Title: Eternal Redemption
Summary: Matt is a creature enthralled and empowered by mortal Sin, and Mello is a temptation he can't avoid. -Matt's POV
Disclaimer: I don't own DN and the idea is mine but it's fairly generic.
Author's Note: This is not proofread and probably won't ever be finished; it's just some scrap writing I was working on. -This fic is ADOPTABLE.
…
Humans wage war over religious beliefs and values, all in the name of worship and peace – so much contradiction between right and wrong, and not one of them know... that they are all wrong.
There is no Heaven or Hell, no Christ Almighty! Any angel or deity you can imagine is complete hokum brought on by cults and media.
There is only Existence and Exile and a system enforced by an unnamed dictator.
A person dies, and his or her soul is presented with a choice.
Red Apple or Blue Apple.
Both are resting on satin pillows, looking ripe, round and succulent. The objective embodiment of perfection and temptation.
One might choose Red because it is something familiar. One might also choose Blue because it is more eccentric.
Should one choose Red, they perish -their soul is shreded and stripped away by the forces of cosmic radiation. However, choosing Blue does not secure one's fate; rather, it imprisons them in a sort of Purgatory where they will relive their lives and be judged by every element and aspect... -If they were pure in their lifetime, their soul is purified and recycled, but if not, they are simply damned to forever relive the tragedy that was.
Fairly simple, ne?
But there is a third outcome. It is more rare than one might suspect, but it does happen from time to time. In the event that one takes both the Red and the Blue Apple... something happens. They are turned into something that is neither living nor dead: something that is not human and will never die.
This being is called an Eternal.
Souls that take either Apple are forced into Exile, whereas those who consume both are blessed with Existence.
-At least, that's what they say: that all Eternals were Human once. But I dunno. I don't recall anything before holding an Apple in each hand and falling into the murky depths of Existence.
If I think really hard, I can almost remember a voice. The voice gave me my name and element.
-"Greedy child, your new name is Matt. As an Eternal, your thirst can only be quenched by Mortal Sin."
-Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Hang around some humans and feed off their misdeeds. Humans are naturally foul creatures, but... it's a bit more complex than that.
Eternals are not quite tangible. And they cannot be seen or heard by most. And what's more, they cannot feed from humans who do not verbally consent.
Thankfully, I've been 'Existing' long enough to know that troubled children are more susceptible to the paranormal, and they always need a 'friend.'
Unfortunately, the last child I contacted was too pure, and her essence weakened me.
-Funny thing about Eternals: they can't die, but they can grow weaker or stronger if their element permits.
Some Eternals sprout horns or wings when their strength is increased significantly. Some shed their skin or shrink in size when weakened. -It's different for everyone...
My case is a special one because there has never been any indication of change. It's almost pointless to feed on Sin, but I do get a craving now and then. It's not debilitating, and I don't fall into any sort of madness over it, but it is rather annoying: like an itch you can't scratch.
Such a craving is what is drawing me to the world of Humans now, actually. But there are rules.
An Eternal can only be in the Human Realm for up to six hours at a time.
An Eternal will evaporate in the light. This includes sunlight and artificial light.
An Eternal may only become fully tangible if a Human wills it.
There are probably more rules, but those are the only ones I've been able to confirm. Most of what Eternals know is hearsay and rumor.
Regardless, I will be taking a trip to the Human Realm. Travel is fairly simple.
Remember how Eternals feed on Mortal Sin? Well, our cosmic abilities are utilized by the power of Sin as well; so we all have our vices.
For me, I usually cut. Forget your Seven Deadly Sins bullshit and try to imagine a gauge of morale. Menial things such as smoking or taking names in vain or (as I prefer) a bit of mutilation will afford me travel or small luxuries. I have no need for much else.
-Stepping off a cliff promotes ascension -there is no consistency in physics for this kind of Existence.- Falling upward- rising- I draw a lighter and a cigarette, baiting implausible cancer with my lips and imaginary lungs. A flame ignites, and I'm gone.
