New New York



The year was 3005... even though almost everything was flame-retardant to the fire that humans knew of...hellfire still burned down cities like they were kindling. The demons were sent on a rampage of the world to try to destroy as much of it as possible. Heavens scouts were sent out in flocks to try to stop them. But with the demons doing nothing but being little arsons and running away after each fire they set, it was hard for the angelic armies to hunt them down. Try as they might, they were only able to capture the weak and the stupid.

New New York, a breeding ground of goodness and light. This city was once the evil capitol of the world, but a new religion had been weeding it's way into the hearts of humans and now the demon's richest cities for destruction and chaos was now a Utopian city. It was up to a few demons and their underlings to take this city back down to the chaos and destruction it once was. Abaddon - cheif of the destroying demons, sat and watched them work. It wasn't until the city was engulfed in flames that he was about to walk away from it all with a satisfied smirk on his face... but he had to notice a single human, still alive but in horrible condition sitting on the outskirts of the destruction...

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Profile Skeleton!

Full Name:
Species:
Age:
Gender:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Voice:

Place in Society:
Personality:
History:

Favorite Pastime:
Most Boring Thing To Do... Ever:
Biggest Fear:
Huge Obsession:
Weapon of Choice:
Ride of Choice:

I look like:

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Full Name: Abaddon Zepar
Species: Demon
Age: Once you pass the first millennium it's really a pain to keep up.
Gender: Male
Eye Color: Dull yellow
Hair Color: Midnight Blue
Voice: Darth Vadar from Star Wars... ya know... without the respirator.

Place in Society: Duke of Hell/God of War, the Chief of the destroying demons.
Personality: Brooding
History: Abaddon was cast out of heaven at the same time as the Morning Star. He was one of the top commanders in that long ago battle for heaven. Once they were defeated, Satan still kept him as one of his primary commanders over his ever-growing army of the dead. At first he was just chief of the destroying demons and then when he defeated the Duke of Hell who was also the God of War, he stole his name and title, becoming Abaddon Zepar. He spent the greater part of the past 7 centuries living and breathing this name and title. The demonic army had been waiting in the shadows waiting for word so they could come out and have their fun again.

The wait finally over, they went to the Earth and reigned destruction down like it was snow in the mountains during the winter. Abaddon could do nothing but cackle for glee.

Favorite Pastime: Tearing the wings off of the smaller creatures (like faeries).
Most Boring Thing To Do... Ever: Listen to lectures on hellfire safety. (Because would it really be hell without safety lectures to sit through?)
Biggest Fear: God... because Abaddon doesn't think he'd look as good if his head exploded.
Huge Obsession: Keeping his wingtips sharp and coated in blood.
Weapon of Choice: Chains, fists, swords and wingtips.
Ride of Choice: His own wings, or a motorcycle...

I look like:

Full Name: Teruki Ballentyne
Species: Human
Age: Fifteen
Gender: Male
Eye Color: Bright blue
Hair Color: Pale blond
Voice: A dorky kid... think Dahvie Vanity.

Place in Society: He's still to young to have much of a place, still living with his parents.
Personality: He seems antisocial, but it's only because he's so difficult and snarky.
History: He moved here from another country when he was very young, and barely remembers the language at all. His parents were normal, but he still turned out to be an unpleasant kid. He got into all sorts of trouble, but never regretted a thing he did, too uncaring to think twice.

Favorite Pastime: He plays drums like it is a necessity.
Most Boring Thing To Do... Ever: Trying to find something to do.
Biggest Fear: Any religion being right.
Huge Obsession: Piercings.
Weapon of Choice: He keeps a small knife with him, but only because he feels more safe with it.
Ride of Choice: Something large and intimidating, like a big truck or an elephant. Anything that looks fun.

I look like:

Abaddon was in his element... the heat... the smell of blood... the scream of those pathetic humans as their lives were extinguished one-by-one by his men...it was enough to almost make him lift his voice and cry out in sheer happiness. Copper was his favorite scent in the world and it made his mouth water because there was so very much of it in the air. Now that the morning star had finally released them to do their true bidding... he was reveling in it. Abaddon couldn't remember having this much fun since Hitler gave them an excuse to assist with his slaughter back in the second world war. I mean, who else but the lord of hell could keep the fires burning from all the bodies that those gas chambers disposed of on a daily basis?

He was a commander... so he didn't get his hands very bloody... but he did catch some of the panicked crowd as they attempted to leave the city, flailing his chains against the windshields of their hover cars to break the glass which sent them veering into the buildings and each-other and piercing the mechanical device under it that kept them afloat with his sword... watching their machines turn into useless piles of metal and fall from the sky like rocks. He popped his shoulders by rolling them back in a relaxed motion and lighted on top of one of the tallest buildings, so he could give his wings a rest. He had been up there for hours... but he still wasn't that tired yet. Still, in the back of his mind he started to wonder if maybe he should be doing something else with his life... like maybe tormenting those that ended up on the 7th level of hell.

It was on the rooftop that he noticed something shining, a figure attempting hard to struggle away from the wreckage. Somehow he had survived one of the cars that he had whipped the glass of with his chain. The drivers were apparently determined to keep as many alive as they could... he wasn't sure what their condition was. Right now he didn't care. He lit up a cigarette. It didn't matter if you got cancer if you lived forever. It smelled of clove and brimstone. He needed to remember to pick up a new pack before he left earth. He was happy that after all these years, the stupid humans had managed to get at least one thing right. He blew the smoke out in a thin line and then looked back towards the figure with the shining hair. He was moving at impressive rate for someone that was leaving so thick of a trail of his own blood. Aah.. youth. He must be a teenager.

He spread his wings out again and landed not more than a few feet away from the child. The clove cigarette still somehow lit, he took another drag off of it and squatted down so he could blow the smoke in the boy's face. His normally dull yellow eyes heightened in brightness a few shades and he let out a devious chuckle as he extended his hand toward the dying boy. "How would you like to live to see another day." His lips curled into a cruel smile. "It'll only cost you your soul.." He wasn't very good at claiming souls for the dead... he figured the succubus were better at that job. But there was something he liked about this kid... he didn't understand why. Maybe it was the hair. He wanted to keep him around. "I might even let you become my apprentice if you think you can handle it..."

