Iruma's arms were fucking covered with doodles again. She looked like she had a damn sleeve tattoo or something. Little drawings of flowers and butterflies and all sorts of other nonsense littered her skin, as they did very often.

She growled in irritation. Her soulmate was the most obnoxious motherfucker there could be.

Whoever the person was, their drawings had randomly started showing up all over Iruma's body. This was somewhat new, starting only a few days ago after Iruma's sixteenth birthday. For these days, every day, without fail, drawings would start popping up. Smiley faces on her wrist. Rainbows on her tummy. She sometimes even got little messages.

"Good morning!" written in what seemed to be sharpie as soon as her eyes opened. "I hope you're having a good lunch right now!" around noon during one of their class breaks. "Nighty night! Hope you sleep tight!" in the evening, hours before she usually settled down.

She hadn't responded to a single one.

It wasn't that she didn't want to meet her soulmate. How easy it would be to write down her name and a way to meet this person who she was apparently tied to in fate.

She didn't want her soulmate to meet her.

She knew she was disgusting. She'd certainly been told as much. She was a throwaway. Just a way for someone to get some use out of her before they found their soulmate. Happened every time. She knew she was no good.

This person seemed like they were too good. Too good for her at least.

Iruma sighed and shook her head, looking back up to the board. Her classmates had been very confused, to say the least, when she began dressing very conservatively. She was grateful that her birthday was in November, so they were required to dress in the long sleeve winter uniforms. But she buttoned up entirely and kept her sleeves all the way down, keeping scribbly hearts and doodles of bunnies hidden away.

Akamatsu shot her a concerned glance as she tugged on her sleeves. The class rep had been riding her ass ever since her birthday, being the only one in class to have remembered it, asking all about if she'd heard from her soulmate yet.

Iruma waved her off, but caught sight of Angie drawing on the back of her hand. Of course that dumb bitch would be someone who drew on their skin. Her poor soulmate was probably just like her. Covered with all sorts of stupid ass drawings.

Angie raised the back of her hand to her own lips, kissing the skin.

What the fuck, Iruma thought. What kind of self absorbed slut…

She glanced down at her own hand.

Her breath caught in her throat.

A drawing of a kiss mark was on her hand; the same hand Angie had just drawn on.

She quickly looked up back towards Angie, eyes wide and suddenly out of breath. The white haired girl just sat simply, not even realizing what just happened. Iruma glanced back down at her own hand.

Maybe it was a coincidence. It had to be. One little picture… didn't mean anything, right?

After that instance, she found herself staring after Angie, hoping to catch her in the act. Usually nothing showed up at school unless the girl was nowhere in her sights. But when she was at home, she was enveloped.

Whenever she got drawings of kiss marks, she blushed deeply, imagining their artist pressing kisses onto them in hopes of finding her.

She let this go on for another month.

"Angie, are you alright?"

Iruma looked up from staring at her desk to see some of the girls in her class gathered around the artist's desk. Angie looked like her usual cheery self, though her eyes didn't hold the same blind cheer and optimism that they tended to.

"Oh it's nothing. Angie's just not feeling super duper right now. She'll be ok though!" she tittered, seeming somewhat lackluster.

Iruma… wasn't concerned. She didn't even have viable proof that this girl was her soulmate. Just some sort of… self projection. She totally didn't care if Angie was upset or not. Wasn't concerned in the slightest.

"Is it your soulmate again?" Himiko asked, her voice sleepy as usual.

If Iruma hadn't already been eavesdropping, that would have snatched her attention. Again?

Tenko scowled. "If this lowly degenerate is making you sad again, I'll hunt him down and rip him in two."

This seemed to get a laugh from Angie. "No no no! No need to do that, Tenko. Angie's soulmate must be shy is all! They haven't responded to any of my messages…"

Iruma thought of the "Happy morning sunshine!" currently written on her right thigh and felt a pang in her chest. Another message gone unanswered.

"What a jerk," Tenko grunted. "He doesn't deserve you, Angie."

