Sorry for being late, had a bit of things to do but I managed to update this. If you want to check out my DA, check out EmeraldOverlord to see any art I have on this story or anything else.

Life in the palace took a lot to get used to.

For one, just about every need Vox had was dealt with. Food? He'd have an entire banquet delivered to him on a silver platter. Bathing? He had a literal bathroom attached to his room with expensive soaps and cleaning products that was the best this world could offer.

Everything a person could ever want or have was inside the palace, courtesy of Mammon's caretakers. The Lord of Greed himself was unable to watch over him himself due to having other affairs to attend to however he did keep his word about having other's take care of his every want and need.

It'd be an utter paradise had it not been for the fact he wasn't truly free. He wasn't allowed to go outside and the most he could get of the outside world was through his windowsill, giving him a rather sheltered and closed off life.

No doubt this was Mammon's intent, to make him feel isolated yet safely secured behind a veil like some sort of prized possession. A part of him wondered if that was all he was to Mammon, just some kind of toy he kept locked up inside of the display case only for his eyes to see and his alone.

He doubted he'd ever get a precise answer asking the Jester. The man was a sleazy bastard but he was always more than willing to twist his words into giving vague yet comforting answers.

It was a delusional, foolish part of him that dared to hope. Dared to hope that maybe Mammon cared for him as more than just a slave. That he wasn't just a piece of property to him but truthfully, despite everything, he felt unsure…

After all, were Deadly Sins capable of even feeling any sort of way towards their property?

He wasn't even close to Mammon's standing prior to meeting him. All his assets were back at home and even then, he doubted Mammon would truly acknowledge him if he had all those things.

And here? Where he was more or less just some peasant compared to him? Forget it, he wasn't even worth acknowledging.

Yet there was something he simply couldn't understand ever since he got here…

'Why does he care so much about having me in his custody?' He asked himself.

It wasn't like he was even mad about his carnival being destroyed.

He just seemed invested in Vox and the only reasons he ever gave off was that he 'intrigued' him and allowed him to talk down to him(within limits obviously) without lifting a finger to truly discipline him, at best giving threats but ultimately choosing to not go any further.

Vox grit his teeth, pinching the bridge of his forehead in annoyance. His mind was a flurry of emotional turmoil and conflict and these constant doubts and slight fear was doing him no favors.

That damned Jester had such a profound effect on him and he despised it. Just the mere notion of Mammon raising his voice made him cower. How he yanked his hair back and tore his claws into his skin without a hint of care.

And the way Mammon tangled his fingers through his locks caused shivers to run down his spine as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear. How warm his body was when he embraced him as he sobbed pitifully onto his shoulder….

He made him feel vulnerable..pathetic, like a sniveling child clutching onto their parental figure. The man made him feel more vulnerable than Val ever had and he despised how easily he fell back into his arms, hating how warm and comforting he was but didn't dare to move away.

And believe him, Vox didn't fully understand why he felt this way.

Perhaps he had truly gone mad from the trauma and the isolation from the outside world was doing him no favors. He was utterly alone and about the only comfort he had received was from his owner who seemed all too eager to have him back.

Yet, despite everything, he felt a growing curiosity about the Lord of Greed. An insatiable desire to learn more about him had sprouted to fruition with his behavior the other night and a part of him wondered whether Mammon was truly humoring him or if he was a tad attached to him…

He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up but he still wanted to know whether he was truly just a slave to him and nothing more. Because it was hard to tell whether Mammon just viewed him as property or had some strange attachment to him that he held towards no other mortal(at least none that he knew of).

Reading the Jester's emotions was a task that even Vox struggled with. Mammon always had this sense of eerie calmness in the air and his anger sounded more akin to mild disappointment at best.

Hell, the 'angriest' Vox had ever seen Mammon was when his ire wasn't directed at him, but rather at Charlie for barging in on them while he and Vox were about to get busy.

Even then, Mammon quickly regained his composure and seemed more irritated at Charlie's presence if anything.

He was so mysterious…he just had to know more about him.

For his own sake if anything as while this palace was nice, he still did desire to step foot outside in the very least and he couldn't do that while Mammon was keeping him cooped up behind the palace walls.

