Work Text:
Tulio’s memories of his mother were scattered and faint, like sunlight through fog. He remembered her tan skin, her ocean-blue eyes, and how her smile could light up a room. But what stood out even more was Pedro, her fox familiar. Pedro’s soft red fur kept Tulio warm on cold nights, and his gentle licks comforted him when he cried. Those were the only memories Tulio had, since both were lost to a harsh winter. Thinking about it always threatened to overwhelm him, so he found ways to distract himself. It was easier to cope by focusing on the fact that, one day, he’d have a familiar of his own.
It was common knowledge that every person in the world had a soulmate. A soulmate is a person who completely understands you and is perfectly suited to be in a loving relationship with you. That relationship could be romantic, familial, or a friendship; however, a romantic relationship was most common. And once a person turned 18, they could summon a familiar that represented their soulmate. The summoning was more than just a private ritual—it echoed all throughout life.
Children often traded stories at school about which animal might appear to them, each speculating what that would reveal about their destined other. Even workplaces had to offer some inclusiveness: some jobs offered family-friendly spaces, while others quietly favoured those with a Familier at their side, trusting that bond as a sign of reliability and completeness. Tulio remembered noticing how people stopped to coo over a new familiar in the marketplace, or how arguments in the street could be diffused if the familiars got along or became worse if they clashed. Though a person’s famillier represented their soulmate, it was a companion for life. It’s why his Mother still had her familiar even after his Father died before Tulio was born; Pedro was that last part of her soulmate she had. But she was never too sad, at least that’s how she seemed whenever she talked about her husband and Tulio’s father; she would simply say that as long as Pedro was with her, then he was never truly gone.
For as long as Tulio could clearly remember, solitude was his only companion. He convinced himself he liked it: the freedom, the independence, the power to vanish at will. No one to answer to, no one to let down. But on nights that dragged on endlessly, when the cold crept into his bones, he questioned whether this was freedom or just another kind of prison. The truth was, he wasn’t just alone—he was lonely. And he despised himself for wanting more.
He looked around and could see everyone who was above the age of 18 with their own familiar, and was jealous because they never had to worry that their familiar would just leave them alone in a cold and empty world that didn’t care about them unless they had money. Sometimes the sight scraped at his insides like claws. Once, he remembered brushing past an older girl who laughed as her scruffy ferret darted around her ankles, her laughter light and careless. The ache in his chest twisted sharply, settling cold and heavy in his gut. Tulio's fingers would sometimes curl into his sleeves or fists, nails digging into his palm, just to anchor himself when the loneliness surged too powerfully. It was easier to look at the ground, to keep moving and pretend not to notice, but he always did.
But then he would remember that he only had to wait until he was 18… if he even made it that long…
Alright, so he was a cynical kid, and now that he was older, he was the same, if not more cynical, but the day he turned 18… for just a day, he was excited like a little kid again. The ritual to first summon your Familiar was said to feel different to everyone who did it; it was just told that you needed to clear your mind and focus on everything that you’d want in a soulmate, whoever that might be, and whatever comes next will come naturally. So Tulio found a quiet place to sit down, close his eyes and truly think about a person he could love… someone loyal, honest, intelligent and someone who loved him for him…
It felt like forever that Tulio sat on the ground and thought about everything he’d want… but nothing happened. Tulio slowly opened his eyes and looked around, but nothing. Maybe he was overthinking this, maybe he did it wrong somehow, but just when he thought that, a loud Squawking sounded from right behind him. It scared Tulio so much that he screamed (NOT like a girl, no, it was a very manly scream) and instinctively threw himself on the ground. But then Tulio felt something land on his head, so he looked up and there, right in front of him, was the face of a beautiful Scarlet Macaw. It was a large, brightly colored parrot with red, yellow, and blue feathers. The bird clicked its beak at him as it hopped off his head and started to jump around on the ground.
