Chapter Text
Bojan was born with four stripes on his stomach. Yellow, red, purple and blue. It reminded him of a mini rainbow. When he was little he used to trace them. Wondering how it related to his soulmate.
His parents seemed reluctant to tell him. And Bojan didn't understand. Not until his sister pulled him aside one day before he started school and explained. Soulmate marks indicated something about his soulmate, but his was special. Bojan remembered that she specifically used the word special.
Not weird, not odd. Special.
She said that since his has more than one color, it probably means more than one soulmate. That there was nothing wrong eith that, but that he had to be careful since not everyone would understand.
She told him it was easy enough to cover with clothes, but in case he needed to, she showed him how to hide it with makeup.
Bojan hadn't been seven for awhile now. He was twenty four and he understood much, much better why his sister was so careful about all of it. At best, people with multiple marks were looked down upon. And Bojan didn't always have the best of luck, either.
He wished he could say that the reason he wanted to convince Kris to join the band was purely because of talent. Not that Kris wasn't extremly talented because he was. Bojan was already laying groundwork to ask him to join. And then Kris tied his hair back in a ponytail, revealing his soulmark.
Four stripes. Red, pink, purple and blue. Perfectly lined up.
Bojan had to swallow past the lump in his throat. Found one of you.
He didn't want Kris to join the band because of that thiugh. So instead he did his best to charm him. Teasing and laughing and promising. Kris agreed, under the condition that Jan may join too.
"He is my best friend and my soulmate. I am not going anywhere without him."
How could have Bojan refused?
Kris and Jan were polar opposites that somehow managed to work in perfect harmony. Kris charmed you with his cute laugh and politeness, while Jan disarmed you with flirting and downright filthy things he could say with a straight face.
Bojan planned on telling them about his mark. He really did. It was just that everytime he tried, fear of rejection wrapped itself over his chest.
What if they didn't want him? What if it would make things weird?
He was a coward. He knew as much. He just couldn't bring himself to tell them.
His mark ached sometimes. Especially when he saw how gently Jan would kiss the mark on Kris's neck, or Kris wrapping his fingers around the one on Jan's wrist.
Jan made it worse with the way he wore his so openly. Like a badge of honor. Bojan suggested him to put a bracelet or some makeup on it once, to hide it.
He remembered Jan's fury to this day.
"What, do you have something against it? Do you think I should be fucking ashamed of my soulmates?"
Bojan took a step back, raising his hands in a placating gesture.
"No, of course not...I just think it might be wise not to show it off. People get beaten up for less. I don't want to see you hurt."
Jan looked at him for one very long moment. Bojan felt like he was being carved from inside out and examined.
"Let me worry about that. What business of yours is that, anyway?"
Bojan's mark pulsed under his shirt. He resisted the urge to rub the pain away. He shrugged.
"None."
They never spoke of it again. Years passed and Bojan got used to the yearing that came with being so close and yet so far.
And then Jure came along. Bojan was still sad because of Matic leaving. That's the only excuse he had for not noticing Jure's mark sooner.
It came to a head during summer vacation. Jure joined them at the pool. And on his leg, just under his knee, was a mark. Four strips. Yellow, pink, red and purple.
Bojan heard Kris gasp from somewhere far away. His own mark throbbed underneath the band aid he put on. The lie he said was that he had a scar from surgery that he didn't want to show. Jan teased him for being vain, but no one ever questioned it.
He and Martin exchanged a glance. Silently agreeing to leave and give them a moment. If Bojan's heart felt heavy or his mark burned, knowing he belonged there too, well. That was only for him to know.
Bojan was running out of excuses. Jure made a perfect new addition to Kris and Jan. While they certainly took some time to find a way to navigate a new configuration, they did work it out. Sometimes Bojan was so jealous he could taste it.
Which usually meant he got hammered and left with the first person who wanted to take him home and fuck him.
Other times, he just got hammered and called Luka through Skype. Luka who'd cursed him out and scolded him for being an idiot, but would still try and get him to take care of himself. Made sure he drank water and had a bucket nearby.
That was probably more than he deserved.
"So let me get this straight. Three of your soulmates recently got together. Which disproved your theory about them not wanting you because they are monogamous. Shocker, really. And instead of telling them now, you got hammer."
Bojan raised a finger in the air.
"And made out with a girl at the party in front of them."
Luka pinched his nose. He took a deep breath.
"And made out with a girl in front of them. Great! Lovely! What's the next step in your brilliant, self-destructive plan?"
Bojan shrugged. Luka sighed again.
"You are a menace. But you are also my friend. Which means I want you to be a happy menace. Please tell them."
"I'll think about it."
Luka shook his head and looked at him sadly.
"Sure you will."
---
He didn't end up telling them. In his defense, he really was preoccupied. Few days later, Martin told him he was leaving the band to concentrate on finishing college.
Bojan grieved the loss of another friend, as ridiculous as it sounded. While Kris and Jan loved Martin as well, it was different. They had each other and Jure now.
So Bojan arranged everything for Martin's last concert with them. And looked for the replacement. Which was how he found Nace.
Bringing Jan along was his first mistake. Perhaps if he hadn't it could have been avoided.
Nace fit into the criteria to perfectly replace Martin on stage. Jure even joked they looked similar enough that fans won't even notice the difference. Bojan would, though. He wasn't only losing a friend who he worked with since the beginning, but also his last line of defense.
His mark ached harder than before ever since Jure joined in.