Besides, the bastard knew so much about him and he hardly knew him at all. It wasn't fair how Mammon saw him at his most vulnerable while only giving him small glimpses of what he was really like behind closed doors…

'Time to do a little snooping…' He thought to himself with a devious grin,'After all, I've got plenty of time and my curfew is in a few hours. That should be more than enough time to find something of value around this Tower…'

Vox began to explore the Tower out of his own free will, exploring the hallways available to him. He didn't discover much at first, not until he noticed an unlit portion of the mansion out of the corner of his eye that seemed abandoned.

It clashed with the rest of the atmosphere and Vox couldn't help but find himself curious despite the red-flags. It was hauntingly suspicious and he couldn't help but shake the bad feeling crawling down his back just by looking at it.

'It looks scary…but there's bound to be something on the other side of that place

It was only then did it dawn on him how huge Mammon's palace was as he quickly found himself trapped inside of a strew of almost endless hallways, finding himself more lost the deeper he went.

There were many doors(though none were accessible due to them requiring a key, much to his dismay) and he couldn't open them, forcing him to tread onward in hopes of discovering something, anything that would give him the answers he desperately sought, becoming more and more lost with each passing step.

Thankfully for Vox's sake, he managed to stumble upon ajar door out of the corner of his eye.

"Hm…that's strange…The other doors don't open but this one is left unlocked? Someone must've forgot to close it…" He mused to himself,"Not that I'm complaining. It's about time I found something interesting around here. Let's see what Master's hiding…"

Vox stepped inside and flinched when the door behind him shut without reason. He tried to open it but found himself unable to open it for whatever reason and cursed, realizing he was stuck and had no choice but to venture forward.

No doubt whatever force behind this wanted him to do this and was forcing him to discover the secret for himself for whatever or whoever was behind it wasn't going to let him leave until he did…

And so he did.

Vox turned his gaze to the contents of the room and froze at the sight. Inside was a shrine, and not just any shrine, but a memorial one…

Confused, Vox inspected the scene, bemused as to why Mammon would even have a memorial burial within the walls of his own palace, let alone had taken it with him while Vox had been on the run…

Only when he had taken a closer look did it all click, as he saw Fizz's picture set up on the floor, surrounded by objects like candles whose flame never seemed to end, flowers that never wilted and valuables made of gold that never rusted, no doubt under the influence of magic to keep such a pristine appearance.

In the center was some sort of physical representation of Fizz, highlighting his likeness greatly with a large statue.

It was…a memorial shrine for Fizzarolli.

The sight was completely unexpected and Vox was a tad taken back by the memorial. This wasn't at all what he expected Mammon to be hiding and it puzzled him that this is what the clown was keeping under wraps.

"Of all things…" He stammered,"This is what he's been hiding? A shrine?"

To put it mildly, Vox was a tad disappointed by the revelation. Not only was this NOT what he was looking for but he couldn't even understand why it was even here. Why would Mammon carry THIS of all things with him while he had been on the run?

Truth be told, the Former Overlord was tempted to just leave, however a small, definite part of him refused, telling him to venture further just a bit more in hopes of finding something, to prove that it wasn't all hopeless.

Vox wasn't sure why he had listened to the stubborn part of his mind, but figuring he had nothing left to lose, he decided to tamper with the grave…

Yeah, not exactly his finest moment but he figured grave desecration was the least of his crimes. He was a Sinner after all and Vox wasn't deluding himself into believing he was a good person or had the capacity of being a good one(despite Charlie's claims otherwise).

Besides, he was getting desperate and unless Fizz's ghost decided to rise from the grave, it was thought anyone was going to mind him tampering with it now would they?

It couldn't possibly hurt…

So against his better judgment, he decided to touch the relics and examine them closely. There were several photos strewn up all over the place and Vox held them up to a candle, his jaw dropping at what he saw.

All of them were pictures of Fizz and Mammon together. And they were..happy.

The photos ranged from when Fizz was a child, first meeting his idol with wonder in his eyes as he was allowed on stage.

At the time Vox could tell that the relationship was early as Mammon no doubt merely viewed Fizz as an overly eager fan and money-maker for his park.

