Track 13: Addictive - Royal Republic

The library was quiet, except for the soft, soothing music that Adam was playing as he lay on a couch near the sharing table. Angel Dust was writing in his journal at the table, Husk was reading a book near the fire as he sipped a glass of tea, Charlie was laid out on the ground, drawing something in crayon as Dazzle sat curled at her side, Nifty was doing something under Adam's robe, and even Alastor was calmly reading, lightly tapping his foot to the tune. Pentious had been there, but he had suddenly bolted up, exclaimed that he'd left his Egg Boiz in the sauna and slithered off.

Naturally, the peace was abruptly shattered because they were still in Hell.

"RESURRECTION, BY ERECTION-!"

They all jumped as the sudden power metal roared from Adam's halo.

Being as it was floating right above his head, Adam took the brunt of it. "Fucking shit!" He hissed, clutching his ear with one hand and reaching up to flick the halo with his other, "Goddamn volume control, I fuckin' swear…ahem, Adam speaking."

They couldn't hear who spoke, obviously, but they could see his expression flatten.

"Oh, hello, Jo," he said blandly, "Yes, I'm still doing that thing. Yeah, I got the catalog, no I haven't looked at it yet," he reached into his sleeve and retrieved a rolled up magazine, the back cover being an advertisement for something called 'Ancient Roman Dining - Try Our Glire Today!' There was a picture of Adam giving a thumbs-up, with the words 'It's good shit!' underneath.

"…"

"Yeah, it's the Fall Catalog, of course you lead with the sweaters and cozy shit, it just makes sense," he grumbled, flipping through the pages, "Yeah, the sweater-dress thing is hot, it barely covers a third of the body, but I don't see how that could be practical at all."

"…"

Adam rolled his eyes. "Oh, I sound unenthusiastic, do I? Maybe 'sulky' is a better word?" He sighed, flipping out the pages of a centerfold and turning the magazine. "No shit I'm still bitter. You made light of my dead kids, Jo, fuck yeah I'm a little sensitive about it."

Charlie perked up and despite herself, leaned in closer. She barely registered the Sinners doing the same.

The First Man scoffed. "Just because it was a month ago doesn't mean it wasn't a shitty thing to do! What, are you still bitter about the Barbecue Sauce thing?" His brows furrowed. "…What do you mean you're still bitter about the Barbecue Sauce thing?! That was twenty fucking years ago, Jo! And you deserved it, too!"

"…!"

"That dress was an eyesore, literally!" He called back, pinching his nose in frustration, "You charcoaled eight of Metatron's eyes, Jo! You're just lucky I didn't have any ink on hand!"

The halo vibrated under the force of 'Jo's' shouting, though no sound actually escaped.

"…! …! …!"

Adam simply nodded as he flicked through the magazine, obviously only half-listening. "Uh-huh," he muttered, "Mhm. Mm. Ah." Getting to the final page, he closed the catalog and slipped it back up his sleeve.

"…"

"Well first of all, fuck off, my legs are fantastic," Adam shot back, with Charlie and the Sinners nodding, some more hesitantly than the others, "Secondly, you're just mad I wore it better than you; and thirdly if you ever say that to me again I'll never star in another of your catalogs, ever. How the fuck was I supposed to know 'He'll be sulky for weeks' was code for 'I'm blue ballin' so hard they've turned into sapphires, come fly me to Pound Town you sexual Tyrannosaurus?'"

The Princess couldn't help but frown, and wonder just how many people the First Man was banging.

"…"

"Subtlety? Yeah, and where did that get you? Not laid," Adam snarked, leaning back with his hands behind his head, "Maybe next time you should try saying what you fucking mean."

"…"

He looked up in thought, "No, I only have an hour a day, and it took longer than that to get you out of all that silk last time. 'But it's ten million thread count woven from the clouds!' doesn't really work as an excuse because I know you can make it with a snap of your fingers. You're the one who likes getting tied up, it's not my fault you don't know any quick-release knots. Yeah. Alright. See you Sunday." Adam pulled the collar of his robes up, "You okay in there, sister?"

"Yes, Clean One! Nifty is going back to sleep!"

Angel Dust raised both of his left hands. "…Alright, I got questions that need some fuckin' answers," he started, his journal closed on the table next to him, "The fuck was that all about? The fuck is Nifty doing? And…'Barbeque Sauce' thing?"

Adam sighed, folding his hands on his chest. "In no particular order, Nifty is sleeping on my stomach and I don't know where she got the sleeping bag from; that was Jophiel, Archangel of Love, Beauty, Fashion and, as she would say, Heaven's Greatest Diva. We hook up sometimes. And finally, well…" He waved his hands as if to paint a picture, "Imagine it, the Council Chambers, most beautiful building in all of Heaven, constructed of gold, diamond, crystal and all that stupid shit; the Long Table, carved from a single sixty-foot long solid diamond for no discernible fucking reason, the most powerful figures in Heaven-" He pointed a thumb at himself, "-sitting around like a bunch of jackasses to report on the most boring bullshit imaginable, waiting on the last of the Archangels to show up so they could get the meeting started, finished, then go on with their fucking lives. The doors bang open, and in walks the most beautiful of Angels, the definition of beauty, even, wearing…a dress made of pure, coruscating light, woven of every color imaginable and some that aren't. What do you say, in a moment such as that?"

"Quite the show you're putting on there!" Alastor chirped, "I'm imagining a dress of light wouldn't cover much, right?"

Charlie squinted in thought. "…You light up my day?" She offered, perking up as Adam smirked at her.

Angel shrugged. "Nice dress?"

They all looked to Husk, who tapped his chin in thought. "…Ow, my eyes," he said bluntly.

"Bingo!" Adam clapped, "Imagine one of those fun house mirror mazes, except every mirror is pointed directly at your face, there's no roof, and it's noon." He nodded at their collective wince. "Metatron is made of eyes. The sound…" he shuddered theatrically, "He might be Reality's Biggest Nerd, but he didn't deserve having some of his eyes seared out."

Charlie found herself nodding in agreement, unconsciously rubbing one of her eyes. "…But why barbeque sauce, though?"

The First Man shrugged. "Maybe someone got bored and summoned a plate of ribs. Maybe they had a lot of sauce left over. Maybe they had to come up with some reasons to get rid of it. Reason number one: I don't want it. Two: She's sitting right there. And three: I already had an empty balloon for completely unrelated reasons, so…" He whistled and mimed an arc with his hand, "Splat. Right on the tits."

It was a rather nice sight that a cannibal, a pornstar, an alcoholic cat, the Princess of Hell and the First Man could share a chuckle, even if the reasons for their mirth weren't exactly the same.

"…Adam?" Charlie started tentatively, biting her lip. The question she wanted to ask wasn't exactly fair, not after admitting that their situations were getting in the way of her feelings. So she asked another. "Why do you call my mom The Whore?"

The atmosphere, once relatively light, darkened as Adam stared at her, golden eyes once glittering with humor becoming flat and cold.

Husk leaned over from his chair, giving Charlie his best 'what the fuck?' look.

"…Believe it or not, I don't call her that because it's an insult, that's just a bonus," he gave her a thin, sardonic smirk that faded into blankness, "It's what she is. Same as the sun is the sun, same as the air is the air…same as I'm the First Man, she's the First Whore. See, back in Eden, despite how…malleable everything was, what you saw is what you got. Think of it; no one and nothing could lie, because the Concept of Something That Is False simply…didn't exist. Everything was True. Until that day. He created Lies, That Which Is False Presented As True. Your mom…"

Adam took a deep breath, eyes squeezing shut in old, remembered pain. Charlie felt something shrivel inside her.

He opened his eyes and gazed at her. There was no emotion in those gilded orbs. "Your mother created the Concept of Infidelity, That Once Was True But Now Is False. And together, they created the Concept of Betrayal. So anytime anyone has ever lied to your face or behind your back, everyone who has ever betrayed the trust they were given, every friend that became an enemy…" Adam spread his hands. "They're the reason. And, those who Create Concepts gain a sort of power from it. She traded my trust, and the trust of the Archangels for power. Sex, transaction. The Whore."

Charlie had curled in on herself in her chair, knees pressed to her chest as she hugged them. All she really wanted to do at that moment was disappear or see if Nifty could budge up under Adam's robe, but she was in too deep to back out. "My b-mom, my mom said when it happened, that you didn't say anything, speak up in their defense-"

"-Charlie, why the fuck would he?" Husk pointed out incredulously, "His wife just cheated on him, The First Cheating ever, why-"

"Oh!" Angel Dust interrupted, snapping his fingers in realization, "That also makes you the First Cuck, right?"

Every eye in the room slowly turned to Angel, who froze as he fully understood what he'd just said. "…Well, far be it for me to get in the way of your death wish!" Alastor said cheerfully, picking up his chair and moving it to the far corner of the room, incidentally giving him the best view for whatever came next.

"Why would you say that?!" Charlie screamed into her hands, turning to Adam to defuse the coming rampage-

"-I'm not, actually," Adam said calmly, even though his eyes had begun to glow golden, "Lilith and I were never married. That being said, do not ever call me that again or I will turn you inside out." His hands twitched, knuckles cracking.

The pornstar gulped audibly. "I'm, uh, really sorry, you know, sometimes the ol' mouth says something before the brain can realize, prolly all the uh, hard drugs and erotic asphyxiation…" His nervous laughter trailed off as the First Man simply stared at him. "…Sorry, Adam."

Charlie blinked, reeling from metaphorical whiplash. "…Never married my mom?" She echoed faintly, a little surprised to find that knowledge made her a bit relieved for some reason.

"Lilith and I were 'made for each other,'" Adam quoted sardonically, "We never exchanged vows or symbols of our bond in front of witnesses nor ever declared as married, by paper or priest. Therefore, by any definition of the word 'marriage' we never were. See, before your mother…" He gave her that thin, humorless smile again, "We didn't need vows of faithfulness."

