Matched

Authors Note: This is a full stand alone story in one upload. It is a slower build than some of my other stories, and there is potential for a sequel if people want that. I really hope you enjoy it, if you are here for a quick fix, I get it - the start of the proper raunchy stuff is the end of Chapter Four onwards, you're welcome ;)

Chapter One - Congratulations

Elliot felt a flutter of nervousness as he looked over his dating profile one last time. He had spent his time picking his photos, and flicked through to be sure they were all in the right order. The first was with a couple of friends at Glastonbury. He was mid laugh, glitter making his dark brown hair sparkle in the Golden Hour glow, beer in hand, relaxed and happy. Another was at a family wedding, he was wearing a suit and the photographer had caught him in a candid shot, his bright blue eyes were prominent and he knew he looked good. The following three continued to show his life like a reel of greatest hits, and of course a selfie with the dog to finish.

His bio was short and sweet, and he had included a reference to his favourite TV show hero Michael Scott.

He had to be sure it was perfect. This dating app wasn't like the others, Matched was special. Once the profile was submitted there was no changing it. After that, there was no swiping through different girls of various beauty and brains, it was (or so he had been told) a short quiz and then nothing. You wait. When the app finally finds you a match, you you are alerted to their location. You meet, you are matched.

It has a 100% success rate.

He thought about his friends, all happy with their new girlfriends. Some were getting engaged, others having children. He had wanted to do it the old fashioned way, but here he was the last single friend, and he was sick of the constant nagging to download the app and get it done. He was only 25 but then, he didn't want all the good ones to be gone.

"It's like nothing you have ever experienced," one of his friends said, his new girlfriend clutching his hand, both of them smiling like they had only just learnt how. "The only way I can describe it is how, you know when you're in a dream, it feels real? But then when you wake up, the dream feels false and obviously flawed? That's what it feels like when you get your match. Like your whole world view shifts."

"How does that even work? It doesn't make sense," he had scoffed and his friend had only laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

"See for yourself and download the app already!"

So he did. He wondered about his possible match. Was she out there right now, filling out her own profile? Or had she been sat waiting for him all these years? Or maybe she was not yet on the app herself, maybe Elliot would sit waiting for the app to chime forever, never getting a suitable match.

"Fuck it," he muttered and pressed the big red submit button.

The screen loaded into a multiple choice quiz.

"Please respond with the first answer that comes to you" the app said.

"Question 1, the bee or the butterfly?"

Elliot frowned, and pressed the small image of the yellow and black bee.

"Question 2, lightning or thunder?"

The questions continued like this for a long time, long enough for Elliot to begin to get bored. The minutes ticked into hours.

"Question 143, feather or stick?"

Elliot almost felt like he was in a trance as he answered the questions, not even taking note of his answers anymore.

Finally the screen went dark and a small message appeared beneath the purple flash logo.

"Thank you for your submission, we will be in touch if we find your match."

He shook the dazed trance like stare from his head and blinked down at the message. He locked his phone and stood up, looking around him. He felt different, anticipation weighed in his stomach, excitement tightened his chest and he couldn't help the small smile on his mouth at the idea of meeting his future wife, hopefully soon.

*2 Months Later*

Elliot was sat at work, filling out never ending piles of paperwork, one eye on the clock as it inches closer and closer to the 5pm finish. It was 3:27 when he heard it.

An unfamiliar tinkling noise came from his phone that sat by him on his desk. Absentmindedly he glanced down and his heart dropped. The phone had lit up with a small simple notification beside the familiar purple flash.

"You've got a match!

Swipe to see their location ->"

With shaking hands he took the phone and opened the app. A map appeared on his screen and he was delighted to see the familiar streets of London, he had worried they may be in another city, maybe even another country. But the map showed his little purple coloured dot blinking in his office building, a small purple dotted line stretched south from him, he scrolled to follow it and it ended at a Purple Heart. The little symbol shimmered and pulsed, letting small translucent hearts float up his screen. His match.