But the pictures seemed to become more…personal. Ranging from Mammon picking out clothing for Fizz, to performing tricks together to even measuring Fizz's height as he grew older with chalk.

It appeared that the older Fizz became, the more fond Mammon grew of him, to the point he began treating Fizz like his very own child. And it seemed like the relationship was genuine as Vox never saw Mammon's eyes so filled to the brim with joy and affection…

It seemed that he cared for him a lot more than a Deadly Sin should rightfully care for their servant and it seemed that it cost him deeply when Fizz met his untimely demise…

Two conflicting emotions took hold, on one hand, he felt a sense of pity. Losing a child was a grievous pain regardless of their biological origin.

But at the same time despite his great shame in admitting so, he felt a twinge of jealous fester within him.

After all, why did Mammon of all people have the ability to have a healthy relationship with another? Why was he cursed to have awful relationships that ended in tragedy?

Because every romantic relationship he ever had ended on a godawful note.

His wife died of a disease the day after their wedding, his and Val's relationship was dysfunctional and constantly on the ropes even the best of times and Helsa betrayed him shortly after he confessed his undying love for her.

And Mammon…well…he wasn't sure if that counted honestly. What he had with him wasn't exactly 'romance', in fact, he wasn't sure what to call their relationship but he was hesitant to call it romantic on both of their ends…

It was as though he was sort of a magnet for needless suffering because whenever Vox believed he caught a break, another sort of tragedy came to kick him while he was down. Just when he thought he could give Helsa a chance, she spat in his face and threw him to the wolves after tricking him to save herself.

It was pathetic…to think that even Mammon at one point could have a better relationship with someone who made him despite himself more. Why was he so unlucky that his choices in partners always blew up in his face one way or another?

It wasn't fair…had he not suffered enough in that damn hellhole? Was this timeline continuing to punish him for his sins by inflicting endless mental and physical suffering on him until he no longer wished to live another day?

He didn't know…and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer to that question.

Vox glanced at the shrine for the longest time before noticing something strange. On Fizz's shrine was a silver necklace with a gold gemstone in the center.

Normally he'd brush it off, but something about that necklace felt…off about it. It didn't look like the other relics and it seemed 'special' in a way and he felt this desire, no, this NEED to have it within his grasp.

So he reached out and took it, examining the amulet closely. It didn't seem like it should've even been in the same pile as the other artifacts,as if it were made in another place far, far from here…

He couldn't shake off this mystical, supernatural feeling from looking at it.

"This relic is giving me a strange vibes…I don't think it's origins belong to this land…" He mumbled mumbled as he stared at it with intent before slipping it inside of his satchel,"Still, no matter where it hails from, it can still be of use to me. I know it's grave desecration but I think this artifact is better off with me than it is with Fizz and what Mammon won't know won't kill him, right?"

He decided to take the risk despite the consequences.

The former TV Demon zipped the satchel up and concealed the artifact in the bag he was gifted before rushing to the door and to his amazement, found that it was unlocked again…

No matter, he was quick to get out of the room in a fright, frantic to flee the scene if anyone noticed he had disturbed the burial and stole an ancient artifact from under his Master's nose.

Vox ran out the door without hesitation and eventually dashed around the hallways until he saw that he was far, far away from the abandoned part of the mansion with chills running down his spine…

He didn't dare look back and sprinted like his life depended on it(it most likely did). Of course spending all this energy wasn't consequence free and he was soon racked with exhaustion, heaving and panting heavily.

Running was most definitely not Vox's favorite activity and his body seemed to like reminding him of this painfully so…

As Vox painted, he couldn't help but wonder where exactly he had gone? He wasn't all too familiar with most areas of the mansion and this place seemed devoid of any maids despite being lit up and well kept…

This palace was large and Vox only knew his way around the kitchen, his bedroom and the stairs. Everywhere else was a mystery to him and it seemed like a never-ending maze at this point…

Unfortunately for Vox, he wasn't blessed with luck as he hardly got a chance to catch a break when he heard voices nearby, footsteps approaching.

Vox's heart raced, he wasn't supposed to be out here and he didn't want to risk getting caught. His eyes darted for any possible escape, but the only way out was through the way he came and he doubted he'd be able slip past whoever was coming.

