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Everyone was born with a soulmark, but not everyone could see them. Evan learned his lesson pretty early in his life. He could see those red strings attached to other people. Mom and Dad had one attached to one another, one attached to Maddie’s, and one black lifeless string around their pinkie (they didn’t have one that connected them to him)
As he grew up he learned that the colors of the strings had different meanings, but he was sure that the red one meant an actual romantic soulmark. He would play with the string around his pinkie, tugging at it softly as he found his purpose.
He would keep the string near to his heart on those cold nights when he had to sleep in the Jeep or on those occasions when the loneliness was killing him inside.
I’m not alone, you’re somewhere.
The 118 was where he belonged, he knew was so sure of it. The string around his finger was a vibrant red that pulsed whenever he was near the firetruck, he felt the way someone else was tugging at it.
He thought he already knew the basics of the strings. Don’t tell people you can see them. Don’t stare at them. Don’t ask too many questions. He had only told Maddie that he could see them (He was crying too, as she gave him keys to her jeep. “Doug is not your soulmate. You have to believe me. I see them.” and somehow she believed him but abandoned him. The pink string that connected them is almost invisible now)
He was staring at his own string, beautifully red. “You can see them, right?” Hen suddenly asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She smiled, softly as she always smiled at him. “I see them too. The strings.”
“Oh.”
You may not be here, but I don’t feel so alone anymore. He tugged at his string that night hoping that his soulmate could hear him.
“Bobby I need this job. Look I love this job. Don't do this to me. I don't have anything else.”
As he was packing his stuff he couldn’t help but think about the string around his pinkie. He caressed him with his thumb. “I’m sorry”
("Athena Grant called me, wanted to tell me what an asset you are. Told her she was half right.")
“Why don’t you tell Bobby?” He asked Hen as he was cleaning (for the sixth time) the firetruck.
“About?”
“His string, it is connected to Sergeant…”
“Sometimes you have to let things move on their own, Buck.” She said putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it tightly. “You can’t rush life.”
He met another of his pink string in the form of Eddie Diaz, and then in the form of Christopher Diaz.
“Chris can see them too,” Eddie told him, that night after the earthquake. “Most of my family can, somehow it skipped me.” He said as if that was something bad as if that was something someone constantly made him feel bad about.
“Well…” He said, letting their pinkies touch each other, “… now you have me and I can always tell you everything.”
And Eddie smiled a beautiful smile that made everything shine.
I can’t wait for you two to meet.
He died. Lighting prickled at his skin. When he woke up he almost didn’t want to see his string.
Where are you?
“I don’t think I have a soulmate,” Eddie said one day as they cleaned the kitchen counter after making cupcakes for Christopher and his class.
“Ouch…” Because, okay, he wasn’t Eddie’s romantic soulmate but still.
“I mean…” Eddie took a deep breath, “I love you, man.”
“I love you too…”
“But… I don’t think I have a romantic soulmate… and I don’t want one.” He admitted. Buck knew the answer, Eddie’s strings were of different colors. “Is that weird?”
“I don’t think so, Eds. Hen once told me that you can’t rush life but can’t rush yourself either or force you to feel something you don't feel.”
“I love Shannon. I just… I don’t think I’m capable of falling in love, you know?”
“I think that’s okay… you still have me…”
Eddie smiled, his eyes filling with tears, “God, what would I do without you?”
“Crash and die.”
Hopefully, you love Eddie as much as I do, he said.
“Why is your string redder when you are in the fire station?” Hen asked one day out of the blue.
“I’d like to think it’s because you are all my soulmates.” Hen snorted.
“You’re such a sap.”
“Lucy can’t help us,” Buck said, his hands shaking because why does this thing always happen to them?
“Lucy is not the only one with a helicopter.”
A lot of things were happening so it wasn’t until after Bobby and Athena were reunited that he let himself feel his string. It was redder, almost as if blood was coming out of it, and for the first time he could he who was on the other side.
“Oh.”
“That’s why I called and asked for the tour. You know, it wasn't about me maybe leaving the 118, Tommy. I just wanted to get to know you…”
“Yeah?”
“And then you left with Eddie, which listen. He is my platonic soulmate, you don’t have to tell…”
“How do you know that?”
Buck hadn’t realized how close he was to his soulmate. The way their chests were almost touching, “What?”
“You can see them…” Tommy breathed.
“I… yes.”
When they kissed, Buck could only think that he had already found his place in the world, but somehow next to Tommy the world was brighter.