She really didn't…

"Oh don't say that, Tenko!" Angie chided. "I'm sure they just don't know how to answer! Angie's pretty forward, you know?"
"What if they're not sixteen yet?" Akamatsu asked. "They could be younger, you know. We all just turned this year."

Angie smiled. "Very true, very true Kaede! Maybe Angie's soulmate is younger. Angie hopes they answer her soon though…"

Iruma stood up and walked past the girls, concealing a marker in her pocket.

She settled in the restroom stall and wrote on her wrist, having seen Angie keeping hers barren. Sighing, she spelled out a quick, "Morning," and left it at that.

When she came back into the room… it was the proof she needed. Angie and the other girls were jumping up and down squealing.

"They answered!"
"Congrats Angie!"

"I'm so happy for you!"

All of this… over her… She felt sick. She felt like a liar. She kind of was one, really. Stomach churning with anxiety as she settled back into her seat, she noticed Amami giving her a strange look. Iruma glared, not caring about him and his stupid soulmate giving her all these looks that seemed to mean something.

She began to answer more.

I didn't mean to ignore you. I'm no good. You should get someone good.

She would wait a few hours before scrubbing any sort of marking off of herself. She never wrote during school hours. Only ever in the privacy of her own room.

Angie would draw her all sorts of stuff to cheer her up. She would look down and see a goofy drawing of one of her classmates and she'd have to bite her lip and cover her face to keep from laughing in the middle of class.

She would begin to trace the drawings in pink pen, and Angie soon began to draw most of her images in pink.

She would draw little hearts on her wrists, and Angie would follow suit by adding to them. Iruma fought her smiles and her enamored sighs.

Enamored…?

Fuck. She was falling in love.

FUCK. Iruma panicked. I didn't want this to happen!

She stopped answering. It didn't help. She felt such longing and self loathing every time she went to raise a marker to her skin and stopped. She wanted this. Badly. More than she'd wanted anything before. But she stopped. She needed to let Angie go; she didn't deserve someone's sloppy seconds. Someone's pent up frustration. Someone's quick fuck. She deserved better.

Angie began to grow depressed as well. Her friends gathered around her while Iruma suffered alone, silently.

"Please… just talk to her again, Iruma."

"Fuck off Amami, you don't know jack shit."

The boy raised his hands in surrender, but continued to give her a disapproving look. Iruma didn't know when, but the green haired bastard had figured her out.

"Look, Iruma. All I know is that girl loves you. She was so happy when you started responding and… and now you're just getting rid of that?"

Iruma's nostrils flared. He doesn't even know anything.

"Think what you want, Rantarhoe. But I'm done. It's none of your goddamn business anyway, you got that?"

"What's none of his business?" Of course, busybody Kaede had to be right there. "I… can't entirely say I appreciate you talking to him like that, Miu…"

"Fuck off, both of you."

"Miu-"
"No, Bakamatsu. I said fuck off."

"Iruma-"

"FUCKING LAY OFF!" she screamed loudly, bringing all conversation in the classroom to an abrupt and overwhelming halt. No one spoke. Iruma felt her walls cracking. She glowered before scuttling out of the room, needing to find somewhere to break down. She didn't go back to class that day.

She wanted nothing more than to draw all over herself, anything to convey to Angie that she loved her so dearly. Iruma couldn't stop the sobs. Couldn't keep the sorrows away anymore. She wanted to hold her love close to her… Angie needed someone better.

Iruma didn't show up to class for days. No one came to ask after her. She laid in the bed of her dorm and did nothing. She hadn't looked at her skin the entire time. Hadn't searched for the familiar etchings or love notes.

She knew no one liked her. She was vulgar and loud and obnoxious. People even liked Ouma more than her, and that said a lot. She was slutty and crass. She let anyone fuck her if they paid her any attention. She wasn't worth anything. Her inventions were her only saving grace. She just… so desperately wanted to be held. To be loved by someone. To be cherished by someone.

Iruma was left to herself for those days. Then a week. After a week and a half went by, several knocks were heard at her door.

