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Sharing a mind with your other half is such a weird experience. On one hand, it felt like a piece of you is missing - kind of an oxymoron, since finding your other half is suppose to complete you - and you're left with only one half of your thoughts. On another, it gets really cramped once you and your other soul-bind each other. It's the downside of soul-bonding no one talks about; feelings pushing against each other, thoughts that were running through your head suddenly gets block because your bonded doesn't want to hear them, sometimes their voice or your voice is too loud, there's little to no wiggle room for your soul since the two halves are stuck as one. Really, the more I talk about it, the less exciting soul-bonding gets.But Ryuji didn't mind.Combining your and your other half's souls is a fairly tricky process, and not one without faults. Too many complications arises; such as powerful emotions overwhelming your other half's soul, often leading to the death of one or both souls, and is usually frown upon, even if soul-bonding is suppose to be one of joy. It's why less than 10% have been successful.Ryuji was thankful that he had fallen into that 10%.It wasn't like he had been trying either. During the times where soulmates and soul-bonding were all everyone talked about, Ryuji knew it was a lost cause to find his other. Nobody had wanted an out-of-control delinquent as their soulmate, especially with the Kamoshida incident following him around everywhere, so Ryuji never bothered to look for them. He figures whoever been unfortunate to be his soulmate, they'll probably wish it wasn't so. He wasn't very smart, nor was he handsome, so he didn't think he would please them. He could hardly please his mother, even if she loves him to bits and tells him every day that she do.And then, he found Kurusu Akira.The second they laid eyes on each other, Ryuji felt a shiver go up his spine. The dyed blond blink back hard, a bit confused, before disregarding it and continued making his presence known. He should've seen the signs, back then. The shivers, the need to touch, his heart yearning for the boy he'd just met, it was all there. Yet, Ryuji continued on pretending he didn't just found his soulmate, as if he and Akira were just friends and nothing more.His wake up call had been when Akira and Makoto pretended to date each other.The ugly feelings of jealousy had made him hurl, counted by the fact that he felt completely rejected. He had been angry, mostly, thinking Akira had kept him and Makoto dating a secret - but once explained, he felt tremendous relief wash over him and his heart started to sing praises once more. At that time, he started to realize he had fallen for Akira, whether he liked it or not. And, not only had he fallen for him, but he was also his soulmate, given how his heart kept chirping whenever Akira's name was mention.Instead of being happy, Ryuji had been horrified.One look at Akira told him he was out of his league. The guy was smart and everyone looked up to him, even with the criminal record. Most of their shared friends trusted him far more than they trusted Ryuji, and well, he wouldn't be surprised if Akira already had a soulmate. That's the thing with soulmates - you can have more than one; sometimes they're platonic, sometimes not, and sometimes....sometimes it's completely one-sided. Just because you're someone's soulmate doesn't mean they were going to return your feelings - is what his father had told him. It hadn't been like that with his parents until after his father lost his job, started drinking, and became an abusive asshole. Eventually, romantic feelings died off and his father left. Ryuji was thankful his mother never soul-binded to him, despite being in love with each other, once upon a time ago.It had left Ryuji afraid, knowing Akira could have anyone he wanted. Knowing he would never return Ryuji's feelings, knowing there's someone better for him, Ann or Makoto - or maybe someone else waiting for him back home; knowing Ryuji would love Akira to the ends of the Earth, even if the raven never glanced at him like that.It scared him, but he had also accepted it. That's why when he did what he did in Shido's palace, he had no regrets. He loved Akira, and he only wanted Akira to be happy - even if it's not him. He hadn't expected the ship to blow him sky high, but if he actually died that night, Ryuji would've been okay with that. His friends - Akira - were safe. It would've been fine.Apparently, it was not fine, according to their friends. They had yelled and hit him, angry that he would make a joke about his death. He hadn't meant anyone to worry, but looking back, maybe he should've thought about his words a bit more. Afterwards, when they were done yelling, Akira had pulled him to the side. Awkward silence had fallen in between the two before Akira pulled him close and kissed him. It startled the delinquent, and he hadn't been sure whether he wanted to pull away or go for more, when Akira broke the kiss and whispered to his ear:"You fucking idiot," Akira was a tiny bit angry, Ryuji could hear. "Don't ever pull that stunt again, Ryuji. I cannot take it if you died."Ryuji nodded dumbly, staring at his best friend. Akira placed a soft kiss on his lips."After all of this done, we should soul-bond." He said, making Ryuji's eyes go wide. "I need to know what's going through that pretty little head of yours. Don't act like we aren't soulmates, Ryuji. We are. And after all of this is done, when the Phantom Thieves business is over, and I have to go back home - I'm coming back. For you. You just have to wait for me."That entire speech had left Ryuji wordless, but he agreed while his heart burst into tears. Akira had felt the same way - his soulmate returned his feelings. And more than that, Akira promised he'll return again. He'll come back to Tokyo, for him. The corner of his eyes were started to tear up, but Akira had smiled and kissed them away.And true to his word, months later after the initial shebang with shadows and a god, Akira did return. And they did soul-bond.Ryuji had been a nervous wreck, and nearly messed up, almost getting himself killed in the process, but thankfully, Akira had managed to calm him down - just enough for them to go through the astral projection sphere, where their souls can link with each other. The moment their souls touched, Ryuji had felt Akira's desires and love on him, but not enough to overwhelm him. He felt what it seems to be a hand touch his face, and lips pressed against his own, and he felt himself smile."Did you know, soul-bonding has a less than 10% ratio of success?" Akira asked, smiling as Ryuji rolled his eyes.With their bond complete, Akira and Ryuji now shared a mind and a body. It was complete weird, but Ryuji didn't mind - especially when he felt Akira's love for him surrounding him, as well as his arms. He groaned, rolling over in their shared bed."Kira," The message was being sent. "Stop it. It's bad enough our thoughts are entangled with each other's. Don't make our astral physical bodies do it too. It's too hot."A sudden shudder ran down his back, his soul engulfed by heat."It can't be that hot for a snuggle, Ryu. And besides, technically, we aren't actually feeling the heat of summer. You're just feeling my body warmth." There's a sudden playful nip on his shoulder, and Ryuji squeaked - his physical body turning over as Akira giggled."It's too early then. Stop it." He thought."Hmm," Still entangled with each other mentally, Akira kissed him. "No."Ryuji sighed, loudly, and Akira just laughed.Soul-bonding and everything that came with it is really, really weird.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Being a hero wasn't easy. Villains constantly popping up, rescuing someone from falling debris, and sometimes taking risk that may or may not guaranteed you coming back from it. It was that last bit that had Midoriya Izuku thoughtful.When he was younger, he always respected All-Might. Not only because he was his favorite hero, but also because the number one hero at the time had risked his life many times fighting and protecting, and that was something Izuku had always wanted to do - on top of having a cool superpower. Having been diagnosed of being Quirkless had hurt, losing his best friend even worst, and then being told by the person he looked up to that he couldn't be a hero without one initially kind of broke his spirit. At that time, he had been ready to give up the dream and resign himself to an average, boring lifestyle - had the green slime monster incident hadn't taken place.Funny how life works.It's been a long time since All-Might passed down his quirk onto him, and he made it into the UA. A lot has changed since, especially with the recent soulmates and soul-bonding that were popping up.The soulmates thing wasn't really new, having been around long before quirks were. There had been stories about how soulmates came to be, ranging anywhere from something obviously fairytale - such as the world bursting into color the moment soulmates met - to something more idealistic, such