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It's late.
Or maybe early.
It really depends on perspective.
Right now, since it's three in the morning and Illuga is not asleep, he is experiencing 3 am as late.
A the poor soul who has a habit of waking up at three in the morning is experiencing early 3 am.
Illuga doesn't know which one sucks more.
He just wants to sleep goddamn it.
As someone who is by no means a procrastinator, Illuga had no work or tasks keeping him up late, just a hyperactive brain and an innate inability to relax at any point in time.
Normally, things turn out fine, and even if he's in bed later than he would like, it's still not the next day when he finally lapses into sleep.
Tonight, or rather, this morning is a new low for him.
He's so fucking tired.
And so, at 3:14, he caves and gets up from his bed to venture into the kitchen.
If his body can't put itself to sleep, then the other stuff will.
Namely sleep tea and melatonin.
He hates using either, it feels like a loss or an admission that somehow he had failed in regulating his circadian rhythm and couldn't fix it on his own, but at this point Illuga is desperate enough to deal with it.
The kitchen light is too bright, but all Illuga cares about is setting the kettle to boil and getting his box of tea and bottle of melatonin out of one of the kitchen cabinets.
He takes the proper dose of melatonin, about 2-3 milligrams works best for him, and sighs.
The onset of action, or how long it'll take the medication to work is estimated to be 30-60 minutes.
Luckily Illuga usually tends to be on the lower end of the range.
Hopefully he'll be in bed out cold by four and get his three and a half remaining hours of rest time.
He makes his way over to his apartment's kitchen window, wanting to look out into the night and remind his stupid brain that it is not the time to be active, it is time to sleep.
Brain does not get the memo.
Illuga sighs, getting a mug out of the cabinet and filling it with now boiled water, setting it on the counter long enough to get a tea bag to put inside of it.
One step closer.
He looks up from his tea and is startled to find someone quietly watching him from the kitchen window right across from his.
Yellow eyes, long hair that's probably purple but that could just be the light, and an expression of complete and utter peace and content on his face.
The need for heavily concentrated housing led to Illuga's apartment's kitchen window being maybe like eight or something feet away from his neighbor's.
His neighbor who is staring at him shamelessly at three in the morning.
Illuga stares back for a moment before lifting his hand to give a tiny, unsure wave.
Soft yellow eyes sparkle with amusement as Illuga's neighbor waves right back, lips twitching into a knowing smile.
Illuga glances away, blocking the neighbor's potential side view with his hand, face hot, picking up his cup of tea and taking a sip before glancing back over his shoulder.
His neighbor is still there, and in the process of getting a mug from his own cabinets, eyes noticeably trained on Illuga throughout the entirety of his task, smile inching ever so slightly bigger when Illuga looks back at him again.
Maybe he's making tea too.
Much to Illuga's shock, his neighbor retrieves one of those coffee pod things from somewhere out of Illuga's sight.
He almost chokes.
His neighbor laughs, trying to stifle it with his hand and turning away for the first time since Illuga had seen him.
Oh.
Oh he's beautiful.
Illuga sits there dumbfounded for a long moment while his neighbor composes himself, last few bouts of laughter dying off.
When he looks back at Illuga, his eyes have almost seemed to soften, but that entertained smile never seems to leave his face.
Insane-3am-coffee neighbor picks something up off of the counter out of Illuga's sight, and lifts it so he can see.
Illuga squints to read the label.
Espresso?!
His look of alarm must be obvious as his unfairly attractive neighbor starts laughing again.
Illuga just shakes his head and takes a sip of his tea, hoping it covers the undoubtedly present red on his cheeks.
His neighbor gestures to Illuga's cup with intrest, eyebrows raised in an unspoken question.
'What do you have there then?'
Illuga picks up his box of tea from the counter before he even has a second to think about it and holds it up to the window so his neighbor can get a look at it.
The other nods his approval at Illuga's drink of choice, resting his chin on the palm of his hand to watch both Illuga and the coffee machine he can't see at the same time.
Illuga doesn't know if he's more alarmed at a stranger watching him like he's hung the moon or the fact that him doing so doesn't bother him in the slightest.
It's peaceful in a way.
Safe.
They're both unwell, he supposes.
Different kinds of unwell, insomniac out of stubbornness and insomiac out of intention, but still.
There's something kind of comforting about it.
There is someone, not just in the world but right across from him, who wants to be around him when he has nothing to say, nothing to give, nothing to do but try to sleep.