The Princess slumped in her chair, mouth feeling incredibly dry even as her stomach churned. "I…I, uh…"

Adam snapped his fingers and stood, and seeing as how Nifty didn't go tumbling to the floor he must've teleported her away. "Eve was my Wife, my first and only, which worked just fine for me," he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, "I'm done fucking talking about this, and I'm done thinking about this. I'm going to make some dinner, and if you're lucky it won't be basted in so much holy water the scent alone would light you on fire." He shot them all a dark glare and stomped away, slamming through the door.

Charlie rubbed her sweaty palms on her pants, listening to his heavy footfalls as they faded away and the door repaired itself. "…Shit, I can't leave it like this," she muttered, running a hand through her hair and jumping up, "I gotta fix it."

"Princess," Alastor spoke up, arching an eyebrow, "As fun as it is to watch you squirm, perhaps you should leave the First Man be for the time being? Too much of a good thing, and all that."

"Yeah, I don't think pissing him off any further is gonna go well, even for you," Angel added, looking miserably down at his journal, "Fuck man, this is not what I meant…"

Husk shakily poured another few fingers of scotch into his glass. "Seriously, Charlie, just let the man be for a while," he cautioned, taking a deep drink, "If I wasn't already dead that conversation would've taken decades off of my life…"

Charlie looked at the three Sinners, content to sit in the library and let Adam stew in the pain and rage she'd brought out of him. There was only one thing she could say in reply. "No. Fuck you." And she left the library at a run.

"Alas, dear Charlotte," the Radio demon toasted her with a tea cup, "I knew her well…sort of."

She found him in the kitchen after nearly fifteen minutes, as he'd somehow gone from the library in the middle of the building to the ground floor with a two-minute head start, without teleporting considering he'd tweaked the wards to stop it as he went.

Adam was standing in front of the unlit stove, glaring at the contraption, hands balled into fists at his sides as he muttered to himself.

"…Adam?" Charlie asked tentatively.

"What?" He ground out, not looking in her direction, knuckles turning white.

She licked her lips and walked up to him, reaching to grab his fist with both of her hands. "I'm sorry," she said, simply and honestly, making Adam blink and look down at her, "Sometimes…a lot of time, I forget that you…are old. I forget that when you talk about Eden and…everything before and after, it's not just a history lesson or a lecture, but things you actually lived through and witnessed, not…a story," Charlie blinked, her eyes burning, "A-and I keep bringing it up, and hurting your feelings even though I don't mean to but I keep doing it because I just want to know you and it's stupid and selfish and mean and-"

At some point, his hand had uncurled, and her fingers were squeezing his open palm, a distant part of her noting that his hands were big and oh boy that was exciting in a way it probably shouldn't be-

Adam turned to her, his other hand coming up to cup her cheek. Charlie gasped. His fingers were calloused in some places, smooth in others and very warm. He was gazing down at her with that look that felt as if he were peering into her soul. "Charlie," he said softly, wiping a tear away with his thumb, "Never apologize for seeking knowledge. Maybe the manner could use a little work, but at least you're asking and not assuming. I…it isn't easy talking about these things, but…you're in the middle of it, and, frankly, you should already know most of this. Though I guess it's more a blessing considering how biased that story would sound like, not that I'm not biased but I also can't lie-"

Charlie was tempted to reach up and return his gesture, but he was too tall so she settled for cupping the hand that was cupping her face, giving him a soft smile. "You're rambling," she pointed out, a bit hypocritically.

He took a deep breath. "…Remember the bathtub?" Adam smirked as her cheeks took on a delightful shade of pink, "I asked you 'how do you exist?' I meant it. Charlie, you're the Sole Progeny, the Only Child, the Daughter of Lies, Infidelity and Betrayal. By your very nature, you should be a lying, cheating, stealing turbo-bitch who puts your parents to shame…" Her smile had faded as she cast her eyes down, only for Adam to gently tilt her chin back up to look into her eyes, "But you aren't. You…are good. You're the best thing your parents have ever created…not a high bar to clear, I know."

The Princess of Hell quietly giggled. "…Thanks, Adam."

"And when I say your parents fucking suck, I'm not saying it as an insult to you," he continued, stepping in a little closer, hunching to be more level with her, "You won't answer when I call…was I ever really loved at all?"

Charlie felt her breath hitch as he sang the words she'd sung weeks ago back to her, his voice soft and, dare she believe it…tender.

Adam gave her a small, sad smile and stroked her cheek. "No one should ever have to wonder that, Charlie," he said quietly, "…Least of all, you."

Her heart hammered against her ribs, heat running through her veins that she nearly vibrated in place. She wanted to leap up at him, tug him down, tackle him to the ground, and a myriad of other wants. Instead, Charlie melted against the palm of his hand, and tried not to melt onto the floor.

"I can't promise I'll take it with grace," Adam murmured, a flash of shame on his face, "Those events…I remember them so clearly, and I can't forget how I felt then or now, but…never stop asking me, Charlie. I might get angry or pissy, but…I won't lie to you. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded, and tried not to whine as he removed his hand and stepped back. She cast her mind about for a safe topic and settled on one. "How'd you get down here so fast without teleporting?"

He opened the fridge and jacked a thumb over his shoulder as he rooted around inside. "There's a pair of emergency poles that run the whole length of the building, next to the dumbwaiter," he said casually.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "…There's a dumbwaiter?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's a classy hotel, of course there's a dumbwaiter," Adam replied, flipping on a couple of ovens, "Just remember to wear gloves or something, friction burns are a bitch."

Charlie licked her lips and made a mental note to go to the top floor later and ride the poles all the way down, then shook her head. "What are you making? Can I help?"

"Sure," he shrugged, "It's glire. I've had a craving for some, not sure why."

"What is it?"

"A type of dormouse ancient Romans used to farm."

"Wait, really? …Is it good?"

"It's the shit, especially with this sauce made from these extinct berries-"

Well fuck me, that ain't how I expected things to get interesting. Me and my big goddamn mouth. Charlie and her big goddamn mouth!

Seriously though, last time I saw Adam he was stomping away from the library after threatening to turn me inside out, and not in the way I like.

…Wait, the fuck does that even mean? Is there even- no, no, no. Not goin' down that rabbit hole.

And then, like two hours later, there's this amazing smell that no shit I went to find out what it was, and there was Adam and Charlie cookin' and shootin' the shit! Drinking something called 'posca' and smilin' and laughin' like they were the best of friends!

Seriously?! How the fuck does Charlie do it? I wanna say something about her having a magical mouth, but I also don't wanna just in case Vags ever reads this- it recorded it anyway. Fuck.

Anywho, dinner was this like, I thought it was a small pig or something, but it was actually a giant mouse. It's damn good, too. I saved some for a sandwich tomorrow. And naturally Alastor went on his usual 'oh I'm a cannibal and that somehow makes me more refined than you' bullshit and Adam just gave him that damn sexy smirk and called him a noob (whatever that means) then brought out some of the meat he'd…I don't remember what the fuckin' word is, but he 'lightly boiled it in herbs and wine' so it was still raw but…kinda cooked? I dunno. Smelled good though.

I-

Angel Dust looked up at the sudden discordance. Adam and Charlie, having settled in the lounge with the rest of The Happy Few, including a very grumpy Vaggie, had been playing some song that involved what looked like an oversized clarinet and a harp. They'd suddenly jerked at the same time and looked off to the left. "Uh, what's goin'-"

There was a distant, subtle rumble. Vaggie jumped to her feet, spear in hand. "Someone's attacking the wards," Adam announced, glaring into the distance, "A Sinner. Bombs. Not powerful enough to do fuckin' anything except be loud."

Another rumble. Angel squinted in thought. That sounded very familiar.

"Well, if they can't actually do anything, then…I guess we just leave them be?" Charlie asked with a shrug, "They're basically throwing rocks at a wall."

The First Man grunted and shrugged, letting his fingers dance over the strings of a harp…and then twitched as another bomb went off. Charlie gave him a commiserating smile, pecking Vaggie on the cheek as she sat back down and returned to her instrument…and then jumped as another bomb exploded.

Angel hid a grin as he watched the two get wound up in real-time. Boom. Boom.

Then the explosions stopped, and the two began to relax.

Boom.

"That's it!" Adam shot to his feet, snapping his fingers and literally opening the wall so he could stalk out onto the grounds, a golden spear appearing in his hand.

"Adam!" Charlie called worriedly, "They haven't actually done any damage, you can't kill them!"

"Fine!" He barked, pulling his arm back, "Have a warning shot!" The spear cracked as it vanished from his hand. A second later there was a flash of light and a rumble like thunder in the distance. "Knock it the FUCK OFF!"

"…Nice boomie, mate, but I ain't lettin' no gildy cunt keep me pal Angie in the clanger!"

Adam squinted. "…WHAT?!" He shouted back, "I DON'T SPEAK 'DISPLACED CRIMINAL!'"

"Oh very clever, cunt! Why don'tcha say that to my face-?"

Angel Dust had jumped to his feet as soon as he'd heard that distinctive Australian swearing and jogged outside, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Oh shit, is that Cherri?!" He shouted, "What up, bitch?! Why didn't you say you were coming, I would've rolled out the welcome tarp?!"

"Yo Angie! Your slavedriver let you out the pillory?! Thought ya mouth might be bein' used for somethin' else! And I texted you, ya daft hoe!"

Angel pulled out his phone, scrolling through notifications, tilting the screen away when most of them were for something called 'WingDaddySings' as Charlie and the other residents joined them on the lawn, Pentious hefting a laser gun in his arms, and opened the messenger. There were a few messages from 'Val' that he quickly scrolled by and tapped the exchange with 'CB' whereupon he found a message…from two days ago. About hot dogs, of all things.

