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It was just common knowledge at this point that whatever deities were watching determined your soulmates at birth. A flower was assigned to you, matching with one other person. A very specific kind of flower, because there were a lot of people.
Around the age of high school people usually went hard on trying to find out who their soulmates were. Typically (well, since they were destined for each other) they lived in a very similar area.
Grian had been a B+ student usually, but he loved art history and biology and thus did better in those classes. Strange combination, yes. But he was mostly focused on improving his GPA rather than finding a future lover. If they met, they met. He didn’t care about trying to find the other person in this world with a California Poppy on their wrist.
Now Grian was a whole college graduate and he still hadn’t found his soulmate. Which… expected because he’d gone to college away from home.
Home - yeah, that was what he was procrastinating. Packing to go back to his hometown for a week. Now that he’d seen the world outside of Evo village, did he really want to move back? When the world of Hermittopia was at his feet, a winding path he had yet to explore fully.
But on the other hand, he had no one here. Even his soulmate would be at home.
He did want to see his sister though (and possibly push her to apply for Hermittopia college). He had a comfortable apartment, making enough to pay rent on it and live alone. At home there’d be people prying into his things, asking about getting a girlfriend, a “real home”, a promotion.
And they wouldn’t listen no matter how much he explained: his apartment was home to him, no matter how small it seemed by their standards. He didn’t want a girlfriend right now. Or ever. This was an established fact: Grian Moon was not into women (that much).
-+-
The autumn chill was starting to set in, meaning that Grian could finally pull out his slightly-oversized red sweater. The sleeves did this perfect little thing where they crumpled at the ends and quite frankly it was extremely comfortable and he’d wear it in July if he could.
7:30 in the morning was the perfect time to grab a nice warm coffee. He was an early bird.
Literally. He was a bird hybrid.
Stepping into the quaint coffee shop by the bus stop, he lifted his face up to enjoy the warmth before walking to the counter to order. The door’s bell tinkled behind him.
“Can I get… a medium caramel macchiato to go? With extra caramel sauce please!”
“No problem. That’ll be five diamonds please, order will be ready at the counter. Can I get a name for that?”
“Grian is fine,” he replied, inserting his credit card into the card scanner. The barista smiled at him briefly, writing his name on the ticket. Probably. If they didn’t get it horribly wrong.
He took a few steps to the counter, leaning on it and tapping his foot to the song stuck in his head (a good one this morning. It was better than yesterday, which was Timlor Swift).
In the quiet shop, there wasn’t much to do, so he couldn’t help overhearing the conversation with the person that had walked in after him. Order: a pumpkin spice latte (wow amazing).
“That’s six diamonds please, can I get a name for that?”
“Scar.” The momentary sound of a pen scratching on paper and rummaging through a pocket. “Um… I’m sorry, I only have four with me… of course I forgot my wallet.” ‘Scar’ sounded embarrassed, Grian felt a weird pang of sympathy for him. He shifted his eyes over to subtly watch the conversation.
“Would you like to change or cancel your order?” The barista asked kindly. “We have other coffees for cheaper. Seasonal things always run for more.”
“Um… that’s fine. I guess I’ll take…”
“He can take a pumpkin spice latte,” Grian interrupted, walking over.
“I’m two short, I can’t.” Scar explained. Grian shrugged, reaching into his pocket and taking out two diamonds. He extended his hand, the coins sitting in his open palm.
“I’ve got it.”
“I can’t take that! It’s my own stupidity.”
“You deserve it.”
“You don’t know me, how can you say that so confidently?” Scar murmured, crossing his arms tightly.
“It’s not like you’re a serial killer or something like that, right?” The man shook his head, smiling slightly. “Well, then you probably deserve it.”
“I feel bad though.”
“Look,” Grian started firmly, “taking it doesn’t make you a terrible person. I can afford it. And it’s just a one-off thing. Everyone forgets their wallet sometimes. I did that the other day and was so tired I can’t begin to tell you. Enjoy life for a bit.”
“Well… okay. Thank you so much… what was your name?”
“Grian,” he replied with a smile. He was still holding the coins, so he gestured for Scar to take them.
“Thanks so much.” Scar said again, reaching out to take them. For a brief moment, Grian could see the flower tattoo on his wrist.
Wait- before he could think of some excuse or even quickly retract his hand, Scar’s fingers grazed his palm, taking the money.
A warm tingling feeling started, starting in his palm and spreading to his fingertips.
“Hey-” Grian started desperately- “what was your flower?”
“A California poppy, why?” Scar asked, setting the two coins on the counter along with the four of his own. He doesn’t notice. Not that it would stop the ritual.
“I think we might be-”
Around both of their wrists, a glowing golden thread started, winding its way around their hands and through their fingers, the ends meeting in the middle, tying a secure knot.
“…soulmates.” Grian finished. As if the finding-ceremony had not just occurred.
“Oh.” The thread faded, being made of light, but Grian still felt like there was a physical string connecting them. Not on his wrist, but in his chest.
The coffee shop was silent, the only few customers there too busy watching silently.
Wow, really wish people would stop staring right about now. Can someone at least make a sound?
As if on cue, someone broke the intense moment with very awkward applause. Grian sighed in embarrassment, cocooning himself in his brightly colored wings. Through the curtain, he heard Scar laugh slightly.
“So uh… now that we’ve Found each other… can I get your number?”
Grian blinked in disbelief.
“Are you flirting with me?” Scar shrugged.
“I may as well, right?” He replied, a cheeky smile blossoming on his face. Grian sighed again through his nose.
This was what he was in for now. And he wasn’t too mad.