heeeeeey greed, soooo funny story
remember that creepy red guy I was talking about?? the one u told me i should try to avoid???
turns out it's a lot harder than i thought it'd be!! lol
but dont worry, i was way more aggressive this time. i probably couldve gone claws out, but then he whipped out this ugly little flier and i kind of felt sorry for the guy and decided to hear him out
turns out he has a little radio station and he asked me to ask YOU if you'd be interested in buying ad time for the nest. he might SUCK, but getting the word out doesnt hurt, right?
...he also asked me and vel to audition, and now that i think about it??? i prooooobably should've questioned how he knew so much stuff about me. i keep forgetting im not famous anymore, knowing that kinda stuff should be weird, right????
aaaanyway, i'll attach this hot mess and leave it up to u! see you laterrr <3
ATTACHMENT:
graphicdesignismypassion.img
remember that creepy red guy I was talking about?? the one u told me i should try to avoid???
turns out it's a lot harder than i thought it'd be!! lol
but dont worry, i was way more aggressive this time. i probably couldve gone claws out, but then he whipped out this ugly little flier and i kind of felt sorry for the guy and decided to hear him out
turns out he has a little radio station and he asked me to ask YOU if you'd be interested in buying ad time for the nest. he might SUCK, but getting the word out doesnt hurt, right?
...he also asked me and vel to audition, and now that i think about it??? i prooooobably should've questioned how he knew so much stuff about me. i keep forgetting im not famous anymore, knowing that kinda stuff should be weird, right????
aaaanyway, i'll attach this hot mess and leave it up to u! see you laterrr <3
ATTACHMENT:
graphicdesignismypassion.img
is that right ? glad you could keep it ciivil. not need to make it messy if ya dont have to
[It takes a bit for him to figure out just how to look at the image. But when he does? Oh, oh: does that pique his interest.]
me huh? guess word's got out abut opening night. havent even met the guy yet. how much was he askin for?
[Nevermind that this Alastor, whoever he is, seems to have his connections. He can appreciate a man like that.]
wouldnt hurt but keep certain things to yourself hmn? information's just as good as money. sometimes moreso. better to not give it all away for free dont ya think?
but i'll see how much he's askin'. could end up workig well for us
[It takes a bit for him to figure out just how to look at the image. But when he does? Oh, oh: does that pique his interest.]
me huh? guess word's got out abut opening night. havent even met the guy yet. how much was he askin for?
[Nevermind that this Alastor, whoever he is, seems to have his connections. He can appreciate a man like that.]
wouldnt hurt but keep certain things to yourself hmn? information's just as good as money. sometimes moreso. better to not give it all away for free dont ya think?
but i'll see how much he's askin'. could end up workig well for us
[This has been a pretty stupid night.
Even Velvet has to admit, maybe, a little tiny bit, that she's maybe, just maybe, fucked up a tiny little bit somewhere in the past few hours. Mostly, she's fucked up by leaving her key in Veneer's room, in her head. But really, she's fucked up a lot, and even if she doesn't want to admit that at all actually, there's a tiny, awful little feeling pulling at the back of her mind.
Velvet doesn't have much of anyone to confide fears to— no, she does, people would listen, but Velvet doesn't confide fear, let alone rarely feels it. So it's surprising even to her that after she's hung up on Angel and swapped a few texts with Val, she actually clicks through when she sees Greed's name on the directory.]
quick q
are you busy?
Even Velvet has to admit, maybe, a little tiny bit, that she's maybe, just maybe, fucked up a tiny little bit somewhere in the past few hours. Mostly, she's fucked up by leaving her key in Veneer's room, in her head. But really, she's fucked up a lot, and even if she doesn't want to admit that at all actually, there's a tiny, awful little feeling pulling at the back of her mind.
Velvet doesn't have much of anyone to confide fears to— no, she does, people would listen, but Velvet doesn't confide fear, let alone rarely feels it. So it's surprising even to her that after she's hung up on Angel and swapped a few texts with Val, she actually clicks through when she sees Greed's name on the directory.]
quick q
are you busy?
[He's deep in the 'Nest's basement when he sees the phone light up; its blue-white ping a stark contrast to the dim, barely working lamp hanging in the center of the room. Greed wipes his palms on his thighs before grabbing the device off the nearest crate he tossed it onto.]
[Huh.]
not rreally. just finishin some wiring in the basment [He'll skip the fact the he may or may not have been electrocuted twice in the process.] why you got somthin in mind?
[Huh.]
not rreally. just finishin some wiring in the basment [He'll skip the fact the he may or may not have been electrocuted twice in the process.] why you got somthin in mind?
[ SO. After a little something happened, Verosika took it upon herself to do the adult thing and get absolutely plastered. So, should he pick up, he'll be treated to booming music and her chugging the last of the contents of her flask before slamming it down on the bar top. Judging by the small army of empty shot glasses stacked up on the bar next to her, she's been at this awhile.
She squints her eyes, lips twisting up into a familiar smile. ]
You're missing a hell of an afterparty.
[ Some close talker dips into the frame, trying to lean his head against her shoulder so she scowls and shoves him off his bar stool. Not tonight, Satan! Once that's said and done, she looks back down at her phone. She's swaying a tad but the most noticeable thing is the telltale signs that she's been crying. Holding up two fingers, she's given two more shots. ]
Commitment is overrated, wouldn't you say, Greed?
[ She laughs but there's no humor behind it, then slams both shots. ]
If I'd figured that out sooner, I wouldn't have this fucking tattoo. [ But a second later, she's grinning into the phone. Okay, so she might be beyond plastered. ]
She squints her eyes, lips twisting up into a familiar smile. ]
You're missing a hell of an afterparty.
[ Some close talker dips into the frame, trying to lean his head against her shoulder so she scowls and shoves him off his bar stool. Not tonight, Satan! Once that's said and done, she looks back down at her phone. She's swaying a tad but the most noticeable thing is the telltale signs that she's been crying. Holding up two fingers, she's given two more shots. ]
Commitment is overrated, wouldn't you say, Greed?
[ She laughs but there's no humor behind it, then slams both shots. ]
If I'd figured that out sooner, I wouldn't have this fucking tattoo. [ But a second later, she's grinning into the phone. Okay, so she might be beyond plastered. ]
[He's at his usual (working on the 'Nest, fixing up some details, counting out the inventory for opening day) when the phone goes off. It lights up like a signal in the gloom. Someone, somewhere, is trying to reach him.]
[What he doesn't expect is Verosika. Verosika looking like a night of celebration quickly turned the tables on her and beat her right down into the curb.]
[Greed flips the video on. Behind him, the iron bars of Kamora's fighting cage look like a prison in neglect. Pecks of rust bite along the metal, making flakes of crude paint curl back and break when he rests his elbow on them.] Sorry, had a bit of business to take care of, lovely. Nothing against the party, but you know how things go.
[Without his sunglasses, his eyes are open and naked to the phone's onslaught. Moreso, they're honest. He doesn't hide how he's looking at the shots as they pile up. But it could be nothing. It could just be her having a good time. However, as he squints, the telltale signs of a worse-case scenario begin to become more and more clear.]
[Greed pushes himself off the cage, causing it rattle lonely behind him.] Can't say you're wrong, but - [He grabs his vest off a folding chair as he passes it by - his claws clipping the fur collar as gentle as a parental crocodile.] - ehh. Just never seen the point of it. The mortal lot get so caught up in the idea. Marriage, starting a family, having only one person forever. Kind of seems like a waste, doesn't it?
[Ah, then there's that. His tattoo came with his making - he didn't have a choice. But hers was a decision. Something to remember a sweet lover by, to mark her, to close the deal and seal it.]
[The thing about sweet lovers, though: they're sweet until they're not. Those whispered words, kind promises, tender moments, eventually rotting into nothing. Or worse, biting back and cutting deep enough that they leave an unwanted memory.]
[Greed dips his head under a doorframe and heads into an empty hallway.] Don't sell yourself so short. [The bulbs in the basement throw him in a low light and every shadow robs his face, turning his eyes red then back again as he slinks on through.] Some people just don't know what they're missing.
[He gets to the foot of the stairs and pauses.] Where are ya? The places around here charge too much for absolute dog shit. Not that I can blame them. [The Sin's lip teases a smile, though faint.] I'll bring you here. We aren't open, so we'll just count it as a write off.