She whined to herself and ignored it.

The knocking got louder. Voices joined in. She blinked lazily.

"Iruma! Let us in!"

"Miu! Are you okay!? Please answer!"
"MIU!" Angie's voice, desperate and raw, cut through the others. She bolted upright and looked at her door in shock.

She went to yell at them to shut the fuck and to pull out and leave her alone but… she couldn't. She hadn't talked in over a week. And she didn't have the heart.

The door to her room opened slowly, just a crack. And she peeked out. A cluster of worried faces met her, Angie at the helm.

"Miu!" Angie gasped, her eyes glossy and her fist raised towards the door, as if to knock on it again.

"The…" she ran a hand tiredly through her hair, ignoring the way her voice rasped and cracked from misuse. "The fuck do… you guys think you're doing?"

Angie forced the door open and brought her into her arms.

Iruma sputtered. What… the fuck?

"I was so worried! We wanted to give you space but you kept not coming!" Angie wildly gasped and sobbed, gripping desperately at the fabric of Iruma's large tee shirt. "And you won't write to me anymore! Are you even looking at my messages anymore!?"

Iruma stared past her, at the worried faces of Amami, Akamatsu, Tenko and Himiko. Amami looked somewhat guilty while the girls all seemed… in parts confused.

She brought her hands to Angie's shoulders and just kind of left them there weakly as the shorter girl cried. She didn't know what to do as Angie shook and weeped against her.

"What's going on…?" she asked quietly, pointedly glaring at Amami.

"I told her."

"Of fucking course you did."

Akamatsu looked between her boyfriend and Iruma. "Told her what?"

"Iruma is her soulmate. She's been avoiding her this whole time."

Tenko, Himiko, and Akamatsu all gasped and sputtered as they all glanced at Iruma and Angie. Angie's cries grew louder and she clung on tighter to Iruma's form, as if holding on for dear life. She sighed before wrapping Angie in her arms.

"Fucking hell Rantaro…" she muttered.

Tenko glowered at her. "Why didn't you say anything? This whole time! This whole time she's been trying to-"
"Tenko… stop," Himiko quietly murmured. "Not now."

Amami looked over the two girls holding each other. "Maybe we should let the two of them have some time to themselves. To figure things out. C'mon girls," he beckoned Akamatsu and the other pair to follow him. After a moment's pause, Iruma was left in her doorway with Angie.

Iruma pulled her soulmate into her room and helped her settle on the edge of the bed, Angie refusing to let go of her all the while. She clung, oh how tightly she clung to her. As if scared that if she let go, she wouldn't have her there anymore. That she would "leave" her again.

Iruma didn't like that thought. She knew how painful it was for someone you loved or thought you loved to leave you.

She sat with Angie, silently rubbing small circles into her back until her breathing evened out and she calmed down.

"I'm…" she rasped out. "I'm sorry Ange…"

Angie shook her head. "I was so worried… I didn't know! I didn't know this whole time… Rantaro told me this morning…"

"I still have no idea how he found out. Sneaky motherfucker that he is."

"Did you know?"

The question cut into her. Made her stomach churn with guilt.

"Yeah… yeah, baby, I knew."

Angie blushed - though whether it was from being called baby or from rage at not being informed her soulmate knew of her, Iruma couldn't tell. She liked the shade on her though.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Iruma paused. "Well… that's kind of loaded. I…"
"Is it because you think you're no good?" Angie's eyes narrowed. "You've written that to me before, haven't you?"

"Ange…"

"You're… so good. Very good… I was so happy you started responding to me. I've missed you…" The shorter girl nuzzled further, cuddling against her.

"Baby, listen… I… I don't know how any of this is supposed to work. I mean, I'm not full of shit when I go around saying I've fucked all sorts of people… unfortunately."

Oh how that filled her with shame.

