God gives love, people take it away (Richard and Raziel)

Richard sat at the meeting room table, in his assigned seat, as he just thought back and reflected on the last few days. He sighed a little bit and rested his head in his hands. The short version of it was that pretty much every angel he'd spoken to in the last couple of days told him that he wasn't worth Raziel's time, that she deserved better than him.

The first time someone had done that he'd laughed in their face and just kept walking.

But after the fifty third person had told him the same thing he had gotten angry and slammed the man into the nearest wall and demanded he take it back. And all that had gotten him was a small crowd of angels who all began muttering and gossiping about how his outburst was proof that he wasn't good enough for Raziel.

That Raziel deserved someone more in control of his anger.

And, according to some angels, his sex drive as well.

It was an addiction and he could not shake it, it was apparently something to remind him that he was once human. To keep him humble or something like that. But it was a pain in the ass really. He didn't want to constantly have to battle against the urge to have sex with someone, it was weakening him and he hated it.

But when Gabriel had spoken to him he felt his world plummet to the ground and shatter around his feet.

Gabriel, his friend, had confided in him that Raziel deserved someone who would never even think about sex with anyone else. She deserved someone who was not a pervert by nature. Richard had protested of course. He loved Raziel after all and the 'rule' was that your addiction would no longer haunt you if you found your bonded-lover.

And he was convinced that Raziel was his One.

But Gabriel had just looked at him sadly and asked him if Raziel had told him that she felt the same way. And... she hadn't. To be fair they weren't even going out yet, Richard was just a lot closer to her than anyone else and they were both dancing around the issue about becoming a couple. And then...

"If you care for her, you should let her go. Let her find her true One."

That one had hurt.

That was the reason he was no alone in the meeting room of the archangels, sitting at the meeting table, trying to keep his emotions inside. He didn't want to damage the room and he didn't want to cry either after all.

He just wanted Raziel.

Raziel had decided that now was the time to step in regarding the situation with Richard. Although she knew that she would not be a couple with him yet, she needed to comfort him, she wanted to comfort him too and that was how she knew that the time was right. She hated hearing about how other angels were putting his affections for her down.

Only she can judge what she truly wants, who she truly loves. Despite the fact that it was destined for her, she couldn't help herself from slowly beginning to fall for Richard. The instant attraction was there, that pull and that desire that accompanied the one, but as she got to know him little by little each time she saw him she knew that what she had read must be true. She must be destined to be partnered with Richard.

Heading towards the meeting room where Richard was still sitting, Raziel knocked on the door and smiled softly when she saw him sitting there with his head in his hands, looking altogether rather small and withdrawn.

Honestly he looked devastated and she was probably the last person that he wanted to see while he looked like this but Raziel wanted to comfort him as a friend and as a lover. She had her sights fixed on him, no thoughts of tempting Gabriel, no thoughts of Uriel, now that she knew her love was here. All she was going to do was ensure that he was alright.

"Richard, still here?" she asked with a soft smile, coming to sit next to him on one of the large marble chairs "Are you okay? You look very upset."

Gently she placed her hand on his back and smiled slightly wider; "Do you want to talk about it?"

Richard was honestly beginning to think that John's addiction would come in handy right now. If he ever felt this low all he had to do was reach for a bottle of booze and his problems would just melt away, along with his memories of it. At least for a day or two.

The most troubling thing for him was that the feeling, the Pull, was still strong towards Raziel even in his darkest and weakest of moments when he considered not being with her. Even considering it hurt his heart like it had been torn from his chest by hand. He resolved himself even more than he had already done.

That he would never even think of himself leaving Raziel.

When she knocked on the door he groaned a little bit and hastily tried to pull himself together to keep his emotions from spilling out. He swallowed down a little bit of a cry and gave her a weak, watery, grin,

"Hey there Raz... just sitting in the meeting room thinking about stuff." he told her with his fake grin before chuckling, "Am I that transparent to you?"

He smiled softly at her,

"I'm sure you already know... if not from your book then from the other angels." he took a deep breath, "They say... they say I'm not good enough for you. That I don't deserve you. And... they're right. You deserve so much more than me... but I can't, won't, stop loving you Raziel. And all that I am, worthy or not, is yours if, if you'll have me."

Raziel smiled softly when she saw how upset he really was as soon as she entered the room. It was hard for her to see him like this but she knew that she was going to be able to make him feel better, she was going to make him stop hurting so much about what these other angels were saying. It seemed as if this was the moment, the moment that they would stop becoming friends and move onto being something more.

Although she was not quite ready for the sexual aspect of a relationship, Raziel would love to be able to be close to Richard, to have someone to depend on and draw strength from in her time of need.

"You are indeed, transparent to me." she stated with a soft smile "But I also had an idea about what had been going on with you this week, about what people have been saying to you."

When Richard explained what was unhappy with, Raziel smiled softly and she was glad that he was able to share this feeling with her. It made her feel good that people would tell her these things even though they must know that she already knows about what they are going through from what she reads in the Book.

Hearing him say it, hearing Richard say that he loved her made Raziel's heart race and she hugged her arm around Richard's back so that they were embracing while they sat.

"I would like that very much Richard." she whispered softly "I am not ready for all the things that you desire but, I cannot ignore the feelings which you invoke in me. I wish to be partnered with you, and I know, more than anyone what is good enough for me. You are most certainly, excellent for myself." she reassured as she gently kissed Richard's lips in a short sweet kiss.

Richard wasn't sure what he was supposed to do here.

If he wanted to chat someone up, he could do that. If he wanted to flirt with someone, he could do that. But never in his life had he ever experienced something like this. He was in love for the first time in either lifetime and he hadn't the slightest of ideas how to approach it! How was he to tell her and have her return the love?

