The Seven Deadly Sinners

24

"So, Kev. What brings you in?" Colby asked, walking into the kitchen where Kevin was chatting with the girls. The other guys were back to playing their video games. Kevin shrugged.

            "Figured you might want some extra help with understanding how all of this is supposed to work. And I wanted to party. I haven't been to a human party up here in decades," Kevin said.

            "We didn't really have any parties planned...," said Colby.

            "You guys." Kevin put his head in his hands. "Then thank god I'm here. How the hell were y'all planning on testing out your powers? You can't use them on each other, and I wouldn't suggest waltzing into a White Castle and fucking with people in there."

            "White Castle?" I asked.

            "Yeah, the restaurant?" Kevin said.

            "Dude hasn't been up here since, like, the 40s," said Colby.

            "Ah," I said.

            "My point is that at a dark crowded party, y'all can just practice doing little things. You don't have to hurt anyone to use your powers, so you can just have some fun messing with people," Kevin said. I knew that was an evil sort of thing to do. I really did. But it also sounded so, incredibly fun.

            "She's got to give us our powers first," said Tara.

            "You don't have them yet?" Kevin asked.

            "Sam has his persuasion," Kat said.

            "Colby, you have yours though, right?" Kevin asked.

            "No. He was being a big baby," I said. "Sam got his first. After me, of course."

            "Woo, man. You've got yourself a real woman right here," Kevin said.

            "You don't know the half of it," Colby replied. I shot him a look. "Okay, sorry, sorry," he said, holding his hands up in a surrender. Kevin walked over to the fridge and opened it up.

            "The fuck is this?" he asked, pulling out a White Claw.

            "Dude, they're fucking insane. It's like sparkling water that'll get you drunk," said Tara.

            "I like the sound of that," Kevin said. "But not right now. When were you going to let them have their powers?"

            "I don't know," I said honestly.

            "Well, the sooner you give them, the sooner y'all get to throw a party and play with them," he replied. I smirked a bit and turned to Colby.

            "So, who should get a power next?" I asked him. He knew that since I was asking him, he couldn't respond with himself.

            "I don't give a shit," he said.

            "Attitude, buddy," I reminded him. He rolled his eyes.

            "Fine. I don't know, might as well finish Sam's," he said.

            "Sounds good to me. Sam!" I said. He was in the kitchen in an instant.

            "Yes?" he asked.

            "Sam, dude, you don't need to be so scared of me. I'm not going to kill you. Clearly I like you because I gave you the first power," I said.

            "Right," he replied, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. What a wholesome guy. Except he was a literal demon.

            "Living room again, come on," I said, walking back to the room I'd given him his first power in.

            I called everyone in individually and gave them all of their powers, which was a long, boring, and tedious process. I made Colby go last.

            I finished giving him the power of wrath and then started to head out to the other living room where everyone else was again, but Colby lightly grabbed my hand and pulled me back before I could leave the room.

            "I don't say this. I don't say this ever. I don't know if I ever have. But I was wrong. You were right. I shouldn't expect my friends and family to do something that I can't. So I want you to know that I'm working on it. I'm not just going to immediately get used to having someone else be in charge, but I promise I'm trying," he said. My chest erupted when he said that, stinging my heart and making me hunch over a little.

            "Woah, you okay?" he asked, gently pulling me back up straight by my shoulders.

            "Yup. All good," I said with a strained voice. He held me up while I waited for the pain to pass and let go when he felt that I wasn't leaning against his hand anymore.

            "It's really going to suck when that last part happens," Colby said. "But on the bright side, it won't happen anymore after that."

            "How long does it usually take to finish falling?" I asked.

            "There's not a concrete answer. Sam and Kat took three weeks, Jake and Tara took two months, Corey and Dev took six months," said Colby. "There's no way of knowing. The time it takes doesn't mean you love each other any more or less. It's just like human love. Some people take longer to truly fall in love with someone. But we do experience the last part at the same time."

            "Oh god, we're both going to be fucking writhing on the floor together," I said. Colby laughed. I hadn't heard him do that very much.

            "Yeah. We will be," he said. "Ready to go back out now?"

            "Yeah," I said.

            "Perfect," he replied. He kissed me on the forehead and held his hand out. I took it in mine and he led me back out to everyone else.