A/N: While I was away on my cruise, I started reading a book called The One, by John Marrs, and it inspired me to write a chapter using the same concept with some of the rp characters. It's an idea that has been done before in different ways, but I really liked how this one was written. It doesn't matter if you have no idea what the book is about - I've tried to explain it a bit in the chapter. Anyway, this is so not canon. There's non canon pairings, probably non canon heights (I did my best to convert and tried to guess a bit. haha), and non canon countries of birth. Not all the countries necessarily fit all of the characters, but I needed to go with ones that worked for the storylines. So anyway, please enjoy this non canon mundane piece of work. I actually had a lot of fun writing this, once I finally had a chance to. Since I was writing it on the cruise and at the airport and on the plane at all hours, please excuse any mistakes. Haha this ended up being so long...
Match Your DNA: The world's first scientifically proven test 100% guaranteed to match you with the one and only person you're genetically designed to fall in love with.
~~ Blake ~~
Blake didn't normally get too nervous, but tonight was an exception. He ran his hand through his hair for the third time that night to neaten it, half wishing he hadn't dyed the ends with blue last month. Would she think it looked trashy? Shaking off such thoughts, he sat up straighter. She was his Match - his soulmate, if one believed in it - so it shouldn't matter either way.
Glancing down at the menu, Blake resisted the urge to grimace at the prices. She'd picked the restaurant, and although he knew it was an expensive one in the fancy part of town that he'd never normally visit, he would look bad if he said that.
His nerves mounted as he waited, cursing himself silently for arriving first. So that he didn't look like he was just sitting there, he pulled out his phone, getting up the email he'd been sent about his Match.
Name: Savannah Lustwick. Age: 27. Occupation: magazine editor. Eyes: blue. Hair: brown. Height: 5ft 8in. Location: New York, United States.
She was close to his own age at twenty eight, which was a relief. It would be just his luck to get some old lady. Not only that, but they lived in the same city - Blake had had to move there for his job. They'd been talking via text for a couple of weeks, and she'd sent a picture that had made his jaw drop. There was no doubt she was stunning, if the reality actually lived up to the picture.
"Good evening, Blake," came a confident, alluring voice from behind him, and Blake immediately rose to his feet, to meet her. His breath caught for a moment as his gaze met hers, a little stunned. She was even hotter in person. Her long chocolate brown hair was out in waves down her back, and her blue eyes sparkled. Her close fitting red dress showed off her figure, leaving little to the imagination, and he thought the deep red colour suited her. Suddenly, he felt underdressed.
Feeling awkward as he tried to work out what to reply, he stared for a moment longer, before swallowing and trying to play it more cool. "It's nice to... finally meet you," he responded, walking over to pull out a chair for her.
"What a gentleman," she smiled, resting her hand lightly on his arm in thanks, before sitting down. His arm tingled where she'd touched it.
Taking his seat again, he glanced over the table at her.
"I was curious as to what my biology would pick out for me as a soulmate," she remarked, and he could feel her gaze on him.
Resisting the urge to blush, he nodded. "Me too. I was hoping it wouldn't end up being someone I don't like at all."
She gave a light laugh, holding out her arms. "Well, I'm not so bad, am I?"
He was spared from having to think of an answer when she picked up her menu, and he copied her actions. Scanning the menu again, his gaze rested on the least expensive thing on it - a beef burger for thirty dollars. Then he'd have to add on the tip and skip a drink.
Savannah appeared to know the menu well, not taking long to look at it. She waved the waiter over with ease, ordering an expensive bottle of red wine for them to share. Blake opened his mouth, about to say he didn't drink, before closing it. Why did he always have to look like an idiot? She then ordered an expensive seafood dish, and he felt stupid ordering his burger, but he did so anyway.
Once the waiter left, Savannah leaned towards him again. "So Blake, why did you do the Match Your DNA test?"
Blake paused, wondering how honest to be. In the end, he decided to just go for it, because she was his Match, after all. "I had a relationship with a girl for a few years," he said, thinking of Lily, "And I found out she was just using me, and cheating on me at the same time. I've tried dating a little since then but…" He trailed off, with a slight shrug.