[His new accountant is probably going to kill him just for that. But it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, the 'Nest is his. His kingdom, his turf.]
[And he'll wear the crown in every which way he pleases.]
[What he doesn't expect is Verosika. Verosika looking like a night of celebration quickly turned the tables on her and beat her right down into the curb.]
[Greed flips the video on. Behind him, the iron bars of Kamora's fighting cage look like a prison in neglect. Pecks of rust bite along the metal, making flakes of crude paint curl back and break when he rests his elbow on them.] Sorry, had a bit of business to take care of, lovely. Nothing against the party, but you know how things go.
[Without his sunglasses, his eyes are open and naked to the phone's onslaught. Moreso, they're honest. He doesn't hide how he's looking at the shots as they pile up. But it could be nothing. It could just be her having a good time. However, as he squints, the telltale signs of a worse-case scenario begin to become more and more clear.]
[Greed pushes himself off the cage, causing it rattle lonely behind him.] Can't say you're wrong, but - [He grabs his vest off a folding chair as he passes it by - his claws clipping the fur collar as gentle as a parental crocodile.] - ehh. Just never seen the point of it. The mortal lot get so caught up in the idea. Marriage, starting a family, having only one person forever. Kind of seems like a waste, doesn't it?
[Ah, then there's that. His tattoo came with his making - he didn't have a choice. But hers was a decision. Something to remember a sweet lover by, to mark her, to close the deal and seal it.]
[The thing about sweet lovers, though: they're sweet until they're not. Those whispered words, kind promises, tender moments, eventually rotting into nothing. Or worse, biting back and cutting deep enough that they leave an unwanted memory.]
[Greed dips his head under a doorframe and heads into an empty hallway.] Don't sell yourself so short. [The bulbs in the basement throw him in a low light and every shadow robs his face, turning his eyes red then back again as he slinks on through.] Some people just don't know what they're missing.
[He gets to the foot of the stairs and pauses.] Where are ya? The places around here charge too much for absolute dog shit. Not that I can blame them. [The Sin's lip teases a smile, though faint.] I'll bring you here. We aren't open, so we'll just count it as a write off.
[His new accountant is probably going to kill him just for that. But it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, the 'Nest is his. His kingdom, his turf.]
[And he'll wear the crown in every which way he pleases.]
➥ Action (CW: nudity and general pillow talk activities)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darlingdraculina
2024-05-01 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[How long will he tolerate her jingling his horn bling before he tells her off? She's not necessarily trying to test his patience, but they've already done the fucking around part, so naturally the "find out" portion will follow. Though surely putting up with her playing with his jewelry is an equivalent enough exchange for getting to test the plushness of her pillows, isn't it?]
...You're ridiculous, you know. [Says the one having a blast trying to play some kind of tune with the very thing she's poking fun at. Seras snickers teasingly, blinking slow and lazy like a well-fed cat lounging in the sun, watching the sin nestled so cozily in the warmth of her bosom for any sign of life. He doesn't have to sleep, sure, but that doesn't mean he can't be drained.]
Did you always decorate yourself like some sort of king?
[It would make sense, he is Greed, after all. The picture book in her mind's eye is imagining him sitting among piles of gold, decked out in jewelry and crowns and rings... so basically like he is now, but for some reason in a golden toga? She doesn't have a great idea of the era he comes from, just that he's old okay- maybe he was a Roman emporer or something!]
...You're ridiculous, you know. [Says the one having a blast trying to play some kind of tune with the very thing she's poking fun at. Seras snickers teasingly, blinking slow and lazy like a well-fed cat lounging in the sun, watching the sin nestled so cozily in the warmth of her bosom for any sign of life. He doesn't have to sleep, sure, but that doesn't mean he can't be drained.]
Did you always decorate yourself like some sort of king?
[It would make sense, he is Greed, after all. The picture book in her mind's eye is imagining him sitting among piles of gold, decked out in jewelry and crowns and rings... so basically like he is now, but for some reason in a golden toga? She doesn't have a great idea of the era he comes from, just that he's old okay- maybe he was a Roman emporer or something!]
[It's been two weeks since the 'Nest opened, and a lot has changed, hasn't it? Not in terms of anything ground breaking, but there's more of a routine now. A comfort. Sure, not all of his possessions employees are rubbing elbows and chumming it up. Yet, a sense of belonging is starting to form. A little pit of criminals, thieves, outcasts, and all others taking their part of Hell and making it their very own.]
[Greed guides a half-smoked cigarette into his mouth and sucks at it, turning the tip a bright orange.] Mn. Don't know what you're talking about, Seras. [Smoke spools off his teeth when he talks, making shapes that twist and hang like phantoms leaving the scene. The former homunculus lets his arm hang off the bed as he taps a bit of ash into a tray on the floor.] I'm just me. You should know already that I'm not the sort to hold anything back.
[His smile breaks the fumes, cutting them to shreds that skirt and skate away. Greed stretches his legs, forcing his toes to splay out and his claws to stretch like a cat soaking lazily in the sun.] Ah, no. Not exactly. A lot of that came when I got here. [To clarify, he taps the gem in the center of his forehead.] Can't complain about it, though. Least our friends have good taste.
[He takes another thoughtful drag, forcing the burn to pillow in his throat. He probably should have asked before lighting one up, but old habits and all. The Sin takes one last pull before shoving the butt into the tray, smearing it fresh with a thin line of tar.]
[Greed guides a half-smoked cigarette into his mouth and sucks at it, turning the tip a bright orange.] Mn. Don't know what you're talking about, Seras. [Smoke spools off his teeth when he talks, making shapes that twist and hang like phantoms leaving the scene. The former homunculus lets his arm hang off the bed as he taps a bit of ash into a tray on the floor.] I'm just me. You should know already that I'm not the sort to hold anything back.
[His smile breaks the fumes, cutting them to shreds that skirt and skate away. Greed stretches his legs, forcing his toes to splay out and his claws to stretch like a cat soaking lazily in the sun.] Ah, no. Not exactly. A lot of that came when I got here. [To clarify, he taps the gem in the center of his forehead.] Can't complain about it, though. Least our friends have good taste.
[He takes another thoughtful drag, forcing the burn to pillow in his throat. He probably should have asked before lighting one up, but old habits and all. The Sin takes one last pull before shoving the butt into the tray, smearing it fresh with a thin line of tar.]
Edited (BECAUSE I CAN'T READ...) 2024-05-04 14:18 (UTC)
[She wins and what does she win - ?]
[Well, for a while, it's no answer from him. Because he's laughing. Laughing and howling and holy shit.]
[Well, for a while, it's no answer from him. Because he's laughing. Laughing and howling and holy shit.]
putting this here for later or whenever, i just need a placeholder before i forget lmao
applesolutely
2024-06-19 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
I want to apologize for the other day.
Before you say I don't need to, I still feel bad for worrying you like that. I'm fine now. All healed up and ready to keep being a prime annoyance to everyone I know at all times!
Before you say I don't need to, I still feel bad for worrying you like that. I'm fine now. All healed up and ready to keep being a prime annoyance to everyone I know at all times!
[When the Sin looks at his phone, he's surprised. What?]
you dont need to do that. and don't feel bad all right ? avarice runs a little deep is all. should have watched that. ah well
[But something about that other line: it still doesn't sit right. Just what kind of Hell did these people come from that their self-worth is so damn low?]
oi oi. knock that off would ya? that annoyance talk. doesn't suit ya. youre better than that. besides youre the king of hell remember? if anyone's got a problem with that then they dont know what theyre missin
you dont need to do that. and don't feel bad all right ? avarice runs a little deep is all. should have watched that. ah well
[But something about that other line: it still doesn't sit right. Just what kind of Hell did these people come from that their self-worth is so damn low?]
oi oi. knock that off would ya? that annoyance talk. doesn't suit ya. youre better than that. besides youre the king of hell remember? if anyone's got a problem with that then they dont know what theyre missin
muffled hozier's it will come back playing in the distance
applesolutely
- 2024-06-20 02:21 (UTC) - Expand
[Why are you calling/texting the cat? What possessed you to do this? Ah well. Your funeral.]
[Anyway, the outgoing message is just a lot of drumming:]
-.-- . ... / -- . .- - ... .- -.-. -.- ..--..
Edited 2024-06-20 22:24 (UTC)
You really do like the acerbic nicknames, huh?
