He noticed it when he was making love with Lilith, something was watching them. He was used to the animals but they would leave after they got loud. Whatever was watching them recently would stay hidden behind the trees and bushes. It was weird. At first he thought it might have been Lucifer but when asked the angel grew red covering his ears at the mention of what the two would do.
So he went to the only other person he knew, Mammon. He hadn't really seen them since they first met. Standing at the entrance to the cave he called for the angel, only to be met with silence. Going into the cave he sees more glitter metal on the walls than when he left. He had been meaning to bring Lilith here, but kept getting side tracked with new animals he found.
"Mammon! Are you here?" He yells out hearing the echo reverberate through the cave.
He feels the ground rumble under him, making him back up as Mammon breaches through the ground. "Lucifer I swear to-!" He blinks, recognizing the human leaning down to look at the tiny creature. "Oh, hey Adam. What brings you here?"
Adam smiles wide, hugging Mammon's giant face which was as big as his body, Mammon responds by gently nuzzling into the human."Mammon! I wanted to ask if you've been the one watching me and Lilith?"
"Been a bit preoccupied with making caves so no, why do you ask?" Mammon dusts off some rocks from his clothes.
"Well I want to meet whatever's been watching us, they disappear after we're done... Uh, what's it called? Being fruitful? Copulating?" Adam uses his hands to show what he's talking about since he doesn't know what to call it yet. "It can't be an animal, they don't like loud sounds so I was thinking it had to be an angel."
Mammon's laughter startles the human. "I think it might be Asmodeus then, he was always excited to see how the creatures would… use what he designed." Mammon pokes his hips indicating what Asmodeus had made.
"Oz-mode-e-us? I don't think I've seen him. Wait, he designed me?" Adam didn't think anyone but his creator had a hand in his creation.
"Not all of you, just reproductive parts. Even then Pops would get mad if it didn't fit his vision." Mammon shutters remembering the arguments the two had gotten into.
"Well how do I meet Asmodeus, it's not like it matters but it's sort of weird not seeing him but knowing he's watching." Adam asks, still slightly stunned to know the angels helped create him.
Mammon thinks for a second, caws scratching at his fur. "He likes amphibians, maybe find some and you will find him too." He shrugs.
"Good idea! I'll go do that right now, thanks Mammon!" He waves as he runs to go find some frogs eager to meet a new angel.
"Yeah, no problem…" Mammon's tone is off but Adam doesn't pay it any mind.
The next few hours he spends looking around ponds for frogs. It takes a while but he finds a pair of frogs that are perfect for what he's planning. He sets both on a log full of insects, a prime breeding ground which should attract Asmodeus. Then he hides in a bush not far from it and waits. It isn't until nightfall he sees something unnatural go towards the pond.
The three heads confused him but he still approached it. "Are you Asmodeus?"
The creature jumps and turns around. "HUH, Adam?! How do you know my name?"
"Mammon told me. Are you the one that's been spying on me and Lilith?" Adam watches mesmerized by the weird fur move like wind or water, or an element he doesn't know?
"Damn it Mon, you shouldn't even be talking to the humans." Asmodeus mumbled under his breath. He lowers his head in shame and nods. "Yes, I was watching you."
"Why?" Adam asks innocently, as he walks closer trying to understand how each angel looked so different from each other.
"Well, it's hard to explain. Have you ever made something before?" He sees Adam blank stare and knows the answer is no. "Right, when you do you'll understand the joy of seeing it work as intended."
"Still don't get it but whatever." Adam shrugs, turning to the frogs and patting the ground near him. "Even if I don't get it, I'll try to understand."
The angel is at first hesitant being near the human, it takes Adam a bit of effort but he manages to convince him to sit down instead of bolting away. Asmodeus and Adam spend the night observing the frogs. Oz excitedly talks about the parts he designed and the complexity of the organs. Adam doesn't understand most, if any, of what he's talking about but the angel seems happy so he asks questions every now and then. Adam eventually dozes off sleeping against the soft feathers of Asmodeus as he rambles on about something.
Adam wakes to his living nightmare, hearing someone gently knocking on the door. "Fuck off Mammon!" His voice is strained as he yells.
Instead of the person leaving, the door opens to an imp almost cowering with a tray of food in her hands. "S-sorry, but lord Mammon said to b-bring you your breakfast. He thought you w-wouldn't want to see him since you slept through dinner. He also w-wanted me to ask if you are using one of your s-skips to miss today's morning practice?"
Adam was half tempted to smash the food into the imps face but hunger wins out. "Gimmie that!" He snatches the tray gulping down some soda.
