Chapter Text
It wasn't rare but it wasn't common either. Aziraphale knew that not everyone had a soulmate and some that did, never had the chance to connect with them because their soulmate was gone too early. It was known that the the lucky ones that did, could share thoughts with their soulmates in moments of intense emotions. It was completely involuntrary and no one could do it on purpose.
They could help each other no matter how far they were, without being able to understand who their other half was. That realisation was up to them. Maybe they would never meet, but they were always there for each other nevertheless.
As a kid Aziraphale hadn't given it too much thought. Didn't really care if he did have one himself. But as a teen he started to find the idea of his other half existing somewhere in this universe really comforting and even romantic. He really hoped that he did, until one night at the age of fourteen he confirmed that his soulmate was out there.
"It's gonna be ok."
It wasn't exactly in words... More like a feeling that went through his entire body. It was comfort and affection and warmness. He shivered realising his soulmate connected with him for the first time and was there to help him calm down as his parents were yelling and fighting in the next room.
"That's enough. I'm taking Aziraphale and you're never seeing us again."
"You're not taking my son anywhere. You're nothing without me."
"You think we need your money? I'll work for my son and I, while you're too busy fucking your secretary."
"Enough," his father yelled and Aziraphale heard a sound as if he had hit the table with his hands. His mother went quiet.
Tears were now running down his cheeks as he was sobbing as silently as he could.
"It will be ok, everything will be fine."
The feeling was still there. It felt like a hug; it felt like someone was holding him and was petting his hair; it felt like someone was wiping his tears away, assuring him that everything will be okay. And he believed them. He lied down on his bed, covered himself with his soft blanket and slept as if he was really in the arms of his soulmate.
Almost a year had passed and he hadn't connected with his soulmate ever since that night. He missed them. He was wondering who could they be. Was it someone he knew? Were they living close to him or were they on the other side of the planet and they would never meet? The truth was, whoever they were, he loved them.
It was Friday night and he was alone in his room, reading a new book. Books always helped him escape his thoughts and get away from his problems. He found peace in them and was always picturing himself having his own bookshop one day with a large variety of old and new books. It was his dream.
He was only on the third page when he started to feel uneasy. A wave of fear and shame and anger filled his chest. He was sweating.
What is happening?
"Freak."
It was his soulmate. They were the one in trouble this time.
"What the fuck even is that tattoo on your face? You freak."
They were getting bullied and Aziraphale actually got red from the anger he felt at the moment. How dare they hurt his other half?
He closed his eyes and tried to send them any thought or emotion he could.
"It's okay. It's gonna be okay. They are not worth it. You are perfect the way you are. Don't believe them. You can stand up for yourself. I believe in you."
He pictured himself holding their hand, hoping they could feel it.
After some moments he realised he had succeeded. All the negative emotions were starting to fade and he was feeling calm again. He didn't know what happened, but he knew he had helped. And the emotions he felt by helping his soulmate were indescribable. He stood there, with his eyes closed so every cell of his body could fill with this feeling.
Crowley was sixteen and he just had, for the first time in his life, stood up for himself against his bullies. He did it because this time he wasn't alone. He had his soulmate. This lovely person who he didn't know, but who had broken his heart with their soft sobs, almost a year ago.
It was only their second time connecting but Crowley could only feel an unexplainable love for them. A love that consumed his whole body.
He never believed he would have a soulmate himself. He always felt so disconected from the world, so alone... He had a hard time believing that someone who was his other half would exist out there. But they did. And he couldn't be more grateful, even though he had no idea who they were. The only thing he could do was help them whenever he could and hope they would meet in person one day and spend their lives together.
Two years had passed and no new connection. He would start to get worried if he hadn't heard from others, that when someone loses their soulmate before they meet them, they feel this unbelievable sadness without being able to connect with them. That's when they know they're gone.
Thank God that hadn't happened in his case. But he still wondered about them. How were they, how were things with their family... How did they look, how old were they...So many questions. He wanted to meet them like crazy.
Crowley had finished school and his ultimate dream his whole life was to study the stars. They always fascinated him. He spent hours and hours imagining how they were created...
Growing up he didn't look like the kid who would be interested in physics. Since he was in his early teens he would only wear dark clothes, paint his nails black, have long hair... And of course he would always wear his dark sunglasses hiding his really special eyes, that most people seemed to be freaked out by. On top of everything, after he got that snake tattoo on the side of his face, the judgment for his appearance from others only got worse.
So whenever he told someone about his dream of becoming an astronomist they would always brush it off as nonsense. But he believed in himself and knew he could do it. He had applied at the university of Cambridge and was now holding in his hands the letter of their response. All those years of hard, hard work came down to this letter. His heart was beating like crazy and he felt an intense stomach pain. His hands were trembling and he couldn't find the power in him to open it and see the answer. What if all his dreams were suddently teared down?
"Whatever it is... You can do it. I know you can. I'll be here with you."
It was them. He felt such a relief having their support in this moment. He sensed a hand on his shoulder giving him strength. He knew that with them by his side he could deal with whatever the response was.
He slowly opened the letter and actually screamed out loud. "Yes!!!Yes!!!!"
His soulmate had brought him luck. "You are such an angel," he whispered even though he knew his soulmate couldn't hear him. "Thank you. My angel."
It was the hardest moment of his life. His mother and he had been living alone since they left his abusive father. She was always there for him. So loving and supportive no matter how difficult life was for her. And he lost her. She had been sick for about two years. He knew this moment was coming, but no one can ever be prepared for moments like this.
His soulmate was there, in multiple moments lately... When she died, during the funeral, in the moments he was alone crying... He could feel their embrace, their hands holding his... And got this feeling of comfort that he would get through this too and things would be okay again.
Oh he loved them so much; this person somewhere in the world with the face tattoo.
Aziraphale was so proud of himself. His bookshop business was actually going really good.
He was terrified while making this big step in his life but he was ready to take any risk that would get him closer to his dream. His collection of books was still limited but he knew he would make it as big as he dreamed as a kid one day.
When he opened up his bookshop, his soulmate was there.
"Whatever it is that is happening, congratulations! I'm proud of you."
This feeling of his soulmate supporting him and being proud of him made this special day even better. He would never forget it. Things were actually going good in his life and he hoped they would stay like that.
" No I can't name my price, I don't have it."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Well now there is no need for that kind of language."
Dealing with customers was the part of the job he didn't particularly enjoy, especially when communicating with them over the phone.
"I don't know what you've heard about my bookshop but I'm assuring you I don't have this book. I do have a lot of other astoronomy books that are quite rare. You can come by and see for yourself."
His collection had grown since he opened up the shop and Aziraphale took real pride in it. He wouldn't let anyone doubt it.
"Yes you can come by today, it's open until eight...Goodbye."