Sun Splashed Ink Wells (SnowBaz Soulmate AU)

Chapter 9

Simon

    I don’t know what I’m doing exactly. Just a second ago the buzzing in my arm was so intense it was distracting. Now it’s stopped completely, so it feels like something’s been resolved. I just wanted Baz to feel better. I guess I wasn’t really thinking at all. I just sort of did the first thing that came to mind. Now I’m kissing a boy. I’m kissing Baz. He’s freezing. Baz is always cold, but I guess he’s so icey now because he’s been outside in this weather. How long was he sitting out here before I found him? Oh well.
   
    Baz grabs at the collar of my jumper, his jumper, and pulls me closer. Then I remember that Baz has a soulmate. I pull away only to realize I’m out of breath. Baz is staring at me, out of shock I think.
    “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. You have a soulmate, now I’ve made you a bounder,” I apologize. Baz shakes his head and looks at me for another moment. Then he pulls his left sleeve up.
    How’s the haunted house been? I hope the wraiths didn’t get you. My mouth falls open but I can’t find the words to respond. Baz’s eyes flick down to my arm and I roll my own sleeve up, bringing my arm up next to his. It’s only one line, and it’s sarcasm at that. (Of course it is.) But it matches perfectly, that dark blue ink and annoyingly beautiful handwriting.
    “How long have you known?” I ask. Baz pulls his arm back and I do the same.
    “Since the night we got here. When you wrote on your arm in the car, I felt it.” Baz pulls his knees back up to his chest as he talks. I lean forward, reaching out a little to try and get him to uncurl. Quite honestly, I think I want to kiss him again. 
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” Baz recedes a little further. Fuck. 
    “I thought you’d hate to be my soulmate.” I prop myself up so I can reach Baz’s face. I place a hand on his cheek, it’s freezing, and pull at him until he looks at me.
    “I don’t,” I say. And with that, Baz unties himself. He lets his knees drop and practically lunges forward to kiss me again. I take both sides of his face in my hands this time. I like how he warms under my touch. His cheeks go hot where my hands are, and now it’s almost like he’s the human campfire. I don’t know how much time goes by before he pulls away.
    “What’s wrong?” I ask.
    “Nothing,” he says, “It’s just freezing out here.” He pulls a little away from me, then realizes that I’m his only source of heat and shuffles closer. I grin and wrap an arm around his waist.
    We stand up together and sort of stumble inside. Stumbling partially because Baz is hanging off me, trying to expose as little of himself to the cold as possible. And partially because I’m a clumsy stumbling mess more than half the time. It gets worse when I’m tired or excited, now I’m both those things. Plus I’m barefoot in the snow, that can’t be helping either. I keep on grinning like an idiot all the way to the house. I don’t know why I’m so happy. Maybe because I’ve finally figured out who my soulmate is. I never expected it to be my ex-mortal enemy. Though I think I might’ve been hoping it was for the past few weeks. I’m not totally sure though, I try not to think about those things. Or anything really. But now that I’m thinking about it I can’t stop smiling.

    When we get inside Baz gives me a look.
    “Why are you smiling so much?” I shrug and grin at him. That makes him laugh, which makes me smile more if possible. He grabs my wrist and practically has to drag me up the stairs. He’s still cold, so he kneels down and starts a fire in his fireplace. He’s got his own fireplace in his bedroom. I sit down behind him and snake my arms around his stomach. Baz relaxes a little in my arms and leans against me.
   
    “Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” I rest my head in the crook of his neck. For the past few weeks my arm would tingle and buzz every time we got too close or touched. It stopped as soon as I kissed him. I thought before that maybe it was a warning, “Mayday mayday, this isn’t your soulmate! Abort!” But now I’m pretty sure it was a signal that we were doing something right. Because now everything about being around Baz feels right. I mean, that all began when he started tutoring me, but now I know it’s right.

