FALLEN ANGELS ✓

7.

"So he doesn't know you're here," Greed concluded.

Lust shook his head. "Incorrect. He knows I'm here. In fact, he's the one who tracked your whereabouts in the first place."

Gluttony's hand immediately went to his belt where he had his dagger hidden. Lust flinched a little at the sudden motion.

". . .Sorry," Gluttony muttered. He released his grip on the hilt of his dagger. "But, if he knows we're here. . ."

"He will not send an army to attack, if that's your concern," said Lust. He grimaced, still eying Gluttony's belt. "In fact, he's hoping you don't come to Hell at all. He doesn't want to kill you. He'll do what has to be done, but that doesn't mean he wants to speed up the process."

"What about back at Greed's apartment?" Gluttony asked. "A demon was sent with poisoned cookies."

Lust shrugged. "I switched out the poisoned cookies for real ones. It was just to scare you. Lucifer was bluffing so that the higher ranked demons who want you all dead would believe action was being taken."

"So the offer to join Hell's ranks came from him as well?" Greed asked, eyes wide.

Lust nodded. "He might have offered again, had Gluttony not killed me."

Though Lust didn't truly die, the words 'killed me' made Gluttony duck his head in shame. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine. It was kind of sexy."

Greed snorted. Then he frowned. He pointed at the obvious hole in Lust's chest. "You said you were immortal. Why is that still there?"

Lust blinked, then glanced down at his chest. "Oh, this!"

". . .You forgot you had a hole in your chest?"

"Yes, well. Truth be told, I'm perfectly fine. It was just to be dramatic. But thanks for your concern, darling." Lust then glanced at the bed. He pointed at it. "So are we gonna---"

"Lust."

"Right," he said again, giving them a cheeky grin. His grin fell suddenly. "So, you really are not going to join me in Hell?"

"Can't," Gluttony said shortly.

"You'll die."

Gluttony remained silent. Greed almost opened his mouth to say 'we know', but then thought better of it. Besides, it seemed Lust had already understood.

He stared at them, his eyes showing sorrow. "You two are willing to walk to your deaths rather than betray your friends."

"Friends is a bit much," Greed muttered under his breath. "Allies, at most."

Lust smiled sadly. "We used to be friends. All of us."

"Things change."

"And your suicide mission cannot?"

"We aren't going to side with evil just to save our own asses," Gluttony said, fists clenched by his side. "Just because it was so easy for you---"

"Easy?" Lust repeated angrily. His joking demeanor was gone in an instant. His fangs grew long again and his eyes flashed red. He stepped forward, grabbing Gluttony's collar in his fist, growling, "You think this is easy for me, darling?"

Gluttony didn't answer, eyes fixed on Lust's angry red eyes. He swallowed nervously.

"Lust---" Greed began.

"No," he snapped. "No. You've all misunderstood. . . all of you, misunderstanding everything all the fucking time!"

Greed's hand went to his belt, but he paused, remembering Lust couldn't be killed.

"You think I want this?" Lust whispered, nose to nose with Gluttony. "I want to be here with you! With my friends! Shit has hit the fan but I didn't want to leave any of you in the first place! But I will die otherwise. You will all die."

He released Gluttony and Gluttony stumbled backwards. Lust scoffed at him. "You don't understand the things I tried to do. After I regained control of myself, I tried to kill Lucifer. I tried so fucking hard to infiltrate Hell from the inside. But he caught me. You know what he did?"

Greed winced, expecting something horrible. But Lust said, "He gave me another chance. Something Heaven never did. You think this is easy? You think staying on this side, the 'good' side, makes you better people? You're sins, god damn it!" he roared. "You aren't proving anything to anyone by pretending to care for lives other than your own!"

Greed swallowed. "We're not. . ." He didn't finish that sentence. He didn't know what to say.

Lust's red eyes glinted. "Doesn't it get tiring, hiding behind these masks of yours?" he spat. "In the end, you will turn. You will show your true colours. And you'll regret not having done it sooner."

Lust brushed past them towards the door. He opened it and, before he left, he said, "You leave for Hell tomorrow. I overheard Envy and the others saying they would discuss a plan after lunch. Have fun getting yourselves killed. And when you get there, don't expect any mercy from me."

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