In the end he decided he would have to do what everyone said was the hardest thing. He would have to just tell her how he felt and hope she returned his feelings. He chuckled a little bit,

"Good to know that you can always see what I mean at my heart." he told her with a little grin before it faltered, "I suppose pretty much everyone could..."

He swallowed thickly as he tried to lose some of the nervousness he had gotten. After all, he had just told her that he loved her. That he wanted to be with her even if he wasn't good enough for her. It was a pretty big moment in his life... and she was hugging him to her as they sat there. This made his heart race. This could only be a good thing right?

"Just by admitting that you have made me happier than I have ever been in either of my lives." he admitted with a blush before kissing her back gently, "I... I have no idea what to do now. I'm so new to this sort of thing. But I'm so happy to be bumbling around to be honest! Discovering what to do with you."

Raziel smiled softly when she heard that Richard was upset that he was very much transparent when he was upset, sometimes being transparent was a good thing it meant that you were always honest and that you didn't lie. That in itself was a downside however because how were you supposed to be able to lie if you needed to in some situations?

"Don't worry, I am sure you will be able to laugh in everyone's faces when they see that I think that you are perfect just the way you are." she whispered softly, although Richard had his vice, she knew that it wasn't overruling him, which meant that he had a complete control over it.

The soft blush on his cheeks when he heard what she had said made Raziel blush too, she didn't realise that she had just embarked upon something so new to her...it made her heart beat ten to the dozen in her chest and she wanted to very much to be able to go and do something together, something to signify they were a couple.

"I too am happy, happier than I have been in a long time Richard." she whispered softly, as she rested her head on his shoulder "We can bumble around together, as I don't have any idea what I am to do either. I suppose it is better that way."

Looking up from under her glasses at Richard as she rested her head on his shoulder, she blushed softly but smiled very gently at him;

"I wish to be able to do something together to signify to others that we are now bonded, what shall we do Richard? What did you do on earth when you were partnered with a woman?"

Richard looked into Raziel's eyes and you know what? He was happy that he was so transparent for her. He didn't want to ever tell a lie to Raziel. Not least of all because all she had to do was glance in her book from time to time and she would see his lies without even meaning to. Which would cause them a lot of distress, especially when telling the truth was so much easier on his heart, which seemed to be pained by the idea of lying to Raziel over anything,

"Well now that sounds like something John would suggest! You sure he hasn't been rubbing off on you with good ideas that are also wickedly evil?" he joked before paling slightly, "Does this mean I'm going to get the 'older brother speech' from John?"

They were both blushing and they were both new to this so they would be blushing and stumbling around things together. Together they would figure out what worked for them as a couple and enjoy being together oh so much more. He grinned a little sheepishly,

"Together I'm sure we can make a good attempt." he joked a little bit before humming slightly and smiling down at her, "For starters I think we should live in the same quarters maybe?"

When she asked what this would mean on Earth he blushed a little bit,

"W-well it depends how strong the love is. I mean usually moving in and formally dating." he told her before coughing to try and hide his now massive blush, "Or, in cases where the love is all consuming... marriage can be suggested by one party..."

Raziel giggled a little bit and nodded her head when Richard asked her if she was getting these wicked plans from Michael because he was rubbing off on her. He was indeed rubbing off on her and she was certain that this was not a bad thing, as long as she didn't end up becoming an alcoholic which she didn't think was possible, Michael only had strengths that she could take on. A sense of humour being one of them.

"I think that is exactly what it means I am afraid Richard, you will have to be very polite when you talk to him, he can be awfully scary. Unless you want me to come with you, to be your moral support and stop him from becoming too stabby." she teased with a soft smirk on her lips.

Widening her eyes when he suggested that they move in together Raziel blushed at the idea, to be honest she didn't think that she was ready for that. She was a very private person and she wanted to be able to take things slowly first;

"I don't think that we should move in just yet, perhaps we should just sleep in each others accommodations less formally first and see how we fit together while doing that?" she asked with a soft smile "I have heard angels get on each others nerves if they move in too swiftly together!"

When Richard suggested marriage, Raziel blinked and she bit her lip shyly. It would be all too much to become married to Richard so suddenly! Although he was the one, she felt the need to slow things down...but then again it was not like they had all the time that she would like to be able to do these things. Biting her lip Raziel smiled shyly;

"That is something that I would like very much Richard, I would like to become your wife and you my husband." she whispered softly "I just don't want to rush into things too swiftly, we have all the time in the world, after all." Raziel stated with a smile -her heart ached to lie to Richard but, she must.

Richard moaned a little bit at the very idea of Michael acting the part of the protective older brother because... well because the guy basically was her older brother. And because he was the toughest angel to have ever existed and killed stronger demons than Richard for a living just because he was the one chosen to do it because he was so badass.

He did not like his chances of breathing after this chat,

"Yes I think I'm going to need you around for that conversation! At least so you can tell him that threatening me is not really the nicest thing to do..." he muttered before chuckling sheepishly and in the worst case maybe distracting said stabbing-brother if he decides to introduce my face to his knives?"

He blushed a little bit but he could tell from her reaction to his suggestion of moving in together that he was rushing into this a bit too fast so he held up his hands,

"Alright I suppose I am moving a bit too fast." he told her with a soft smile before it widened, "But I would love to hold you when we drift off to sleep... I have... erm... kind of been dreaming about that for a little while to be perfectly honest with you..."

So if moving in together was too fast, too much and too soon, then suggesting marriage would be loads better right? Wrong of course. It was WAY too fast and WAY too much apparently! He coughed a little bit and blushed lightly,

"I would love to be married to you Raziel... but I can wait until you think we're reading." he told her, stroking her cheek as he looked into her eyes, "If it takes a thousand years... or billions... I will wait until we are both ready... and I will marry you."