It ties us together, but I've never been more afraid

Chapter 1: In the beginning

It was a nice day, all the days had been nice so far.

Aziraphale stood on guard on the Eastern Gate of Eden. He held his flaming sword, staring out at the vast wasteland that was beyond the garden. He held his breath, still not fully used to his body needing to breathe in the first place.

He didn't know why he was holding his breath, or what he was waiting for, what he was supposed to be protecting the garden from. All he knew is that the Almighty wanted him here, and he listened to everything She told him to do.

While Aziraphale was standing there he felt an odd sensation in his head, like his head was trapped underneath something, buried even. It wasn't fully painful, just odd. He didn't understand if his body was meant to do that, but almost as soon as it started, it had stopped.

He stood there, trying to regain his thoughts. It now felt like he was breathing fresh air for the first time, like he went from living underground to now being out in the open. Aziraphale didn't understand what it meant, he didn't remember Her telling them about any of this.

The only thing he does remember Her saying was how each being would have a soulmate, and while their soulmate was alive they would be tied. Their souls would be connected, letting each other feel each other's pain and grief. This feeling wasn't pain or grief, so he knew that this wasn't what She meant.

Aziraphale got lost in his thoughts and after a moment he felt his hand start to hurt. For a moment he thought maybe it was his soulmate, his first feeling of his soulmate anyway, but then he realized his sword was burning his hand. He dropped the sword, shaking his hand like it would make the sensation go away. It didn't, but he didn't know what would.

Sooner than Aziraphale would have liked he was standing on the edge of the garden wall, watching as Adam and Eve walked away, holding his flaming sword. He was gently closing his hand, trying not to irritate the burn that was now there. He doubted he could ask the Almighty what would cure this burn, She doesn't have the time for stupid questions, and it's not like She was in a good mood either.

Aziraphale heard a noise and watched as out of the corner of his eye he saw a snake slide up the wall, and slowly transform into a being beside him. Aziraphale watched as they transformed into the angel that he had run into, before the beginning. He remembered how he warned the angel not to ask questions, and now here he stood as a demon.

"Well that went down like a lead balloon." The demon spoke. Aziraphale thought for a moment, he wasn't truly focusing on what he had said, just who he had been.

"I'm sorry what?" Aziraphale asked and the demon cleared his throat.

"I said, that went down like a lead balloon." The demon repeated. Aziraphale found himself nodding as he looked back out to where Adam and Eve were still retreating in the distance. He closed his hand slightly, feeling the sting of his burn.

"Oh. Yes it did, rather." Aziraphale said and he continued to put a small amount of pressure on his burn. He wasn't sure why he was, but he assumed it was because of the small guilt that settled in his stomach.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the demon close his fist sharply before letting it relax once more.

"Bit of an overreaction, if you ask me. First offense and everything. And I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil, anyway." The demon said and Aziraphale turned his gaze once more to look at him, slightly horrified that a former angel couldn't see what he was doing.

"It must be bad," Aziraphale started, before realizing he hadn't caught his name before.

"Crawley." The demon, Crawley, said, sensing Aziraphale's unknowing.