Just like magic without the David Blaine.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. One impossibility at a time.
-Travel is nothing special. There is no portal. Eternals don't fly like bullshit angel-fairies. We simply close our eyes, and open them to a new scenery. Sure, there's the slight feeling of fatigue at first, but the feeling goes away. It comes with the territory of bartering Sin for anything.
-After traveling, I find that my cigarette is gone, lost in translation or something. For whatever reason, objects don't always make it through the travel. But it's nothing to worry about. Dipping a hand into my pocket alerts me that my tool of trade (a handy little switch blade) remains.
Looking around at my knew environment, it's wet and dark- a damp, puddle-filled alley on the outskirts of some cliche suburb. Instinct pulls me more into the shadows and away from street lights. -I hate the light. Always have.
Closing my eyes, I intake my surroundings with my other senses. Hearing, smelling, and feeling.
The distant sounds of cars and people. City noises. A rat scurrying. The stench of musk, mold, mildew, and garbage. The feel of... excitement!
A jolt of energy rips through my body and I am instantly drawn to something or another. I know not what it is, but the feeling is so strong and I long for it.
My eyes still closed, my inhuman form creeps along the shadows, hands stretching out, searching and reaching for that delicious essence, only to be met with... someone?
Opening my eyes, I find my hands pressed to the chest of a blonde male with wide eyes and a snarling mouth.
Footsteps echo, closing in.
I simply stand there, my hands still on the teen who seems suddenly frozen, optical blues dazed as he looks through me, unable to see me.
He looks frightened and angry, but there's a sort of determination that can't be bought, and I can almost taste it.
"Hey," he whispers, voice hoarse as he clutches a worn crucifix to his chest. "I've... gotta get home. Now."
Hearing his the almost panicking tone in his words, I step between him and the oncoming group of humans whose silhouettes line the mouth of the alley. And I draw my knife, flicking out the blade in an instant. And without a second thought, I press the cool metal to my wrist and create a beautiful severance. From the wound, shadows pour out at an incredible speed and envelope both me and the blonde, cloaking us from view of his pursuers. "You're safe," I murmur, though I know there's a small chance that the human will be able to hear me and confirm my presence, so communication is something I usually avoid.
Seconds pass, and while the darkness is too thick to see through, the child and I listen for traces of humans rushing right past and exiting the alley.
The shadows clear away when the coast is clear, and the blonde continues to clutch the cross.
Just as I began to debate whether I'd rather leave the kid alone or lure him into consent so that I may taste him, he opens his mouth to speak. And while I've spoken with humans before, one has never used such words on me before.
"Thanks for helping me, but... what's wrong with your face?"
His question strikes me as odd, but then I remember that, while I resemble a human, there are some differences. My eyes are a bit wider, and their color can only be described as tenderfoot green; and my skin changes color like a chameleon, appearing sicky grey as a default. I suppose those features are considerably odd, but I've never been questioned on them before. "Do you consent to my companionship, precious human?" I ask half heartedly, dodging the question and posing one that might allow me to feed off this teen's internal darkness.
"Not so fast," he barks, that wild look returning to his eyes as he casually releases the crucifix, allowing it to dangle from his neck on an elegantly beaded cord. "I don't consent to anything without security. Who are you? How and why did you help me? And what's wrong with your face?"
"You're a nosy bastard, aren't you?" I ask with a chuckle, unable to contain a new sense of excitement bubbling within me. Something about this adolescent is desirable, and I suddenly feel as if I hadn't had a taste of anything good in decades. "Let's lay down the cards and see how it plays out, shall we?" I speak, trying to level with him. "I'm not human. You are. My services can help you. But I need something from you as collateral. So, let's make a deal."
"No."
"Why don't I give you my calling card and let you think about it, okay? And when you need me -because you will need me- just give me a call." With those words, I offered a charming smile and brought the cool blade to my throat, pressing firmly and drawing a firm line. As blood seeped out, I caught some of the precious essence in my hands and it solidified into something akin to a game cartridge in one hand and a strange leather gauntlet in the other; the rest of the sin's essence continued to pour and would be used for my travel fare.
