Countdown

"What does your clock say?" Matthew asked for the hundredth time that week.

Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes. "I swear you ask this every day." Yet, Arthur still felt a thrill when he raised his wrist. The tattoo of the clock on the inside of everyone's left wrist counted down to when they would meet their soulmate. "Two days, four hours, fifty minutes and thirty seconds." Arthur read on the tattoo.

Matthew squealed and shook Arthur. "It's so close! Mine still says I have three months!"

Arthur smiled and nudged Matthew off him. He was excited to meet his soulmate, but he was still scared. He was a freshman in collage and was just barely starting his life. What if his soulmate didn't approve?

When Arthur had told Matthew his fears, his friend had gaped in horror. "Of course they wouldn't disapprove! You guys are meant to be!" Matthew had shouted.

Now, taking the bus on their way to campus, Arthur watched his clock tick. He wondered what they would look like. Would they be male or female? Blonde? Brunette? Tall? Fat? Arthur shook his head and tried to focus on their personality instead.

Maybe they would be the same as his homebody-knitting self. Or perhaps the exact opposite who liked to be the center of attention. Either way, Arthur was ready to love them.

•

Arthur glanced at his phone as it lit up. Matthew. He chuckled and set down his pencil. Matthew was more excited than Arthur, it seemed.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Time!" Was Matthew's reply.

Arthur raised his wrist. "Twelve hours, thirty-two minutes, four seconds."

"Okay, that puts it roughly around ten-thirty tomorrow morning. What are you doing?" Matthew was talking quickly.

"I don't have class or work. I don't know. Maybe walking to the coffee shop to get the homework that you keep interrupting done." Arthur kept his tone light. Though he really did need to finish this assignment, he had been getting butterflies.

"I know! I'm sorry! It's just so romantic!" Matthew cried.

"You're almost there, Mattie. What's your time?" Arthur asked. He knew it would please Matthew to flaunt his time.

"Three months, three days, four minutes, forty-three seconds." Matthew said cheerfully. "Do you have an outfit picked out?"

"Mathew!" Arthur laughed and stood from his desk. He knew homework for the rest of the night would be a lost cause. Matthew's excitement was getting to him. "I will not dress up! I don't want my soulmate to have unrestricted expectations."

"But you'll look cute, right?" Matthew prodded.

Arthur chuckled and sat on his bed. "I'll try."

"Just don't be scared, okay?" Matthew said more gently.

"Okay, Matthew. And you, don't be so impatient. It goes by quickly." Arthur glanced back down at his wrist. It had become almost like a habit.

"Twelve hours, thirty minutes, twenty-four seconds." Arthur whispered.

"Call me an hour before. And after you meet them." Matthew said. "Get some beauty sleep! And send a picture of your outfit!"

"You sound like a mother." Arthur teased. He laid back and ran a hand through his hair.

"You're my first friend to meet their soulmate! This is amazing!"

Arthur smiled and closed his eyes. "I suppose."

"Now go to sleep! We don't want you grumpy! Night!" Matthew hung up.

"Crazy kid." Arthur rolled out of bed and plugged his phone in. He looked at his closet. Maybe he should dress up. But what if his soulmate didn't? Then he would look ridiculous. He sighed. His normal clothes would work. He flicked the light off and crawled into bed. Good thing tattoos didn't glow in the dark.

•

When Arthur woke, he looked at his clock. Two hours, five minutes, seven seconds. He rubbed his face and sent a quick text to Matthew, alerting him of the time. He got a reply seconds later of smiley faces, hearts and exclamation points. Arthur smiled fondly at his phone and went to the bathroom to shower.

When he finished, he sorted through his shirts. He wasn't sure what happened to his 'normal clothes', but he found himself torn between a black Beatles shirt and a plain green one that made his eyes pop. He chewed his lip and decided to toss a coin. Beatles shirt it is. With another look at his clock, one hour, twenty-three minutes, ten seconds, Arthur dressed.

He ate breakfast and skimmed through the social media on his phone. Seemed like no one else was meeting their soulmate today. He had a thought to post something, but didn't want to sound like he was gloating. He decided against it and rinsed his dishes.

He brushed his teeth and, with an awkward feeling, took a picture of himself in the mirror to send to Matthew. His pale blond hair, of course, was a mess. Though he thought it made him look lazy, Matthew complimented him on it often. His green eyes were actually bright with the black shirt. He had kept his single earring studs in. After sending the picture along with the time, fifty-four minutes, forty-three seconds, Arthur left the house with his laptop bag across his chest.

He walked the short distance to the cafe downtown. He tried not to look at his clock, but it was hard not to at every street he had to wait for traffic at. When his clock read exactly thirty minutes, Arthur sent Matthew a sarcastic text, to which Matthew replied with a thumbs down emoji.

Arthur arrived at the cafe and ordered tea. With his white cup in hand, he sat in the corner and opened his laptop. He could get quite a lot done in twenty-one minutes and eleven seconds. If he could concentrate.

He was able to get through half his assignment when he noticed he had only five minutes and thirteen seconds remaining. He kept the laptop open just so he didn't look creepy. He didn't type or read anything. He kept his fingers hovering above the keys and his eyes roamed over the edge of his screen.

Two minutes, thirty seconds.

Arthur's fingers were shaking. The cafe wasn't crowded. He had a straight view of the door. He could have at least chosen a more discreet place.

One minute exactly.

He saved his work and shut down his laptop. How awkward it would be to be just sitting there waiting.

Twenty seconds.

Arthur slung his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the door.

Ten seconds.

He took a few steps to the door when it opened in front of him.

Five.

A tall boy walked in.

Four.

He was blond and had a strange cowlick bouncing with each step he took.

Three.

He had beautiful blue eyes.

Two.

He was smiling.

One.

He was looking at his wrist.

Arthur stopped in front of the boy and blinked. He raised his wrist. His clock now read the date.

He brought his eyes up to blue.

"You're beautiful." The boy whispered.

Arthur glanced at the taller's exposed wrist. His clock read the date also.

"You're not so bad yourself." Arthur said easily, though his heart was thumping painfully.

"I'm Alfred." The boy stuck out his hand.

Arthur smiled and gripped his hand tightly. "I'm Arthur. I'm glad to have met you."

•

Author's note: *writes fic based on Pinterest post*