Anyway! Tuna or salmon?
Anyway! Tuna or salmon?
got that too did you ? this nights just been full of surprises huh
[ near closing time on the day of her arrival, she is typing away on her phone.. ]
Guess who’s back in this shithole
You at work? I need a drink, an ear and possibly a weapon. They put me in Heaven, Greed
Me! Verosika fucking Mayday in Heaven
I’m gonna make their lives so miserable
Guess who’s back in this shithole
You at work? I need a drink, an ear and possibly a weapon. They put me in Heaven, Greed
Me! Verosika fucking Mayday in Heaven
I’m gonna make their lives so miserable
Edited 2024-07-01 16:07 (UTC)
[Greed's busy cleaning up the bar for the night when he hears his phone go off. At first, he thinks nothing of it. Then, he sees the name.]
[And a smile splits across his face.]
was wondering when they'd bring you back here. y'know it hasn't been the same without you
where else would i be? but ya caught me at a good time. the rest of em have already fucked off for the night. whats your poison? i'll get it ready for ya. sounds like you could use the favor
[A beat.]
i got a spare jacket in the back that might suit you. y'know how they get down here with the angelic types
[And a smile splits across his face.]
was wondering when they'd bring you back here. y'know it hasn't been the same without you
where else would i be? but ya caught me at a good time. the rest of em have already fucked off for the night. whats your poison? i'll get it ready for ya. sounds like you could use the favor
[A beat.]
i got a spare jacket in the back that might suit you. y'know how they get down here with the angelic types
? not busy enough i can't make the time. being a little demanding there princess
something happen ?
yeah sure but youre gunna have to give me a little bit of a hint here
something happen ?
yeah sure but youre gunna have to give me a little bit of a hint here
[He's having a great time, really. He's glad to be taking this time to bitch and booze and bond with his brother, super hype that he got invited along at all, but boy oh boy is he too sober for the conversation they're having.]
I just don't know how you keep up with it all. I can barely handle one. And now I have to care about two and one of them doesn't even fucking like me? It's bullshit!
[Scrubbing his face roughly with a hot rag, like it will scrub away all his annoying ass thoughts.]
How much do you have to drink before you get drunk? Because I need like, twice that and I don't know if you brought that much.
I just don't know how you keep up with it all. I can barely handle one. And now I have to care about two and one of them doesn't even fucking like me? It's bullshit!
[Scrubbing his face roughly with a hot rag, like it will scrub away all his annoying ass thoughts.]
How much do you have to drink before you get drunk? Because I need like, twice that and I don't know if you brought that much.
[There is a very good reason he does work for Ella of the Cackle Sisters.]
[Sure, the place is located in the sewer. But when has that ever stopped him? The sewers here, just as they were in Dublith, are a second home to him. And Ella always keeps her little hole in the wall as clean as possible.]
[Tonight however, he's off the clock.]
[Greed leans into the opposite corner of the hot tub as he stretches out his legs. Free of his boots, his raptor feet splay open like a cat waking from a mid-noon nap; their sharp points grinding shrill.] Mn? Ah, the people here, you mean. [The former homunculus lifts one of his hands up from the side of the tub. He has a cigar this time, and it's wrapped in at least two $200 bills.]
It's always been that way with me, Envy. You know that better than anyone. I'm Greed, remember? [He opens one of his eyes, shooting a half-hooded glance over to his would-be brother.] It's kind of the whole point.
[He pauses to take a couple of puffs from the cigar. For a while, he savors the burn of it, the taste; it's coppery in the way a penny may be. A penny that has been cooked to a simmer and left to skip and pop in the bottom of a frying pan.]
[When he releases, he does so in rings of smoke.] We can't. Believe me, I've tried. But I really don't think liquor is going to help that little problem of yours. [Still, he reaches around with his tail to snag the handle of scotch he's brought with them. He lifts it and slowly hovers it Envy's way.]
Everything about this doesn't matter. I don't get it. Just because you have one thing, it doesn't make another worth any less.
[Sure, the place is located in the sewer. But when has that ever stopped him? The sewers here, just as they were in Dublith, are a second home to him. And Ella always keeps her little hole in the wall as clean as possible.]
[Tonight however, he's off the clock.]
[Greed leans into the opposite corner of the hot tub as he stretches out his legs. Free of his boots, his raptor feet splay open like a cat waking from a mid-noon nap; their sharp points grinding shrill.] Mn? Ah, the people here, you mean. [The former homunculus lifts one of his hands up from the side of the tub. He has a cigar this time, and it's wrapped in at least two $200 bills.]
It's always been that way with me, Envy. You know that better than anyone. I'm Greed, remember? [He opens one of his eyes, shooting a half-hooded glance over to his would-be brother.] It's kind of the whole point.
[He pauses to take a couple of puffs from the cigar. For a while, he savors the burn of it, the taste; it's coppery in the way a penny may be. A penny that has been cooked to a simmer and left to skip and pop in the bottom of a frying pan.]
[When he releases, he does so in rings of smoke.] We can't. Believe me, I've tried. But I really don't think liquor is going to help that little problem of yours. [Still, he reaches around with his tail to snag the handle of scotch he's brought with them. He lifts it and slowly hovers it Envy's way.]
Everything about this doesn't matter. I don't get it. Just because you have one thing, it doesn't make another worth any less.
[He doesn't make his way to the Garden that often, but when he does, it's usually to check the goings-on. See what's new, what's changed, what sort of bullshit might be up to bat this time.]
[So to say he isn't prepared for what he finds would be the understatement of the century.]
[The first thing he notices is the blood. And at first, it seems inconsequential. Someone, somewhere, had a scuffle maybe. That's not unheard of. But then, as he continues, there's more of it. More of it, and red isn't the only color spending its evening on the ground, is it?]
[He's moving faster than he realizes, his heels tearing up grass and dirt like they're nothing. Gold is a color he knows quite intimately. Even before here, he knew the color. It's a rich one. An expensive one. A shade made for emperors and kings and isn't it something he's always, always craved.]
["Greed - "]
[He doesn't acknowledge how the ground squishes underneath him. That ship's already left port. Because what he sees? What he sees makes the air (the air that should be clean, cool, crisp but isn't) catch behind his teeth.]
[It's carnage. Pure, horrible, gut-churning carnage, and if he wasn't a creature used to it, he probably would have been sick at the sight. Blood, a spin of red and gold, saturates all that is green like a black stroke cutting through a half-finished painting. It's final in the way all things like this are final. Something happened, something happened, and what the fuck happened.]
[Greed doesn't remember when he picks up the bodies (the pieces of bodies), but he does feel them in his arms: a weight of too many wings gone limp, the pulse of shadows beating like a bundle of headless snakes desperate for life, the very head they crave. A head sewn shut and silenced forever. It should all be a lot heavier, part of him distantly thinks. But that part of him is hard to reach and as the static fills his skull, all that he truly hears is his lonesome, rattlesnake warning.]
["Hey Greed - "]
[He's running again, as he's always done. Running with a core that screams where he can't. Through Hell's hotel lobby he goes, ignoring any protests or yelps that may be thrown in his direction. The "Hey sir - " and "Sir!" all going in one ear and out the other.]
[The Sin gets to his door, the door to his room, and immediately kicks it open. The impact alone is enough to make the frame of it crack and as the deadbolt splinters, he wildly makes his way inside. There's no lights on, and that suits him just fine. Better to do this all in the dark, anyway.]
[What's left of the entrance whines shut behind him, cutting off the light from the hallway.]
[So to say he isn't prepared for what he finds would be the understatement of the century.]
[The first thing he notices is the blood. And at first, it seems inconsequential. Someone, somewhere, had a scuffle maybe. That's not unheard of. But then, as he continues, there's more of it. More of it, and red isn't the only color spending its evening on the ground, is it?]
[He's moving faster than he realizes, his heels tearing up grass and dirt like they're nothing. Gold is a color he knows quite intimately. Even before here, he knew the color. It's a rich one. An expensive one. A shade made for emperors and kings and isn't it something he's always, always craved.]
["Greed - "]
[He doesn't acknowledge how the ground squishes underneath him. That ship's already left port. Because what he sees? What he sees makes the air (the air that should be clean, cool, crisp but isn't) catch behind his teeth.]