Savannah nodded attentively. Everything about her was intense, from the way she watched him, to the way she seemed to read his mind. "I get it, you want to make sure you find the right one this time."
Blake made a sound in agreement, before meeting her gaze. "I guess so. What about you?"
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, and he tried not to look down for too long at what the top of her dress was showing off. "I'm a magazine editor for a big women's magazine," she said casually, as it it were the most normal thing in the world. "I have a whole team beneath me, and I have to organise what goes where in the magazine. Needless to say, I don't always have time to juggle the dating aspect of things. This makes it a lot easier, and I didn't see the harm in it."
As she tucked some hair delicately behind her ear, he bit his tongue. Shit, she reminded him so much of his ex. Sure, she looked different, but there was something about her that was similar. Her mannerisms, the way she talked and moved, and the way she intimidated him, just slightly. Was this his type? He found he couldn't deny that it was.
"That must be a lot of responsibility," he replied, finally. It made his boring office job look pretty pitiful in comparison. He wasn't in charge of anyone.
"It is, but I thrive on it," she smiled slowly, and he didn't doubt it was true. "Tell me about your job."
"It's nothing that exciting," he replied, in a self-deprecating manner. "Just an office job at a company where I sort out their paperwork and translate and interpret some of it."
"That's a steady job," she replied, inclining her head.
He agreed, picking up his glass of water when his mouth grew dry. He was surprised, however, when she reached out to catch his arm.
"A tattoo?" She said, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth as she stared at it. "I always do have a thing for the bad boys."
"It's a… long story," he replied, and glanced at it in slight distaste. It never ceased to embarrass him. It snaked around the inside of his arm, a design that had white angel wings with blood dripping from them and feathers falling out at the sides. He didn't remember the events exactly, but he knew it had been when he was younger, around seven years ago, during a drunken night out. He'd never drunk again after that, knowing he had a low tolerance and could get drunk after just one glass. "I regret it now, and I have to cover it up with long sleeves for work."
"Ah, you'll have to tell me someday," she said, finally releasing his arm. Hiding the tattoo from view, he raised the glass to his lips to take a sip.
"Maybe I will," he replied, setting his glass down when the waiter came over with two wine glasses and the bottle of wine. The waiter then poured wine into both of their wine glasses.
Thanking him, and waiting until he'd walked away, Savannah then raised her glass. "To us," she laughed, and Blake did the same, clinking his glass with hers and repeating what she'd said.
While she took a long sip, he only had a small one, before putting the glass down again.
Their food order eventually came, and they chatted while they ate, Savannah managing to convince him to try a couple of her oysters. "They're an aphrodisiac, you know," she'd said in amusement. When she asked why he wasn't drinking his wine, he'd had to admit he didn't really drink, and she'd luckily taken it well, without teasing him too much.
While there was many things they didn't have in common, Blake found she was intelligent and beautiful, and she could certainly hold her own. Maybe his DNA was good at picking, after all.
Once they'd finished eating, Savannah surprised him once again, as she moved her chair closer to his, and he felt her leg brush his. "How about we skip dessert?" she asked, her hand moving to rest on his thigh, and he couldn't stop a blush, his breath catching. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for us to come back to my place. Maybe it's the oysters, or something else, but I find you very appealing, right now."
He found himself nodding a little more eagerly then he'd meant to, and they rose to their feet. It was okay, he reminded himself. She wasn't some one-night stand kind of date. He'd never been into that, as he was a little more old-fashioned, and no longer very trusting. With her though, he didn't need to be so cautious. She was meant to be the one.
While he protested, she set down money to pay the whole bill, as well as a generous tip. Taking his hand, she led him out of the restaurant, and towards her car.
~~ Cole ~~
Cole stood to the side of the cafe outside window, looking inside at the girl who was supposedly his Match. Not that he was sure he believed in such a thing, always sceptical. She looked just like the picture she'd sent him, when they'd decided to meet up, and he glanced down at the email again.
Name: Stephanie Tide. Age: 23. Occupation: librarian. Eyes: blue. Hair: blonde. Height: 5ft 2in. Location: London, England.
