Chapter Text
When Dan proposed a separation, he had already come up to terms with the reality that, even if he tried with all his might, there was no going back with Chloe. It was over, and it was his fault. He had accepted it.
It wasn't, though, any less painful. And lonely, mostly lonely. He couldn't talk with any of his guy friends at the precinct without them mentioning their wives, girlfriends even a few boyfriends, and a husband too. It's like they say, that when you're feeling lonely you suddenly notice all this happy people and their happy relationships.
If he didn't think online dating was a sham and only made to find one-time fuck buddies, which he was one step away from looking for if that's all he could get, he would've tried that by now too.
It was on his way back to what he now called 'home', though it honestly felt far from it, that's when he saw it. "Write on Me" the ad read.
Dan scoffed, another one of those dumb romantic movies. Soulmates. As if the concept itself wasn't dumb.
Humanity had given up on soulmates about a century ago. "Free Will!" the people cried.
Soul Bonding wasn't banned or prohibited, just a little looked down upon among the most strict "free-thinkers" or whatever they called themselves.
His Ma had told him stories about it; she was soul bonded to his father. Until she died that is.
She used to tell how beautiful it felt the first time his father wrote something. As it is known, that whatever you write wherever in your body, will appear in your soulmates and will immediately create a bond if the other person writes something back.
Some people found it romantic and magic. Others found it ridiculous and enslaving in away, "You don't know who you're getting bonded to!!" Which was true in the majority of occasions; but as his Ma said, "There has never been a bonded soul who was not happy in the end."
That didn't take into account accidents, other people, life, all the occurrences that separate people; but he understood what his Ma meant. It's as if bonded people were 'meant to be!'.
Daniel scoffed again, it was truly ridiculous. The memories brought back a smile to his now usually stern looking face; but he'd never quite got it. What was so magical about someone you've never met?
Dan scoffed for what had to be the eleventh time in the last hour, as his face soured into a deep thought. Then idiotic realisation; soulmates exist. They're a thing.
It sounded so stupid for him to finally think about it, but he'd spent his whole life thinking they were stupid; because honestly that's all his friends said. That's all that everyone but apparently his Ma said. "Soulmates aren't real, it's idiotic and won't make you happy."
But, what if? What if Ma was right? He sure was not yet that desperate as to try a dating site... but maybe?
No.
Dan chuckled almost deliriously, fuck, he was so lonely.
When he got home the first thing Dan found in his hand was a pen. He felt his heart in his throat, beating strong and fast. Was really this what he had gotten to?
Was he that lonely? That desperate?
Yes he was. It wasn't even that long since the separation, but he didn't want to miss her anymore; miss having someone.
"Fuck" Daniel cursed as he rested his arm on the nearest wall and with a trembling hand he wrote in blue ink "Hi, how are you?"
Five or Twenty-five minutes passed as he stared at the words as if they held some kind of answer. He let his arm fall back to his side in silence, and in silence he went to his bedroom, changed into a pair of pyjama bottoms and went to bed.
His whole body, from his head to his toes, felt tingly and surreal. Like he had no body at all. That feeling he got the first time he smoked in high school; knowing full well his Ma didn't approve. Or the first time he dared open a skinmag. Like he'd done something he shouldn't, but it excited him at the same time; new and unknown. And terrifying.
The panic started setting in an hour after writing on his arm.
Who would this person be? Would it be a woman? Did he know them? Were they a good person?
His mind ran through a million questions; and suddenly nothing. Maybe they wouldn't even answer, not wanting to create a bond.
Yes.
Maybe he could just forget about it tomorrow and pretend he never dared try it.
No problem.
No fucking problem.