“Huh…” Tulio hummed as he watched the bird jump and twirl around; Tulio didn’t really know what to expect, but he wasn’t expecting a Parrot. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers. “You’re my Familiar, huh?” Tulio cautiously reaches a hand out to the Bird, who stops bouncing and looks at it before leaning closer and bumping his head against his fingers. Tulio gave the head some light scratches, and the Bird began to chirp, which made Tulio smile. “Cute… Guess we’re stuck together forever now. Hope you don’t get tired of me…” Tulio muttered softly, but the Bird seemed to hear him as he stopped purring and nipped at his finger. “Ow! You little-!” Tulio hissed and tried to grab the bird, who quickly flew up and dodged his attempts to grab him. Tulio chased the bird, shouting obscenities at him as he did so until he tripped over a tree root and face planted into the grass. Tulio pulled his head up and saw that the Bird was laughing at him (at least it sounded like laughter) because, of course, the bird was laughing at him…
“Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Tulio asked with a frown on his face as he stood up and dusted himself off, grumbling to himself. Is this how familiars were like? But then Bird flew down and perched himself on his shoulder and gently butted his head against Tulio’s cheek. “Yeah, yeah, you overgrown pigeon, I’m fine…” The bird chirped and then bobbed his head like he was dancing to music Tulio couldn’t hear. Tulio cracked a smile at this; it was annoyingly endearing.
“Actually, you need a name, can’t just call you Bird all the time…” Tulio hummed as he tried to think of a name. “Chirpy?” A shake of the head. “Pollo?” A loud squawk in his ear. “Big Mouth?” That one earned a bite to the ear. “OW! Ok, I’m sorry.” Tulio snapped, throwing a hand over his ear. “That hurt, you know…” Ok, well, the Bird needed a real name, but which one…
“How about Fernando?” Tulio didn’t know why, but that one felt right. The bird was quiet for a second before it chirped softly and nuzzled happily against his cheek. “Ok, ok, I get it, you like it…” Tulio muttered, trying to push down the warm feeling in his chest… but it reminded him of his Mother. He reached a hand up and scratched Fernando under his chin, which he seemed to like.
“I guess it’s just you and me now, huh?” Tulio spoke softly, for the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel alone. He knew that his Soulmate was out there somewhere, but he didn’t hold out too much hope that he might actually meet them since it was so unlikely… but at least he had Fernando now. And that was enough…
———
Five years had passed since that day. In some ways, nothing had changed, but in others, everything had. Tulio was still homeless and wandering. He’d learned early on that working regular jobs never paid enough to survive, so he did what he had to: he conned people. As a kid, he picked up tricks from gamblers—loaded dice, hidden cards, street scams. He wasn’t proud of it, but he was good at it, and it paid for food and sometimes a safe place to sleep. He always looked after Fernando, who was always by his side. Fernando loved music and would dance for crowds, which made it easier for Tulio to pick pockets while the people were distracted. Even though Fernando was loud, too enthusiastic, and a troublemaker, Tulio loved him. Fernando was the reason Tulio kept going on hard days.
But sometimes Fernando liked to fly off and do his own thing, he hated staying in one place for too long and while Tulio understood it didn’t mean he didn’t worry. Some people could be very easily agitated, and their Familiars were just the same. Tuilo has had to protect Fernando on numerous occasions from a large familiar after Fernando annoyed somebody one too many times, so Tulio worried when he wasn’t around to keep an eye on Fernando and his antics.
Today was one of those days. Fernando had taken off on his own, leaving Tulio pacing the dusty streets of yet another nameless town. Tulio learned long ago that trying to stop Fernando from going on his little solo adventures was pointless. It was like trying to catch rain with a sieve. Still, Tulio couldn’t help but scan the sky every few minutes, searching for a flash of crimson feathers among the clouds. The last time Fernando went exploring alone, he stole a nobleman’s watch, which led to a chase through three different districts. Tulio smiled despite his worry. The watch fetched a good price, but Fernando nearly gave him a heart attack. Tulio would honestly go grey before he was 30 if Fernando kept getting both of them into trouble. Tulio turned a corner and heard a squawk in the distance. It was followed by breaking glass and angry shouting. Tulio’s smile dropped. “Oh no,” he muttered, breaking into a run. “What have you done now, you feathered menace?”
As Tulio sprinted toward the commotion, he weaved through the bustling street, dodging merchants and townsfolk who barely spared him a glance. The shouting grew louder, and when he turned the corner, he found exactly what he expected—and something he didn’t.
Fernando was perched atop a broken stall, his talons gripping the shattered remains of what looked like an expensive glass vase. The furious merchant below was shaking a broom at him, his face red with rage. But Fernando wasn’t alone.
