bakerstreet | The Glowing Chest Soulmates Meme

the glowing chest soulmates meme

It's easier to understand metaphors when they're not metaphors. The human brain just prefers concrete information. Luckily for you, you live in a world where there's one less abstract; for as long as you can remember, you've known about the glow. The "glow" is exactly what it sounds like - it's a glowing in your chest, emanating from your heart, that you receive when you meet the one. Your soulmate. Your actual, indisputable soulmate.

The glow doesn't always automatically happen when you meet that person. Sometimes, there's a delay. Sometimes, you've known them for years before it kicks in. When it happens, though, you'll know. You can't simply ignore your ribcage lighting up.

Other than that, the glow isn't harmful, per se, at least not physically. Psychologically, it can be pretty taxing, because there's virtually no chance of escaping fate. You will end up with the person you glow for. It's a given. Sure, you can try to defy it. You won't explode or anything. You will, however, begin to feel a sense of incompleteness that comes from trying to stay away, and fighting the growing - and glowing - feelings of fondness and the desire to be with them and to protect them.

How to Play

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How to Play

at first sight ♡ The traditional glow. Of course, this can make first meetings awkward.
friends ♡ You've known each other for a while, then one day, you both light up.
exactly who you wanted ♡ Yes! Jackpot! They're totally the person you've always dreamed of being with.
hate ♡ ...are you serious? They're your bully! Your rival! Your enemy! There has to be something wrong here.
forbidden ♡ You're glowing for somebody totally wrong, whether it's wrong by law - a relation or age difference - or some other manner.
distaste ♡ You view this whole process with a critical eye. Doesn't mean your exempt.
with someone else ♡ You thought you found the one and were just waiting for the glow to show, but then, you started up with another person.
inopportune time ♡ Nobody likes their big speech ruined by a glowing heart.
unfortunate implications ♡ These sorts of memes rarely explore how creepy the idea of soulmates intrinsically is. What if you end up with someone you are ultimately incompatible with? What if you're miserable?
doing something big ♡ They just saved you from certain death! Rescued you from captors! Loaned you five bucks! And how do you repay them except by starting off their glow.
fighting it ♡ Nope. Nope. Not going to happen. You won't give in. You'll be the first in history to shake it off.
giving in ♡ ...you were saying? Might as well get together.
first time ♡ The obligatory sex option. Sex is like sealing the deal, and some report their whole bodies lighting up.
ANYTHING ELSE?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There were fewer things that set Beatrice's heart alight like Benedick Padua, but it was not love - never love - that burned in her heart. It was anger and frustration, pride and ill temper that Benedick stirred within her. Today however, which was a day like any other in all respects save for one, Beatrice's heart began to glow in the presence of that stubborn, vain fool of a man. She gasped and held a hand to her breast. Surely this could not be real. There must be some mistake. This event, which she had known since childhood and dreaded for years, had come to pass without so much as her say so. She had hoped it would pass her by, leaving her free of the whims of a man who would dare to claim her as his own.

And to have that man, of all men, to be Benedick? Fate was very unkind.

Beatrice looked across the room in a vain attempt to find anyone else there with them, but they were alone. Across the way she dared to look at Benedick and saw the same tell-tale glow from her chest. The way that they matched made her lips pinch together and her eyes narrow. She could not, would not allow this.]

No. Absolutely not! I refuse!

[Benedick had hoped - prayed - that this would never happen to him. He had seen what had happened to people he had considered his friends once their glow arrived. They changed; became obsessed with their 'soulmate'; desperate to show how deep and true their love was. He had sworn he would never be like that]

[And Beatrice? Of all people! Beatrice with her cruel tongue and unfunny comments? How did this even make any sense? No, that decided it. Whoever was in charge in choosing the whole 'soulmate' thing was clearly an idiot. I mean, okay, fine she was beautiful. Anyone could see that. Even better looking than her cousin - poor Claudio, having such a short little soulmate - but still! It was Beatrice]

... I need a drink.

[Beatrice certainly wasn't one to rely on a bottle for comfort, but even she had to admit that was exactly what she needed right now. A bottle of wine would certainly be a better friend to her now than her own blasted heart was. Who did it think it was, getting all worked up over a man like Benedick?

