Soulmates at 21

The night of Patton's and Logan's Switchover

11:30 pm

It must have been the 8th cup of tea that Patton made tonight. Virgil inwardly groaned at the amount of washing he'll do the next morning. Next to him, in some royal pyjamas, Roman rubbed his back in sympathy.

"Pat, you know that the amount of tea you're drinking will cause your soulmate to stay up way past 12 now, right?"

Patton fidgeted with the cup's handle as he looked down in shame.

"I can't help it, Virgil! This is my coping mechanism for now. I'll apologise to my soulmate afterwards!"

"Tsk tsk. They're going to be so caffeinated." 

Patton looked at the cup once more and set it back down on the table. The swirls of tea and milk dragged on like the minute hand of the clock on the wall. 

He felt his eyelids begging to close once more, so he took another sip with a heavy sigh.

"Seriously, it's just ridiculous how the Switchover must occur at exactly midnight on 21st birthdays. Where is the stable schedule? Where does my deep sleep go?!"

"To be fair, dear Virgil, you don't have to stay up and watch Patton and his soulmate Switchover."

"Shut up princey," Virgil muttered as he gently shoved Roman off the couch. "You know we should always support soulmates during the Switchover. Plus, didn't you hear about the new fine instigated last month? They're gonna penalise families who deliberately leave soulmates helpless!"

"Yes yes, now, would padre like a cookie with that tea?"

"ROMAN."

11:45 pm

"Remy, I sincerely appreciate your efforts, but I will not consume another cup of coffee."

The partier grinned behind his Starbucks Chocolate Mint Frappuccino™ and took a long sip before stating, "Your soulmate needs all the energy they can get so that I can take them to my party tonight!"

"It is almost midnight! They can't possibly sleep well with your insistent partying!"

"Look, I didn't guarantee that they will have a healthy lifestyle, but life is short and fast. As One Direction once sang, live while we're young!"

Logan shook his head wearily, staring back into the book open in his palm. Somehow, the equations only swirled into a grey moosh instead of its usual sharpness. Does the Switchover require the loss of a few brain cells in addition to his energy?

Remy had started humming to himself again, stirring into his drink absent-mindedly. It was a nice substitute for Roman, for he did not nearly sing as much and was much less boisterous in the apartment. 

That said, Remy isn't roommate material and has this annoying tendency of popping in uninvited, smothered in alcohol. Often the case with 'after parties', Logan noted. It was rather dangerous, and he would rather have Roman around for long-term stays. 

But of course, Roman had moved out to join his soulmate Virgil in Florida. It was only last week, but Logan already felt a gaping hole in Roman's absence. 

It's true that Roman is a royal annoyance, but he was for sure a good classmate and roommate. He at least balanced out the studious and quiet nature Logan possessed. Logan wondered if he and his soulmate could achieve a similar equilibrium too.

Well, only time will tell.

11:50 pm

Patton struggled to wipe the tears from his eyes as he laughed at the scene before him.