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Greetings, little imps! Gather round for I have a story to share with you. A story with two individuals being each other's soulmates may sound like quite an unbelievable story, I know. Especially when I divulge to you who.
Now that I have your undivided attention, shall I start my tale? This story starts only a mere twenty years ago when I was a young and ambitious first year at Night Raven College. I was pleased to help guide so many to their soulmates, however, there is a particular pair that was not so pleased with their pairing. This was the first pair of many more to come. Yet, I hope that after hearing the whole tale you just might believe in the existence of soulmates.
I had met the two in question on the day of my dorm sorting. Both stood as housewardens of their respective dorms in the ceremonial robes fit for the occasion. One stood slender and proud in front of the Heartslaybul mirror with his hair parted to the side so that one was black and the other was white. His face was well taken care of and even glimmered with a little bit of make up. From what I knew of the houses of Night Raven College, I would’ve thought that this young man would’ve been a better fit in Pomefiore, but the Mirror even knew more than my shadow friends. The other standing in front of the Savanaclaw mirror was wider built young man in the way of muscular build that had the buttons on the shirt of his robes straining to hold the torso, more specifically the chest, underneath its fabric with his brown hair combed back into a pompadour and a wide grin on his face. I for the life of me could not tell what or who he was exactly grinning at but definitely fit the Savanclaw crowd with his physique. As I was sorted into Octavinelle that night, I didn’t next come across them until much later in the semester.
On a particular spring day, I was walking through the campus courtyard to attend my elective Divination Magic class when I heard two voices bickering.
“You dumb oaf! How could you mess up the instructions for something as simple as a healing potion? Didn’t you learn that in year one?” The voice came from the man with the black and white hair I’d seen at the ceremony, however he was in his Heartslaybul school uniform this time and appeared to be shouting at the Savanaclaw housewarden.
“Books are boring. Just a bunch of words…” The brown haired student muttered back. His dorm uniform was much less put together than the Heartslaybul student with the button up shirt unbuttoned a few from the top so his muscular bosom was not straining the buttons with no neck tie to be seen and the vest hadn’t even been bothered to be buttoned shut.
“Ashton…” the Heartstlaybul student shook his head while a hand rubbed the bridge of his nose. “with an attitude like that, how in the Sevens did you make it into a place such as Night Raven College?”
“Because well, everyone wants me, Divus! The Spelldrive coach said as much when he asked me to come to this school. He has hopes that with me as captain, we’ll finally beat those pussies at the Royal Sword Academy.” Ashton grinned back at the other, even attempting to show off with a few flexing poses causing the top straining button to pop right off. This left me wondering if that was why his shirt was only buttoned up to a certain height. “Well everyone, except you that is. I have no clue why, either.”
Divus huffed letting out an exasperated sigh, clearing contemplating if he even wanted to respond to that statement. Finally, after Ashton’s posture sagged slightly, clearly a bit disappointed that his idea to impress Divus had failed, Divus decided to reply.
“Because, you are nothing that I wish to associate with. You are a narcissistic gorilla who’s only thought in his head is how to make his muscles even bigger. Everything else is deemed as unimportant.”
“Well maybe if you took some of my advice, you wouldn’t be a skinny twig, Divus.” Ashton shot back with a slight pout on his lip, clearly a bit hurt at the gorilla comment but trying not to show how it did hurt.
“Excuse me?! You dare to comment on my appearance! Do you look in the mirror or is it just from the face up? The state of your school uniform is absolutely unacceptable for anyone at this school. Let alone a Housewarden. Sevens, do you care even in the slightest about your appearance? I mean at this point what good are the buttons doing on your uniform shirt?”
Ashton threw up his hand in the air, clearly upset at all of the jabs thrown at him. “It’s not my fault that this school doesn’t provide uniforms in my size. Ever since my growth spurt as well as my new diet that my father recommended that made me bulk up so much that nothing fits. If I was back home, the tailor, who is close friends with my family, would already have an outfit made to my new size, without any fuss.”
Divus just shook his head, clearly realizing that nothing he said would get through to Ashton.
“Just please try to keep up with your studies so you don’t make me look bad. You can at least do that much right.” Divus turned to walk away without even a look back at Ashton.
I had remained hidden behind a tree and used my friends in the shadows to assist. While I hadn’t been intending to listen to this heated exchange, it had been hard to just walk on by. I wasn’t really close with either of the two housewardens, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the verbal beating that Ashton had taken from Divus even if the brunette didn’t necessarily understand the verbose insults thrown his way. My friends were whispering for me to go and talk to Ashton.