Perched beside him on the broken stall, looking entirely unbothered by the chaos, was a sleek black cat. Its tail flicked lazily as it observed the scene with a kind of amused detachment, golden eyes glinting in the sunlight.
But when the Stall owner reached the broom up like he was about to strike the pair, Tulio rushed forward to do something, but someone else had beaten him to it. “That’s a little excessive, don’t you think?” A man said as he caught the broom handle in his hand. He was all paleish skin, longish golden blond hair, and an easy, lopsided grin that suggested he didn’t take much of anything seriously. His grass green eyes—warm, mischievous, and far too inviting— locked onto Tulio, and a feeling welled up in Tulio’s chest that he could never describe.
His pulse hammered against his ribs. Not in fear. Not even in surprise. But in recognition.
“These little pests just broke an expensive face, are you gonna pay for it?!” The stall owner shouted, pulling his broom from the man’s grip. This caused both of the animals to go back to their respective owners. Fernando perched onto Tulio’s shoulder, and the black cat jumped into the other man’s arms and then climbed up and around the man’s neck. “Why, my Ramon could never do anything like that. It must’ve been that glorified parakeet's fault!” The blond man shouted, pointing at Tulio and Fernando. Tulio was about to genuinely argue back when he saw the blond wink at him. Suddenly, it all clicked in Tulio’s brain. The blond wasn’t actually trying to antagonise Tulio or blame Fernando; he just wanted to cause a scene…
He was a con man, too.
“How dare you? Fernando would never do such a thing; that feral beast must’ve frightened him!” Tulio shouted back, winking back so the other man knew he was just playing along. And it was working, their ‘fighting’ was drawing in a crowd, even a couple of guards who were watching over the market.
“Feral beast?! The audacity! Why I ought to-!” The man looked around and suddenly pulled a guard's long sword out of its sheath, pointing it at Tulio “En garde!” Tulio then spat back, "En garde, yourself. This ought to teach you about lying!” Tulio reached back and pulled out a long sword from a guard that had started to walk up behind him; both Fernando and the black cat jumped away from their owners, and the game was on.
The duel began in earnest—or at least, it looked that way. To any observer, the sharp movements, the crisp footwork, and the intensity in Tulio’s furrowed brow suggested two men locked in a battle of skill and precision. But beneath it all, the true game played out in the glint of the blond’s eyes and the way he pressed forward, not just with steel but with a grin. This was actually fun.
The blond’s blade sang through the air, the steel glinting in the sunlight. Tulio felt the impact reverberate up his arm as their swords met, a sharp clang ringing through the market. Around them, the crowd gasped, the air buzzing with anticipation.
One. The blond sidestepped, knocking Tulio’s blade slightly off course.
Two. A twist of his wrist sent Tulio stumbling just a little.
Three—
Before the blond could finish his next move, Tulio countered unexpectedly, catching the blade and twisting it from his grip. The rapier clattered to the ground.
But by the moment that the rapier fell to the ground, the two men were already close enough to an alley that all they had to do was turn and run and then they were out of sight of everyone, including the stall owner that one of them still had to pay; causing the man to curse up a storm that quickly faded into the distance as the two men ran together.
The men ran for a good few minutes; luckily, it seemed that they both knew the inner workings of this city, so they knew where to run so they wouldn’t be seen. Soon, both of the men were panting against a stone wall in a hidden alleyway; when both of them had caught their breath, they just had to look up at each other for the very first time.
“Hey… that was really good back there…” the blonde man said, a bright smile on his face.
“Yeah… thanks for that, for helping, I mean…” Tulio said back, finally getting a good look at the handsome man in front of him. The man looked to also be in his 20’s, of average height, broad-shouldered, with shoulder-length blond hair and grass green eyes below slightly thick eyebrows. He has a muscular and fairly-toned body, a trimmed beard that is darker than his blond hair. His outfit consisted of a red loose tunic, light brown khaki pants, a brown belt, and brown slip-on shoes with socks.
“I’m Miguel, nice to meet you!” The man, no, Miguel said joyfully as he put his hand out in front of him. Tulio hesitated before taking it and giving it a shake. “I’m Tulio…” Tulio said, trying not to seem nervous. He wasn’t about to lie to himself. He knew exactly who this man was; it was his soulmate, it had to be…
Tulio had never believed in fate.