Tucking his phone in his pocket, he watched her for a bit longer. She appeared nervous, likely partly due to the fact that he hadn't turned up yet. The truth was, Cole was not looking for some 'soulmate.' He had simply taken the test on the spur of the moment, out of curiosity as to who was picked for him. It only took a couple of hours before he got an email about his Match. She had obviously filled it out before him, and had been waiting to find him.
She was pretty, he conceded, with her honey blonde hair, and kind eyes. But he was already sure that she wasn't that smart. It had only taken a little searching on his part, before he found the public library she worked at. From there he found her easily, watching her as she worked, from behind a number of bookcases. She'd been the first to make a move and send him a message, and at first he hadn't intended to reply. Eventually his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he'd responded. When she later suggested they meet at a cafe, he'd laughed when she'd picked a small one right beside her work. Not such a smart move, when it would be obvious she worked next door. She was naive, making it easy for him to find her, and he wondered if she'd ever dated anyone else before.
He'd watched as she'd worked until five o'clock, finishing off her shift, before taking a seat at the cafe next door and waiting for him. Once again, he considered not walking in, and leaving her wondering. Would she be sad if he never turned up? Most likely. He'd intentionally not sent her a picture of himself, leaving her guessing. Adjusting his glasses, he smiled. He had no practical use for such things, but had worn them anyway for the occasion, and dyed his hair from a light blonde to a dark brown. He thought the glasses as a disguise made him look friendly, and like someone a bookworm might find appealing.
When she glanced around the cafe one last time, he decided it looked like she might leave soon. He was very late, it was true.
Straightening his hair, he then walked to the door, stepping inside and pretending to scan the room. When his gaze caught hers, she smiled, a little hopefully. He smiled back to put her at ease, acting as a gentleman as he kissed her on the cheek and helped her into her seat. There was a flush to her cheeks, and it was obvious she was one of the 92 percent who felt an instant attraction to their pairing.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, in a sincere tone. "My meetings were running late this morning which put me out all day." Lying came naturally to him. He was used to making up a story for himself.
She rushed to assure him it was okay, and they paused briefly to order some food when the waitress came over. Then, he turned back to her. "So, Stephanie-" he started, but she surprisingly interrupted him.
"Just Steff is fine," she said, quickly.
"So, Steff," he corrected, finding he preferred her more formal name, "Tell me a bit about yourself. I feel we have a lot to learn about each other."
She nodded, her fingers fiddling with her plait briefly, before she forced her hand to her side. "I'm a librarian. I work just next door, actually," she started, and he feigned surprise. "I love reading, but-..." She cleared her throat, as if not sure whether to continue. "I like writing, too. I'm currently writing a story. I mean, I'm not sure if it's that good, but I thought I should try it out."
"Maybe you'll be an author someday," he suggested, and she looked quietly happy by the thought.
As their food arrived and they ate, they discussed different books. It was obvious that they had vastly different taste in books - she was far too into the romance novels, while he liked darker, more gritty ones. There were some classics they could agree on, though. He wondered once again why they had been Matched when she seemed so different to him. Her romance novels had skewed her views, and she'd even admitted that she liked the idea of being Matched, because it meant someone had been made for her. He bet she'd taken the test as early as she could.
"How about you?" She finally asked, as he noted she'd finally gained the courage to question him. "What is your job?"
"I'm a manager at a big bank," he lied, adjusting his glasses. "I'm young, I know, but they think I show some promise."
"Wow," Steff said, her eyes widening. "You're only about a year older than me, right? That's impressive."
In reality he didn't need a job, having gained a large inheritance from his parents. He studied on and off, but he was in no rush to finish, preferring to travel in his spare time.
He nodded. "I try. But anyway, that's why I was late."
