Solangelo Prince-Soulmate AU

Chapter 6

*Wednesday*

Nico

I sigh for what has to be the eighth time this morning. I'm sitting in the library while Will and Bianca are on their date. I tried actually reading something but I gave up because I couldn't focus enough to actually know what was going on. So now I'm sitting in an armchair playing bored button on my phone... and also occasionally checking the news app and Twitter to see how Will and Bianca are doing. The article on the news app is complete propaganda (that's how you use propaganda right?) Talking about how they're soulmates or whatever and had this total meet-cute. I switch to Twitter, wanting to know what the people think. Some people think they would look cute together, with their whole light and dark aesthetic, but most don't think so. They say that none of the pictures seem to have any romantic energy and some are betting that either Will or Bianca is part of the LGBTQ+ community. Scrolling through my phone, looking at all these pictures and comments, I start thinking. Then I come to a decision. And the decision is this: I am completely, utterly, unequivocally irrevocably... bored.

I start thinking again, but this time about Will. I told Bi I'd stay away from him in order to prevent my heart from getting broken once they get married. But I just can't seem to do it. Everything about him draws me in. My mind wanders for a bit when I remember a couple days ago at dinner. His mom had said that he used to be obsessed with Soulmates. Used to be. Does that mean he's not anymore? Or is it because of the arranged marriage? My mind goes back to the topic of the conversation and the word clangs through me.

Soulmates.

I haven't thought about them in a while. Mostly because doing so brings back memories of mama. We used to sit together and she would tell me stories of the people she knew who were soulmates, and how they fell in love. One of her favorite stories to tell me was the tale of the first soulmates.

-flashback-

I sit in front of mama as she tells me about soulmates. I listen with awe as she tells me the tales of true love. As always, I beg her to tell me the story of the first soulmates. I love the story, and I love the way she tells it. She uses her hands as she talks and uses details that paint an image in my mind. "Mama, tell me the story of the first soulmates." "You hear it every time Mio Figlio"  "I love listening to it every time" she smiles "okay"

"It was thousands of years ago. When the mountains were tall, the rivers were clear and the air was sweet. There were three kingdoms, sky, sea, and death. (death is the underworld kingdom but let's pretend that people back then called it the kingdom of death bc people could raise undead creatures) The rulers of the sea and sky kingdoms hated each other. No one knows why, but it is said that the Sea kingdom ruler stole something that belonged to the Sky kingdom. Something valuable. The Sky kingdom demanded it returned, but the Sea kingdom insisted they did not have it. A war was waged. Mountains were felled, the rivers were polluted with blood and the air was choked with smoke. The war lasted ten years. The gods wanted it to end. They couldn't stand the sound of the bombs and the smell of blood. But something caught their attention. A pair of mortals. For here they were, children of warring rulers, in love. The gods knew of love but did not think humans were capable of it. Humans seemed fickle and unfaithful when it came to commitment, often going back on their vows and betraying others' trust. But these two mortals were different. Neither one was completely pure, both had made mistakes, and yet they both knew that and were still so in love. They knew everything about each other, every flaw every mistake, every detail of their personality. The gods studied them, their souls, and found that they were in every way perfect for each other. So the gods came to a decision and blessed them. The blessing in question was a mark. No one knows what the mark was. Some say it was a tattoo, others say it was a different eye color, but once again no one knows. They say that when the two lovers touched for the first time after receiving their mark, something stirred. And when they shared a kiss, something clicked. A bond was forged in their very souls. They called this bond a Soulmate Bond. When they revealed their relationship to their families, they were outraged. Saying that the others child had seduced or bewitched their own. They separated them. No one knows what happened afterward, but the lovers reunited and were married, creating a begrudging alliance between the two families and their kingdoms. The war was ended. And although the gods were the reason the war ended, they still thanked the mortals for their help and offered a reward. The mortals simply asked that everyone be blessed the way they had, so they would know what true love felt like."

-end of flashback-

I always used to wonder who my soulmate was. When I was eight I tried to imagine what she would look like but then I would stop. Because although I was imagining her with features I thought I would like, it still seemed wrong. I never knew why, but then when I was nine I met my cousin Percy. That's when I figured out I liked boys. Later that day when I was with Mama, I asked if it was ok to like another boy. She told me that it was and she had even met some same-gender couples. Although I didn't tell her, I knew she was aware of why I asked. I knew for sure when she gave me a knowing but warm smile and a kiss on my head and then told me that love is love no matter who it is and that there wouldn't be same gender Soulmate Bonds if that wasn't true. She was the only one who knew until I was ten when I met Will and Bianca noticed how I blushed when I told her about him. She teased me mercilessly but I just told her I thought he was cute, I never confirmed I had a crush on him. I stopped thinking about Soulmates after Mama died later that year, just before I turned eleven. 

I sigh once again and go back to the bored button game. Which is exactly how Will finds me an hour later.

~~~~~ An hour later

"Hey Neeks"

I flinch a little and stop myself from making an embarrassing noise at the unexpected voice. I look up and turn my head to find Will sitting in an armchair across from me with a small smile on his face. I scowl and say "Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?" he smiles wider and pretends to be in thought "I think you did, but I don't really care" he says with a shrug. I roll my eyes and turn back to the game "Watcha doin'?" "Playing a game. How did your date go?" Will's expression seemed to sober slightly before he answered. "It was good I guess, but I feel like it was more of a platonic outing than a romantic date." I nod, understanding, then say "The people of Twitter agree with you" Will furrows his brows in confusion "What?" I nod again then turn back to my phone, reopen Twitter, and then turn it so Will can see. He scrolls and I keep talking. "A couple of people think you'd be cute together 'cause you have a light-dark aesthetic but most think there isn't any romantic energy between you two and some of those people are betting one of you is LGBTQ+" I pause for a bit then continue "I mean their not wrong" Will's head snaps up again and he seems almost scared. "What do you mean?" "Bi is an aroace, aromantic and asexual" "Oh" His face is unreadable, but his shoulders lose their tension and he slumps a little bit. I wonder why. "Why is she getting married then?" "Our dad doesn't believe that anything like that is real. He says that people who don't want relationships are either too lazy to work for one or just haven't met the right person and that people who date someone of the same gender are sick or think that it's easier to date someone of the same gender than to have a proper relationship with someone of the opposite gender that you can have children with. Anyway, he believes that if Bianca gets married she'll learn to love her husband or something." (Reason #876 why I hate my stepdad, he says shit like this all the time and it pisses me off) If it were possible, Will's jaw would be on the floor right now. "Really?! That's bullshit! Love is love it doesn't matter what gender you or your significant other are! There wouldn't be same-sex Soulmate bonds if that weren't true!" I just nod, stunned. Both because now I know he won't judge me for being gay and because he just said almost word for word what Mama told me the day she found out I was gay.

Y'all, Grammarly wanted to change aroace to aerospace 😂

As predicted it was much easier to write this chapter than the last one. So I have a question for y'all:

Should I bring in Hazel?

I've read a bunch of other solangelo royalty aus and almost all of them have Hazel. I was thinking that if I did bring her in then it would be easier to get Will and Nico together and there would be a lot more writing material to work with. Like because she is five then she would want them to play with her so it would be just them two and her and she would ask them questions about their relationship and in turn compel them to confess? 

Yes?

or No?