Nothing to your Everything

Soulmates?

Pants left chapped lips as he ran, racing down the street as gangly limbs flew past one another in an effort to escape. Wide eyes watered relentlessly as a hand reached up to wipe at his face. He stumbled along the pavement, dodging people left and right and not even bothering to answer the several questions thrown at him as he ran.

He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know where his legs would lead him, what place he would find himself in. And quite frankly, he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted to get away. He needed to run and run and run until no one could find him. Until no one could try to pull him out of the hole he was falling down.

He dashed right, into an alleyway as he came to a halt and heaved for air. He slumped against the wall, sliding down until he sat on the ground with fresh tears streaming down his face. He gulped down the air, chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath.

People passed rapidly outside the alley, noise ringing in his ears with the constant chatter of those around. His head pounded with each sound he heard. They rang inside his skull, echoing over and over again till everything was just one big blur.

He couldn't breath. He couldn't take in air with the constant sobs hiccupping from his lips, hands reaching up to tangle themselves in his hair. His heart pounded in his chest, like gunshots on a battlefield striking down an enemy. Except it seemed that he was the opponent. Because it certainly felt like he was filled with holes right now.

A more accurate comparison would have to be drowning. Because everyone around him seemed fine, continuing with their lives as they would normally. But he was left behind, sinking down into the sea. He was suspended in time. With every spasm of his lungs he sank further and further, till sunlight vanished from sight, somewhere beyond the endless waves cascading above him. And he couldn't breath.

This was all too much at once. Too many emotions, too many thoughts, too many sounds, colors, movements and everything just needs to slow down. Just stop for one second, let him catch up. He wasn't ready. He had tried to ignore it, act like it didn't exist. Act like he didn't have words etched into his skin, a reminder that he carried with him everywhere he went, following him around like a curse.

Because he wasn't supposed to be there. He wasn't supposed to walk through that door. He wasn't supposed to be anywhere near that store. He wasn't supposed to see him, too see Luffy. He wasn't supposed to be there.

Luffy had tried to act like he didn't have a soulmate. He even told his closest friends he was markless. He had ignored the unavoidable fact that no matter what he did, one day he'd meet them. He'd meet his soulmate. And now it was all coming back to him, hitting him like a train and crushing him beneath it's weight.

His fingers clenched in his hair, helpless cries leaving his throat as he sat with his back against the cold stone wall. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't go back to the brewery after running out like that without receiving questions he wasn't ready to answer. But he'd left his stuff, including the key to his apartment, and he didn't have anywhere else to go.

He took in a shuddering breath. Okay. Calm down. This is nothing to get upset over. You're just overreacting, Luffy. Go back there and get your stuff, and pray to whatever god's exist that the guy has already left.

He clenched his eyes shut forcing himself to take slow breaths that rattled inside his hollow chest. He rubbed his sleeve against his eyes, wiping away the stray tears from red and puffy eyes. Swallowing down his feelings as he stood on shaky legs, he leaned against the wall for a moment. Calm down. You're just embarrassing yourself. No wonder he hates you! You can't even handle looking at him!

He grounded his teeth together as he took a wobbling step out of the alley. Okay Luffy. Get over yourself and do this. So he walked back towards the brewery with his head down and hidden from prying eyes, still and quiet as he approached his destination as if walking towards his own execution.