I grab a bottle while trying to stop my hands from trembling. His presence makes my brain foggy and I almost want him to leave.. that is, if him being here didnt make me absolutely flushed from head to toe and made my stomach swirl with butterflies. I slide the glass over the shiny, wooden surface, determined to do my job and ignore the bond we share but when he reach for it I flinch. I dont want us to accidentally touch. Its clear that he noticed my reaction because of the stare he gives me. When he have picked up the glass to his lips he pauses.

"D-dont a-act like I'll hurt you" He swigs down the content and slam the glass back down while hinting for another. Judging by the way he speaks he have already been drinking. I refill the shot glass while he holds it and he instantly pour it down his throat.

"You already did.." I almost whisper and he cocks an eyebrow. "Anything else?" I ask with a certain strenght in my voice and he eyes me up and down suspiciously, perhaps be didnt expect me to behave in this way.

Then what DID he expect?

"Leave the bottle" He commands, I give a courteous nod before leaving the scene to do my other chores. First of all I need to wipe all the tables and while there's barely any customers now is a good time. I quickly free myself from the bar and try to clear my mind but its almost impossible, its like the entire room is filled with his aroma but I know I CAN and WILL get through this, its just this evening... He will probably leave soon anyway because why would he stay if he doesnt want anything to do with me?

Although his actions contradicts his words because it only takes a minute before I feel his presence behind me. He walks after me, staring at me as I make my way around the bar cleaning.

"I left you the bottle? Are you already finished?" I ask between my teeth without looking at him, trying to not loose my composure as I lean down to wipe the last table. He doesnt respond and I feel a rush of anger wash over me, causing me to spinn around to ask him to leave but just as I do that he takes a long stride forward and forces me to almost lean back on the table.

"Never heard of personal space?" I ask with a breath, my cheeks blush bright red and my heart palpitate in my chest. I just cant seem to win over the universe. His eyes; which I now realize are brown, stare back at me, his uni brow low.

"Y-y-you're a-avoiding bleugh me" He sways from side to side, intoxicated with a clear stutter and in the corner of his mouth I can see drool, why is it green?

"And you're drunk" I state, somehow managing to keep my voice steady and stern despite the addicting feeling soaring through my veins.

"Im a-always drunk" 

"Who could've figured" I roll my eyes and he grunts before grabbing my arm to hold me still, or to keep himself steady. The electricity spreading where we touch is the same as before and my mouth open into a silent gasp.

"Y/N?" I look to my side and see Marcus a few steps away, the situation has now gotten his attention "Is everything alright?" He looks worried.

"Its fine, dont worry" I say and redirect my attention to my drunk soulmate. "Rick?" I speak and notice how his eyes are struggling to focus. How much did he actually drink? "You need to sit down" I continue.

"T-then dont-" His words fade into a bunch of nothingness and I decide to help him by moving my arm under his for support. Its not the first time I've helped a drunk fool in this bar. I guide him down on a chair and take a step back to look at him. He hunch over the table and get a melancholy expression on his features, like he's in pain. I can feel something over my chest as I watch him.

"I'll grab you some water" I start to move away but before im out of reach I hear him mumble.

"I shouldnt have come back..." Not sure what he meant I let it slip, I dont think I'll get much sense out of him right now anyway.

I hand him a glass of water but when he doesnt take it I place it on the table in front of him. Is he asleep? Still with his head down and the long back bent its hard to tell but my suspicions are confirmed when he let out a loud snore. I cant believe I am bonded with an alcoholic. What is it with him anyway? Did he come here just to bother me? Or perhaps he have been struggling to be away from me as well?

I slide down on a chair next to him and observe his sleeping form.

"We have both been cursed.." I speak to myself and sigh. 

Is anything good going to come out of this? 

"Y/N?" I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up at Marcus "You should take him home"

"What?" He smiles encouraging and nod towards Rick's wasted shape next to me. Was it that obvious? He could see that we are bonded?

"He's miserable, clearly, and so are you, go home, solve this together" His voice soft and careful and he rub my back soothingly. He knows but he doesnt judge, maybe others will be able to accept this bond as well? Maybe I've been too scared for my own good?

"But what about the bar?" I question.

"Dont worry, it'll be a calm night anyway" He gesture out towards the room and the only two people sitting in it.

"As long as its fine with you, but I'll make up for it" I promise.

"Its okay, just take care of yourself" Marcus smile and move away and I nod gratefully before getting up on my feet. I slide my arm around Rick's back and tug carefully to get him to stand up.

"Rick, time to go home" I speak. He grunts in disapproval but allow himself to stand, even if its unstable.

"You need to help me, I cant carry you" I struggle to move him, he's too tall, too heavy but somehow we manage to get out. The fresh, cold, night air might wake him up a little?

"We bleugh s-s-should take the-the.. eh.. space bleugh ship" His speech is slurred and I roll my eyes.

"You're not driving, we're walking or grabbing a cab" I try to stay in control but cant help but feel hot where our bodies touch. He stumbles and I struggle to hold him upright.

"Why did you even come?" I ask in a strained voice.

