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It was said one in hundreds of people had the chance to see the strings of fate that tied a pair together. These people were able to alter these strings, cut them and tie them to others, add people onto a pair, and these people were rare in the world.
One of these people was Usnavi.
Usnavi had this ability since he was little and it frightened him. He never liked the thought of being able to alter other’s fates with their soulmate. He didn’t ever want to hurt someone and change their fate like that. Thus Usnavi tried his best to stay away from doing anything with people and only interacted with them while they came to stop by the bodega.
Eventually he let his secret of being able to see strings slip to Sonny, who, being Sonny, let the secret slip to Benny. They only kept it between themselves.
Years ago Benny started to show interest in Nina, talked about her for hours on end if he wasn’t there to tease Usnavi or try and bribe him into giving him something for free. Usnavi thought it was pretty funny to hear him go on and on and on about how he loved her. Then Benny brought up a question. A very important question.
“So Usnavi, you are able to see the strings that tie two soulmates together right?”
Usnavi gave a slow nod.
“Then I need to know now before I really fuck this up, is mine and Nina’s string bound? Or are we to be with someone else?”
Usnavi had actually never paid much attention to who was tied to who. Hell he never even realized who he was tied to. He took Benny’s hand and followed where his string lead, only, it wasn’t to Nina. Benny’s string lead to another hand. Usnavi nodded, “You...you are bound to another.” Benny let out a heavy sigh of disapproval. “But! Remember, I have the ability to alter the strings, so if you ever come to this decision, I’ll be there to change it. But I don’t want to without Nina knowing.”
Benny nodded, ”Thanks man, I can always count on you to help eh?” He playfully nudged the other, “But what about the people we’re really tied to? How would they feel?” Usnavi shrugged, “Well I suppose we’ll come to that when its time...Thanks again Usnavi.” he left.
Usnavi groaned and slammed his forehead on the counter. Immediately regretting doing so only a few seconds later and cursing to himself. His cousin laughed, “I thought you said you didn’t want to mess with any of the soulmate stuff.”
“Well I couldn’t just tell him ‘I can’t tell you if you’re tied together’. He would have thought I was trying to hide something from him!”
“Like the fact that you’re his soulmate?” Usnavi went quiet. “Oh come on Usnavi, it was obvious after you went and slammed your head on the counter. Need I remind you that its glass.”
“Benny isn’t my soulmate Sonny, thats crazy talk.”
“Oh yeah? Then what's up with the face you made when you were looking at his string hmm? You made a face when you saw his and then looked at your own finger before telling him anything.”
“And? Maybe I was curious to see what my string had connected to.” Usnavi huffed. “Besides, what’s it to you Sonny? You trying to get me to tell you who you’re bound with?”
Sonny snorted in response. “No I just was curious, like I said, you made a face when you looked at his string.”
Usnavi waved the younger being off and distracted himself with the coffee machine. Fiddling with the buttons, he contemplated on if he wanted to tell the other that he was right. That he was in fact, bound to Benny.
-:-:-:-:-
All was quiet throughout the heights, Usnavi sat in the peace of the night atop the fire escape. Sure sitting on a fire escape possibly wasn’t the smartest thing ever, but sometimes he needed a place to think to himself. It had been at least two years since Abuela Claudia’s passing so he no longer had anyone older to go to for help. And right now, he could really use some help. Only years ago did Benny ask if he and Nina were soulmates. The answer was no and Usnavi didn’t have the heart to tell him that he himself was Benny’s soulmate.
There were two problems to this situation. Benny showed no interest in Usnavi and Usnavi had zero interest in Benny, was that normal for a pair of soulmates? To show no interest in each other? Usnavi figured that it wasn’t right and maybe something had gone wrong in their time together as kid, or even now. The second problem was that he had no idea who Nina was tied to, who her string of fate kept her connected to as her soulmate. What if this soulmate, Nina’s soulmate, loved Nina, but Nina didn’t love them? This situation made things all the more complicated with changing the fates of the two for them to be together, and Usnavi didn’t want to hurt anyone. He never even wanted to use this ability he had to begin with, but only a month ago Benny had asked Nina to marry him. Only a month ago did Benny finally ask Usnavi to tie he and Nina’s strings together.