[It's carnage. Pure, horrible, gut-churning carnage, and if he wasn't a creature used to it, he probably would have been sick at the sight. Blood, a spin of red and gold, saturates all that is green like a black stroke cutting through a half-finished painting. It's final in the way all things like this are final. Something happened, something happened, and what the fuck happened.]
[Greed doesn't remember when he picks up the bodies (the pieces of bodies), but he does feel them in his arms: a weight of too many wings gone limp, the pulse of shadows beating like a bundle of headless snakes desperate for life, the very head they crave. A head sewn shut and silenced forever. It should all be a lot heavier, part of him distantly thinks. But that part of him is hard to reach and as the static fills his skull, all that he truly hears is his lonesome, rattlesnake warning.]
["Hey Greed - "]
[He's running again, as he's always done. Running with a core that screams where he can't. Through Hell's hotel lobby he goes, ignoring any protests or yelps that may be thrown in his direction. The "Hey sir - " and "Sir!" all going in one ear and out the other.]
[The Sin gets to his door, the door to his room, and immediately kicks it open. The impact alone is enough to make the frame of it crack and as the deadbolt splinters, he wildly makes his way inside. There's no lights on, and that suits him just fine. Better to do this all in the dark, anyway.]
[What's left of the entrance whines shut behind him, cutting off the light from the hallway.]
[In the end, he leaves Alastor (what little is left of him anyway) and Lucifer on the cool, red leather of his sofa.]
[And he watches. Watches and waits while a silent curl of smoke twists about his face.]
[Regenerate.]
[Greed's eyes narrow. He doesn't even notice the blood on his hands anymore nor the smears of it now slapped across his face. All he knows is the burn of his sixth? Seventh? Eighth? Cigarette as it turns cherry red in the dark of the hotel room.]
[Regenerate.]
[He's stark still for what feels like minutes, but is probably hours. And nothing happens. No sparks crackle to life, no weird magic breathes in to wipe the whole scene clean. Just nothing. Nothing, save the cruel drip of blood slowly soaking into the floorboards below. It'll be a stain that will stay for some time. A little reminder that even here, he can be stolen from so easily.]
[The former homunculus pulls himself out of his chair and drops the burnt end of a filter to the floor. He tips his heel numbly into it, angrily grinding it to dust.]
["What a second, Greed - "]
[He hears the voice finally. An echo of a prince in the back of his skull, begging for his honesty.]
[Greed's face shifts before he can stop it. His jaw grinds together, his lips pull back. Like this, he takes on the look of an animal; of a wolf with elongating teeth and electric in its mouth that runs as red as the awful monster he was made to be. Heaven, Hell - they wouldn't dare, would they? They wouldn't fucking dare - ]
[He's reminded again of loss. Of loss, of the inability to do a damn thing, about theft. And as the Sin slowly closes the gap between himself and the two, lifeless bodies slouched in front of him, his fingers tense into knives.]
[He stops short of Alastor and Lucifer, his body looming like a terrible and wicked omen.]
Yeah. [He says, and his voice is dead in his throat.] Yeah, sorry. That's not how this works.
[It's in his nature to take what he can. And take, he does. Small trinkets, little keepsakes. Whatever he can have off the bodies, he pockets away. These are two people he considers ... what? Does he actually have a fucking right to call them his friends? To call them his? No, he doesn't. But that's the thing with avarice, isn't it. It's irrational. An irrational and wild thing that burns so hot, it'll take the whole god damn world with it.]
[But he's careful with them. Privacy, tenderness, respect: these are things he understands when it comes to the dead. No need to make things worse than they already are.]
[When he's done, the former homunculus grabs a sheet to try to cover up the worst of the carnage (well, as best he can). No doubt, despite how he may try, the people who care for Alastor and Lucifer will likely want to see what's left of them one, last time. So, he wraps up what remains (while mindfully setting Alastor's head in his own lap). He can't hide that truth from anyone, no matter how much he may want to.]
[When he gets to Lucifer (to that face he's seen awkwardly smile and laugh and try to be something more than what another Hell gave him), he stops completely still again. His nails hover (dangerous, cutting) before he brings them into his mouth, licks them clean, and gingerly tries (with no luck) to wipe away whatever blood is left on the devil's cheek.]
[Greed hisses to the silence. Using claws that barely work, he makes the viewing scene as kind as possible. Then, he simply stands and takes two steps back. Two, heavy steps that bang off like death bells knocking.]
[A strike of a match brings the whole thing into an eerie, funeral-parlor light, and he places another cigarette into his mouth.] A deal. [The Sin feels out his mouth with his tongue, tasting nicotine that's as bitter as bile.] Fine. Suit yourself. You should have known better anyway, hmn? Morningstar. [He runs his hands down the fronts of his thighs, plastering them in a rinse of gold and red that runs faint against the black leather of his pants. The metaphor, of course, is lost on him.]
[Greed turns around and shoves two of his hands into his pockets. The hotel room is a mess, and it's only going to get worse. But first, he makes three phone calls.]
[And if days from now, this room is abandoned? If the walls have been torn to shreds, if there's glass and broken pieces strung about? Well, at least then, maybe they'll all get the fucking message.]
[A creature that wants more, that craves more, will always collect on what's due.]
[There will be two boxes at the hotel's front desk. One addressed to a Miss Charlie Morningstar and Oz, and another, Acht. They'll contain whatever little reminders he could grab off the bodies. The box for Charlie and Oz has been wrapped up in his vest with a note:]
You don't know me, but your Dadwas is a friend of mine.
The Devil's Nest is open. Ask for anyone there. If you need something, go there. Any one of them will take care of you. I'm going to find some answers.
There's no such thing as no such thing and nothing's impossible. Keep that in mind. I'll let you know what I find.
- Greed
[But the Sin in question will make himself very, very scarce. He has business to do and answers to get. And while he'll get none of them, he's said it before, right?]
["There's nothing wrong with too much hope."]
[And he watches. Watches and waits while a silent curl of smoke twists about his face.]
[Regenerate.]
[Greed's eyes narrow. He doesn't even notice the blood on his hands anymore nor the smears of it now slapped across his face. All he knows is the burn of his sixth? Seventh? Eighth? Cigarette as it turns cherry red in the dark of the hotel room.]
[Regenerate.]
[He's stark still for what feels like minutes, but is probably hours. And nothing happens. No sparks crackle to life, no weird magic breathes in to wipe the whole scene clean. Just nothing. Nothing, save the cruel drip of blood slowly soaking into the floorboards below. It'll be a stain that will stay for some time. A little reminder that even here, he can be stolen from so easily.]
[The former homunculus pulls himself out of his chair and drops the burnt end of a filter to the floor. He tips his heel numbly into it, angrily grinding it to dust.]
["What a second, Greed - "]
[He hears the voice finally. An echo of a prince in the back of his skull, begging for his honesty.]
[Greed's face shifts before he can stop it. His jaw grinds together, his lips pull back. Like this, he takes on the look of an animal; of a wolf with elongating teeth and electric in its mouth that runs as red as the awful monster he was made to be. Heaven, Hell - they wouldn't dare, would they? They wouldn't fucking dare - ]
[He's reminded again of loss. Of loss, of the inability to do a damn thing, about theft. And as the Sin slowly closes the gap between himself and the two, lifeless bodies slouched in front of him, his fingers tense into knives.]
[He stops short of Alastor and Lucifer, his body looming like a terrible and wicked omen.]
Yeah. [He says, and his voice is dead in his throat.] Yeah, sorry. That's not how this works.
[It's in his nature to take what he can. And take, he does. Small trinkets, little keepsakes. Whatever he can have off the bodies, he pockets away. These are two people he considers ... what? Does he actually have a fucking right to call them his friends? To call them his? No, he doesn't. But that's the thing with avarice, isn't it. It's irrational. An irrational and wild thing that burns so hot, it'll take the whole god damn world with it.]
[But he's careful with them. Privacy, tenderness, respect: these are things he understands when it comes to the dead. No need to make things worse than they already are.]
[When he's done, the former homunculus grabs a sheet to try to cover up the worst of the carnage (well, as best he can). No doubt, despite how he may try, the people who care for Alastor and Lucifer will likely want to see what's left of them one, last time. So, he wraps up what remains (while mindfully setting Alastor's head in his own lap). He can't hide that truth from anyone, no matter how much he may want to.]
