Soul Bound

Chapter Two: Mismatched Eyes & A Gap-Toothed Grin

Virgil had begrudgingly allowed himself to be dragged to a party hosted by someone he didn't even know and he regretted absolutely every choice he'd ever made in his life, even with the My Chemical Romance coming from the speakers.

"Want me to introduce you to Davi?" Thomas asked with a grin. "I think you'd like them."

"I'd rather not interact with more people than necessary tonight if it's all the same with you," Virgil replied.

"Big mood," Joan said amusedly, their fruit bat animalis Rory in their arms.

Coco suddenly struggled in Virgil's arms, causing him to set her down on the ground. She meowed and nudged his leg with her paw. Virgil was a bit confused as to why she was suddenly so antsy.

"What? What is it?"

She turned her head towards another direction. He wasn't sure where she was trying to get him to look, as nothing particularly stood out.

"Oh my gosh, does she, like... sense your soulmate or something?" Thomas asked with a hint of glee in his voice.

"I don't know, I... really don't want her to, to be honest," he mumbled. "Coco, what's up with you?"

She let out a long loud meow and began taking a few steps forward. She clearly wanted him to follow her, but he did not want to see where she was trying to lead him.

"Oh my god, Virgil, go fucking follow her!" Joan exclaimed. "Go follow Lassie and find the soulmate down the well! Go, bitch!"

Virgil couldn't help but laugh. He very much did not want to follow her, but she didn't seem to give him any other choice.

She walked at a quick pace away from Virgil and he suddenly scrambled to keep up with her. He cast a glance back towards Joan and Thomas, who both gave him thumbs ups and encouraging smiles.

"Coco, get back here!" Virgil demanded, though of course she didn't listen. By the time he was able to grab her and pick her up off the ground, he suddenly found himself in front of a tall, dark stranger. He couldn't believe his own eyes.

Virgil's eyes locked with this stranger's mismatched ones — the left a stunning sea green and the right a deep chestnut. There was a burn scar on the left side of their face, and Virgil couldn't help but be reminded of the character Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. They had just picked up their rattlesnake animalis off the ground.

Coco meowed to get his attention but he wasn't listening. Everything faded away to a mere buzz in the background as he remained frozen in place.

They stared at one another for a few more moments before Virgil took off in the other direction.

He didn't want this. Not here. Not now. It would only end in hurt and he couldn't take it. He just couldn't.

He got outside through the front door and sat on the porch by the railing. He didn't want to cry over something as stupid as this but he had a feeling he would. A million emotions were suddenly at the forefront of his mind and it was painful as hell.

"Are you alright?" an unfamiliar voice asked, Virgil suddenly becoming tense. Was this who he thought it was?

"I'm fine," he replied, keeping his voice as level as possible. "Just... needed some air."

There was a brief pause. Virgil hoped the stranger would return to the party, but of course, that wasn't at all what happened.

"Same here. You don't mind company, do you?"

"Do what you want, I guess."

He didn't want to be callous, he really didn't. However, he also didn't particularly feel like interacting with his soulmate either, which left him in somewhat of a bind. Assuming this was, in fact, his soulmate.