“Greetings!” I announced myself as I stepped out into the courtyard with a small wave at Ashton. “I couldn’t help but catch the end of that conversation as I was on my way to class. Those were some harsh words. Anything I can do to help?” I took a seat on the bench beside the brunette. Upon closer inspection, I indeed had been right about his shirt missing buttons.
“Not sure what a random bystander could do.” Ashton sighed, clearly upset but trying to fix his face to flash a grin at me. “Were you so taken by me that you had to stop and say hello?” Releasing a deep bellowing chuckle.
I could now understand a little of why Divus found Ashton annoying. Yet, my friends from the other side were telling me that it would pay off if I helped Ashton.
“I can tell that you used phrases like that to deflect and have to show what you are truly feeling, Ashton.” My eyes met his briefly.
His smile fell, as his hands rubbed at the back of his rather thick neck.
“Normally words don’t hurt me like that, because I’m comfortable in who I am. I am Ashton Vargas! Many cried when I left the Shaftlands for this school. I have letters sent daily from maidens back home wishing that I wasn’t so far away.”
He had stood up and posed himself in what I could only assume was a flattering flexing of his assortment of muscles beneath his uniform. The jacket seams were also straining to keep together under the force Ashton’s muscles were exerting on them. Not getting the reaction he expected, he sat back down on the bench to me politely clapping at his performance.
“But for some reason whenever Divus speaks to me in that harsh manner, it is like he is throwing daggers at my heart each time. I cannot shake off the hurt.”
I nodded, placing one of my gloved hands underneath my chin. Taking a moment to listen to my shadow friends, I paused before speaking.
“Ashton, I know nothing of you and Divus’ relationship aside from what I witnessed today. Do you perhaps…feel affection for your classmate? There is no shame in having those feelings if you do. He appears to possibly not feel the same way.”
Ashton released a sigh tipping his head back as he relaxed into the bench. “I made it that obvious…”
“Not necessarily. I just have a very unique…let’s call it skill of reading people’s hearts.”
Ashton’s eyes got wide as he turned to face me and took one of my gloved hands in between both of his. “So that means you can read how Divus feels about me too?”
I squirmed to get my hand out of his grip, but was unable to do so. “That is one way of phrasing it…However, I would need the both of you to come to Octavinelle so I could perform a proper reading of both of your hearts.”
“I can do that, even if I have to carry him the whole way.” He released my hand and I fought the urge to shake it out in front of Ashton. He stood up about to race off before turning back to wave at me with his signature grin. “Thanks…”
“Sam, my name is Sam.” I replied realizing that I hadn’t given my name and he didn’t seem bothered in the slightest that I knew his.
“Thanks, Sam. We’ll see you soon.”
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Soulmates, though rare this young, were known to exist throughout the whole student body. Due to this, many were buzzing with curiosity as to if and when they would meet their soulmate. Unlike other lore of soulmates, we did not have Red Strings, Matching Tattoos, Shared Dreams, instead it was more based on an energy or feeling that the two could not shake. Some individuals were able to figure out his energy on their own.How could I and my shadow friends not only rise to the occasion to help any student asking for advice? However, my services were not free. I set up a little area in the Octavinelle common room. It looked more like a makeshift fortuneteller’s tent that I also sound proofed with magic so that the sessions could remain confidential and my clients feel safe sharing all with me.
“Is this the place?” came a familiar deeper voice.
“Of course it is you, oaf!” followed a slightly higher toned voice filled with annoyance. “Just remember that you owe me for dragging me to the water filled hellscape.”
The curtain door was pulled back by my friends as soon as the two reached the entrance.
“Please take a seat,” I gestured to the two plush seats in front of a small table across from where I sat.
Ashton quickly grabbed the chair and pulled it out for Divus in a nice gesture, before taking his own seat. Divus’ eyes lit up for a brief second at the gesture, softly muttering, “I guess even the gorillas can have some manners.”
My friends closed the door and sealed all individuals into this space.
“So we can now begin. I’ll ask each of you some questions as well as use my UM, Friends from the Other Side, to be able to read if the two of you are in fact soulmates as they had been suggesting to me since I first met you during the dorm sorting ceremony.”
“Excuse me?! This is why you brought me here, Ashton? You now owe me double.” Divus rolled his eyes with arms crossed over his chest clearly not enjoying any of this.