as a simple spark when you hold hands with your soulmate. Izuku didn't know how any other soulmates met, but he remembers the first time he realized Katsuki was his.It was the first time they met, back when they were kids and Izuku hadn't known anyone - not when he was just starting to talk anyway. His mother had set up a playdate for him with Katsuki, since her and Katsuki's mom were good friends, and he had been so excited. At the time, Izuku had forgotten Katsuki's name, but still remembered him from his blond hair and red eyes. There had been something about that combination that had little Izuku hook, and he refused to let Katsuki go.When the doorbell rung, Izuku came running to the door, nearly stumbling."K-Kacchan!" He hiccupped, just as the door open and revealed his neighbor, who turned out to be his best friend. In that moment, for Izuku, it was like the world had gotten brighter, happiness swelling inside his heart, and he couldn't stop smiling. Katsuki had been the same, if the smile on his face is anything to go by. Before their quirks appeared, the two of them had been happy, playing with each other and Izuku admiring Katsuki's confidence and knowledge. They both fanboyed over All-Might, and every time Izuku reached out to hold Katsuki's hand, his heart did a funny leap and caused him to tighten his hold on the blond.That was the moment when the thought I'm never letting you go came to mind. Especially when Katsuki then told Izuku that when they become heroes, they'll be together - as partners. It had made Izuku so happy.But of course that happy childhood memory was overshadowed by the fact that Katsuki became a prick, and the prickliness only grew more as they've gotten older. The love and admiration Izuku had for Katsuki never wavered, but with it came the fear (because of Katsuki's usage of quirk, intimidating features, and the fact that he may never catch up to Katsuki), the hate (because of the bullying, because Katsuki grew a fat head, because Katsuki never really understood Izuku - the same way Izuku never truly understood Katsuki), and then sadness (of never repairing their relationship, of always being stuck between friend or not friend). It had continued to be that until finally, All-Might pretty much told them to calm the fuck down and told Katsuki his secret. Since then, their relationship how gotten a lot better.Izuku hadn't been sure if Katsuki knew that he was his soulmate, if he even wanted one, but when Izuku had almost gotten himself killed during his time of being a newly Pro Hero, he'd gotten his answer in a screaming match."WHAT THE FUCK, DEKU?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH OR SOMETHING?!""IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, KACCHAN! I COULDN'T LET INNOCENT BYSTANDERS GET HURT!""YEAH, AND AS A RESULT, YOU WERE ALMOST KILLED, ASSHOLE!""I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CARE SO MUCH! WE DON'T EVEN PATROL THE SAME AREA!""HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, I CAN FEEL THE SHIT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, HAAA?! EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT SMARTASS?!"Katsuki probably hadn't meant to let it slip, especially when their voices were loud enough for other people to hear. And of course the media caught on fast:
GROUND ZERO IS DEKU'S SOULMATE???
It was awkward, to say the least, but about time they actually manage to sit down and talk about it, Izuku realized he may have a chance - one that he was always hoping for. It had been hard to have an actual normal date without something interfering - because even now, the idea of the two leading heroes together is still a shocker for some - but they've managed, and it seemed like they both found themselves falling deeper and deeper in love the more they spent time together. It had gotten to the point where they were now partners, and even had the Wonder Duo nickname stuck to them like glue. Eventually, Katsuki had mentioned wanting to soul-bond."You sure? There's always a risk." He asked, a bit concern as he looked at his partner, lover, and soulmate. Katsuki rolled his eyes."Deku, I be damned if I let a stupid thing such as soul-bonding take me out after all the shit we've been through. I'm confident we can make it work." Izuku smiled."Yeah. You're right."After soul-bonding, Izuku couldn't help but shiver as he felt Katsuki's emotions wash over him. They were just like the blond himself - explosive, loud, domineering, but Izuku didn't feel suffocated; probably because Izuku's own emotions were just as intense. The two souls clashed, but in the way that felt all too good rather than repulsive. It was almost like having a piece of Katsuki wherever he went, and despite all the loudness, there's a part of Katsuki that is rarely shown, but often felt; his soft, caring, side. The side that Izuku hadn't noticed, but now that he did, he didn't want to let go. It felt tender, small, but there was so much love and affection in that part, it almost brought Izuku down onto his knees and cry."Are you done being fucking weird?" A thought came across his mind as he made his way home, tired and bruised.
"It's not weird, Kacchan. I love your soul!"
"That's creepy as fuck to say. Thank god you aren't talking out loud."
"Kacchan! Don't be so mean! I can feel your laughter!"
"When are you coming home?" Katsuki asked, and Izuku could feel him shift inside his mind. He placed a hand on Katsuki's soft, but battered (not as much as his own) one.
"I'm on my way now. Why?"
"No reason." There was a small amount of content wavering through the bonds, and Izuku smiled.
"Katsudon for dinner?"
"And I already have a bubble bath waiting for you. Better thank me you fucking nerd." Katsuki smirked, and Izuku snickered."Thanks, Kacchan! I love you!" Izuku had to stop himself from laughing out loud when he could feel Katsuki's embarrassment. Back then, if they had been in UA, Izuku would've thought he'd gotten angry with the way Katsuki bristled over anything nice, but now he knew better.
"Yeah, yeah. Fucking love you too, nerd."
Izuku smiled.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Killua Zoldyck did not believe in soulmates.Well, that's not true; it was mostly due to his family's influence that he did not believe in them. Once upon a time ago, when Killua had been very little, he had heard gossip and rumors about soulmates and their bonding, and had once asked his dad if he had one."You should forget about having a soulmate, Killua," He said. "In our line of work, they would only be a distraction, nothing more. Don't waste your time on such nonsense."Since then, he had never asked again, knowing half of his family would say. His mom would mostly likely be thrilled for him to have a soulmate - if only according to her standards. He suspects she wanted his soulmate to be some upstanding citizen, much like the Zoldyck family, if not more so. That being said, Killua hated the idea of soulmates and have since stopped believing in them.It wasn't until after he escaped his household for the first time, did he remember the idea of soulmates.Supposedly, a soulmate is a person whom you are completely compatible with either romantic, friendship, or just someone you trust. They were suppose to be the other half of you, whatever that suppose to mean, and typically on the same wavelength as you. Meeting your soulmate varies from person to person, but typically, it all leads to the same thing: your heart knows.After hearing that, Killua snorted and officially began his non-belief in soulmates. Even if his family had wanted him to believe, to his own ears, it sounded stupid. A person who's on the same wavelength as him? Does that mean Killua's soulmate, if he had one, is a murderer too? If so, he thinks he could live without ever meeting them. Maybe, for this one instance, his family is right; he would be wasting his time in trying to find his soulmate.Kind of funny how, without trying, Killua did in fact meet his soulmate - and he's nothing like Killua thought he would be.Gon Freecs. The boy with a sunshine smile, openly trusted everything without a spare thought, was not afraid to speak his mind, and Killua's very first friend.The first thing that stood out to Killua was the fact that they were around the same age, and yet, there was a difference between the two. It had made the assassin curious, and without knowing it, felt compelled to follow him - even stopping his skateboarding so they could run walk together through the halls of the first exam. He hadn't known it at the time, but meeting Gon had caused a spark within Killua to go off, surprised by the fact that Gon could keep up with him, despite living a completely normal life compared to Killua's. They had made it a run to see who can get to the top first, had their first pillow fight thanks to Leorio's blunder, and as the exam went on, Gon kept surprising Killua at every turn and Killua found himself growing comfortable around Gon more. By the time the exams ended, Killua could say that Gon was his very first, very best friend.
Gon had already decided that Killua was his best friend, the jerk.