Not really.
It was a convenient excuse people used when things went their way, a comforting lie for those who needed meaning in the randomness of life. Tulio had survived too much, seen too much, to fall for that.
And yet—
His stomach twisted as Miguel grinned at him, grass-green eyes crinkling with mischief. Something inside Tulio pulled taut, sharp and undeniable.
It wasn’t forceful, not like being dragged by a tide. It was worse. It was quiet—the kind of pull that settled deep in your bones and whispered, There you are.
Tulio clenched his fists. No. No, this wasn’t happening. He didn’t get things like this. He didn’t get to have people like this.
Suddenly, Tulio’s thought process was cut off by a loud squawking that Tulio would recognise anywhere. He turned and put his arm up to the large parrot, which swooped in and landed on his arm, nuzzling against his face. “You! You are in big trouble, Mister!” Tulio scolded as he scratched the bird under his chin just how he liked it, as much as he acted like he was upset with Fernando, he was also just glad he was ok.
“Ramon!” Miguel called out as the same black cat from earlier rushed past Tulio’s feet and jumped into Miguel’s arms, purring up a storm. The two men gave their respective familiars affection before the familiars both suddenly jumped away from their owners and began circling each other on the floor. Tulio tensed the moment Fernando and Ramón locked eyes, every muscle in his body ready to lunge forward if claws and beak decided to clash.
But Fernando didn’t screech. Ramón didn’t bristle.
Instead, the macaw tilted his head, feathers fluffing up curiously. Ramón flicked his tail, slow and measured, as if considering something unseen. Then, in a movement so natural it almost felt practised, Fernando hopped forward, pressing his beak gently against Ramón’s forehead. The cat blinked—then, with a lazy sort of elegance, he leaned into the touch.
Tulio stared.
“Aww.” Miguel cooed as he watched the scene. “Isn’t that adorable? But then again, I would expect our familiars would get along. We are soulmates after all.”
“Huh?” Tulio said.
———
Miguel had never been one to believe in fate.
Adventure, sure. Luck? Definitely. But the idea that his life had been quietly steering him toward one single person—one moment that would change everything—felt too big, too impossible.
And yet, here he was.
Standing in the middle of a crowded marketplace, heart hammering in his chest, knowing—deep in his bones—that something had shifted.
Ramon was the first to react. One moment, the black cat was curled lazily around Miguel’s shoulders, tail flicking as he half-dozed in the warm sun. The next, his entire body tensed, ears pricking forward as if he had caught the scent of something—or someone—important.
Then he leapt down, landing with effortless grace, and took off.
“Okay,” Miguel muttered, blinking. “That’s new.”
He barely had time to register it before the feeling hit him. A pull, sharp and undeniable, right beneath his ribs.
It wasn’t forceful, not exactly. It wasn’t dragging him forward, wasn’t yanking him toward some inevitable destination. But it was there, quiet and steady. An unspoken invitation.
Miguel exhaled, shaking out his hands. He had always imagined this moment differently—something grander, maybe. Trumpets, fireworks, and a dramatic wind caught his hair at just the right angle. But this? This was quieter. Simpler. And somehow, that made it feel real.
“Guess we’re doing this now,” he murmured, more to himself than anything.
He took a step forward. Then another.
And just like that, he followed.
Not because fate demanded it.
But because, for the first time in his life…
It felt like the only place he was meant to be.
He fell behind Ramon soon enough since the cat had a much easier time weaving through the crowd, and soon Miguel lost sight of his familiar, but Miguel didn't panic. Ramon often chose to go off by himself. Miguel learned the hard way quickly, since Miguel had no experience with cats of any kind, that Ramon could not be controlled or trained, but he would always come back eventually if Miguel gave him the right space. But this time, Miguel felt it would be best if he found Ramon as quickly as possible.
He heard a commotion up ahead in the marketplace, a shattering noise and furious shouting, which, funnily enough, isn't uncommon for Miguel to hear, but normally he is at the epicentre of it all. “Let’s see what Ramon’s got himself involed in now.”
If you had told Miguel 4 years ago that he would summon a stubborn, grouchy but secretly sweet kleptomaniac cat as his familiar, Miguel would have laughed and said he was banking on getting something unique and adventurous... but instead he got Ramon.
The best familiar he could have ever summoned.
