anything and everything

Modern Mocha

Mocha had come of age of finding her soulmate. She'd always known about the idea of them but she'd never learned the specifics of the marking and mating until now.

Marking was okay. It was just a bite and a scent share. Mocha knew she could handle that. But the mating.

"Do I have to sleep with them?" Mocha asked Ahri, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ahri knew why too. When she was younger, about 10, she'd been part of an after school care group. They were essentially a daycare for school aged children of parents who worked.

It was a lot of fun for the most part and Mocha had loved playing with the other children but too often adults with power abused it.

The teacher in charge of the group sexually assaulted her. Mocha wasn't the only one but she was one of the worst. He threatened to tell people what she was if she told Ahri what he did to her. Ahri had told Mocha to always protect their secret so she didn't tell anyone.

It went on for nearly three months before one of the children spoke up and was believed. That man was in jail but that didn't mean Mocha didn't carry the trauma.

"You don't have to do anything before you're ready to." Ahri assured her little sister. "the mating ritual is a beautiful thing to physically show how much you love your soulmate."

"I don't want to-" Mocha choked up on her words. She'd sworn off all things sexual years ago. She skipped dirty scenes in shows and movies. The idea of having to sleep with someone because of a bond...

Ahri quickly pulled mocha into a hug, shushing her and stroking her hair. "oh Mocha."

"I don't want to." Mocha clutched onto Ahri's shirt. "there has to be something else."

"There's not. That's the mating bond. To complete the soul mate ritual you must do both." Ahri wanted to comfort her but she didn't want to lie either. She hadn't expected Mocha to react quite so terribly.

Quiet tears dampened Ahri's shirt. Ahri had paid for years of therapy for Mocha to try to help her solve this. The nightmares had stopped. Mocha was okay listening to her friends talk about their romantic lives. As long as it wasn't her it was fine.

But this was her and it was against her will. If she didn't do it herself, her heat would force her.

"When you meet your soulmate, it's going to be magical. They're going to be the most beautiful, wonderful, amazing person you've ever met. You can wait as long as you need until you trust them. Only once there's enough trust should you move forward." Ahri tried her best to soothe Mocha.

"I'm scared."

"You're not scared of hugging me, right?" Ahri asked.

"No."

"Well as much as you love me, you're going to love your soulmate even more. So hug them. And when you want more, try a kiss. You go as slow as you need. Your soulmate will love and respect your boundaries. They're perfect for you, always remember that." Ahri assured mocha. "Your soul mate will never hurt you."

"How do you know?"

"Because they're your soulmate. And because your big sister always knows."

~~~~~~~~~~

I've decided Antonin and Greta are both Mochas soulmates. However Antonin is scary so she'd ask out Greta first.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Mocha had been planning this out for a little while now. She knew what she was going to say, what she was going to do. She wore a cute dress and put effort into her makeup more than usual. This was going to go right.

"Excuse me, Greta?" Mocha caught up to her soul mate in the hallways after class. She knew Gretas schedule.

She'd known they were soulmate's for months. She'd watched Greta for some time trying to figure out how to approach her. It just never seemed like the right time.

"Oh, Mocha, what can I do for you?" Greta asked.

"You know who I am?"

Wait that's not what you were supposed to say! Mocha tried to remember the script she'd planned out for herself. What was the next line, she prepared for the off chance Greta knew her.

"We were in the same homeroom last year. You sat in the back of my row." Greta nodded. "is everything alright?"

"No. Uh, I mean yes! I mean-" deep breath Mocha. "Everything's good. How are you?"

There you go, that's better. Stick to the script. You've rehearsed this conversation a thousand times before. You planned for everything. She got this.

"I'm well." Greta smiled sweetly at Mocha.

"I wanted to um ask you if - do you want to get ice cream with uh..." Mocha couldn't keep looking her in the eyes. It felt like people were watching her. Were people watching? She was pretty sure they were whispering about this.

"I didn't catch that?"

No no no that's not how this was supposed to go. This was all wrong.

"Do - do you... I..." Just ask her out. It's not that hard. Worst case scenario she rejects you.

She's definetly going to reject her after this mess.

"Mocha are you okay?" Greta reached out to touch Mocha but quickly pulled her hand away when the tingles shot up her arm. Greta looked down at her hand, unsure why that had happened.

"I can't -" Mocha squeaked out. "Excuse me!"

Mocha quickly turned to rush off down the hall towards the nearest restroom. She locked herself in one of the stalls and hooked her bag on the door.

Idiot.

Mocha leaned against the wall and put her head in her hands. It was one sentence. 'Do you want to get ice cream with me?' how hard was that?

Now she'd screwed up her best chance to ask out her soul mate. Greta was never going to speak to her again after that mess. She must look like such a creep.

"Mocha?" Greta spoke softly as she entered the bathroom. "Are you in here?"

Mocha raised her head but she didn't answer. She didn't want Greta to see her like this. She quickly wiped away her tears and tried her best to pretend she wasn't just crying.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Greta continued. "Please?"

Mocha unlocked the door and opened it just a crack. She didn't dare look at Greta and kept her gaze on the floor. "I'm okay."

"I'm glad you are. I was worried about you when you ran off."

"I'm sorry. I - I get overwhelmed in crowds." Mocha said, hugging her arms to her chest in a protective manner.

"I understand. I don't like them much either. We're alone now though, is there something you wanted?"

You got a second chance mocha, don't blow it.

Do you want to get ice cream with me?

"You're my soulmate."