Soul Mate Service - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Third Person POV
"I need this so damn bad, man. Digging those new Housing Pod tunnels is going to be the death of me, I swear." A sleepy Mit drawled, arms stretched far above his head and white teeth showing through the wide yawn that overpowered his face.
Mitty and Thaddeus' feet were surely tied to blocks of lead as they stood there, staring blankly out of the glass windows of the AirLift. It was demanding, the work of the Construction Unit, and the friends often found themselves utterly drained and dragging by the end of the 6-day Work Period, especially when it ended in the sorely dreaded Digging Day. And of course, to top it all off, Thaddeus was absolutely sure that someone had intentionally rigged the AirLift just to fuck with him, as in his mind it was taking its sweet ass time as it whisked the two men down to level negative-six.
Like everything else in the world, that thought pissed off an already-irritated Thaddeus to no end.
But Free Period was a time for de-stressing, and that was exactly what the two had planned to do tonight.
Mitty's shoulder was weighed down by the bag that he carried, one that held a few coveted bottles of Elder-Sanctioned alcohol. The slightly shorter man had managed to swipe the bottles from the Market Pod the day prior for way more credits than they were actually worth, but in his mind, it was worth it.
"I feel that, man." Thad's hand reached up to check that all of his cherished curls were still in the right place as he replied, "Plus, blowing up that sandstone is seriously a hazard to my face. You'd think they would be more careful with the assignments knowing that I'm a main asset to The Society. I was seriously two seconds away from talking to the Construction Unit Lead about it."
The inconspicuous side-eye that Mit casted toward his best friend was almost a reflex at this point. Being Thad's friend since childhood left the man well-versed in the various, vain statements that he often spouted so matter-of-factly. And, thus, he also knew exactly how to respond to them.
"Dude, sometimes I swear it's like you're just trying to get another strike on your record." Mitty chided, both friends taking a step out of the AirLift which had finally stopped at their destination, and into the long, round hallway of their Housing Pod level. "Don't be fucking stupid. You know good and well that The Elders would have your ass if you complained."
If eyes could fall out of someone's head from rolling them, Thaddeus' would have at that moment.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Mumbled Mitty's cocky counterpart, his chronically inflated sense of self utterly unmoved by the comment as the two came up on the familiar door marked as Pod number six-hundred and thirty-four.
With a tap of his travel tablet to the control panel that sat beside the door, the pair were inside of the comfortable space and quickly heading toward the comfort of the living area to settle in.
Meanwhile, Aria was facing the consequences of chasing twenty, age fours around the Instructional Pod all day, as the petite man's short legs seemed to scream out a protest with every step. Similar to that of Thaddeus and Mitty, Aria's day was abnormally long and tiring, the mandated Monthly Assessment Exams requiring that he stay on the Instructional Unit for about two hours longer than normal.
The Monthly Assessment Exams were not anything to be trifled with, as they served the monumental purpose of continuously assessing the performance of both the Instructional Students and their designated Instructor. Knowing the weight of its importance for both his students and himself, little Aria happily put in the extra time at the end of every month to ensure that everything was completed correctly, no matter how exhausted he ended up every time.
Aching calves dictated Aria's decision to use the AirLift on the way home today, despite the fact that the small man typically preferred the route of the lesser crowded stairwells in a concerted effort to decrease the anxiety that endlessly plagued him.
Despite the fact that his parents always praised him that being 'different' was a gift from the Elders, lately Aria had begun to feel as if it was more of a curse than anything. The wavy-haired boy was very comfortable blending right into the background, as he was used to doing his entire life. But ever since the Soul Mate Ceremony, he'd been painfully thrusted right under the blinding spotlight for everyone to gawk at. Every head that turned in his direction automatically made tiny beads of sweat pill up on his forehead as his brain insisted that everyone had to be judging him.
However, regardless of the terror that consumed him every time he was ogled at by the next person, there was only one whose opinion really mattered to him.
Three delicate fingertips pressed against his plump lips as the small man tried to stifle the involuntary smile that always invaded his features whenever he even so much as thought about his Soul Mate. As AirLift whisked him down into the hollowed out earth, Aria was simultaneously falling deeper into a spiral of musings regarding the man that made his heart beat out of sync.
Quite literally everything about the tall, handsome man pulled Aria in: His tight curls, the way his sharp jaw led up into full cheekbones, the rough sound of his voice that made it seem like his words were run through gravel, his rosy lips that felt so soft against his own at the Introduction Day dinner...
In every sense of the word, Thaddeus was Aria's dream guy, his first crush. It made no difference to him how... crass he could sometimes be.
Aria snapped out of his aloof daydreaming as he almost ran, nose-first, into the sliding door of his Housing Pod. His body was on autopilot as he rushed to get home to start a late dinner for Thad, and with a majority of his brain occupied by how he would willingly let Thad's defined abdominal muscles cut him in half, he somehow wasn't able to realize that self-injury was imminent.