Something occurs to him.
It would be really bad if his neighbor were a serial killer.
Like, really, really bad.
That thought makes him giggle, and though his tries to cover it up with his hand, his neighbor still sees it and tilts his head slightly lips twitching into a wider smile than he'd been wearing before.
Illuga takes a sip of his tea once his giggles have died down a little, and his neighbor, who's coffee must be done, shakes his head and turns his focus to the out of sight coffee maker.
Illuga glances down at his tea.
Halfway done.
His neighbor is holding another cup of something, milk maybe? Or cream? And pours it into his coffee.
Illuga watches him quietly and takes another drink of his tea before yawning, bringing up his hand to cover it and blinking away his sleepiness.
His neighbor's eyes flit up from his coffee cup, and he just shakes his head and smiles that smile again.
Illuga turns away, embarrassed.
When he looks back up again, his neighbor is still watching, drinking his 3 am coffee, and when they make eye contact again, he mouths something at Illuga.
Illuga tilts his head, confused.
His neighbor just shakes his head fondly and points off into Illuga's apartment and mouths the word again, slower this time.
Illuga looks over his shoulder, expecting maybe a menacing bird or roommate shaped shadow and instead finding nothing.
...What?
He looks back quizically and his neighbor is laughing again, holding his hand over his mouth and shaking his head before looking up and mouthing, 'SLEEP' very slow and even more exaggerated.
"Oh." He says out loud, though his neighbor cannot hear him.
He seems to understand anyway and just points again, smiling while mouthing, 'Go rest.'
Illuga nods, downs the rest of his tea and gives his neighbor a small, slow wave.
He is sorry he has to say goodbye.
His neighbor smiles and waves back, making a little 'shoo' motion to send Illuga off to bed.
Maybe Illuga should feel insulted that his neighbor wants to be rid of him, but that's not really how it feels.
It feels like his neighbor sent him away out of care for his wellbeing, not because he was annoyed with him.
He glances back once, and the neighbor is still there at his window, watching.
He says something that Illuga cannot hear, and Illuga cannot make it out, nor does he have the energy or the chance to head back towards the window to try and get his neighbor to repeat it.
Something on his neighbor's forearm has the other man's attention now.
Illuga waves one last time and disappears into his bedroom, trying not to scratch at the itch on his wrist.
The lights in his room are all off, so he has to feel his way to his bed and blindly reach around for his phone to make sure it is charging before flopping onto the mattress.
Illuga is so exhausted, but somehow doesn't feel god awful as he lets his eyes finally flutter close, allowing sleep to claim him
He doesn't even notice the tiny words that have written itself onto the inside of his wrist.
The next morning is as hectic as most Monday mornings are.
Rollon is absolutely hysterical over being 'late' (Bjorn changed the clocks) and all Illuga can do is sip his energy drink and watch.
"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD-" Rollon is scrambling to stuff all of his things into his backpack.
"Rollon-" Illuga tries before being interrupted.
"HOW ARE YOU NOT FREAKING OUT!? YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BE IN TEN MINUTES AND YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE WITH YOUR MONSTER LIKE NOTHING'S WRONG-"
"Check your phone. Not the other clocks." Illuga says flatly.
Rollon does, clearly irritated, but upon seeing the time he just... stops. "Oh."
Illuga lifts up his own phone, which shows the same time, 8:14.
Rollon's eye tics. "BJOR- what's that?"
Illuga, surprised by Rollon's sudden change in attitude and focus, just stares back. "...What is what?"
Rollon just stands there, staring at what Illuga is 76% sure is his phone screen.
Illuga puts his drink down and transfers his phone from his left hand to his right and turns it around so he can see his lockscreen.
It looks normal.
The time is right, the date is right, he has 97% battery, and his lockscreen background looks normal too.
It's just Illuga and his dad Nikita in front of a mountain.
Someone grabs his left arm and flips it over.
"Hey what the hell?!" Illuga immediately yanks his arm out of Rollon's hand.
Bjorn, who'd gotten just enter the room immediately starts playing peacekeeper. "Woah woah, what's going on?"
Illuga immediately starts to ramble. "He asked me what something was and-"
"Look at your wrist Illuga!" Rollon interupts.
Illuga turns his left hand palm side up on the kitchen table.
He and Rollon are already right there, but Bjorn has to move closer to see the words.
...Wait the words!?