"I don't know how love is supposed to work. I… my head is so filled with you… I guess I just don't want to hurt you? I've… I don't want you to leave me too… You'll get tired of me, like they all do, and… then I won't know what to do. I'm… dirty, Ange. You… you shouldn't have to-"

The grip on her tightened and she looked down to see her soulmate practically radiating rage. She'd never seen many emotions other than happiness and cheer on the girl's round face, but her dark skin was practically burning with fury. Her oceanic eyes swirled with the violence of a storm.

"Who the fuck hurt you? Who did this to you?"

"Huh? Ange what are you-"

"Is this why you think you're no good? Why you go around saying how great you are, just to come home and cry that you're worth nothing? Miu I'm so in love with you! I'm so mad right now!"

"Baby…"

"I'm… I'm so angry! Why would someone… anyone do that to you!? Of course I'm mad someone hurt my love like this! Why aren't you mad?"

Iruma… felt strange. She sighed.

"I'm… I'm used to it. Ange, it's fine-"

"Of course it's not fine! Miu!"

"Well I don't know what the fuck you want me to do about it! I already told you, you deserve someone better than me-"

She was immediately cut off by Angie cupping her cheeks in both hands and she was on top of her before she could even blink. Soft lips and warm breath engulfed her, and she felt bliss. Calloused thumbs brushed her blushing cheeks, warm and affectionate. Not rough… not demanding… loving and gentle. She melted into her touch…

"You're so good Miu…" Angie smiled, watery and fierce. "You're so good…"

Iruma felt her own tears threatening to fall.

Angie rose up, still holding her, peppering her burning cheeks with soft kisses. And Iruma held her… She didn't want to wake up from this dream. Angie was perfect… all soft caresses and loving murmurs…

And Angie explored her skin. Chaste, and pure… not moving fast. She hummed in approval as she discovered all the markings that they shared from her own means. Finding little messages that hadn't quite washed away. Making promises to make new markings of her own, with lips and teeth instead of felt markers and pens. Smiling at her flustered expression and bringing her in for another kiss.

She… truly didn't deserve this.

The entire class was shocked by the announcement, to say the least. Iruma was confronted by all sorts of attention and surprise when she made it back to class. Angie hopped up and ran to her, greeting her with affection and grasping her hand.

"Iruma's your soulmate?" Kaito looked between them, perplexed. "How the fuck did that happen?"

"Don't know!" Angie laughed at his expression and squeezed her hand. "God must really like Angie, for letting her be so lucky!"

"Huh?" Ouma interjected, like the fetus he was. "Wouldn't Iruma be the lucky one? She's such a cum dumpster Angie! I feel so bad-"

Angie's face morphed into one of disgust and unbridled rage.

"Don't talk about my girlfriend like that."

Ouma and the others blinked and shared unsure glances.

"Well… I'm just saying-"

"Then don't."

"I mean… she is rather crass, Angie…" Toujo added in, softer. "But that changes nothing I suppose."

Iruma shuffled her feet. She knew the others loved Angie and that she was no good. She simply looked down and stayed quiet.

"Doesn't matter! She's Angie's and Angie is hers! No one is allowed to bully Angie's girlfriend! Or they will be punished by God!"

Her face warmed. Girlfriend…

Their relationship took some time and some getting used to - especially for their classmates. They were such an odd pair. Both so absolutely different, and incompatible. Yet… so alike. So similar and entwined.

Angie was all smiles and laughter and Miu was brash and crude, though that had been diminishing after the first couple of weeks. She had begun to flourish under Angie's care and attention. Not taking any of Miu's old mannerisms or self loathing, Angie would just hold her and reassure her that she was doing so good!

Miu liked bright pinks and blues and Angie wore hues of orange and yellow head to toe. Miu liked kids shows and Angie loved the artwork in them and the jokes. The two of them shared a love for cuddling and both hated being lazy, always needing to be doing something and keeping busy. Both worked endlessly in their respective fields.

Angie took up a habit of "designing" inventions for her, illustrating all sorts of crazy nonsense. And, Miu did her damndest to try and bring them into fruition. She'd succeeded with a few, and her "God's Megaphone" was currently being patented as one of the best working megaphones on the market.