Wavy brown hair swished around his head as Aria shook it to cover his round cheeks which were currently flaming a bright pink color, silently praying to The Elders that no one had witnessed his embarrassing mishap. Thin fingers nervously fumbled his Travel Tablet out of his pocket, tapping it unceremoniously against the control panel next to the door so that it would slide open.
Aria's nose immediately crinkled up with distaste as his sensitive sense of smell picked up on the sharp stench of alcohol that permeated their shared Housing Pod. The small male tip-toed into the foyer, careful as a mouse in an effort to make as little noise as possible. Aria didn't want to disturb whatever Thaddeus was doing, as he knew the larger man likely home before him due to his late stay on the Instructional Unit.
"... She's honestly the best, and I'm not just talking in the chest area. Her personality is like... really amazing. We've had some really good conversations ever since we got more comfortable with each other."
Aria froze just before he could round the corner to the living room at the unfamiliar voice, not recognizing the deep but lighthearted sound.
'Does he have a friend over?' Bug wondered, taking a single step back so that his body would be obscured from view. He pressed his clasped hands against his chest as his heart rate picked up at the thought. Suddenly feeling stressed out, he cursed himself for not making dinner in advance in preparation for their guest.
Aria peeked just the top part of his head around the corner so that he could see into the living area, he spied two heads floating above the lip of the couch.
The first he recognized, Thad's signature tight curls spilling over the top of the couch as he leisurely lounged with a glass bottle of light brown liquid that sloshed to the side as he held it crookedly in his hand. The second male, who he did not recognize, also held a bottle of what Aria now assumed was alcohol in a loose grip, his dirty blonde hair cropped in one of the shorter, society-mandated buzz cut styles that Aria always found slightly intimidating.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, Aria prepared to step out from his hiding spot, introduce himself to the newcomer and offer an apology for not having made dinner. But just as he gathered the courage, Thad's voice sent him flying back against the wall with his hands pressed to his rapidly palpitating chest once again.
"Man, you're lucky as fuck, Mit. That little Bug, on the other hand..." Thaddeus stated, pausing to take an audible swig of his drink and heave out an exhausted sigh.
Aria felt bad for eavesdropping, but he couldn't help his innocent curiosity as he pondered just what Thad was going to say next.
A small, hopeful smile pulled at the corners of Aria's lips as he prayed with all of his heart that he would finally hear Thad say something nice about him. Maybe about how he makes tasty meals, or how he can never find a single wrinkle on his Construction Unit uniform due to how much care he puts into ironing it every morning.
"... is annoying as fuck. He puts these stupid ass notes in my lunch every day, I swear when I see them they make me lose my entire appetite."
Aria's heart stopped in a second, unable to hold back the immediate tidal wave of tears that welled up in the corners of his eyes.
'He doesn't like my notes?' Bug realized with a horrible, heavy feeling in his chest, trembling fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt as he searched for something, anything, to hold onto.
Making those notes was always one of the best parts of Aria's day. He would plan them out the night before and make sure that he used his best handwriting on each and every one. It was a source of happiness throughout his day, imagining Thad with a handsome, bright smile on his face as he sat, reading each special note in the Construction Unit Nutrition Pod.
So, knowing now that Thad hated the very thing he took pride in, stung the small man in a part of his heart that he didn't even know existed.
Aria knew that a sob was coming, he could quite literally feel it painfully clawing its way up the short length of his esophagus to inevitably find its way out. He was a crybaby and he knew it, but he couldn't help that he seemed to feel all of his emotions in every single cell in his body, it was just who he was.
But that didn't mean that he had to cry in front of them.
Hiding his flushed, teary face by hanging his head low, he dashed as fast as his short legs could carry him. Passing the living room and kitchen in such a rush made them look like a blur in his peripheral vision, and he practically dove into the bedroom once he reached it, tapping the control panel that slid the door closed less than a moment after he stepped foot inside of the safe space.
The soft sound of the door sealing behind him was the only trigger his brain needed to release the tsunami inside of him, breaths picking up uncontrollably and vision blurring with salty tears as the first sob forced its way out of his small frame. Aria's back slid down the door as his legs gave out, face crumpling and head tilted back as if it would somehow make the tears fall back into their ducts.
Aria felt incredibly sad and hopeless at that moment. He knew that it probably seemed ridiculous that he was crying over something as little as a note, but those notes meant so much more to him than anyone could understand. He was so sure that all of the little things he was doing to build up his relationship with Thaddeus would pay off, that Thad would eventually see how dedicated he was and somehow fall in love with him.
But now, with just a simple sentence, reality came crashing down and he felt that he would surely suffocate under the rubble as a little part of him began to accept the truth.
The truth that maybe... Thaddeus wasn't as perfect as Aria once thought.
The truth that maybe... Thaddeus would never love Aria, no matter how many ways he tried to show him how much he cared.
