He remembered the day he realized they weren't soulmates. It was the same day she broke free from the tower and the same day he truly realized his actions have consequences. Lalna could still imagine it clear as day, her face of anger and terror directed at him. At the flux creeping up her hands, changing and moving under her skin as she grasped her ruby sword. 

It was bad. Very bad. And yet despite it all, Lalna could help but be disappointed when purple swirls failed to show up on his skin. He had thought, or rather hoped, that Nano was his soulmate. There weren’t exactly many opportunities to write or color on skin to test his theory and if she had tried it would’ve been impossible to see under his lab coat and thick gloves. Sure, Lalna could have worked harder, but he thought he would've had more time. Based on the evidence, however, it was clear she was just a very good friend. It felt silly to think about something so… so trivial, when there was a much bigger danger at hand. And yet as the days passed, and the flux grew worse it was the only thing he could think of. As the purple stain crept ever further up her arms and onto her face, he felt more than just fear. When he saw it, it was a harsh reminder that he didn’t have the same markings appearing on his skin as all the legends said he should. They weren’t soulmates.

So why couldn’t he stop falling in love with her? 

________________________________________________________________

Nano was getting worse and Lalna was getting desperate. It seemed every night she would cry out at nightmares and claw at her skin, begging for it to stop. Even though she never admits it, Lalna knows the whispers during the day are getting to her too. Every time he saw her hum that familiar song absentmindedly or zoned out for a few moments he was faced by the thought that this was his fault. Things that are fluxed die. They die in a horrible, terrible way and he did this to the girl he loved. 

Love? He scoffed, absentmindedly working on his latest attempt at a cure. What would he know about love? Rythian was right. He was fated to be a mad scientist alone, without morals or care for others. Lalna called Lalnable evil, but weren't they the same? Clones? He had shown time and time again that he was capable of hurting Nano. He has hurt her over stupid, little, idiotic shit. She could never love him, least of all in the way he loved her. If she did love him, he didn’t deserve it. 

A scream from the bedroom pulled him from his self depreciative thoughts. 

Lalna stood, carefully depositing the glowing vial into a stand which was pushed to the back of his work station. Nano would have my head for working this late, he thought, quickly putting everything back into its place before heading up the stairs. As the purple canopy bed came into view Lalna saw Nano grasping at her arms, eyes wide and fearful. She was sweaty and hyperventilating, overwhelmed by the nightmare she had just woken from. Lalna briskly walked over, settling himself on the bed before pulling off his gloves and chucking them to the side. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close before rubbing soothing circles into her back with well practiced hands. He sunk his head onto her shoulder, providing as much soothing contact as possible to help her calm down. Lalna did this until her sobs had shrunk to the occasional sniffle and her anxious hands had fallen from her arms. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, pressing herself into his comforting arms. 

“Hey Lalna?” she murmured, “Thank you. For everything.” 

“Wouldn’t be a very good partner if I didn’t help you out from time to time.” She chuckled, 

“Please, I already bloody told you you’re still my teacher.” 

“I would hope we’re at least friends at this point!” 

“You’re right, it wouldn’t be ethical for a teacher to go to bed with his student, wouldn't it.” Lalna shrieked in embarrassment, digging his blushing face into her hair. 

“Nanoooo-” he whined as she burst out in giggles. As her laughter died out, the room was filled with a few moments of comfortable silence. Lalna leaned back, letting himself lower from his sitting position, Nano following suit by sinking into his chest. 

“Hey Lal?” 

“Hm?” 

“Have you met your soulmate yet?” He sighed, dreading the direction of the conversation. 

“No. I ‘aven’t. Have you?” 

“Nah, figure I would’ve seen them already if their arms were as purple as mine.”

“Imagine trying to explain to your boss why you’re so purple. ‘Yes Mister boss man, I am so sorry I’m late, it has nothing to do with my outrageously purple state. That’s just my strangely indigo soulmate!’” he mocked, putting on a falsetto to make her laugh. 

“Dork.” 

“You love it.” Nano turned to flick his forehead then stopped to think for a minute. “Lal? What kind of person do you want to be your soulmate?” 

“I’d want them to be my partner.”

“That was quick. Thought this through have you?”

“A few times.” 

“What does ‘partner’ even mean? Like a business partner? That’s quite kinky, even for you.” 

“Not like that, stupid. Lik- Ah- You know how some people just click? I guess I’d want that. We could be different people, and- and- we’d just compliment each other. We could be there for each other, and- it’s like when people are best friends? I guess I just want someone who could be my friend. After you I don’t think I want to be alone anymore.” He looked away from her, shuffling her hair from off her shoulder. 

“Thats..” She thought for a moment before continuing. ‘Sweet. I like that word that you used, ‘compliment.’ I think I would get bored with some bloke who was just like me. I think someone who complimented me would be right.”

“That’s the dream.” Lalna let out a yawn. “Hey Nano? It’s getting late, I think I’ll head to my hammock before I conk out.” 

“Wait!” She grasped his arm as he started to pull away. “Can you stay?” She meekly asked, looking anywhere besides Lalna’s face. Nano shook as she felt a chuckle rumble in Lalna’s chest. 

“Course I’ll stay. Let me just take off my labcoat.” Lalna tried pulling off his coat with the small girl leaning across his chest, awkwardly trying to hook it off with one hand. After a few tries he managed to take it off before throwing it across the room. He could sleep in jeans, but he didn’t want to get Nano’s bed dirty with the various chemicals and dirt permeating his coat. 

The two layed in bed, the very picture of domestic comfort. Nano’s legs had slid to intertwine with his, deepening the contact between them. Wrapped in his arms, Nano eyelids started to droop. 

“Hey Lalna?” She said softly, on the verge of sleep. “I hope I find my soulmate soon. I don’t think I have much more time.” 

While Nano started to doze off, Lalna’s blood had run cold from the admission. The moment of peace had been ruined, his mind running wild. He needed to work on the cure. He wouldn’t show her until he had something substantial, but all the time he would’ve normally devoted to eating or sleeping would be changed to cure research. He did it at his castle, he could do it now.