What had surprised Killua, though, was when the assassin failed the exam the first time and Gon went after him. He had been so sure that the idiot wouldn't follow him to his home, to get him back, yet he did. From what Leorio had told him, he had been so angry with his older brother, that he nearly shattered his arm, and from that one comment, that one little thing, Killua felt his heart skip a beat. A tingling sensation had washed over him, and he heard the name Gon echo inside his mind, his heart happy and singing as much as it could. He hadn't understood it, at the time; why he was so embarrassed when Gon did things that seemed out of the normal for him (Gon was never normal, he had to remind himself), why his heart did funny things whenever Gon was mentioned or around. Why it'd hurt when Gon had decided to take Palm out on a date, why he was worried when Gon got attached to Kite as quick as he did, and after everything they went through, when they had split apart, when they went their separate ways after the Ants thing, his entire heart felt shattered and destroyed.It was then, when Alluka brought it up, that he realized....Gon was his soulmate."Big brother really loved Gon, huh?" She asked, looking at him. "You....do you think he's your soulmate mom and dad talked about?"He wanted to deny it, wanted to say that he had no soulmate, that soulmates didn't exist, but....
Why was it when you left, that my heart kept wailing out for you even though I know you wouldn't return, not without finding your dad?
Knowing that brought a whole new set of tears, and Killua....Killua felt so alone, after Gon had left. His heart felt empty, still crying out for the that one person, but after moping for a good month and half since the split, Killua had to move on. He still needed to keep both him and his sister safe, so long as Illumi was out there, hunting for them. It had been painful, but Killua couldn't keep thinking about Gon - even if they promised to keep in contact. He has to live for Alluka now.At least, that had been the plan before he and Gon met up again, accidentally.The bronze kid from Whale Island had grown, just an inch taller than Killua, his spiky black hair still as wild as ever and his eyes - his beautiful, deep, golden brown eyes - still maintain the look of innocence, but....There's also a bit of maturity in them too."Killua!" He gasped, running straight towards the white haired assassin and picked him up and swung him around with such ease, Killua was mortified."Put me down you idiot!" He said, blushing even when Gon began to laugh. The hunter did as he was told, beaming at Killua."Killua! I'm so happy to see you again!" He exclaimed, hugging Killua. Once more, Killua felt his heart leap into his throat and. And.
Not again.
"It's good to see you too..." Killua chuckled, trying to pry himself away from Gon, but Gon didn't budge. If anything, his hold grew tighter. "Gon.""I'm sorry," Gon whispered, causing Killua to pause. "For a lot of things. I'm sorry I never listen to you. I'm sorry that I hurt you. It was never my intent. Forgive me?"Killua sighed. "I've forgiven you a long time ago, idiot. Don't worry about it."The grip didn't loosen, and Killua could feel his patience wearing thin. "Gon, if you don't-""You're still hurt." Gon interrupted. Killua didn't say anything. "I know because I can feel it. In my heart." At that, Killua felt himself tense without meaning to. "I didn't understand it when we were younger. I mean, I knew of the stories Aunt Mito told me, and I have always wondered if I would ever get one of my own, and I did. I still do, that is, if you would let me. Killua," That's when Gon pulled back and looked into his eyes, serious and determined. "I'm your soulmate. And I know I don't deserve to be. But I would really like to make it up to you, if that's okay. Because I think, no, I know I do," There was a tiny, sad, smile on his face that Killua wanted to wipe off. "I love you, Killua Zoldyck. And I would do anything to make you see that I could be a good soulmate for you."Killua was pretty sure his face was no longer pale, given how heated it felt."I-Idiot," He stuttered. "S-saying such embarrassing things," He turned his head away. "Okay, fine. We can be soulmates, or whatever.""No, I'm going to prove that I'm a good soulmate," Gon emphasis, getting a startled laugh from Killua. "Aunt Mito told me you can have more than one soulmate. I....It's selfish, I know, but you were always my Killua. Now you're my soulmate. I'm not very good at sharing."That caused Killua to smile."Neither am I."After that, it was almost like the split never happened - Gon and Killua were attached to the hip once more, going any and everywhere they could, learning new things, fighting with each other again. Gon would easily slide his hand against his, tighten his hold, and this time, occasionally ask what Killua is thinking, taking a more direct approach to the assassin than he did when they were younger. Eventually, the idea of soul-bonding came up, and Killua had been hesitated."Are you sure you want to? If this fails, then one or both of us dies.""I..." The words don't care were on the tip of his tongue, but Gon didn't say it. Not now, not with this. "If you die, then I will follow."Killua felt his face flush, bristling."Idiot! Don't say things like that!"They continued to argue about it before eventually, Gon had convinced Killua to soul-bond. Surprisingly, it well; Gon and Killua's soul taken well against each other like a fish to water. Killua could feel everything Gon was feeling, and he shivered when he found himself wrapped around his love. It didn't feel like his family's love, cold and overbearing, but warm and soft, like honey. It made him smile."Killua~" He heard Gon speak, even though Gon was in the bathroom of the hotel room they were staying at currently. "What are you thinking about?""You. Us, I guess." He thought back. He could hear Gon hum a little."Hey, Killua, want to join me in the shower?" Killua felt his face heat up.
"W-What? Where did that-?"
"PLEASE, Killua? We use to do it all the time when we were kids!"
"That's because we were kids, Gon! We're older now!"
"Yeah...older." There was a hidden message that was not lost on Killua, and he could feel the blush on his face deepen. He bit his lip.
"Fine...be there in a sec."