“I’ll start with Ashton since he seems a bit more receptive to this session.” I shook my head wondering if this was even going to work.
My friends were practically flashing a neon sign saying Soulmates above the two of their heads already with fireworks of light behind them, however, Divus was being incredibly resistant to even considering the idea. From what I could read from my friends and my own perceptions, Divus had something more underlying than just Ashton was ‘not his type’ as to why he was against believing in soulmates. Perhaps hearing Ashton’s side would change Divus’ opinion on the subject even a little.
“So Ashton, let’s start with how you felt when you first met Divus.” Gesturing to Ashton with my eyes on Ashton as he spoke and my shadow friends would alert me to Divus’ reactions.
Ashton sat up straight in his chair, first fidgeting with his hands in his lap, but then spoke more animatedly with his hands as he continued.
“Well it was my first day of classes in my first year, and I was walking, actually I was jogging now that I recall, through the Main Street of the school. I had just passed the statues and reached the treelined street, when my jog to classes stopped in its track. I am a man who appreciates many things, but on this particular day, it was like my body was freezing me in place. Like I may sound crazy, but it even felt like time stopped.”
He paused his story with a slight blush on his cheeks as his eyes darted to where Divus sat clearly fighting possible ridicule or embarrassment for what my shadow friends and I already knew. I fought a smile tugging at my lips hoping that the sincerity of Ashton’s words spoken out loud would break through whatever was blocking Divus from receiving the quite obvious signs that the two were meant to be together.
“Feel free to go on when you are ready, Ashton.” I encouraged, trying to also instill a bit of courage into the brunette to finish the words that my friends had already whispered in my ears.
Ashton turned back to me, partly so that he could finish the story but also partly so that his eyes would not meet Divus’ as he continued, despite feeling the steely cold eyes burning holes into the side of his rather defined jaw.
“I started a semester late due to being unable to find transport to the school from my home in the Shaftlands during the fall. This particular day the trees were in bloom just as I stopped, a wind had whipped up causing some of the petals on the tree to blow around a student that had briefly stopped by that same tree as the breeze blew through his black hair. At that moment, I nearly teared up, because I know beautiful things. That scene with how the light hit their steel colored eyes and contrasted with the pure black hair and the pink petals whipping around him. That was…pure magic.” His eyes shone brightly and a beaming smile was stuck to his face.
“I think that was the moment that I knew I would find nothing more beautiful again. Something fitting exactly with how ruggedly handsome I am.”
His large callused hand reached up to wipe the tears that had formed in his eyes as he now ventured a glance at Divus now finished with his tale. The tent was silent with Divus clearly taken aback at how eloquent Ashton could be. My best guess was this is a side of the brunette that Divus hadn’t even allowed to to present because he was stuck on the brunette being an utter disappointment to him.
“The pop music club members were the reason I started bleaching the one side white. They said that it would make me look more edgy and cool. It is sooo much upkeep though.” DIvus finally responded.
It was a start but still wasn’t quite to the point where he was willing to admit anything to the same degree as Ashton just had.
“What I am going to suggest next, as this is about the end of the time I have allotted for the two of you this evening, I will use the funds that Ashton generously paid me for to send the two of you on a date in town this weekend.” I held a hand up feeling the objection from Divus coming. “You are not allowed to refuse. Just give it a chance. Everything is telling me you two are soulmates. Ashton’s narrative says as much at least from his end. And before you come back with some comment like I set this up with him because he paid me. That is not how my unique magic works. I know that something is stopping you from believing, Divus, and whatever it is, I implore you to work through it. Ashton is there to support you if you are scared to do it alone.”
I paused, standing and gesturing to the curtain that was already open.
“I’ll send you both a message of where and when the reservation I have procured for you is. Keep in mind, Ashton, I am picking something to suit both of your tastes, so you may want to ring up your tailor friend back home for a rush order. That is if you would like to impress Divus on how well you can show up for a date.”
Ashton nodded with a smile and left the tent taking strides to follow after Divus in an attempt to make conversation with the other. I took a seat back in my chair with a sigh exhausted from how much I had to use my UM during this session. Now came the hard work; finding a place that would serve as the couple’s first date…
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Now the next bit of the story was witnessed by one of my friends that I had instructed to follow the couple on their date and report back to me. I can assure you dearest imps that no hyperbolizing was included in the report and all that is written below is what happened.
Divus stood outside the restaurant under an umbrella trying to avoid the rain that had come in suddenly. He wrapped his black and white fur jacket around himself realizing that he may have dressed a bit too light for the occasion otherwise.