When she asked about his family, he paused. Normally he lied, saying he had rich parents who lived in America. But for some reason, he found himself telling mostly the truth. "I was born in Uzbekistan, although my parents were originally from somewhere in the United Kingdom. They were just missionaries over there, only planning to stay for a few years." He shrugged. "But they died over there. I was sent back here as an orphan and brought up by my aunt. We travelled quite a bit, living in different countries." His aunt was a strict women who'd spent most of her life in France, so her accent remained.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your parents," she said, and he studied her expression subtly. It was easy to see the genuine sadness in her eyes. She revealed her emotions so easily, for everyone to see. He found he wanted to keep them to himself.
"It's fine, really," he replied, smoothly. "I don't even remember them, so I don't know anything different." He gestured to her. "What about your family? Are you close?"
She hesitated, her expression growing more unsure. "I wouldn't call us close…" At this, he found himself surprised. She seemed like the kind of person who would get along with anyone. "My parents… well, my father in particular, preferred my brother. My half brother, actually. He was always the favourite." She tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out behind her ear. "So anyway, I don't really keep in contact with them much. They only call me when they want something."
"I'm sorry," he found was the best reply, taking another sip of his coffee to finish it off. "I guess neither of us have the most conventional family experience."
She agreed, and once she'd finished eating as well, he left some money on the table to cover the meals and drinks, even though she said she didn't mind paying. He didn't doubt she was just being polite - it wasn't like librarians got much of a wage.
He felt an urge to test her again. He found he liked doing that, and he half thought it was to find evidence that they weren't compatible. "Did you want to come back to my house?" He suggested, raising an eyebrow, and making his intentions clear. Of course he didn't want such a thing - and he didn't think she was that kind of person either - but she seemed like the kind to want to please people, and he wondered if she'd follow him back naively, simply to please him.
"Thank you for the invitation, but I have to get up for work early tomorrow," she declined, avoiding his gaze. Ah, so she wasn't someone keen to sleep around. That was good.
He inclined his head. "That's no problem at all. I have a big day tomorrow, too. Good night, Steff."
"It was nice to meet you," she said, raising her gaze to him again. "... I'll call you tomorrow night?"
She said it almost as if it was a question, as if to see whether he even wanted to hear from her again.
"Of course," he replied as he turned to head off, and he frowned. He was surprised to find that he'd actually meant it.
~~ Kellan ~~
Kellan's phone buzzed with a message, from his pocket. Pausing his lunch, he pulled it out, seeing an email from Match Your DNA. He'd sent the DNA test away a year ago, and had completely forgotten about it since, as his Match hadn't been found. However, it appeared that they finally had.
Kellan Springfeather, it read, Your designated Match is Ethos, male, Reykjavik, Iceland. Please see instructions below to discover how to access their complete profile.
Kellan stared at the screen, shocked. It was not because his Match lived so far away, but because his Match was a male. He'd only ever dated girls, so he looked at the screen in curiosity.
He'd heard of course that Match Your DNA Matched people irrespective of their gender, religion or location. He just hadn't ever expected that in his case.
He stared for a moment longer, debating whether to follow through with it or not. However, he didn't wait for long, clicking on the link and paying the money to reveal more details about his Match, and the email came back quickly.
Name: Ethos Ólafurson. Age: 31. Occupation: diplomat. Eyes: brown. Hair: beige. Height: 5ft 9in. Location: Reykjavik, Iceland.
"Iceland, hey?" Kellan pondered aloud, with a sigh. Of course it would be just his luck that his Match would be so far away. Kellan was only two years younger, but otherwise, they seemed to be relatively different. He just hoped Ethos could speak English.
ooOoo
It had been a pleasant surprise when Ethos had sent him a message, letting him know he was working at the Embassy of Iceland in Washington D.C. He wasn't as far away as he'd originally thought. In fact, he'd offered to come and visit Kellan in Los Angeles a couple of weeks later, and Kellan had agreed eagerly.
Kellan had always been a lover of nature, so he'd suggested they meet at Runyon Canyon instead of a cafe or restaurant. His red curls were always unruly and hard to tame, so he did his best to try and make himself look presentable, feeling an urge to make a good first impression. After all, Ethos had come a long way.
When he'd first seen his Match standing there, he couldn't help but think the email description he'd received didn't do him justice. He was tall and slender, with bronze eyes, long lashes and his hair was a dark beige with noticeable gold highlights. There was something exotic about him, and his strong accent brought that to life. Kellan found himself intrigued.