[When he gets to Lucifer (to that face he's seen awkwardly smile and laugh and try to be something more than what another Hell gave him), he stops completely still again. His nails hover (dangerous, cutting) before he brings them into his mouth, licks them clean, and gingerly tries (with no luck) to wipe away whatever blood is left on the devil's cheek.]
[Greed hisses to the silence. Using claws that barely work, he makes the viewing scene as kind as possible. Then, he simply stands and takes two steps back. Two, heavy steps that bang off like death bells knocking.]
[A strike of a match brings the whole thing into an eerie, funeral-parlor light, and he places another cigarette into his mouth.] A deal. [The Sin feels out his mouth with his tongue, tasting nicotine that's as bitter as bile.] Fine. Suit yourself. You should have known better anyway, hmn? Morningstar. [He runs his hands down the fronts of his thighs, plastering them in a rinse of gold and red that runs faint against the black leather of his pants. The metaphor, of course, is lost on him.]
[Greed turns around and shoves two of his hands into his pockets. The hotel room is a mess, and it's only going to get worse. But first, he makes three phone calls.]
[And if days from now, this room is abandoned? If the walls have been torn to shreds, if there's glass and broken pieces strung about? Well, at least then, maybe they'll all get the fucking message.]
[A creature that wants more, that craves more, will always collect on what's due.]
[There will be two boxes at the hotel's front desk. One addressed to a Miss Charlie Morningstar and Oz, and another, Acht. They'll contain whatever little reminders he could grab off the bodies. The box for Charlie and Oz has been wrapped up in his vest with a note:]
You don't know me, but your Dad
The Devil's Nest is open. Ask for anyone there. If you need something, go there. Any one of them will take care of you. I'm going to find some answers.
There's no such thing as no such thing and nothing's impossible. Keep that in mind. I'll let you know what I find.
- Greed
[But the Sin in question will make himself very, very scarce. He has business to do and answers to get. And while he'll get none of them, he's said it before, right?]
["There's nothing wrong with too much hope."]
[ after this. ]
I may be either unavailable for a period of time or coming to the Nest with company.
Something is going on with Charlie.
I may be either unavailable for a period of time or coming to the Nest with company.
Something is going on with Charlie.
you know you don't have to tell me that right? not being available i mean.
you've got the keys, i've got the time. backrooms are empty and they're yours for the taking. no questions asked.
it's clear for now. except kam but nothing her personal can opener can't fix. i'll let the rest know we're opening late
you've got the keys, i've got the time. backrooms are empty and they're yours for the taking. no questions asked.
it's clear for now. except kam but nothing her personal can opener can't fix. i'll let the rest know we're opening late
Hey man, I’m gonna level with ya. I’m broke as fuck, I don’t like sittin’ around and I need to beat the shit outta someone.
Soo.. [ look, she has never asked for a job in her life. call it the benefits of being part of the En family. immediately, her voice returns to that playful, sing-song tone. ]
You hiring? .. Oh, shit, I’m supposed to hype myself up, right? I can rip a guy‘s arms off and can pick up some heavy shit! Like the angel guy in the cool suit who looks like he hasn’t gotten laid in a while.
Maybe he’s just shy, or his dick is small. Some dudes treat it like a disability. Ah, I’m not here to judge..
Soo.. [ look, she has never asked for a job in her life. call it the benefits of being part of the En family. immediately, her voice returns to that playful, sing-song tone. ]
You hiring? .. Oh, shit, I’m supposed to hype myself up, right? I can rip a guy‘s arms off and can pick up some heavy shit! Like the angel guy in the cool suit who looks like he hasn’t gotten laid in a while.
Maybe he’s just shy, or his dick is small. Some dudes treat it like a disability. Ah, I’m not here to judge..
[When the call comes in, he isn't sure what to expect. He doesn't know Noi as well as he would like, but first impressions? Oh, do they mean a lot. And she he had left one. Not everyone (no one, really) has the balls to come at Kamora like that.]
[So, when the Sin answers, it's with a too-obvious smile on his lips, a pleased hiss behind his teeth, and all the worst things about him.] Funny, I could use more muscle around here. Things being as they are and all.
[Greed circles a glass with his claw, tuning it between the liquor and the ice.] I'm always hiring. It just depends on what you want. Working for me is a little different, chief. [He swallows against one of his teeth, if only to wet his throat.] But no, you already proved yourself the first time we met. Ha - ! You really have a set on ya to say that shit to Kamora.
[Then Noi drops something about an angel (there's only one person that could be), and the former homunculus laughs, really laughs; the sound of it cracking against the phone, echoing against the bar, only to chime back through every single bottle in his collection.]
GAHAHAHA! Oh, next time you see the Accountant, make sure you mention that, hmn? [Because he knows damn well just how much Nanami Kento fucks. But it'd be funny, and they could all use a little more humor around here.]
Come by whenever you're free. [Greed clicks a pen to scribble something down.] And then, we can have a little chat about your employment. Sound fair enough?
[So, when the Sin answers, it's with a too-obvious smile on his lips, a pleased hiss behind his teeth, and all the worst things about him.] Funny, I could use more muscle around here. Things being as they are and all.
[Greed circles a glass with his claw, tuning it between the liquor and the ice.] I'm always hiring. It just depends on what you want. Working for me is a little different, chief. [He swallows against one of his teeth, if only to wet his throat.] But no, you already proved yourself the first time we met. Ha - ! You really have a set on ya to say that shit to Kamora.
[Then Noi drops something about an angel (there's only one person that could be), and the former homunculus laughs, really laughs; the sound of it cracking against the phone, echoing against the bar, only to chime back through every single bottle in his collection.]
GAHAHAHA! Oh, next time you see the Accountant, make sure you mention that, hmn? [Because he knows damn well just how much Nanami Kento fucks. But it'd be funny, and they could all use a little more humor around here.]
Come by whenever you're free. [Greed clicks a pen to scribble something down.] And then, we can have a little chat about your employment. Sound fair enough?
Hello Greed.
It appears I‘ll be sticking around after all. Should you feel the need to bare your soul again, you now know how to reach me.
Pay no attention to the name, I made an error in judgment and let a cherub choose a name for me.
[ in fact, don’t mention it at all. he is in misery. sabotaged by his own team. ]
It appears I‘ll be sticking around after all. Should you feel the need to bare your soul again, you now know how to reach me.
Pay no attention to the name, I made an error in judgment and let a cherub choose a name for me.
[ in fact, don’t mention it at all. he is in misery. sabotaged by his own team. ]
[Sure, this is a text. But that shit-eating grin? That purr? That loathsome hum churning sickly sweet at the back of his throat?]
[They wouldn't be too hard to imagine.]
[And of course, he's assuming, and that makes an ass out of him, but considering their little talk, well.]
blue eyes
this place is sure full of itself isnt it? suppose our little friends there couldnt pass on the opportunity. ha! im almost impressed
wasn't baring anything. dont get it all wrong again. you gave me a story and i gave you part of mine. it was an exchange. nothing more
[It was a little more than that, but like hell is he going to admit anything.]
well that was your first mistake. never trust the ones in charge michael. though goodest boy. HA thats a fucking hoot
[He had to. It's in his nature.]
get settled in. once youre done i'll come find you. i'm gunna guess youre upstairs. that right?
[They wouldn't be too hard to imagine.]
[And of course, he's assuming, and that makes an ass out of him, but considering their little talk, well.]
blue eyes
this place is sure full of itself isnt it? suppose our little friends there couldnt pass on the opportunity. ha! im almost impressed
wasn't baring anything. dont get it all wrong again. you gave me a story and i gave you part of mine. it was an exchange. nothing more
[It was a little more than that, but like hell is he going to admit anything.]
well that was your first mistake. never trust the ones in charge michael. though goodest boy. HA thats a fucking hoot
[He had to. It's in his nature.]
get settled in. once youre done i'll come find you. i'm gunna guess youre upstairs. that right?
Text late August after fighting with Ari and Klaus' arrival
konpeito_aji
2024-08-25 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
Writing this to you because there's no one else I could. I mean, Mitsuhide, but 1) I know what he'd say, 2) it'd be awkward because Kichou is his cousin, they grew up under the same demon king together. 3) he's not even here.
Don't worry about replying, I just need to get it out.