The only option was to hide.

His eyes spotted a closet nearby and Vox stumbled his way over, still exhausted from running as he forced himself inside, covering his mouth to hide his labored breathing….

The former TV Demon winced as he heard the footsteps approaching and to his chagrin, he heard them stopping RIGHT in front of his hiding spot.

'Of for fuck's sake!' Vox growled to himself,'Why can't I catch a break? I can't even hide without someone camping outside my space! What is their problem!?'

It was infuriating but Vox didn't dare move a muscle, knowing that if he made any noise whoever was out there would likely open the door and discover him.

His heart pounded even faster when he heard two distinct voices, one female and one male speaking mere feet away.

"I'm telling ya Bumble Bee, Moneybags's behavior is kind of concerning…"

"I don't get what you're talking about Ozzie. He acted fine to me," The Queen of Gluttony said.

Vox turned pale, he had heard their voices before. Back in Hell, he and the other V's had been invited to events by Lucifer and sometimes the other Deadly Sins attended, depending on what the occasion was.

Val was a big fan of Ozzie and tried to emulate him and get his attention, though Asmodeus usually didn't acknowledged Val's existence and if he did…he was quite dismissive towards the moth.

Velvet tried to get gossip on Beelzebub and tried to get in a few photos to spice up her social media but their interactions were limited outside of that since business called.

And Vox…tried not to get too close to any of them to be blunt, knowing full well of what they were capable of.

Needless to say, he was terrified out of his mind knowing that he was mere feet away from the Lords of Gluttony and Lust and the only thing separating them was a flimsy door of all things.

'Just my luck…' He cursed to himself,'Of all people, it just had be Mammon's fucking associates. And they're gossiping right in front of me…Wonderful. Oh well, gossip is gossip and I'll take whatever info I can get…'

He leaned in and reluctantly peered through the small opening the closest provided while not exposing himself, tensing up at the sight of the humanoid Sins speaking with each other.

"You can't tell me you didn't notice," The Lord of Lust retorted,"It's obvious his mind's been clouded lately. Even when he was talking to us, it felt like he was just spacing out at times, as if he were thinking about something…or rather someone…"

"Whatcha getting at, Ozzie?"

"You know what I'm getting at. I talked with him about this before and he just blew me off but I know him well enough to know when he lets his feelings get in the way of his duty."

"Aw Ozzie, don't be so judgy, ya know he's been a bit different ever since Fizz kicked the bucket all those centuries back," She pointed out, almost sympathetically.

"I'm not trying to be judgy, I'm just pointing out that this is becoming a pattern. This isn't exactly the first time this has happened and you know it. We all know it…"

"I don't get what the problem is, Ozzie," She shrugged,"Ya know Mammon's been a little quirky with mortals. Who cares if he messes around with them? They're just playthings to him, just like they are to us…"

"Yes, but Mammon was never quite the same when he died and I think he's gotten attached to this one on an even deeper level this time…"

"Ozzie, I think you're blowing this outta proportion. This is just probably just Mammon's typical shenanigans, being possessive about his priority escaping. He's kind of greedy like that."

"I hope you're right. He's worrying me and I'd hate for a repeat of the last time he got attached,especially in this light…"

Vox narrowed his eyes, were they…talking about him? It was…difficult to tell given how little details he was given to digest but he could sense that they were speaking about his situation and he didn't like it one bit…

Before Vox could ponder this, Asmodeus's eyes narrowed at the closet before forcing the door open. Vox gasped in horror as the two discovered him, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest as the two towering Lords gazed at him.

A few moments passed before Beelzebub broke the silence with a mad cackle.

"Well well well, lookie what we have here! Now just who do you think you are, honeybun?" Beelzebub teases mockingly,"Hasn't your Mommy ever told you it's rude to eavesdrop?" She cackled madly,batting her lashes at him with great malice behind her sugary smile.

"I…I…" Vox stammered, too afraid to say anything.

"Aw, is someone scared?" She sneered as she pulled at Vox's cheek,"Don't be shy on me, boo! You know for a mortal, you're kind of cute! Tell me, my little honeypie, what's your name? Tell me, tell me!"

