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The morning of Yata’s birthday came, and Yata greeted the day with a loud groan and a mumbled “five more minutes” while simultaneously hitting the snooze button. He was alone in his dorm, but that didn’t stop him from talking to inanimate objects. It was more fun that way; at the very least, he could forget about being soulmate-less for a few seconds.
When the alarm rang again he shot up out of bed and stumbled due to the lack of blood flowing in his body. His vision blurred for a couple seconds before he was able to function normally, and he set out to do his morning routine. He put on his Scepter 4 uniform and walked out of the apartment as normally as he could. He was 21 today!
Now, Yata had no clue why being 21 also meant that he was a real adult, but it beat being called a child any day. Sure, he was pretty small for his age, but he was the brawn of the small team he was a part of. He could kick any Strain’s ass - with a little help of his team, of course. While having muscle and flexibility was a great trait to have in his line of work, it always helped to have someone with a well-nurtured brain to back him up.
“Yo.” Fushimi, his ‘partner’ greeted him apathetically when Yata entered their lounging area. He wasn’t the nicest in the small team of five, but he was the closest person to a ‘friend’ Yata had. Their personalities didn’t mix very well, but Yata still enjoyed being around the gloomy guy. They were introduced to each other when Scepter 4 decided to form a small special operations team and stuck them together almost immediately. It took a lot of coaxing to get Fushimi to even acknowledge Yata, but it wasn’t long before Yata could successfully get Fushimi to greet him in the mornings. On some occasions they’d also have real conversations!
Since their introduction, they’ve always been together, mostly because Yata was uncomfortable with sticking around the other three for too long and Fushimi didn’t know how to socialize correctly. The other three all had found their own soulmates, and surprisingly two of them were each other’s soulmates. It was nice watching them all happy and compassionate, but it took a toll on Yata sometimes. Fushimi, however, could care less about it.
“Yo!” Yata called out in his usual cheerful tone of voice. The other three in their group had yet to arrive. “Why are you here so early?”
Fushimi’s eyes flickered over to Yata, then back at the screen with an accompanying click of his tongue. “Reports.”
“Ah.” And the conversation ended. It wasn’t unusual for any of their conversations to die like that, even though there have been days where they carried a conversation for quite a while.
Before Yata could try again, two more people filed into their rather large room. It was their leisure room, built especially for their group. They were the ones going face-to-face with the Strains most of the time, so it was by Munakata’s orders that they were treated just a little better. They had a lot of things in here, from cable TV to a kitchen, and even a work-friendly bar. There was even a Playstation 4, though they never really used it.
“Yo!” Yata called out, even more cheerful than earlier. Kusanagi Izumo and Awashima Seri walked in, hand in hand, and after a quick survey of their surroundings greeted Yata with a hello and smile. Kusanagi and Awashima were considerably older than Yata; in fact, Yata was barely older than Fushimi.
“Rikio’s going to be in late.” Awashima said to the team. “He has a doctor’s appointment to attend, but he said he’ll be back before lunch.”
They all gave their acknowledgement and, after tossing their long coats onto a coat rack (Fushimi’s coat was already there), they all started to find a place to sit. Fushimi was already seated, but decided to move even further from the rest, which somehow irritated Yata. Awashima and Kusanagi sat side by side on the loveseat that was facing the television set. Their laptops were set on the coffee table in front of them, the power light indicating that they were in sleep mode.
Yata never got to hold a laptop after an incident where he accidentally snapped his in half, effectively losing their needed documents for that month. Ever since then Fushimi was tasked with handling Yata’s reports, which wasn’t very hard to do considering he was the one that ended up doing most, if not all, of the reports in the first place.
For the heck of it, Yata went to sit next to Fushimi, earning a glare of some sort and another click of the tongue. It was silent for a while, and Yata was honestly getting really bored. They were the kind of team that would lounge around until a call about a Strain came in. Paperwork wasn’t a huge issue for them either because they had Fushimi with them. Munakata’s second-in-command, Awashima, lead their group, but for some reason he didn’t call for her today, which usually meant there was nothing going on. He leaned his head onto the bar island in front of him and looked toward Awashima and Kusanagi while listening to the quick tapping of Fushimi’s fingers. They were both seated on barstools in front of the bar island, though their ‘bar’ simply consisted of water and assorted fruit juices, among other snacks.
