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Fabian is grinning, slicking back the locs he forgot to tuck into his ponytail and looking up from the water as Riz sits at the back of the van-boat. Trying to unscramble some name into an anagram that made no sense, nor did Fabian try to make sense of it. It was a name. That’s all.
“Come in the water, The Ball!” He called out, snorting and shaking off some water as Ragh canon-balled into the water nearby.
Riz took a glance up, his ear flicking in consideration. “Get in? I didn’t bring a swimsuit.” He called out, tail swishing behind him as his feet felt how nice the water was. Warm from the bright sun overhead, cool enough to keep the temperature down. It was almost perfect.
“Just take your shirt off. Like I did.” Fabian suggested, gesturing to his waist under the water with a boastful expression. Riz couldn’t help but let his eyes trail down, spotting the lean amount of muscle and the white curls under his pierced belly button. He let out a hum in consideration before Ragh cut his thoughts short.
“Yeah come on man! You can solve that name thingy later, get in the water!” Ragh called out, his tusks catching the light of the sun’s rays as he attempted to shove Fabian into the water. The boy gasped and sputtered the first time but responded with tossing some water at him and swimming after the floating vehicle.
Riz was hesitant. He wasn’t an amazing swimmer, and he didn’t bring the right clothes..
But who could say no? A nice swim with your best friend, cooling water bathing your skin, feeling that freedom spring break brings.
So, he tucked his papers away into the briefcase nearby. “Alright, alright. I guess I can ‘put down my nerd stuff’ and ‘get in the water’.” He teased, a sharp and toothy grin breaking out on his face as he heard Ragh and Fabian defending their now-mocked voices. The fondness spread over him like the current waves. Slow and steady, open and friendly, safe and gentle.
His thumbs traced over the initials on the briefcase one last time, claws trailing the T.B. etched beautifully into the leather before he tucked it away into the safety of his cubby and unbuttoned his shirt.
It took a few minutes, eventually folding it and setting it aside and placing his cap atop it. Before he could turn he heard a sharp wolf whistle from the water, turning wide eyed to see Fabian holding his fingers to his lips.
“The Ball! You didn’t tell me you had hair that nice!” He called out, but his eyes certainly trailed over the lime green scars on the goblin’s chest. The ones that Fabian tore into himself to be the man he wanted to be. His marks.
Fabian left his mark permanently on him. It felt good, almost like a sense of ownership on his best friend.
Riz knew what he was staring at. While he nor anyone else could see it, Fabian had talked about it one night on a call. While he was busy stringing together clues and sipping coffee, Fabian complained about his day. The rambling was a soothing background noise for Riz. A cushion for when it’s too stressful to work any longer, a voice to bounce ideas off of, a presence when the silence feels like it’ll swallow him whole.
When the topic drifted into some article Fabian had read, Riz listened intently. “Apparently.. the markings aren’t visible, The Ball. You’ve probably heard that though, you know everything. It’s a visual thing, so you see it on your own soulmate. Like I see my top-surgery scars on you when you shrug off your shirt. Which you should do more often, The Ball, I like seeing them on you.”
It clicked in his head then, why Fabian hissed and tensed his leg when Riz was thrown in his bag. Or when Riz burned all over when Fabian was swallowed up by the corn blob. Or when Fabian felt his neck almost snap and sat upright at 3am. Getting no response to his desperate calls to Riz.
Soulmates.
Yet, that didn’t matter today. As Riz got in the water, sharp teeth grinning when he and Fabian took to messing with Ragh, or when Ragh would practically throw him into the water, he realized something. No matter how much time has passed, their souls will remain intertwined.
Soulmates. Till death do us part.
Whether they call one another soulmates, or best friends, or lovers or husbands or crew mates or some other nickname Fabian conjures up.. they’ll forever be intertwined. Riz will always wear Fabian’s marks in his eyes, and his will always appear on Fabian. While they can’t show them off like relics, it means more that it’s so personal and direct. A silent whisper saying ‘mine’, even without the declaration of how they’re yours.
But, today wasn’t about soulmates or best friends. Labels or markings.
It was about spring break and the water.
So Riz did what he will do from now until the light dies in his eyes, or in Fabian’s. He gets in the water like he was called out to do.