The former Overlord's face turned beet red,"I…I would rather not say…"

"Oh don't be such a prude," She snapped, her tone becoming more harsh as her grip in his chin became tighter,"Be a sweetheart give me some sugar now will you? I just want some answers, that's all…"

Vox tensed, it felt like she was flirting/threatening him at the exact same time and he was certain that was intent with how her eyes were glancing at him like a huntress eyeing the prey trapped in her web….

"Beelzebub, let me handle the interrogating," Asmodeus said,"You're too soft for this sorta thing."

Interfering on his friend's behalf, he grabbed Vox's neck and lifted him up into the air with one hand without batting an eye.

He hissed at the tight grip he found himself trapped in. Ozzie's grip was tighter than steel and while Vox was far from short, Ozzie was like a giant compared to him,especially while he had him at his complete mercy.

Vox tried to free himself to no avail and whined as his feet were held above the ground,"L-Let me go!" He croaked, his voice becoming sore from how tight Ozzie's grip over his throat was.

"Hmm…let me think about it," Ozzie said sarcastically, pretending to think it over before saying,"No…I'm not letting you go kid, not until you tell me what I want to know. Who are you and what the hell were you doing hiding in that closet listening in on us? Do you have no shame?"

Vox was bemused, how had Asmodeus not known who he was?

Did he not recognize him? Then again, they hardly interacted and his appearance had changed quite a bit since then. Ozzie likely didn't register him as the same person and just believed he was some sort of servant who had overstayed their welcome…

"Are you going to answer or what?" Asmodeus repeated before tightening his grip, Vox wincing in agony as he desperately struggled in the Lord of Adror's grasp.

"Ozzie, don't be so tight on his throat," Beelzebub piped up,"It wouldn't be any fun to play with him if you kill him too quickly! He's got too much of a pretty face to die so soon! As delicious as his fear is, it won't be satisfying if his life ends in an instant."

"Oh relax, Bumble Bee, he'll live…I'm sure of it."

As they bickered, Vox could feel his airpipe becoming more and more restricted. The bastard wasn't caring too much about how tight his grip was and by the time those were done arguing, he'd probably be on death's door.

Vox was terrified,terrified he was going to die isolated from anyone who would care and be forgotten.

Petrified that his life was dangling by a thread and that forces far greater than himself were keeping him alive purely on a whim and could take away from him in an instant…

He thought that this would be his end..yet it appeared fate had other plans as the relic from his bag activated from within the satchel and attacked, seemingly acting on Vox's fear and causing Ozzie to drop him.

"Argh!" He screamed, the Lord of Lust taken aback as a searing hot pain burned through his hand. Beelzebub rushed to his aid, comforting her ally as he laid on the ground in agony.

Vox's eyes widened as he landed on the floor, stumbling as he fought to not fall over. He didn't even know what happened and his mind was a haze as he pondered what to do.

After all, it was only a matter of time before they got back up again and he'd rather not think of what they'd do to him if they got their hands on his throat…

Only for his gaze to hit his wrist as he recalled Mammons' words towards him the other day…

He wasn't sure if it would work but it was the only idea he had…

"Master…please help me…" He whispered desperately, hoping he was listening,"I need you…They're gonna kill me…I'm so scared…please come for me…"

To Vox's surprise(and terror), something happened. The sigil on his wrist lit up before Mammon made his grand entrance through the smoke and as it cleared, he saw his owner standing in front of him.

"Mammon…is that you?" He asked in disbelief.

He received no reply and Vox quickly realized how STUPID that question was in the grand-scheme of things given the circumstances.

Regardless, a part of him felt strangely relieved that Mammon had bothered to show up.

Instead of acknowledging Vox's existence, Mammon instead had his attention on the other Deadly Sins who seemed to only now just notice his presence.

Beelzebub waved,"Mammon, you came just in time! That cute mortal over there was kind of causing us problems and knocked Ozzie down! Did ya come here to help us?"

"No, you bumbling fool," He scoffed, his calm tone betraying the fury in his stomach,"I came here because you two were threatening what was mine…"

"What are you talking about?" Beelzebub asked in confusion.

