime. You are that dog walker I’ve heard so much about right?”
Sapnap flushed slightly, eyes downcast once again. “Yup.”
“Great to meet you.” Came a bright greeting.
“Y-yeah you too.” Sapnap finally got up onto his knees and tried to stand. Only to grunt in pain and fall back down.
“Ouch.” He said quietly, but the man seemed to hear.
A hand was suddenly dangled in his vision.
“Looks like you need a hand there. Let me help?”
Sapnap couldn’t help but stare for a moment, caught off guard. Then, shoving his hesitancy to the back of his mind, he took the hand. A firm grasp warmed his own, and he was pulled gently to his feet.
He let the grip steady him as he dusted himself off. Taking a moment to collect himself before finally facing the kind stranger.
“Thank you. I promise I’m not usually this much of a mess…”
He trailed off as he lifted his head. All thoughts and surroundings left him as his eyes reached the man’s.
The sight of emerald exploded in his vision. A firework of vibrance shot through him. His breathing shallowed and his heart rate spiked. Magnificent flecks of gold and swatches of sparkling shamrock and pine swirled together. No other wonder could be fathomed beyond the one before him.
“Wow.”
He’d thought he’d said it. He certainly would have meant it if he had. But when he dared to let his eyes focus on the rest of the beauty in his sights, he found a gorgeous man peering at him in the same light. He had blond hair that caught the light and reflected it back around him like a halo, and tanned skin that rivaled Sapnap’s own from dog walking.
“You’re- wow.” He repeated.
Sapnap blushed under the attention.
“You’re not too bad yourself.” He said, cringing at his underwhelming ability to socialize with pretty people. Though the man didn’t seem to mind.
“Beautiful. You- I- what’s your name?” He asked, eyes wide and still locked on Sapnap’s. Utterly unwavering.
“S-sapnap.” He couldn’t keep his nerves down. Not now that he knew he was in the presence of his soulmate. “And your name?”
“Sapnap.” The man replied like he was testing the feel of it on his tongue. “That’s lovely.”
Then he jolted. Like he’d realized he’d been in a trance.
“Sorry. You asked my name? I’m Dream.”
How fitting.
Sapnap had dreamt of this moment since he’d learned what soulmates were. And now it was finally happening. He was meeting his soulmate- in the lobby of an apartment building surrounded by dogs. He’d laugh at the circumstances later.
“Would you like to get a drink?” Dream’s voice jostled him back to the present.
The raven’s eyes widened. The request shocked his system at the implications. Was he being asked out?
“Umm…I can’t.”
“Oh- right I understand. I forgot a lot of people aren’t interested in soulmates. I'm so sorry for assuming.” Dream scrambled to backtrack. Even taking a physical step back that had Sapnap rushing forward to grasp at his hand again.
“No! No, I am!” He clung to the blond with desperation. “I just meant I can’t drink. I-I’m only 20.”
He felt a bit awkward and out of place holding a stranger’s hand in the middle of a lobby, but when Dream turned a hesitant gaze back on him, he felt a warmth engulf the both of them.
“Really?”
“Yes.” Sapnap gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
“So you are interested in soulmates?” He clarified with a nervous bite of his lip that stole Sapnap’s attention.
“Yeah- yes. I absolutely am. It’s actually kind of embarrassing how much I’ve thought about meeting you- well my soulmate. Not like I knew it was you. Course now that I know it is you then-”
He cut himself off when he noticed the soft smile adorning Dream’s peach-pink lips.
“You’re cute when you ramble.”
The raven sucked in a breath, cheeks flushing immediately.
“A-am I not cute the rest of the time?” He stuttered but kept eye contact with that entrancing emerald.
“From what I’m seeing you’re always cute. That is when you’re not busy being a total knockout.”
If Sapnap’s cheeks didn’t resemble a tomato before, he knew they did now.
“Thanks.” He choked out. “You’re hot.”
He wanted the floor to open up and swallow him.
Dream wheezed again, eyes crinkling at the corners and smile brightening. Sapnap couldn’t argue with himself. The man was hot. Probably the most attractive person Sapnap had ever seen. Lucky him huh?
“I appreciate that, darling.” The blond replied after he’d collected himself. “So you can’t drink yet?”
Sapnap swooned at the pet name but decided to freak out about it later.
“Uh no sorry. My birthday isn’t for another three weeks.”
“Umm. Well, make sure to tell me exactly when it is later now. I've been waiting to spoil my soulmate.” He brought Sapnap’s hand, which was still holding his, up to his lips and kissed it gently. “As for right now, could I help you get this lot back home then maybe you could come to my place? I’d like to get to know you as soon as possible.”
Sapnap looked at the dogs still sitting beside them then back at Dream. He was about to accept the offer but froze.
“...So by ‘get to know each other’ you mean…?”
Dream tilted his head in confusion and then he gasped.
“No- I only meant talk not-” He gripped both of Sapnap’s hands now and held them to his chest. “I want to get to know you for who you are Sapnap. I want to know about your childhood and your life in the city. Most importantly, I want to take this slow. I’ve waited a long time to have you in my life, but I don’t wish to rush this. I want our connection to be more true than just written by fate. I want you to want to be with me.”
Sapnap eyes watered at the sentiment. He felt the same about the man before him, and though he really wouldn’t have minded getting his hands on his soulmate with the infatuated bliss he already felt, he also thought it best that they take their time to get to know each other.
“That’s lovely Dream.” He stepped closer to him, now staring up at a freckled face filled with adoration. “I want that too.”
They shared a look between them. One of hope and excitement. They saw the future before them. It promised happiness and understanding despite its mystery.
“So is that a yes?”
Sapnap thought for a moment then sighed.
“As much as I would like to, I’d prefer not to have our first shared evening while I’m sweating and covered in dog hair.”
That might have been too much information, however, Sapnap already felt like he could tell Dream anything.
Said man gave a knowing chuckle.
“That’s fair. How about tomorrow morning? I can pick you up for coffee if you’d like.”
Sapnap nodded with a smile.
“If you don’t mind driving to the lower side of town, that’d be great.”
“I’m sure my driver wouldn’t mind.”
Oh? A driver. No, that's completely normal and fine.
“Awesome.” Sapnap smiled.
“Awesome.” Dream smiled back.
“Let’s go Scooby, Arnold. Time to go home.” Dream suddenly said, raising his voice and turning to the awaiting mutts.
They sprang to their feet. Some sniffed at Sapnap while others trotted off after Dream who was pressing the elevator button.
He watched as they waited calmly for a moment as the elevator arrived, then they piled in after Dream.
They never listened that well when Sapnap took them back up.
“You coming?”
Sapnap snapped his head back to the blond, who had his arm in front of the doors, keeping them open.
“I’m hoping you’ll let me take you home as well after this. If you live on the lower side of town, I don’t want you to have to wait for the bus in this weather.”
Sapphire eyes now stared in marvel at the gorgeous, considerate man before him.
His soulmate.
The day might not have started the best, but Sapnap knew that from now on, things would only get better.