Yata watched in wonder as Kusanagi drew random patterns on his arm, only to have them also appear on Awashima’s arm. His heart tightened, and he willed the small bite of pain to go away for now.
I can’t be upset. Not here. Not now. He wondered how it’d be to be able to sit next to his partner and draw random patterns on each other’s arms. Was it fun? Romantic, even?
The tapping sounds stopped, and a snap of a laptop closing brought Yata back to reality. Fushimi was done on his laptop and boredly stirring his orange juice. He spared a glance at Yata, knowing well enough that his mood was somehow worsening, but he kept fiddling with the straw in his drink.
“Hey, did you ever find your soulmate?” Yata asked Fushimi. Fushimi looked back at him and shrugged, tossing a glance towards the other two that were in the room.
“Not at all.” He said, bringing his left hand to his right wrist and rubbing it harshly.
Yata noticed, but didn’t bring it up. “Why not?”
“It’s a pain in the ass.”
Yata chuckled. “I guess so.” He said longingly. “I’ve been waiting seven years for mine, after all…”
Fushimi glanced at Yata before turning his attention back to his orange juice.
Yata continued his story, not caring whether or not Fushimi would actually listen. “It’s like, sometimes I’ll write on my wrist, but they never write back. It’s like they’re nonexistent.” He trailed off, clenching his fists. “Am I destined to be alone?”
“Did you try write elsewhere?” Fushimi asked, startling Yata. Fushimi wasn’t really one to continue a conversation.
When Yata recovered he shook his head. “I’m afraid I might bother them.”
Fushimi just sighed and downed his orange juice before setting the glass onto the other side of the island, away from where it might accidentally be knocked over. Yata didn’t bother keeping up the conversation, even though it was a miracle that Fushimi even bothered to keep the conversation alive for more than a single exchange of words. It was weird how Yata always felt really comfortable around Fushimi, no matter how much of a pain in the ass he was most of the time.
I was another two hours before Kamamoto Rikio entered the room in a rush, holding a box.
“Sorry I’m late!” Kamamoto shouted, tossing his coat carelessly onto the rack. “My doctor wouldn’t shut up.” Yata jumped out of his seat and gave Kamamoto a bear hug, careful not to bump into the box.
“Yo!” Yata said for the last time that day, ruffling Kamamoto’s hair. He noticed the small notes on Kamamoto’s arms and almost winced at the sight.
No. Yata thought. It’s my birthday today.
Fushimi saw sadness flash across Yata’s face for a split second, but made no move to ask Yata what was wrong. After their earlier talk, it was obvious that Yata just wanted his soulmate to hurry up and show themselves. Kamamoto set the box on the coffee table after Kusanagi and Awashima cleared their laptops. He opened the box to reveal a small strawberry shortcake with the words “Happy Birthday!” written sloppily over the top. Fushimi didn’t move from his spot, but simply looked on as the rest of the team sort of celebrated Yata’s 21st birthday. He sighed when he remembered that this exact scene will repeat itself in about four months’ time.
The cheerful shouts and singing faded, and after some time Yata handed Fushimi a small plate with a slice of the cake in it. Fushimi took it, fearing what Yata would do if he didn’t, and ate it absentmindedly while flicking his pen in circles around his thumb knuckle. He always made it a point to carry a pen around when he wasn’t carrying his knives in his sleeves. A pen wasn’t as painful as a knife, but it’d buy him some time to escape nonetheless.
The team all sat around the coffee table except him, but he didn’t really care. What he cared about, though, was the way Yata was slowly shrinking into himself with every glance at the markings on everyone else’s skin. Fushimi couldn’t care less about his own soulmate, but watching someone he could consider even somewhat close to him suffering silently because of loneliness was downright irritating him. It was Yata’s birthday today, but Fushimi could tell that Yata isn’t feeling as chirpy as he was a couple hours ago. He waited until Yata came up to Fushimi before confronting him.
“It’ll probably make you feel better,” he said, “if you stopped looking at their markings.”
Yata laughed, almost bitterly. “I can’t really help it if that’s the first thing I see when I look at someone.”
Fushimi clicked his tongue. “Then stop looking at them.”
Yata glared at Fushimi. “I know you don’t care at all about your soulmate, but at least have some sensitivity towards other people’s feelings.”