"Do not play dumb, did you two not realize that he was my property?" Mammon balked, sounding offended by his fellow Sin's audacity.

The two stared at Mammon in bemusement and the Jester rolled his eyes in irritation before saying,"Vincent, be a dear and come here, will you?"

Despite posing it as a question, the tone Mammon used made it clear that this was not a request, but rather a demand.

Regardless, Vox didn't dare disobey the command. Mammon then grabbed Vox's wrist firmly but not tightly before pulling back his sleeves and revealing the sigil before snapping at the other Sins,"Now do you see? Vincent is mine and I want to know what in the blazes you two were thinking manhandling my mortal without my consent!"

"Oh…so this is your mortal is it?" Ozzie asked, the dots connecting,"Should've known he was the 'special' one you were blabbing about. Certainly explains the nerve of his attacking me…"

"Attacking you?" Mammon asked in disbelief,"And pray tell, how did he do that?"

"I don't know, he just used some sort of magical ability and burned my hand!" He snarled,"Your mortal is far more powerful than you realize."

The Jester laughed,'That's quite a telltale, Ozzie. I expected better of you. I'll have you know that Vincent's powers are being restricted with those cuffs and he's completely powerless as a result. He's in no position to hurt you so please do us all a favor and tell the truth instead of making things up…"

"But that's happened, Mammon! We swear, that cutie did something!" Beelzebub exclaimed, pointing at Vox who cowered behind Mammon, clutching his Master's sash in fright, looking as helpless as can be.

Mammon glanced at the two Sins with great annoyance, clearly not taking their claims seriously.

"You two are beyond ridiculous. Look at him,he's just a helpless mortal. He couldn't hurt you even if he tried. You probably just used your own powers and hurt yourself and you're blaming my poor Vincent for your folly? Have you no shame?"

"But he-" Ozzie stammered.

"No buts!" He snapped,"I demand an explanation for your treachery because not only did you disturb me but you had the nerve to lay your hand on what is rightfully mine!"

"We were just talking and minding our own business before I discovered your so-called 'precious' mortal eavesdropping on us in the closet," Ozzie remarked sarcastically.

"Oh he did, did he?" The Jester inquired, seeming his expression unchanged. His tone was flat and impossible to truly decipher though he most certainly didn't seem surprised by this revelation.

"Yes he did," The Lord of Lust said flatly,"Which is why you need to reprimand him."

"Who says I need to do anything?"

"Because it's your responsibility?" Ozzie pointed out,"You're his Master for Satan's sake, Moneybags. You need to hold your subjects accountable, especially if they are a part of your court…"

"Boys, boys, let's not bicker like children,"Beelzebub ushered as she stepped between them,"We can settle this like adults…"

"And pray tell, how would we do that?" Mammon questioned.

"Well, I was thinking ya know, your mortal is walking eye-candy and I could go for a bite if you catch my drift" She said deviously, batting her eyes at Vox hid his head in his hands out of embarrassment,"Ooh…don't be shy my little blueberry, Momma's got something nice and tasty for to eat…"

"Beelzebub, will you quit being so damn thirsty?" Ozzie asked,"We're in the middle of something in case you haven't noticed…"

"Since when did you become such a prude?" She pouted,"Don't act like you're any better. You can't tell me you weren't thinking about it. This mortal's quite tempting…"

Ozzie smiled,"You know, you're right…He's not bad looking for a mortal…" Ozzie tried to reach out and touch Vox only to have his hand slapped away by an furious Mammon who glared at his fellow Sin's with silent death glares,"Ooh…ouch..Looks like someone's possessive today…"

"Back off you horny brain let!" Mammon snarled,"Haven't you ever heard to not touch what isn't yours, feather-brain!?"

"Mammon, no need to be so jealous. You know if you want to join in on the fun you can just ask!" Beelzebub exclaimed,"We just wanna borrow your mortal as repayment, what's the big whoop?"

"Yes, I let you borrow some of my whores and I don't recall ever having a fit. What makes this one so different that you can't share him with the rest of us?"

"Perhaps I'm not saying this clearly enough for you two to understand, however I'll remind you that once again, Vincent is bound to ME and me alone. Nothing you say will change that and if you think I'm going to let you touch what is mine, you are sadly mistaken. Now leave, you've overstayed your welcome and I'm tired of this conversation.."

