Roman's parents were very strict about soulmate communication, and Roman had a feeling that had more to do with his brother than himself. So despite his skin being littered and lined with beautiful drawings and crisp quotes and facts, Roman couldn't respond. He wanted to make his parents proud when he was younger, and as he got older, he felt that there had been a mistake with his soulmates. Logan, which Roman knew by his surprisingly perfect handwriting, and Virgil, which Roman had grown to know was the one who drew beautiful artistic marvels, were both immensely intelligent.

Roman had learned that Virgil had anxiety, and that the drawings helped him calm down, that he had gotten better at his art after years of using them as a coping mechanism. Roman had learned that Logan was in a school that specialized in a STEM curriculum and he was at the top of his class. Roman had learned that Logan and Virgil fit together like a Disney Princess and her Prince, so where was there room for him?

Flopping back on his bed, Roman looked over the conversation that Logan and Virgil were having. They had traded numbers a year or so back, and Roman scrambled to write them down, but he had never used them. He did wonder why they continued to write on their body when they had phones to communicate, but he couldn't complain, he was comfortable being the outsider watching their relationship grow. It was like watching one of his favorite Disney movies, the two of them would live happily ever after and he would be happy. Wouldn't he?

"Hey, RoRo? How's my boy?" His mom walked in with a tray of pancakes. At first, he was confused but then his eyes lit up, right!

"I know it's been hard not talking to your soulmate, no, you have two right? Your soulmates, but today is your 16th birthday! And the restriction is lifted!" She said happily, setting the tray of pancakes on his bed. "Make sure to tell them that you will have to be with your family for an hour or so in the evening but today you don't have to do any chores or anything. Your dad and I agreed that you could spend the whole day talking to your soulmates."

"Thanks, mom." He put on a happy smile but doubt was crawling into the back of his mind.

She put her hands on either side of his head and kissed his head gently. "Of course, I love you and want to see you happy. I know it was hard to wait so long, but we are so proud of you, and we think you'll be able to build a stronger relationship now that you are more mature."

Roman nodded, smiling as she walked out of his room, but as she left his smile fell. Maybe she was right, but he also wasn't sure he wanted to contact them now. Virgil and Logan had built such a strong relationship together, and he just felt like an outsider. Roman looked down at the red glitter pen on his breakfast tray and shook his head. He would let them have their happy ending.

It was another five years before fate decided to intervene, or maybe fate wasn't the right name for it. The correct name for it was Patton and Remus. Remus, Roman's twin brother, always liked putting his nose into places it didn't belong, figuratively and literally, but his soulmate had turned out to be the softest most supporting person that Roman had ever met. It was really no surprise when Patton found out about Roman's soulmates and promptly wanted Roman to contact them, citing how wonderful it was to be loved and cared for. It also didn't escape Roman that Patton was saying this while sitting on Remus' lap in the middle of a coffee shop. The two had been almost attached at the hip since they had gotten together.

"I appreciate it, but I am content watching their beautiful love story play out. I do not have to be a character in this scene." He said with a flourish of his hands.

Patton looked at him with a very doubtful look and Roman tried to smile. "Truly Patton, I am content with the way things are."

The skepticism didn't fade from Patton's face.

"I am." Roman protested once again, standing up. "Another thing that I am, is late for practice. I will see you two love birds later." He waved the two of them off and as soon as he was out of the coffee shop Patton turned to Remus.

"So how are we going to help him, because he is not okay with how things are."

"I have their phone numbers," Remus said with a twisted and teasing smile. "I like to prank call them on days when Roman is super irritating."

"Remus!" Patton gently punched Remus' arm but then began to go through his boyfriend's phone to find the phone numbers. They were, unsurprisingly, listed under Soul Bitch 1 and Soul Bitch 2. Patton was even less surprised knowing that he was listed in Remus' phone as MY Bitch. Patton dialed the first number on his own phone and waited for someone to pick up. "Hi, is this Virgil or Logan?"

"Who's calling?"

