Anyone but HIM

Filling in the blanks

Soulmate. Say it out loud right now--
It has a nice ring to it doesn't it. It almost feels like a warmth in the pit of your stomach. Sometimes it feels like a million butterflies swirling about inside you. Other times however, it just simply makes you feel depressed, especially if you've spent so long hoping for that one person to come into your life. The idea of finding my soulmate had captivated me ever since I was a child. I'd never really had anyone stick around in my life so the idea of having someone that was meant just for me had always managed to help me stay strong even in my worst of times. Although, like all dreams reality soon had to set in.
I quickly learned that happily ever after wasn't so easy the day I had met Shiro. My old boss, friend, and now roommate. For most people they didn't believe that they would ever find their soulmate so they would come into Shiro and his soulmate, Allura's, Tattoo parlour The Paladin for cover ups or simply just to complete the other half of their marks.
Personally, I thought that the idea of an unnatural completion was idiotic. As you could imagine I also wasn't the type of guy to keep that quiet to a customer. When I was Shiro's apprentice this had always seemed to get me into a lot of trouble.

I remember one time when a woman came in with her new boyfriend to get her soulmate imprint covered up completely. Perhaps it was partially jealously on the boyfriends side that made him want her to get it removed. But she didn't seem to excited about the idea herself. I think that I may have caused the two of them to split after I complained to her about how it wasn't right and explained that she may regret it in the future.
Honestly, they weren't going to last anyway.
That guy was a dick.

The light above my head began to flicker. With an annoyed grunt I pushed my chair back from the desk I was sketching on and stretched. I may as well change the light before the next appointment. As I was stretching the hem of my shirt began to rise a little. I couldn't help but let my eyes drift to the small imprint just above my left hip. A singular wing spread out similar to that of a phoenix. The design had beautiful shapes, yet was structured and clear at the same time with colours resembling that of fire.
Shiro had made it his own personal joke that it suited a hot head like me.
I rolled my eyes at the thought.
I was in love with the design that I had been given and it would be a lie for me to say that I haven't sketched out what I had hoped the completed design would look like. But that was all it was. I was an artist. A tattoo artist to be precise. It was what I do. I would never actually get any of them done. If I was to never find my soul mate, then I'd just use the incomplete design to remind me that there is someone out there who was made for me.
The light flickered above my head once again.
It really was time to change that light.

_________________________________________

The afternoon rolled by quickly and the day was soon going to come to a close.
It had been quite busy today and I was starting to become on edge from all of the cover ups that had already been completed that day.
The phone calls were not helping. My assistant Pidge, who would usually take them for me had gone home early to work on their college homework. I suppose it was hard to balance study and work so they asked me for an early finish. It was hard to say no, Pidge was like a little sibling to me at this point. In such a short amount of time we'd grown almost as close as I was with Shiro.
I could honestly say that Pidge was the best thing that had ever happened to this place and I guess I had Shiro to thank for that one as well. If it weren't for him I don't know where I would be. Pidge always made the best first impressions with people, and I got to sit down and concentrate on my work in peace besides my people skills had never been the best.

The phone rang again for what felt like the millionth time in the last hour, none of which had been worth my time so far. With a groan I reluctantly picked up the receiver. I was about to begin with our normal spiel of Hello this is Keith from Red's tattoo parlour how can I help you?. Which was obviously rehearsed, but which business spiel wasn't. However, before I could get even one word in a voice on the other side began to speak
"--Hello? Is this the number for Red's tattoo parlor? Have I got the right number?" I rolled my eyes with a mental groan. Maybe if this guy had let me speak he'd know just who he was talking to. I answered him as simply as I could hoping I didn't sound as pissed off as I felt.
"Yes. Booking an appointment?" I gritted my teeth as I awaited his response.
"Yep! I want an incomplete tattoo covering, when's your next available slot?" I wanted to cringe. I wanted to hang up the phone and leave the conversation there. I really couldn't handle yet another incomplete tattoo cover up. But as Pidge kept reminding me. We were already overdue for last weeks rent. I sighed a little as I shifted through my planner on Pidges desk. Of course he wanted a completion, yet another broken soul who will regret their decision and ask for a refund a year or so down the track. He wasn't getting one.
"Friday at four" I lied, there were plenty of other available times. I could have probably even got him in for tomorrow morning. But something about him just pissed me off. "Name?"
"Lance Mcclain." I scribbled down his name and appointment time in our book. What a stupid name.
"Right. Don't be late." I couldn't wait to hang up the phone and was about to cut him off before remembering that I should probably tell him my own name. "You'll be seeing me. Keith."
"Alright, I'll be there, thank you!" With that I hung up the phone and closed the shop for the day. I didn't want to be there if yet another call came through.