"But-"

"I said get out, Now." Mammon's voice became demonic in tone and for a split second his form became monstrous in nature, his neck snapping in a way that was completely unnatural for a human being.

Ozzie and Beelzebub flinched at Mammon's hostile threat before the Lord of Lust frowned before brushing his hair back,"That mortal is nothing but trouble, Mammon. Far more than he's worth. Look at how he's getting you to act…"

"Vincent did nothing of the sort. This is merely how I respond to other's manhandling what is mine. Now Ozzie, Beezie…I suggest you take your leave before I make you…"

The Rulers of Sin seemed uneasy but Beelzebub almost tugged on Asmodous's sleeve before whispering,"Come on, Ozzie, let's go back to our homes. Mammon isn't in a good mood today and I think it's best we leave him and his little treat alone."

Ozzie silently agreed though, sending a concerned glance at Mammon before leaving, mumbling something under his breath before teleporting away with the Queen of Gluttony.

Once they were gone, Vox's body relaxed somewhat,'Finally..they're gone…'

However, anxiety quickly spiked up within him when Mammon spoke to him, his voice calm yet dripping with disappointment,"Vincent, what did I tell you about causing trouble with my associates? You should've been in bed by now and not only are you up past curfew but you put your life at risk by eavesdropping on my comrades. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Mammon may not have raised his voice, but Vox wouldn't lie when he said he flinched the dismissive way he was being spoken down to, as if he were some sort of child that had been caught taking a midnight snack past bedtime.

"I…I got lost…" He mumbled,"I was wandering about the palace and I lost track of where I was. By the time I got here, I heard footsteps approaching and feared I'd be punished so I hid in hopes they'd go away…As you can see, that didn't exactly work out."

He omitted a few details obviously,but that was technically the truth of the matter.

"I figured you'd get yourself in trouble when I was gone," Mammon admitted flatly,"It seems you attract a lot of misfortune your way, Vincent. I'd think you were cursed if I didn't know any better…"

Vox glanced away from Mammon, his eyes heavy with sorrow and drowsiness. The day hadn't been merciful to him and now that Mammon saw him, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt poke at his side seeing the blemishes on Vox's throat from when the Lord of Lust manhandled him prior.

The Lord of Greed reached out and touched Vox's chin before gently saying,"You look exhausted, Vincent. I believe it's time you go to bed. It's long past curfew and you'll do yourself no favors staying up too late…"

The former Overlord rubbed his arm,"That's no problem. I can go to my room and-"

"No," Mammon cut in,"Come with me. I'll take you to my personal adobe."

"That..that isn't necessary. I can go be myself…"

"Oh, but I insist, Vincent," The Jester pressed,"I don't fancy letting you out of my sight so soon after today's events and besides, it's been a while since the two of us have been alone together. Why not relax from the prying eyes of others and have some time to ourselves?"

Vox was unable to speak at the request and even if he had, it wasn't as if he could decline the offer. The way Mammon said it made it obvious this was anything but a request and that he had to obey…

Vox stared up at the ceiling in Mammon's bedroom, laying on the plush bedroom the Greedy Lord had situated for himself. He had since placed his satchel on the bedposts as he waited for Mammon to finish his shower.

He wasn't going to lie, he felt rather uncomfortable being in here. He felt as if he didn't belong and considering what happened anytime Mammon and he shared a bed together….he had long since mentally braced himself for a long session and that he wasn't walking straight the next day.

'Prepare yourself for the worst Vincent…' He told himself, awaiting the inevitable pounding he was certain he'd receive by the end of the night.

His anticipation only grew when Mammon exited the shower door, wearing nothing but his hat and his robe that exposed his chest.

The room was lit up with candles and while none were too bright, he could make the Jester's figure just perfectly, seeing his lanky yet built figure through the candle-light.

"Hey there, mortal," He said in a teasing tone,"I see you're still awake…Do you like what you see?"

Vox was speechless, unable to say a word. Mammon cackled at this and got closer to the bed, his eyes glowing in the darkness before laying beside Vox with a smile on his face only to frown when he saw Vox's eyes seemed…glazed over, as he was distracted.

