ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴜɴᴛᴏʟᴅ | ꜱᴏʟᴀɴɢᴇʟᴏ ꜱᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴜ ✓

05. novel - red string au

soulmates had always been a finnicky subject for nico.

for one, he hated the idea that people were destined to be with each other.

why couldn't he decide for himself? why couldn't he choose who he loved?

life wasn't like a fairy tale in those novels, his ma had read to him, he couldn't have happy endings, not when he's not even making his own choices.

so finding out that his soulmate lived next door, was a shock to nico.

it all started on a tuesday morning. as normal as they come. nico noticed that the previously empty apartment next to his, had recently been filled with a lot of shuffling around and loud thumps.

nico hadn't really minded, but the answer revealed itself clear when nico saw the several large boxes in the apartment.

it wasn't like he was intruding, the door was wide open, and he just happened to peek inside when he walked by.

—

will groaned.

why were there so many boxes?

he didn't think he owned so much, before he had to pack and move.

previously, he was living with his younger siblings, austin and kayla, and his mum, when he had decided to move because his uni was further away.

he had promised to visit every now and then. though he can't see how he's supposed to do that when he hasn't even brought all the boxes into his apartment.

he cursed the elevator for being broken.

will planned to visit his next door neighbour, after he had finished unpacking, as an apology for making such a ruckus. he had seen his neighbour a few times. even though it was just fleeting moments of dark hair, will knew his neighbour and him would get along well.

—

the more nico got accustomed to his new neighbour, the stranger things got.

he started seeing occasional flashes of red, but when he had turned and look, it was only blonde that was moving away.

it was only until one day when nico had decided to bake some cookies for his new neighbour, that things had changed.

nico knocked softly.

"the door's open!" a voice had called out from in the apartment.

nico opened the door, tin of cookies in hand.

"uh, hey. im nico, your neighbour. i just wanted to give you some cookies as a house warming thing." nico shuffled on his feet, shifting his weight between his legs.

all he could see were his neighbour's blonde curls peeking out from behind the boxes.

"thank you so much! im will. sorry for having cause such a disruption with the moving and stuff." will grinned sheepishly, standing up to greet nico.

something connected.

it was like a pull.

and all nico could see was the string that had stretched itself between will and nico, woven on their pinkies.

—

nico thought soulmates were a gimmick.

something straight out of a novel.

something to yearn for, but forever out of reach.

those thoughts have been casted aside as he sat in front of his fiancé.

will and nico have been dating for 4 years. ever since they had met, and became friends after knowing that the other was their other half, things started to shift forward a little faster.

they would have dates at the park, the beach, their apartment, anywhere.

which leads us to here. nico and will engaged. will had only proposed a few weeks ago, popping the question. nico had jumped into his arms and started violently sobbing, but in the end, said yes.

will smiled from across the table. tonight, they were dining at a restaurant. it wasn't too fancy, just enough. bright chandeliers and polished marble floors covered the diner, and glass tables and cushioned chairs seemed to cover every square inch.

nico loved the way will smiled.

how his lips were a little chapped, his eyes crinkled up a bit, and dimples on display. he loved will.

nico flushed, ducking behind the menu, under the pretense of looking for something to order, even though both of them knew exactly what he was going to order.

"hi, what can i get started for you today?"

will took their orders, and as they sat across each other waiting for the food to arrive, will started fidgeting.

nico had noticed, but paid no mind.

"dessert's on me, by the way."

nico frowned, will didn't usually like dessert, often advocating for a healthy, balanced diet that didn't consist of so much mcdonalds.

but nico supposed today must've been important.

once the food had arrived and left (down their stomachs), nico patiently sat through his dessert, occasionally feeding will a bite.

"uhm so. i was wondering. since we basically live together because of how close our apartments are... and we're engaged... i was wondering if you wanted to move in? like, you know, we don't have to, but, i thought, i-" will was cut off when nico jumped out of his seat and rushed to will.

how perfect can this man get.

—

nico thought soulmates were unrealistic.

and now he stood on the altar, holding hands with his newly wedded husband.

their hands interlocked, red string weaved between.

nico supposed novels weren't so bad.