Maybe Killua regret not believing in soulmates, if it meant he could be this happy.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
At only ten years old, Nagachika Hideyoshi had met his soulmate.He heard stories about them before, from his parents and random people on the street, and it had made the young man curious of what his soulmate was like; was they just as social as he? Did they have a lot friends? Were they cute? And would his soulmate like him? These were the questions that popped into his mind.The thing with soulmates and sharing a mind, as well as thoughts and feelings, with them had buzzed through his head until one day, he saw a boy down the river. The boy had his back towards him, face planted inside of a book, but Hide couldn't help but think he looks lonely. Without further ado, the boy had ran toward the other black-haired ten-year-old, startling him from his read."Hiya! My name's Nagachika Hideyoshi, but you can call me Hide! What's your name?" Hide asked. The boy with the black hair and grey eyes blinked, before shuffling nervously, eyeing Hide."K-Kaneki Ken." He whispered."Nice to meet you, Kaneki! I just moved here. Would you like to be friends?" Hide asked with a giant smile on his face. Kaneki blinked once more and gave Hide a soft smile. The sunshine boy could feel his heart tighten at the look, his insides turning into goo."S-Sure. Let's be friends."Hide couldn't stop smiling after that, his heart started to sing. From there on, the two were attached to the hip - with Hide constantly talking enough for the both of them, and Kaneki patiently listening to him, only to have some in-put whenever Hide was making up something ridiculous. As they've gotten older, Hide started to recognize Kaneki as his soulmate - as why he was always so happy whenever he was around, pleased to know that the only person Kaneki could ever rely on is him. It was selfish, he knew that, but their tiny circle was never tampered with, even if Hide was the more outgoing of the two. It made his heart swell to know that he will always have Kaneki's attention.Though, admittedly, he does get a bit envious from time to time whenever Kaneki mentions a crush. Even though those typically didn't last long, it hurts to know that Kaneki never saw Hide as anything more than a friend, much less of a soulmate. He didn't want to push it, though. Hide may have been selfish - they both are, really - but he recognize Kaneki as his own person; he doesn't have to return Hide's feelings if he didn't feel the same.He made the decision when Kaneki kept ranting on and on about this cute girl he met."Her name is Rize," He said with a small blush on his face. "She's very pretty. And she likes Takatsuki Sen. I think she might be my soulmate."Hearing that caused Hide's soul to be crushed, and, bitterly, he wondered if Kaneki had felt that. After all, the pull for soulmates goes both ways; if Kaneki felt something heavy being settled into his gut, would that clue him in? That his actual soulmate was right in front of him?"Yeah? Well, wouldn't get your hopes up," Hide teased. "Who knows? Maybe she's a maneater.""That's rude, Hide!"Eventually, they did go to the little coffee shop - Anteiku - to meet Kaneki's so-called 'soulmate'. One look from the girl told Hide everything he needed to, and he frowned, feeling a bit subconscious about himself. I'm never going to be that pretty. He thought, resisting the urge to toggle with his hair."You should give it up, man. A girl like that is way out of your league." He snickered, ignoring the glare he received from Kaneki. They talked for a bit before Hide eventually decided to go, leaving Kaneki to deal with his date by himself. He ignored the bitter feelings, the envy, because he just wants Kaneki to be happy for once. Living with his abusive aunt and then being bullied would make any kid depress, so he couldn't fault this one good thing that is happening in Kaneki's life.He should've known better, with how on point his intuition usually is.Moments later had found Kaneki in the hospital after withstanding an injury on a construction site. Why Kaneki had been there, he did not know, but his date had been dead on impact when some support beams fell on her. He wish he could feel sorry for her, but he couldn't muster up the energy, more worried about Kaneki than anything. He had spent days in and out of the hospital, wanting to be there for the day of when Kaneki wakes up, but every time, the black haired teen hadn't moved an inch. Eventually, he did come out of the coma, and Hide had been excited, but Kaneki didn't keep in contact with him. Hide figures that Kaneki needed some time after the trauma, but when days turned into weeks, and with each call going straight to voice messages, he began to worry."Kaneki!" He called out, running straight towards the unsuspected Kaneki, picked him up, and swung him around in a bear hug. "Why haven't you called me back?! I was worried!""S-Sorry, Hide. I'm a bit busy." Kaneki stumbled, blushing a little."Eh?! With what?" He asked, peering at the smaller boy. While Kaneki fished for an excuse, his stomach started to growl. "Hey, if you haven't eaten yet, let's stop by Big Girl! To celebrate you coming out of the hospital!""I-I-""Pleeeeeaaase?" Hide pouted, and Kaneki caved. They made their way to the burger joint, Hide scarfing down his food, Kaneki barely touching his. "Hey, are you okay? You haven't touched anything.""I'm not hungry, I guess," Kaneki said. Hide squinted his eyes, studying his friend. He could tell something was wrong, his soul feeling the disturbance of Kaneki's attitude. It was like Kaneki was hiding something, but he didn't know what. At least, not yet. "Have you ever thought about soulmates?"Hide blinked."Eh? Soulmates?" Kaneki didn't say anything, waiting for Hide to continue. "Of course I have. Thought about it all time, wondering where's my other half. I don't know if I'd met them or not." He has. He doesn't want to tell Kaneki that he was soulmate, especially if he wasn't sure if Kaneki felt the same. "Why? What brought this on? Is it because of that one girl-""NO!" Kaneki shouted, startling Hide. He slumped over his seat, looking down at his food. "It's just...there's been an eye opener is all. And I was curious.""An eye opener...?" Hide muttered, several alarms going off in his head. Now more than anything, he wished he had been there when Kaneki was attacked. He's pretty sure this isn't something Kaneki just thought about out of the blue; that girl must've said something. "If you're wondering if soulmates can feel each other's pain, then yes, yes they can."That had to be it, right? What else it could've been?"Then...does that mean...you can feel what I feel?" Kaneki asked, still not looking at Hide. Hide was confused."Feel what you feel? I don't understand.""Not here," Kaneki muttered. "Let's go to your apartment."Hide didn't say anything, but paid for their lunch - his lunch, really. Since Kaneki didn't eat. They were walking towards his apartment when Kaneki spoke -"When Rize attacked me," Hide tried not to be too surprised. He had known something was off about the girl, but he couldn't have figured out what. "She mentioned that typically, your soulmates feels what you can feel, even when you're apart. She had said we weren't soulmates." Hide blinked."I could've told you that.""No, please, just listen," Kaneki shook his head. "I have...ever since we've met, I always felt something towards you - at least coming off of you. Sometimes you were happy, and that made me happy. Sometimes you were sad, and that made me sad. Sometimes...typically, whenever I was talking about my crushes, you felt...angry...jealous, maybe? I felt that too. I didn't know why. I knew about soulmates, but I always thought our relationship is more platonic than anything, so I never asked." He stopped walking. "But then...something had happened, and now...now I....I realized that I didn't want to lose you. Not if I can stop it.""Kaneki-""Hide....I've been turned into a ghoul. Your soulmate is a ghoul." Kaneki started to cry. Hide swiftly came up and hugged him, Kaneki hiccupping."I don't care." He whispered, and he meant it. He really didn't care that Kaneki's life has been turned upside down, that he might be in danger because of it. He had known most of his life that he wanted to be with Kaneki, in any way that he could, and sacrificing his happiness for Kaneki's had always been the plan. It was completely stupid, but so long as Kaneki kept him around, even when he's happy being someone else's soulmate, Hide didn't care.Kaneki couldn't stop crying, hugging his friend back. Seconds passed when they split apart and continued their walk to Hide's apartment, only to find comfort in each other, silent."Do you mind me being your soulmate?" Hide asked, and Kaneki shook his head."No. If I'm glad there's anything normal now, it's this. Everything else can change, but I...I don't want this to change." He tighten his grip on Hide's hand. Weeks passed since the reveal, Kaneki and Hide getting closer to each other, and it was almost as if this big new change didn't change anything. Hide was still a goofball, and Kaneki still put up with him, only now as a ghoul and currently working at Anteiku, once Kaneki's situation has been explained and been revealed that most of the employees were ghouls too."Hide, did you forget about the coffee on the stove again?" Kaneki's voice appeared in his head. Since Kaneki became more acceptable towards Hide being his soulmate, the idea of soul-bonding had popped up and within the first few days of it, Hide finds himself really liking it, though, still a bit creeped out that Kaneki could literally listen to his thoughts."Oh shit! That's what that smell is!" Kaneki shook his head and sighed.
"Third time. You really aren't good at making coffee, are you?"
"Hey I'm trying!" Hide whined, and Kaneki chuckled, placing a kiss on top of Hide's forehead."I know. I love you." He could see Hide's smile in his mind, before a flick to the head brought Kaneki back to reality. Touka huffed."No slacking off!""Was that Touka?" He heard Hide asked."Yeah." Then snicker.
"She's just jealous she hasn't soul-bonded with anyone yet."
"Better not let her hear you say that. She'll kill you, literally."
"Then you'll have to come and rescue me!"
"Not if I know you started it."
