Panicking further, I try to pull away from him, but his grip is surprisingly strong. "Of course it's real! What would I gain from pretending to be your match mark, Egon?"

Electing not to respond to this question, Egon continues to stare at the star in shock, "But-- why didn't you say anything?"

A squeak of laughter sticks at the back of my throat. Is he joking? Who would approach this man with the revelation of being soul mates after he told them he didn't believe in their connection?

"Egon! When I asked you about your mark, you tried to lie to me and say it was a mole. Not any regular mole, but one shaped like a goddamned star." He opens and closes his mouth, looking more like a fish pulled from the water than a man. I continue, letting my feelings on the entire situation come to the surface, "Why would I try and make you do something you didn't want to when you so clearly had no interest in a soul mate." 

"Make me?"

The soft rumble of oncoming rage simmers under my skin, "You told me a mark shouldn't dictate your life. I have no interest in forcing a man into a relationship if he doesn't want that, even if I've waited for him my entire life!" He was supposed to be the love of my life; I shouldn't have to beg him to love me. That's not how any of this was supposed to work. How can he be so wordless when this entire... misunderstanding was because he didn't want me? Wasn't that what it came down to?

"You—"Egon adjusts his glasses, a blush reaching his hairline, hands fidgety as he collects his thoughts, "you should have told me."

"I have no obligation to do anything after your dismissal."

"You're my… my mark match. You should've told me, (y/n)."

Anger soars through me, making me bolder than I have felt in a long time, "Oh, now I'm your mark match? What happened to the whole thing being fake? You can't have it both ways, Egon."

"I just thought— I thought just because I had this mark didn't mean I had a match…."

"You know your words did hurt. It was rejection even if it wasn't purposeful."

He runs a hand through his hair, "If you had told me--"

"You don't get to just--" I make a sound of annoyance, tired of him repeating the same thing over and over. Trying to rid myself of the anger, I exhale loudly through my nose, "I'm with someone, Egon."

"You're with someone despite knowing that you're supposed to be with me. You knew about the marks before you met Peter."

"I don't feel bad," a lie, "You rejected me."

For the first time in the conversation, Egon looked angry, "I didn't know about your mark. You can't reject someone if you have no idea they're your..." The anger displayed on his face slips into embarrassment. He can't even say it! He dares to sit here and be upset with me, but he can't even call me 'his soulmate'.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure I want to be matched with you after everything you said. I don't care that you hadn't known when you said those things. It still hurt to hear. And I'll give you the fact that you didn't know I was your mark match, but you still clearly felt some negativity towards whoever your mark match may have been to be such a-- dick about the whole thing." The unknown internalized anger slowly deflates as I give him a real good piece of my mind. As much as I wanted to forgive him, hold his hand and spend every moment with him, I had kept all of this bottled up, and I wasn't going to continue to conceal it any longer.

I was angry with him, and I was, more importantly, angry with myself for dating someone else when I knew my heart could only belong to Egon. I am a terrible person.

"So, what? You're going to continue seeing Peter?"

I look away from him, "I— why does it matter to you?"

"Because—!" Egon's face morphs into a scowl, "You're my mark match!"

"At least Peter wants to date me!"

"I never said I don't— that I wouldn't date you." His face has become an adorable pink color. God, it's unfair. I'm unfair.

Picking at the skin around my fingernail, I continue to stare at the ground. Wouldn't it be easier for me to just... be with Egon? The ache in my chest as he fumbles with this exchange and my bitterness makes me wish I could release the vexation and let myself be truly happy. 

"You said yourself that a mark shouldn't dictate anyone's life. Maybe you were right."

After a beat of silence, he speaks, "I was wrong."

I don't have a moment to ponder over this as he leans forwards, lips crashing against mine. A sound of surprise leaves my chest before warmth and familiarity wash out the irritation I felt throughout the conversation.

It feels like coming home like I've found everything I'd ever dreamed of. It's every romantic novel, every rom-com movie I fawned over, every secret romantic wish of mine has been put to rest. Because nothing compares to how natural and perfect this kiss is.

My arms find their way around his neck, his hand presses against the base of my spine, holding me close to his rapidly beating heart.

I could drown in this kiss, die happy right now.

All the elation is stomped on with the realization that I'm cheating on Peter floods my mind.

Half-heartedly, I try to push Egon away, to put distance between us, to soothe my sudden guilt, "Egon, I can't--"

He looks at me with a tenderness I've never experienced directed towards me, "You can." It's not a demand but an intense beseeching to reconsider my choices. To choose him as I assume he knows I ought to. His thumb brushes against the star mark. I look down at where his hand is touching mine. His wrist is turned out, the star mark on display. It's the first time I've seen the marks together. "Stop seeing him."

"I can't be with both of you at the same time--"

"Then break up with Venkman." He says it with such matter-of-factness. I want to, I want to so badly it aches.

"Egon--"

"If you had told me when you noticed the mark, and I hadn't said anything about the mark being anything but a mark, would you have still agreed to go out with him?"

Well, no, of course, I wouldn't have. "No. But, that doesn't give me a free pass to betray Peter.. to two-time him." I suppose I've already done that.

"But you can betray me by dating Peter."

"That isn't fair, Egon." I cross my arms over my chest, "I—"

"I don't beg people very often to do things."

"I don't want you to beg me." Truthfully, I want to pull him back down for another kiss. To run away and forget about Peter and about anyone else I could be hurting. I want to go back to the moment I met Egon to erase the deceit before it could happen.

"Then don't make me." He's looking at me again in a way that fills me with warmth.