My eyes slipped closed, and just like that, I was gone. The game was left with the blonde child, and I opened my eyes to the vortex of Existence, where I could perch atop the highest cliff and watch over the Undead City of Eternity and Lost Souls.
There was never much to see. Souls coming and going. The exchange of Sin for various things. Though, it seems as if Eternals were spending more and more time in the Human Realm, feeding in excess. Gluttons.
I don't feed too often though. I can't die (again), and it's a pointless intake in my case since there is no increase in my strength and power.
When boredom becomes too much, sometimes I remove my vest, lift up my shirt and start counting the growing number of scars that mar my body; I can never seem to count them all. And though I've never been much of an ego-centric, I'm almost bothered by the fact.
...
I needed to find a way to waste time.
It had been days since I had run into that child and left him that game and gauntlet- my personal calling card. Should he decide to favor my services in exchange for his Sins, he should contact me by simply slipping on the Trinity Gauntlet (pretty fancy, ne?) and inserting the cartridge into the slot at the base of the wrist. After that, a small display panel lights up and reads: "Player One, PRESS START" -There are no buttons; the design can be described as vintage Steampunk, I suppose, with the tacky brown leather and unnecessary brass gears and pegs for ornaments. It looks almost futuristic.
...
-Eventually, I decided that a trip to the Human Realm was in order. The child might have lost the game or something. (A poor attempt at rationalizing on my behalf, I'm sure.)
Once there, I would need to first locate the blonde child. Then we'll establish a connection and he will consent to me.
-For travel, I thought of lighting up, but I still lacked my filtered vice and had yet to obtain another pack of cigarettes, so I drew a blade once more, found an unblemished expansion of flesh and made the cut.
When I next opened my eyes, I was somewhere in the middle of a city. The lights were too bright; I could feel my inhuman flesh wanting to disappear -turn to vapor. I quickly ducked into the shadows.
In regards to where I might find the kid, I had no clue where to begin my search. Closing my eyes, I hoped for my other senses to pick up on him.
Just then, I heard a clatter- then a familiar voice. "You gonna tell me this time? What's wrong with your face?"
I instantly felt a surge through me; my eyes opened and locked on my target, and I smiled a slow, sinister smile. "We meet again, human."
"My name's Mello."
"You mind telling me why those guys were after you, Mello?"
"Nope. Not until I know what's wrong with your face. It's changing colors."
"Magic," I said sarcastically, vaguely wondering if he might be naïve enough to buy it.
He didn't; he simply avoided eye contact and raised his hand, showing me that he was in fact wearing the gauntlet. "I'm not an idiot. You're like a genie, right?" He produced the game from his pocket and slipped it into its corresponding slot. The display lit up and he read the opening words. "Player one, PRESS START."
This mortal's mere presence made my head spin. I couldn't be sure of his needs or integrity, and my mouth watered at the mystery flavor of his Sins.
Mello smirked and lidded his eyes, giving me a devilish look, almost promising a rich and thick essence that could sate me like no other. "Like I said, I'm not an idiot. You want me to consent to something, and you want it bad- bad enough that you came looking for me."
This guy had me pegged, and I let out a sigh of irritation.
"Explain to me who and what you are. Tell me the rules to your magic shit -I've seen the movies. There are ALWAYS rules- and then I'll decide whether or not to consent."
His words made me chuckle earnestly, and for this, I complied. "Alright, Blondie, I guess you can call me a 'genie' if you want, but it's not like you think. -Take me to your home, preferably in a room with dim lighting, and I'll show you everything you need to know about my services, but in return, I expect you to pay up."
"...I don't trust you. I don't even know your name. I just know you're not human."
"Matt. Call me Matt."