There was a sharp click of the apartment's handle as Sonny made his way into the front room, “Yo Usnavi! I’m home!” he called out.
Usnavi faintly sighed, “What's left of last nights dinner is what we’re eating tonight!” He responded back. Not moving from the spot he’d been sitting, he looked up toward the stars, ‘What would Abuela do?'
-:-:-:-:-
The wedding wasn’t far. Only a few weeks before it finally came up, and Benny and Nina were in a rush to get everything ready before then. They’d already both gone dress and suit shopping. Vanessa had insisted on helping style Nina’s hair and doing her makeup for the big day, had said that they’d find the best and cheapest dress possible for her. Nina always thanked her for the help.
It was the during their time at the club on a cool spring night did Usnavi realize. He and Benny were sitting at the bar taking shots, per usual for the two to do while their female friends went and had fun, and he’d seen the single string held between the two friends. His cup dropped, luckily not shattering as it hits the floor.
“Yo Usnavi you okay man? What was that?” Benny looked concerned, quickly bending down to snatch up the small shot glass from the floor.
“I uhm...yeah I’m okay. Sorry I just thought I saw something strange.” he awkwardly laughed, “It was nothing though.”
Benny gave him another concerned look before smiling, “Okay man whatever you say.” He laughed. “Man it feels nice to just sit and relax here you know? I and Nina have been up on our feet for the past month now trying to prepare.” Usnavi kept his eyes on the girls, slightly nodding in response. “Uh, earth to Usnavi? Can you even hear me man? Atención? Usnavi can you hear me?”
Usnavi quickly shook his head, “Oh yeah sorry...I think I need to go...have to think about things.” and with that Usnavi left the club and made his way down the street through the cool air of the night. “Vanessa and Nina! I should have guessed!” he huffed, ‘Now what am I going to do? How are you planning on fixing this one Usnavi! You idiot!” he quickly turned around, kicking the side of a building and growling, “How do you plan to fix this?”
Usnavi slowly made his way back to the bodega. Too many things to think about for him to make his way back home. He pushed up the grate and clicked the lights on, making his way to the back of the small store.
“Usnavi?” a faint but familiar voice called out from the front. He turned to see Vanessa standing at the door. “Hey Benny said you didn’t look like you were doing to good. You alright?”
Just what he needed, one of the people part of the problem he was to cause coming to see him. “I’m fine Vanessa, you worry too much.” He laughed a little, “You want a coffee?”
“Usnavi he told me about what you can see...and I want you to know I want to support you.”
His smile dropped, fiddling with the coffee machine and refusing to make contact with the other, “He wants me to make he and Nina soulmates. I am more than willing to do this, the only problem is I don’t know if Nina’s soulmate is okay with it.” Usnavi made a soft whimper sound, “Would you be okay with it?”
“Well if I was Nina’s soulmate, I would want what's best for her. I would want Nina to be happy, and if shes happiest with Benny than I would let her be with Benny, you know what I mean?”
Usnavi smiled, “Yeah, yeah that helps a lot.”
-:-:-:-:-
Benny paced back and forth in his room, the door clicked an Usnavi quickly stepped in with Nina, “Cover your eyes.” he teased. Benny quickly grabbed a cloth and tied it around his face.
“There now we won’t ruin the entire ‘No seeing the bride before the wedding’ tradition.” Benny laughed lightly, “Now Usnavi, you know what you’re doing right?”
The other snorted, “You doubt me Benny? Yes, I do in fact know what I’m doing.”
In all truth, Usnavi had no idea what he was about to do. He’d never cut a couples strings before let alone tied a pair together, but if it was to make his friends happy than he would do it for them. He pulled a small pair of fabric scissors, hesitating only for a second before cutting the strings before him. Carefully he pulled Nina and Benny’s strings together and tied a small bow, the two strings connecting as if they had never been broken to begin with.
By the end of the wedding everything was perfect. Benny and Nina were together, they were happy, they were meant for each other now. Nina’s parents had never seemed so happy before, and Usnavi had felt like a weight was lifted right of his shoulders.
But it wasn’t. His string still hung loose around his finger, and somewhere among the small group of people that had gathered for the wedding, Vanessa’s was the same way.