"You are a teacher?" Ethos asked, and Kellan shook himself from his thoughts as they walked along one of the walking trails.
"Oh, yes," he replied, feeling like his job must seem much less impressive. He enjoyed it though, having a passion for it. "I teach the younger kids. At the moment I have a grade three class. It's amazing how quickly they pick things up."
Ethos inclined his head. "I can imagine you'd be good with the children."
Kellan blushed lightly, glancing at him sidelong. "How long have you been working at the embassy in Washington?"
"Only a couple of months," Ethos replied, keeping pace with him. "I was working as a diplomat in Iceland, before I was offered the job at the embassy. It was a great honour."
Kellan nodded, thinking Ethos would make a good diplomat. He was polite and considerate, as well as thoughtful with his wording. "What kind of things do you do at the embassy?"
"We promote the political, economic and cultural relations between our countries," Ethos explained. "I'm often conveying messages between leaders in Iceland, and the leaders here."
They paused at one of the lookout points to see the impressive view of L.A. from higher up. He'd been worried that Ethos might have found it boring, but he seemed to like looking at the scenery as much as Kellan did.
Continuing on, Kellan gave a slight smile. "I was worried when I found out where you were from that you might not speak English. Guess I didn't need to worry."
"While we speak Icelandic, English is taught as a second language at school, and most are fluent in it," Ethos responded. "I also speak Danish, German, Spanish and French."
Kellan raised his eyebrows, impressed. The most he knew was a small amount of Spanish from his own school days. "It's luck then, that you ended up at the embassy here," he said, wondering how it would have worked if Ethos was living somewhere across the world.
"Indeed," Ethos replied, and there was a hint of quiet curiosity in his eyes at his next question. "Have you dated before?"
Kellan glanced to the side. "I've dated a couple of girls. I guess nothing worked out in the end. You can imagine how surprised I was to be Matched with you."
It was ironic, he thought, when his last girlfriend, Ember, had broken up with him as she couldn't have children due to a medical condition. Although he had pleaded with her that it didn't matter - that there were other ways - she had been adamant that he would be missing out, for she knew how much he wanted kids of his own.
"Yes, I can imagine," Ethos replied. Kellan was starting to get a feel for his mannerisms, and he thought that perhaps Ethos was hiding a hint of nervousness. "I haven't really dated before," he admitted. "I have always put my job first, and I always knew I would be moving for my work. It didn't seem smart to get caught up in anything else."
"Oh," Kellan replied, a little surprised. "Well, there's nothing wrong with that. I have always liked the idea of waiting for the 'right one,' but I suppose I'd never met them," he said, his gaze meeting Ethos' briefly, before he quickly looked away again, a hint of a flush to his cheeks.
They fell into a comfortable conversation afterwards, and Kellan learnt how beautiful Iceland was, with its massive glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. Ethos had a great pride in his homeland, and Kellan hoped he could visit it someday. They laughed as a couple of squirrels ran in front of them, showing off for a moment, before climbing up a tree.
There was a hint of reluctance in the air as their walk came to an end, neither wanting to leave. However, Ethos had to catch a plane back to Washington in the early hours of the morning. Kellan promised to show him around more of L.A and the surrounding areas the next time he visited.
With any luck, his next visit wouldn't be too far away.
~~ Aspen ~~
Aspen didn't believe in the whole 'find your soulmate' thing that was being marketed. However, he decided to do the test for the heck of it, one day. He didn't believe there was just 'one' person for him, that could keep his attention and keep him interested. It didn't matter what his DNA supposedly said. He was curious, however, as to what the person would be like. And whether it would be a guy or a girl.
The results came back that day. "A guy," he mused, aloud. Aspen didn't hesitate, as he paid to see the full details.
Name: Caspian Altridge. Age: 24. Occupation: business. Eyes: silver. Hair: blonde. Height: 5ft 8in. Location: Unknown, United States.