"No you didn't!" He yelled.

"…Aw fuck, I texted Dusty instead! Now that weirdo's buyin' lube!"

"Er, hello!" Charlie shouted politely, somehow, "Whoever you are, why are you throwing bombs at the hotel?! There's a front door and a guestbook!"

"'…Guestbook?' Fuckin' 'ell, Angie, thought you were gay! Here I am knockin' at your back door but you're hangin' with a pussy!"

"She's dead," Vaggie snarled, spear in hand.

"Babe, it's just an insult," the Princess shrugged, holding the fallen back.

"Yo Cherri, stop bein' a bitch!" Angel shouted, "Come around-!"

Adam growled under his breath. "I've fuckin' had enough!" He flicked a hand out, a long pole with a fork on the end appearing out of nowhere, then clenched his fist around a golden chain that was suddenly in his grasp, the links traveling up to the top of the pole and then back down outside of the hotel walls.

"What the-?!" Adam yanked on the chain. "-FuuuuuuuaaaaaAAAAAAGGHHHHH!" A Sinner on the other end of the chain slammed through the pole, spun a couple of times, then hit the ground in front of The Happy Few with a thud. "…My safeword is 'Matchstick.'" She groaned into the lawn.

The Sinner pushed herself up and patted herself down, grinning at the residents as Angel Dust strutted up to her and the two hugged. She was, to put it bluntly, messy. She wore a glove on one hand, a wristwrap on the other, a sleeve covering one arm while the other was bare, a single red flat on one foot and red boot on the other, with 'artistic' tears in her black leggings; even her skirt was longer on one side than the other, a top baring both her midriff and cleavage, with a small patch on it, and even her tattoos looked more like random doodles. The only thing even remotely symmetrical about her was her eye, with a pink sclera and an X instead of a pupil or iris.

"What up, bitches! Cherri Bomb in the house!" She whooped, an arm around Angel's shoulder.

"It's a hotel actually and this is the backyard," Charlie replied with a smile, holding her hand out, "Nice to meet you, Cherri! Any friend of Angel's-"

"-Oh, you're the pussy who was yelling about doors and books!" Cherri laughed, "Shit Angie, this is where you've been spending all your time? It's so…neat and clean," she shuddered theatrically, pulling a bomb from a pocket in her skirt, "Can fix that right quick!"

The bomb disappeared. "Oh yeah, you're also the one who pulled Angel Dust into a turf war…while I was trying to get the hotel set up," Charlie continued, her smile smaller and much less genuine, "There's no weapons allowed in the hotel."

The Sinner arched her eyebrow, still grinning, and pointed at Pentious who was aiming his laser gun at her…and appeared to be a little flustered. "Then what's with this cunt, then? Unless that fancy toy don't work, y'know, like usual," she tilted her chin at the snake sinner, "Heya Penchy, I kinda wondered where ya'd gone…sometimes, when I had to shit and had nothin' better to think of. Thought Al might've eaten your ass, slurped it all up like a big ol' noodle!"

"Oh dear me no, I'd never!" Alastor chimed in with a chuckle, "I'll never be hungry enough for that."

"How dare you!" Pentious hissed, hitting a switch on his laser gun that made it vibrate dangerously, "I'll have you know I'm perfectly edible! Prepare to be melted, Archnemisises…A-archnemissies? Arc-"

"'Archnemeses," Adam corrected, reaching over to pluck the weapon from the serpent's hands, deactivating it and pulling it apart, then swiftly putting it back together and handing it back, "Your crystal array was off," he said simply, flicking the same switch, a deadly hum emanating from the weapon.

"Oh, thank you, Sir Adam!" Pentious grinned at the First Man and tilted his hat in appreciation, then taking aim again, "Eat plasma, assho-" Charlie snapped her fingers and the gun dissolved into dust, "…Awww…"

"No weapons," the Princess said firmly, turning back to the new arrival, "So, what brings you to the Hotel, Cherri? Were you looking to sign up?" She perked up, smiling.

Cherri looked around at them and the grounds, then burst out laughing. "Join your little cult fulla smiley, happy people? Fuck no!" She shook Angel Dust, who looked a little less enthusiastic, "Nah, was just lookin' for me mate Angie! Been too long since we painted the town…well, not red, but some kinda color! Now I'm thinkin' I shoulda come 'round earlier, alla cunts 'round here might just turn him straight! Ha!"

The more she talked, the less happy Charlie looked and the more her smile flattened into more of a grimace.

"That's not a bad idea, actually," Husk spoke up, shuffling his cards, ears perked, "Not the…thing about cunts or whatever, but hitting the town for a night. It's been a while since I've gone out, run some suckers for their cash then bought a round of cheap booze…nevermind, I talked myself out of it." Despite his words, his eyes glinted eagerly.

"Alright, sexy-voice-cat is in the party, nice!" Cherri cheered, punching the air, "Who wants to hang around this shit heap when you could be hanging with a pint!" She opened her mouth to say something else insulting, but there was a snap of fingers and she vanished.

In the distance, completely coincidentally right where the fountain was on the other side of the building, there was a splash followed by loud cursing.

The Sinners looked at Adam, who had his arms crossed, then at Charlie who was smiling innocently. "What?" They said at the same time, and surreptitiously high-fived. The Princess snapped her fingers again and Cherri reappeared in front of them, soaking wet from head to toe.

"If ya wanted to get me wet, lovies, there are funner ways ta do it," the Sinner grumbled, wringing out her hair, "Oi Penchy, you comin' along, right? Most people thought you was dead! Haven't had a 'turf war' with you in months! Too busy gettin' chained up by the big man over there, or didya perverse lust for Al humiliatin' ya finally work out?"

"Speaking of that, actually," Angel spoke up, eyeing the First Man with a smirk, "What is with those chains?"

"Indeed my man, they seem very…familiar," Alastor added with a waggle of his eyebrows, "Made a deal or two in your time, eh?"

"What chains?" Adam replied.

Cherri checked the fuses on a couple of her bombs, making sure they'd still work. "Yeah big man, what's the deal? Gildy chains, gildy wings, ya got a gildy cock, too?"

"Only by standards, yeah," he answered flatly, giving the Sinner an unimpressed look, "You use your mouth for anything other than pissing people off? That's my schtick."

She eyed him up and down, smirking, "Well ya tall drinka piss, how 'bout you hit up the town, show a girl a good time and find out?" She chuckled, "I do like em thicc, so maybe I can show ya right now?"

Adam smacked his lips and sighed. "Alright, fine," he muttered.

He snapped forward faster than they could see, crossing the distance in less than the blink of an eye. One hand had wrapped around Cherri's throat, making her gag, as the other snaked into her pocket and withdrew one of her bombs. His grip tightened, forcing her mouth open as he lit the fuse with a flick of his thumb. He looked down at her with a vicious, toothy smirk, ignoring the shouting from the Sinners…

…And then stuck the lit bomb in his mouth and swallowed it whole.

Adam grinned down at the gaping Cherri. There was a muffled boom and light shone from his mouth, spilling from between his teeth. Then he blew a smoke ring in the shape of a heart at her. "Not quite as spicy as I prefer," he practically purred, a Holy Hand Grenade spinning on his finger like a basketball, "Maybe I should turn up the heat and see how you like it."

She blinked, and given that his hand was still around her throat, he could feel her gulp…and not in fear. "Oooh, I like, I like it a lot, Daddy~" Cherri licked her lips and smiled, "It's a damn good thing I'm already wet, otherwise I'd be leakin' like a faucet. Got some pipe you wanna lay on me?"

Adam sighed and set her down, pinching the bridge of his nose. "…Fucking Sinners," he groaned into his hand.

"Yes please!" Cherri and Angel Dust said, bracketing him with matching grins, "Christ, Adam, if I knew you could swallow a load like that you can bet your ass I'd be all over it!" The pornstar crowed, "Now-"

The First Man teleported back and away, looking rather aggrieved. "Fuck off."

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea to me!" Charlie added brightly, "Why don't you all hit up the town for the night? You've been working hard, go relax for a bit! Don't indulge too much, though." She jumped a little as Adam pinged her.

Dickmaster: Ministar, what the fuck? You said it yourself, the point of the hotel being enclosed is to keep the guests out of trouble.

Ministar: I'm thinking of it more as a chance for them to see how bad the rest of Hell is compared to the hotel! What's the saying…familiarity breeds contempt? They have been looking kinda bored lately.

DM: I think you mean 'peaceful.' This is a bad idea.

"Al-fuckin'-right, the box says yay!" Cherri cheered, throwing an arm around Angel Dust, "Dusty and Cherri 'bout to show Hell what a real rager looks like! C'mon sexy-voice-cat-man, Penchy! Let's have some fuckin' fun!" She led the trio off, whooping like a lout.

"Well, seeing as how my entertainment is gone for the night, I suppose I shall head off on my own, if I may?" Alastor nodded at Charlie, who nodded back, "Toodles, and whatnot." He vanished into his own shadow.

"Babe, are you sure this is a good idea?" Vaggie asked, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as she watched the Sinners circle the building, "They're all idiots and it's not like the hotel's reputation can get worse, but…actually, never mind."

"And, well, with them gone, maybe we can have some alone time…?" The Princess smirked a little as she pulled her girlfriend against her, sliding a hand down her hip. "It's been a while…"

Adam monitored the Sinners as they left the gate, something hard and uncomfortable sitting in his stomach like a rock. "…This is a bad idea," he muttered, walking after them and snapping his fingers, his form changing to that of his preferred disguise: the one-eyed man in a snakeskin jacket, black leather gloves, tight black leather pants, and silver-tipped black shoes.

Charlie blinked in shock as Adam jogged away. "Wha-hey! Adam, where are you going?!" She called. She wanted him to stay so she could put on a movie, have the three of them cuddle up and maybe even fall asleep together to give her personal project a little kick.