At first he didn’t know what to think. Teruki barely understood what happening around him, and trying to make sense of it only seemed to confuse him more. He took a moment too look at what was around him. The place was familiar. He’d seen it several times, but never like this. It was impossible to miss the flames; though they’d made it pretty far, it clearly wasn’t far enough. He looked around him, sure that the driver, a friend of his, was dead. The vehicle was obviously useless now, and he slowly made his way out, still trying to get used to the pain in his leg and side.

He was thankful that this would all sink in to his mind slowly, as this made it easier to keep moving withought thinking much. Still, why was he moving? Teruki wondered this as he stepped forward. It made sense that he would naturally just want to survive, but that seemed to be no more than impossible. Either way, this wasn’t something he wanted to be able to live and tell about. But, he couldn’t just sit there… well, he could, but that didn’t satisfy him. Pushing these thoughts out of his mind and deciding that he just didn’t care, he quickened his pace, steadily moving further away from where he’s landed as best he could towards wherever it was that he was going. He surely looked pathetic there, still able to walk on his own, but not very well.

The boy nearly tripped when he saw a figure land in front of him. Or rather, when it finally registered in his mind. He stopped walking, staring at the man in front of him, the surprise he felt showing clearly on his face. It only lasted for a few short seconds however; his eyes closed as he felt the smoke on his face. He took in a small breath through his nose, almost pleased by this. It was a familiar scent, and one that he enjoyed. His eyes opened again to focus on the man in front of him, first noticing his dark hair, then his bright yellow eyes… obviously a demon. Then he looked down at the hand that was held out to him, unsure of how to react to this.

There were many things he could say to this. He had no interest in giving his soul, and even less interest in being anyone’s apprentice, particularly one of a demon who’s job he assumed wasn’t exactly something that he would enjoy. He stared at the hand for a moment, then looked back up to the demon’s face, his own lips curving into a smirk. Teru really was in no position to argue, near death and already weak against mostly everyone around him. Still, that meant little to him, and he didn’t much value his life after this anyway.

“While I admire you’re dramatic entrance…” The pain in his throat was made obvious by his voice. “I wouldn’t want to pay to live and remember this. I really only wanted to see how far I could get before I died.” This last bit was just made up in his mind, not that he really felt that he needed to offer an excuse. “But, I’m sure you know that you can just take what you want from me anyway.” He glanced down at the hand again, the thought even touching it coming nowhere near his mind.

It took being this close to him before Abaddon realized exactly what it was that caught his interest in the boy, the memory was so faded, but there was once someone that had eyes as bright and blue as his before in his life... it might have even been him. There was so much before the fall that he just couldn't remember. He shrugged, it wasn't like he really needed an apprentice, he didn't intend on dying anytime soon. He surveyed the destruction with an appreciative face. Then looked over at the vehicle that the boy had crawled out from. Noticing the driver, who couldn't have survived the crash at the angle of the impact. His face showed no emotion, but he did wonder how it affected the boy in front of him.

He withdrew his hand and stood up straight. His wings flexing involuntarily like they were both stretching and relaxing over and over again. "They call me Abaddon. That is all you need to know for now. I can't keep calling you boy in my head... I don't care if it's your real name or not... give me something to call you, or I'll make something up you can't stand." Someone strong enough to smirk while he's bleeding out was rare indeed. And he was right. Abaddon didn't care about much, but he had no problem forcing what didn't want to belong to him voluntarily to become his. "Why die when you could live? You wouldn't even have to remember. I could erase the memories of this moment and any other moment in your life if you wish. Every other moment if that was your desire."

There was a Gaelic shrug that came from his shoulders that meant everything and nothing at all. In order to capture his soul... he would have to tempt. He couldn't read minds, he had no clue what the human wanted. And he was getting the feeling that at least to himself, that this was more than just being about the boy's soul. "If I take you against your will, and you die at my hands, you'll be considered a martyr. And you'll automatically gain entrance into heaven. I happen to personally know that the all mighty is a bastard who plays favorites. The choice may not be yours, human. But at the very least I'm giving you the option of how painful it's going to be. That's more than most get."

His face came back up in an sadistic smile, showing the full weight of the years he had endured through the century. He was good at destroying, memories were just something else that could be brought down. He wasn't the Chief of the destroying demons for no reason. He chuckled, running a hand through his midnight colored hair and closed his eyes as they went a few shades darker. When he opened them back up, they were almost topaz. "On the other hand... if I leave you here to die now... I'll probably just get to torture you for the rest of eternity. Everyone has an affinity for at least one of the seven deadly sins. What is yours?"

At first he just couldn’t believe that this man was still talking, but he was already impatient, and considering his condition it made sense that he wasn’t in the best mood. Still, it seemed beyond dumb that while he was steadily losing blood and already didn’t seem too pleased with the offer, this guy continued. He hated how persistent the demon was, but it wasn’t like there was anything he could do about it. Either way, this person was going to have his way. He put one hand on his side, putting pressure on his injury to hopefully reduce the pain in caused while he listened, waiting for him to stop without interrupting.

Everything was still a bit slower in Teruki’s mind than it actually was. He was very aware of this, but it did in a way make things a little easier for him. It took an extra few seconds before his response, thinking over what he was told, the questions as well as the options he was being given. The boy did feel a bit grateful for this, but it still annoyed him; it would have been so much easier to just run off and eventually die. But, there was no getting out of it now. This man, Abaddon apparently, obviously wasn’t letting him go anywhere. He stared up at the other, his facial expression showing just how impatient and annoyed he felt.

“My name is Teruki.” This wasn’t really what he wanted to say, several more interesting and much more rude things coming to his mind at the demon’s first demand, but his throat wasn’t feeling up to much more than that. Remembering the offer to remove his memories… this was tempting. There were things that he would love to forget, and in his state, anything seemed realistic. He glanced down as he considered this. Eventually he looked back up to Abaddon, having decided that he just didn’t care about the details.

