A/N: Merry (late) Christmas! I apologize for the late gift but I hope this was worth the wait! Much love and I wish you the best for the new year!! - @senpaiash
Short Lil Soulmate AU:
On the back of your soulmate’s neck, there is a name and symbol that only you’d recognize so naturally most people would keep their hair up or short but when Nezumi doesn’t allow anyone to see his neck it only peeks Shion’s curiosity further.
Shion wasn’t ready. He normally was but today, he just wasn’t. His brown hair was tangled and his shirt was terribly wrinkled. Nervous hands went to smooth out the white fabric as best he possibly could, but it didn’t do any good. Instead, he went to pick at the strings on the hem. He breathed out through his nose in defeat, it was first day at a new school and he couldn’t even look presentable.
Dark brown eyes looked everywhere but to the driver beside him, who happened to be his mother, humming along to the radio. When she glanced at her son, she stopped to speak, “You don’t look very excited, Shion. Is everything alright?” Shion’s pale fingers stopped in place and his head bobbled with the bumps in the road.
“I guess I’m not looking forward to a school day without Safu.” This was true, he wasn’t entirely ready to go through a whole year without his best friend but when your mom’s business is thriving, there’s no point in complaining about the expansion. The move was quick. He’d only had a week to pack up his belongings with his mom before moving up north to a quiet cold town. Not too far, but far enough to hurt. Shion already missed the bustle of city he grew up in and the convenience of being able to walk across from his apartment complex to Safu and her grandmother’s.
“Ah, I’m sure you’ll make plenty of new friends here. I’ve heard most of the kids go play around the neighborhood after school, maybe you could walk home with a few of them?”
“Maybe.”
With the small black car rounding the corner to his new school, Shion held his breath. Middle schoolers were bundled up for the autumn weather, most laughing and some parking their bikes and chaining them up for the day. All of them with their hair up or cut short, exposing their necks, despite the cold. All of them had their backs to him, his eyes scanned over a sea of names which were boldly printed on the napes of the children’s necks. He wasn’t aware of what read on his neck, his mother never told him and Shion didn’t care to know yet.
He braced himself for the cold air as he opened the car door, immediately regretting his decision of choosing his lighter sweater over his heavy overcoat. His laziness overcame him this morning and didn’t unpack the heavy brown coat last night thinking it would be warmer in the morning. He slipped his tan sweater over head and felt a little better about his appearance, at least nobody could see his wrinkly undershirt. He quickly went to fix his collar to lift it up, covering the brand on his own neck and keeping the cold out.
He smiled and waved to his mother then turned to walk into the school. Brisk morning winds blew onto his face, he was sure that his lips were purple from the cold. Tired eyes subconsciously read the school sign off the side read: West Creek Middle School before surring off to the office.
“That was relatively easy to find .” Shion mused as he turned the handle and walked in. Inside sat a line a chairs, all empty except for one. A young girl, probably his age, sat on a generic blue chair with blue hued hair down to her shoulders. A pacularitar sight for the city boy. Not only because the blue coloring but it’s unusual that somebody this young would grow their hair out or have it down in public, unless they’d already found their soulmate which wasn’t too unlikely Shion supposed. It was a way of letting other people know that they’ve been taken, like an engagement ring.
Ignoring the girl, he approached the secretary at the desk to receive his schedule and other documents. As he placed the papers in his bag, the security called for the girl to come forward and show Shion around. He straightened up and looked at his guide in the eye. His heart stopped as he realized that she was a he - and he was beautiful.
“This is Nezumi, he’s in the same grade as you. He will be leading you around campus today, alright dear? If you have any trouble, c'mon back here and I’ll help you.” Her gray bun nodded on her head as she slid them both a candy with a kind hearted smile. Shion thanked her and smiled just as brightly before taking his piece. Nezumi turned with his piece already in his mouth and Shion hurried out behind him, audible sounds from his shoes squeak on the tile.
Nezumi wore a simple black shirt with a jacket and tight jeans. Nothing too out there. In the city, it wasn’t uncommon for kids to wear name brand clothes, he wasn’t on of them and neither was Safu. His long hair seemed to be dripping, was he wet?
“Hey!” Nezumi didn’t turn to see Shion jump almost ten feet into the air.
“Yeah?” Shion swallowed and stopped.
“Oh, so he speaks?” Nezumi turned to face him completely, giving Shion the opportunity to examine him fully for the first time. He held a very stern face for someone so young but Shion could see softness in his stormy eyes. Lingering memories of screaming off the balcony of his apartment from his last night in the city surfaced. The storm was astounding. Shion shook it off and looked to the floor, where droplets of water fell from Nezumi’s hair.