"Someone has to keep an eye on them! Nyehahaha!" He yelled back before disappearing.

"…Damn," Charlie grumbled, an uncomfortable knot in her belly.

"…Uh, hun?" Vaggie asked, "What kinda alone time would we have with him around?"

"N-nevermind that," she waved off with a nervous giggle, grabbing her girlfriend close, "C'mon Vags, let's go eat popcorn and watch something romantic." She tried to ignore the feeling of impending doom, and smiled as Vaggie leaned on her.

"Well-well, ain't this a fancy joint!" The high-pitched accented voice hadn't come from either Angel Dust or Cherri Bomb, but a human-like Sinner in a snakeskin jacket who'd randomly joined them on the way, who called himself 'Shimano.' None of the residents had blown him off or told him to go away, and Cherri didn't particularly care, so he'd strut into the club like he owned the place, rubbing his gloved hands together. "Ohoho! Now this is what I call a party! Make way, bitches!"

The club was indeed, rather fancy and even clean, given the absolute depravity that went on behind closed doors, on the dance floor, in the booths and sometimes against the bar. Angel Dust tried to ignore the feeling in his gut as he and Cherri hit the dance floor, Husk splitting off to hit up the tables and Pentious slithering after 'Shimano.'

This was Val's territory. Well, V territory, but the sex/dance club was definitely Val's place, but…surely one of the three biggest Overlords in Pentagram City would be busy? Angel grabbed a couple pills from a 'waiter' in nothing more than a bow tie and a speedo and laughed with Cherri as they linked arms and fed them to each other, dancing.

Shimano, despite his bombastic entrance, had slunk to a corner booth and after kicking out a couple amorous Sinners, was simply sitting, smoking and drinking. Pentious had joined him after a while, nursing a drink and shooting looks towards the dance floor. "Ara ara, Penchy-chan," Shimano tapped his cigarette over an ashtray as he smirked at the snake sinner, "If ya caught feelins' for Angie, why haven't ya made a move yet? It's not like it'll make meals any more awkward…or perhaps you've got your eye on someone a li'l more…explosive?" He waggled his eyebrow.

Pentious ducked his head and blushed. "W-what? I would never! My- one of my Archnemeses could never be a proper pairing for one such as I!" He declared, gulping as he played with his glass, "Er…that is to say, if one was so inclined, Sir A-"

The one-eyed 'Sinner' poked Pentious in one of his eyes. "Mou, mou, Penchy-chan," he tutted playfully, pulling the snake against his side, "The name's 'Shimano.' And if one was so inclined, one would never get his leg…tail over his li'l crush without gettin' offa his ass and makin' a move, instead of hiding in the corner. Like a bitch."

The snake sinner stammered. "B-but, you are hiding in the corner, too!"

"Nononono, I'm 'mysteriously observing' the club like a king. You, Penchy-chan, are being a wallflower…wall-plant. Ivy." Shimano nodded, "Now hop onto the dance floor and strangle her with your moves! …Entangle, not strangle. Or whatever."

Pentious bit his lip, then nodded and downed his glass in a single gulp (not that impressive, he was a snake) "You're right, S-Shimano! I invented rigid-airships, laser weapons…I can damn well invent a reason for a woman to spend time with me!" He slammed the glass down, stood up with head high and hood flared, and slithered toward the dance floor.

"Go get 'em Penchy-chan!" Shimano toasted, taking a drag from his cigarette as he scanned the club again. Husk was off dealing cards, a stack of cash and pills growing in front of him. Shimano was glad Nifty hadn't come along; a Sinner that small would've easily gotten lost in the bodies. Since KeeKee had…arrived, the tiny maid was content to do maid things, although given they lived in a self-cleaning hotel, what those things were was perhaps best left to the imagination.

"Praise the Great Clean One!" Nifty chanted, bowing to a picture of Adam laying in front of a fire on a bear skin rug wearing nothing but a smile.

Shimano let his eye sweep back, ignoring the people making a deal about some pimp coming into the club and looked to the dance floor. Angel was still dancing, grinding up against some other Sinner, Cherri was flailing around and making a mess, while Pentious…

In the minute he'd observed everything else, the snake Sinner had been cornered by three others; a wolf sinner, a bull sinner and a ram sinner, each male and not wearing much besides tight pants and tape. The wolf was feeling up Pentious's backside while the other two were pushing in from the front, as in literally pushing him back from the dance floor and towards a private room. All while Pentious protested and tried to leave, until he yelped as the wolf grabbed him by the tail and started outright dragging him away.

The 'Sinner' known as Shimano sighed and slipped away from his table, puffing on his smoke as he slunk up behind the wolf. Taking one last drag so that the cherry glowed with heat, he wrapped an arm around the wolf's throat and jammed the cigarette into his ear.

The high-pitched scream cut through the music, those who had been dancing turning to the source and watching as the wolf let go of Pentious's tail and dropped to the ground, holding his ear and whimpering. "He said no!" Shimano announced with a cheerful smile, "Penchy-chan is a shy li'l snake, but me-!" He flapped the hem of his jacket, displaying his lean, whip-chord physique, "-I'm always down for a good time!"

The bull and the ram looked at each other, and Pentious took the opportunity to slink away. The crowd that had been on the dance floor had now circled them, a wall of flesh that was cheering for the fight to come.

"Well come on, boys! Ain't it more fun when they're willing, or didja just want to bat around a limp noodle?" Shimano teased, arms spread invitingly, apparently unaware of the wolf sinner getting back to his feet with murder in his eyes as he lunged. Shimano ducked and stepped back, looping an arm around the wolf's throat again, and crooned, "I didn't say start, did I?" Then with a twist, he dislocated the sinner's neck, dropping them to the floor.

The bull and the ram darted forward and stumbled as Shimano kicked the downed form of their friend into their legs, easily dodging their wild, clumsy swings.

He cheered them on, too. "Oh, close!" A fist sailed past his nose, "Nice!" He nimbly danced over a sweep aimed at his ankles, "A little slow, there!" The wolf sinner cracked his neck back into place and pushed himself up, snarling as the crowd laughed at the show. "Ooh, so strong!" There was another figure in the back of the crowd dressed in red, smiling as he smoked.

Shimano ducked and planted his hands, spinning his feet like a whirlwind, laughing as he breakdanced and kicked the two away. "Come on boys, I'm the only one workin' up a sweat here!" He teased, stopping himself in a handstand.

The wolf sinner let fly a kick that would've booted the snakeskin-wearing sinner in the face, but the one-eyed man laughed and twisted himself, dodging the kick and planting a heel in the wolf's sternum swiftly followed by another to their snout.

The wolf reeled back, blood dripping from their nose as Shimano used the momentum to flip up to his feet, posing with a smirk between the bull and the ram. They charged forward, pincering him between them, and he simply spun out of the way. As he spun, he jabbed the bull in the shoulder with his elbow, the haymaker once aimed at his face impacting the bull's; he kicked his heel down and up, sending the bull's foot into the ram's groin hard enough to lift the sinner a foot into the air. Shimano twisted on his heel and lashed out, his shin cracking against both of their skulls and sending them both to the floor.

The wolf had just cracked his watering eyes open as Shimano popped up in front of him and boxed his ears. The sinner howled in pain and the one-eyed man seized them by the hair, tossing them back against a strobing glass pillar. As they bounced off, he ran two steps up the glass and flipped, his metal clad shoe snapping out to kick the wolf in the back of the head, sending them tumbling to the ground.

The three sinners lay on the floor, groaning. "Aww, is that it?" Shimano teased, nudging the wolf with the tip of his shoe, "Oh come on, boys, I was promised a good time, but I'm barely-" he grabbed his crotch and thrust his hips, "-at a half-chub, here! Guess your bark really is worse than your bite."

The wolf mumbled something, possibly an insult or possibly just a groan at the pun.

"Shaddup, Fives!" Shimano booted the wolf sinner in the head, sending them flying into the bull and ram as they staggered to their feet and knocking all three back down, "A Ten is speaking! And this Ten says…party time!"

And then he started to dance. Enthusiastically.

The crowd whooped at the entertainment and poured back into the floor as the music turned back up. "Nice one, mate!" Cherri shouted, bumping a shoulder to his and beginning to grind, "Name's Cherri Bomb, 'cause I'll blow-"

"-My mind?" He interjected, making eye contact with Pentious and nodding. The snake Sinner perked up from his slump and cautiously made his way through the crowd.

"-Somethin' like that!" Cherri laughed.

Shimano glanced towards the gambling table and met Husk's eye. The bartender walked three of his magical playing cards across his knuckles and shuffled them back into the deck with a nod. The 'sinner' nodded back and looked around once more as Pentious, awkwardly dancing, came up behind him.

He found Angel walking away, led by a moth demon in a pimp outfit and a painfully possessive hand on one shoulder, radiating sheer terror. They were flanked by two other Sinners, each in S gear but also clearly armed.

With Cherri grinding against his front and Pentious at his back, Shimano agilely slipped out from between them, letting the cyclopean sinner unknowingly step back against the snake. He winked at Pentious and slipped off of the dance floor, subtly grabbing a pair of corkscrews used to open the many wine bottles scattered across a table and followed Angel Dust.

Naturally, the handles were both shaped like penises.

It was an easy thing for a member of the Heavenly Host and especially so for one as old as he to bend the light around him, becoming unnoticeable. He eyed the two guards as they took position in front of a bathroom door, noticing their attention immediately wavering without their boss to direct it. He found a Janitor's closet nearby, and focused.

Thump, thump, thump.

The two Sinners looked over at the closet, grinning at the sound of vigorous fucking coming from within.

"Ugh, is this what you call fuckin' me?" A somewhat feminine voice drifted out. "I can barely feel it! You're such a little bitch!"

