(CW(?): Old scars/burns(light description))

  Microphone finds herself being a lot more nervous nowadays. She can't remember if she's always been this way, or if it's because of the show, and what she's doing, and Knife who knows what she's up to and it's really putting a lot of pressure on her–

  But putting all of her impending doom aside, Microphone tries to focus on who's in front of her. It's...intuition, almost. Or maybe instinct, but she felt like she needs to be here. Because...she needs her.

  It's stupid, she knows. But it was so strong, Microphone thought she might've died if she didn't follow her gut. Lo and behold, Taco was there, sitting on the stump and staring at her scarred arm. She's quiet, almost radiating loneliness. Her eyes have this blank, dark look to them, the kind of eyes that make people ask 'are you okay?'.

  Is she okay?

  She jumps up, a criminal caught red-handed. "Mic," she breathes. For a moment, her persona drops.

  "You're...here." She clears her throat. "Is there something you wish to discuss?"

   "Uh– Yeah, actually, I–"

   Taco peers behind Microphone. "And you weren't followed?"

  Shoot. "Um!" Microphone whips her head around and turns up her gain. No one is there. "I don't...think so."

  "Hm." Not disbelief or satisfaction. Just acknowledgment. "Anyhow...you may speak."

  "Um." Microphone can't get the image out of her head. Taco being lonely. The blankness in her eyes. Her loneliness. Her scars.

  Are you okay?

  "Well? I don't have all d-"

  "Are you okay?"

  The words fall from Taco's tongue. She stares with her mouth half-open.

  "...pardon?"

  "Well I, I just saw you sitting there, and I thought you...er, looked lonely. So...yeah."

  "I'm doing just fine. It was merely a moment of contemplative thought."

  "And what was this 'contemplative thought'?"

  Taco swallows her retort. It would only make Microphone more curious. Isn't she quite nosy today.

  "Past reflections. Digging up memories that might serve useful to us."

  Microphone cranes her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the scarred arm Taco unknowingly hid behind her back.

  "Memories like what happened to your arm..?"

  "Oh, I'm sure you'd love to learn more about that."

  She knows she overstepping her boundaries. And if Microphone's being honest, she has no idea why. The words come out without even thinking about it. But she's always been curious about the burns on Taco's arm. Specifically, her left arm.

  The soulmate arm.

  Taco always dodges the topic when Microphone brings it up, changing the subject so quickly Microphone has no time to counter, or more recently, 'you should get going. Don't want to arouse suspicion, do we?'. Microphone finds it a bit irritating.

  "Actually, yes! You're always so mysterious about it. Don't I have a right to know? Because, we're partners?"

  "There's nothing of value to be gained from it."

  "Don't you trust me?" Microphone puts her hands over her chest. Taco reaching for the portal plays in slow motion in her mind. "Did something happen, Taco? We can talk about it! Did something happen to your soul-"

  "Enough. Honestly, Microphone, soulmates?" she spits the word like venom, "there's no such thing."

  "Well then why is your arm all burned like that? It's too much of a coincidence."

  Taco turns away, keeping her arm out of sight. "It was an accident. That's all. And you're being quite loud, so I suggest you go before-"

  "No! Why are you changing the subject? You can't just leave me hanging like that!" Microphone storms around the stump and grips Taco by the shell. "Tell me what's going on!"

  "Nothing," Taco tries to shove Microphone off, "is 'going on', so drop it. And get off of me!"

  Microphone's eyes drop to Taco's arm. The burns are old and completely healed over, leaving her skin a reddish gray underneath. The words are clear:

  'Stop! What do you want?'

  Those were her words.

  Taco rips herself from Microphone's grip and snatches her arm away. She's trembling. Microphone doesn't know if it's from anger or sadness.

  "Well...there are the fruits of your brutish behavior. Are you happy?"

  Microphone looks at her arm.

  'Dear Mic's Diary,'

  The moment Taco said those words to her so long ago...frankly, Microphone didn't want to believe it. First of all, what kind of soulmate reads her personal diary as their first words to her? Secondly, it was Taco. Taco, who fooled everybody around her to steal the prize at the last second. Taco, who betrayed everyone who trusted her. Taco, who never cares about who she hurts.

  And Microphone is supposed to believe she is her soulmate?

  But the more Microphone came to know Taco, overcoming obstacles together, winning challenges, being a team, the more Microphone thought it was true. They work well together. Even if Taco doesn't make the best choices, she's slowly coming around. And Microphone is proud to be a part of it. Isn't that what soulmates do?

  "I think we're soulmates."

  "What."

  "Really! Look–" she thrusts her arm at Taco, "look at my arm! They're the first words you said to me! A-And those are the first words I said to you! So we're soulmates! I mean, I didn't want to believe it at first, but-"

  "We aren't soulmates."

  "But the writing–!"

  Taco rounds on Microphone. "Listen, you can go on about soulmate this, soulmate that, but how can you know if I won't be the only one to read your diary aloud? It's circumstantial, unreliable, and frankly, quite childish. I simply don't believe in it."

  "But you have to admit, this," she points to her arm, "this can't just be a coincidence!"

  "I can admit it is a coincidence! Microphone, imagine you have matching writing with two other people. Are they both your soulmates, then?"

  Microphone falters. "Well, no, you can't have two soulmates–"

  "Precisely! Then which is it?"

  All arguments leave her. Microphone fumbles for words.

  "Uh– Listen to your heart?"

  "Ugh."

  She can feel the disgust in Taco's voice.

  Intuition. Something clicks inside her head.

  "What, don't tell me it happened to you?"

  "Nonsense! It was a hypothetical situation. Anyway, if you're done talking about soulmates and whatnot, I suggest you leave."

  "S– So you're just gonna ignore we have matching soulmate writing–"

  "I told you, I don't believe in soulmates. Only fools get their hopes up when they coincidentally have their first words to each other on their arms. It's a big world, and I like to keep my options open, anyway."

  Microphone lifts herself up. "Okay, I...guess. Good talk?"

  "Just get out of here already."

  As Microphone pushes her way through the bushes, she thinks back to Taco, and how lonely she looked. How quick she was to shut Microphone down. It's not much of a surprise Taco doesn't believe in soulmates, despite the obvious evidence, but she seems to downright hate the idea of having one.

  She still didn't say anything about the burns. There's no way it was just an accident. Microphone grits her teeth, wishing she pushed the subject further. Wishing she just pressed Taco more about it, instead of just giving up.

  The 'hypothetical' situation Taco was talking about...was she really referring to herself? Matching soulmate writing among three or more people is rare, but not impossible. Microphone finds it hard to believe Taco would do something so brash over a soulmate, but who was she to talk? Microphone cried when she found out the very first thing her soulmate would do was read her diary.

  Maybe Taco was really hurt. Maybe her 'soulmate' wasn't really her soulmate. But Microphone is sure she and Taco are. It's definitely strange, but it's too much of a coincidence. And the more she thinks about it, the more she wants it to happen. 

  Microphone wouldn't turn down the chance to get to know Taco better, outside of the show, where her cunning and wit would be more charming instead of villainous. And she's always wanted a chaotic girlfriend. Plus, Taco is extremely short. She'd have to pick her up just to kiss her.

  She almost laughs at the sudden blush on her face. But like Taco said, she doesn't believe in soulmates. 

  But if Taco would be on board to be lovers, without any soulmate complications...Microphone would be happy with that as well.