                       

Baz

    We stayed up talking all night. Well, I guess it consisted less of talking and more a few words exchanged and a lot of staring. There was some kissing. He’s laying next to me now, and he squeezes my hand.
    “You know I don’t hate you, right?” He wonders.
    “I don’t know, Snow. I think I’m still on the fence,” I laugh. He chuckles then rolls on his side to look at me.
    “You called me Simon before.” I roll my eyes and drop my head back.
    “You’re delusional, Snow.” He slides closer to me.
    “What’re you doing?” Simon props himself on his elbows and looks at me.
    “Am I?” He asks.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Then he slides his chest onto mine and his face is suddenly hovering just above me.
    “Simon, you-” He cuts me off, leaping away and screaming, “Aha!” I don’t startle this time, I just sit up and glare at him.
   
“If you’re going to do this every time I say your name then I’ll never stop calling you Snow.” Simon pouts and shuffles back over to me.
    “Alright, I’ll stop. But only if you call me Simon again.”
    “Fine, Simon,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. He leans back, crossing his arms.
    “Not like that!” He complains. I hesitate before crawling over to him. Though I know I’d follow him to the ends of the earth if it came down to it. I wrap my arms around his shoulders but Simon turns his nose up at me.
    “Simon,” I mutter into his shoulder. He smiles and I loosen my grip so that he can turn around.
    “That’s better,” he grins, leaning in to kiss me again. I let him. 

    I’m not sure exactly what time it is, but the sun is up. I’m not even sure Simon and I should still be here. My father told me he wanted me packed and off to Watford before he saw me this morning. I’m not sure which he was more upset about, that my soulmate’s a bloke, or that he’s the headmasters semi-heir. Probably both. He’ll probably come off it eventually, but I think he’s serious for now. To be honest, I’m too happy to care. Simon Snow is my soulmate, and he’s happy about it. Crowley I’m living a charmed life. Snow’s holding me now, he has been practically this whole time. And I love it. I’ve wanted this for so long, it’s far better than I imagined. Though I never even let myself imagine the soulmate part.
    “Baz,” Simon says, breaking the silence. I hum in response.
    “Can you play for me?” He asks. That brings me back to reality. If I play my family will probably hear it. We should’ve left by now. I bite my lip and pull away from Simon. I’m his with the cool air in my room where he was holding. He gives me a look that I’m pretty sure says ‘What’s wrong?’ 
    “We should head out. My family will be up, we should’ve left a few hours ago.” Simon’s eyes tighten with sympathy.
    “I’m sorry, if I’d just stayed at Watford your family wouldn’t have found out.” He frowns, looking at the ground and pulling at the rug. I shake my head.
    “But neither would we,” I argue. Simon blinks at me.
    “They’ll get over it,” I assure him, “Besides, it’s not like you forced me to let you come. I invited you.” He gives me a half smile and nods, hauling himself up.
    “We should get going then. I don’t,” he pauses, “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.” And I laugh, because I know I’d go through all the trouble for him. Hell, I’ve already been through it.

    We start to pack up our things, hardly saying a word as we do. I’m hoping that everyone will be in the family room opening presents. There’s a backway down the stairs so Simon and I can slip out the garage door if we’re quiet. When we’re pretty sure we’ve got everything (Simon finished gathering his things long before I did) I lead him down. 
    “Basil, where are you going?” A young, high voice stops me just at the door. Mordelia. I turn around and stare at her for a moment.
    “We’ve gotta head back to school,” I tell her, “Simon fended off the humdrum here, but he’s sent another attack to Watford!” Mordy crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. She learned that from me. I give Simon a quick glance, he just looks back at me, dumbstruck. Well he’s no help.
    “There’s no humdrum!” Mordy argues, “And Simon is not a magic chosen one!” I shake my head at her.
    “Well, believe what you will. But don’t come crying to us when the humdrum comes for you.” Mordy sticks her tongue out at me and scurries off, back to the family room I assume. I take the opportunity to usher Simon out the door and into the car.

    “Does Mordelia know?” He asks, belting in the passenger seat.
    “No one but my father knows about the soulmate thing. Daphne might’ve told her I’m gay, but I’m not sure anyone explained it.” He nods and I pull us out onto the motorway.