Based on the wonderful work a Soul's Fate by Zakuro-san, on Tumblr.

Dan couldn't help but wonder why. Why should be him? Is because he wasn't the prince all girls dreamt with? He could blame genetics, but he was sure his dad was already disappointed of him. Well, that usually happens when an ex-sports star has a nerd son. He was glad of being who he was, but sometimes he would wish to have the world on his hand and just clench the fist. Dan was no more than a little whim for him, amusement packed on a short, skinny and weak boy. He was not quite sure what is what bullies do feel ruining the life of their victims, but he would swear he'd seen no more than satisfaction on the eyes of his. No more until that day.

It was after the regular session of bumps over his body. Dan was at the lockers room looking for a shirt clean of blood and grime. Already used to this, he tried to keep at least two changes of emergency clothing, but, as expected, he had no lucky though there was the gym uniform. When he undressed his torso he could see a handful of new bruising all over his skin.

'At least he didn't break my nose this time,' he thought, putting some band-aids on the cuts on his face and shoulders.

The boy knew he should do something about it; he should tell someone, but he didn't. He never did it. Why? The reason was an unknown even for Dan himself. It was always the same. He was there, in a corner, letting him, Eric was his name, hurt him. Trying to drop insults or defend himself was useless, it only made Eric angrier and that meant more pain for him. He didn't remember when it started but he wished he could change it.

"Oh, my, my… Guess who is here," a voice said behind him. Slowly, he turned his face, afraid of being right 'cause he already knew the owner of that deep voice. Dan widened his eyes as he turned all the way around, stepping back until the cold metal of the lockers were against his bare skin.

"Sup, nerd~" The other sang. "Ready for another lesson?"

Eric came over, taking him by the hair, faces just at inches, his eyes with that wrathful expression and a mid grin. That was it, he was dead. Dan shut his eyes, prepared for the punch that was coming. He waited for an eternal instant, until he got the courage to open an eye and stare at Eric without understanding.

"….What the—" he said, looking at Dan's chest. His face suddenly turned like snow.

"Huh?" Dan looked at his own chest too and found something completely impossible: a pale red light blazed at the fast rhythm of his heart beats, like the Christmas tree lights. 'EHH?!'

And then was when everything turned even more impossible. Eric's chest was glowing too. They both stared at each other, now flushed.

"Y-Your chest, it—"

"Wait…NO—SHIT—"

"That means we're—-"

"AW HELL NO!" They said in unison.

'This is not happening! He? My soul mate?!' Dan thought.

As fast as he could, Eric took his distance from him, until his back was against the opposite line of lockers. Then Dan saw something he had never seen on Eric's eyes: shame, confusion, fear. Of course, those were over his own face too, but it wouldn't be as intense as his.

"This isn't real!" He yelled, pointing at Dan. "We can't be…s-soul mates!"

"I agree. Why you?!"

The other made a bad face at his comment, clenching his teeth. "Huh?! Who would want to be yours, nerd?!" He said, suddenly offended.

"That's not what I meant," Dan tried, "but why the guy who punches my face every day!"

Eric covered his face, breathing deeply to calm himself until his heart beat got almost normal but it didn't matter how much Dan tried, he couldn't control his pounding heart. In the end, he was about to die, right?

"Hey, nerd... I won't strike you again if you swear to keep this between us." That moment Dan was physically unable to think clearly, less talking, so he just nodded as response. "Ok," Eric continued, "but if I find you've said a word about this I'll take your eyes off their orbits, understood?" Dan nodded violently. "Now, how the hell do I stop this?!" Eric asked, making his best to cover his glowing chest with those big hands.

So Dan's face turned even redder if that was possible, and his heart was pounding so hard he thought he was about to faint. "I know how, but you won't like the idea."

"What are you talking about? I don't care how, I'm not going outside this building with my chest like this… and neither you are."

"Yes, but… to get that light off… a kiss is needed…" Dan sighed.

The room became incredibly tense and air went silent, as the walls seem to close over them. It was not like Dan wanted to kiss the only person in the world he hated, but he knew he couldn't go out like that.

It was not really a common situation, but, from time to time, any glowing chest people appeared on the streets and everyone started to laugh at them, knowing they were rejected by no one else that the person who was supposed to be at their side forever. Of course, the system was not law, though the most of society wanted to think that something like a soul mate really existed.

"No way," said Eric.

"You sure? If we don't, everyone is going to know, and I don't think you want to live with that glowing chest forever, which I don't, of course," replied Dan.

Eric sighed heavily. "All right, but if you tell someone…"

"I know, man."

So, slowly, Eric made his way to him with trembling knees. Dan could feel his heart was about to explode, and judging for his flashing chest, Eric's was too. Suddenly, the boy felt fear running through his veins, as always he was about to get hurt. Eric bent over him, leaning all his weight with an arm on the lockers, and Dan found himself between a rock and a hard place. Eric started to get closer, really slowly but he got froze far before their lips touched. In a soft sigh, he said, "Man, I can't do this, I'm not gay."

Even if every fiber of his body refused it, Dan had to finish it. He wouldn't live in shame just because his soul mate resulted to be a damned guy. So, after making sure he was still holding the shirt firmly with a hand, he craned forward in order to give Eric a fast kiss on the lips before running out. He wouldn't stay to see the expression on the other's face, but he was sure on his own face was nothing more than shame.

At the dark corridors of the empty school he saw the light of his chest dying, but his heart was not calmer at all, so he ran as fast as he could and didn't stop until he reached home.