This is an AU inspired by a video from fine_arts_with_heart on TikTok. The prompt is whatever song your soulmate is listening to is the song that gets stuck in your head.

"Oh my God, Lacey! Turn that emo shit OFF! I'm trying to study!" I wailed. My sister yelled back from the opposite side of the wall that separated our rooms. "I'm not even listening to anything!" You're...not? I thought, as the music continued.

I got your picture, I'm coming with you
Dear Maria, count me in
There's a story at the bottom of this bottle
And I'm the pen

"OH MY SWEET JESUS NOOOO!" I wailed. Lacey burst in through my door immediately, her mossy hazel eyes that matched mine filled with concern. "What is it? What's wrong?" she fretted. "My soulmate!" I whined, rolling over and burying my face in the covers. I could hear her muffled laughter. Oh fuck off, I grumbled mentally.  "C'mon Levi, it can't be that bad," she managed to speak between giggles. I glared at my twin. "It IS!" I yelled, my voice cracking. Dammit puberty. "It is that bad! My soulmate is an angsty little shit!" She gave me a reassuring smile and flipped her deep violet hair over her shoulder as she turned to leave. "You say that now, but just you wait! You'll be head over heels for them in no time!" she called as she made her way back to her room. I groaned, flopping back onto my bed. Before I knew it, I was humming along to the song. Dammit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alright Ma, I'm headin' out! Love you, see you later!" I hollered, taking a step out the front door. That's when I heard it.

I chime in with a
"Haven't you people ever heard of
Closing the goddamn door?"

"REALLY?!" I shouted up to the heavens in exasperation as I slammed the front door. As if they could hear me. My neighbor just so happened to be strolling by with her daughter, both of them gazing at me like I had lost my ever-loving mind. And maybe I had. "Hi Mrs. Lawrence, hi Taylor," I called, flashing a sheepish smile and giving a weak wave as they hurried onward. Thanks, dear soulmate.

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Fuck this. Fuck all of this. I whined internally as I just collapsed on the floor of the living room. Thank God I was the only one home; Mom would bother me to no end if she saw me falling apart. This has been THE longest day. I closed my eyes as I felt tears start to well up and threaten to spill over, just burying my face in the carpet that smelled overpoweringly of flowery cleaner. Then...Blaring. Fucking. Music.

I'm nooot oooooo-kay!
I'm not-

"I'M NOT OKAY EITHER, DO YOU HEAR ME LISTENING TO A SONG ABOUT IT?!" I screamed hoarsely into the carpet. The floodgates opened and the tears came pouring, my shoulders wracking with every sob. Stupid school. Stupid, homophobic assholes. Stupid life. The music continued, eventually fading out. I lay there numbly for several minutes afterward, sniffling and hiccuping. I heard a car pull up in the driveway and reluctantly pulled myself up off the floor. "Ughh, stupid soulmate," I grumbled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Slumber party!" Lacey announced eagerly as she burst into my room with two other girls behind her. I looked over the top of my book and glared at my twin. "No. Go away," I huffed. "What's his problem?" Hailey murmured, twirling a sunny blonde strand of hair around her fingers, dark brown eyes filled with worry. Lacey waved a hand dismissively in my direction. "Oh, he's just grumpy because he hasn't heard anything from his soulmate in a few days," she chimed, strolling into my room and plopping herself down at my computer chair. Hailey and Rita followed, Hailey sprawling out in the middle of the floor and Rita laying down next to me. She flopped down on her stomach, choppy brown curls flouncing atop her head as she bounced a little. She batted her long lashes at me, dark grey eyes pleading. "A slumber party would cheer you up, I'm sure of it..." she insisted. I attempted to stare her down, but it was a lost cause. I folded in seconds. "Fine," I relented. They all jumped up with a chorus of excited squeals. "I'll get the snacks!" Hailey declared. "I'll get the pallets set up in the living room!" Rita chimed. "I'll set up the movies!" Lacey announced, grabbing my hands and tugging impatiently. "Let's goooo!" she whined.