“Right… so, I get that you’re super excited to prolong my life. Great. But, why?” He didn’t at all sound pleased with his situation, no matter how much the older man tried to make it seem like it was a good thing. Even if he was lucky, and even if this was very fortunate, he couldn’t care less at the moment. Teruki had already accepted that whatever the demon had in mind was what was going to go, and it wouldn’t surprise him if the other had already figured this out for himself. Still, he wanted an answer.

Abaddon nodded his head at the name, rather amused that the b...Teruki was being so sullen, angry and impatient. He let the amusement show on his face, to see if it would make him more angry or not. He wondered if he had once been human if he would have acted the same way facing his certain death... he knew he wouldn't be like those around them that were still running for their lives away from the burning fires that continued to engulf the city. He was never given the freedom these Humans wasted on nights throwing up over toilets and so zoned out they didn't even see the world around them. He was amazed they had managed to accomplish so much over the last millennium.

The next question startled him a bit as he hadn't thought this far ahead of the situation to give Teruki an honest answer. But when you live to serve the prince of lies... just about anything is easy to lie about yourself. Amusingly enough the words that would follow those very thoughts were as close to the truth as he could come, and even though his face still betrayed nothing, he found himself questioning why he was so honest with him. "You happen to remind me of someone I've somehow forgotten. I want to keep you around long enough to remember who." He looked him over again, shaking his head. Sometimes when you destroy things you loose pieces of yourself that you may never get back. "And most likely by that time it'll be too late to change your mind."

Abaddon looked down at the pool of blood that Teruki was standing in and was actually impressed that he was still standing at all. He pointed the direction his eyes were and then looked up to the spot that Teruki was holding onto to stop the blood. "You might want to make your decision before your decision is made for you. It appears your hourglass is close to running out of sand." If he had had a heart he might have felt bad about it... but he stopped caring about humans a long time ago when he realized that he could boil a sack of puppies and put on a puppet show with their fur after and not feel a thing for them. Fragile things, these mortals. He took another drag off his cigarette and let the smoke come out slowly.

The angels would be here soon and when they came he didn't want to be around to get annoyed. It would take a very large group of them to take him down and keep him that way. That was if the morning star DIDN'T decide to interfere in the matter. Seeing how Abaddon was one of his treasured generals, he doubted that he would sit by idly and let them kill him. Maim him sure... the prince of lies would love to see him squirm under holy weapons...but death was not something he would allow. He extended his hand again, palm upward to see what Teruki would decide and waited for his answer. "So how about it? In or out?"

Someone he just couldn’t seem to remember? Really? Teruki had no idea how old this man was, but he must be very bored. He hadn’t really expected anything extreme, but this wasn’t at all what he thought he would hear. But, it’s not like he could argue that his reason was too boring, and being well taken care of wasn’t something he really wanted to say no to. The boy’s options really were to go be choice or go by force, and while neither would be going willingly, one would be much easier than the other.

He immediately looked down as he heard the comment about his time running out. It appeared that he was bleeding faster than he was thinking, which completely explained why he felt so light headed. He was surprised by how much blood he’s lost already, and Abaddon was right; he needed to decide quickly. Looking back up to the hand that had again been offered, he stared at it for a second or two before reaching up to it, his grip weak as he held on to the much larger hand.

“Alright.” It wasn’t what he was really thinking, and just hearing it made him want to cringe, but assuming he didn’t die, he would have time to be rude and argumentative later. For now he needed to just listen to what he was told. Being cooperative probably wouldn’t be much of a challenge at this point. It really wasn’t hard to tell that he was dying, barely able to think properly. In a way this could also make it easier; he would enjoy the fact that he would most likely forget much of what was happening until he regained his health.

“We can talk about the memory thing later.” Teruki’s eyes closed as he said this. He didn’t want to say anything else to this man now, or even for days. Rest was the only thing he really wanted now, and he needed it, among other things if he was going to live. As Abaddon had said, there wasn’t much time, and even if he could hold a conversation long enough to finish their deal, it would take far too long.

Abaddon nodded once. He didn't need anymore words at this point. Teruki's hand in his had sealed the deal even if there hadn't been blood on it. The blood just made it that much stronger. "This is going to hurt. A lot." He didn't wait for a response even if Teruki would have had one to give. He simply closed his eyes and started speaking in the demon tongue. He called off his minions and they gathered around him like a gigantic flock of birds. Each landing on whatever surface they could find until there were so many of them in the area that the wings of demons was all you could see for a good square mile. Then he opened the gates of hell through a portal that would take them all back to where they belonged. All of them but Teruki. They flew through with great speed each going to their own seperate quarters.

Before pulling him through and as if he had read his mind... he said one last thing. "You'll be needing to rest for quite a while so I will leave you to it until you are better." He gritted his teeth and pulled Teruki through the portal, one would think that after many many centuries of hearing human screams that it wouldn't bother him, but for some reason he couldn't understand, he knew it was going to bother him when he heard Teruki do it. He was once told by someone in hell that being pulled over if you were a still-living soul was much like the pain of giving birth, without the drugs. He wasn't sure... but this was the only way to stop the bleeding and repair the damage and as an added bonus, because he was still holding Teruki's hand, it bound them together, leaving Abaddon as a master of sorts.

He had heard of some of the others pulling through angels in disguise once or twice and if the angel was stronger, it tore up the demon and hell immediately kicked the angel out. If the demon was stronger.. the angel's wings got ripped off and they were stuck in hell forever. What astonished him was that even in his weakened state, based on the power that Teruki had while they entered, he wouldn't be surprised if one day he was more powerful than Abaddon himself. There was a moment when their minds connected and Abaddon was able to see everything in Teruki's mind at that moment... Teruki was also able to see everything in his mind too.

The most prominent were the cats that were waiting for him back in his little corner of hell... wondering what Teruki was going to think of him when he found out that he was so high up in the hierarchy of hell, how he was cursing himself for forgetting to pick up more clove cigarettes, what it would really be like to die for good and never come back... and very pretty the blue in Teruki's eyes were. Once he realized how much he was letting slip through, he shut down the connection and after they were through, took Teruki to his home where he could lay down and get some much needed rest.