For some reason I couldn't stop thinking of Kichou when Klaus walked away from me. I thought it was only natural. Kichou was almost arranged marriage to me, and I still don't know why he's decided to become the enemy of peace. I sent him to deal with the Ikkou Ikki cult, first time he ever failed anything, and he disappeared. Years later was working black market, which would have been fine, but terrorism and hindering all efforts obviously is not.
But now having an argument with someone different has me thinking about him all over again.
It should be me, right? I'm the one who's being left? But it's also arrogant, even for a demon king, not to let others be granted their own autonomy and responsibility enough to make their decisions like this. Maybe that's why it reminds me of him. Because I can't figure out what to do or say that can ever be adequate. Which goes for always, but especially times like this.
That's it. That's all I had to say.
No wait, one more thing. This whole honest vulnerability, being direct thing sucks.
I just want to be me. I hate trying to walk a tightrope to overanalyze every single word. I'm not good at delicate. I just want to be Godzilla and smash through everything and trample it.
I'm going to punch you for this. At least you're warned.
- 😈👑
Don't worry about replying, I just need to get it out.
For some reason I couldn't stop thinking of Kichou when Klaus walked away from me. I thought it was only natural. Kichou was almost arranged marriage to me, and I still don't know why he's decided to become the enemy of peace. I sent him to deal with the Ikkou Ikki cult, first time he ever failed anything, and he disappeared. Years later was working black market, which would have been fine, but terrorism and hindering all efforts obviously is not.
But now having an argument with someone different has me thinking about him all over again.
It should be me, right? I'm the one who's being left? But it's also arrogant, even for a demon king, not to let others be granted their own autonomy and responsibility enough to make their decisions like this. Maybe that's why it reminds me of him. Because I can't figure out what to do or say that can ever be adequate. Which goes for always, but especially times like this.
That's it. That's all I had to say.
No wait, one more thing. This whole honest vulnerability, being direct thing sucks.
I just want to be me. I hate trying to walk a tightrope to overanalyze every single word. I'm not good at delicate. I just want to be Godzilla and smash through everything and trample it.
I'm going to punch you for this. At least you're warned.
- 😈👑
[He doesn't know what all of this could possibly mean, where it came form, or why Nobunaga is coming to him, of all people. But that's a bartender's job, right? To hear it all, day in and day out. Secrets, information, the things said after a drink or five. Eventually, the words slip out. They always do.]
[But this. This is. What?]
an argument huh? i told you before chief. youre not the best with words. how you say shit will rub certain people the wrong way. whod you piss off this time?
you already know my answer to that. i'm a big fan of choice. always have been. the people who work for me. they can leave whenever they want. they can stay. it's always up to them at the end of the day. just because theyre mine doesnt mean they dont have. what'd you call it? autonomy. what they do, who they choose to be with. thats their decision. besides wouldnt be me if i denied them what they wanted right ?
but you're gunna have to give me a little more to work with. you may be a demon king. you may have more experiences than me. but when it comes to people? youre still a rookie.
[Like he has any fucking room to talk, but. Pot to kettle.]
[But this. This is. What?]
an argument huh? i told you before chief. youre not the best with words. how you say shit will rub certain people the wrong way. whod you piss off this time?
you already know my answer to that. i'm a big fan of choice. always have been. the people who work for me. they can leave whenever they want. they can stay. it's always up to them at the end of the day. just because theyre mine doesnt mean they dont have. what'd you call it? autonomy. what they do, who they choose to be with. thats their decision. besides wouldnt be me if i denied them what they wanted right ?
but you're gunna have to give me a little more to work with. you may be a demon king. you may have more experiences than me. but when it comes to people? youre still a rookie.
[Like he has any fucking room to talk, but. Pot to kettle.]
[ It's taken a while, but Maurice finally finds himself in The Devil's Nest. He ducks in one evening to get away from the chaos in the streets. Tonight his unassuming wardrobe is accented by a thick leather dog collar. The tag jingles as he makes his way to the bar and situates himself on a stool, bracing himself with his thick tail.]
[He tugs at the collar and grunts in aggravation. He's been trying to get it off for HOURS. Maurice tries not to let that ruin his night though--as far as he knows, this is as bad as it gets.]
[He peers around in search of the four-armed man who gave him a pep talk all those weeks ago. His ears turn and listen to the music filling the place and his eyes wander the decorations that cover the walls. He feels like he could look forever and not see everything.]
[He tugs at the collar and grunts in aggravation. He's been trying to get it off for HOURS. Maurice tries not to let that ruin his night though--as far as he knows, this is as bad as it gets.]
[He peers around in search of the four-armed man who gave him a pep talk all those weeks ago. His ears turn and listen to the music filling the place and his eyes wander the decorations that cover the walls. He feels like he could look forever and not see everything.]
[And when someone goes searching for the devil? Oh, will he always oblige.]
[It's that of hum of his that comes first. The slickness of it, how it sweeps at the back of his throat and holds itself in place like a billow of stuck-in smoke. It announces him. Announces him in a way that horns, trumpets, and all else just wouldn't suffice.]
Oh? Was wondering when you'd show up. Good to see you, Maurice.
[Greed slithers out from behind the other man, hands in his pockets. Given the drastic, physical changes he's gone through this month, his signature-styled vest is gone. Instead, a shirt (skin tight and black to a pitch) strangles his torso. It's smooth in a way. Strange, even. Because no matter how he moves, not an inch of it gives way. Almost as if it were a part of him somehow.]
[The former homunculus mindlessly touches the tips of his teeth together and as he makes his way behind the bar, he lifts his shoulders. The tufts of fur at the back of his neck stand up, then; their edges cut off by that odd shirt of his.] You sure picked one hell of a time to come down here.
[When he catches the collar on the other man's throat, a cool look passes over his face. Like Maurice, he hasn't been fortunate enough to avoid the whole situation either. The clasp wrapped around his neck is black and menacing. A warning, perhaps, that staying away is the best option. Greed taps the steely ring at the front of it with one of his claws. Tck, tck, tck.] You too, huh? Tch. The ones running this place really are testing their fucking luck, aren't they.
Ehh - [The mild irritation in his voice quickly snuffs itself out, and the Sin starts making his way through the bar, grabbing a shaker, a stirrer, and a bucket of ice.] - doesn't matter. What can I get you, friend?
[It's that of hum of his that comes first. The slickness of it, how it sweeps at the back of his throat and holds itself in place like a billow of stuck-in smoke. It announces him. Announces him in a way that horns, trumpets, and all else just wouldn't suffice.]
Oh? Was wondering when you'd show up. Good to see you, Maurice.
[Greed slithers out from behind the other man, hands in his pockets. Given the drastic, physical changes he's gone through this month, his signature-styled vest is gone. Instead, a shirt (skin tight and black to a pitch) strangles his torso. It's smooth in a way. Strange, even. Because no matter how he moves, not an inch of it gives way. Almost as if it were a part of him somehow.]
[The former homunculus mindlessly touches the tips of his teeth together and as he makes his way behind the bar, he lifts his shoulders. The tufts of fur at the back of his neck stand up, then; their edges cut off by that odd shirt of his.] You sure picked one hell of a time to come down here.
[When he catches the collar on the other man's throat, a cool look passes over his face. Like Maurice, he hasn't been fortunate enough to avoid the whole situation either. The clasp wrapped around his neck is black and menacing. A warning, perhaps, that staying away is the best option. Greed taps the steely ring at the front of it with one of his claws. Tck, tck, tck.] You too, huh? Tch. The ones running this place really are testing their fucking luck, aren't they.
Ehh - [The mild irritation in his voice quickly snuffs itself out, and the Sin starts making his way through the bar, grabbing a shaker, a stirrer, and a bucket of ice.] - doesn't matter. What can I get you, friend?
[It's late afternoon, tipping into early evening when Ari Tayrey decides to visit The Devil's Nest. Greed had seemed logical and reassuring, and her friends seemed to like the place. There's no reason not to stop by, she tells herself. From her mapping project she has learned that there are regions of Hell that it really isn't safe for outsiders to stop by. This isn't one of them.
Here she is, pushing open the door, a young lieutenant with a blue and silver spacer uniform and a faintly angelic glow. She tries to dim her light when she's in Hell, but it isn't always easy. She strides up to the bar.]
Peace and prosperity. I'm looking for Greed.
[At lne presumes she says this, and not the less probable I'm looking for greed.]
