Stuck With You

Introduction - Author's Note

Summary: A group of five discover that despite all their differences, pranks, and misunderstandings, their soulmate markings belong to each other. Watch as a bewildered artist, a dopey inventor, a snarky dancer, a protective goth, and a frazzled healer try to figure out how to be a family.

Info: This is a story about friendship found in unexpected places and the found family the characters become. While it's a soulmate AU, the soulmate part is mostly platonic because it deals more with friendship than romance. It's mostly canon to the series I'm writing but includes a soulmarks trope that isn't part of the real events. It starts with the characters' pasts before moving into their present as of book 1. For example the first chapter is told from the point of view of Adair when he was eleven; in later chapters he's 18.

Prompt used: "A [platonic] soulmate AU where you have a black stain where your soulmate is supposed to touch you for the first time and it turns to millions of colors once they do."

Characters: Each chapter is told from a different character's point of view and since each character has a unique voice from one another, this means that each chapter will sound different from the previous one. (This also means that some chapters will be funnier than others, some will be more serious, but this is a sweet story full of friendship and silly moments.) Below is a list of the characters to give you an idea of who they all are.

Adair Cerulean: arcane painter/cartographer whose illusion magic works through art. (Magic is called "weaving" in these stories.) Cheerful, friendly, and sweet, if a little naive. Trans boy. Obsessed with food, particularly pies and desserts. Terrified of heights. Technically the main character of the series, he's the heart of a misfit group of carnival performers who consider him one of their own. (Center of picture.)

Blythe Bladedancer: knife and blade performer for a carnival troupe when she isn't being their healer.  As much warrior as healer, she's strong-willed, quick at making decisions, and just as quick to speak her mind. Has a soft spot for those in need. Doesn't fear much of anything, except maybe one of the other dorks doing something stupid that she'd have to rescue them from. (Second from right in picture.)

Etri Celeste: sometimes thief, part time fire and knife act with the troupe. Stoic, loyal, intellectual. Socially phobic introvert. Has magic that snuffs out light/fire and turns him into a shadow. Doesn't naturally have black hair: what goth boy has is an aesthetic. (Second from left in picture.)

Sol Celeste: fire-breather and fire performer with light magic. An inventor who's always coming up with bizarre ideas that sometimes work, sometimes backfire spectacularly. He's something of a genius ditz: brilliant at inventing things, a completely inept goofball the rest of the time. He's Etri's identical twin and they intentionally play off each other's sun/moon, light/dark theme. (At left in picture.)

Firedrake (Dray): fire dancer who's more than a little obsessed with dragons and costumes. Agender and uses they/them pronouns. Tries to come off as snarky, sarcastic, and serious, but is as much a dork as the rest. Enjoys pranking people. Has fire and mind-manipulation magics that tend to aid the pranks. Blythe's sibling-by-choice, although both are constantly wondering what they were thinking when they made said choice. (At right in picture.)