His memories of all of this didn’t make sense for a while. He couldn’t seem to put it all in the right order, and even after he did it was still confusing. He could very well remember the pain he’d experienced, and it was far from anything he’d ever imagined. There hadn’t been any warning, not that it would have made a bit of difference to him anyway. His cries weren’t far off from expressing exactly how he felt about it, without the use of words and often interrupted by a pathetic cough. But, somewhere during that, he remembered something else he hadn’t expected, and it had been something that eased the pain. Teruki had never even thought of something like this, but it wasn’t hard to understand it once it was there.

At first he thought it was just his own mind being confused by everything, but what the thoughts were of seemed too obscure for that. They weren’t his own, but Abaddon’s, and this instantly changed his view of the man. It was barely any time at all, but while it lasted he couldn’t believed what a difference it made. It gave him a completely different view of things. Simple things, but it was enough, and it was a distraction from everything else he was going through at the time, and while it didn’t do too much for him about the pain, anything was enough for him to feel appreciative. He was desperate to keep himself focused on this, as it was the only thing his mind had other than the pain. But, it ended much too quickly, leaving him alone again.

There wasn’t much after that. He remembered being awake, but otherwise there wasn’t much else. He also remembered being spoken to, but he didn’t remember answering. He was sure that he had been carried to where he was now, wherever that was, and while he was being carried he remembered feeling more sick than he had ever been in his life. But, now, he felt perfectly fine. Better than he could ever remember, actually. It was a pleasant but at the same time uncomfortable feeling. He lifted his hand slowly, his fingers moving across what used to be a large gash in his side. It was gone, and there appeared to be no scarring. This quickly caught his attention, and he wondered about what other things might have been fixed. Reaching to his shoulder, his fingers searched for another thing that was now missing. Whatever had fixed his more recent injuries appeared to have removed his scars that had been there for years. Teruki was pleased but worried by this, hoping that the two small tattoos he’d had before weren’t also gone.

This was when he realized that he was awake, but the thought came slowly. He didn’t want to move much more than he already had, amazed by how well rested he felt. There would be no getting back to sleep now though; he was sure that he’d been asleep for much longer than a few hours, though he couldn’t come up with a guess at how long it had really been. However long it was, it was enough to make him feel great. The boy took a deep breath, letting it out through his nose before rolling onto his side. Though there were many things on his mind, he couldn’t deny to himself that it would be so much easier to lay here as long as he possibly could.

"Three days, twenty-two hours, fourty-two minutes and seven seconds, it's the amount of time you've been unconscious. I'm glad to see that you're finally awake, but you don't have to get up immediately." The words came out of Abaddon's mouth as soon as he noticed that Teruki was stirring. He couldn't read his mind, but it was exactly what he would have wanted to know if he was in the boy's position. The place smelled faintly of litter box. It was hard to keep things odor free when you lived in a place that was hotter than anything normal humans couldn't resist. He was sure Teruki was going to be shocked when he saw what it looked like outside and the fact that he wasn't boiling alive. The temperature was actually just about as hot here as it was outside, but one didn't need central heat and air when they could withstand just about all heat but hellfire, and even then you'd have to be sitting in it for quite some time for it to even wound.

He was moving around the house picking things up, keeping them clean. Or as best as he could with his two kittens running around the tackling each other everywhere. Most of those higher up in the chain of command had hired maids. The coalition of succubi had gathered together and decided as a group that it's how they would pay off some of their debt to their owners. So they could have sex with who they actually wanted to instead of a million random strangers to get souls into hell. Not all of them wanted to change the way they were living... but a few of them still remembered what love was... and most of the time they wanted each-other. Abaddon had no want or need of a maid though. He was, as they say, playing for the other team and wouldn't want a woman in his domain. She'd just mess everything up and try to decorate it more than it should be. He would rather avoid making his place all girly.

He looked over at Teruki and smiled, smiling was rare for him and he hoped it didn't come off as looking menacing on accident. He really didn't need to eat...but he liked cooking and it wasn't against the rules to do so. So he tied his hair back and washed his hands. The layout of the place was rather simple. One bed, the bathroom connected to it, the bedroom actually came out into a living room with no door. The kitchen was right off the living room. It was small, but it was home. He wondered idly if Teruki had noticed the lack of a second bed. He was a gentlman though and slept on the floor, when he slept. Even though he had the prestige for something bigger, he didn't want it. If he got it he'd adopt more cats... he had his hands full already with these two. He picked one up and looked it square in the eyes as it tried to escape. He let out a chuckle. "I'm sure you noticed in your homeland how many cultures worshiped cats and there were many idols made to them. There's a reason why. In the underworld, these creatures reveal their true form. Once they're old enough they change into something powerful... it's why I keep them around." Saying they were also cute would just make him seem weak, so he left that bit off. He would already be made fun of because he hadn't properly put Teruki on a metaphysical leash yet. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

Frowning at his hands, he washed them again. If there was one thing he knew much about it was sanitation. Again, where it didn't seem to matter much to his system, it might to Teruki's and he didn't want to poison the boy. He got out some steak and started seasoning it. He had been cooking for a long time so he was fairly certain that he was decent at it. At the very least. "I hope you like steak." Amazingly enough there was electricity down here and it was enough to keep the cold things cold. Though they never could really manage to make the ice work. Something about the outside temperature making it impossible to form ice. Well, hell would not be frozen over anytime soon for sure. "If you want something cold, get it straight from the fridge and consume it fast... the temperature... though you probably can't feel the difference because of your immunity... is actually hot enough to make everything get rather warm rather quick."

The boy almost jumped up at the sound of Abaddon’s voice. He hadn’t expected to hear that, almost completely forgetting where he was. His eyes opened, staring blankly as the demon’s face slowly came into focus. He seemed very different now than he had when they’d first met. That was understandable, though, and he was thankful for this nice change. Teruki rubbed his face, then looked back up to Abaddon again.