Fushimi uncapped his pen and poked the back of Yata’s hands a few times in random places. Yata drew his hand back almost immediately. Fushimi raised his eyebrows before putting the cap back on the pen and getting up to get another drink from the other side of the island. When he got another glass of orange juice, he stood right across from Yata, looking him dead in the eye. “Why does it look like you’ve completely given up?”
Yata stared wide-eyed at Fushimi. He was talking an awful lot more than normal, and he had no idea how to react to it. “Give up? What do you mean?”
“You’re scared.” Fushimi looked pointedly at the small dots scattered across the back of Yata’s left hand.
Yata glared at Fushimi. “Well what the hell would you know? Your soulmate is probably depressed as hell right now too, ya know!”
Fushimi looked away. “Like I care.”
Yata spared another glare towards Fushimi before going back to the other three at the coffee table. Today’s work task had appeared on the television, but to everyone’s disappointment there wasn’t any work today. “Well, at least we get paid to laze around.” Yamamoto said before leaning back and relaxing on his recliner.
“I’m going out.” Yata said, grabbing his coat from the rack. “I want some fresh air.” He walked out, and as soon as he did Awashima gave Fushimi a firm look that read follow him. Fushimi sighed, but got up to get his coat and headed out anyways. Yata was the team’s vanguard; if an emergency mission came up without him it’d spell trouble for everyone. He didn’t know Yata enough to guess where he was going, but knowing any depressed child, they’d look for somewhere quiet to go to.
Fushimi wandered over to the nearby park that overlooked the small lake in the middle of the city and, lo and behold, Yata was sitting in front of the railings, feet dangling off the edge. He was leaning his forehead onto the railings, his grip on them was so tight that his knuckles were a ghostly white. Fushimi kept his distance for a few minutes before approaching Yata. He sat next to the redhead, but instead of facing the lake he turned to lean his back onto the railings. He drew a knee up so he could rest an arm on it.
“I don’t like being twenty-one.” Yata said after a moment of silence. “The older I get, the more I feel alone.” Fushimi kept quiet, waiting for Yata to explain himself. “Every time someone tells me happy birthday, it just reminds me I’ve gotten a year older but haven’t found a soulmate yet. I mean, don’t most people find them by their twenties?” Fushimi stayed silent, studying his hands. “It’s said that it’s either they’ve already met or already know they’re each other’s soulmates by that age. My parents found each other at eighteen.”
Fushimi took the pen he was flipping around not too long ago and uncapped it. Hearing the pen being uncapped unnerved Yata, but he didn’t bother to care anymore. “You know,” Fushimi said after another moment of silence, “I’ve never actually seen my wrists in so long.” He turned his arm to examine his wristband. He had one on each wrist, both reaching up to the middle of his forearm. “I’ve always had these on since I was a kid.”
“Even when you shower?”
“I wouldn’t see anything anyways. My eye sight is bad, remember?”
“Oh, right.” Yata sighed.
Fushimi took his free hand and drew a circle on the tip of his right pointer finger. After looking at his hands not too long ago he already knew who his soulmate was. He wrote on the inside of that finger, until the message was complete. He capped the pen again and put it away before hiding his hand. This is even more troublesome than having no soulmate. Fushimi thought to himself.
He glanced at Yata once more before turning away from him. “Hey, check your hand.”
“What?”
“Your hand. Check them.”
Fushimi heard the sound of sweaty hands detaching themselves from metal, and it wasn’t long before Yata gasped and whirled his head to look at Fushimi. “Next to me?” He quickly looked both ways, before realizing that it was just the two of them here. Fushimi clicked his tongue and tossed Yata the pen he had been using. Yata grabbed it, and instead of writing on his own arm he reached out to draw what looked like a bird on Fushimi’s left palm.
Yata felt a weird sensation on his own palm, and when he looked at his palm, the same bird was there.
“… You?” Yata said in disbelief. Fushimi clicked his tongue.
“Idiot, what else do I need to do to make you believe me?”
A smile crossed Yata’s face. He never really thought of Fushimi that way, but somehow it felt right. Ever since their first meeting a year ago it felt like Fushimi was going to be even a little special to Yata.
And now that they had found each other, Yata couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear. Fushimi wanted nothing more than to wipe the grin off of his face, but he let Yata do whatever he wanted to today, because it was his birthday.
“This is great!” Yata said, unable to contain his excitement. “I’d always hoped that my soulmate was some sort of genius, so for it to be you is beyond amazing!” he laughed. “Man, I don’t know what to do now that I’ve found my soulmate….”
