Author's Notes: So, this is my entry for the Metru Mania contest on the BionicleSlash group that also doubles as a sort of prequel/side story to "Still the One," the first chapter of which will be out as soon as I get around to typing it up. Anyway, the pairing is VakamaxNuju and they're human in this setting. You'll most likely be confused by things, but that's why this ties in with StO for if you read that things will be clear… hopefully. So yeah, enough rambling. On to the fic! Hope you enjoy! X3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this story. They all belong to Lego and/or anyone else who owns them. This fic also contains yaoi, slash, and/or shounen-ai, which all mean boyxboy love. If you don't like that sort of thing, I suggest turning back before your eyes are burned out of their sockets. Enjoy! XD

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"Destiny"
By: Green Devil

Nuju wasn't really one for coffee. He was more of a tea drinker when it really came down to it, but this time he just couldn't stay away. Like every other college professor, sometimes the caffeine was needed if he was to get through his day without incident and finish the work that had to be done. After taking a sip of his frappuccino, the only coffee he could stand to drink because it wasn't steaming hot and drank like a milkshake, he looked back over the paper he held in his pale hand.

The café was small and quaint, devoid of the usual traffic shops situated near the college campus usually received, but it was late in the day so that accounted for the lack of people. Most of them had already finished their classes and went home apparently. Nuju was thankful for the silence; it helped him stay on task and didn't allow for the stray words of other's conversations to lead him into the memories of a past life that constantly haunted—'Crap, there I go. How did that happen?'

The man—quite handsome for being in his late twenties—gave a sigh, short, silver-tinted tresses becoming mused as he placed a palm to his forehead and hid his cerulean orbs from the world by closing the lids, pushing the thoughts aside. There was no reason to be dwelling on it; the past was the past. There was nothing he could do to change it, so why was he able to recall it? It didn't make any sense.

But now was not the time to think about it! Nuju brought the paper he had been reading closer to his face and forced himself to concentrate on the words of the essay he was suppose to be grading, fixing his glasses as he did so. It was something about the stars in the sky, how seven new ones had unexpectedly popped into existence a few days earlier. That made the man pause. He hadn't noticed any new stars as of late, let alone a group of them just appearing out of the blue, and he practically lived his life with his eyes on the sky. The lights of the city must have kept them hidden.

Something about the information pulled at him. 'Could it be those stars?' His interest in the paper was renewed and he read through it intently. There was no mistaking that pattern or shine and the high definition picture that had been provided only confirmed his suspicions. His eyes widened. 'Those are the spirit stars of—'

"Um, hi." A voice by his side startled him back into reality. He gave a small jump, the papers falling from his hand and scattering across the table and floor. He blushed lightly in embarrassment and quickly moved to scoop them back up. "Let me get that for you." The newcomer grabbed the articles that had landed on the floor, but he stopped as his eyes landed on the picture. His golden orbs grew, though he hid it and handed the photo over.

"Thank you." Nuju replied, putting everything back together before turning and finally looking at the other. He gave a small gasp, pushing his glasses back up his nose. The man beside him was mighty handsome—a slight bit older maybe—with just the hint of a tan and short fiery locks styled so that his head looked like it was actually on fire. He wore black slacks and shoes with a wine-hued dress shirt similar to that of Nuju's own white one. They were dressed like the professionals that they were.

"You're the astrology professor at the college right? Nuju? I'm Vakama. I was just hired to teach a history class there." He held out his hand in greeting and it was taken after the younger one's jaw finally closed. Vakama only smiled.

"I see. Nice to meet you." Nuju offered the seat across from him and it was promptly taken.

Vakama cut straight to the point, not wanting to waste any time. He couldn't really beat around the bush with what he had to say anyway. "Uh, listen, I've actually been looking for you. This may sound strange, but do you remember me? As a . . ." he trailed off, beginning to second guess himself. Maybe there was really no reason to be bringing this up. He never was very good with making decisions.

"Turaga?"

The word bolstered his confidence and the fiery-haired man brightened, surprise showing in his golden eyes. "So you do remember."

Nuju nodded. So they had been able to find each other again after all. "As do you."

"And the stars in that picture? Are they what I think they are?"

The younger felt a smile tug at his lips. "They're Toa spirit stars. They've returned as well."

"But the question is: why?" Vakama inquired, leaning forward on the tabletop so that his whisper could be heard a little clearer. The entire café didn't have to be in on their conversation.

Nuju took the hint. "Maybe we should talk about this somewhere a little more private." His cerulean orbs darted to the window by his side. The sky was clouded and growing darker by the minute. "You can follow me to my place and we'll talk there." He stood once he got his things together, gesturing for the other to follow. After his first step, however, an arm wrapped around his waist and he was pulled against a lean chest before his lips were caught up in a breathtaking kiss, and though they were in different bodies, it was just as he remembered.