"So mean!" Kaneki let a smile came across his face. "Love you.""Love you too, Hide."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
So many years she had spent chasing after this one girl. So many timelines she had to jump through in order to save her. So many times she had wasted tears when she'd failed, so many times she had tried and failed to kill the Kyubey, many times she watched as her friends died, or in the case of Sayaka, become a witch, so many damn times....And now, after all the heartbreak, the tears, the hurt, and the anger, she finally gets the happy ending she'd wanted, through all the bullshit and loops Kyubey could find. She finally has her Madoka.Said pink-haired girl was currently talking to Sayaka and Hitomi, laughing at whatever it was being said."Are you happy now?" A voice asked, but Akemi didn't have to turn around to know it was Kyubey."I thought I killed you already.""No, you only killed my clone. So long as they keep disappearing, another will replace it. I thought this was explained, at least, to you." Kyubey said, tilting his head. Akemi didn't grace him with an answer, instead, looking at her friends. "I don't really understand why you go through all this trouble for this one girl. Does she mean that much to you?""Of course you wouldn't understand. You have no emotions, therefore, you'll do as you see fit when it comes to 'magical' girls.""This is true, that cannot be denied. But from what I gather, you and Madoka have only met once - before the time travel. How can someone you met only once be so much of an importance to you that you disturb the nature of time?""Because none of us knew what exactly was going to happen when we became your puppet," Akemi snarled, already pointing her gun at the Kyubey. "We were never told we would become a witch when our soul gems turned black - despaired. Didn't realize how dangerous it was to be a magical girl. And yet still, all Madoka ever wanted is for the pain and suffering of each magical girl to stop - so she made a wish. And she died because of it." The finger on the trigger squeezed. "I will not let that happen again.""That doesn't explain why she's so important to you.""You don't need an explanation you bastard!" And then there was a shot. The sound echoed loudly, stopping the three girls in their tracks, puzzled. Akemi simply stepped away, watching them closely. When the girls couldn't find what made the sound, they simply kept walking to school, smiling at each other.
"So long as you're safe, alive and well, I will always be there for you."
Madoka blinked, pressing a hand to her head."Something wrong Madoka?" Sayaka asked."Oh, I...I thought I heard something." She said, cause her two friends to blink."Eh? I didn't hear anything.""Me either.""It sounded a like a voice. Inside my head. That's weird, huh?" Madoka asked, her lips tilted into a nervous smile."EH?! You mean telepathy?!""Whose voice is it, Madoka?""I don't know, but," She bit her lip. "They told me as long as I'm safe, they'll always be there for me.""Aww, that's so sweet!" Hitomi giggled while Sayaka false puke. "That sounds like a soulmate to me!""Eh?! Madoka has a soulmate?! No fair!"Ignoring her friends, Madoka looked down."Soulmate, huh?" She smiled."Thank you, soulmate. Whoever you are!" With that, she ran to catch up with her friends. Meanwhile, Akemi watched her go, a black wing appearing from her back.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jak and Daxter had met each other and realized they were soulmates back when they were in Sandover.It was such an cliché moment too; with Daxter running from trouble, Jak minding his own business before he was pushed onto the ground by a flurry of red and orange. In that moment, whatever it was that Daxter was running from cease to matter. They looked into each other's eyes, the world had stopped spinning, Jak feeling all tingly like he was charged with Blue Eco, and Daxter shivering, his hairs standing on ends. It was at that moment, that they knew.
Soulmate.
Since then, the two hardly left each other's side. They would often go on adventures with each other, explore the forest, do some work around the village; all the while, Daxter would be talking Jak's ear off, but the muted elf never minded. In any time Daxter felt like he might be annoying Jak, he felt a wave of reassurance from the blond and rewarded with a smile of understanding. A few years has passed since the redhead and blond kid had met when Samos had told them about soul-bonding.He said only a few people were able to pull it off, without any side effects, but typically the reward outweigh the risks: knowing what your other half is thinking, feeling, always having a piece of them wherever you go. With soul-bonding, you'd have to be careful of how much you give and take, the Green Sage had said. Doing too much of one or the other leads to the death of your partner or both."Whaddya think, Jak?" Daxter asked one night, in the quietness of their room. "Should we soul-bond?"Jak peered at the smaller elf, a look of confirmation in his eyes. Daxter smiled. "Thought you would say that."That's when Jak pulled Daxter into a hug, his grip tighten. He hadn't noticed he was trembling, until after Jak placed a hand in his hair, in an attempt to calm him down. Daxter breath deeply and snuggled his face against Jak's chest, feeling the love and reassurance of his best friend. "I'm calm, I'm calm," He looked at Jak. "I trust you."That was all Jak needed to hear. Jak, of course, was nervous too, but he wouldn't allow it to show - not like Daxter did. Eventually, Daxter did calm down, and they had soul-bond. It was a really weird experience, having Jak's thoughts inside his head. It almost felt invasive, even if Jak never meant to. But Daxter wasn't going to complain about it, not when he could feel how much Jak worries, cares, and loves him.That still rang truth even when they were ripped away from Sandover and into Haven City, the day where he and Jak were no longer together until two years later, and Jak.....well, outwardly, Jak changed. He's angry and not afraid to show it, he has a malice joy of violence (especially when it came to the KGs), and he talks now. That one hurts Daxter the most, he thinks.Jak can talk. He doesn't need a loudmouth, once-upon-a-time-ago rodent (there's a story about that, somewhere), speaking for him anymore. He doesn't need a partner who's really good at cowering, avoiding fights, and complains so often. He doesn't need Daxter at all, really.There's a sudden warmth surrounding him, and he felt a face nuzzle into his shoulder, the side of his own a bit ticklish by a certain goatee."Stop it," He heard Jak said. "I can feel your negative thinking from all the way over here and it's making me nervous." "Well, ex-cuse me for having a internal crisis, ya highness," Daxter snark, his astral physical body not pulling away from the hug. "Just thought, ya know, having an internal monologue would keep me from worrying while you're out doing god knows what.""Dax, in case you've forgotten, we both agreed to go different paths for this mission, however reluctant," Jak said. Moving his head away, he placed a kiss on Daxter's shoulder, making the redheaded elf keen. "Don't come home too injured, okay? Especially because you're thinking stupid thoughts."
"Oh, so, my feelings are stupid now?"
"That's not what I meant, and you know it," He could feel Jak's arms tighten around his waist, another kiss place firmly onto his shoulder. "I meant, I never cared for your behavior, Dax. In fact, I encourage you to run away whenever danger's near. The only thing I have ever wanted from you was for you to be safe, even if it means leaving me behind."
"I'm not like that anymore."