They were an eccentric couple and with both of their quirks combined they could be a bit much, even for the rest of their whacko classmates. Though none of them could complain about Miu's significant decrease in vulgarity and her increase in being an actually funny and clever individual. Miu was actually a very sweet girl, once you got to know her, her classmates discovered.

Angie loved discovering it first hand.

How the girl would spend time helping her mix paints - she was getting the hang of it! Or how she would drag her away when she got caught up in one of her painting binges. She would let her create to her heart's content after a bad art block, but she would help her stay productive during them too. Helping Miu on her inventions really helped get Angie's creative juices flowing. Miu took things that were so technical and practical and turned them into amazing inventions. Usually in order to help all sorts of people out.

That was something else about her girlfriend that Angie figured out. Miu wanted nothing more than to be useful to people and to help people. Though her "while you sleep" inventions needed a bit toning down, the rest of them really were geared towards helping people and making lives easier. She had begun working with some of the medical ultimates in creating a line of prosthetics for people. Though it had been taking a moderate amount of convincing that they couldn't make all of them pink.

Miu was so smart; she had a brilliant mind. Though she used her quick wit and intellect to make dirty jokes, she was truly something. She was great at problem solving and was much more direct than Angie was used to with her own abstract process. She was so smart and kind; and Angie lived to let her know these things.

Such lovely shades of pink she could get her lover to turn.

They took a long time before dipping into anything sexual. Angie was fine with waiting and, despite Miu insisting she was "ready to go whenever," Angie just knew that she was still hurt from the others. Oh how Angie would like to get her hands on those people. The ones who made her Miu think that she was the broken one. No, she would wait. She would make sure Miu knew how much she wanted to stay.

Miu wasn't used to feeling this wanted; this needed.

It was a lovely feeling

The days where she woke up without Angie in her arms were few and far between after their first year of being together. They had filed to become roommates, sharing a dorm and the school had approved. Their room was littered with all sorts of machines and metal as well as paints and clay. Bright yellow curtains and bubblegum pink bed sheets.

Angie wasn't a "wait until marriage" kind of girl like Iruma thought she was. If anything, she was the more aggressive of the two when it came to getting physical. Miu was still hesitant, fingers ghosting over deep skin, leaving fluttering faint touches that you could have easily imagined to be there. Angie was more comfortable digging fingers into Miu's hips, claiming her assertively, kissing her senseless. She would leave bruises and teeth marks and she wouldn't even be sorry about it, because "they suit you baby!"

Iruma was unsure when Angie mentioned that she wanted to go further. They'd been playing around with the idea of taking things to the next step, but Iruma wasn't so sure yet. It had been well over a year since they got together. And she didn't want to keep her love waiting for her forever. She knew Angie wouldn't be like all the others. All the ones who wronged her.

Then once she felt kisses grazing her thighs, fingers dipping in, lust and want and need in those ocean colored eyes she'd never felt more desired. More loved. Angie was somehow more gentle with her than any other while also being the most demanding and aggressive. Absolutely relentless.

It was intriguing, watching the love bites peppered on her own neck become visible on her lover's. How she knew that the burning red lines streaking Angie's back were probably mirrored on her own. And how their smiles were one and the same as they were brought together in warm embrace.

No one was surprised when Angie proposed. She had gotten their whole graduating class together and made a whole event out of the matter. Iruma's heart swelled with love as her darling sunshine got down on one knee, smiling up at her. "Would you do Angie the honor?" She felt like some sort of princess. Her classmates whooped and hollered as she squealed and said "of course baby!"

Himiko, Tenko, and Akamatsu were bridesmaids. Himiko and Tenko were bound to get married any time soon and Akamatsu and Amami had already gotten married long before, with a little brat running around their legs. Iruma couldn't wait until she and her Ange had that.

They both wore beautiful white dresses, Angie with her straight hair all the way down her back and Iruma's strawberry blonde tresses curled up elegantly atop her head. And, if you asked her, Miu would say the moment she touched lips with her wife was like something right out of a fairy tale.