He zoomed in to see she was near Clapham Park, and it looked like she may be at home from the buildings aerial view. He gulped and looked at the clock. He would have to wait until 5pm, he only hoped she wouldn't try to find him first. He didn't like the idea of his whole office meeting her at the same time he did.

A small pop up message read: "when you meet your phones will sync up via Bluetooth to confirm your match!"

As the minutes ticked by he left the app open, watching the little pulsing heart, it moved slightly a few times but it stayed resolutely in the building. Elliot felt relieved and a little nervous. She wasn't coming here, so maybe she was a girl that wanted him to make the first move. Should he take something, maybe some flowers?

When it was finally time to go home he headed to the tube via a Tesco Express, picking up the least sad bunch of flowers available and a box of chocolates. He wished he hadn't worn his fatty jacket to work today, but there was nothing to be done about that now. And besides, if she really was his match it shouldn't matter what he looked like anyway right?

He stood in the tube, feeling annoyed as his flowers slowly became limper by every passing minute, the passengers around him bumped into him in the cramped conditions, the heat rising, making his already agitated state worse as sweat began to trickle down his neck and back.

As he went further south the congestion eased slightly, and he was able to take a look at himself in the black windows, reflecting like a mirror. He looked ok, a little sweaty and ragged, but the excitement has lightened his bright blue eyes and his hair, recently cut, was having a surprisingly good day. He smiled at himself slightly, then saw an older lady chuckling at him and looked down.

When the next stop came she shuffled past him and with another chuckle said, "don't worry, I'm sure she'll think you're very handsome indeed."

Gratified slightly by the words, he waited the final two stops and then ascended back onto the streets of London. His purple dot and the little heart were sharing a screen now, so close to each other his own heart began to beat faster than the symbols pulsing. He followed the small purple line up the roads until finally his purple dot was overlapping the heart, he had arrived.

The building before him was an apartment building.

"Great," he thought. He climbed a small set of steps and looked at the doors, unsure what to do.

How could he know which was hers? She could have at least come down and met him at the door.

He looked at the buzzers and was relieved to see there were only 6 flats. Awkwardly he buzzed the top flat.

"Hello?" A woman said.

"Hi, um... I'm looking for my match, apparently she lives here?"

"Sorry sweetie, not me I'm happily married! Good luck!" the voice said and Elliot cursed under his breath.

The second and third apartments didn't reply.

On the fourth apartment he buzzed and he heard the click of a connection but no voice came.

"Hello?" He said nervously, "My name is a Elliot, I'm looking for my match? Are you expecting someone?"

There was a long silence and then the door buzzed. Pushing it open Elliot felt another jolt of trepidation. Was that them? Why didn't she say anything? Was she nervous too?

He walked up the stairs to apartment four and took a deep breath. Just as he was about to knock his phone pinged with a bright purple screen.

"Congratulations!! You have found your match, their name is..."

Just as he was about to read the name the door swung open. He looked astonished at the person before him. The man before him.

He was dressed head to toe in a smart black suit, jet black hair styled carefully with piercing eyes almost as dark as his hair. He had strong hard features, a sharp jaw and pale skin that seemed at odds with his thick black brows and hair. He was considerably taller than Elliot, at least 6,5, and as he looked Elliot up and down he smiled a crooked smile that only pulled up on one side, his eyes narrowed with interest.

"What..? I don't" Elliot stuttered, rues wide. Surely this was a mistake. Surely he had the wrong address, he couldn't be matched with a... He looked down at his phone screen and read the message, feeling nauseated and dizzy.

"Congratulations!! You have found your match, their name is Damien."

Damien. A man. He had never thought, never known. How could he have never even considered, his mind began to overlap with thoughts all competing with each other. The carpet seemed to sway beneath him as he gripped the door frame for support.

"It's nice to finally meet you Elliot," the man before him said, looking almost amused at his complete shock. "Why don't you come in?"

Elliot fainted.