"Yes, yes! Humiliate me more, yes!"

Thump, thump, thump.

"If only there was someone nearby with a bigger cock! You'd like that, wouldn't you?!"

"Yeah, oh yeah!"

Thump, thump, thump.

"Or maybe even two! Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you, you pathetic piece of shit? Watching me get spit roasted by two real men while you sit in the cuck chair and rub that tiny nub between your legs?!"

"Yeeeessss! I want it, I want it!"

Thump, thump, thump.

The two guards traded looks. "…I mean, they're literally asking for it," one said, openly stroking a bulge, "And it's just Angel Dust."

The other licked their lips. "Yeah, it's just cruel letting a fetish go unfulfilled." They chuckled and moved over to the door, nodding as one grabbed the doorknob and ripped the closet open.

It was entirely empty.

They only had a second to realize that before Shimano jammed the corkscrews up through the bottom of their jaws and into their brains, giving the handles twist before shoving the bodies into the closet.

Wiping his gloves, the 'sinner' crept up to the bathroom door, scowling as he heard the dull impacts of flesh meeting flesh.

"-you Stupid-Fucking-Bitch!" Someone vomited and sobbed, and it wasn't the pimp, "Look at the mess you made, Angel. You think I want this? You think I want to do this to you?"

"N-no…"

"That's right Angel, I don't, Mi amor. You made me do this to you. Ducking my calls…not a single client, not a single movie, not a single back alley blowjob, not a single-!" There was the sound of gurgling, as if someone had their face being held underwater, "-Fucking! CENT! Did you forget who owns you, whore?!"

"I-I…"

"No excuses, Angel. There are better uses for your mouth. Clean yourself up."

Shimano carefully pushed the door open, just a crack, and saw within.

Angel Dust crawled over to the wall and pulled himself up, trying not to sob as Valentino opened his cigarette case and lit up one of his branded smokes. The pornstar turned on the faucet, shakily washing his face and rinsing his mouth as the pimp watched with a grin, his eye already swelling up. Angel could barely meet his own gaze in the mirror.

"Taking-" Valentino seized Angel by the hair and bounced his forehead off of the mirror, making the spider sinner fall to his knees with a whimper, "-too long!" The pimp sighed, kneeling and cradling Angel's jaw, "Why you make me do this, amor? You know I don't like it…it's what you want, isn't it? Isn't it, Angel? You like it when I get rough? Is that what you want, Angel?" He slapped the sinner across the face. "Answer me, bitch."

Angel Dust slowly and shakily nodded, trying and failing not to cry. "Y-yeah, Val…that's…that's what I want…" His breath hitched with a sob.

Valentino grinned, running a hand through Angel's hair. "That's what I thought…and what do you need, Angel? Who do you need?"

"V-Valentino…"

"Good, good…" Valentino crooned, "And who do you love Angel? Who loves you? Who's the only one who's ever gonna love you?"

"…Valentino…"

"That's right, Angel. You need Valentino…you love Valentino…show me how much you love me, Angel…" He patted his hip, "You remember how I like it, don't you?" Angel nodded slowly, reaching up with quivering hands to begin unbuckling his belt, "Yeah you do, you're such a good-"

Shimano stepped inside the bathroom, letting the door swing shut and locking it behind him.

Angel jumped and looked over, eyes going wide with shame and fear.

"-who the fuck is-" Valentino spun on his heel, a hand diving into his coat, but paused, seeing the one-eyed sinner standing there with a dangerous smirk. "…Ooh, if isn't the second most interesting man in the club tonight."

"The first being yourself, naturally," Shimano nodded, his eye locked onto Valentino.

"Naturally," the pimp chuckled, "Where are my boys, hmm?"

"Getting screwed."

"I see…" Valentino eyed Shimano up and down, taking in the sinner's loose, relaxed stance, "…I think I see what's going on here…you put on a show for me, didn't you? Wanted to catch my eye?"

Shimano shrugged grandly. "A gentleman never tells," he chuckled, "But he can be convinced."

The pimp took a long drag, the Valentino branded cigarette at the end of his holder glowing with heat. "I bet you can," he breathed a cloud of pink smoke into the other sinners face, striding up the one-eyed man and freely running his hands up and down the exposed chest, "Ooh, tight and corded like a whip," Val lightly slapped the back of his hand against Shimano's abs, tracing his fingers over the pale skin, "No shame…"

"Why would I?" The sinner smirked.

"Why indeed," Valentino purred, "And the smell…" he trailed his fingers along Shimano's jawline, across the side of his neck and the nape, pressing them to his nose and inhaling, "Sin…I do so love the smell of Sin…it's intoxicating…and you're steeped in it." He licked his fingers and hummed.

Shimano looked down at Angel Dust, who was clutching himself and shivering. Their eyes met, and Angel mouthed, 'Run.' He winked in response.

"Powerful, too…Oh yes, the things I could do with you…to you…" Valentino completed his circle, a wide, anticipatory grin, "…For you. So many doors would open up…if you can get your hands on the right…key." The moth demon held out one of his hands, "What do you say?"

The sinner tilted his chin at the kneeling Angel, who ducked his head, trembling. "What about him?"

"What about him?" The pimp rolled his eyes before gaining a thoughtful expression and a dark smile, "Well…you've heard of 'breaking bread,' right? Maybe we seal the deal by…breaking a bitch?"

Shimano eyed the hand offered to him with a smirk. "Gotta say, that'd be a very tempting deal…" He raised his hand and darted forward, wrapping it around Valentino's throat, "If I hadn't heard it literally a thousand times before." He grinned as the pimp gagged, eyes bulging.

To his credit, Valentino reacted quickly, one hand pulling at the fingers around his neck while the other three dove into his coat, ripping a trio of pistols free.

Shimano struck swiftly, snatching the sidearms from his hands and tossing them into a sink with a snicker. "Bedazzled guns, really?" He mocked, yanking the fourth away and shaking his head. He peered over Valentino's shoulder to look down at Angel Dust, the spider sinner gazing up at him with wide, confused eyes. "You alright, Angel?"

"…I, uh…" Angel licked his lips, "I think…?" He gasped as Valentino reached into the back of his belt and withdrew a shining silver knife and drove it towards the one-eyed man's blindspot…

Shimano caught Val's wrist easily, giving the knife a once-over. "Well now," he murmured, twisting his hand and shattering the pimp's wrist, "Where oh where did you get an Angelic Steel knife, hmm?" He shrugged and tossed it aside, the blade sticking into the wall next to the sink, "Doesn't particularly matter." He drew his pinky back and stabbed it into Val's spine, making the moth demon's arms go limp even as he gurgled in pain.

"You…little…shit," the pimp gasped, blood running from the corner of his mouth, "There's no-nowhere you can run…the Vees can't find you…I'll make you…beg for death…if you're lucky…"

Shimano simply laughed.

Val grit his teeth and snarled, "Who the fuck do you think…you are? You think…you'll really get away with this…?"

The one-eyed man smiled. "Of course I do. I mean…" he said simply, his form shifting, straightening, enlarging until Adam, the First Man, held Valentino off of the ground by the neck with a grin, "…Why wouldn't I?"

Valentino's eyes went wide, a terrified burble escaping his lips.

Adam chuckled quietly, the black of his pupils flashing white. "Ah, fear," he murmured, inhaling deeply, "I do so love the smell of…Fear. It's intoxicating."

"W-what do you want?" The pimp mumbled, the parts of him that could still tremble, trembling terribly.

"What I want, little Overlord, is for you to realize that there are things bigger than you," the First Man said, grin fading into a snarl, "And that those big things, sometimes, shelter smaller things…and they don't like seeing them get hurt." His hand tightened and Val's body twitched as his already compromised spine gave away a bit more. "I'll put it fuckin' simply. Angel Dust is a resident of the Happy Hotel. The hotel I sponsor, which is on my territory. Ergo, Angel is under my protection. I have to give you fair warning, so consider this, it."

He held up a hand, raging golden flames dancing in his palm. "Touch him again, and I'll show you what happens when a moth gets too close to the flames…" Adam pressed the ball of fire to one of Val's hands, reducing the limb to ash in under a second. "Am I understood?"

"Y-yes! I understand!" Valentino nearly screamed, blood flecking from his lips.

"Good," Adam chirped, setting the pimp on his feet and lightly poking him on the nose, sending him crashing to the bathroom floor. "If you don't, I'll rip your nuts off through your mouth and your heart out through your asshole." He gave his neck a crack as his form shimmered and became Shimano again. "Come on Angel, let's get out of here."

Angel slowly stood, mouth opening to say something as he looked down at Valentino, lying in a slowly-spreading pool of blood mixing with vomit, body limp except for expression of murderous rage and cavernous fear. He closed his mouth and gulped, edging around the moth sinner's body…his shoulder bumped into the handle of the Angelic Steel knife stuck to the wall. Unconsciously, his hand rose to clasp the hilt and with a bit of effort, he pulled it free.

"A-Angel…" Val mumbled, breathing heavily from the blood congealing in the back of his throat, as the spider sinner slowly turned to look at him, knife held aloft in a shaking hand, "Put the k-knife down…r-remember…who loves you…the only one, who loves you…the only one who will ever love you…"

"Val-Valentino," Angel whispered, his arm lowering, body trembling.

"Th-that's right," the pimp coughed, "You love Valentino…you need Valentino…and Valentino needs you to put the knife…down…"

Despite his white-knuckled grip, Angel almost let the blade fall. The light from the ceiling reflected off of the silver blade and shone into his eye, and the spider sinner looked down at the knife in his hand.

In the reflection of the metal, he saw himself. His human self. His human face, bruised and battered, despair and fear writ into every line of his skin. His fingers tightened around the handle.

"G-good, mi amor, put the knife do-"

Angel screamed and acted before he could think.