“That’s… creepy. …And seven seconds? Really?” He didn’t want to know how the man was keeping track of this, wanting to get a more normal start to their unusual relationship. He rolled to his other side facing away from Abaddon and stretching his arms. Remembering how his scar had been removed, he reached back up to his face, feeling for the piercing on his lip. Teruki was relieved to feel the little metal stud still there, and twisted it nervously. This brought another question to his mind, and he wasn’t at all sure how he felt about it. He sat up quickly, turning back to the other, who had apparently left. He heard Abaddon’s voice saying something about steak. It took him a moment to understand.

“Uhm… sure.” Steak wasn’t what he was used to at all, but he remembered eating it once with his family. He stood from the bed, walking over to where the other man stood, staring up at him and trying to hide the smirk that formed at the edge of his mouth. He wasn’t sure how to ask this at first, but he very much wanted to see how Abaddon would react. He stepped closer, reaching up to tug on his sleeve, but he chose against this and his arm fell back to his side. He glanced to the demon’s hands, not actually too interested in what he was doing. He was probably hungry, but it was hard to tell somehow. He was more focused on the other thing that was on his mind.

“Hey, since most of my scars are gone… Do I get to be a virgin again?” He seemed more happy about this that he actually was, mostly because he was curious about what the man would tell him. It was childish, and Teru was very aware of this, but he couldn’t resist his grin. Of course, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be asking this; it could easily lead to a conversation he simply didn’t want. But, assuming that this man was probably a lot older that he would guess anyway, it probably didn’t matter at all. Abaddon probably didn’t care.

Abaddon didn't want to have to bother explaining to Teruki that he had actually faced and somehow managed to defeat a time lord and that's why he knew everything around him down to the second. He watched him playing with his jewelry and wondered if he was trying to make sure those holes were still there or if it was just a nervous habit. Honestly Teruki didn't look like the kind of person that got nervous much. Seeing how well he was handling the change in his scenery rather well... Abaddon decided that he was a lot stronger emotionally and mentally than his body type would have suggested. But looks aren't always everything. He was really starting to like the smirk that kept showing up on Teruki's face. It loaned him a sense of innocence that his eyes didn't seem to share.

It was as if the boy had seen far too much within the few years he had been alive. He looked over as he felt the tug on his sleeve, the look on his eyes looked not unlike the look of one of his cats when they were begging him for love. Teruki's eyes appeared to be begging for answers... and it was when he heard the question that he realized he was right... he had seen far too much during the years he was on Earth. A flash of pain that lasted less than a second before he quirked his eyebrow and returned Teruki's smile with one of his own. "There's a way for us to find out... but it's something I wouldn't force on anyone in the world. Not even my worst enemy. Sometimes... the demons are less demonic than some humans." He snorted and then went back to cooking the steak, almost finished now. He brushed past the conversation like it never happened in case it was something that made Teruki uncomfortable.

"But from what I've heard from other demons that have brought people over... they say it's everything that's healed. They never defined everything. So I guess the easiest way for us to find out is if we go and talk to one of the others... I warn you. Some of the demons aren't so kind with the humans they have brought over. You will see several in chains, acting like servants. It's what they are. And it's because they refused to come of their own will and also refused to train under those demons. I may have left you there to die instead honestly... if you hadn't come willfully. I'm pretty self-sufficient and couldn't see myself forcing someone into slavery. It might be fun for the first century or so, but it would get old and then I'd just have to kill them. The higher ups don't like slaves being killed off so fast. Better that they die before dealing with all that. In my opinion."

He was finally finished cooking and set the meat and vegetables on two separate plates, pouring a glass of chilled wine for each of them and drinking his quickly before even getting the food on the table. offering some to Teruki to see if it was something he was interested in and then sitting down to eat, leaving the plate full on the opposite chair so Teruki would know it was for him if he was hungry. He heard that healing took a lot out of humans and they were usually hungry when they woke up, so he figured Teruki probably would be too. He just hoped that he liked it. One of the kittens jumped up on the table and started sniffing the plate. "BE GONE WITH YOU!" He tossed the kitten aside and watched as the other one jumped up on the opposite end of the table. "You might want to eat it before the kitten does. If you want it, that is."

He listened carefully to this answer, trying his best to figure out what it all meant. He wasn’t interested it details. At least, not yet; there would hopefully be time to adjust. Now he simply wanted to get the more important parts taken care of. His lips pushed together, adding to the already permanent pout caused by his full bottom lip, and his arms crossed over his chest. This was his only reaction towards the indirect answer. There was nothing he really wanted to say about this, assuming that everything had healed properly based on what information he’d been given. He was sure that the only reason he still had any piercing would be because of the bits of metal that rested in his skin. He wasn’t at all sure how he felt about this at first, though he knew he didn’t like it. Teruki also had little interest in trying to make sense of what seemed philosophical nonsense in his mind. The demon sounded just like an old man, but, he was very aware that the man beside him was probably much older than anyone he’d met in his life.

“I think I’d like to just guess for now. I don’t think it’s really worth that much anyway.” He had no desire at all to make a visit to any other demons, or anyone at all really. It pleased him to hear Abaddon trail off; having him get off topic was a bit easier for him, even if it was about something much more unpleasant that the question he’d asked. “And besides, I don’t see myself getting too far here.” He didn’t wonder even for a moment what the man would think when he heard this. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to explain that girls simply weren’t for him, but with someone as old as Abaddon, he didn’t think it would matter in the least. The boy’s arms dropped back to his sides as he heard the other mention food, grateful for this distraction also. Teruki didn’t feel hungry, but after what he’d been through, and after sleeping for days, he must be very weak. He nodded once at the comment about the cat, understanding that he should probably do as he was told and eat.

After thanking the demon, Teruki ate slowly, not speaking even once as he did so. The meal was much better than he’d remembered from so long ago with his family, though that might only be because of how long it had been since he’d eaten anything. But, whichever it was did not matter to him. He was already feeling better, not that he’d noticed anything wrong from the time he’d got out of bed. It was an odd feeling, but he loved it. Teru hadn’t felt this healthy in a long time, but it might have only been caused by all of the sleep he’d gotten. The wine however had been a complete surprise, and one that he did appreciate. His tolerance to alcohol was, well, very poor, but it hadn’t stopped him yet. He eventually looked back up to Abaddon, having finished his food, and smiled to him.