"Alright, alright," I chuckled as I stood and followed reluctantly. In minutes, we were in a cuddle puddle on the living room floor, watching horror movies. At some point, the front door opened, and Mom and Dad came sneaking in. I could practically feel Dad staring at us just sprawled out on the mass of blankets that covered the floor. "Well don't you all just look like a cozy litter of kittens?" he cooed jokingly. "Thanks...I think," Lacey snorted. "Definitely meant as a compliment, you guys are adorable!" Mom giggled. "Have fun, don't be up all night," Dad sighed before trudging down the hall to his and Mom's room. "Sleep tight kiddos," Mom whispered before she followed. "Night Ma, night Pops," I yawned. I turned my attention back to the TV, my eyelids starting to droop heavily. No way am I gonna be the first one to pass out. Maybe I'll just rest my eyes...

Wake me up inside!
Save meee-
Call my name and save me from the dark

I bolted upright and looked around frantically. Lacey, Rita, and Hailey were asleep. I squinted at the little digital clock on the cable box: 3:17 a.m. What the fuck? Why are you awake? The title menu for Nightmare on Elm Street was playing on a loop, but all I heard was:

Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone-
Save me!-
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
Bring me to life

Frozen inside, without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are my life
Among the dead

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Don't let me die here
Briiing. Meee. Tooo. Liiife

I lay back down, rubbing my face tiredly. "I was trying to sleeeeeep," I whimpered softly. Could my soulmate at least have a better sleep schedule... Please?? I silently prayed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

What if I wanted to fight
Beg for the rest of my life
What would you do?
You say you wanted more
What are you waiting for?
I'm not running from you

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you
Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you

"Ooh, haven't heard this one before!" I cheered softly, perking up a little. Lacey looked up from where she was sitting across the room from me, doing her homework. She had the most smug smirk on her face. "The Angsty One is listening to something you like?" she inquired. I made an indecisive face and shrugged a little. "Weeeellll...I don't hate it," I confessed. She giggled. "Told ya so!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You sure you don't mind getting some cleaning done while I'm out?" Mom asked. "Of course I don't mind! Go, shoo. I have nothing better to do anyway," I said, ushering her toward the door. AS SOON as she leaves, I'm blasting music AS LOUD as I can. I will annoy the piss out of my soulmate today! I thought giddily. "I love you LeeLee, I'll see you later," she called over her shoulder. I shut the door behind her and immediately sprinted to the stereo system. Before I could hit the power button, music filled my head. You bastard!

Whoa, well I never meant to brag
But I've gotten what I wanted now
Whoa, it was never my intention to brag
To steal it all away from you now

"Holy FUCKING shit! This is my JAM!" I shrieked eagerly as I began dancing and running around the house. I headbanged enthusiastically as I cleaned. Maybe this soulmate thing isn't too bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You poor baby," Lacey pouted, her lips twitching as she struggled to maintain a straight face. I glared at her from inside my blanket cocoon on the couch. "Hush and just go to school. And bring me my homework!" I yelled, but to me it all just sounded like I had cotton balls wedged in my nose, ears, and throat. "Rest up and drink plenty of fluids!" she chided lightly, dashing out the door before I could chuck a box of tissue at her. I was left with deafening, suffocating loneliness, the faint sound of the news on TV lulling me in and out of flu-induced slumber. And then...

I've
Become so numb!

Asshole! "I'm sick, that's not funny!" I whined feebly. If only you were here. Then I could cuddle. And being sick wouldn't be so bad. No. Stop. You do not want to cuddle with this dork!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'll see you in Calc!" I called to Rita as I jogged down the stairs, heading to English. The toe of my right shoe knocked the heel of my left, and before I knew it, I was falling forward down the last few steps. Cue the music, shall we?

We're going down, down in an earlier round
And Sugar, we're going down swinging

My knee was throbbing and a sharp pain shot up and down my wrist as I slowly made my way to my feet. "Fuckin' salt to my wounds," I huffed under my breath as a couple students laughed. "Nice goin' Levi!" someone chortled as I was shoved roughly.

I'll be your number one with a bullet
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it

Enough, dear. Really don't need it today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Snack tiiiiime!" I sang happily as I rummaged through the kitchen. The music started just as I had lay claim to my fattening treasure, because of course it did.

Now if she does it like this
Will you do it like that?