The knife of Angelic Steel squelched as it stabbed down through Valentino's eye and into his brain, the pimp's expression of shock etched onto his face…before it slackened in death.

Angel Dust gaped at Valentino as the Overlord went limp, a collar made of yellow and pink energy appearing around his neck and shattering. He screamed again, ripping the knife free and plunging it back down, up and down and up and down, again and again as he shouted until his lungs felt like they were bleeding, the squelch of a knife meeting and leaving flesh echoing throughout the bathroom, the body jerking slightly under each impact.

Through it all, Adam watched, his face blank.

Angel reeled back, face spattered in blood, eyes wide and trembling as he looked at the ruin that had once been Valentino's face, neck and chest. He gagged, slamming a hand to his mouth as bile rose in his throat and spun, emptying his stomach into the sink.

"Angel," Adam said softly, making the spider whip around, the knife still clutched in his hand.

"…A-Adam?" Angel whispered, his entire body trembling. He looked down at the corpse. "O-oh god…what did I do?!" He clutched at his head, nearly shearing off a chunk of his hair with the knife, "What did I…oh god, what did I do?!"

"Hey," the First Man said gently, carefully prying the hilt out of Angel's fingers and dissolving it into motes of light, "It's okay, Angel. You're alright." He turned one of the sinks on and lightly pushed the sinner towards it, "Clean yourself off, okay? I'll handle this."

Angel Dust did so, hands shaking so badly he spilled more water on the floor than he did himself, rinsing the blood from the fur on his face, chest and arms, his heart and stomach bouncing off of each other in his chest. "Oh god…oh god," he whimpered, trying to clean his face, "Val…"

"Shh," Adam murmured, taking Angel by the shoulders and turning him around, pulling the crying sinner into his arms, "It's okay, you're okay. Here, take this," he withdrew a pack of cigarettes from inside of his coat and handed them to Angel, who pulled one out and stuck it in his mouth. Adam lit it, cupping Angel's cheeks as he peered steadily into his eyes. "Take a deep breath, count to four."

Angel Dust did so, the sweet-tasting smoke flowing over his tongue and down his throat, filling him with warmth.

"Exhale, count to four. Good," Adam ran a hand through Angel's hair, letting the sinner lean on him as he pulled a bottle of something sharp-smelling from his sleeve, which he emptied onto Val's body that had been wrapped in so much toilet paper it seemed like a mummy. "I'll get you back to the hotel, and we can talk about this, okay?"

Angel nodded slowly, taking another drag of the smoke. Adam snagged it from his mouth and took a pull as well, before flicking it at the body. The sparks caught on the soaked paper, burning a subtle white-blue.

"It burns slow until it reaches flesh, we won't want to be here when it does," Adam whispered, walking Angel out of the bathroom and into the hall, closing the door behind him and fusing the mechanism with a subtle beam of light. "Come on, lean on me, Angel. We're just a couple of tipsy sinners on our way out. Neck me if you have to, but just hold on, okay?"

"O…Okay," the spider sinner whispered, burying his face in Adam's shoulder as they shuffled back into the club.

Adam looked towards the dance floor and found Pentious happily dancing with Cherri, the mad bomber either not knowing or not caring who she was grinding against. One of the Inventor's eyes found Adam as Shimano, and Pentious glanced at him. Adam subtly held up two fingers and mimed leaving, and Pentious nodded, giving Angel a concerned look.

He met Husk's eyes next, blinking twice and pointing towards the door. The bartender bobbed his head and pushed a chunk of his winnings into the pot.

Angel stumbled against Adam as they stumbled to the entrance, a hysterical giggle escaping him. "Uh, erm, mister…" A foxy sinner at the front desk waved them down, "You, uh, need to…pay your tab…?"

Adam gave her a wild look, slamming a hand on the counter hard enough to rattle it. "Pay my tab?" He shouted shrilly, drawing every nearby eye to them, "You want me to pay my tab?!"

She shrank back, holding a notebook up to shield her face. "Um…y-yes?"

He nodded. "Know what? I had such a good time, I'll do ya one better! I won't just pay my tab…" Reaching into his coat, he produced two fans of Hellcash, which must've been thousands of dollars worth, "I'll pay everyone's!" He flicked his wrists, bundled the cash tightly together and sprayed money into the air like confetti, grabbing Angel and slipping out just as the other sinners dove in to get their hands on free money.

"S-shouldn't spend so much," Angel mumbled, stumbling as he leaned on Adam.

"I can summon that shit out of thin air, it means literally nothing to me," The First Man replied, eyes swiveling as he led them away from the club, "Keep it together, we're on our way."

They continued through Hell and back towards the hotel, Angel leaning on Adam more and until he finally stumbled away and threw up against a wall, sobbing and shaking.

"Adam, Angel!" Husk called as he jogged up to them, hat somewhat askew, "What happened?"

"Not here," Adam hissed, giving Angel a bottle of water.

Pentious panted as he slithered up to them, a few lipstick marks on his face. "Sir Adam, Angel, Husk? What's happening?"

"Not here!" The First Man snapped, sweeping Angel's legs out from under him and carrying the sinner in his arms, "Let's get back to the hotel. Until then, we're just a couple of drunks."

"Right, uh…" Husk took a drink from his flask and let himself slump, "I get knocked down, buuut I ge-up a-gain, ya'll never gonna keep me down~!"

Pentious slung an arm around the bartender's shoulder, badly singing along as they walked through Hell, ignoring anyone who tried to waylay them.

In the distance, a thick column of smoke rose into the sky as the club burned.

Charlie shot up from her slump with a snort as the sound of someone vomiting reached her ears, making Vaggie roll off of her chest and thump onto the floor. "Wha…?" She rubbed her eyes and looked around, the movie they'd been watching long over and the bucket of popcorn cold and forlorn.

"Yeah, no teleporting for you," she could hear Adam's voice somewhere nearby. Helping a groaning Vaggie to her feet, the two stumbled out of the living room and found Adam in the foyer, rubbing Angel's back; the vomit had come from him.

"Adam? Angel?!" She asked, gasping as the pornstar looked up at them, one of his eyes swollen shut. He winced at the loud noise and tried to curl up into a ball, clutching his chest. "What happened?! Are you alright?!"

Adam shushed them and carefully scooped Angel up, the sinner curling against his chest, shaking and sobbing. "Shh, no loud noises," he muttered, turning to the other sinners, "Pentious, go open Angel's room, which is…"

"…Sixty-nine," the spider sinner mumbled.

The First Man rolled his eyes fondly. "'Course it is," he grumbled, nodding at Pentious who slithered away at a speed, "Husk, get him something warm and comforting, mild alcohol."

"Yeah, I know just the thing," the bartender nodded, hurrying by the ladies muttering about lemons, honey and whisky.

"What the fuck happened to Angel Dust?" Vaggie demanded, grabbing onto Adam's robe as he tried to walk away, "Did you do this to him?!"

Adam snapped a murderous glance in her direction, his pupils seeming to flash white. "I'll tell you later," he grunted, yanking his robe out of her grasp as Angel buried his face in his shoulder.

"But Adam!" Charlie protested, jogging to keep up with him, "I need to know what happened, Angel needs help-!"

Adam spun on her with a scowl. "What happened-!" He covered Angel's ears, "Angel Dust got the shit kicked out of him by his pimp, did you know he had a pimp? His pimp beat the shit out of him, broke an orbital socket, cracked four of his ribs and almost ra-" He grit his teeth, the very thought making him furious. He sighed, and stared down at Charlie. "I told you this would happen. I told you this was a bad idea."

Charlie gulped as Adam loomed over her, his accusing eyes glaring down. "A-Adam, I-"

"I told you," he hissed, ignoring Vaggie stepping defensively between them, "This…is your fault."

He shook his head and turned away from them, carrying the battered sinner away.

"I…but…" Charlie felt her eyes burn as they watered, her hand dropping limply by her side, "I didn't know…" She hugged herself, chin falling to her chest even as Vaggie embraced her from behind.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," the fallen murmured, rubbing her girlfriend's arms, "He-"

Husk ran into them, cursing as he spun and tried to retain his balance without spilling the bottles he was carrying on a tray. "The fuck are you doing in the middle of the hallway?! Move!" He snapped at them, setting a honey bottle upright before running after the First Man.

"Here, it's a hot toddy," Husk whispered, carefully handing a steaming cup to Angel Dust, the sinner curled against Adam's chest as the First Man sat on his bed, "There's a joke in there somewhere, I'm sure, but I can't think of one."

"S'alright," Angel murmured miserably, taking a shallow sip of the drink, "S'good, thanks…"

The bartender handed a glass to Pentious, the snake sitting in a chair next to the bed, and offered another to Adam, who waved him off. Husk sighed as he took a drink. "I…want to ask what happened, but I've heard that adage about curiosity too many times," he muttered, shaking his head, "Just…you were there for me, Angel. I'll be here for you, if you ever want to talk."

"I…did not like you at first, Angel Dust," Pentious admitted with a little shame, "But over time, I'd like to think we've become friendly, if not outright friends…I, too, am willing to listen."

"…Thanks. That story I told you, 'bout me bein' a hitman for my family mob…that was a lie. I've…lied about a lotta things," Angel sniffed, closing his good eye as he rested his head against Adam's chest, the comforting thump of a heartbeat gently throbbing against his ear. "…Angelino. When I was…alive. That was my name."

"Really?" Husk asked, "I mean…"

"It's a little on the nose, I know," Angel huffed, cradling the warm drink between his palms, "Thing is…when I was kid, it was me, Molly, mom and dad, and we had this little farm. Not too big, but big enough ma could work part time and dad could farm and we'd live alright. Ma…ma used to grow her own tomatoes, the things that woman could do in a kitchen…" He shook his head with a sad, fond smile, "Shit but I was useless at it. Two left hands, but Mol was gettin' there. I helped dad out, growin' shit, harvesting…I mean, I was a kid, but I could do the small stuff. One day, though…they both got sick. I dunno what they called it, but it had something to do with this new pesticide. And they…died. Both of 'em, at the same time."