"I know you aren't. And you know that I still worry for you, that I honestly still think you should run. I'll never forget the times you were on my shoulder, Dax and barely a foot tall. It goes through my mind constantly - as you should know. It's no wonder why I'm still overprotective of you," Still placing kisses on Daxter's face, he turned the smaller elf over so now that Jak was on top. There's a certain gleam in his eye that made Daxter blush. "But I also recognize that you're no longer that small and you can handle yourself around a gun. Makes me worry, but you can handle yourself. I get it." He slid his fingers against Daxter's, and then gripping them. "I get it, but I still worry. Because I love you. That will never change."Daxter could feel tears swelling in his eyes - both physical and astral physical."Love you too." Suddenly, a roar was heard and Daxter was out of his thoughts."Be careful." He heard Jak said. With a firm nod, and his grip tighten on his gun, Daxter made his way to the noise."Same to ya, pal." Despite everything, their bond was still strong. And Daxter couldn't have been more grateful for it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For most of his life, Uzumaki Naruto knew two things were certain when it comes to soulmates.One, everyone has one.Two, he doesn't.The talk of soulmates had never really interested in him, since he had spent most of his time in the village running from angry adults and being mocked for his dreams. It really hadn't occur to him until after he overhears certain classmates talk about it, saw how giddy some adults were when they found their soulmate. From the little he gather, he knows it works like this...Soulmates were the other half of you. Some say you'll never truly feel complete without them, and others say they'll always be a part of you, no matter if you knew them or not. Feelings don't just go away, even if they aren't yours, and most of the time, your soulmate amplifies that. To find your soulmate is a wonderful thing.Naruto doesn't have a soulmate.He knew this, always known this. Villagers would mock and jeer at him, at the thought of anyone wanting to spend time with him, and most kids would avoid and bully him. Nobody wants a dead last as their soulmate, they would say. Nobody wants you is what he hears.It's a painful thing to hear, so Naruto doesn't dwell on it. He doesn't dwell on finding something as meaningless as soulmates, doesn't think twice about his other half - wherever they may be. He's curious, but not that curious. He knows he could live without them, if he wanted to.The idea of soulmates was never brought up again until after he'd met Sakura. To him, she was very pretty and nice (at the time, before Uchiha Sasuke happened), and he thought to himself: she must be his soulmate. The idea of having her as his soulmate made him happy, so he'd been determine to make her see that whatever it is that she sees in that Uchiha bastard, he could probably do and more. He had spent most of his childhood not only chasing after his dream, but also after her. He had felt a lure towards her, so that must've meant she was his soulmate, right? Right?Wrong.Even though Naruto felt a tug towards Sakura, Sakura did not feel a tug towards him. This was proven again and again whenever she got angry at him, ignored his attempts of wooing her, and often left him in the dust whenever Sasuke was around. Each rejection had stung, but Naruto refused to give up. He knew there must've been something she liked that would gain her attention towards him, he just gotta figure out what.For the time being, Naruto's dream of being Hokage was growing more and more, as he had passed the academy and became a full-fledge ninja. He still has a lot to learn, and his impatience often gets the better of him, but with time, Naruto knows being Hokage isn't out of his reach anymore. No matter what, his first goal will be achieved.As he was doing this and focus on this, he never noticed a certain blue haired female watching him, admiring from afar.Hinata Hyuuga knew about soulmates. She knew that they were often looked upon as blessing amongst the Hidden Leaf, and most kids (who aren't ninjas) spends most of their time trying to find them. The Hyuuga clan themselves had no opinion on soulmates, though, whatever they thought about it, it wasn't favorable. Whether the soulmate of a Hyuuga was acceptable or not didn't really matter to them as long as there was balance - as in, as long as the Main branch ruled overall. Other branch members and their soulmates were just that - other branch members.Hinata knew there was no way her clan members would accept Naruto as her soulmate, not with her as the heir of the family.It was bad enough she was looked down upon because of her shy and timid nature. She had already brought enough shame in the family because her stance was fairly weak, and because her younger sister could easily beat her. She could only imagine how horrid her father would be if she told him she was the soulmate of a clanless ninja like Naruto.So she never said anything. She couldn't. It had hurt her, and made her miserable, but she absolutely refuse to say anything about it, about Naruto. The only people who even knew about her situation was her sensei and teammates, and after promising her that they wouldn't say a word to Naruto about it, to anyone in case word got back to her family, she knew her secret was safe. So long as no one besides her most trusted people knew, nothing bad will ever happen to Naruto because of her. If she could prevent something that she was able to control from happening, to protect Naruto, she would do it in a heartbeat.Weird how life work sometimes.Some time has passed and many things have happened; all of which ended with Naruto saving their village, becoming the hero he was meant to be and thoroughly recognized as, Sasuke finally returning home after going rouge, and Hinata.....Hinata, after so many years of watching, admiring, feeling her heart clench whenever Naruto was brought up, her heart aching whenever Sakura treated him poorly, feeling like she could take on the world if she had him by her side. After so many attempts of trying to change the order in her family, being recognized as a failure to them, and knowing what she was doing wasn't enough to grant her wish to be by Naruto's side; after watching so many horrible things happening to him, to his team....She had finally confessed. At least, she had confessed her feelings - not the soulmate part. She didn't know how he'll react to knowing that, and Hinata would rather have him take his time absorbing the news that Hinata has always been in love with him than to add onto the pile. She knew he wouldn't answer right away, not when he had spent a good chunk of trailing Sakura throughout most of his childhood, but Hinata was patient. She would wait forever, if it meant Naruto coming to terms with his own feelings towards her."Ne, Hinata-chan? Can we go out for some ramen today?" The thought popped into her mind, stopping her in her tracks. She could see Naruto looking at her with pleading, watery, blue eyes and lips quivering, hands folded together. She giggled."Naruto-kun, we went out for ramen yesterday. Now is time to try something else." She said, picking up a tomato and putting it in her bag. She could feel Naruto still pouting and placed a kiss on his cheek. "If you promise to try something new every week, I'll make you some ramen from scratch." "REALLY?!" Naruto screamed, eyes gleaming. Since they've gotten together, Naruto knew Hinata was a good cook. Even better, Hinata had learned how to make ramen, and as much as it kills him to admit it, Hinata's ramen was better than Tuechi's. She rarely makes it because she wanted Naruto on a healthier diet, but every once and in a while, Hinata would give in.
"Of course, Naruto-kun. Now promise me."
"I promise! Hinata-chan, you're the best!"
Hinata smiled and continued to shop for her groceries.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For as long as Asta could remember, soulmates were treated the same way magic is; a beautiful thing, a thing that almost everyone wanted and has, something to celebrate. Most people assumed soulmates were those whose magic complimented the other, so when a person has a soulmate, it must've meant their magic works well together. Asta wasn't entirely sure if this was the case, but from what he'd seen, having a soulmates means more than just having good magic working together.Sister Lily had been the one to tell him and the rest of the orphans about soulmates. She had said that soulmates are the ones that completes you, your other half. Sometimes people can have more than one soulmate, and that's okay, because soulmates aren't just one-size-fits-all type of thing. Sometimes, you'll run into people who seems like they understand you the best, and with the population of humans overrun around the world, it is likely to assume to that your soulmate could turn into soulmates. She had said that soulmates doesn't have to be romantic - it could simply be as simple as friendship or family.For the longest, Asta thought he and Yuno were soulmates.After all, they had grown up together, trained together, and Yuno was pretty much his brother in all things, but blood. When Sister Lily had said soulmates can be family or friends, his immediate thought went to Yuno and the bond they share. Since declaring the want for being the Wizard King, the two often butt heads just to see who can one-up the other, but they also still protected each other if need be. Asta thought he didn't mind having Yuno as his soulmate, if that was all a soulmate is.Then he thought about Sister Lily.He'd loved for her to be his soulmate, romantic wise. She was so nice, and did a whole lot for him and the orphans. Of course, since Sister Lily belongs to the Church, she really couldn't marry him - not that, that'll ever stop him from doing it anyway - and for the most part, Sister Lily was more parenteral than anything. While Asta continues to 'woo' her, she herself finds it weird and prayed that one day, Asta would meet a girl his age that he will like and forget this nonsense.There must've been a God, and He probably heard her silent prayers, because the next thing anyone knew, Asta had made it to the Royal Knights - The Black Bulls - and had actually met the girl Sister Lily prayed for.From the moment the two met, Asta's first thought: She's really pretty. Twin silver hair tied into ponytails on either side of her head, pretty pink eyes that seemed just as curious as he was about her, and a pretty little dress that while showed off skin, it wasn't too much unlike a certain Black Bull's other female member. He had been ready to introduce himself to her, hoping to become friends when-"How dare you talk to me, peasant." She said, stopping both him and Magna in their tracks. "I am royalty. You don't speak to me in such a way, you understand?"Asta blinked in confusion as Magna started to shout at her, feeling offended.Even though she had said those words with a cold demeanor, something told Asta she really didn't mean it. It could've been because as soon as Magna called her out, she too started to shout - like a little bratty child. Before he could fix the situation, the girl had already pulled out her wand and aimed a spell directing at Asta.What did I do?! He thought, just as a bubble full of water appeared and went straight-For Manga.Once more, Asta blinked in confusion.The two of them started to argue again before eventually the girl - Noelle, that's her name - walked passed them with her head held high. She smells nice. He thought, watching the girl before Manga put his arm around him and continued their tour of their building. Eventually, Asta was left to his own devices, and that's when the magicless kid decided to train. He hadn't gone too far from the hang out spot when he heard the sound of magic being used, and caught a familiar scent in the air.