He and Jan interviewed Nace and it was all going well. Bojan was finally starting to relax, realizing Nace would be a good fit. He was responsible, but knew how to joke still. They did need someone to keep them in check on occasion. And Nace didn't drink. His guitar skills were amazing too. All in all, perfect.
Up until he took off his leather jacket and stayed only in short sleeves. Showing off a soulmark on his right biceps.
Four stripes. Yellow, pink, red and blue. Bojan froze.
"Nace," Jan said, sounding almost breathless, "is that your soulmark?"
Nace looked at him in confusion. Jan raised his hand to show off his wrist and Nace's eyes widened.
"You are-"
"Yes. And I have found the other two. You are the forth."
Bojan felt like he was watching a private moment. Nace seems to be at a loss on what to say, simply looking at Jan like he was a miracle.
"So...only one remains."
A lump formed in Bojan's throat. His mark burned viciously. As if it was screaming: I am here! Bojan got up.
"I'll leave you to settle...um. This. I think we can conclude Nace is a good fit by what was said already anyway. Have fun."
Jan's heavy gaze followed him until he took a turn in the alley, away from the view of the café.
The next few weeks were torture. Watching them was torture. The way they all balanced each other perfectly. Jure's jokes and pranks contrasted Nace's mature, thought out responses. Kris' anxious energy was match by Jan's always relaxed state. They mixed and matched and still-
God, his mark burned. Bojan had too many moments where he had to excuse hinself and just breathe. Will the pain away.
They were all there. Missing only one puzzle piece. All he had to do was go there and tell them. Just-
"Bojan?" Nace gently called out, startling him.
He turned from where he was leaning on the sink in the kitch to face him. Nace was always so measured in his movements, in his words. He told that that was because he used to be wild in his teenage years. He appriciated measured, gebtle approach a lot more now.
"Sorry, I got lost in thought. Did you need something?"
"I just wanted to talk to you, if you have a minute?"
Bojan shrugged, even as his defense mechanisms rose up. Did he know? How would he have even realized? No. Impossible.
"Sure. Shoot."
Nace's gaze traveled over his face and Bojan had the urge to squirm. All of them were attractive of course, but Nace and Jan had this odd ability to make him feel like they knew all his secrets. Bojan didn't have time to unpack why he was bith terrified and attracted to the feeling.
"I know this whole thing can't be easy for you. With all of us being bonded, you must feel left out. And I am sorry if I contributed to that by joining the band."
Bojan bit his lip. Oh. That was so thoughtful. He felt even more guilty about lying now.
"It's not your fault. And I'm-I'm glad you guys found each other. It just gets a bit...much, sometimes."
Nace nodded.
"I can imagine. Kris told me you haven't found your own match yet, so it must be doubly hard for you."
God. He could just tell him. Bojan opened his mouth.
"Nace I-"
"Nace!"
Jure came running, to show Nace a very specific cat video. It broke their moment and Bojan's sudden bravery disappeared.
He didn't tell him.
Which was why he ended up at the bar again. This time, without any of them around. He chatted up a guy who vaguely reminded him of Nace. Accidentally of course.
It tricked his brain into feeling safe. So Bojan wasn't watching his drink as attentively as he should have.
He only realized his mistake when the room started to spin. Panic gripped him. If he went to the bathroom, he was going to show he was suspicious. But what could he do?
Now, Bojan will admit he wasn't someone who ever studied the soulmate bond. But even he knew about it. In theory. He tried to block in out of his mind most of the timez terrified of exposing himself.
But in his panic and confusion, he found it. He could feel faint flashes of what the other four felt. And he, idiotically, pushed all his fear and panic through the bond.
The closest way to describe the feeling was smashing the fire alarm.
Suddenly he could feel all of them. As if they they were reaching out to him. Jan's fierce protectiveness, Kris gentle reassurance. Jure's playfulness was there, even with his worry. And Nace was a warm, stable presence of comfort.
Bojan's phone rang. The guy he was drinking with seemed annoyed, but it gave him an excuse to step away and answer the phone.
He managed to make it out of the club, to the fresh, cold air.
"Hello?"
"Bojan, where are you?"
Jan's voice was sharp and urgent. It immediately brought tears to Bojan's eyes.
"At the bar near my apartment. I'm sorry I-I think the guy put something in my drink. Everything is kind of spinning and I swear I only had one drink! Jan, I'm scared."
He heard Jan swearing at the other end, and there was such an intense wave of protectivness that came through the bond that Bojan felt like it wrapped around him.
"It's okay. We are coming to get you. I will give Kris the phone now, okay? Stay on the line."
"Okay."
He sat on the ground, to get the spinning under control. He was so tired.
"Bojan? Can you hear me?"
"Kris," he sighed contentedly.
Kris had such a nice, soothing voice. Bojan wanted to fall asleep to him talking.
"Yes, it's me. Can you tell me how are you feeling?"
Bojan hummed, thoughtful. Woth everything they were feeling, it was hard to pinpoint how he felt.
"Tired. Kinda sick? Not like I'll throw up but like I didn't eat something right. And everything is still spinning."
Kris kept talking to him and asking him irrelevant questions just to keep him on the line. Bojan fought against drifting off, but it became harder.
"Kris," he whined, "I am so tired."
He gently shushed him.
"I know sweetheart. Just a bit longer. We'll be there in a minute."
The rest was a blur. He remembered them picking him up and driving him home, but drugs made everything hazy. Last thing he remembered was being put to bed and then everything going dark.