Work Text:
’Excuse me, can I help you?’
At the age of five, everyone wakes up to see their soulmate’s first words to them tattooed along one of their arms. It’s supposed to be a magical moment. Kaz got ‘excuse me’. Excuse me? Everyone says excuse me! It’s just as bad as getting a ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ on his skin! At least his soulmate is polite and has small neat handwriting (Kaz dreads to think what his looks like on his soulmate’s skin), but that’s beside the point! How is he going to find his soulmate if people say his soulmark every day?
…
’Oh! Hi! I’m Kaz, and this is Oliver! We work here now!’
Chase’s Father and Uncle never explained soulmates to his siblings. When Adam woke up to his mark, the basement exploded into panic, but Chase scanned the internet for answers, and quickly assured both Adam and Bree that the words were nothing to be afraid of, and were normal — for bionics and non-bionics, alike. After that, all Bree could talk about was gaining her soulmark, daydreaming about what her words would be just to be disappointed with that she got in the end. If Chase was still in contact with them, he would have shoved his mark at her face.
He has a name. Two names. His soulmate is called Kaz and he has a friend named Oliver.
Chase knows he’s lucky. The world is so large that people can spend lifetimes trying to find their soulmate, whilst he has the best clue someone could ask for.
His name is Kaz. Isn’t that beautiful? Kaz. So unique. So cute. Kaz. Kaz. Kaz. He traces the mark whenever he’s tired or afraid, repeating his name, and wondering what his soulmate is up to without him.
’Don’t worry, Kaz, nothing will stop me from finding you.’
…
Horace meets his son’s soulmate. He’s a bit… stupid, and a normo, too, but he still finds himself holding back a smile. Kaz and Oliver are here in his hospital. They had found them — just as fate predicted — and Horace isn’t going to deny them their fate.
“We can’t have normos here!” Alan protests. “I heard that if you touch them, your butt falls off!”
“That’s not true.” Horace scoffs, before turning to Oliver. “That’s not true, is it?”
Oliver puts his hands in his pockets, and eyes the two supers, disapprovingly. “Um, no.”
“Good because, without a butt, what would I shake on the dance floor?” He jokes.
Oliver smiles. “So you want us to work here?”
’Oh! Hi! I’m Kaz, and this is Oliver! We work here now!’
“Yes, that’s right!” Horace nods. “You can start immediately!”
“What?” Alan screeches. “You can’t do that?”
“Trust me, Alan, I know what I’m doing.” He sighs. The fact Alan hasn’t worked it out is beyond him.
…
Armed with his clipboard and Solar Flare’s file, Chase is making his way to her bed when he notices two strangers standing over her unconscious body. They’re young, although similar to himself in age, and look out of place, despite wearing the same white coats as he and his Dad wear. Chase coughs into his fist to make his presence known. “Excuse me, can I help you?” He asks the boys.
“Oh! Hi!” One of the boys exclaims, caught by surprise by Chase and jumping backwards. “I-I’m Kaz, and this is Oliver! We work here now!”
It’s them. It’s him. It’s really him. He said the words. It’s Kaz. It’s his Kaz. It’s Kaz and Oliver. He should have known his soulmate would work at Mighty Med! Chase’s face breaks into a smile.
“Hi.” He breaths. It comes out weaker than he expects. Softer. Lighter. “I’m Chase, Chase Diaz, Horace’s son.” He raises his hand for Kaz to shake, and lingers in the touch. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
Kaz frowns, and whilst it’s a very cute expression, Chase doesn’t like that it’s been put on his face. Why is his soulmate upset? Is he disappointed? Chase’s insides twist.
“Why?”
Chase chuckles, nervously. “Because we’re soulmates? I’ve spent a decade dreaming about you, and now, you’re finally here. Of course, I’m happy, Kaz.”
His eyes widen. “It’s you!” Kaz exclaims, his frown melting into a bright beam. “You’re my soulmate!” He pulls Chase in for a tight hug, before pulling away with an even wider grin than before. “I get so many ‘excuse me’s’, I didn’t notice — my fault, really, I’m sorry. I’m really happy I’m here, too.”
Chase squeezes his hand. “It’s okay. It was easier for me. I have your name, and I’ve never met a Kaz before.”
“It’s short for Kazimieras.” He laughs, sheepishly.
Chase’s chest warms. “It’s beautiful.” He smiles. “Just like you.”
(Oliver gags in the background.)
“Awww! Chase!” Kaz gushes. “Thank you!”
“Thank you?” Alan scoffs, storming towards the group faster than Skylar Storm, herself. “Thank you? Why is the normo thanking you?” He pulls down his sweater vest with a huff. “You’re not supposed to be nice to the normos! You should be cubing them!”
His soulmate is a normo? Well, technically, without the bionic chip in his neck, he would be a normo too, but Chase was expecting Kaz to be… never mind. It doesn’t matter. He loves his soulmate for who he is — powers or no powers. Fate has put them together for a reason, and whilst Chase questions the science behind soulmates, he’s not going to refuse fate’s greatest gift.
“Nobody is cubing anyone, Alan.” Chase snaps, holding Kaz’s hand. “This normo is my soulmate. We said each other’s words.”
Alan’s mouth gapes. “Him? He’s your soulmate? The smartest guy in the world’s soulmate can’t be a pathetic normo!”
Kaz flinches back, shrinking into himself.
Chase clenches his jaw, his hands turning to fists, as his frown deepens. “What did you say about my soulmate?” He growls, lowly.
Alan shivers. He steps back with wide eyes — almost as if he’s afraid of his cousin.
“Never talk about my soulmate like that again.” Chase continues, holding eye contact and watching Alan squirm in it. “Do you understand?”
“Y-yes, yes! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He panics ; then runs off like a crying toddler that has been bullied on a playground.
Chase turns back to Kaz, worried that his soulmate will be scared of him, but instead is met with a deep blush. “Oh.” He breaths. “That was hot.”
Chase feels all warm and mushy inside. “Yeah?” His lips twist into a smirk. “You liked me protecting you?” He teases, feeling confident enough to lean in and press a soft kiss against Kaz’s forehead. “You’re so cute.”
Kaz blushes, harder. It’s the most beautiful sight in the world.