…
Mello ended up having to give me the address to his home because the city lights were too much for me, and I explained to him that I can't be in the light without evaporating. So, I made a small cut for transportation, and Mello and I both found ourselves in his bedroom with the lights off and the curtains drawn.
I took a look around his room. There was a bed, a computer, and a bible... and not much else. His bed didn't even have a blanket like that of most mortals.
"So, Matt, what kind of place do you live in?"
I shrugged off his question. "Let's save the pleasantries for later. You wanted the rules, right?" He nodded, and I continued. "That gauntlet is what will link you and I together. You don't have to wear it all the time, but wearing it will allow you to call for me, and it will also allow me to feed from you."
"So, are you like a vampire?"
"I'm a parasite, but not a blood sucker. I feed on your Sins."
His eyes widened for a moment and he tore the Trinity Gauntlet from his arm, throwing it to the floor with as much strength as he could muster.
"What the fuck is your problem, human? I thought-"
"My Sins are my burden to bear. They are between me and God, and-"
"Newsflash, kid, there is no God. Why do you think people like me exist? We died, and without a Heaven or Hell, we had to go somewhere. Now, all I can do is trade Sin for small favors and feed on the Sins of others. Believe it or not, kid, it's no picnic."
Mello was quiet, eyes closed and posture poor for the first time since I've laid eyes on him. He slowly took a seat and pulled his knees to his chest, curling inward like a frightened child. After some time, he spoke, voice quiet. "So... no God, huh?"
It's now that I make the connection between his rosary and the bible he has sitting on his bed. "You're Catholic?"
"Doesn't matter since there is no God."
It dawned on me how he must feel. Crushed. His whole life had been a lie, and he would have been content to believe in God if I hadn't ruined it. "Don't be upset," I told him. "God is... like Santa Clause. It's no fun when you're just finding out, but... now that you know, you don't have to live in the dark anymore."
He was quiet again, but what he said next surprised me. "I don't. But you do. -Don't you ever get tired of it? Don't you ever want to go out and just enjoy the sun? Is it always dark where you come from?"
"Whoa, cool your jets with the questions, human."
"Matt, call me Mello. I'm not just a human. I'm a person."
"Fair enough, Mello."
"Matt... I know you obviously lack the obligation, but... will you stay with me tonight? Just til I fall asleep? I'll consent to anything you want."
-And there it was. Some sick sense of desperation in this human -Mello- had given me a chance to taste him. I just hoped he'd be as enjoyable as he looked.
He slipped the gauntlet back on and went to lay on the bed.
I joined him, sitting beside him and closing my eyes. I absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair, gasping when I caught a the aftertaste of his previous Sins of petty thievery. Images of his actions played through my head like a poorly animated movie, and I thrived on the sensational bliss that had me on high.
Even such a small taste was divine, and I wondered if I could prod him into something a bit more devious. Turn him into the perfect sinner: a banquet for my Eternal self.
-I honestly hadn't anything better to do, so I decided to stay until my six hour time frame was up. The mortal teen quickly and easily fell asleep, and I just looked around his room, wondering if I should do something to improve it or just let it be.
Closing my eyes and focusing on my other senses, another voice caught my ears. Ne, two voices. Male and female. Some kind of argument? Curiosity getting the better of me, I listened in.
"I told you we should have sold him when he was younger! The fucker was willing to pay ten grand, and now Mihael is worthless!"
"Doesn't mean we have to kill it. It's our son!"
"-Says the woman who can't even refer to her own kid as anything more than an object. -You know you're sick, right? You call yourself a princess and treat him like a favorite Barbie. You dress him up and tell him what to do... You're an overgrown child! You can't handle a child of your own!"
"And you're a bastard and a drunk! And I'm tired of you threatening to hurt Mihael! It is my child"
"Your child? You just got done saying that IT was our son. Make up your damn mind, woman! Is he yours, or ours?"
"...ours?"
"Then, as long as I have some degree of ownership, the brat is going to stop running around at all hours of the day, and if I want him to blow Tony, he'll blow Tony."