_________________________________________

That friday had started off just as any other day.
The summer heat seeped through the window leaving a comfortable warmth on my back mixing with the cool air of the air conditioning inside the parlour. I felt at ease in my work space and was glad to have a shop with a door separating myself from the front counter rather than a curtain. The low buzz of the tattoo gun and the small sounds of pencil on paper as I drew out new designs for the shop walls added to my comfort. The day was going well, until four o'clock approached.
I could hear Pidge and another voice making small talk outside my door. I couldn't exactly make out what they were saying but I knew that it there was going to be a customer in my peaceful workspace soon.
I dropped my pencil and pulled my hair into a messy 

ponytail leaving the small strands that were slightly shorter to fall over my face. The cool air of the room hit my neck instantly. I always wore my hair up before starting a tattoo. It stopped me from trying to brush the hair out of my eyes every time I tried to tilt my head slightly.
I stood up from my desk and walked over to prepare everything I would need.

Behind me I could hear the sound of the small wooden door being opened. It was so slow and cautious that I just wanted to walk over and pull it open myself. My eyes quickly darted to my daily planner so I could remember what I was getting myself in for.
Lance McClain @4pm.
'Of course.' I thought to myself 'How could I forget. That cover up was today'
I let out a small sigh and attached my tattoo gun to the attachment on my belt. The quicker I got everything ready. The quicker I would be able to kick this guy out.
I took a quick glance over my shoulder and saw Lance still standing at the doorway. I didn't get much of a look at him. He was just another face to add to the countless others I had already met in the past.
"Sit." I told him in a voice that was more demanding than I had initially meant it to be. I did have some sense when it came to new customers, especially first time visitors. But with this guy everything Shiro had taught me just flew out the window. I swore to myself that the next time I got a call for an imprinted tattoo I was going to deny it.
I turned around and our eyes locked together. In the back of my mind a small voice started to tell me that he was judging me. Eyeing me up for something he was expecting but as usual I just pushed the thoughts aside and waited on him to show me where I was going to work. He didn't.
I started to become impatient and crossed my arms over my chest with a sigh.
"Well? You going to sit around or show me where this tattoo is?" Finally the tanned male started to take off his shirt. I looked over his hips and chest as the shirt began to rise looking for the incomplete design.
"You know, you've got the most lovely attitude. Anyone ever told you that?" I shrugged in response to the customer. I wasn't being paid to answer his questions. Instead I turned my back to him and began to wash my hands, he could point out the design to me when I was ready.
"Look, I don't want to have to sit here all day waiting on you to get ready." Once I was ready i began to walk back over to the male. He was laying on his stomach now and I could see the design on his back.
Only, It wasn't an incomplete design?
I thought maybe that the man had made a mistake. Or he may have even had a tragic cliche love story moment at a coffee shop and met his soulmate without even knowing it. However, there was something else that seemed off to me. This guys tattoo seemed way too familiar. Two wings in an icy blue colour spread across a small span of his lower back.
"Well, what're you waiting fo-" I could tell that this man's voice was mocking, but I couldn't be bothered dealing with him right now so I cut him off instantly.
"It's not an incomplete tattoo" I pulled off my gloves and threw them in the trash as Lance practically ran over to my full length mirror.

Without thinking my hands began to lift the hem of my shirt to reveal a similar, now complete tattoo. If I could have gotten any paler than I already was. That would have been the moment. I couldn't believe that out of everyone in the entire world. I was stuck with some Latino who wanted to cover up his one unique feature. I made a silent oath to myself to ignore him and hope he would leave with his complete design.
I didn't want a soulmate that had wanted to cover up their tattoo.
"Please tell me that yours was already complete before I came in." It was as if the man was practically begging me to say I wasn't his soulmate.
I won't lie.
It hurt.
But I wasn't about to let him know that.
A lump began to form in my throat so I simply shook my head. It wasn't like I was waiting my entire life thinking that someone out there may have wanted to be with me or anything.
It wasn't as if the thought of him covering it up reminded me of the family that I never had.
Erased from their lives forever.
The two of us stayed silent as time passed between us.

We had to accept the truth at this point.
This guy, And I.
Were soulmates.
Did I want to be? 
Not with HIM.