Pentious sniffed. "That's terrible, Angel Dust," he said sincerely. Husk nodded.

Angel chuckled darkly. "Just the beginnin' that was," he continued, eyes filled with sorrow, "No one else could take care of us, 'cept our aunt and uncle. They wanted to keep the farm in the family, but they had no damn idea how to run one. Neither did we, I mean, a couple ten-year olds? How the fuck would they know?" He shrugged blithely, "But sure as shit, they wanted to keep the money flowing, small as it was. They were…demanding, and had…"

"Large appetites?" Husk offered lamely.

The spider sinner laughed tonelessly. "Oh they had appetites alright, just not for fresh fruits and veggies…" he idly gestured at himself.

"Huh? Oh." The bartender paled, clutching his glass as he looked sick. "Oh. Christ…"

"Yup. I couldn't let 'em touch Mol, though, so I…did what I had to," Angel muttered, shivering. Adam carefully wrapped an arm around him. "Worked myself to the bone in the fields, then, well…yeah. Six fuckin' years, I kept 'em away from my sis, those fat fucks gettin' fatter offa our hard work, and…they were starting to get bored of me. I was…too compliant." He shrugged, "Heard 'em makin' plans, so I slipped some extra ingredients in their dinner, siphoned the gas out of every car and vehicle and drenched the crops, then me and Mol ran for it."

"Did they die?" Pentious asked, eyes narrowed.

"Nah, too fat to do anything but knock 'em out," Angel said, "It was me and my sis, out on the streets…she was too young to work, no one was gonna adopt a sixteen and a fifteen year old, so…I did the only work I had…experience in." He heard Adam's breath hitch and looked up. The First Man was staring resolutely at the wall across from them, his eyes glowing, even as he gently ran a hand through the sinner's hair. "I won't tell ya all that happened, but…it was rough. Rough for a long time. Mol eventually got old enough to work at a bakery, and things got a little easier…we always had each other, no matter what. And then…I found it. Nose Candy, Floor Polish…Angel Dust…drugs. First it was just…a little something to make dealing with clients a bit easier, then…then, it was something I needed to make it through the day…then…it was everything I needed."

Husk bit his lip and said nothing, thinking of his own addictions. Pentious did the same.

"There was one time, where I thought things might get better," Angel murmured, tears welling in his eyes, "One client, a regular, he was…different. Sweet. Almost innocent, 'cept for the whole 'whoring' thing. I even…I even thought he mighta loved me," Angel swallowed dryly, taking a sip of his drink, "I found out about his family, one of those big rich affairs where they donated shitloads to charity, squeaky clean types…I snuck into a party, managed to corner him in a bathroom, tried to tell him my whole deal, see if maybe he could help and…well."

The snake sinner sighed, leaning heavily against the backrest of his chair. "It didn't go well, did it?" He asked sadly.

"Nope," Angel popped his lips, "Called security, had 'em rough me up and kicked my ass out. Never saw him again, either. Maybe he thought I was gonna blackmail him, or something, but I…just wanted to be with him. Be safe. I…" He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply, "Fuckin' idiot, I was. And then…and then! Next day, new client! Who walks into the room…but my fucking uncle," he spat, his hands shaking so badly he nearly spilled his drink on Adam, "The things he did to me…you know what he said afterwards? Wasn't gonna pay me…he got the family discount."

Something cracked, but not glass or wood. They looked at Adam, who had his eyes squeezed shut, his wings extended almost painfully outwards. "Sorry," he muttered, pressing his cheek to Angel's head.

Angel smiled sadly. "'Course, my pimp beat the shit outta me for letting a client get some without paying…and I just couldn't handle it. I just…grabbed everything I could sell, sold it, bought as much Angel Dust as I could, started in on it and just…didn't stop." He laughed bitterly, "I was so fuckin' high outta my mind I didn't even realize I was in Hell until I saw the two extra arms…and what else was I gonna do? It was almost…nice, Val finding me. Like…shit, I'd done it all my life, why would death be any different? At least this time, everyone around me was just as bad or worse, so…why bother? No reason to try to be anything fuckin' else, and at least I could be open about it."

They sat in silence for a few long minutes. None of them knew what to say.

Husk, eventually, broke the silence. "…Did you ever find them, down here?" He asked softly.

The spider sinner grinned murderously. "Oh yes, I did indeed," he chuckled, "It was the nicest thing V-Val ever did for me…eventually, once I had my fun, I handed them over to Cannibal Town. They still get served up every week or so. I…" Angel curled tighter against Adam's chest, "God man, I miss my fuckin' sister…so fuckin' much, but I…I'm so…dirty. Being a whore, a pornstar, a druggie…it was so much easier, running away from everything, but…fuck, I don't even remember the last thing I said to her. I never got to say sorry for being such a piece of shit, as a man, as…as a brother. I…I want to, so bad, but…"

"But you're here," Husk pointed out, reaching over to lay a hand on Angel's arm, "I don't know, no one does, but…you're trying, Angel. You've been trying, so who's to say-?"

"There's nothing left!" Angel gave a choked scream, dropping his drink as he clutched at his head, "There's fucking nothing inside of me! Everything I did to fill that hole, every drug, every john…everything I am, and…there's nothin' in me to save. There's just…nothing. I…I'm hollow." His quiet, hollow sobs echoed through the silent room.

Adam sighed and opened his eyes. They still glowed, but softly, almost comfortingly. "Angel," he said softly, tilting the sinner's face up to look at him, a soft smile on his face, "Even if you're empty…that isn't a bad thing. Emptiness isn't the end of you…it's a beginning. You tried to fill that void with drugs, sex and violence…maybe it can be filled with something else? You'll never know until you try."

The spider sinner sniffed, tears rolling down his cheeks. "But I…I'm-"

"Dirty, yeah," Adam shrugged, "That doesn't mean you can't become clean. Stains like those…they have to be worked on, scrubbed at until they're gone, but eventually, they can be washed away. And trying, at least, will give you something to do. Wallowing won't help you…and more to the point, I won't let you. We made a deal, remember?"

"I…yeah, that was like, eight hours ago," Angel murmured, biting his lip.

"You want to apologize to Molly, right?" Husk added with a small smile, "I want to apologize to someone important to me, too. We know where they are, don't we? If we work together, maybe…maybe it's not out of reach, not as much as it seems to be. It's a long way to the top, but…if you guys are with me, I think…I think we might have a chance." He blinked as every eye in the room turned to him. "…What?"

"That is…surprisingly optimistic of you, Husk," Pentious pointed out.

"Yeah, you're usually the grumpiest fuck I've ever met," Angel chimed in.

Husk turned away, blushing. "Fuck off," he grumbled, making them laugh as he smiled, "I just…no one's ever done it, right? Well, I don't mind being remembered as the first…or even just one of them, but…I mean, just look at us! I couldn't stand either of you not even a month ago, and here we are, baring our hearts to one another! I count you all as my friends, and that's more than I've ever really had. No matter how this actually ends…I don't regret being a part of this."

Adam smiled softly at them, an almost proud look on his face. "See, bitch? What'd I say?" He teased lightly, his expression fading a bit, "I dunno if redemption is possible, but you can't stop trying, Angel. I know from personal experience that Molly's happy…why can't you be happy, too?"

Angel Dust closed his eyes and bit his lip. "I…you're right. I won't stop trying, not til I actually see Molly again. I don't know if there's anything left of me to save, but…you'll help me, right?"

"Of course," Pentious nodded.

"You know it," Husk replied.

"What do you think I've been doing?" Adam chuckled.

Angel sighed deeply, and felt lighter than he had in a very, very long time. "I'm really tired," he said, turning and wrapping his arms around Adam, "I know I've been-"

"-I'll stay, if you want me to," the First Man murmured, "Hands above the waist, though."

The spider sinner chuckled quietly and let his head rest on Adam's shoulder. Within minutes, he was asleep.

Husk, scratched his neck awkwardly. "Should we, uh, leave?"

"If you want to," Adam said quietly, before his eyes opened, "Actually, can you stay with him? Just for a while, there's something I need to do."

The bartender scooted his chair closer to the bed as Pentious did the same, the First Man carefully peeling Angel Dust off of him.

"A-Adam?" The spider sinner murmured, the beginnings of panic in his sleepy voice.

"I'll be back," Adam promised, running a hand through his hair, "Husk and Pentious are here, too."

"…Okay," Angel whispered, and fell asleep with Husk holding one arm and Pentious's tail loosely curled around his legs.

Adam silently checked the hotel, and found the two dots representing Charlie and Vaggie in the library. Without a sound, he vanished from Angel's room and appeared at the door. He could hear sniffling from within, and murmurs of comfort. He took a deep breath and stepped inside.

"-He's just an asshole, Charlie, you can't take-" Vaggie stiffened from her spot kneeling in front of the chair Charlie was curled up in as Adam walked up to them, fists clenched at her sides as she stepped in-between them, "The fuck do you want, Adam?"

Adam looked down at the fallen and drew a circle with his finger, then stepped around her. She made to intercept, but bounced off of a barrier that kept her stuck in a two square feet of space. She shouted, but no sound came out.

He walked in front of Charlie's chair, the Princess hugging her knees to her chest, her face red and stained with tear tracks. "Charlie," he said softly, and she ducked her head in response. He sighed and dropped to his knees to make them more level as he reached out and gently took her hands. "I'm sorry."

She gasped and sat up, her eyes shining. "W-what?" Surprise was plain in her voice.

"I'm sorry," he said simply and honestly, making her blink and look down at him as he rubbed her knuckles with his thumbs, "I…What happened tonight, wasn't your fault. If anything, it's mine."