———
The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, casting the quiet town in deep indigo and gold. The marketplace had settled into an easy stillness, the day’s excitement fading into the soft murmur of distant conversations and the occasional bark of a stray dog. From their perch on the rooftop, the world felt smaller, quieter—like it belonged only to them.
Tulio wasn’t sure how he had ended up here—sitting on the edge, legs dangling over the side, with Miguel beside him.
The city stretched below them in a sea of flickering lanterns, the air tinged with the scent of warm bread and distant salt from the harbour. A cool breeze brushed against Tulio’s skin, carrying with it the quiet hum of the night.
Fernando and Ramón had already settled into their own rhythm. The macaw nestled against Tulio’s shoulder, occasionally preening his feathers, while the black cat stretched across Miguel’s lap, his tail flicking lazily in contentment. It was… oddly comfortable. Too comfortable.
“I don’t think I ever thanked you,” Miguel said suddenly, his voice softer than Tulio expected.
Tulio arched a brow. “For what? Letting your demon cat corrupt my bird?”
Miguel chuckled, shaking his head. “For not running.”
Tulio froze.
The words pressed against his ribs, sharp and unexpected. He turned slightly, finding Miguel already watching him. His expression was unreadable in the dim light, but his gaze was steady—too steady. Like he saw every little crack Tulio had tried to plaster over.
Tulio exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t really have a choice, did I?” he muttered. “It’s not like I can pretend you don’t exist.”
Miguel hummed, tilting his head. “But you want to.”
Tulio stiffened. Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Want wasn’t the right word. Want implied choice. And that was the worst part—this had never felt like a choice. From the moment he saw Miguel, from the moment Fernando’s feathers ruffled, and the bond settled into place, it was like something had been set in motion that he couldn’t stop.
And maybe that terrified him more than anything else.
Miguel sighed, stretching his arms behind him before leaning back on his palms. “You don’t have to be scared of me, you know.”
Tulio’s jaw tensed. “I’m not scared.” Too quick. Too sharp.
That damn grin of Miguel’s returned, knowing and effortless. “Oh, you totally are.”
Tulio groaned, letting his head fall back against the roof tiles. “You are so annoying.”
“I’ve been told.” Miguel nudged him with his knee, gentler this time. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re connected now. You can try to ignore it, push me away, pretend like this—” he gestured vaguely between them “—isn’t happening. But I’ll still be here.” His voice softened. “And so will you.”
Tulio swallowed hard, curling his fingers against the rough stone beneath him.
He hated this.
Hated how easily Miguel laughed, how effortlessly he spoke like they’d known each other for years instead of hours. Hated the way his presence didn’t feel foreign, but familiar. Like he had always been meant to be here, sitting beside Tulio under the hush of the night sky.
But most of all, he hated how much he wanted to believe in this.
Because that was the dangerous part, wasn’t it? Believing.
Believing meant hoping. Hoping meant wanting. And wanting-wanting always led to disappointment.
Tulio exhaled sharply, forcing the tightness from his chest. He had spent his whole life keeping people at arm’s length, learning that distance was safer, easier. That if he didn’t let people close, they couldn’t leave.
So why-why, when Miguel looked at him like that, did it feel like he was the one on the edge of running?
He had spent years keeping people at arm’s length, learning that distance was safer, easier. That letting someone in only gave them the chance to leave.
But Miguel wasn’t leaving.
Tulio turned his gaze to Fernando, who was dozing peacefully, and then to Ramón, who stretched with a slow, satisfied sigh. Their familiars had already accepted it, as if they had never questioned it in the first place.
Maybe it was that simple.
Maybe he was the only one making it complicated.
“…You’re really not gonna leave, huh?” Tulio finally muttered, his voice quieter now.
Miguel smiled—not the teasing smirk Tulio had grown accustomed to, but something softer. Something steady. “Not unless you want me to.”
Tulio hesitated.
He could still push him away. Still run.
But for the first time in a long, long time… he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
“…Fine,” he sighed, rolling his eyes. “But if you start getting all soulmate on me, I’m pushing you off this roof.”
Miguel’s grin returned, easy and bright. “Noted.”
The air between them shifted—not resolved, not complete, but lighter. The uncertainty was still there, the hesitation still lingering in the quiet spaces between their words.
But so was something else.
And for now, that was enough.