“That was… great, actually. Thanks.” The child’s voice made it obvious just how awkward he felt saying this to him. Looking up at the man across the table in front of him, he noticed again that he seemed so much less demanding and intimidating than he had before. It didn’t change his view of this other, knowing very well that he was not to be taken lightly, but it was interesting to be able to see this and compare it to how they’d met. His first impression of the man was so far from what he was used to, so the idea of an impatient and powerful demon was still stuck in his mind. He hoped it would stay this way, though he was curious about what this man was really like.

Abaddon nodded and mulled over Teruki's words in his head. There could be several meanings for that sentence, but seeing how Teruki failed to clarify himself and Abaddon wasn't the kind to chase explanations that weren't given freely, he let it all slide. The food was...average... for him. He hadn't been expecting to bring anyone home, so there wasn't a lot of ingredients that he would have normally used in the presence of company mixed in with the food. He watched him sit down and eat, noticing the slight change in Teruki's facial expression that Abaddon registered as actual enjoyment. Some people were so used to shutting down their own emotions that even when they wanted to show them, it didn't work well. Abaddon had a feeling that Teruki was one of them.

He actually smiled back when Teruki thanked him at the end of the meal. It must have seemed an odd expression coming from a face that was so stern and moreover that was drenched in the blood of his species when they had met. Clean as he was now, there was no doubt that at least a small part of Teruki would always carry that image of Abaddon with him. They do say that first impressions are everything. He was fairly certain that it was a menacing one at that. Teruki did seem much more at ease though. Either he was finally getting used to the idea that the evil demon wasn't such a bad guy... or the wine was getting to his head. Either way wouldn't have mattered much to Abaddon. He had been eating slowly and finished it all, drinking what was left of his wine in one sip, the reds always twisted his face a little if he drank them too fast. He let that show, if he didn't let much else.

"I'm glad you liked it. It's not the best I can do, but it's a good assessment of what I'm capable of. Usually if I'm cooking for guests I do things a good twelve hours in advance at least... but I had no idea when you'd be awake... so I didn't want to have things go bad in the time it took you to regain consciousness." He thought about Teruki's hair and wondered for a moment if it was real or not... humans and their dye... "Out of mild curiosity.... is that your real hair color?" He hadn't noticed until just now... but his legs were crossed, one over the other. He uncrossed them and cleared his throat, picking up the plates to put them in the sink before the heat baked the food on them. "It doesn't really matter, but if it isn't, it'll probably have to stay it's natural color unless you plan on taking frequent trips to get it done... the color you humans use can't survive in this temperature."

He waited for Teruki to reply before he started running the water over the dishes, hot water was actually really good for it... but seeing how he was a demon sometimes he forgot how hot it really was and it ended up melting the more delicate pieces of his cookware. When he was done he dried his hands and pulled the rubber band free from his hair, letting it all cascade down his back like a waterfall that had finally broken through a dam that was holding it back until it had to use the full power of it's force to break it. He turned and looked at Teruki, blinked his bright yellow eyes twice and tilted his head. "So, what do you think?" He left the question open-ended on purpose. He took out a cigarette, lit it and took a drag off of it, the scent of Clove filling the air. Noticing there was only one more in the pack, he offered it to Teruki. Corrupting the innocent, one at a time... that was him.

Seeing him smiling was a surprise to the boy. He didn’t understand why; Abaddon was obviously not what he’d seemed to be when they had met. He had fed Teruki and allowed him the rest he needed, so he was, at least in Teru’s mind, not such a bad guy. There must be some reason as to why he had been doing what he was when they had met, and that was something they didn’t need to talk about just yet. He was more interested in adjusting to this new place.

“It isn’t my natural color, but it’s very close. I won’t mind if it doesn’t last.” His light hair didn’t at all match his naturally tanned skin, and it was something he was amused by. The only reason that it had been made lighter was because of his boyfriend, who didn’t like natural colors. Remembering that man suddenly, he stared down at the floor for a moment. Teruki was pretty sure that he was still alive, having left for another country temporarily, but it wasn’t as if he had really cared for this person.

The hand held out in front of him distracted Teruki from these thoughts easily. He looked up, registering fully now what this was. Still, he stared at it for a second or two before accepting the offer. Really, he’d only ever smoked a few times before, but he loved the smell. With his free hand, he reached into his pocket, pulling out his own lighter. He lit the end and placed his lighter back in his pocket, speaking before lifting the cigarette to his lips.

“What do I think of what?” He was almost sure that Abaddon had expected him to ask this, but he didn’t feel like coming up with a rude or clever answer this time. His eyes closed as he let out a breath of smoke, very pleased with the scent. He was curious about how staying here would be. If it would always be like this, he was sure to be very unhealthy. His body had always been weak to any drug compared to any boy his age, but he could be more careful with himself later.

Abaddon nodded at the response and watched as Teruki as he stared down at his feet. Because he couldn't see his eyes from that angle it was hard to tell what was going through the boy's head. Humans never look down unless they're thinking about something they'd rather not think about. But the cigarette was distracting him, and whatever was in his eyes when he was looking away didn't appear to be there anymore. Whatever it was, it wasn't any of Abaddon's business unless Teruki made it his business by telling him. But if it was someone that hurt him, he might just entertain the idea of going back up to the surface to show them what real pain was. He was out of cigarettes anyway.

"Whenever you feel like telling me, I'll fix it the best I can." He said the words right as Teruki was lighting up his own cigarette and said it so lightly he wasn't even sure if the boy heard him, then he heard the question in reference to his earlier question. "Of hell... of the demon who destroyed your city... of the house and the kittens and you... who are seeming much like a cat yourself seeing how you've gained an extra life.... and I intend to make sure you at least have seven more if I have anything to do with it." It clicked, just then. Who the boy reminded him of. He shook his head and shrugged it off, it would be a discussion for another time. "And your past life. Are you going to miss it?"