“Now where is that idiotic gorilla? Does he not know proper dating etiquette?” Divus muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed that he had arrived early and before his date. “I bet he couldn’t even find this place…”
“What was that you were saying about me?” Ashton said, poking his head out from behind the front door of the restaurant. “Something about being an idiotic gorilla who doesn’t know proper dating etiquette and couldn’t find the place? Does that sum it up?”
Divus’ mouth flopped open and closed a few times, clearly caught off guard.
“What are you doing standing outside, Divus? You are bound to catch a cold if you stay in the rain much longer.” Ashton carefully opened the door and then wrapped one of his arms around the entirety of Divus’ waist, gently guiding him to the table that had been reserved for them by the window. Ashton, just like earlier in the week, offered to pull out the chair for Divus and then took his own seat across from his date.
Just as he was going to sit he realized an error, and stood to correct it, “Oh I forgot to ask if you want me to take your coat and hang it on the rack beside our table.” He held out his arms to receive the fur coat if Divus so desired to stand and shrug it off.
As the coat slid off, Ashton’s mouth hung open as the coat was draped over his outstretched arms. Somehow and very robotically he hung up the fur coat and returned to his seat, mouth still agape.
“Your mouth is hanging open. That is quite rude, you know, Ashton.” Divus reached across the table to place a hand underneath Ashton’s chin to guide it to shut Ashton’s mouth before pulling his hand back. A slight smirk tugging at his lips as he wiped his hand on the napkin on his lap.
“B-b-but your back…it has muscles.” Ashton finally sputtered out when his brain connected that he could form words to speak. His hands gestured trying to make the shape of each muscle he’d spotted from the slight open backed shirt Divus had chosen to wear to their date.
Divus chuckled at this statement with a hand in front of his mouth. “Of course, I do. While you go for increasing your muscle mass, I gravitate towards maintaining a leaner muscular figure. And before you ask how. I took up swimming and have been since last year.”
Ashton took in more of the outfit that Divus had chosen to wear and had to grit his teeth to keep from opening his mouth wide again. This man had to be teasing him with the nearly sheer silvery white top that had an opening in the back to give Ashton the best view of his back and black slacks with red belt and a set of nice black heeled shoes ensuring that he was that much taller than Ashton, but also helped show off the longer legs that due to Divus’ swimming regime were packed full of lean muscle.
“Wait…you…work out?” Ashton tilted his head to the side trying to not make it obvious that he was now noticing every muscle visible through Divus’ shirt.
“Why is that so hard to comprehend?” Divus’ smirking grin grew as he rather liked surprising the other across the table from him. A hand went to brush his bangs out of his eyes. “I only wished that I could’ve gotten a haircut. My roots are starting to show and these bangs are far too long at the moment.”
“But you are a work of art, Divus!” Ashton added gesturing with his hands at the other across the table. “I really am trying my best to remain the perfect gentleman, but I don’t know if you realize how hard it is to sit across from you right now.”
A slight redness painted Divus’ cheeks at the attempt at a compliment. It didn’t quite land as Ashton may have wanted but Divus appreciated the intent behind the clearly ‘ I’m trying to behave but I also want to jump your bones if given the chance’ undertones to the statement.
“I…don’t get told…that much.” Divus commented, running a hand through his hair. “It’s kind of nice to hear.”
His gaze rose from looking down at the table to up at Ashton. Ashton may not have thought but Divus did take notice of what the other had chosen for his attire for the date. The fit was immaculate with no button popping off the button up shirt with a gold and red vest or was it a corset vest? Divus couldn’t tell for certain. Whatever it was, flattered Ashton’s figure immaculately. If asked by Ashton however, Divus would deny that he found Ashton at least attractive enough to feel a slight warmth stirring within him.
“You know, Ashton, you very much remind me of a dog, at least in how you show your emotions. You are always eager. It reminds me a lot of one of my childhood dogs. He passed on just before I came to NRC. I had a tough time believing someone could love me in the same manner. You clearly have surprised me. I still am not sure if I want whatever this is. Are you okay with giving me time?”
“Of course, Divus. Take as much time as you need. I honestly was fully expecting tonight to just be me sitting alone at this table. I am just happy that you showed up.”
The two continued to talk throughout their meal, each smiling and laughing by the end. Ashton, true to being a gentleman, grabbed Divus’ coat and Divus allowed Ashton to place his arm around his waist as the two walked back to campus. The two passed the statues of the Seven and just reached the treelined road when Ashton stopped. He took Divus’ hands in his as his eyes looked up meeting Divus’ steel colored ones.
