Sanders' Sides Oneshots 2

Handprint (Morality x Anxiety)

Soulmate AU. Brief mentions of violence and blood, although neither of those things actually happen.

Everyone had a black stain on their skin in the place their soulmate would touch them the first time they met. Most of the time people had their stain on their right palm, waiting until the day they shook their soulmates hand and the stain would turn all sorts of colors. Some people had them in other places, typically on their arms or hand.

Virgil hated where his mark was. It was a handprint, which sounds like it would be a normal mark like anyone else had, except that his was on his cheek. He couldn't imagine why his future soulmate might slap him when they first met, but he was sure that was what his mark meant. Why else would a complete stranger touch his face? He wasn't sure, and he didn't know whether or not he wanted to find out.

When Virgil awoke that morning he already knew his day was going to be awful. Apparently he had slept through his alarm, and was now running late for his job. He didn't have enough time to do anything except throw on some appropriate clothes and rush out the door, meaning that the mark on his face he usually hid with makeup would be visible for the entire day. Realizing this made his stomach twist itself in knots, but there was nothing he could do unless he wanted to get in trouble with work.

If those two simple things alone weren't bad enough, of course Virgil had to miss the bus too. With no other choice but to walk, Virgil started on his way down the street hoping to make it on time. He pulled the sleeves of his hoodie down over his hands, doing his best to focus on the soft material instead of how his eyes burned with tears.

As he hurried on his way Virgil stared down at his feet; he knew where he was going well enough, and he didn't want anyone to see him in case he did start crying. He didn't think this was that bad of an idea. At least, he didn't think it was until he ran into someone.

Both of them seemed to have not been paying attention, and as they had both been moving quickly were both knocked down. Virgil was frozen in shock for a few moments, not entirely registering what had happened to him. When reality finally hit him he immediately felt his already existing worry over being late increase. It's my fault, his thoughts screamed. They're going to yell at me and I'll be even more late and then my boss will yell at me and-

"Hey, are you okay?" The man who Virgil had bumped into broke him from his trail of thoughts, finally getting him to look up and face him.

The man looked concerned, and only seemed to grow more concerned when Virgil looked up at him. He very slowly reached out a hand that Virgil had to try not to flinch away from, touching his cheek so softly Virgil wasn't sure it was really there. Virgil suddenly noticed the tears coming from his eyes as the stranger carefully wiped them away, frowning.

"Are you hurt?" He asked suddenly, eyes growing wide and hand pulling away from his face. "Your cheek-it's red!"

"Wh-what?" Virgil reached up to touch his own cheek, wondering if he was bleeding. He didn't feel hurt, but he wasn't sure. After checking his own hand for anything he found it clean, and glanced up at the other man wondering what he had seen. It was then he noticed the strangers palm, inhaling sharply in surprise. "Your... your hand, it's-we're-"

After looking down at his own hand, which had now turned a dark shade of purple along with Virgil's cheek, the stranger smiled. "Soulmates," he breathed, looking back over at Virgil. "We're soulmates!"

"Y-yeah..." Virgil mumbled shyly, still watching the mans hand while he brushed his fingers over his cheek. He wasn't hit. In fact, his soulmates touch was the exact opposite of what he had imagined. Instead of angry he was concerned, and instead of harmful it was soft and sweet. Virgil couldn't help it as a few more tears fell from his eyes, unable to believe anything that was happening.