Fushimi leaned his head onto Yata’s shoulder, and Yata immediately leaned his head onto Fushimi’s. It was a small gesture, but it made the both of them feel strangely happy.
If it’s Misaki, Fushimi said, then having a soulmate won’t be so bad.
____________________________________________________________
They sat there for a while, but before Fushimi could fall asleep Yata suggested they go back to headquarters.
They both got up, but before Fushimi could take a step forward Yata whirled him around and hugged him. Fushimi nearly shoved Yata off in surprise, but after realizing that it was just him, he gave Yata a one armed hug. He didn’t know anything about soulmates, but he was confident that Yata would be able to lead the way. Fushimi wasn't excited about having his soulmate be Yata, but he would rather have Yata be his soulmate than some other annoying person whom he may have never met before.
Yata pecked Fushimi on the cheek before detaching himself and tugging Fushimi towards headquarters. Yata wanted to tell everyone about this! Finally, after seven years! He found his soulmate!
“… but we can’t have any kids.” Yata said flatly, startling Fushimi. He clicked his tongue, but didn’t answer.
“Do you even want kids?” Fushimi asked.
“A cat’ll probably do.” He said absentmindedly. “As long as you’re okay with it. I don’t want to come home to a cat with knives stuck to it.”
Fushimi sighed. “Who said we were going to live together?”
“I’m pretty sure boss’ll make us live together once they find out about this.” He replied. “Doesn’t he usually put soulmates together to help prevent them from writing useless things on their bodies during work?”
“I thought they just did that so that they wouldn’t be sneaking out in the middle of the night to have sex or something.”
“… that too, probably.” Yata’s cheeks flushed. He completely forgot about sex and other romantic things that soulmates do.
“Don’t think we’re having sex anytime soon.” Fushimi said sternly. “Like hell I would screw you with this kind of relationship.”
“Of course, dumbass!” Yata shouted. They had arrived at headquarters and were making their way to their lounging area.
“Wait.” Fushimi said, taking the pen that Yata had been holding since he drew the bird. He uncapped the pen and wrote something on Yata’s cheek.
“Hey!” Yata shouted, but didn’t move away. Fushimi wasn’t a terrible artist and his handwriting was perfect, but having someone writing on his face was still weird. He watched as the characters drew itself across Fushimi’s cheek. Misaki. “Why did you write my name?” he asked incredulously.
“So they’d know without us telling them.” He said. “It’s easier that way.”
“But your face…”
“Is now your property.” Yata blushed.
They made the rest of the way to the room and opened it to find the rest of the team huddled over some documents.
“Oh!” Yamamoto called out. “C’mere! There’s a jo-“ he cut off his sentence, eyes focused on their cheeks. “Yo-your cheeks… they’re the same writing? Is this some kind of joke? Tattoo? Whoa…”
Awashima and Kusanagi turned to look, but only gave them a small smile before returning to the documents. Kusanagi gave Yata a wink, as if to say congrats, and that was all that the two needed before they made their way to the coffee table. By that time Kamamoto had shut up, and left any questions for later.
“So,” Awashima started. “This Strain seems to be able to allow people to turn into cats for a temporary amount of time.”
“Speaking of cats.” Fushimi muttered. Awashima glanced at him before returning to the papers in front of them.
“We’ll have Kusanagi and Yata chase them down, with me and Kamamoto ready help corner them. Fushimi, stay in the van and help with tracking.”
“Sounds like a plan!” Yata whooped. “Time to fry a smallfry!”
Everyone but Fushimi laughed, glad to see Yata so happy on his birthday, despite having been put on an emergency task. They quickly filed out and moved to one of the vans parked in the back before heading out to the area that the Strain was last seen at.
The three left the van quickly to assess their surroundings, but before Yata could join them Fushimi pulled him back and into an embrace.
“Don’t pick up any stray cats while you’re out.” He said almost mockingly. “I’ll help you pick one out after this.”
Yata laughed into Fushimi’s chest. “Yes, sir!”
Fushimi pulled back and bent down to kiss Yata on the lips before turning to the computers. “Go get ‘em.”
“Of course!” and with that, the vanguard, red-faced and on cloud nine, left the van.
“So troublesome.” Fushimi said, a smile playing at his lips.