*

Elliot winced as he opened his eyes, his head hurt and the light seemed to bright. As the room slowly stopped spinning above him, he blinked as he looked up at the ornate light fixture above him. Where was he? He took in more of the room, a large painting stood over a fake fire place, expensive furniture filled the room but it wasn't cluttered. There was a vase with some limp flowers in them, the flowers looked familiar. He lay on a dark blue velvet sofa, and as he slowly moved his head to the left he saw the matching armchair. Except it wasn't empty.

The memories of the arrival at the strangers flat came flooding back and he sat up sharply, a wet flannel fell from his head and plopped to the floor, ice cubes skittered across the hard wood. Water tricked down his neck and he shuddered at the cold sensation, but all he could do was stare at the man in front of him who watched him with equal interest.

He sat lazily back in his high backed chair, drinking what looked like whiskey from a delicate glass. He gestured one hand to the table between them.

"Please help yourself to a glass if you would like, although it may not help your head," he said and Elliot lifted his fingers to his head, feeling the raised lump gingerly.

He glanced at the whiskey decanter and saw his phone next to it, still reading the message:

"Congratulations!! You have found your match, their name is Damien."

"You're Damien?" Elliot manages to stutter out.

"Yes," he smiled again, and Elliot felt uncomfortable. His dark eyes were piercing, unreadable, almost intimidating. The man exuded power, control and strength with ease, and Elliot cringed from it.

There was an awkward silence as Elliot looked down at his hands, feeling lost in a whirlwind of confusion, fear and at the same time aching, all powerful fascination with this stranger.

"Am I correct in assuming you were not expecting a male to answer the door?" Damien asked bluntly and Elliot shook his head.

"Please answer properly," Damien snapped and Elliot looked up.

"No, I... I expected a girl." he said, feeling a new wave of emotion. Had he just told him off? Like a child? And why had he responded so quickly? Obediently like a frightened school boy.

"I thought as much," Damien smirked. "I on the other hand have no qualms about my sexuality. I have known for a long time I have enjoyed both female and male partners. But then you are so young, how old are you?"

"25," he said and Damien smiled again.

"Exactly, you are still so young to know. I understand your confusion, I am older than you by 11 years. Thus, more time to learn who I am... what I want."

Damien took a slow drink from his whiskey but didn't look away from Elliot. His feeling of uncomfortableness grew, Damiens eyes almost appeared hungry and with all the talk of bedrooms he was beginning to feel sick again.

Damien stood suddenly and walked from the room without a word. The strange force that had been holding him in his seat felt momentarily lifted, and he considered leaving. The door was right there, he could leave and never come back.

Before he had done more than stand Damien was back, a glass of water in hand. He raised an eyebrow at Elliot stood before him.

"Going somewhere?" He asked.

"I, I think I might go home now. People will wonder where I am," he said backing towards the door slightly.

"No. You stay, here with me. I want to get to know my match. After all, if we're going to be spending the rest of our lives together I want to know as much as I can about you."

Elliot felt his mouth go dry. Of course, Damien wasn't just some stranger. He was his match. Matches are never and have never ever been wrong. Everyone knows that. What would he do? Go to the app, demand a second chance? He had heard rumours of people being matched with the same sex before, no one he knew personally though. They always ended up together, happy. But he wasn't gay! He had never ever been interested in a man in his life...

'Well, until now,' he thought, because if there was one thing for sure, there was something hypnotic about this person. He couldn't help wanting to know more, his very presence felt like being drunk, a need for closeness.

He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly again.

"Okay," he said and slowly walked towards him. He reached to take the glass from his hand and his pinky finger brushed the back of Damien's hand. It felt like an electric shock and he gasped slightly, even Damien's hard expression showed a glimmer of a reaction, a raise of the brows, his lips parting for a moment.

They both froze, and Elliot realised at this close proximity he could smell him. He had a strong earthy scent, mixed with the perfume of an expensive aftershave. He couldn't help but like the smell, he fought the temptation to move closer, to drink that smell in.

He blinked and the moment passed, he took the glass and Damien sat down back in his seat, readjusting his suit as he did so. The first sign of awkwardness before he returned to his comfortable controlled stare.

"So tell me about yourself," he said.

Elliot took a sip of the water to buy some thinking time.