Besides, drinking was certainly a safer subject than the real matter at hand.

She turned towards the rows of cabinets in the kitchen and found her uncle's collection.]

What did you have in mind?

[He had somehow gone crazy and not realised it. That was the only explanation as to why the glow had started. Well, that or maybe he'd had some heart defect and it effected the glow. But hers had started at the same time and just...]

What ever is the strongest thing in that cabinet. I'll start from there.

[She pulled down a bottle of wine for herself. Honestly, she didn't need anything stronger given the hours she'd been putting in at work and how exhausted she felt. But for Benedick she produced a bottle of whiskey, a particular favorite of her father.]

There are glasses in the cabinet over there. [She pointed in the appropriate direction.]

[Well, he was going to just drink out of the bottle because THERE IS SOMETHING HAPPENING IN HIS CHEST THAT HE DOES NOT LIKE but thinking on it, that probably wouldn't be fair to Beatrice's uncle, and he gets on with him. So Benedick goes and gets a glass, coming back and pouring himself a very generous portion of whiskey. Which he knocks back in one go, and re-pours]

Oh, bloody hell. This might not be strong enough.

[She isn't surprised that he downs a shot so quickly. She's making fast work of the glass of wine she had poured already.]

It's a mistake. It has to be. Neither of us wants this, obviously, so it's a mistake.

[On his fourth by now, and still looking as if not one of them has taken any effect. Were he a little wiser, he'd realise how much he'd regret this in the morning. As it was... Well, he was that wise, but frankly he was having a traumatic experience and could do as he wished, so there. Beatrice. Of all the people in the world, Beatrice was his soul-mate]

Of course. Got to be a mistake. We'll... find the right people and tell them that they made a mistake.

[That last bit comes out dryer than you'd expect. He agrees this has to be some sort of mistake, but he has a feeling that fate is about to kick him when he's down and say it's no mistake. Oh God, that it had to be Beatrice]

No one can know. We'll... distract them with Claudio and Hero's grand romance.

[Quietly, Beatrice was amazed. This was the most either of them had agreed on anything, ever. She finished her first glass of wine and poured herself another.]

That should be easy enough. Lord knows they don't need any help garnering the attention. But who on Earth are the "right people" supposed to be, Benedick?

[He's taking his time with the whiskey now, trying to think it through straight. Maybe it is the whiskey clouding his mind, but he's still having difficulty seeing why Claudio would be so pleased to be matched with Hero. Anyone with eyes could see that Beatrice was the smarter, wittier, and even better looking one. ... Okay he has no idea where that last bit came from]

I heard something... there was people who are trained for things like this. Saw it in one of the files.

[She watches him, noticing the slower pace he takes with the drink now. There had been a few times she'd seen him drunk beyond reason, and while it had been amusing, it wasn't what they really needed just now. Though, for a moment she missed the way he let his guard down.

The information was certainly a first, however. She'd never heard of anything of the sort. And considering it was coming from Benedick, she was doubtful.]

Trained for what, exactly?

[He sets the glass down, and pinches the bridge of his nose, two fingers rubbing at the corners of his eyes]

The wrong soulmate thing... it happens. There's people whose job it is to set it right. It's in some of Pedro's files. He's had to help arrange it. The meetings.

[He takes another sip of the drink, and there's a touch of melancholy about his face. They're agreeing on something, for the first time in a long while. And it's about how they're not suited for each other. Guess that means they're not likely to regain any lost friendship]

[She sighs and takes up a seat. She can't stand thinking on all this. If Pedro was involved in all this then there had to be some legitimacy to it, but she'd never heard of it before. She'd have thought in the whole history of soul mates, someone would have let the secret slip.]

You're serious.

I wouldn't joke about something like this. [He's just holding the glass in his hands now, spinning it round] I shouldn't even know about it, it's kept among a select few.

Well, if this is real, then we should take advantage of it. [Not that she's at all sure how something like that would work, considering she didn't know it was a possibility until just now.]

What do we have to do?

I ... can't even think straight about it right now. There's a number or something, but only people who officially know about it can contact it.

The Glowing Chest Soulmates Meme

Benedick | Much Ado About Nothing [Canon + Modern AU]

hate/fighting it...obviously

Obviously

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