He stretched and walked into the living room, close enough that he'd be able to hear anything that Teruki said if he decided to stay in the kitchen... but gave him a look that said he didn't have to stay in one spot. He was pretty sure Teruki was still waking up and trying to adjust. Maybe he might value some time alone to check things out. He stretched out on the love-seat, leaving the couch entirely free. His head on one end of the love-seat, propped up by one of his arms, the other dangling uselessly off the edge, his back was toward the ceiling so he could let his wings free to move as they wanted. It was the only thing he didn't like about them... they always got in the way when he attempted to lie or sit down. One of his long legs dangled over the other arm of the love-seat while the other was curled up underneath him, his navy hair spilling down into his eyes so he had to brush it out of the way.

"I'm quite certain that I'm nothing like what you expected to find at a place like this. Not most of us are, it's just the meaner ones always seem to be the ones that assert themselves to the humans AS demons. I know when I go up there it's for nothing more than a pack of smokes and the occasional fling. Mortals have a lot more passion than either demons or angels. I think it's because they know how short their lifespan is. They have to get it all out while they're still alive. When you have all eternity, things generally don't seem to pressing. Through, occasionally they get neglected." He laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling."

His smirk returned with Abaddon’s first comment, a bit annoyed by the man’s assumption, even though he was right. Though it didn’t bother him much now, he knew that he would eventually start to worry about the man that surely thought he was dead now.

“I really look that bad?” Teruki didn’t expect any kind of response to this. He knew that he probably looked pathetic, even though he felt fine. He had to admit that he was amazed by all of this, and he was thankful that he could let it all sink in slowly. That was how he got used to things, adjusting slowly. He could feel comfortable here eventually. But for now, He wouldn’t be too bothered by comments like this, as it was probably true. The boy listened carefully as Abaddon continued to speak to him, taking a moment to think about this before answering. He spoke quietly as he followed the other into the next room.

“Well…” He answered to each things one by one in order slowly, not too sure of what to say. “Hell so far seems… I haven’t seen much, but with you it doesn’t seem bad. From what you’ve said though, I have a bit to learn… I don’t know you very well either too, but again, you don’t seem bad at all yet. You did take care of me.” He had also let the boy smoke, but that didn’t mean much to him. “The house is pleasant, and the cats are comforting.” He avoided talking about how he felt about himself here. “My life before… it wasn’t bad. I don’t know how I feel about this though, and it could take a while before I figure that out.” It was obvious how honest he was now, but he wasn’t shy about any of this. It didn’t upset him to talk about it, like it would with most boys his age.

He took in another slow breath, releasing the smoke from his mouth again slowly. His eyes were focused on the demon as he sat on the floor. It was probably the drink, but he was very relaxed now. Teru seemed very interested in what the other man said, listening tentatively to what he was being told. It was nice to have someone new to talk with, even with where he was and why. He was very glad that he seemed to get along with Abaddon so far, as it would be very annoying for him otherwise. But, he had been given a choice to come here willingly, and he was grateful for that also. His smile grew as the man continued, amused by what he said.

“They do.” He wasn’t surprised at all to hear this, and it didn’t bother him at all that Abaddon would take advantage of people where he was from. It reminded him of a few situations he’s been in himself, and that was probably part of why he wasn’t upset by it. “But, I guess you aren’t what I expected. Only because I didn’t have any expectations, though. There wasn’t really much time to think about it.” Teru almost shivered at the thought of what had happened. Then, it seemed to have taken so long, but now the memories made it seem like it had been barely any time at all. He remembered talking to Abaddon, and how they both seemed annoyed at the time. He also remembered being it pain, though he couldn’t at all remember what it felt like. For this, Teruki was very thankful, but there wasn’t much else he remembered after that. His eyes had been shut tight for the rest of it.

Abaddon didn't give him any response at first. He was just lucky that he had a few days free of obligation to let Teruki adjust. He was certain that had he been in a similar position to the boy that he would at least be a bit stunned. He nodded in response to each answer, still fighting to keep his hair out of his eyes. After a while he just gave up and let it hang there. He watched through that curtain of navy strands as Teruki took another drag off the cigarette he was offered and sat down on the floor instead of taking a spot on the furniture. He found himself wondering if he was part Asian... and then he managed to get the song Everyone's a Little Bit Racist stuck in his head.

Abaddon was slightly surprised and pretty happy that Teruki was getting relaxed, but he did start to wonder about the poor boy's health. Maybe it was a bit too much stimulant/relaxant/depressant mix for him to take when his body was still recovering. After hearing the last of his words and watching a shiver run the length of his body, Abaddon nodded and turned himself so his head was actually lower than the seat of the couch and his legs were clinging onto the back, tucking his wings in the space between his back and the seat cushions. "I do hope that you never find yourself regretting that decision." His eyes were closed and he moved his head back and forth as he felt the blood rush towards it.

He was curious... he wasn't quite sure... what Teruki would think of him. He opened his eyes suddenly and slid his legs off the back of the chair, pivoting them to the floor in such a quick motion that it would have made a normal human dizzy, part of it was a test to see how fast Teruki was gaining the demonic reflexes. He watched for boy for a bit as he got to his feet and after noticing his expression, stretched to his full potential, arms up, wings to the side and even on the balls of his feet. He yawned, boredom starting to kick in. It always did after the rush of battle finally got out of his head. He wasn't sure if the rush lasted less days because of the change in plans or because he was out of cigarettes. He twisted his lips into a frown that lasted only a few seconds before putting on a neutral face.

"Come here, there's something I'd like to show you." Abaddon padded down the hallway and got to the first room, one thing that would be very plainly noticed is that all the rooms had locks. It was the first of his many quirks. No, locks couldn't really keep anything in the demon realm out... except mainly the kittens... and that's what he was afraid would get in there. He unlocked the door and ushered Teruki inside, closing the door quickly to make sure the kittens didn't get in there. And with good reason. It was covered in art.

"You tell anyone about this room and I will tear your liver out and feed it to you..." Easels were setup with canvases and there was so much paper strewn around that it was hard not to see it all as one big collage. On the left it was mainly all reds and blacks and on the right it was all mainly whites and softer colors. In the middle it met in a blending of the two. Art that truly showed he was a fallen angel. Torn at the seams. Death and despair on one and and bright cheerfulness on the other.

