Two soulmate's, one heart

They say the world is full of wonders, joy, love, and mysteries. What a joke. This world is full of s**t, and Nei hoped it would burn. "Sky — run! They're gonna catch us!" "I know! Don't look back and keep going!" Nei's lungs were burning. His legs felt like stone. He could hear the boots behind them, getting closer. Nei was the quiet one. Sky was the noisy one. That's what the notes said twenty-one years ago when someone left two baskets in front of St. Mercy Orphanage on the same rainy night. First note: "Take care of him, he's quiet. He doesn't cry much." Second note: "Take care of him too, he's noisier. He cries louder." The sisters still kept those notes in a small box. They grew up together. Not blood brothers. Just two young men abandoned on the same day, at the same hour, at the same gate. The orphanage raised them along with four other young adults — Teresa, Pio, Rath, and Mellisa. They were all different. Teresa could control fire and had super strength. When she was angry, the kitchen pots would melt. Pio could read minds. He hated it. He said people's thoughts were too noisy. Rath could turn invisible. He used it mostly to steal cookies. Mellisa could stop time for ten seconds and talk to animals. The stray cats around the orphanage followed her everywhere. Sister Tar raised them. She could heal any wound and create anything she imagined, as long as she had enough magic. Father Moses could see the future in broken pieces and use all elemental powers. He always said the future was like a cracked mirror. And then there was Sky and Nei. Sky was the strongest among the young men. He could share his powers through a soul bond, use elemental powers like fire, wind, and lightning, and he was good at fighting. When he got angry, his hands sparked by themselves. Blue sparks. Nei was different. Holy magic. Pure white light. Healing, strong shields that could block even fire. And he had one secret power he hated. He could absorb Sky's powers through a kiss — though he would never admit that out loud, even if he died. Now both were 21. Both Third Year students at Astra University. Since their first year at university, Sky protected Nei. Every time. In the university courtyard, when other students laughed at Nei for being quiet, Sky punched them. In lecture, when Nei forgot his lunch, Sky gave him his. At night, when Nei had nightmares, Sky slept on the floor next to his bed. Not because they were brothers. Because Sky had a crush on Nei. He confessed many times. In front of the old church. Behind the university building. In the kitchen at 2 AM. Nei rejected him every time. Coldly. Quietly. "Stop joking, Sky." "I'm not joking, Nei. I like you." "Then stop liking me." Still, Sky protected him. Like it was breathing for him. And right now, he was protecting him again. "Hey, you punks, get back here and stop running!" Rub shouted. His voice was like a dog barking. Rub led the sixth division of Dwayne's Company. Porth and Polo were his twins, his assistants. Tall, same face, same cruel smile. All three worked for Dwayne. Everyone in the south district knew the rule — Dwayne's Company never leaves witnesses alive. If you see their business, you disappear. The day before, Sky and Nei were coming from university. Their clothes were still dusty. They heard a man screaming in an alley behind the closed bakery. Not a normal scream. A scream like his soul was being pulled out. They stopped. Looked. Rub and his twins were pulling a man's teeth and nails out with a plier. The man was tied to a chair. His mouth was bleeding. His hands were bleeding. One tooth fell to the ground. Then another. Sky's blood boiled. His fists clenched. The blue sparks started on his fingers. "I'll kill them," Sky whispered. Nei grabbed his arm hard. His own hands were shaking. "Don't be stupid, Sky. There are six of them. We will die." "We can't just watch!" "We have to." Then Nei's phone rang. Loud. The old ringtone Sister Tar set for him. Ring ring ring. In that silent alley, it sounded like a bomb. Everyone turned. They were seen. Rub's eyes met Nei's. "Oh? What do we have here?" They ran. They didn't even think. Just ran. Rub's men chased them. Shouted. "Get them!" They turned into another alley. Then another. Jumped over trash cans. Sky was faster. He kept pulling Nei. "Come on! Faster!" Nei was losing breath. "I... I can't..." Then they were surrounded. At the dead end. Brick walls on three sides. Six men. Sky stepped in front of Nei immediately. "Stay behind me." One guy rushed. Sky punched him — the guy flew across the alley and hit the wall. He didn't get up. Nei threw a holy shield. White light. It blocked two punches. But there were too many. One hit Nei's head from behind. Black. They were caught. Now the room stank. Dead rats, dust, cockroaches. Mice running everywhere. The smell of old blood was in the walls. Sky and Nei were tied back-to-back with magic rope. Thick, black rope with red runes. The more they struggled, the more it glowed and ate their magic. Their heads hurt like needles inside. Their power drained like water. Sky tried to burn it. Nothing. Nei tried to heal. The rope ate the light. "Where the heck are we?" Sky asked. His voice was dry. Nei wanted to puke from the smell. He leaned his head back and it touched Sky's back. That small touch made him feel a little safer. "I don't know. It smells like a slaughter house." The iron door creaked. "Looks like you punks are awake," Rub said, walking in with Porth and Polo. He was chewing gum. "Wondered how long you'd sleep. You slept like dead pigs." Sky glared. His eyes were red. "Let us go. We didn't see anything." Rub smiled. He showed his yellow teeth. "You saw what you shouldn't have. And Dwayne doesn't like loose ends. You know too much now." Porth kicked a bucket near them. Dirty water splashed on Nei's face. In the room, two guys grabbed Sky and pulled him to the middle. They untied him from Nei and tied Nei to a pole. Sky didn't look at them. He looked only at Nei. "Don't touch him," Sky said, voice loud even though he was shaking and his lip was bleeding. "If you want to hit someone, hit me. He is weak. He is sick. Hit me." Nei's heart stopped for a second. Porth and Polo laughed. Together. Like hyenas. "Oh, so you're his protector? How sweet. Like a husband?" Polo grabbed Sky's hair. "Let's see how strong the protector is." They kicked him. Hit his stomach. His back. One kick to his ribs. Thud. Sky bit his lip hard. Blood came out. He tasted iron. He didn't scream. He refused to scream. He didn't want Nei to hear him break. If he screamed, Nei would cry. He didn't want Nei to cry. Nei's eyes filled with tears. Big tears. His holy light tried to come out by itself to heal Sky. White light around his hands. The rope on his wrists burned red and ate it. Sizzling sound. His head felt like it would split into two. "No! Please! Stop! You're hurting him!" Nei cried. His voice broke. He was not quiet now. "Please! Stop! Hit me instead! Please!" He struggled so hard the rope cut his skin. The twins were enjoying it. They laughed more with every kick. Rub watched with his arms crossed. Then he slowly took out a long knife from his belt. "Enough playing. Time to make sure you two never talk." And he had just locked the door from inside.