This came from absolutely no where. I didn't plan for this to be what I publish but here we are. It's just a short thing, unlike what I usually do, just to keep your attention until I finish this next oneshot.
Once again riddled with headcannons oops.
Also Soulmate AU where everyone has heterochromia, one eye colour is your own and the other is your soulmate's. Eyes both become your own when you make eye contact for the first time.
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Edd was a loner. It wasn't that he wanted to be, he just preferred drawing over any kind of human interaction. It was rare that he ever left his house without a reason. The only few being
Buy more cola.
Get cat food.
You're running out of clean clothes, buy laundry detergent.
Your tablet pen broke again, stop throwing it.
There's still no food.
Various art supplies are needed.
Mum's forcing you to family holidays again.
Other than that, it was rare he ever left the comfort of his small house. Fortunately, his parents, bless their hearts, payed for most of his living expenses with their oodles and oodles of family fortune. That was as far as they'd go, but Edd was more than happy to buy everything else with the small amout of money he made from animation and commissions. They were already doing so much for him.
Today was one of those days where the stress was too much and his abused tablet pen was lying broken on the floor after creating a new dent in the plaster of the walls. Sighing, he went to pick up the pieces. Looks like he's going out today.
He glanced in the mirror, meeting his own hazel and blue eyes for a moment before looking up at his hair. Looks like it's a hat day as well. He changed out of his sweats and pulled on some khakis, struggling only minimally. He sprayed on deodorant and slipped into his over-oversized hoodie. Honestly, he's already pretty large, but it's huge.
Tugging on a grey beanie and grabbing his keys, he went out the door, giving Ringo a stroke and getting his bag of necessities on the way out. On the way down the stairs, Edd waved at his buddy, Tom, who was climbing up the steps to the second floor where both of their apartments resided.
"Back from a gig? I bet you're pretty tired." Edd chirped, happy to spot the only person he could have a conversation with without mumbling and tripping over his words. Tom only hummed and nodded in response, dragging his guitar case behind him. With the way he treated that thing, it had to be fixed up almost as often as his own tablet pen, which was currently residing inside a plastic baggie in his hoodie pocket.
Tom's eyelids were drooping heavily over his eyes, but enough was visible for Edd to tell he hadn't met his soulmate yet. No, one eye was still completely pitch black while the other had an iris and pupil. They passed without any more conversation and Edd continued his trek to the bottom floor.
Edd seemed to collapse into himself when he reached the lobby, surrounded by familiar faces, but not familiar enough to wave to, or make comfortable eye contact with. He hurried through the sea of people and pushed open the main door, chilly air slapping him right in the face.
He hiked up the straps of his backpack as he walked down the busy streets of London, warily glancing at all the socially active people. Once he reached his destination, it was really only a short walk, he sighed and pushed open the door, cringing at the bell that rang above his head. A head popped up from behind the counter and another person snubbed out his cigarette into an ashtray. As the first person person straightened himself to his full height, a mighty feat, he smiled and automatically spewed the same words he did everytime Edd walked through those doors
"Welcome to The Pixelated Paintbrush, craft supplies and electronics. How may I be of service?" He said with almost-authentic happiness, while the shorter person behind him gave a small wave. Edd glanced away and pulled out the plastic baggie with his tablet pen in it.
"Hey Pat, I threw my pen again." He mumbled, setting the bag on the messy counter space. Pat frowned and examined it while the other man moved up to stand by his business partner, looking at Edd with concern. He took a small paintbrush from behind his ear, getting paint in his already-paint-splattered hair.
"You feelin' okay?" Paul the co-owner questioned with his rough voice, pointing the brush at Edd in gentle accusation. Edd looked away and nodded and Paul accepted his response, albeit with a disbelieving look. Edd diverted his focus to examining the posters and advertisements overlapping each other, covering the crowded walls.
The ads they put up were mostly the small shop's only source of income, it was a miracle the place was still standing but Edd couldn't be more grateful. The deals were stellar. He could look at them all day and never get bored, each one different, some drawings, some models, advertising all sorts of different brands, as well as Paul's rather inspiring art skills.
As his eyes drifted the walls, they caught on a splash of ginger hair and he moved closer to get a better look. Once the ad was in view, Edd discovered it was a young male around Edd's own age, covered in paint and laughing miraculously animatedly for a still image. Above him were the words "Release the colours in your head." and below was a generic paint company name as well as contact information, this was an ad after all.
One of the man's eyes were closed in a light-hearted wink, only the sparking blue one visible, leaving Edd to question whether or not the guy found his soulmate. He internally cringed at the cheesiness, but he had to admit it wasn't hard on the eyes at all. He flinched as he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and whipped around. Edd sighed in relief when he saw it was only Paul, but still made confused eye contact with the only person he knew that was near his height. Paul gave a knowing smile and looked back at the ad.
"Matthew Harrows. Goes by Matt. Sweet boy, a real twink though." He said, following up with a short, gruff laugh. "Came in here a few months ago, instantly charmed me n' Patty. Next thing we knew he was a regular customer and a real friend. Asked us a couple days ago to put this up. We already got the company sponsoring us and this was his first big break in modeling. So we figured, yeah sure, we'll hang the damn thing." More gruff laughter.
Edd found himself smiling at the story, as well as the picture of the model. Both of the short men turned as they heard the tinkling of the bell again and Pat's chirp.
"Welcome to The Pixelated Paintbrush, craft supplies and electronics. How may I be of service?"
"Heya!" Replied a sweet voice, and Edd couldn't help but think of golden dust blowing in the wind. He blinked and promptly questioned his sanity. Paul gave him a quick wink and followed the voice to the front desk, leaving Edd to trail behind. A very, very tall ginger was idly chatting with the other lanky man, Pat, as he was putting Edd's pen parts back in the bag. Pat caught Edd's eye as he was zipping up the bag and waved to him.
"Hey! Edd! I think you're gonna need a new pen this time, there isn't much I can do." Edd blushed as another set of eyes turned to him, none other than the model himself. It was only for a moment, but Edd glanced up and let his glance be caught by this "Matt"s, both of them breaking it off quickly. It didn't last long before they both did a double take, all four of the men in the room watching in disbelief as Edd and Matt's eyes changed colours, the blue going to Matt and Edd's claimed by hazel.
Edd's face was positively burning, a light pink dusting Matt's cheeks as well. The tall ginger gently made his way to the brunette, as if he was a deer who might dash off at one wrong move. Honestly, he actually might've. But he didn't.
"Hey," Matt whispered, extending a hand for Edd's own pudgy one to take, which he did. "I'm Matt. You're cute. We should go out." Edd nearly choked at the bluntness, although it wasn't like there was much of a secret anyway. Edd gave a crooked smile.
"Yeah. Yeah, sure, why not." He said clearly for once, letting himself be pulled out of the shop. The tablet pen completely slipped from his mind, he'd get it later. And it's not like Pat was exactly in a business headspace anyway, watching the couple leave with a breathy sigh and glazed, nostalgia filled eyes. He leaned over the counter and rested his head in his hands, turning his gaze to his husband. They shared a soft smile, green meeting brown and memories rushing between the connection.
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Hnnng I just love a happy ending, don't you? I apologize for this coming out of nowhere and being cheezy as fuck. I just needed something to hold your guys' attention while I work on the smutshot. I hope it's enjoyable!