"Is something on your mind, Vincent? You don't look well…" He asked with a hint of concern in his voice,"Is something bothering you?"

"Sort of. I've wanted to ask you something and I was wondering if you were OK with it…" He said this in hopes that perhaps he could avoid a severe fucking for the night, knowing all too well how Mammon thoroughly plowed him the last time they had intercourse. If he could avoid an intense pounding for the night with questions diverting the topic, then so be it...

This caught Mammon off guard before he responded,"Depends on what it is," He admitted while turning his head to the side, bemused at what sort of question he could have at this time,"Is it something important?"

"Yes…You see, I was wondering…do you ever get…lonely, Mammon?"

The Jester paused for the longest time, his smile faded before he asked,"What makes you ask this, Vincent? This doesn't seem like something you ever cared to be interested in…"

"I was just wondering…You don't seem like you hang around anyone that much…"

Mammon scoffed,"Are you insinuating I need the company of others? You are aware I'm not a mortal like you, right Vincent? We Sins are far more durable than you mortals are…"

"I never instructed otherwise, I was just saying that everyone gets lonely…" He said this, because back in Hell, he had to have Val and Velvet as his friends.

The relationship was dysfunctional and Vox wasn't deluding himself into believing otherwise but their fucked up friendship kept him going for years prior to the falling out as they were allies, even when the relationship got rocky.

He at least had friends and even now, prior to the betrayal, he had Velvet…

"I'll have you know that 'loneliness' as a concept is foreign to me. Even if I experienced such a thing, it would be far different than how you mortals would process it…"

Vox sensed a lie in his voice but didn't dare comment on it, instead choosing to ask an armor piercing question,"Have you in the very least missed another person?"

He glanced at Mammon in the eyes and saw his expression freeze momentarily, as if he were debating what to say.

For a split second he saw a tinge of sadness(?) in his eyes, though this emotion quickly dissipated as he recovered,"Of course not, Who would I have to miss? The other Sins are immortal and every other mortal is quite replaceable to me…"

"Am I replaceable to you, Mammon?" He asked, partially out of curiosity and the other half being out of fear that he might one day grow bored nad kill him...

The Jester narrowed his eyes before saying,"Not you. You're different, you're not like the others. You're…intriguing. You're quite an interesting mortal, for even with so many hardships thrown at you, your body still finds a way to keep moving when your soul's defeated…It's quite amusing, honestly."

Vox wasn't sure whether he should be flattered or terrified and his body tensed up upon being told those words.

Mammon then reached out and stroked his cheek, soothing him as he said,"Don't look so blue, Vincent…I'm here for you, you know that? I know you're scared, you're lonely and you're not sure what the future holds, but I assure you that I'll be here for you every step of the way, you got that?"

The former Overlord nodded halfheartedly,"Yeah...I get the memo..And by the way, Mammon...thank you..."

"For what, mortal?" He asked in bemusement.

"For saving me, what else?" Vox stated, as if it were obvious,"You saved me from your insane friends, I at least owe you my thanks..."

"Oh yes..That makes sense," Mammon mumbled, taken off guard by the sudden sense of gratitude Vox possessed.

As they laid together in the bed, Mammon couldn't help but think that Vox was strange for caring about whether he was lonely. Even as Vox drifted off to sleep, the question kept Mammon awake at night as he pondered his thoughts...

Because that was the first time any mortal had asked such a question. No one else dared to ask him such a personal inquiry and he couldn't understand why Vox of all people would care. After all, he was his Master and he was merely a servant, a mortal tool and the idea he'd care for him…

It made him confused and lost, and while he despised admitting it, a tiny bit afraid. Afraid of getting attached again and having it cost him dearly…

Vox wasn't Fizz, but that didn't it mean he wasn't uneasy at being open or trusting with a mortal,especially one that had tried to escape. No matter how intrigued he was, he had to remind himself of Vox's past actions to not get carried away.

'Don't think too deeply…' He told himself,'He's probably just trying to get into your head, Mammon…There's no way this mortal could ever understand anything about you..'

He told himself that, though he wasn't entirely sure if he believed it…

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