Chapter Text
Candle had always been able to see the red strings that connected people to their soulmates, yet she had never had her own. Candle accepted that her gift of sight came at a cost…
Until the volcano.
She didn’t even register it until after the elimination when she suddenly saw it on her wrist and followed it. She walked until she found him, sitting at the Pic-Nix table.
“Oh. Hello Silver Spoon,” Candle greeted
Silver sat with his arms crossed “Why did you include me in that group circle?” He asked, rudeness in his tone
“Because you’re my teammate, I’m going to include you even if you spoke out of turn,” Candle waited for a response, but got none, so she left for her regular meditation spot.
Sitting in front of the lava where she had likely found the red string she thought she would never get. It was confusing because Silver had hated her, how could one interaction make them suddenly soulmates? Candle wondered if the course of fate had been altered, or if she was meant to wait. It was odd.
Candle took a breath in and a breath out, letting herself accept that this was reality and she couldn’t change that; she did have control over whether or not she’d tell Silver Spoon. She meditated until the sunset, watching her flame’s shadow flicker across the ground and the ethereal light of the sun causing the lava to glow brighter.
*
She hadn’t really expected the show to go like this. Not her and Silver Spoon, power duo against everyone else. She had expected to be a team therapist. And yet, it felt… good, being able to be selfish for once.
Candle and Silver had been constantly strategizing and bantering. Their energy had changed, and yet, the string only glowed brighter.
*
Candle’s inner flame being punched out by Silver’s inner flame was the last thing she remembered before passing out, and Silver Spoon’s concerned face was the first thing she saw when she came to.
Jolting up, Candle tried calming her breathing. Since the last few moments she had with Silver weren’t… particularly nice ones. She wasn’t sure what he’d feel about her. Would he be similarly angry to his inner flame? But those worries left the moment she heard his relieved sob. It was still the Silver she knew.
“Candle-!! I’m so sorry! I only wanted to help- I just… I wasn’t responsible.. and it ended up with you hurting-!” Silver rushed through his sentences
“What…?” Candle’s head was still a tad foggy
“I’m sorry, my dear… I just felt so… unworthy. And it made my inner flame angry. I should’ve known better.”
“You’re not fully connected to your inner flame yet, right? You weren’t conscious. It wasn’t your conscious intention to do that.” And yet… it was still influenced by how he felt deep down. Candle knew she could forgive him, but it still hurt.
*
Candle had joined the 4th season’s competition. Looking for a purpose, almost. She wanted to grow past her need for helping others. What Mephone4 had assigned her. And it was nice, she had made some friends. Cheesy being the most notable. And yet. There was one person that her mind kept wandering back to. One who her string would always lead her to. And one who had no idea of their connection.
…
Maybe it was a tad unfair that only she knew. But a part of her was nervous. A part of her went from not believing it to be the right time, to being a little afraid that if they started dating, they’d be spending even more of their time just together. Fulfilling their prophecy of “Must be needed” and “Thinks he’s worthless.”
Maybe she’ll be ready someday.