Illuga gapes and Bjorn sucks in a breath and whispers, "Holy shit."
There, in black writing that is almost a mix between print and cursive that is heavily associated with soulmates are two words between oddly fancy quotation marks.
Sleep well.
A soulmark.
His soulmark.
Illuga is dumbstruck. "How- When-?"
"Don't look at us." Bjorn puts his hand up in mock surrender. " It's your soul mark."
"I don't think I had this yesterday." Illuga mutters, looking it over again.
Rollon, who is quickly swiping through something on his phone, finds what he is looking for and places it face down next to Illuga's wrist.
It's a picture from last night, at 9:04, when the three of them and a few of their other friends had met up for McDonald's just because they could.
Rollon has zoomed in to where Illuga is sitting, box of chicken nuggets in front of him, flashing a peace sign and showing off a bare wrist.
"Which hand is that?" Bjorn demands, trying to get a better look.
"Left." Rollon points to the Illuga's earing in the picture, which usually rests in his left ear.
Bjorn moves to stand behind Illuga and makes two L's with his hands over Illuga's own before raising his left. "The mark is on the left too. So he got it after nine last night."
" Bjorn... " Illuga says slowly, staring at him. "...Do you still not know your right from left? "
"No I do not. And you know, I wouldn't have had to do that if you'd put your earing in this morning."
" More important question! " Rollon claps his hands together. "Did you have someone over last night?"
"No!" Illuga says indignantly.
"Doubt!" Bjorn annouces.
" I did not! " Illuga smacks him. "Don't you think you'd have heard!?"
" ...Fair point. " Bjorn conceeds.
"So who then? I think we'd have heard if a McDonald's worker said that to you as we were leaving." Rollon considers this.
Something occurs to Illuga. "Do I have to hear it?"
" ...What? " Bjorn asks.
"Like..." Illuga struggles to think of a way to explain. "If they said something directed at me but I didn't hear it because it was too loud."
" ...I guess it would still qualify as the first thing they said to you. " Rollon says slowly.
But that still doesn't make sense.
The first thing that his neighbor has mouthed at him was just 'sleep'
Unless... mouthing didn't count?
Because it wasn't the same as speaking words aloud?
So if it was true that if the words weren't spoken aloud they didn't count...
That would mean the first thing his neighbor ever verbally said to him was the phrase Illuga couldn't make out as he was heading to bed.
Sleep.
Well.
Oh my god.
Illuga gets out of his chair and bolts to the kitchen window he'd been looking through last night and peers into the neighbor's apartment.
He doesn't see anyone.
Rollon and Bjorn are quick to join him peaking into the other apartment, looking for any possible signs of life.
" I don't see anyone... " Bjorn mutters.
"No fucking shit Sherlock." Rollon rolls his eyes and heads back towards the table. " So Illuga you were up late chatting with our neighbor? "
"Were they in here?" Bjorn asks, raising his eyebrow suggestively as he also heads back to the table.
Illuga finally tears his eyes away from the window to glare at him. "For the last time no! No one was here! Anyway, like I said, I didn't even hear him say anything. How could he have been over here and I heard him say nothing?"
"Ooh a he." Bjorn grins and elbows Rollon playfully.
" How'd you not notice? " Rollon demands, ignoring Bjorn. "It's supposed to itch. You're supposed to know like the exact second the mark forms."
"I don't know! It was like three in the morning and I was tired and on melatonin!" Illuga covers his face with his hands. " and besides it's not like I was expecting it! "
"Is he hot?" Bjorn asks suddenly.
Illuga tries not to think about the yellow eyes or the charming smile. "I am not answering that. "
Bjorn leans over and stage whispers to Rollon, "He's red that means yes."
" Shut up. "
"Nothing to be ashamed of dude." Bjorn promises. "We support you."
" I know! You were literally hitting on a guy like a week ago! " Illuga hisses.
"Okay let's calm down." Rollon raises his hand for quiet.
" You are absolutely one to talk after your performance this morning. " Bjorn says smugly.
"I will be getting you back for that." Rollon promises. "But seriously. Illuga, it's going to be okay. Everything is fine, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Most people have a soulmate and there are soulmarks far worse than the one you just got."
"Yeah I knew a guy in high school who had 'You motherfucking asshole' written permanently on his upper back. Sleep well is so much better than that. And you can like wear a bracelet or a watch or something if you hate it that much." Bjorn agrees.