Here she is, pushing open the door, a young lieutenant with a blue and silver spacer uniform and a faintly angelic glow. She tries to dim her light when she's in Hell, but it isn't always easy. She strides up to the bar.]
Peace and prosperity. I'm looking for Greed.
[At lne presumes she says this, and not the less probable I'm looking for greed.]
[With a name like the Devil's Nest, the bar's appearance shouldn't be all that surprising. There's gaggles of patrons everywhere - some the angelic sort, but most are living and breathing their brimstone afterlives over cards, drinks, elbow-to-arms company, and a cloud of smoke that hovers about the place like a city-swell smog.]
[Someone (a patron or an employee) eyes her before tossing a hand in the air, flipping their fingers over in a beckoning motion. It seems the people here know when to ask and when to not. And if someone is looking for the resident Sin in charge, there's a single, silent understanding:]
[Ask for sin, and oh, will it come a 'knockin'.]
[Greed peels himself out of a hallway (and away from the arms of a scantily clad hellhound) with a soft click, click of his boots. He lets the heels of them drum off the floor as he makes his way over; his pace, daunting and slow.] Ah - ?
[When he sees Tayrey though, a smile quickens on his face.] Well, you found him. [The former homunculus hums, and he eases two of his hands into his pockets while wrapping the other set around the thinnest part of his torso.] Glad to see you finally made it down here - Tayrey, right? Oda's friend?
[Someone (a patron or an employee) eyes her before tossing a hand in the air, flipping their fingers over in a beckoning motion. It seems the people here know when to ask and when to not. And if someone is looking for the resident Sin in charge, there's a single, silent understanding:]
[Ask for sin, and oh, will it come a 'knockin'.]
[Greed peels himself out of a hallway (and away from the arms of a scantily clad hellhound) with a soft click, click of his boots. He lets the heels of them drum off the floor as he makes his way over; his pace, daunting and slow.] Ah - ?
[When he sees Tayrey though, a smile quickens on his face.] Well, you found him. [The former homunculus hums, and he eases two of his hands into his pockets while wrapping the other set around the thinnest part of his torso.] Glad to see you finally made it down here - Tayrey, right? Oda's friend?
[ he is in hell the moment his mind finally clears, and the weight of everything he has done this month hits him like a ton of bricks. so does the pain from his arm, with a injury that stubbornly refuses to heal. it’s as fresh as when he obtained it, staining the sleeve of his coat.
touching down on a familiar building, he sinks into a seat on the roof and goes about shrugging out of his jacket. the material is so stained by gold and red that it is a lost cause, so he goes about tearing at the sleeves to fashion himself a tourniquet. this is nothing in the grand scheme of things, he will heal eventually, but the pain in his chest grows.
after tying the remnants of the coat in place, he places his head in his hands and lets out a shaky sigh. when looking off to one side, he finds himself studying his gore-covered wings and broken feathers. he can’t recall a time when his wings were in a state as poor as this, but it seems silly to dwell on that now. maybe it keeps him from thinking about the fact that he killed someone.
a sinner with a single sin to his name, with eyes whose innocence rivaled Lucifer’s own. normally in control of his emotions, he grits his teeth and kicks something over before clumsily sinking to his knees. he feels moisture, looking to the ground where he can see a single droplet, but there is no rain.
Michael covers his eyes with a hand and draws his wings around himself, lip trembling. ]
Forgive me, I didn’t even know your name..
[ and there he will stay, half propped up against the lip of the building with only his thoughts for company for a while. he could go downstairs but the bar is still open. if anyone is there that he attacked, it would bring trouble to Greed — who he still needs to apologize to. instead, he closes his eyes and allows the exhaustion to lull him into a restless slumber. ]
touching down on a familiar building, he sinks into a seat on the roof and goes about shrugging out of his jacket. the material is so stained by gold and red that it is a lost cause, so he goes about tearing at the sleeves to fashion himself a tourniquet. this is nothing in the grand scheme of things, he will heal eventually, but the pain in his chest grows.
after tying the remnants of the coat in place, he places his head in his hands and lets out a shaky sigh. when looking off to one side, he finds himself studying his gore-covered wings and broken feathers. he can’t recall a time when his wings were in a state as poor as this, but it seems silly to dwell on that now. maybe it keeps him from thinking about the fact that he killed someone.
a sinner with a single sin to his name, with eyes whose innocence rivaled Lucifer’s own. normally in control of his emotions, he grits his teeth and kicks something over before clumsily sinking to his knees. he feels moisture, looking to the ground where he can see a single droplet, but there is no rain.
Michael covers his eyes with a hand and draws his wings around himself, lip trembling. ]
Forgive me, I didn’t even know your name..
[ and there he will stay, half propped up against the lip of the building with only his thoughts for company for a while. he could go downstairs but the bar is still open. if anyone is there that he attacked, it would bring trouble to Greed — who he still needs to apologize to. instead, he closes his eyes and allows the exhaustion to lull him into a restless slumber. ]
[Something should announce him: a hiss of laugher, a low hum, a rolling purr, a smile more audible than anything else in the world. But this time? This time nothing trumpets his arrival. Even his boots, as clipping and clicking as they are, grow soft in the consistent, early-morning dark. And just like a specter, he appears out of no where. With gentle arms, silence, and not a single thought to give.]
[Because he's the driver, isn't he. The driver, the shadow, refusing to become a hearse a second time.]
[Michael, like Lucifer, isn't hard for him to carry. Despite how powerful he is, the Archangel is light enough that two of his four hands make easy of the job. And oh, how he does it with care. With all the care of a monster, of a creature, made for a completely different purpose and refusing to live up to the title. Because he's said it, right? Time and time again like his own, twisted sense of scripture:]
["I always take care of what's mine, friend."]
[Greed descends the fire escape like a blind mind familiar with his territory. He knows every inch of this bar, every pitfall. So as he follows the path down, down, down, he's mindful: where the hooks of his boots slide into the iron rungs, how to pivot his shoulder to not disturb the man exhausted (beaten) in his clutches. The former homunculus makes only one sound while he works and as a soft hiss (like a sting, like a curse that just won't come) presses behind his teeth, he yanks a window open, guiding his leg over the sill.]
[One day, maybe today even, he'll ask himself how he got here. But he already knows the answer.]
[Inside, the bar passes him by. He'll have a lot more questions to deal with after all is said and done, but that's for later. For now? For now, he only has a single destination in mind.]
[The bathroom is a secret for a reason, or it had been when he first opened the place. Large, black, and expansive, it matches his namesake: with its standing shower, mirror-tiled floor, and a clawfoot tub poised like a poor man's throne. When the Sin slips in, he nudges a light switch with his elbow, making the soft-blue lights hum on with a buzz of a lulling current.]
[Greed quietly plugs the bathtub before turning the faucet on. With Michael (Michael smeared in blood, Michael doused in gold) against his chest, he tests a free hand under the water, waiting for it to warm up. The building, as a whole, isn't a new one. The pipes knock behind the walls, the heat takes its time to turn on. But eventually, the temperature gets hot enough that he pulls his fingers away, flicking them dry with a motion so unsatisfied, it could only be called bitter.]
[It never should have been like this. It never should have come to this. And yet, here they are. Here they are once again, and isn't it a bitch how history loves to repeat itself.]
[Hesitation's never been his strong suit, but for a second, the Sin pauses. His claws hover around the buttons of a jacket that's long gone; their tips stiff, yet twitching. Because he remembers: the feeling of blood on his hands, the desperation of a man begging for recognition, the loneliness of a vampire screaming at him to never let go, the fear of a young popstar ripping through him - ]
[ - the silence of a severed head on his couch, and the heaviness, the lifelessness, of six wings sprawled across his hotel-room floor.]
[Greed clicks his tongue at the top corner of his gums. Without warning, he slowly begins to thumb each button open, careful and mindful of just who they belong to. Michael is a private man, after all. It's the least he can do.]
[Because he's the driver, isn't he. The driver, the shadow, refusing to become a hearse a second time.]
[Michael, like Lucifer, isn't hard for him to carry. Despite how powerful he is, the Archangel is light enough that two of his four hands make easy of the job. And oh, how he does it with care. With all the care of a monster, of a creature, made for a completely different purpose and refusing to live up to the title. Because he's said it, right? Time and time again like his own, twisted sense of scripture:]
["I always take care of what's mine, friend."]