The imp stands scared next to the door. "Uh d-do you want anything else Mr. Angel?"
"Hmm, nah, just tell that bastard Mammon I'm not doing shit today." He eats his food glaring at the imp since she still doesn't leave.
"A-ah well actually sir, Mammon said you have to go with him to be measured for some sort of product, aside from that he said he doesn't care what you do." The imp keeps looking hesitantly at his guitar leaned up against his nightstand.
"Let me guess, I've got next to no choice?" She gently shakes her head. "Fucker cant even leave me alone, fine when is that?" Adam rubs the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"After lunch sir." She answers and is waved to leave a second later.
With her gone he finishes his food, savoring its heavenly flavors. When he's done licking his fingers he decides to wash up. He hasn't had a proper bath since the battle at the hotel, and after last night he feels filthy. Harsh bright lights nearly blind him as he turned them on. The bathroom is all marble white surfaces with gold trim. The walls have pastel rain cloud patterns. It's an insult to him, a mockery of heaven that Mammon no doubt planned.
Striping out of the robe, he sees the way his wounds have healed. On his chest a grotesque lump of sensitive gold and pinkish skin replaces what would have been a stab mark. The spot where the trident hit looks better, almost like stars. The rest of what he can see is only minor scratches aside from the gold mark over the rib he lost when Eve was made. Looking in the mirror he sees the bags under his eyes, the bruises are nearly gone. Turning a bit he can glimpse his back which is a far worse version of his chest.
He hates seeing himself naked. The sight of body made him uncomfortable after eating the apple. The new scars aren't going to help that, not like he would let that show. He's the first man he can't show weakness, especially not with demons watching him. He has to get back up to the Pride ring then make a beeline to Heaven's embassy and get his halo back. How the hell is he going to do that? He doesn't have friends down here, and Mammon's got a choke hold on him. He doesn't even want to think of what else the sin could do to him. Even if he can escape the bastard and get to Pride with his shit luck he'll see one of those hotel bitches, he might as well kill himself and save them the trouble if that happens.
After a few tries he manages to turn on the shower adjusting the temperature to his liking and steps in, the water feels different somehow like it's worse or unclean. Maybe God blessed the stuff in heaven? Regardless it's still calming, washing away all the dirt and grime. Even when he's clean he stays, sitting down on the floor imagining himself in a waterfall of eden or earth when he didn't have to deal with the bullshit of the afterlife.
He doesn't stay in his fantasy long, getting out toweling down his skin and taking a blowdryer to his hair and wings. Drying wings is a pain which is why he usually makes Lute do it for him. It takes an hour before he's fully dry, not that he feels clean. He dresses in a clean version of the jester robe complet with the mask. He spends the rest of his time looking through the catalog to find things to decorate his room, or strumming his guitar. He hears a knock at the door and shouts for them to come in.
The imp from earlier enters with another tray of food. "Lunch is here." She tries a cheery tone but it sounds too forced.
His head lolls off the side of his bed to see her. "Right, and when I'm done I have to go see Mammon?"
She solemnly nods, setting the tray down and cautiously taking the one from breakfast. "Anything else I can get you Mr. Angel."
"Adam, my name is Adam not Mr. Angel." He growls. "And unless you have any advice for dealing with Mammon's bitch ass no I dont fucking need anything."
"A-ah well then I'll be going then." She shuffles out as he chows down on his food dreading who he has to see when he's done.
When finished with his food he mentally prepares himself grabing his instrament and heading out to find Mammon. Tugging at the strings connecting the two he follows them, finding Mammon in the circus tent again along with the two girls he met the other day. The girls are practically fawning over Mammon in the fakest praise he's ever heard. The closer he gets, still touching the string he sees it form a full line of green between him and Mammon, Adam decides to test something. He yanks the string as hard as he can, watching Mammon momentarily stumble as his hand is dragged back by the string.
Mammon growls turning around to yell but stops seeing Adam. "Ah, ya finally came out ta' join us. Almost got worried about ya, ye' cunt."
Adam forces a smile despite his eyes glaring daggers. "Mhm, ya just couldn't stand the major bummer that this whole clown shit is, made me sick to my stomach just thinking about it."
"Aww does bird boy not like clowns or are you just allergic to talent?" One of the sister's mocks. "Maybe you should just fly into a plane if show biz is too much for you, ya-... ya seagull?" The other tries.
Adam scrunches his nose at the comparison but thinking about it, it's kind of accurate Lilith hated seagulls despite them being quite resilient birds and scavengers. Before he can retort he feels Mammon's arms wrap uncomfortably tight around his torso. The sisters shift their attention back to the sin.
