Destined

{D E V E L O P M E N T}

It began snowing. The tiny snowflakes flew a long way down to evergreen bushes, rested on beautifully lit houses and danced in the air like they did a silent ritual that only them knew. You could hear Christmas carols from afar being sang by children and grown men and women. A faint whistle rang in space caused by the wind that came from the West side of the town.

Little did they know that this could be their last day of joy and happiness.

Rahab looked around himself, trying to listen closely. He tried to walk as quickly as possible. The urgency that pushed him to walk as fast as he can is making him trip a couple of times. The graceful walk he had before is gone. There was no time in perfecting a graceful walk. He had bigger issues to think about.

Every possible outcome that might happen is flashing through his mind, bit by bit more horrifying pictures entered his mind. Melted humans, melted animals, melted buildings all giving off a shimmery glow. It may appear beautiful from afar but it is destructive when you are close enough.

"Where are you, Rem? Where the Angel are you?", he mumbled under his breath.

Several hours of searching have bruised his feet. Blisters have formed and blood has began leaking from the open wounds. He isn't used to walking for more than fifteen minutes. This new pain has wrought him out, exhausted him. His mind has began to give up hope in finding Rem. His body began hurting and not long after the tears began forming in his eyes, falling down relentlessly. He cried. He never cried. This was also very new to him. So, new that he was shocked. His sobs got louder and squeakier. He fell down to his knees and covered himself with the white cloak he had on. The snow under him wet his knees and seeped through slowly.

He felt a chest pain now. This one he knew all too well. He felt it not too recently. It must've been a few hours now but if felt like an eternity. An eternity that came all too soon.

"How could you...how could you..", he asked into the empty space, "why would you..I thought..I loved you...I trusted you.."

Rahab put his head on the cold, snowy ground. His head felt heavy, bloated, about to explode from the whirl storm that's happening in his mind.

"Hey. Are you alright?", someone asked. Someone very similar.

"No, I'm not. He betrayed me. He lied to me.", Rahab mumbled on the ground.

"What did you say?", the person asked in confusion.

"I'm alright, Rem.", he said and tried standing up. His knees were wobbly and he supported himself with his hands.

"You know my name.", Rem said and stood in his place. He backed away.

"I can't believe you can't remember me. We were in a team once.", Rahab said and slowly stood up.

Rem stood still, moving his eyes back and forth trying to remember.

"...Rahab?", he finally suggested, "is that you?"

"The One and Only.", Rahab said and smiled. He opened his arms to welcome him.

"YOU! STAY THERE! DON'T YOU DARE MOVING!", Rem exclaimed and pointed his index finger to Rahab.

"Relax, Rem. I won't destroy you or anyone. I am not that person anymore.", Rahab said and looked into Rem's eyes to ensure that he is telling the truth.

Rem looked at him, he saw the tears falling down his eyes, he saw the regret and love he kept for so long.

"Did you fall in love?", Rem asked suddenly.

"Yes, I did.", Rahab said sincerely. He looked down on the pavement. "I loved the wrong person. But love made me aware of pain. Love made me aware of loss, of beauty, of friendship, of heartbreak, of sacrifice, of, of so many things! I am a changed man, Rem. Please, believe me. I had to experience the worst before I understood the best. I was a fool for destroying our beloved island. I was a fool for eliminating millions of Angels. I was a fool for taking away precious and innocent lives.", he ranted on. He stopped to catch his breath. "Never again. I promise you, never again."

"Is this a trick or something?", Rem said and crossed his arms over his chest, "are you trying to manipulate me into believing you are a changed man so that I trust you and let you in on our plans to stop you from destroying the Earth and all the Angels? Are you trying to mislead me? Is that what you're doing right now?", Rem began speaking louder, "no. Never. I can't trust you. You did awful things to a lot of innocent lives. And, yes, I did, too, but I regret every single loss that I caused. I didn't know better. But now I know, and now I am going to stop you."

"NO, REM! Please, listen! It's not what you-", Rahab started.

"IT'S NOT WHAT I THINK, HUH? STOP THIS! GO BACK TO AZRIEL FOR ALL I CARE. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID TO ME AND YOU STILL DID IT. FUCK OFF!", Rem screamed now. His veins on his forehead started showing through, his fists were turning a white color from all the force he put into it. His face got red with anger and repulsion. He was disgusted by Rahab. You could see it in his face. But there was something else.

"What do you mean?", Rahab asked quietly. "I don't unders-"

"Oh, you understand perfectly well. You abandoned me to be with Azriel. You knew how I felt about you and yet you still went to him. Completely forgetting about me and my feelings about you.", Rem said slowly. He was still furious with Rahab. He took some steps back and circled around himself to calm himself down.

"You..you were in love with me?", Rahab asked carefully.

"Yes, I was. I was in love with you. But that doesn't matter anymore, does it? You found him. You found your mate and you were happy. By the Angel, you were happy and I couldn't take that away from you. I just wouldn't do that to you.", Rem said and looked down at his shoes. He stepped closer to Rahab. "I would never take away your happiness. I would rather be the one giving it to you than take it from you."

"Then do it now.", Rahab said.

"What?", Rem said and frowned, looking a little confused.

"Give happiness to me.", Rahab said and looked him dead in the eyes, "right now."

Rem looked at him not believing what he just heard. He saw the fire in Rahab's eyes, the desire in his eyes that he also saw in Sky's eyes when he looked at Aria during that moment. He saw the passion screaming at him and shook his head.

"I can't.", Rem said finally.

"Why can't you? I am here. You can have me.", Rahab said and put his hand on Rem's arms, "I was mistaken about Azriel. I thought he loved me, too, but he never did. I always had an attraction to you but I felt something for Azriel, too. I should've listened to my heart rather than my brain. It was always you. You were always my mate."

And like clockwork a gush of wind came and they felt the pull and electricity coursing through their veins. Rem's green swirls and Rahab's amber swirls began pulsing. They started glowing like Christmas lights on a Christmas tree. Rem and Rahab couldn't look away. Their eyes were fixed onto each other. Then a small glance to their lips and they gave in to the pull.

Their lips smashed onto each other. It seemed like two souls found each other again. Like they were gone for a very long time and found each other at last. Rem broke their kissing battle and halted for a moment.

"I can't hold it in anymore. I have to say it.", he said and panted like he just ran a marathon.

"Then say it.", Rahab said and smiled at him.

"Jeg elsker deg.", he uttered, "JEG ELSKER DEG!". He screamed now louder and the gush of wind picked up its speed.

"Jeg elsker deg.", Rahab said and hugged Rem tightly. Their swirls now had elements of amber and green intertwined. It still pulsated but they felt so much content and so much relief in their hearts.

They couldn't believe it. They found their mate. It was just like it was written in the ancient books.

"I never felt this way before.", Rahab said finally after a few moments passed.

"I did neither.", Rem said and smiled at Rahab.

"Okay, now that we found each other, let's get going.", Rem said and held Rahab's hand. He started running but stopped mid-run to tell him something.

"Oh, before I forget it: People might try to kill you once we are there."

"Once we are where?"

"You'll see soon enough."