I froze, my bag of chips just clutched in my hands. "Not an angsty one? Well, color me impressed," I murmured, nodding along to the song as I continued to bounce around the kitchen gathering snacks.

Now if she touches like this
Will you touch her like that?
Now if she moves like this
Will you move her like that?
Come on, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just DO it. If they can hear what you're listening to, record a song and play it back. That way you two idiots can actually COM-MUN-I-CATE! Lacey's words rang in my head on repeat like a mantra, almost drowning out the music.

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape

18th birthday, seems like a good a time as any, I thought. ...fuck it. I shoved my feet into my old, ratty sneakers and grabbed my phone, shoving it in my pocket before I took off out the door. "Where are you going?" Mom asked as I came jogging down the stairs. But it was a "Mom Ask"; you know, those questions that were actual demands for information. I answered as I rushed past her. "Out. Gonna try to find my soulmate. Maybe. I dunno yet, I'll let you know when I find out. Love you!" The front door slammed behind me and I shoved my hands in my pocket, heading down the sidewalk with a quick pace.

Paper bags and plastic hearts
All our belongings in shopping carts
It's goodbye
But we got one more night
Let's get drunk and drive around
And make peace with an empty town
We can make it right

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
We won't hear a word they say
They don't know us anyway
Watch it burn
Let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight

Tonight will change our lives
It's so good to be by your side
But we'll cry
We won't give up the fight
We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs
And they'll think it's just 'cause we're young
And we'll feel so alive

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
We won't hear a word they say
They don't know us anyway
Watch it burn
Let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight

All of the wasted...

I approached an empty playground, the ghosts of my childhood memories flickering in front of me like a slideshow as I approached the rusty swing set that was probably (definitely) older than me. I sat down on the chain swing, nothing but the sound of the wind in the trees and soft rattling for several moments. I took several deep breaths. If you do this, once it's done, there is no going back. I opened my eyes and pulled out my phone, pulling up my camera and hitting "record". My mouth suddenly didn't know how to work. It felt like I was suffocating on peanut butter. Just. Do. It. Open your mouth. My own voice surprised me as I sang softly, the sound wavering and uncertain.

Um...hi?
I'm. Levi.
I just turned 18, I have a twin sister.
I graduated last week.
I know my voice is high-pitched right now, but
I promise I'm a boy.
I live in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
The song may not rhyme,
It may be so aw-ful
But I just wanna get to know ya,
And take this chance to say...
Hey

I stopped recording, exhaling heavily as I replayed the video. This is so goddamn stupid. They ain't even gonna hear it. And if they do, they're gonna think I'm an idiot. My thoughts spiraled, becoming more pessimistic and doubtful with every minute that passed. Twenty minutes later, I heard a short pop of static before I heard the most beautiful voice.

Hey there Levi,

I'm...also a guy.

My name is Michael.

I live in Evansville, Indiana,

And I'm 19.

I think the song is cute,

And I hope you are, too.

I hope to hear back, and I wanted to tell you:

Hi, right back.

                                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh baby, don't you know I suffer?
Oh baby, can you hear me moan?
You caught me under false pretenses
How long before you let me go?Ooh
You set my soul alight
You set my soul alightGlaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the super massive (you set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the super massive (you set my soul)I thought I was a fool for no one
Oh baby, I'm a fool for you
You're the queen of the superficial
And how long before you tell the truth?You set my soul alight
You set my soul alight

The music blaring in my mind was very soon echoed by the music blaring in my apartment as I stepped inside. "Twilight, again?" I laughed as I approached the back of the couch, leaning over to kiss Michael on top of the head. He looked up with a soft smile, dark blue eyes shimmering with joy as he fidgeted with one of the piercings in his lip. "What? It's so bad that it's good!" He defended. I rounded the couch and sank happily into his open arms. His frizzy black curls tickled my cheek as he nuzzled his head into my shoulder. "Mm, looks like you've been enjoying a lazy day," I hummed happily as I wrapped him up in my arms. "And now I get to enjoy the rest of it with you. I missed you today," he pouted. "How can you miss me when you're always in my head? I can't get anything done." He grinned as he pressed soft kisses to the hollow of my throat. "I know, you're welcome." Silly, ridiculous, clingy, perfect soulmate.