“You’re wet.” Shion said, heat rising to face from the embarrassment of his outburst from a few nights ago. Nezumi saw this, soft red pigment danced it’s way onto the smaller boy’s cheeks.
“Tisk tisk, it’s not very courteous to fall for the first boy you see. What chance do other suitors have against me?” Shion’s face couldn’t have turned any redder.
“What are you talking about? You know the world doesn’t work that way.” Shion said trying to compose himself.
Nezumi scoffed. “You're no fun, hand over your schedule.” Retrieving it, Shion handed it to the tan boy.
Must be from being in the sun all day. I bet it must be nice to live in an area where it’s sunny on the spring and summer. Shion thought before Nezumi took off walking without warning and Shion followed.
Shion took note of his movements. The way he flipped through Shion’s paper. The gracefully stride his legs made across the bland tile floor. The movement of his hand through the tangles of his hair. Everything was mesmerizing.
“I’m guessing you didn’t volunteer to become a school guide?” Shion started again trying to take back his tainted reputation. He struggled to walk beside Nezumi.
“How clever are we? No I didn’t, this school has a policy that involves turning delinquents like me into do-gooders and contributors to school culture. I say this is just another way to ditch class so I’m not complaining.”
“But how are you going to pass your classes if you aren’t in the lectures?” Shion asked. Nezumi stopped abruptly at a door.
“Like most people in this school pass,” He said turning the handle to the room,”y bullshitting my way out.” And with that he was gone.
Shion finished his school day without seeing Nezumi again. He had managed to get around campus alright and his teachers were enjoyable people. I guess it wasn’t too bad, Shion thought to himself. He was used to the city life, where his class size was more than 30 people. This might be a good change.
Shion started off down the road, tan sweater in hand, the sun had come out earlier that day so he had taken it off. The air smelt fresh and he enjoyed the chilly air and the light warmth of the sun. The contradiction was almost alluring. His quiet walk was disturbed by a crash behind him. He stopped and turned, phone ready to call an ambulance but he didn’t need to. He recognized the mess behind him. It was Nezumi.
Nezumi looked up from his fallen state to the brown haired boy. His leg caught in the chain of his bicycle. Shion tried to step forward but Nezumi’s face twisted into a snarl. “Stay away, I’m fine.” He growled. Shion had no intention of standing by, he stepped forward regardless of consistent protests. Despite Nezumi’s harsh words, his eyes were wild and fearful. Observant Shion spoke to him calmly, “Don’t move too much, Nezumi. You’re bleeding and I don’t want the chain to dig deeper into your skin.” Nezumi just insulted him in return.
As soon as he was free, Nezumi fixed his bike chain and took off as fast as could. Why didn’t I see it earlier? Bold lettering fresh in his mind that he had seen on the back of the Shions neck. NEZUMI. It was enough to make him make him lose balance and fall off his bike.
There was no way that was his name. There just was no way in hell he would be tied down with an airhead like Shion. His leg stung from the chain that dug into his skin and he knew that he was leaving a trail of blood behind. Nezumi needed to get away from that kid as soon as possible.
Shion was positive. He was sure of what he saw. He blinked a few times, trying to revisualize his recent memory. Nezumi sprang up from the ground, bloody and frantic, practically jumped onto his bike. His legs pumping and his face red respite the tan. But most importantly, his hat blew back in the wind exposing his neck. And in big bold letters read his name. SHION.
He took off running after Nezumi but he was too late, he had been long gone. Shion rubbed his eyes in frustration, he had concluded that Nezumi wouldn’t had acted so hostile unless it was his name on the back of his neck. He ran to his mother’s bathroom, not even caring to take off his shoes.
His hands rummaged around in the drawers until he found a hand mirror.He then turned around hastily, holding the mirror out to reflect the against the even larger vanity. He let his focus on his neck. Bold lettering printed just as he hypothesized. NEZUMI.
Shion ran his other shaky hand other his neck. His eyes almost started to water, his soulmate was that sarcastic beautiful boy that he walked down the hall with. Touching and tracing the letters with his fingers, he breathed in and out slowly trying to calm himself. He couldn’t believe it.
Shion didn’t see Nezumi the next day, or the day after that. He didn't even see him weeks after the bike accident. Nezumi was gone. Kids around his school had gossiped around saying that he had ran away from abusive parents or that he died in the river three miles up the road. None was true.
Shion knew the truth, Nezumi wasn’t ready to be his soulmate. But Shion knew that wasn't’ the last he’d see of Nezumi. Reunion would come.