"To-to d-rink what e-e-else?" He roll his eyes at me.

"You could've picked any other bar" I pant. Yet again he trips against on his own long limbs and force us to a stop, this is taking its toll on my back and my muscles are already sore. 

"This isnt working" I sigh with exhaustion. His long arm suddenly goes around my shoulders for support and his other shoots down in the pocket of his lab coat which he always seem to wear. Does he not have any other clothes? He proceeds to pull up something green, glowing and gun-looking thing, it looks like a toy but oh how wrong I am when we suddenly fall through the ground. I let out a yelp but hit something soft, cant say the same for Rick who falls straight down on the floor with a painful grunt.

Did we just fall from the ceiling?

I look straight up and then to my side, we're in his room and im lying on his bed.

"What the fuck was that?" I exclaim. Rick rolls around on the floor; rubbing his tempels with eyes closed.

"Why so fu bleugh cking loud?" He whines and holds the device up for me to take without looking at me. I grab it gently, afraid it'll break and turn it in my hand. "Its a portal gun" He explains.

"A portal gun..." I repeat his words and find myself fascinated by the glowing orb inside it. He is a scientist after all so I shouldnt be surprised. After I've examined the portal gun in my hands for a while I look up and meet Rick's eyes. We lock eyes and my cheeks stain red under his observing gaze. Why is he just staring at me?

"What?"

"Stay the night if you want to" He speaks surprisingly clear. I find myself at loss for words and just slowly nod. He gets up on his feet, now towering over me.

"I'll sl bleugh eep on the sofa" He speaks but I shake my head at this.

"You dont have to, its fine, this is your room after all, I'll go" I make an attempt to get up and take the sofa instead but he stands in my way and clumsily crawl down in the bed next to me. His lanky figure makes us both fit but we're still so close that if I make even the smallest movement we'll touch. He breathes out when he makes himself comfortable, laying on his back with his eyes fixed on the ceiling. I lie on my side with my hand awkwardly hovering in the air while I argue if I can and should put it on his body. It would put me in a more comfortable position but would he be okay with it? Eventually I slowly let my hand fall onto his chest. I take his lack of reaction as acceptance. It feels so nice to touch him.

"T-t-this isnt even m-my universe so I dont know why or how you're here" He speaks.

"Not your universe?" I question. His words, the portal gun, its all new to me but to him? He seems to know a lot of things I dont and I want to ask more about it but now is a bad time.

"W-w-wh-why you?" He looks at me, his expression now on the verge of alert instead of drowsy. Is he sobering up?

"How am I supposed to answer that?" I ask while trying to avoid thinking about the fact that we're sharing bed. So close, sharing body heat and his scent surrounding me is making it hard to think clearly.

"I-I didnt think that I-I h-had any..."

"Any soulmate?" I fill in and he stares at me with a blank face and then frowns like he suddenly realized something and tear his eyes away from mine.

I guess the conversation is over?

He closes his eyes and I correct my position so that im comfortable as well but my mind isnt letting me rest. I should be angry at him for what he said to me last time we me, as a matter of fact I should be outraged, sad, hurt... I would lie if I said that the sting in my heart is completely gone but im healing next to him, his presence is all I needed to feel better and its a scary experience. I cant control this and in a way maybe it would be easier if he just ended this bond like he said he would? But he still havent and he could've avoided me for longer, he didnt have to stay at the bar, he didnt have to walk after me, he didnt have to let me stay here in his bed but he did and I might be stupid for feeling hopeful but I cant help it. My whole being yearns for him the same way my body needs food and water, and sleep... Which I guess I wont be getting tonight and to make things worse we're lying on top of the blanket and I dare not pull on it in fear that it'll wake him up.

I look at Rick's face, he's fast asleep but doesnt look peaceful, his face is almost distorted in pain and I let my fingers run through his hair in an attempt to calm him down and it does seem to help but only for a moment because suddenly he grunts and stirr in his sleep. Is he having a nightmare? I watch him curiously, ready to wake him up if it gets any worse when I notice a shimmer in the corner of his eye, is he crying?

What is hurting this man?

He suddenly snap wide awake, breathing heavily and I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. I dont even know why I do it. I can hear him sigh deeply and feel the bed tilt when he gets up to a sitting. Is he not going back to sleep? I feel his eyes on me and I wonder if he know's im faking being asleep? only for it to be answered a second later when he gently pulls a strand of hair behind my ear, the action giving me the greatest solace in my messy mind and my heart beats heavy in my chest. I didnt know he could be like this, why did he reject me in the first place?Perhaps he isnt so bad, maybe its something else that pains him? Something I dont know.

I hear rustling of clothes and feel something being placed over my body before he gets up and leaves the room. I slowly peak when I hear the door close and look down on my body. He placed his lab coat over me to serve as a blanket. I pull it up to my nose to inhale his soothing smell, the warmth welcoming.

Is he not coming back though? Is he not going to sleep even after being so drunk?

Whatever nightmare he had it must be bad enough for him to not want to go back to sleep. It worries me...

What is hurting him?