"My name is Elliot Green, I work in a goods transport office, I deal with most of the paperwork and contracts and stuff. Nothing special. I live up near Alexandra Palace with some flatmates. I have a sister, she and my Mum both live in Manchester. My Dad died when I was a kid. What about you?"

Damien paused, seemingly still taking in the information I gave him before beginning. "Damien Parker, I am an investor in several online services. I am an only child, my parents live in India. I have various family properties and some of my own scattered around the UK and the globe. Dubai, Scotland, Spain, et cetera. So I don't really live in one place as such. I work hard, I am ambitious and I am ruthless when it comes to my investments and my personal life."

Elliot nodded, but honestly felt a little shocked. This guy was clearly out of his league.

"How come you're on Matched?"

"I wanted to see what I had invested in first hand."

"You invested in Matched?" he said surprised. He knew how big the app was, it was global, everyone had downloaded it.

"The primary investor, yes. In fact I joined the app as one of its first members almost a decade ago, but they were never able to find me a match. It's been a running joke for a long time, they will be pleased to find it's finally done it's work."

"Why have they matched you with me? We're so different..."

Damien laughed, his laugh was deep and strong. "I don't know how it all works, I just gave them the money to expand it. The results however are irrefutable. Why, are you disappointed?"

His expression was dead pan, calm as he watched Elliot with those dark black eyes.

"Surprised is the word I would choose," Elliot said carefully and Damien nodded.

"That was obvious when you fainted into my arms, quite the..." he looked at Elliots reddening face with amusement "entrance."

"Im sorry," Elliot muttered and Damien waved a hand

"Quite alright, as I say it was a memorable beginning to a story I am very intrigued to see play out."

Damien checked his watch and sighed.

"I'm afraid I have to leave to catch a train, I am planning on being at my countryside home for the next week. Perhaps you would like to come and visit?"

"Um," Elliot said but Damien continued.

"No need to say now," he picked up Elliots phone and entered a number into his contacts, then with a quick prank call added Elliot's number on his. "I will be in touch. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything until then."

Damien stood and held out his hand for a handshake. Perhaps because he was expecting it or mybe because it was the second time they touched, when Elliot shook his hand the shock didn't happen. Only the knot in his stomach of mixed emotions.

"Oh and Elliot?" Damien called, Elliot span in the doorway. "Thank you for your gifts," he said, gesturing to the chocolates and flowers. Elliot reddened and sped from the room.

He practically ran out of the large double doors of the building and crossed the road, looking back felt his chest tighten as he saw his match watching from the window, he gave Elliot a brief nod before walking from the window.

Elliot felt in a daze all the way home. He sat rocking slightly on the tube as it headed north. What did this mean? Was he gay? Had he always been gay? How had he not known, why had he never shown the slightest interest in men if he was? Maybe the app was broken, and had made a mistake. But then why couldn't he shake those dark eyes from his mind...

They haunted him all the way to his bed, where he lay in the dark thinking about what had happened and knowing there was no chance of falling asleep tonight.

Chapter Two - Confusion

He must have eventually fallen asleep at around 5am because he awoke to his alarm with a start. He lay still fully dressed on the bed, above the duvet, shoes having left muddy scuff marks on his sheets.

He rubbed his face with his hands and winced, he felt tired and sore, he didn't feel up for work. He hadn't taken a sick day in months. With one quick phone call he was permitted the day off. He drew his curtains, kicked off his shoes and clothes and climbed into bed exhausted.

Two days passed the same way, and before he knew it he was coming off the phone from his boss with one final sick day.

"I expect to see you in the office Monday morning Elliot, get well soon."

He couldn't explain why he didn't want to go to work, it just felt like since the moment he met Damien the organised library in his brain that was his life had been toppled, and he was left trying to put it all back together again, to make sense of the new information that was now his reality.

He wanted to shout from the rooftops that the app had been wrong. That he, Elliot Green, was the first person to be mistakenly matched. But then he found himself gazing at the blank text screen to Damiens number for hours, wanting to message him, but having no idea what he could say.