“You know, this is the spot where I first laid eyes on you my first day here. It is only fitting that my first date with you also ends here.” Ashton stood on his toes to be able to reach Divus’s cheek to press a soft kiss against.
Divus raised an eyebrow at the boldness Ashton was displaying and for once Divus didn’t hate it. It was actually…endearing. He reached out a hand and placed it underneath Ashton’s chin to bring the blue eyes back into Divus’ gaze.
“A kiss on the cheek? You really are just an idiotic gorilla, aren’t you, Ashton?” Divus let out a light chuckle.
Divus’ hand held Ashton’s chin in place while he leaned down and pressed his lips to Ashton’s. Ashton’s eyes widened as he realized what was happening before his own hands reached up to cup one of Divus’ cheeks while the other ran through Divus’ hair as Ashton opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. The two remain locked in their kiss for a few more moments before Divus finally pulled away and Ashton was struggling for air.
“Wow…” was all that Ashton could say as one of his hands trailed down to take Divus’ hand in it, interlocking their fingers. “Can I walk you back at least to where we’d need to split off to the mirrors to our respective dorms, Divus?”
“I would like that very much, Ashton.” Divus replied with a small squeeze of his hand in Ashton’s.
The two walked back, parting ways at the Hall of Mirrors, sharing another short kiss. Ashton sighed a pleased sigh as he fell back onto his bed in Savanaclaw, lips still tingling and his calloused fingers traced over them, still wondering if this night was all some part of a dream. Even pinching himself didn’t change how he was feeling; he felt like he was floating and he never wanted to come down.
Divus returned to his room in Heartslaybul following checking that the rules had been followed in his absence and smiled a sly smile as he noticed the slightly mussed hair and smudged lipstick. He hadn’t been this happy in a long time. He was going to continue to live in this moment even if it may be short lived. The smile from the night never left Divus’ face even after he had removed all of his make up and laid down in bed for the evening.
“Ashton might not be so bad after all…” was the last thing Divus muttered to himself before falling asleep.
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I had quite heard the full results of the date, but I had seen them in my passing bys on campus. There were no loud shouting matches of insults, instead laughter and subtle touches on one's arm. Divus was usually the one to make some casual touch to highlight one of Ashton's bulging biceps, and this action in turn would cause Ashton to flex with a light blush on his cheeks. Sometimes Ashton would flex a little too hard and a button would pop off his school uniform, causing Divus to roll his eyes and gesture for Ashton to take off his shirt so that Divus could sew the button back on. Divus sneaking a glance at Ashton’s bare top half may have escaped Ashton’s perception, but I caught it and simply smiled as I was on my way to class.
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It was around this point that seeing their success I had thought of continuing the tent sessions with other students as my first business venture. It took off! And dear imps you may be wondering if these two are still together to this day? How about we go visit them, shall we?
“There are not supposed to be students in the faculty lounge…Sam, why are they here?”
“Ah Divus, you are a stickler for the rules as always.” Flashing a wink in his direction. “I was just telling the little imps about you and Ashton. They were ever so curious about the end of the tale.”
Divus rolled his eyes, clearly embarrassed that their love life had just been shared to the general student body. Ashton had been sitting not too far away with his feet resting on the table in front of him.
“C’mon, Divus. Sam brought some adoring fans to see us.” He encouraged, not moving from his spot.
“Well if you want to tell it, then I’ll have to stop the project that I am currently working for you.” Divus stopped whatever he was sewing, before muttering under his breath, “If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing such a design ever…not to mention in the woods of all places.”
Ashton shot up from where he’d been seated and stood beside Divus. “You complimented my design choices though.” His eyes wide and his bottom lip pouting ever so slightly.
“You know I don’t care for the outdoors, Ashton.” Divus added.
“I know, but there is no one I’d rather be outdoors with than with you.” Ashton said, taking Divus’ left hand in his.
As Ashton raised Divus’ hand up to press a kiss to the top off it, a white gold ring could be seen on Divus’ ring finger and a gold one around Ashton’s.
“We’ll bid you all adieu, Divus, Ashton. We got our answer. Right, imps?”
There you have it, two unlikely persons that ended up together. If it can happen to them, perhaps it could even happen to you. Should you have trouble finding your soulmate, look no further than me, Sam, for your soulmate needs. My friends and I will be happy to be of assistance.