May I have a word with Death?

III. Here's to the past

**hello again. this is the continuation of Theo's and Derek's Story, a little bit more insight to the memories and love they shared**

First, how they met. The cheeky bastard had a cheeky smile that would make everyone fall head over heels.

Second, the first time they kissed. "May I kiss you?" Theo asked and head over heels Derek went.

Third, the first time they held hands. Walking through the city, being friends even if they were not supposed to, Theo was looking at his hand, observing it as if something were missing. Looking back and forth between his hand and his walking partners. Inadvertently he held Derek's hand and Derek rapidly shook it away.

"What are you doing?" he paused in the middle of the street.

"I just felt like it," Theo replied.

They resumed walking, now in silence, and rested their arms beside their bodies. Derek moved slowly closer to Theo and now their hands were playfully brushing each other. Theo smiles. Derek realises then, that he had fallen in love.

~~~~

"Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?" He roared into the sky. Unable to pick himself up, Derek wanted to lie down and die right there.

He suddenly felt a heavy hand over his shoulder.
"Because of me," said Destiny.

He turned around, his eyes full of rage. The strength that had left him came surging back full of adrenaline and he tackled her to the ground. Now he is on top of her, pinning her arms and lamenting leaving the dagger behind.

Destiny laughed maniacally. "You can't get rid of me," she chuckled.

He let go. Standing now, facing each other he softly repeated "why?"

"Because of me" she reiterated.

"Yes, I know, but why?" he insisted.

"You...you, you...I can't tell you how you are destined to die. No fun in that." Destiny hopped and stomped on the fallen leaves. She looked like a child playing around in a park.

"He was destined to DIE?"

"No, no, no, no, well yes but child, you are all destined to die. Theo... he was destined to die like that" She moved from one side to the other, not paying any serious attention to the broken man in front of her. She slowly started to laugh again, as if she were mocking him.

"You," she pointed at him with her index finger loosely, "you guys tried to change things! Truth be told, I could not foresee you guys falling in love.

What a ride." She laughed. "You made it much more difficult for yourself, don't you think?" she had stopped moving around and looked directly into his eyes, "don't you?"

At this moment, just for an instant, he regretted loving Theo. Is this what his life would be from now on? Regretting the only good thing that had ever happened to him? Just because he could not deal with the pain, the anger or the guilt? He wished only the beautiful moments would remain. He wished he was back on the street walking side by side, brushing hands. He wished he had said no to the kiss. He wished he hadn't smiled back at that cheeky boy, he wished he was the one dead, he wished fate could change.

"Why do you remain unchanging?" he asked softly, broken.

"Why do you fight me?" she replied.

Unable to find an answer to her question, he fell to his knees one more time, trying to gather himself and his impending loneliness.

"What are you doing here anyway?" he looked up. "Came to gloat?"

Destiny was an odd being but not very complex to understand. She presented herself as she wanted, no one knew her real self and the ones that did were driven insane. That night she had black long hair, with which she played running her fingers through it. Her eyes were red and with the blue moon shining on them they seemed to change to a purplish tone. Destiny presented herself differently, depending on the humans' perceptions and showed herself only on her own terms. Destiny did not want to be recognized at all in fact, she should never be recognized, but Theo did back when he was a child.

"I'm here to see the man Theo decided not to avoid. What a funny man. He was annoying.

You see, Derek, Theo knew all along you were his doom, but still, when he met you he didn't run away.

If it were me... I! I would've tried to kill you first!" she laughed. "But he didn't! He befriended you!" her laugh was no mockery, but confusion. "He loved you!" she laughed louder.

Derek could only think of Theo's last words "it's okay". Theo said something about Destiny too. Derek's mind, now a fog, started spiralling, overcome with the realisation of the amount of love he received. Loved despite a high awareness of a painful destiny. "I would've tried to kill me first too," he thought. His knees were burying themselves in the mud and again, Derek stared at his hands, as if something were missing. He wanted to feel Theo's warmth one more time. Suddenly he felt the pain of its absence as if it were a ghost limb he had lost. His eyes moved frantically from one hand to the other and there were no more tears left, or so he thought. Destiny stood in front of him, staring half delighted, half disappointed.

"Weak." she said disgustedly. "This is what he died for?" she scoffed.

Theos' hands trembled, ignoring Destiny's remarks. Even if the night was dark and his hands appeared to be covered in black goo, he could see them shine. His right hand now on the floor, he leaned over and focused solely on his left hand where both their rings fit on his finger. Theos was looser, he had bigger hands.

~~~~

Fourth,

"Derek! Dereeeeeeek! I MISSED YOU!" Theo jumped on top of him, kissing him all over. Derek laughed and begged him to stop.

"I missed you too," he grinned, "now get off" he tried to push him away with both his palms, which were pressed against Theo's chest. He loved how physical and clingy his boyfriend was but he tried his best to hide it.

Now seated side by side they exchanged the events of the few days they were apart.

"I really, really wished we could spend all of our time together. Have enough time to take it all in." Theo said looking at the window, with a lost look on his face. "I want more time," he whispered to himself. Derek heard him but did not think much about it, at least not there and then.

"Oh! How dramatic! Stop mumbling nonsense" Derek said, playfully. Theo got up and walked to the window, shielding his face from his boyfriend. Seeing this sudden change in demeanour, Derek stood up and started walking towards him.

"I'm kidding, love. I, too, wish to have all the time in the world with you," he said. Without thinking too much he grabbed the box he had safely hidden in his dresser and hugged Theo from behind. In front of Theo's eyes now laid an open palm with an open box containing two silver rings in different sizes.

"What do you think?" Derek chuckled. "How about forever?" he continued.

Theo turned and buried his face in Derek's neck, hugging him so tight his boyfriend could barely breathe.

"Yes, I gather," Derek said nervously.

"Of course, love," Theo replied, crying.

For Theo knew then, that forever was not in their plans but he really really really wished it were possible. As he recalled this memory Derek thought "he fought it till the end."

**i love my babies i don't know why i made them suffer lolll**

*to be continued, Theo still has shit to talk with Destiny*