[Greed descends the fire escape like a blind mind familiar with his territory. He knows every inch of this bar, every pitfall. So as he follows the path down, down, down, he's mindful: where the hooks of his boots slide into the iron rungs, how to pivot his shoulder to not disturb the man exhausted (beaten) in his clutches. The former homunculus makes only one sound while he works and as a soft hiss (like a sting, like a curse that just won't come) presses behind his teeth, he yanks a window open, guiding his leg over the sill.]
[One day, maybe today even, he'll ask himself how he got here. But he already knows the answer.]
[Inside, the bar passes him by. He'll have a lot more questions to deal with after all is said and done, but that's for later. For now? For now, he only has a single destination in mind.]
[The bathroom is a secret for a reason, or it had been when he first opened the place. Large, black, and expansive, it matches his namesake: with its standing shower, mirror-tiled floor, and a clawfoot tub poised like a poor man's throne. When the Sin slips in, he nudges a light switch with his elbow, making the soft-blue lights hum on with a buzz of a lulling current.]
[Greed quietly plugs the bathtub before turning the faucet on. With Michael (Michael smeared in blood, Michael doused in gold) against his chest, he tests a free hand under the water, waiting for it to warm up. The building, as a whole, isn't a new one. The pipes knock behind the walls, the heat takes its time to turn on. But eventually, the temperature gets hot enough that he pulls his fingers away, flicking them dry with a motion so unsatisfied, it could only be called bitter.]
[It never should have been like this. It never should have come to this. And yet, here they are. Here they are once again, and isn't it a bitch how history loves to repeat itself.]
[Hesitation's never been his strong suit, but for a second, the Sin pauses. His claws hover around the buttons of a jacket that's long gone; their tips stiff, yet twitching. Because he remembers: the feeling of blood on his hands, the desperation of a man begging for recognition, the loneliness of a vampire screaming at him to never let go, the fear of a young popstar ripping through him - ]
[ - the silence of a severed head on his couch, and the heaviness, the lifelessness, of six wings sprawled across his hotel-room floor.]
[Greed clicks his tongue at the top corner of his gums. Without warning, he slowly begins to thumb each button open, careful and mindful of just who they belong to. Michael is a private man, after all. It's the least he can do.]
"Um, someone called Nobunaga Oda told me to contact you to get parts. I'm going to be building a gift for someone named Klaus. I could use parts of other projects too."
oda ? ha! so the little pissant said to come to me huh ?
well that depends. what kind of parts are you lookin for exactly?
ah that partner of his. sure. let me know what you need and i can see what i can do
well that depends. what kind of parts are you lookin for exactly?
ah that partner of his. sure. let me know what you need and i can see what i can do
[ the contents of the message contain two attachments: one is a close up of a cat and the other is that same cat laying on top of his paperwork, stretched out as if purposely keeping him from his work, with Michael in the background looking exasperated. ]
Is this another one of your unnecessary favors? He refuses to move and is just as stubborn as you are.
Is this another one of your unnecessary favors? He refuses to move and is just as stubborn as you are.
[Excuse him, he's basking in this for a second. There's nothing quite as sweet as just desserts, is there?]
can't take credit for that one blues. looks like someones takin a liking to you. ha ! and the cats got the right idea. havent we alredy had a talk about that papr work of yours ?
you wuldnt like me as much if i wasnt. wonder if its one of kams. old bat does know a few of em down here
can't take credit for that one blues. looks like someones takin a liking to you. ha ! and the cats got the right idea. havent we alredy had a talk about that papr work of yours ?
you wuldnt like me as much if i wasnt. wonder if its one of kams. old bat does know a few of em down here
now thats an intersting question. not really the tupe to ask me for anything. youve got my attention blue eyes
what do you want exactly ?
what do you want exactly ?
greed you hear about people that dont fuck even though they clearly want to???????? in the afterlife? where nothing matters? you know about this shit?????
Edited 2024-12-03 23:32 (UTC)
[It takes him a second. Because someone? Denying themselves? In front of his whole avarice? Oh, no, no, no. That simply won't do.]
ah ? i know a few who arnt interested. and othrs that are lookin for a little more. no shame in either. but what youre talking about. thats a little different. what do they think they dont deserve it or something? gunna have to give me a little more showstopper
who are we talkkin about exacty?
ah ? i know a few who arnt interested. and othrs that are lookin for a little more. no shame in either. but what youre talking about. thats a little different. what do they think they dont deserve it or something? gunna have to give me a little more showstopper
who are we talkkin about exacty?
[ Following the fiasco with tea, he finds himself locating his phone to send out a short, but sweet, message to Greed. Of everyone here, he knows he will not ask unnecessary questions.
Because this? This is something he will take to his grave. ]
I’m going to have to take a rain check on tonight, something came up and I am not myself at the moment.
Please give Miss Kamora my regards, I sent someone to deliver her fish. Thank you for understanding.
Because this? This is something he will take to his grave. ]
I’m going to have to take a rain check on tonight, something came up and I am not myself at the moment.
Please give Miss Kamora my regards, I sent someone to deliver her fish. Thank you for understanding.
[He's halfway onto the saddle of his motorcycle when he sees the screen light up. Beneath Hell's newfound spell of rain, the glare from the phone cuts at the mist. It bites at both the air and his face with a flash of bright white; the look of it more similar to a search lamp waving in the dark.]
[Greed rolls a toothpick on his lip. The message is just a little concerning. Michael never misses an appointment, especially one planned. And as a fog of hot air snakes out from the corner of his mouth, the former homunculus swipes at the screen. It could mean anything, really. Things come up, plans change, but given all that's happened to the Archangel so far - ]
[He shakes off a bit of rain from his shoulders.]
yknow you dont have to tell me. about not coming i mean. its not like i'd be offended blues
speaking of a rain looks like things down her e arent their usual either. feels like how it used to get back home round this time of year. might be somthin to do with it
ha ! shes got her claws in yuo already does she? dont let her fool you. but sure i;ll let her know
[There's a pause, then:]
ah well. need to get somthing up there anyway. tell whoevr you sent the fish to to leave it in your balcony
[Greed rolls a toothpick on his lip. The message is just a little concerning. Michael never misses an appointment, especially one planned. And as a fog of hot air snakes out from the corner of his mouth, the former homunculus swipes at the screen. It could mean anything, really. Things come up, plans change, but given all that's happened to the Archangel so far - ]
[He shakes off a bit of rain from his shoulders.]
yknow you dont have to tell me. about not coming i mean. its not like i'd be offended blues
speaking of a rain looks like things down her e arent their usual either. feels like how it used to get back home round this time of year. might be somthin to do with it
ha ! shes got her claws in yuo already does she? dont let her fool you. but sure i;ll let her know
[There's a pause, then:]
ah well. need to get somthing up there anyway. tell whoevr you sent the fish to to leave it in your balcony
[ Greed is the proud recipient of an ornate looking watch that has a note attached, written in an impossibly neat font.
I know you’re making a face right now, so stop it. Make sure to hold your hand over the back, you might find something interesting. Happy Holidays, Greed.
- M. ]
I know you’re making a face right now, so stop it. Make sure to hold your hand over the back, you might find something interesting. Happy Holidays, Greed.
- M. ]
Edited 2024-12-16 00:19 (UTC)
[It takes two days before he sends the text. Because yeah, he was making a face. Maybe, he still is. And if he's flipped that watch open and shut like a fidget toy during all that time, well.]
[Everyone's got their secrets, don't they.]
you're only going to get this from me once
i don't know the spots upstairs as well as i do down here. you choose the place. this holiday's eve or whatever its called looks like its gunna be busy. day sounds like its pretty quiet. wherever you want to go. if you need suggestions, ask nanami kento. the accountant
but keep in mind this is a one time deal. so you can either take it or leave it
[Everyone's got their secrets, don't they.]
you're only going to get this from me once
i don't know the spots upstairs as well as i do down here. you choose the place. this holiday's eve or whatever its called looks like its gunna be busy. day sounds like its pretty quiet. wherever you want to go. if you need suggestions, ask nanami kento. the accountant
but keep in mind this is a one time deal. so you can either take it or leave it
➥ 2/2 Action because I'm not ruining your inbox enough already
nestingdevil
- 2025-01-22 03:24 (UTC) - Expand
Page 1 of 2