"I don't- it's not that." Illuga mutters, shaking his head. " I just... He's just... "
"It's a lot." Rollon agrees.
They sit in silence for a moment.
"Wait a minute." Bjorn holds up his hand. "Did you say anything to him?"
" Uhm... " Illuga thinks about it. "Oh."
" Oh what? " Bjorn asks.
"Oh." Illuga repeats.
" Oh what?! " Bjorn demands again
"Oh as in I said Oh." Illuga says slowly.
" ...That's it?! "
"Bjorn you are not helping." Rollon mutters.
"Well let's hope he wasn't tired and on melatonin!" Bjorn says cheerfully. " Because that's about as basic of a first phrase as you can get! "
"At least it wasn't 'you motherfuking asshole" Rollon reminds him.
"Touche."
"What am I supposed to do?! I don't know anything about him or how to reach him!" Illuga can feel himself beginning to panic.
" You know where he lives. " Bjorn offers. "Kinda"
"Bjorn shut up." Rollon hisses.
" It's always shut up and never carry on. "
"Maybe if you had something useful to say-"
"Hey at least we know Illuga likes the guy and wants to pursue."
" They're soulmates! "
"You'd be surprised how many soulmates have a whole enemies to lovers thing going on."
" You're useless. " Rollon reaches out and puts a hand on Illuga's shoulder. "Hey. It's going to be okay."
" Right. " Illuga takes a breath. "It'll be fine."
" We'll figure something out okay? You know we will. The two of you were literally a match made by some magical force with like millions of happy couples to its name. Everything will turn out. "
"Right." Illuga nods.
"Okay so now what?" Bjorn asks.
Rollon shrugs. "I guess try to figure out what apartment number that is after we get back from classes and stuff and go say hi sometime?"
" ...I mean we have no other plan. " Illuga says softly.
"It's going to be fine." Rollin reminds him.
"Yeah." Illuga nods. " It's going to be fine. "
When he gets home from classes at around four, neither of his rooroomates have yet to return.
They must both be busy.
Illuga moves into the kitchen and gets his stuff out of his backpack in order to begin his homework before noticing a flicker of movement through the kitchen window.
He turns around hopefully and finds himself looking right at the same neighbor from last night.
The man in question waves.
Illuga darts over to the window and unlatches it, sliding it up and open.
His neighbor does the same, and leans forward slightly, some of his hair to catching in the breeze.
He is unbothered by this fact.
Illuga doesn't really know what to say, so he reaches his arm out the window to show off the black letters on his wrist.
His neighbor's lips twitch into a smile. "I know. I have your words right here on my forearm." He taps the spot, glancing down at it briefly. "Or just one word I suppose."
" I'm sorry... " Illuga says softly.
"It's quite alright." His neighbor promises. "I think it's cute. Besides there are plenty worse things to have permanently marked on my body. And plenty worse people to be my soulmate."
Illuga tries not to blush.
"You're adorable you know that?" His neighbor asks, resting his chin on his hand.
"I..." Illuga doesn't really know what to say to that.
His soulmate smiles. "Well now you do."
Illuga buries his face in his hands. "Thanks I think."
"You're very welcome love."
" Illuga. " Illuga says, looking back up at him. "My name is Illuga."
"Illuga." His soulmate repeats carefully, as though he is taking time to consider it. "Are you from Iceland, Illuga?"
" Yes. " Illuga nods.
"You know, our countries aren't too far from each other. Not as close as our apartments, but they're on the same continent." His neighbor smiles easily.
"Where are you from?" Illuga asks, tilting his head slightly.
" Care to guess? "
Illuga considers this. "Germany? France?'
"Perhaps it would help if I told you I carry a Patronymic?"
Illuga thinks about that for a moment. "As a last name or a middle name?"
" Middle. "
"So like... Russia?"
" Yes. Russia. " He smiles at Illuga, seemingly very proud of him. "Well done."
"Do I get to know your name or do I have to guess that too?"
He laughs. "Flins. Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins."
Illuga nods. " Definitely Russian. "
Flins just smiles wider.
"They're not that close." Illuga says slowly after thinking about it. "An ocean and basically all of Europe between them."
" Alas you're right. Though distance is relative. A good thing we both wound up here hm? All that's between us is a few feet of distance."
" Yeah. "
" Is your roommate home?"
" You know about my roommates? "
"I do believe one of them stopped back home for lunch yes." Flins shrugs. "I was hoping it would be you but you were out all day."