When Vakama had had his fill of the other's coffee-laced and deliciously tasty mouth, he pulled away grinning from ear to ear. "I've wanted to do that again for a very long time."

The silver-haired male just stood there, flustered and trying to put together a coherent sentence. He failed miserably and instead chose to grab Vakama's hand and pull him from the coffee shop, the other patrons not even noticing the scene. When they were outside, Nuju turned back around, yet his head was lowered and a glare reflected off his glasses, effectively hiding his eyes. "So then, you remember that too? You still . . ." his blush deepened.

"Of course. How could I not?" Golden orbs were nothing less than sincere as he leaned in and whispered, "Love transcends all barriers. That's what you taught me, was it not?"

Indeed, in that far off past of a life, Nuju had mentioned that saying and was thankful that he had. He pulled the elder down and locked their lips once again, hands fisted in the ruby shirt almost desperately. Old feelings were given new life and sweet passion fueled their heated exchange. All thoughts of a discussion involving the appearance of the new stars promptly flew out the window and was now the farthest thing from their minds. Reuniting with long lost lovers tends to do that to people.

When they were finally able to make it to Nuju's home, there weren't many other words exchanged between them. There didn't need to be. It felt just as perfect as it did back then and that's all that mattered.

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"So, about those stars, what do you think they mean?" The sun shone brightly through the gap between the white curtains of the kitchen window, telling them that it was a bit late in the day for them to barely be having breakfast, but they had a long night so it mattered not to them. Vakama sat at the simple four-cornered table, which was white as well seeing as Nuju wasn't one for color, and watched as the meal was prepared. A leisurely smile turned his lips, eyes tracking the other's slender body, clad in loose fitting pajamas, like a predator would its prey.

The cerulean-eyed male didn't turn to look at the other while he gave his reply, choosing instead to concentrate on the eggs frying in the pan atop his stove. "Maybe the Toa have been reborn as well and there is a need for them once again. Something really bad must have happened after we," he swallowed, a lump forming in his throat, "passed on." That final blurry image of the Toa of Ice looking at him with disbelief written on his normally emotionless façade was as fresh in his mind as if it had happened only the day before.

Vakama too had to fight back the memory of the Toa of Fire fighting so frantically to get to him—to save him—for it was too painful to recall. "So they weren't able to complete their destiny and were given another chance; is that what you're saying?"

A nod was his answer. "That seems like the most likely possibility. It would also explain the return of our memories of that time. They needed us back then, they'll need us now. We just have to get in touch with the others and figure out how we're going to do this, as well as why it all happened in the first place."

"Makuta? You think he's back too?"

"We can only pray that he's not."

Their outlook on the situation became grim after that and they ate their meal in silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts. The last thing they wanted was for the master of shadows to have returned with them, or any other evil for that matter.

"Keep an eye out for them in your classes. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll come to us." The ruby-haired one offered as Nuju took their empty plates to the sink, finally fed up with the quiet.

"Right," was the lackluster reply.

Vakama wasn't pleased with this. He stood and walked over, wrapping his arms around his love's thin waist from behind and placing a kiss on an exposed collarbone. "What's wrong?"

Nuju relished in the heat the other provided him. "Nothing. Just thinking is all. They went through a lot you know, and we weren't even there for all of it. Some of it may be too painful for them to take."

"Then we'll be there to help them through it, and they'll have each other. You know what a great team they made despite their differences." Golden orbs lit up as his retort was met with agreement and his mouth continued up the pale neck before him, eliciting a sigh of encouragement.

Nuju turned his head to meet the wandering lips. "I really missed this you know. Ever since my memories came back to me, all I could think of was being in your arms again."

"It was the same for me. When I heard you were on the teaching staff, you wouldn't believe how shocked and excited I was. I saw you in the window of that café and I knew right away it was you. Our destinies brought us together, once again proving that we were meant to be." Vakama nuzzled the younger one's neck fondly. "We still have a long road ahead of us. You ready for this?"

The silver-haired man smiled and though he knew it was cliché, responded with, "As long as you're with me, I'll be ready for whatever fate has in store."

Lips met in another bout of affection and their afternoon ended up being spent much like their night—in the confines of Nuju's bedroom.

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A/N: Well, there ya go. Hope you liked! Please review! I'll put up StO so that you can figure out what's going on sooner if you do. XD

Also, I've created a Yahoo!Group called Bionicle Slash. Can you guess what it's for? Yes, it's for archiving Bionicle fan fiction featuring yaoi, slash, and/or shounen-ai. If you're interested, come join. I'll have my fics up there as well, even the unedited versions of some, meaning there's lemons there that cannot be viewed here because of new (Or should I now say old?) policy. Want to see? The link's in my profile since it won't show up here.