Aspen frowned at his phone screen. That location hardly narrowed it down, and there was no phone number supplied to contact him with. His Match was three years younger as well. Was his DNA telling him he was into younger guys?
But there was something else, at the bottom of the email about the International Criminal Database. It reminded him that when he'd scanned the terms and conditions, it had said that if your Match had a criminal history, they couldn't release what it was for privacy reasons, but they could give the severity a rating on a scale of one to five. His Match had a criminal record rating of three. Cocking his head, he considered it. They didn't give very specific details about the rating system. He assumed a five would classify as murder. A three though, he had no idea. Aspen found that instead of scaring him off, it made him all the more fascinated. He'd never minded a bit of danger.
Days went by, and he checked his phone regularly, but to his disappointment, his Match never messaged him. He liked to be chased, but it looked like in this case, he would have to do the chasing.
First, he checked a couple of different social media platforms, but the settings were all too private. Eventually he resorted to a corrupt police officer he knew, who he had to do 'favours' for to get the information. The police officer had managed to get an address and a phone number, before laughing at him and telling him that he should have looked him up on Google. Aspen did when he got home, learning from some news articles that Caspian was the heir to a wealthy business that his parents owned. He also found from the pictures that he was rather good looking. Aspen raised his eyebrows. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a wealthy toy boy on the side to get some money from. His DNA had good taste.
He'd started typing up a text message, before reconsidering. Perhaps it would be more fun to pay him a visit and surprise him. He deserved to know why his Match hadn't messaged him, after all.
Recklessly, he purchased a ticket to travel from his small hometown located in South America, to the bigger city where Caspian resided in North America. He used some of his meagre savings to obtain it, not booking a return ticket.
It had been his first plane flight, and he'd gripped the armrests of his seat when the plane took off, and landed. The view of the cities from the window was amazing though, and he couldn't help but be excited.
Once he'd arrived, he checked into a cheap hotel, and freshened up, getting changed into something nice and running a hand through his dark black hair to straighten it.
Then, he'd caught a Lyft to the address he'd been given, which turned out to be the address of the business. Stepping into the building, he followed some other businessmen up to the correct floor, before stopping at the reception desk. "I have an appointment with Caspian Altridge," he said, trying to sound important. "For twelve thirty."
The receptionist didn't bother to look up at him, flicking through her diary. "And your name is…?"
"Aspen Leontale," he supplied quickly, straightening.
She shook her head. "No, I don't see any appointments for that time. Are you sure you have the right day?"
"I booked it months ago," he said, making his tone sound annoyed. That's what all the important business people did, right? "And I've flown a long way. I'd appreciate it if you could slot me in."
While she didn't look happy about it, she eventually picked up the phone and called through. Setting down the phone when she'd finished, she pointed him towards a room down the hallway. "Last one on the left. He'll see you now."
"Thank you," he said, flashing her a smile, before continuing forwards. Knocking on the door, he suddenly felt nervous. Then he dismissed such a feeling. It was his Match that should be nervous, not him.
"Come in," came a voice from inside, and Aspen stepped in. His gaze immediately went to Caspian, who sat behind the desk. His silver gaze was sharp and he looked dashing in a suit. "Why are you here, exactly?"
"You don't know who I am?" Aspen asked, walking over closer. "I'm Aspen. Aspen Leontale."
Caspian just gave him a blank look, as if he hadn't heard his name before.
"I'm your Match," Aspen spelled out, wondering why Caspian hadn't read the email.
He narrowed his eyes, staring at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Aspen hesitated, suddenly unsure. Why had it worked out like this? "You know, Match Your DNA. I just did the test earlier this week. You must have done yours earlier," he said, getting up the email and holding out his phone to show him.
Caspian scanned the email, frowning for a long moment, as if he couldn't quite comprehend it either. "I didn't even do that stupid test. I'd never do it."
"But you must have," Aspen protested, returning his phone to his pocket. "Maybe years ago or something?"
Caspian made a sound of disagreement, and Aspen could tell he'd meant it. He wasn't lying.
He opened his mouth to say something - he wasn't sure what exactly - before Caspian laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "I know exactly what this is."
"What?" Aspen asked, sitting down after a moment on the chair opposite.
