"You're freaking kidding me!" an extremely taken-aback Doubt cried, "He? He's your mentor?"
Love looked down at the ground, not quite grasping what had just happened... With the help of her two new friends, or so she supposed them to be, the girl had found her way back to the building she had originally jumped out of. Upon closer inspection of the outside, it was revealed to be a huge mansion, typical of the rundown, haunted clichés one might read about in a book.
Together, the three approached the looming front of the leaning house, passing through a vast and empty green yard. A fearsome carved silver wolf-head glared out at them from the center of the front door, a thick, heavy ring hanging from between the fangs in its mouth. With tension ripe in the air around them, Love had timidly reached out, pulled, and let go of the door-knocker, a deep, loud crack resounding as metal hit wood.
And then, creepiest moment yet, the door had swung easily open, emitting that ever-cliché low moan as it moved on its rusty hinges. By this time, the smaller demon was practically grappling Shear's arm, much to his displeasure.
That was when the wearied, worried face of the demon of Love's earlier encounter peeked out, staring around at the three of them. Recognition finally dawned in his eyes as they fell on the newly-fallen-angel.
That was when Doubt had cried out.
And now they were in quite an awkward scene, Doubt with a look of fangirlish admiration on her young face, Shear with a sly, broad grin, and the demon in the door staring out indifferently at the crowd.
Love shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, standing somewhere in between the two parties. "Um..." she finally began, after several moments of uncomfortable silence, "...no offense meant, but..." she looked up with wide, apologetic eyes on the dark man in front of her, before turning to her companions behind, "...what's so special about him being my mentor?"
Doubt sputtered, searching for words for a long moment, "Wh-why... he... he's...!" she made a few frantic hand motions, unable to come up with the proper words.
"Very busy." the man cut in for her, sending a sharp glare in the girl's direction, and effectively silencing her. "As you two can undoubtedly see, I have a lot of work ahead of me in training my new pupil... so please..." he glanced to the nonplussed looking Shear, and continued, "...I thank you for escorting her safely back, but there's more important business right now that needs attending to." he then looked sternly at Love, and she hung her head shamefacedly.
"A-allright." the stammering demon-girl backed off, literally receding from the front steps, "I'll, uh... we'll catch you later, sometime... L-" she stopped on the name, glancing curiously at the newly-fallen girl, "er, you." she awkwardly finished. She turned around at last tugging on Shear's sleeve. Tapping some ash from his cigarette onto the stones of the sidewalk, he then also sauntered off behind her.
Love was silently beckoned inside, and slowly walked in, only to have the door snapped shut promptly after.
"That was a bold move up there." the demon's voice rumbled, while Love strained to see his black-clad form as it swiftly traveled farther into the darkness. She thought she could make out the shape of his hand pointing to the ceiling above their heads, and no doubt the second or third floor above that where the bedroom was located.
"I-I'm sorry..." she breathed, hurrying after, finding herself now following this strange man down a long, dark hallway. "I was a little startled, as you can imagine."
He seemed to chuckle at that. "I always forget how much of a... culture shock this can be to your type." he murmured.
"My type?" she echoed, almost offended.
He slowed, and glanced over his shoulder, evident by a single red eye gleaming forth out of the blackness. "Newly fallens." he explained, turning back around and picking up the pace, "You'll get used to it later."
"Excuse me, sir, but who are you?" she softly demanded, finding her frightened voice again as she hurried after.
The man stopped, and turned around, as now two fiery eyes blazed out... but not for long. A light flicked on, causing the girl to squint in the sudden change to brightness. "Call me Chaos." he explained, deciding himself that this would be sufficient for now, as he quickly continued onward, "Which brings me to my first point that we'll address..." he said, calmly pulling a chair aside for her, seating himself in one of his own.
Love slowly sat down without bidding, staring around and noting that they seemed to be in a kitchen... not in any way different from that of her own home back in Heaven, except for the light fixture in the ceiling, and the lack of natural sun pouring in from the windows. For the moment, all she could see was darkness outside.
"Your name." the man named Chaos called back her attention, "What is it?"
"Uh-..." she paused, remembering what was told to her by Shear not an hour earlier, "Well, at this point I'm... not sure I'm supposed to say it." she looked around the kitchen again, as if searching for some irregularity in it that would remind her this was Hell. "I guess culture-shock was the right terminology. The two who brought me here were kind of... amused by it." her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She hadn't realized her name was that funny...
Chaos frowned marginally, "That was immature of them... yet good advice nonetheless. Your name." he repeated, "You'll have to change it. No-one down here is too keen on being reminded of their time beyond the pearly gates, and so somebody, who knows how long ago, got the bright idea of deciding to change his name. Needless to say, the tradition stuck." he smirked, long brass claws idly toying with his hair as he spoke. Love found him, at the moment at least, alltogether captivating. Such a strange being to be down here in Hell... He seemed nice enough, if not a little bitter...
"Why stay with something that's been assigned to you by people who don't care." he went on, proving her earlier thoughts, "So whatever you were before, it's got to go. You're not an angel now, it'd be hypocrisy to keep your angel name."
"Love?" she questioned, as if making sure that this was the name he was, in fact, referring to.
The man suppressed a slight roll of the eyes, and nodded, resting his chin in his hand soon thereafter, "Yes. That. And don't look to me for suggestions, the choice is entirely up to you." he gave the ghost of a small reassuring smile, "That's entirely the point."
"Chaos..." she repeated, trying out his name on her tongue. "But how am I supposed to come up with something right on the spot? What if I choose wrong..." she looked down, worried, "This is so much pressure."
He shook his head slowly, "Take your time." the man shrugged, "We're dead, we've all got plenty of it."
Love almost laughed, "Sir..."
"Chaos." he stressed, "Never 'sir', or 'Mr.', or anything silly like that. We're in Hell... I may be your senior, and more experienced, but I'm still your equal."
She smiled at that, "Well then... can I... ask you a question?" she murmured.
The man thought about this for a moment, "Anything you like." his voice was barely hesitant, keeping up his former air of confidence.
"What was your name in Heaven?" she asked, "As an angel?"
The man flinched, staring at her with some mix of offense for such a demand on such personal information, and curious inquiry. He raised an eyebrow and calmly asked, "Why?"
The girl blushed, her pale cheeks tinting the faintest pink in the washed out light. "I'm sorry. If you don't want to tell me..." she shrugged, and looked down, "I just thought it might help me choose."
"It's fine." he waved her off, shaking his head slowly, "I was..." he sighed and glanced down, staring out from behind his bushy bangs, "...Cain."
She nodded slowly, "Cain." the girl tried it too on her lips, "I like it. I hope you don't mind..."
He made a bit of a face, then sighed again, "No... no, I suppose I don't."
Her face lit up with a smile, which somehow melted all his doubts away. He wondered about this for a moment... perhaps it was her innocence, or her beauty. She had that, at least, without a doubt.
"So..." he began, leaning back in his chair and draping his arms over its back and the edge of the table, "...so, Love..." he breathed, "...any closer to your decision?"
The girl looked up from where she'd been pondering her bare feet, a truly contemplative expression on her already grave features, "Yes..." she said, voice distant, eyes unseeing as they rose up toward Chaos, "Lust."
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Author's Ending Note Thingy: Oh, yes, make fun of Cloud's Advent Children door-knocker-esque shoulder-decoration-thingy, will I? Ah, but I just couldn't resist... XD I'd want a door knocker like that if I had any say in it. Okay, anyone know of their own accord who Love/Lust is? Whattabout Chaos? You should… ah well, ask me if you need to.