Charlie licked her lips, scooting to the edge of her seat. "But, you told me it was a b-bad idea, I wanted them to go, and you-!"

"I didn't stop them, did I?" Adam shrugged, giving her a sad smile, "I could've stopped them cold, kicked Cherri to the curb. I'm the Fun Police, they would've grumbled and moaned, but they'd accept it. I thought it was a bad idea and I still let them go…because I thought the same as you. Giving them a chance to remind themselves what Hell's like, make them appreciate the hotel a bit more…"

"I could've stopped them, too!" She protested, grabbing his hands, "I have just as much control over the hotel, but I…wanted some quiet time. I didn't really like the idea, but…I still let them go."

"Then we're both to blame, at least in that." he nodded, letting the shame show on his face, "Charlie, I…I was angry. About what happened to Angel, about what could've happened to him, the whole situation, but mostly…at myself. It's not an excuse; I took that out on you, and you don't deserve that…I'm truly sorry for making you cry."

She swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. "…Thank you for apologizing," she said softly, squeezing his hands, "How's Angel?"

Adam bobbed his head. "Recovering. The physical part will be fixed by tomorrow, and he even told us about his life on Earth…the psychological part, though. I don't know, but…I think he might actually come out of this better than he started. We'll see…though I think we should cancel whatever we had going on tomorrow."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Charlie nodded, slumping as he pulled his hands away.

"I need to get back to him," he said softly, "Husk and Pentious are watching over him, and I hope being there will help him sleep, he'll need it. Goodnight, Charlie."

"Okay Adam, goodnight…" the Princess said, watching him make his exit before jumping to her feet. "Wait!" She shouted, running after him and nearly bumping into the circle of light trapping Vaggie. "Adam!"

He stopped and turned to look back at her. "Yeah?"

"You made me cry, asshole!" She declared, pointing a finger at his face even as her voice immediately wavered, "I-I haven't forgiven you for it! …But I will if you hug me," she held her arms out, the previous fire vanishing like smoke on the wind, "I…I just really want a hug, okay? I need an Adam-hug. Please?"

Adam chuckled quietly. "A wing-hug?"

Now that she knew the context, Charlie blushed. "O-only if you want to," she said, but she really hoped.

He stepped towards her and knelt, letting the Princess of Hell hug him around the neck instead of the stomach. His golden wings wrapped around her, then himself, then her again, ensconcing her in layers of warmth. Charlie sighed and with her cheek pressed to his, her warm breath brushed his ear. "I really like this," she murmured, tilting her chin to let his stubble scrape pleasantly against her skin, "I think…I like this too much."

"…Do you want me to stop?" He asked softly, inhaling her scent, her hair brushing against his nose.

"Fuck no," she swore, making him chuckle, "Hold me forever."

Adam stiffened slightly, as did she. "Dangerous words, Charlie," he whispered, his heart pounding in his chest, "I'm immortal, you know? I could do that."

"I'm immortal, too," she replied gently, "And…I want you to."

He swallowed dryly. "Am I forgiven?" He asked, instead of any other dangerous, wonderous topics.

"In a minute," she answered, letting her forehead rest against the junction of his neck and shoulder, "You were at a club, right? How do you still smell so good?"

"Fuck if I know," Adam laughed, beginning to pull away.

Charlie pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and smiled as he stepped back. "I forgive you now," she said cheekily, waving as he smiled at her and teleported away. "Wow…talk about whiplash." She turned around and froze as she saw Vaggie, her girlfriend glaring at her, arms crossed. "What? I told you Adam would make it better!"

"No, you didn't, you were too busy crying over what that asshole said!" Vaggie retorted, "Is that really all it takes?! You've been agonizing over him getting pissy at you for hours, Charlie!"

The Princess could only offer a shrug. "I mean, yeah, it was a shitty thing, but it was both our faults, babe. We could've stopped them even though we had a bad feeling, and we didn't, just like we couldn't have known something bad was gonna happen! And he apologized, you know, it starts with sorry-"

"No it doesn't!" The fallen shouted, making Charlie flinch, "Not with him! Never with him!"

Charlie stood tall and stared her girlfriend down. "Is this about what he said to you in the pool? Or what I said?" She asked softly, "I won't ask what, but-"

"No!" The one-eyed sinner retorted, "It…it's not about that!"

"Then what? What is it?" The Princess questioned with the beginnings of a scowl.

"You can't fucking trust him!" Vaggie declared, stomping a foot, "It's Adam!"

"…Of course I can trust him," Charlie blinked and replied with a shrug, "It's Adam."

They looked at each other, fury on Vaggie's face and confusion on Charlie's. The fallen finally broke, shaking her head and stomping away. "I'm going to bed," she muttered, taking a left out of the library, "This is pointless."

"Vags, the elevator is to the right-"

"ALONE!" She shouted back, ripping open the door to an empty room and slamming it shut behind her.

Charlie sighed, rubbing her temples. "…Well, shit."

Number 6:

I don't know what to think. Despite it all, I lo-cared for Val. Things weren't always bad…or maybe I just convinced myself they weren't. I didn't mean to kill him, though. I just…looked in the knife, and I saw me…when my uncle…and I reacted.

Shit. One of the Vees, gone 'cause of me. No one knows I did it, I checked Voxstagram, as far as everyone knows he just disappeared when the club burned down, they never found the body. I hope some of the other whores and pornstars got away, some of them were pretty cool.

…I slept with Adam, and I can't believe I can write that without meanin' something dirty or joking. I've woken up with him holding me, and the nightmares don't bother me. He's so…warm. Comforting. Like…like dad was. I mean, I still want him, but…it's nice. Though, I noticed he seems to be watching me when I sleep, which is still nice, but…

…Does Adam ever actually sleep?

Husk, Pentious, everyone really, even Alastor in his own way, have been…well, not 'nicer' but I can definitely tell me and the boys got closer. Having people to rely on, down in Hell of all places…

Shit, maybe Charlie's on to something.

I don't know if redemption is possible, not for a bastard like me. A heart-to-heart ain't all it's gonna take to fix me, but maybe I can still try with them around.

Molly's up there, though, I ain't quittin' til I get to talk to her one more time. I got something to reach for, now, and I'm reaching for it with all I got.

And I got friends who will help me get there.

Hold on, Molly. Angelino's coming.

A/N: (message from the future: this fic is up chapter 17 on AO3 and chapter 19 on Pa-treon.

Mind liger, every time you leave a comment on a story asking me to update a different story, I push it back out of spite. knock it the fuck off.)

…So. Quite a bit happened this chapter, eh? Learned a bit more about Adam and Lilith in the past, my different take on them being mates, not married thing, which might just be my thing but hey, and then Charlie asking a hard question and Angel Dust running his mouth a bit.

And another example of what makes Charlie special, her strength and her flaw: she just can't leave shit alone. It turned out well for her this time, but will it always…?

And yes, I shamelessly stole the whole Glire thing from Uncle Adam, though is it still stealing when I straight up asked Akuma if I could?

And hey, Cherri Bomb! …Who, being perfectly honest, I don't exactly know what to do with her, if anything. (What chains?) But hey, Adam got to show his spice tolerance, which is a scene I've been jonesing to write since I thought of it. And naturally she's a bad influence. Disruptive. In a sudden, loud way. Maybe there's a metaphor for that.

I apologize to any Australians for having to live in Australia and nothing else.

Then there's the club…I was tempted to call Adam's disguise Majidam just to be as blatant as possible, but I liked the idea of Shimano even more…and then there's that scene. Oh boy, isn't it funny when a male character gets dragged away against his will and sexually assaulted?

No. It isn't. What the fuck?

I hate that it's a joke, a gag, a little funny thing when it's not funny at all.

The fight scene was quite satisfying to write, even if I didn't get quite as rip and tear as I wanted.

…There was something else wasn't there? Something nominally important, maybe something about a bug…

Frankly, I hate how a lot of people treat Sinners in general but Val especially as some sorta 'soff gay moth' when he's a fucking sex-slaver scumbag who deserved to die in a puddle of blood and vomit, stabbed with his own knife by someone he abused for so long. Hope In Hell has it right: burn the fucker.

Love you Chico!

And then there's Angel. Well, Angelino. Won't lie, writing out his backstory was really goddamn hard for me. And as for the whole 'mob Hitman' story, well, he lied. I mean, why wouldn't he try to big up himself to look cooler and more important?

But hey, the boys are really starting to come together as a unit, while Charlie and Vaggie experience some friction. And hey, it was mirrored! Charlie said something that pissed Adam off, so she went and apologized, then Adam said something that made Charlie cry so he went and apologized and healthy communication saved the day! …Kinda.

It's like poetry, it rhymes.

Long note this time.

Big thanks to NSG for being the damn Man. Give his stuff a check and tell him I sent you! Seriously, do it.

And thanks to all the peeps in my discord and the FMC!

And big thanks to you, for sticking around to read my stuff! Whether you liked it or not, left a comment or not, I appreciate you spending some of your time to read my words. Hope your summer's going well! It's getting close to the end, now.

Stay Awesome.

~Soleneus

P.S.: I'm going to bitch just a little bit cause this note's already long enough: One of my bigger issues with Hell Is Forever by Zerotheomega is that a very similar scene happens to the above, but that Adam who isn't constrained by the treaty doesn't do anything to Val, which was a real disappointment for me. It's also partially why I started writing Earn It, so I could get to that scene and do it my way. Though, the driving force was, naturally, Charlie and Adam. And the lack of depth. And actual characterization. And any sort of actual forward movement in HH itself.

Anywho.

I've also started moving over some of my older stories, Dare To Wander and The Life With Monster Girls. If you're interested, why not hit those up too? You can find the old version of chapter 1 and 2 of The Life on FF if you wanna compare.

~Stay Awesome Some More.

~still Soleneus