Thaddeus and Mitty didn't miss the distinct pitter-patter of small feet that scurried behind them as if they were on fire, and in that moment Thaddeus released a bitter groan as he realized that he fucked up.
He was immediately aware of the fact that Bug heard what he'd said, the timing of it all was just too perfect. Thad wanted to curse himself for not being more observant, temples pulsing with annoyance as he realized that he would now have to listen to the sound of Aria's horrible, feminine-ass sobs through the wall when he tried to sleep tonight.
Mitty held the glass bottle to his lips, frozen in his spot as his wide, inquisitive eyes shifted from the door of the bedroom where he'd just seen a flurry of brown hair disappear, and back to his best friend who was now manspreading angrily on the couch.
Mit knew his friend well enough to know when he was pissed, and he did not particularly want to stick around to deal with it, as it usually ended with Thad becoming somehow even more narcissistic than his usual egotistical ways.
"Aaaand I'll take that as my que to leave." Mit chuckled with secondhand embarrassment, tilting his head all of the way back to chug the last few sips of his drink before quickly gathering everything back into his bag to sling it over his broad shoulder. "You have some shit to figure out, man. The Elders really aren't going to like it if they know one of their beloved Soul Mate pairings isn't working out."
"I know." Thaddeus responded with another large swig of his drink, wishing that he could wash this situation that felt like living in an extended nightmare down his throat along with it. "But I'll figure something out. I'm fuckin' Thaddeus Axton, The Elders don't scare me. No one scares me." He finished with a grumble, head beginning to feel exceptionally fuzzy as the alcohol began to work its way into his bloodstream. Mit simply sighed at the sight.
"Alright man, I'm out. See you on the Unit the day after tomorrow." Mit reached out to give Thad a brofist before making his way toward the front door of his friend's Pod.
"See you, bro." Thad replied with a slight slur to his words.
Mitty took one last look at the closed door of the bedroom before stepping out into the corridor, as if his gaze alone could coax his friend's Soul Mate out to slap some much-needed sense into Thaddeus. But, knowing that it was just wishful thinking, Mit simply tapped the control panel to slide the door closed behind him.
The large male quickly made his way down the hallway, flashing a few friendly smiles to the other stragglers in the corridor who were also likely on their way back since Free Period was ending soon. Once he finally reached Housing Pod number six-hundred and ninety-two, he quickly tapped his tablet against the panel and entered the space.
As he stepped inside, Mit was overcome with the sweet smell of his Soul Mate's sweet perfume and the familiar sight of her wavy, red hair peeking over the couch as she watched The Society News on the Digi-window.
She turned, smiling brightly at the sight of him in the foyer as he kicked off his Construction Unit shoes, chucking his bag in the corner next to them before making his way over to the couch to plop down beside her.
"Pod, pause the news." The redhead instructed so that she could converse with Mit easier, and the digi window froze at the spot she left off on. "Hey, handsome. How was your day?" She inquired, leaning into Mit's side and tilting her head up to look at him as he draped an arm over her slender shoulders. She could smell the faint scent of alcohol on him, and scrunched up her nose playfully at the stench. "You've been partying hard, huh?"
Mit pressed his index and forefinger to the innermost corners of his eyes, shaking his head with a humorless chuckle. "I wish. Instead, I was stuck listening to my best friend whine about his Soul Mate pairing." Pulling his hand back, Mit finally glanced down at the cute face of his own Mate, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips. The action calmed him down immediately, and he tugged her warm body closer into his side. "He's such a fucking idiot sometimes, but he's been my friend since age five so you get used to it eventually."
"Hmm, I guess there's multiple couples having problems, then." She breathed out, pursing her lips in thought. "My good friend from the Early Childhood Instructional Unit has also been getting treated like crap by his mate, it makes me really sad to hear him talk about it..." Andrea trailed off, her heart hurting a bit as she remembered the look on Aria's face as he told her about what had happened after the Introduction Day dinner.
Mit sighed, exhaustion hitting him like a train as he leaned his head on top of hers. He felt grateful to the Elders in that moment, happy that they'd paired him so well, as he had zero wishes to be in a situation like Thad's pairing, or the pairing that Andrea's friend was apparently in.
"We got lucky then, huh?" He whispered, turning his head momentarily to press a kiss to the crown of her curly hair that smelled of lavender shampoo, the same shampoo that was sent to each Society member in their biweeky rations. "I'm grateful that The Elders put us together."
Andrea smiled fondly as she snuggled up against Mitty, turning her own head to gently press a kiss to his shoulder. "Me too. You're the best Soul Mate I could have ever asked for. "
Mit noticed the slightest skip of his heartbeat at her words, reveling in the gentle comfort that her presence brought him.
As they lounged in one another's arms, Mit couldn't help but hope that one day his best friend would be able to feel the same level of contentment that he did with his own Soul Mate.
... Maybe one day they would get through that thick ass skull of his.