paper skin || soulmate au

                                    

                                          
[ wow a rewrite / betterment of something old // song is paper skin (acoustic) by stand atlantic!!
                          
warnings: language!
                          
concept: a soulmate au where everything written on your skin also appears on your soulmate!!
                          
stay safe,
lew. ]
                          
——————
                          
It was an interesting thing that science couldn't really explain. Soulmates, people who were destined to be together, shared designs drawn on each other. It only began to happen after the oldest turned seventeen.
                          
It was an odd phenomenon, but the occurrence itself isn't the focus of our story today. Today, we focus on a group of complete dumbasses.
                          
——
                          
"Hey, Logan?" Lewis asked as the two of them walked down the street. "Do you think my soulmate would feel the pain and get the design if I got another tattoo?" 
                          
"I dunno, Lew. Just because I've talked to my soulmate doesn't mean I know how this all works," Logan sighed. "And I don't think what you have could be counted as an actual tattoo."
                          
"Hey, the girl who did it used real tattoo ink!" He protested indignantly, putting his hand on his bony hip. "Just because it was done in a frat house bathroom doesn't make it a non-legit tatt."
                          
"Back to the other topic. Why don't you just ask? You're seventeen, you can try and initiate a conversation."
                          
The two of them paused in front of Lewis' house, and from the pleading look in his eyes, Logan could tell that his idiot friend wanted him to stay for a while. 
                          
Lewis unlocked the door, immediately shrugging off his coat and going to the kitchen to grab a 'snack'. As Logan entered the room, a permanent marker in hand, Lewis was putting some pizza in the microwave to heat up.
                          
"Tell me 'bout your soulmate?" The curiosity in his voice was somewhat endearing- he genuinely wanted to know and that was blatantly obvious. 
                          
Logan's annoyed expression faded away, replaced by a fond little grin and an in-love glint in his eyes. "Her name is Ruby. She's- she's perfect, Lew. I can't wait to actually meet her in person."
                          
He set the marker down on the counter next to where Lewis had sat down, looking the smaller teen in the eyes as he told him, "Just try and start a conversation. It's okay, Lewis. You're meant to be with them, it won't be awkward."
                          
Lewis started to nod, but quickly stopped to ask, "Help me? I dunno what to say."
                          
"Just say 'hey' or something. Don't overthink it." 
                          
"I don't wanna come across as stupid, though," he sighed, shoving his left hand towards his friend. "You write something!"
                          
Logan groaned and uncapped the marker. Just as he began to write, he paused, frowning as he pulled Lewis' hand closer to inspect it. "Bro, I think you don't have to worry about you sending the first message now..."
                          
"Wait... what?" 
                          
"Read your hand, dumbass!" 
                          
Warily, Lewis lifted his hand. The writing on it definitely wasn't Logan's, and that was a bit of a consolation. Delicate and looping, the words read, 'it's my birthday today. hope you're out there'.
                          
"Holy shit. What do I do?" 
                          
"Tell then happy birthday? Like a normal person would?" Logan shrugged, handing the marker to his friend. 
                          
Lewis debated it for a minute or two before writing back. 'happy birthday! my name is lewis.'
                          
"What was the first thing you wrote to Ruby?" He asked, grabbing his food as a distraction. 
                          
"I asked for her number. It's easier to talk that way than it is to keep writing and have your conversations out in the open."
                          
———————
                          
[ this isn't the best but i plan on continuing it if anyone finds it interesting.
                          
i have plans on vaguely following the actual storyline, but there's obviously gonna be some changes. i'm kinda excited tbh ]