"I'm sorry." Illuga says softly.
" You need not be. I assume you had classes today as well? "
"Yeah. At the University."
"What do you study?" Flins asks, seeming genuinely interested.
"Forensic Sciences."
" I study Chemistry. I think we have a few courses in common no? "
"I do some Chemistry stuff yeah." Illuga nods. "Organic and General."
"Calculus?"
Illuga groans." Ugh don't remind me. "
This earns him another small laugh. "I take it you don't do math in your free time?"
" No. I listen to podcasts and cook mostly. Sometimes I read books. Oh and just a second-" Illuga darts back towards his room, and helps Aedon out of her cage into his hands.
Usually he'd have brought her to the table to watch him while he did his homework, but today was obviously different.
She chirps at him with disdain.
"I'm sorry." Illuga mutters, stroking her head gently before heading back to the window and turning his attention back to Flins, who hadn't moved at all. "I'm really sorry."
" Perfectly fine. Is this lovely bird yours? " He asks kindly.
"Yeah. This is Aedon. She's a nightingale. Ow!" Illuga fliches as she knips at his finger. " I said I was sorry! "
Flins clicks his tongue at her. "Now now Aedon, be nice to him won't you?"
She looks him over and decides to turn around in Illuga's hands to face away from him.
"Aedon!"
"Smart bird. She knows who the pretty one is." Flins nods his approval.
"Flins!" Illuga feels his face hearing up. " That's not- You can't-"
"Call me Kyryll love, don't be shy." Flins smiles lazily. " And the truth is the truth dear. "
Aedon chirps.
"She agrees." Flins gestures. "Smart bird."
"Have you seen yourself?" Illuga asks. " Because if you really think that I'm the pretty one I don't think you have. "
"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder Illuga dear." Flins smiles.
"I-" Illuga doesn't really know what to say to that.
Aedon chirps at him and puffs up her feathers.
She wants to be pet.
So he starts stroking her head again, saving himself from having to look directly at Flins again.
Flins just watches, smiling, eyes still holding that soft, entertained look about them.
They are quiet again, just like they were this morning.
It's easy and comfortable, and Illuga doesn't feel anxious about what Flins could be thinking of him.
Somehow, he can't believe that it could be anything bad.
Illuga pauses. "Kyryll?"
" Mhm? "
"Thank you. "
"Whatever for?"
" Being you. "
"Ha." Flins chuckles. "Let me do something a little more difficult and noteworthy before thanking me hm? "
"I'm serious!" Illuga protests.
" I'm sure you are. " Flins smiles at him fondly. "I'm thankful you are yourself too."
Illuga glances away nervously. "Thank you."
"Would you care to join me for dinner?" Flins asks. "If you aren't comfortable being over here with me by yourself that's quite alright, I just thought I'd offer."
" ...I would love that. " Illuga finds himself smiling softly. "Is it okay if I bring Aedon too? I don't think she'll forgive me if I leave her again."
Aedon chirps her agreement.
"Of course. Though I'm afraid I don't have much food fit for birds."
Illuga nods."That's okay. I'll bring some. "
"Some extra too if you could."
Illuga pauses and blinks. " Why? "
"That way you won't need to bring any the next time you bring her over with you."
Illuga's face feels so warm that there is no way in hell, heaven, or earth that he isn't the least bit red.
" Oh dear. You look a bit pink there. Are you feeling alright? " Flins asks teasingly.
" Mhm fine. " Illuga turns his face slightly, hoping it hides his blush at least a little. "So should I come over now or like in a little bit?"
"Now is fine. Oh but I have one more request of you, if you'd be willing to grant it."
Illuga pauses. "...What is it?"
" Might I have your phone number? "
Illuga stares at him. "...that's it?"
" Too much? " Flins asks, though his eyes glint with a jovial mischief that tells Illuga that he is messing with him.
"No just the way you worded it made it sound like you were gonna ask me to like... I don't know sacrifice a pigeon on that way over."
" That can be arranged if you truly want. "
"No, no, it's fine." Illuga shakes his head. " I'll give you my number. No pigeon sacrifices necessary. "
Flins shrugs, grining. "If you insist."
Illuga and Aedon only make it so far as into the elevator before Illuga's phone pings.
It's a picture from an unknown number of the word 'Oh.' written in the same font as the words on Illuga's wrist on what Illuga can only assume is Flins's forearm.
Then comes the second ping.
See you soon my love.