"It is our son, and it will not be orally pleasing your workmate!"
"Don't be such a bitch and you can watch."
"Oh, go to Hell!"
"I will, but you'll be there first."
"Fuck you, I'm going to bed. You can sleep on the couch."
"Fuck you too, I'll sleep with our son before I sleep on the couch again!"
I probably would have listened more with a growing sense of anger, by my six hour time mark was up and I found myself back in Existence.
There was a time that I thought the six hour time frame was to keep Eternals from being bored of being in one place for too long, but I now see the error in that thought.
Some part of me longed to protect the blonde, not just feed off him. I wanted to go back, but before I could, a superior Eternal revealed itself before me.
"Matt, there is some troubling news that you are meddling in the Human Realm."
"Yeah? Isn't that what we're supposed to do?"
"Yes, but you know there are rules. And you're breaking one."
"What rule? I never received a guide book or anything. Help me out, L."
"Matt, you're toying with the life of a psychic."
Hearing L say that, it struck me as odd. -And yes, my superior's name is L. I don't know why, nor have I ever questioned it. I suppose his name is L for the same reason mine is Matt.
"Surely, Matt, there were indications... Perhaps he sensed you prematurely? Perhaps he said something to trigger knowledge that he's a psychic?"
I thought long and hard about what was asked and implied. True, the child did sense me quicker than others, but troubled children often do... "The kid... asked... what was wrong with my face," is all I say on that matter. "Then he consented, and I took him home to an allegedly broken home. -There were no indications that he is psychic."
"...Matt, you know what will happen if he is psychic, right?"
"Then he'll feed off me instead, absorbing me until my own essence is drained."
-L left me alone after that chat, and I'm glad he did. I had a lot to think about.
Was it possible that a human psychic lured me in? Or am I just being paranoid? He seemed normal enough, and his taste was phenomenal.
...
Psychics are rare, but they are very real. -You know that bullshit about them contacting spirits? Well, it's not so much 'contacting spirits,' rather it's more 'tapping into the essence of an Eternal.' If an Eternal loses too much essence, he won't die, but he can become too weak to do anything, let alone feed on more Sin.
But I've always been a special case. My energy doesn't fluctuate with Sin. It is always at a constant flow. I also feed off my own energy sometimes, which is something Eternals can't usually do.
And L- strange guy, let me tell you, is alright in my book. Black hair, white skin, soulless wormholes for eyes, and an obsession for sweet treats- he's a bit of a glutton. I refer to him as a superior for the mere sake of him 'existing' so much longer than me. He's taught me a lot over the years, and I should be thankful, but... I'm not.
Any time something good is going for me, he's a bit of a buzzkill. But I can't complain. Some Eternals are real dicks, and L is mostly tolerable.
Eternals aren't really socialites. Most of them are more like addicts to Suffering and Sin, and they're always chasing their next high.
But not me. Three decades of existence, and I've only established contact and consented with five or six humans- not counting Mello.
…
I cannot be sure how much time had passed, but it had been long enough for me to start counting scars again. About a quarter through my counting, I got the sensational tug, signalling that my calling card was being used.
Mello was calling for me.
Psychic or not, he consented, and I am bound by my word. All I can do is go and hope for a positive outcome.
...
For travel fare, I cut myself, as per usual- only, this time I cut a little deeper than usual, the blade driving so deep that my insides were alight with a gore-prone orgasm of sorts.
Upon arriving in the world of humans, I was breathless and out of sorts.
"Looks like you just got laid," a familiar voice tsked, alerting my instinctual desire to compose myself.
"Maybe I did," I retaliated with a wicked grin, enjoying the aura that fell from the blonde in waves.
"Whatever," he dismissed, raising the hand with the gauntlet. "I want your help."
"You consent, ne?"
"I consent, but you have to help me, Matt."
"With what?"
And Mello grew starkly quiet, pensive. Then... "I need a way to get rid of people without doing it directly. I-I'm not a killer, but this world would be much better off if a few people just... disappeared."