"As entertaining as it is to watch ya bitches bicker, we have to go." Mammon grabs the sisters and snaps, enveloping them in smoke and fire.
Adam starts coughing due to the amount of green smoke everywhere seeping through the vents in his mask. Waving the cloud of green away he is met with large golden statues of naked figures. The walls are lined with dark purples, blues, and pinks, there's hearts everywhere. Mammon picks him up and places Adam on his shoulder while the sister strut alongside them. Mammon is actually quite comfortable to perch on despite the shiver that travels up his spine as Mammon maneuvers him with ease. Mammon walks around the halls he knows well, stopping at a set of doors. Inside is an office of some sort with Asmodeus nuzzling against an imp draped over his shoulder.
"Ozzie! Nice to see you again even after you screwed me over for fizz-a-fucky." Mammon says through gritted teeth in a false cheery tone.
Adam watches the sin of lust's fire tint a different color briefly as the imp scowles. "Mammon, I told you before if you still want to work together in any capacity, you will leave Fiz out of it."
"Can't help holdin' grudges when I lose money Ozzie." Mammon retorts.
Asmodeus rolls his eyes. "Right, let's just skip to business shall we, you want Bots of the twins?"
"Yep and I want your personal touch in making one for this guy as well." He pats Adam's leg like someone would pet a dog.
Asmodeus looks confused but recovers fast. "Alright." He presses a button and calls for someone to enter, two demons come in and escort the twins to another room.
Asmodeus gets up and leads Mammon through the halls to a workshop of some sort. He roots around looking for things, finding a measuring tape and some metallic body parts. Fiz seems to slink off the sin assisting him in finding things. Mammon places Adam on the table, after a crushing squeeze.
"I'll be back in three hours, oh I should mention this isnt one you can fuck Ozzie." Mammon says before disappearing in fire and smoke once more.
"Wasn't even thinking of it Mon." Asmodeus mumbles to himself. "Ok I'm going to need you out of those clothes to get my measurements."
Adam blatantly ignores the sin turning to Fiz. " What did you do to piss off Mammon so much?"
Fiz stands tall with a wide smile on his face. "I quit!"
"Quit? He let you quit? Without a fight?" Adam questions.
"Oh no Mammon was ready to fight but he knew better than to mess with Ozzie." Asmodeus smiles at the imp as it climbs back up and hugs him.
Adam starts laughing, taking off his helmet and placing it on the table. "Asmodeus fight? Heh, I seriously can't imagine this big softie even thinking of violence. I mean you used to be terrified of even being spotted."
Both look at him confused until Asmodeus recognizes him. "Wait who… ADAM?!"
"You know any other first men?" Adam tilts his head with a half smirk.
Fiz still seems to be trying to figure out what's happening as Asmodeus crushes Adam in a hug that reminds Adam of the times he'd see the former angel in Eden. "How are you here, human souls are stuck in pride, and why are you with Mammon of all people?"
Adam splays out his wings. "Not a human anymore, upgraded when I died… which was definitely jarring after being crushed by rocks after like nine hundred years. As for Mammon, the bastard caught me after a battle."
Asmodeus observes the wings and their gold color. "No wonder he'd want to snatch you up. I honestly expected you to be thrown down here when I heard you ate the apple but being turned into an angel that's… unexpected."
"I know I rock." The sin and imp force a smirk sharing a look.
Ozzie begins to measure his wings already knowing most of the proportions on the former human. "Right… So you're fine with mammon making a sex bot in your likeness?"
"Not like I got much of a choice already signed a contract." He grumbles before pulling back on his mask of confidence. "Besides, who wouldn't want to have the Dickmaster in their bed?"
"Mammon and his contracts, trust me if you see a way out, take it! He wont stop overworking you until you break, he wont let you go no matter what, He's a manipulative mother fucker that will act like he cares as long as you do what he says." Fiz is holding his arms and staring at him in total seriousness.
Adam stares at him, shrugging off his hands. "Ya, already got that, but I can handle him." He's lying through his teeth but his pride won't let him ask for help.
Neither of them seem to believe him either but they dont comment further, focusing on getting measurements and manipulating a model to be a look alike to him. Thankfully Asmodeus doesn't make him take off his clothes already knowing most of what Adam's body looks like. It's still invasive and uncomfortable to look at a robotic version of himself that's anatomically correct. Mammon shows up later with the sisters happily checking over the android, and discussing business with Asmodeus. When done he takes the sisters and Adam back to the greed ring.