"My name is Patton, and I know this sounds strange, but just hear me out okay? I'm friends with your third soulmate."

"I'm listening."

Patton squealed a little and began to explain the situation. Roman was such a wonderful person, and Patton believed he deserved to be loved.

Roman ran a hand through his hair and sighed as he made his way into the theater. He had told Patton that he was okay, but was he really? At least once a week, and often more times than that, Roman would think about writing to his soulmates, telling them that he was here, but each day the chasm grew. He read their conversations marveling at how perfect they were together, and each day Roman just felt more and more like an outsider. They had developed a life without him, and Roman had started covering up the writing with a bit of foundation on his arms. He only did it on the bad days, but it helped keep him from obsessively checking the words written there.

"Roman, you are late!" The stage manager called and he put on a suave smile.

"What can I say, I'm too hard to tame."

They rolled their eyes and pointed him to the dressing rooms. He really should have been here earlier for tech week but he had gotten caught up with Patton. He wouldn't let it happen again.

The next week was both exhausting and rewarding, as tech week normally was and Roman was excited to see this play open. Tech week was always a good distraction from his soulmate problem, and opening night had gone off without a hitch, which honestly was unexpected. Roman had been in enough shows to know that the first show normally had a few small mistakes, but it had almost been perfect. He was enjoying the high from his show when he heard someone shout his name.

"Roman!" That was unmistakably Patton, and he turned to see his friend running towards him, Remus and two others in tow.

Roman's mouth fell. "Starlight."

That was a nickname Virgil had occasionally used for Logan, and the serious-looking one had to be Logan. Roman wasn't sure what he imagined Logan looking like but he couldn't imagine him ever looking any different than this. His hair was slicked back and his eyes looked at the world curiously behind slim framed glasses. He was wearing a dark blue striped tie and Roman's voice was completely caught in his throat. That jawline too, he could chisel diamonds with a jawline that sharp.

"Excuse us, we didn't mean to intrude?"

Us? That was right, there was another man with them and Roman felt what little control he had slip away as he looked the other man up and down. Messy hair with purple fringe that hung in front of one of his eyes, a light sarcastic smirk playing on his lip, and a tie that almost looked like it had been made by hand. He was the epitome of artistic. They were both gorgeous, and Roman knew that he was screwed.

"Your friend Patton insisted that we meet you, he said that you might be our missing piece."

"Missing piece? I don't believe I know what you mean?"

"Virgil and I both believe we have another soulmate. Small things that we brushed off as a kid, but there is also something missing within our dynamic. Virgil likes to call it our missing piece."

Virgil shrugged, "It's poetic."

"Don't people normally only have one soulmate?" Roman was trying to play it cool but he knew he wasn't succeeding. They had actually wanted him, they had felt him missing in their lives?

"Though that is the norm, it is not unprecedented for a group of Soulmates to be a throuple or a Quad. I have even heard historical accounts of soulmate groups that consisted of five or more people. It is a natural phenomenon, despite what some purists might believe."

Roman swallowed hard. He wanted this, he really did, but he was nervous. A prince shouldn't be nervous, but he was. "You two have such an established relationship though."

Logan and Virgil looked at each other because they hadn't told Roman how long they were together.

"Yeah, and things might be awkward at first, but, all relationships are work. The question is can we see your arm?" Virgil stretched out his hand and Roman hesitated before reaching out his as well, letting Virgil push up the fabric of his costume. There, written on Roman's arm, was a sentence, repeated in each of their handwritings. 'We can't wait to meet you.' Roman felt his voice caught in his throat again as he sputtered at the words. He hadn't noticed them. It had been so busy today.

"So Princey," Virgil smirks and Roman thought he might actually melt. Damn his gay heart. "It might be a bit of work, but would you be willing to go on a date with us?"

"By Zeus and the other gods yes." Roman launched himself into a hug and Virgil froze for a moment but then returned the hug. It felt safe, and hesitant, and oh so right. He wished he had done this years sooner.