The Soulmate System

16. Initiation Can Mean Many Different Things, and Changes with Context, Pt. 1

"Are you sure?" asked Bryce.

"Yes."

"Yeah?"

"Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Cupping his face in his hands, Bryce leaned forward and kissed Dylan again. He pulled back and asked, "Are you super sure?" But Dylan sighed and dropped his head for a moment. "Wha?"

"Sorry, I'm just..."

"Celebrating?"

"More like reeling."

Bryce's face relaxed. "Why?"

Dylan shrugged. "I...didn't think I'd get to this point."

Bryce pressed his forehead against Dylan's and breathed contentedly. "We can work it out together, right?"

The corners of Dylan's lips twitched; he appreciated the words of encouragement. He pushed back and smiled wearily. "Ready for my Mom to ask you a million questions?"

Bryce interlaced his hands with Dylan; the contact made Dylan nervous. "Yeah."

The two spent the remainder of the afternoon being bombarded by Mrs. Matthews' questions, curious about Bryce and their relationship.

But it was how Bryce looked at Dylan that made her take notice – eyes soft with a warm glow, with eyebrows pulled up into a sympathetic look, the look made complete by a small smile threatening to grow on his face – which made her all the more happy. Upon Dylan leaving abruptly for the toilet, she spoke to Bryce kindly about that look she had given Dylan's father herself.

"Captivation," she called it. Bryce hadn't realised he was doing it.

But he felt safe talking to her, with an odd reassurance that she was not only Dylan's confidant, but now also his.

She asked about long-term plans while Dylan was away, knowing full well that her son hadn't planned that far ahead. That was when Bryce realised how much time had actually passed – close to four months – since the two entered into the awkward waltz that was being Soulmates; the only difference between two months ago and now was that they were finally beginning to understand the steps involved in making the waltz work.

Bryce admitted he had no plans for the future. "But that doesn't mean I won't be thinking about it," he added hastily.

The conversation changed immediately upon Dylan's return to the living room.

Bryce stayed until half five, but took his time saying goodbye to Dylan, the weight he'd come with now lifted. "But do I have to go?" asked Bryce, quite genuinely.

Dylan assumed he was teasing. "Yes. I'll see you Monday, okay?"

His Soulmate nodded, and departed from Belmont Gardens, awaiting a bombardment of questions from his flatmates about how the day went.

The following Monday, Bryce sprinted into the office and, ignoring the television monitors reporting another Asch Effect incident in a city to the North, asked Dylan, point blank, "Wanna hang out this week? Together? Like, dating-wise?"

Dylan glared in response, eyelid twitching. Despite the lacking presence of other people, he closed his eyes and sighed slowly, pressing his fingers into the space between his eyebrows. "Oh my God," he whispered through his teeth. "Can you...not do that?"

Bryce leaned forward and clenched the cubicle walls. "Can we?" he asked, bouncing quickly on the balls of his feet.

Pursing his lips, Dylan looked Bryce over and noticed his big puppydog eyes; he snorted at the sight. But Dylan shook his head and recomposed himself, staring straight-faced at his Soulmate. "We need ground rules."