Noelle.
He had only peaked in for a little bit, but apparently, that was enough for him to earn a face full of water and then being blamed for Noelle's misfired magic. He complained about it, and that's when it started to kick off - Noelle's fears and rants, her magic acting haywire, surrounding her in a large bubble of water almost as if....as if....
She's drowning.
Water was being poured everywhere, and she knew she couldn't stop it - her control on her magic was too bad, she's going to kill them all if she didn't do something.
Help me.
Suddenly, there was shout outside of the bubble and before she knew it, Asta had torn through it - breaking the spell, and catching her before she could fall. From there, she could feel how much Asta had trained and the warmth of his body through his clothes. This is nice, she thought just as they were coming down. She had been reprimand for not telling them about how she couldn't control her magic, but they never held it against her. After all, they had a boy with no magic on their team - why would they be upset because Noelle, a girl born from a nobel family, couldn't handle her own magic? In a team full of misfits and other social rejects?She had turned to Asta and gave him a little grin, but Asta was already thinking of something else as he watched her.Soulmate. He thought, and he could feel his heart tighten at the idea - of seeing Noelle standing by his side, of seeing Noelle transform into a beautiful, powerful wizard he knew she could be. Knowing she will one day overcome her struggle, will one day earn her family's respect, and and....andAsta...would love to see that. He definitely would love to see all of Noelle's accomplishments."I was wrong," He said, catching Noelle's interest. They were currently out celebrating another mission completed, with Vanessa and Yami getting drunk, Charmy making and eating food, Manga and Luck chasing each other, and Gauche was currently rambling about Marie. "About soulmates. For the longest time, I had wanted Sister Lily to be mine. I had sworn that when I become the Wizard King, I'd ask for her hand in marriage, because I thought we were good for each other.""She's a sister to the church, Dorksta," Noelle replied, snorting slightly. "You can't marry her.""Well, I know that now. But that's all I had ever wanted - to become the Wizard King, and to marry Sister Lily. That's change now," He squeezed her hand, causing Noelle to blink, startled at the astro-physical touch. "I still want to become the Wizard King. But I want you as my wife, Noelle." He looked at her, and Noelle could feel her face heat up. "We're already soulmates. Let's take it a step further."Noelle couldn't help it - at this point, it was instinct."IDIOT!" She screamed, wand pointed towards Asta and sent a Sea Dragon's Roar at him, blasting him away."NOELLEEEEE!!!! WHYYYYYY!!!!!"
"Think before speaking, idiot!"
"What did I say wrong?!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Soulmates for animals worked a bit differently than with humans. Whereas humans are able to have many, different kinds of soulmates, some species of animals were only allowed to have to one and typically, that soulmate was the one you spend your life with. They could also find their soulmates a bit easier than humans by tracing their scent or a certain noise their soulmates make. One species in particular were dogs.Maybe that wasn't at all surprising considering how breeding comes into play, but yes, dogs are one of the few species that couldn't have soulmate outside of romantically. It had been a bummer to learn that, but Marshall could understand it; inbreeding was a thing, after all.The idea of a soulmate fascinated the Dalmatian. Considering how dogs are only allowed to have one soulmates, he had been genuinely curious about the vary of soulmates Ryder had talked about: about how some soulmates could have been considered family-like, or maybe you just don't see a certain person in a romantic light, so you were fine with being friends. Sometimes, soulmates could be very one-sided, due to the negligence of another person. The result of a one-sided soulmate could either make or break the relationship: they'll either give it a try, or they just won't return their feelings. It is possible that a rejected soulmate could die, or just never fall in love again.The idea made Marshall shiver.He may not have many options when it came to soulmates, but he understood what it was like not having your feelings returned - at least not for a while. Since they were pups, Marshall had always known his soulmate was his best friend, the police pup, Chase. He had known the moment he smelt his scent, and he had hoped, for a while, that the German Shepherd hadn't mind that his soulmate, his mate in general, was another male pup. Chase had been pretty cute and single at the time the two had met - they could've made it work.Then the team had gotten bigger, and Marshall saw hearts in Chase's eyes when he saw Skye.Immediately, the feelings of jealousy, disbelief, confusion, and sadness washed over him. He had been so sure that he and Chase were meant to be, that if dogs are only allowed to have one mate, then that must've meant Chase was his. Either Chase didn't know that Marshall was his mate, or Chase does know, but chooses to ignore it...for reasons.It broke the Dally's heart.He hadn't said anything about it, even when the others had caught on and Rocky - who had his own mate, Zuma - encouraged him to tell. He knew nothing good would come out of it if he told Chase the truth, and just settle with a broken heart. He refused to believe Chase would give up Skye, just for him - a clumsy pup who got in people's way often, and made lame jokes they were forced to laugh at. No, Marshall was not going down that road.It had pained him to see Chase continue to have eyes on Skye, hearing his concern for her in his voice. Each time he did felt like a jab to his heart, of knowing he'll never have Chase like Skye has him.All that changed when one day, Everest came onto the team.She had been very pretty, and very excitable. Even if she wasn't his soulmate, she was a very good friend to hang out with and listen to his woes. She had been patient, understanding, and comforted him when he needed it. Often, he had wondered why she wasn't his soulmate.He had gotten the answer when Chase, caught up in his jealousy, had started arguing him about him spending so much time with her and how he should just date her if he really loved her. Marshall was in shock when he felt Chase's fury, combined with a small amount of insecurity and fear, and simply smiled at him."Chase," He said. "My mate has always been you. I love you, not her. You're my soulmate."That, of course, got Chase to stop speaking, face red as embarrassment shone in his eyes. A couple of seconds later had Chase confessed too, saying he had always known Marshall was his soulmate, he just wasn't ready to admit it to himself. Marshall just smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek.Years went by after that, and their bond continued to get stronger. Most of the team were paired off with their destined soulmates; Zuma and Rocky, Skye and Rubble, Everest and Bruno (a once upon a time movie star Border Collie who is now living with her and Jake and his soulmate, Carla), Tracker and CiCi (a female Chihuahua whom Ace - soulmate of Carlos, friend of the PAW patrol - adopted when she had found her lost during her air shows), and then Ryder and Katie, their name truly recognized worldwide, and the pups have gotten older. They were old enough to start their own family if they wanted, and Chase and Marshall had mated for the first time since becoming of age. From there, they had soul-bonded."Chase? Have you seen Grace anywhere?" Marshall had asked. He felt his mate shrugged his shoulders."I believe she and Shadow are out down by Adventure Bay." He said. Marshall smiled, and astral-physically moved his body closer to the shepherd, nuzzling."Oh that's good. Didn't anyone around right now." Chase raised an eyebrow."Why so?" Marshall giggled and pressed his nose against him."Because I'm bored and want to be entertained," He looked at Chase with pleading blue eyes. "Entertain me?" Marshall shivered when he felt Chase's primal lust wash over him, his soul aching with need.
"Your pup house?"
"Yep."
"Be right there."
Marshall beamed, kissing Chase again."Happy anniversary, Chase." He couldn't but smile when he felt Chase's love surrounding him, feeling a warm coat. Chase placed a kiss on his forehead."Happy anniversary to you too, sweetheart." Marshall couldn't stop smiling.Yes he was glad they were only able to get one soulmate. That meant he had Chase all to himself, and quite frankly, Marshall didn't want to share.
