A/N: Hello! This is a spin off story from my popular three part series "Matched". You do not need to read Matched first but it would give you more detail about how the app works, plus be able to appreciate little nods to the previous series. It has played out in my head for months so I am really pleased to have finally got it written down to share with you. I hope you enjoy it!
*Please note: This story will feature both straight and gay sexual relationships and a character overcoming his own sexuality*
STRIKING THE MATCH
Charlie slumped onto the sofa in relief. He felt his muscles loosen as he let go the pent up tensions of the day. He ran a hand through his sweaty dark brown hair and sighed.
Work had been long and intense, and he had returned to the flat to cook and clean before Lydia returned from her dance class. She would always come in exclaiming how exhausted she was despite having had the day off and having done little in the way of housework.
He had once tried to suggest she did something useful on her day off, like empty the washing machine or give the bathroom a once over, but he had been met with such a fury about women's rights and feminism that he decided it wasn't worth the arguing and he would sort it all whilst she was out.
He leaned back into the sofa cushions and closed his eyes, tuning out the loud tinned laughter on Lydia's American sitcom, and her continued excited chatter as she talked at him.
She rarely talked to him, only at him. He had long since learned that with the occasional "absolutely" or "oh really?" Or even sometimes as little as a "mmhmm" could keep her occupied for hours.
That sounds harsh. He loved Lydia. She was stunningly beautiful, and Charlie although attractive felt like he was punching well above his weight. When they had first got together he thought he was the luckiest guy in the world, and that he would never ever want to be away from her and her beaming smile. But in reality when you've been with the same person for five years conversation wares thin and the same stories start to come around again and again. However much you love them, things can start to go stale. It's up to the couple to find ways of keeping things interesting, but Charlie felt like this was becoming harder and harder as the months drew on.
He still loved her smile, the way she brushed her long blonde hair from her blue eyes, her sense of humour and the way her eyes would shine when she thought he had done something amusing. He loved her family, her stern but caring father and her overbearing fiercely loyal mother. He loved their life together, it was practical, functional and comforting. And yet... he was tired.
"Wedding.."
Charlie's brain heard the word and clicked back into attention. Lydia had been saying that word a lot recently. Not one for subtlety, she had been dropping hints all over the place, and every time she did Charlie felt his stomach squirm.
"Sorry what did you say?" He asked, opening his eyes and blinking at her. She glared at him briefly for interrupting her flow before sighing and repeating herself.
"I said," she intoned in a teasing tone "Isn't this the most gorgeous wedding?"
She held up the magazine she had been perusing, presenting a double page spread scattered with various photographs. Charlie had to admit it did look beautiful, simple but with a sophisticated elegance. A vaguely familiar male couple was pictured in several photos, a tall man with jet black hair and cool smile in a velvet bottle green suit, and a shorter man with brownish hair and a broad but slightly sheepish grin. Both had a glint in their eyes that only hinted at their happiness.
"Who are they again?"
"The IT couple! Damien Parker and Elliot Green, although it seems to be Damien Green now. You know that Matched couple that was everywhere?"
Of course, Charlie thought. Lydia was on form tonight, brining up weddings and Matched in one conversation. Although she was right, he did remember them. Their story had headlined gossip mags and even some semi respectable newspapers for several weeks. Then they had been the figurehead of the Matched rebranding post hacking scandal and had taken the company to new levels of fame.
"You thought any more about my idea?" Lydia said casually, not looking up from her magazine. Charlie rolled his eyes at her, feeling his frustration begin to bubble inside him.
"No because I recall saying something along the lines of 'no bloody way in a million years'."
She pouted at him, in a way that used to melt him into doing what she wanted, but now only annoyed hum.
"But pweaaaaase?" She said in a baby voice, kicking him gently with a bare slender foot. His hand balled tightly out of sight, the frustration in his gut travelling up now, his jaw locking.
Lydia wanted them to take the Matched test. She wanted them to prove that they were soulmates and then get married. But Charlie was hesitant, no more than that, adamant that he would not take the test. He was almost certain that Lydia was not his true match. But he loved her and life was good, he did not want to deal with the mess of a bad break up. But how could he tell that to Lydia without breaking her heart? They were happy, for the most part anyway.
It made sense that she wanted to do the test. Lydia was one of those people who loved to do online quizzes that tell you what character you are in some specific movie, she believed fully in the zodiac traits and checked her horoscope daily. She liked being told what sort of person she is, what her relationship is.
"Why can't it be enough that I tell you I love you?" He said trying to soften his locked jaw, but it came out sterner than intended.
She bristled, "you think we won't match don't you?"
"It's a possibility isn't it? We've seen it happen!"
They went quiet, thinking of Alice and Ben, one of our closest couple friends until they took the test and were torn apart. Alice was happy with her new man, Ben could be found most nights several drinks down at the local pub.
"But it also could go the other way. It could make us so happy. We will know for sure that we are meant to be. Don't you want that?"
"Of course I want-"
"Then let's do it! Right now!" She began to reach for her phone.
"Lydia. No." I spoke in a short angry tone that stopped Lydia in her tracks. Her eyes filled with angry tears. "Lydia," I said softer.
"It's fine," she snapped, ending the conversation.
They had sex that night, but both of them didn't seem to have the heart for it. The next day Lydia was quiet, she announced she was going to a friends house after work and when she came back she was so drunk Charlie put her straight to bed. Watching the tv quietly in the living room alone, listening to her snuffling snores from the bedroom.
When he went to bed, He gently stroked her hair and smiled at her sleeping face. She was so beautiful, he hated fighting with her. He decided to make an effort to cheer her up tomorrow.
He woke Lydia with breakfast in bed, comprising of tea, scrambled egg on toast, orange juice and 2 paracetamol. She took the pain killers gratefully and smiled thinly.
"Thanks sweetie," she said in a hoarse voice.
He left her to eat, tidying the kitchen and gave her a kiss on her hair before heading to work, she left a little after he did so was preoccupied trying to cover up the hangover bags under her eyes as he left.
Work was dull, behind on paperwork he ate lunch at his desk. He clocked out and rode the stifling tube at rush hour back to his little flat. He walked in to find Lydia already back from her work, on the sofa, her laptop in hand. She looked casually sexy, wearing one of his hoodies and big fluffy socks. Her hair was in a messy bun and she smiled at him, her eyes looking genuinely happy.
"Hey," she smiled.