"My parents must have sent it away," Caspian sighed, leaning back against his chair. "They could have easily got my DNA from a cup or something like that."
"Oh," Aspen said, looking a little confused. "Why would they do that? Maybe they just haven't told you about it yet?"
"That's not it at all," Caspian said, as if he was an idiot. "They wanted me to match up with some girl so they could convince me to have kids to continue the family name and all that. An heir," he continued, in disgust. "But guess what? You didn't fit the criteria, so they would have just pretended you never existed."
Aspen stared, feeling a rare prickle of embarrassment. He'd come all this way, and his Match hadn't even willingly done the test?
"I'm sorry-..." he said, a little lost for words. "I had no idea that it was your parents."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. It has nothing to do with you, really," Caspian replied, a little coldly. "Now, if you have all the answers you're looking for, you can see yourself out."
Aspen paused, before he raised his chin, standing up in a languid manner as he regained himself. He refused to be rattled. "But you see, I don't have all the answers I want, yet." He ran a finger along the edge of the desk, and he could feel Caspian's gaze on him. "I've travelled a long way, you know."
"What is it you want?" Caspian replied, his eyes remaining narrowed.
"I simply want to know more about my Match," he replied, with a slow smile. "Surely that's understandable."
"You can probably find most of what you want to know online," was Caspian's reply, with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Not the kind of answers I'm looking for," he said pointedly, turning back to face him. "Are you attracted to me at all? Many people are when they first see their Match."
"What do you think?" Caspian replied, a little sarcastically, although Aspen decided to take it as he just didn't want to answer.
"What crime did you commit?"
At this, Caspian stiffened, his posture going tense. "That's got nothing to do with you. I couldn't care less if you're my Match, or not. I don't even believe in it."
Aspen pointed to him. "Now, that's something we have in common. I don't know if I believe in it, either," he mused, aloud. "But I don't think I want to leave, until I find out."
~~ Percy ~~
Percy had his dream job, and to most, he guessed it must have looked like he was living the perfect life. He had a love for both chemistry, and for teaching, and he was a chemistry professor at the University of Cambridge.
There was one thing he was missing however, and that was someone to share it with.
He'd had some ill-fated attempts at romance along the way, but he felt like he was getting too old to find anyone, now that he was in his early forties. Fate was cruel, making him fall for the kinds of girls he could never have. Ones who walked past as if they didn't even notice him, ones who found him too quirky, or in one case that he was still embarrassed about, even a student.
One day, he'd finally caved in and sent away a DNA test, to see if he could find his Match. He hoped it would be someone who would be able to love him unconditionally, with all his quirks and strange obsessions. The test had been revolutionary, and he'd almost been jealous of the one who had discovered the gene in question. It was already known that women produce pheromones and men have receptors that bind the pheromone molecules, and that can create an attraction between the two. However, when certain people were brought together, it was found that there was a variable gene that allowed both sexes to produce pheromones and have receptor genes. But, he reminded himself, that was the price you paid when you specialised in chemistry, instead of biology.
It had taken a number of weeks before his phone had lit up with an email from them, during one of his classes. He had ignored it, knowing better than to get distracted by his phone when he was teaching, but he felt a nervous anticipation the remainder of the class. He wondered what his Match's smile might look like or what her laugh might sound like. He was sure that whatever might interest her, would interest him as well.
After the class, he hung around to answer a couple of questions from some students that lingered behind, before he hurried to the bathroom. Locking one of the stall doors behind him, he opened the email, his breath catching as he scanned it.
No Match.
Staring at those two words, he swallowed. Out of all of the people already registered in the database, there was not one Match for him. While he knew it was possible they just had not registered yet, and he might find them later down the track, he could not help but lose hope. It was possible that they were already in a happy relationship, or they never planned on doing the test.
Maybe he really was destined to be alone forever.
This was a lot of fun! I wanted to add Finn and Jai as well, but this ended up being long enough without them, and I just wanted to get it posted. But anyway, I'm thinking of continuing this with another chapter skipping ahead some months in the future. Let me know what you think. :)