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The idea of soulmates is as old as time itself. The first appearance of them had been dated all the way back to Starswirl The Bearded's era, just before the Pony of Shadows incident, when two ponies had felt a weird, magic-like sensation and pulled them closer together. Not in a literal sense, but more like astrophysical. It had been said that the pull felt more like a calling than anything. Pretty soon, the feeling began to pop up more often than not, and it continued long before it was finally given a name, a year later after Starswirl had disappeared.Soulmate.Soulmate magic didn't work the same way regular magic would; it was unpredictable, often without warning, and nine times out of ten, most ponies were more lucky than not. Sometimes, you can get the wrong soulmate, and other times, not at all. Ponies who were studying this have long since given up on making an accurate study of soulmate magic. At best, it's usually the strongest when mutual feelings are at play. At worst, it could tear what could've been normal friendship apart. There was no indication of long-term symptoms of soulmate magic, other than a broken heart. Those who were affected by soulmate magic, and have recently fallen out of with their supposed partner, showed no difference than those who were sad or disappointed.All of this would've been good to know (well, if she had actually paid attention as Twilight often scowl at her for) when Rainbow Dash had felt the soulmate magic.It wasn't like she didn't believe it exist, unicorn magic exist after all, but Rainbow Dash had...never seen herself as the type to be tied down before. She knows she's too much, that she's often selfish, and never thought about the consequences of her actions. She understands her brash personality, borderline tomboy, could put some ponies off. She's been told she doesn't think when she speaks, due to her saying things at the wrong time, and could be self-absorb when she wanted to. She knew all of this, and though it'd hurt, Rainbow wouldn't change herself for the world. She loved herself, she thought she was awesome, and if she had to lessen herself all because whoever she gets attracted to due to this soulmate magic thing didn't like it, it would hurt her in the long run. She was the way she is because her parents taught her how to be confident, even when she wasn't at her best. It took a while to understand it, but when she did, Rainbow tried not to doubt herself again. Not only for herself, but also because she had a reputation to uphold.So no. She didn't want a soulmate, or soulmate magic to ruin what she had built for herself. She'll run (fly, whatever) as fast as she could to get away from it.The few times she had felt the soulmate magic, she ran. She knew one of the many soulmates, or those who are willing to be her soulmate, had been Gilda. The two had shared a lot in common, so she could see why Gilda had wanted something more from her, but Rainbow had only saw her as a friend. Plus, Gilda probably liked the idea of soulmates as much as she did - which is not at all, at the time. She could see why the two could've been together, if Rainbow Dash hadn't been trying to escape that fate.The ice breaker, though, was when Gilda had revealed her true colors, and yelled at Pinkie. The way she had talked down to everyone, especially Pinkie, had set Rainbow Dash's soul on fire and of course stood up for her. Especially since she was the one who had done all those pranks to begin with. And as she had stated to Gilda, it was sheer dumb luck (or because of bruise ego) that she was the one who set them off. Nobody had told her to act so rudely and outshine everyone. After that, soulmate or not, Rainbow Dash decided that a relationship with Gilda was not the best for her, and whatever magic that could've happened between the two, frizzled out.Another pull of soulmate magic that came to mind had been Rarity. This one had been odd because as far she knows, her and Rarity were complete opposites - not as bad as AppleJack and Rarity, however. Rarity liked all that fancy-dancy, uptight parties and stuff and Rainbow Dash...just wanted to chill. And have fun. She couldn't see how they would ever get together due to the clash of personalities and how they go about anything. The soulmate magic had frizzled out too, due to Rarity's conflicting interest in AppleJack and Fluttershy. They still remained friends, though.AppleJack had been another would-be relationship due to soulmate magic, due to how stubborn they both were. It was fun, getting a challenge every then and there, and Rainbow Dash liked being around AJ. She wasn't too erratic like Pinkie (hahaha, oh how the fates turned on this), nor was she too uptight and proper like Rarity or Twilight. When it comes down to it, AppleJack was the shoulder you can lean on, and never had to say a word.The problem, however, comes from the fact that, like Rainbow Dash, AppleJack doesn't know when to think before opening her mouth. The difference, though, is that AppleJack is honest to a fault. The very problem Rarity had when she had asked AppleJack to give her opinion on her fashion show. It's not like AJ is going to lie, not after that one time, but sometimes honesty can be brutal and not everyone has thick skin (see: Fluttershy). On top of being too honest, AppleJack is also very, very set in her ways. Maybe it's because that's how she's been raised, but AJ can be...very out of touch, with the local trends and such. Rainbow probably blames it on being raised, if she had to be honest.That relationship can be very rocky indeed, due to how AppleJack views hard work and Rainbow Dash's sometimes lazy personality. Thankfully, Rainbow was spared when the pull towards AppleJack stopped when the blond earth pony had set her sights on Twilight.But the next pull...oh my god, the next pull.Pinkie Pie. A.K.A the pony that makes the best parties, often loud and cheerful, never had anything negative to say about anyone, always knew how to cheer them up, and just so...so...crazy.Rainbow loved it.
Oh no.
The fact of the matter is, Pinkie Pie completed her in a way no one's ever did before. She was always Rainbow Dash's number one cheerleader, knew how to have a good time, and mind her personality too much. She was the one that just constantly stuck by her side, going through extreme lengths to do so, and while often annoyed with her antics, Rainbow Dash really didn't mind. She knows Pinkie Pie was a good soul, through and through, and she knows she only has good intentions. Every time Pinkie had gotten sad or mad due to Rainbow Dash's own negligence, Rainbow had wanted to tear her mane apart because Pinkie wasn't suppose to be sad. The way Pinkie just...deflates whenever something awful happened was enough to tear at the Pegasus' heart, because gosh darn it, it's Pinkie Pie. How can someone who could literally be born out of the sun itself be sad? And why is it so heartbreaking when she is?Maybe because it's expected of her, Rainbow thought bitterly. They all knew Pinkie Pie as the pony who loves to see others smile, and nobody ever questions it, but...if Pinkie was really, really, really sad, who does she turn to? Rainbow had never heard from Mr. and Mrs. Cake about Pinkie being sad, or just in general upset. They mention it once in a hearing, but by then, everyone knew Pinkie was upset. She had been out and about with them whenever an incident occurs and she left to go to her room in Sugar Cubes. Rainbow doesn't count those times.And maybe this was the reason Rainbow decided to stop running from the pull of soulmates. Because out of everyone she could've been with, maybe it was Pinkie Pie who deserve it the most. She was the laughter of their group, but even laughter needed a break every now and then. And it doesn't help that Rainbow Dash does find Pinkie appealing, especially since Pinkie has does nothing, but cheer Rainbow Dash on, believing in her twice as much as Rainbow Dash usually believes in herself."Hey, Dash?" She heard Pinkie's voice. "Have you seen where Gummy went?" Rainbow Dash stretched herself around her cloud, yawning. "Not really. He's missing?" "Yeah, I'm getting worried. Gummy usually never leaves on his own." Rainbow can hear the concern in her voice and she nuzzled the pink pony, who giggled."I'll tell the others and we'll search together, okay? He couldn't have gone that far." She said, getting up and stretching her wings."Okay, I'll check Sugar Cubes again. Thanks Dashie, love you!" There was kiss placed on her head and Rainbow Dash smiled.Yep, she was glad she stopped running from the soulmate magic. And she was specially happy that it was because of one, pink, Earth pony.