He was surprised by the sudden movement, leaning back as Abaddon stretched. His head tilted to one side as he watched this. Really, he enjoyed this view; Abaddon was a very attractive man, and he hadn’t really thought about that until now. His wings, to Teruki at least, looked very impressive, but he was sure that they would easily get in the way of a few things. He waited for the other to speak before moving himself, unsure of if he should follow until he was told to. The boy stood, walking slowly behind the older man. He was curious about what he was about to see.

“It isn’t like I’ve got anyone to tell, but I believe you.” Teruki doubted that the man would have anything to say to this, and he didn’t really care. His young mind was more focused on what was behind this locked door. He watched patiently as Abaddon opened the lock, then the door, and then stepped into the room. The sound of the door closing behind them barely registered in his mind. His eyes widened at the sight of the room, very surprised by what he saw. He wanted to step closer, to walk around the room and get a better look at it all, but even if he knew where to start he wouldn’t dare to do so without first getting permission from the man beside him.

“Wow… This is great.” Though he said this very calmly, the surprise was still obvious. With the threat that had been made before entering the room, he had known that it would be something special, but he didn’t expect to see something like this. He still couldn’t completely understand it, but that only made it all look better. He’d known people before that had a lot of interest in art, and while he had never tried it himself, he always enjoyed watching others paint or draw something. It was interesting for him to think that Abaddon, someone so different from anyone he’d ever known also did this sort of thing. Again, it barely changed his view of the demon.

He took a moment to stare at one side of the room, at first surprised by how depressing it seemed. The other side of the room was a great contrast, and it wasn’t hard to decide that he enjoyed looking at this part more. But, all of it was equally interesting. He wondered how long all of it had taken, and what the demon must have been thinking while he did it. Teruki didn’t at all notice the smile that was slowly forming on his lips. He again remembered what he’d been told before being allowed into the room, and he knew he wouldn’t speak of this room to anyone. It could be just between them if that was how it needed to be. It was a nice thought. But, somehow he still felt that he just didn’t belong there with all of it.

“Do you spend a lot of time here, or…” Teru wasn’t completely sure what he was asking at first, but he hoped that Abaddon would be able to understand him. The boy’s eyes looked back up to the other man again before shifting back to the rest of the room. Having never seen anything like this, he was amazed by it, even though he didn’t understand why anyone would want to put so much effort into something like this. It didn’t matter if he understood; he didn’t need to. The boy was happy to be able to appreciate things like this.

"You can look, but don't touch. The oils in anyone's fingers will actually degrade the paper and paint. I generally handle them with gloves if I handle them at all." He saw the same thing in Teruki as what he felt in himself all those centuries ago when he first saw the art of a fallen angel. It was a mixture of disgust and amazement with a definite desire to get closer and immerse in the colors and textures that was involved in a world split between pain and joy. Calm and surprise would have been all that registered had he not gone through the very same thing himself. The entire wall behind artwork was completely filled with filing cabinets and bookcases that were lined with previous artwork. Some of it was so old he was afraid to move it for fear that it would crumble to dust. Not all of them had been preserved properly. And even if it had been, it would still probably be in bad shape.

Abaddon shrugged in a motion that meant everything and nothing at the same time and gave Teruki a small embarrassed smile. The look probably seemed more awkward on his face than his previous smile. "Having a few centuries to practice can make anyone good. Even I started out with nothing better than stick figures and distorted pictures of what I was really trying to make." When Teruki smiled, it was infectious. He honestly couldn't stop himself from returning it. It surprised him a lot to find out that he actually even bothered caring so much for his opinion already. After hearing his question and seeing the unspoken rest of the sentence in Teruki's eyes, he nodded once and leaned up against the wall. "I quite often spend spurts of time here. You noticed the back walls by now I'm sure. Even if what was in front of your eyes was hard enough to adjust to. I've been doing this since... what your world knows as when Jesus was born. Around that time. I'm not sure exactly when. And yes, I won't mind you coming in here to see me work as long as you promise to keep the kittens out. They would surely rip it all to shreds. They do love paper so much."

He walked to the backside of the room and pulled open one of the file cabinet drawers. Inside was hanging folder after hanging folder stuffed with sketch pad paper. Each and every one of them were filled with markings. He took out the first folder and brought it over to Teruki. Pulled a couple of gigantic pillows from the corner where he kept everything he sat on while he worked and brought them over to lay them on the floor. He sat on one himself and looked at Teruki, bumping his hand gently with the folder to get his attention away from whatever he happened to be looking at. "I want you to tell me what you think. I use models for all of my work. I have ever since I started. That's why you see so few pictures of cats... they'd eat anything I'd try to draw of them."

All of them really were sketches... there were a vast more that were male than female. There were a lot more colors in the folders. Reds and greens and blues and purples... things that didn't belong in either supernatural world. Things that were strictly human. "I think you may have mis-understood me when I said I used humans... I... used them for art. And when they were willing, for other things. I happen to very much enjoy torturing rapists and would never become one myself. Everyone has standards, even demons. Even though ours are a far cry from what most humans consider normal."

((Finished!))

He wasn’t surprised to hear that he should touch the man’s work, and he hadn’t thought of doing so anyway. Teruki was almost afraid of doing so, not wanting to change a single thing about anything he saw in this room. He could easily appreciate it without getting too close. The boy didn’t look up at Abaddon as the man spoke to him now, staring out at the walls of the room. It was interesting, but there wasn’t anything he wanted to ask. Simply looking at it pleased him greatly, and he would listen to anything the other had to say about anything here. He did glance up again to see the man’s face for just a moment as he heard that he would be welcome to come here on his own. He would be sure to keep the cats away from this room, but it was still unlikely that he would be here at all without Abaddon. The idea just seemed strange in his mind, though he wasn’t at all sure why. It comforted him to know that he would be allowed here, making him feel like this man trusted him, even if he didn’t plan on doing so.

It took him a moment before he noticed that Abaddon had left him, and soon looked up to see what it was that the older man was doing. Teru watched as the man prepared a comfortable place for them to sit, then placed himself beside the other, very interested in what he was about to see. He saw the other motion for him to join, and quickly sat down beside him, staring at the folder in his hands. Several times he looked back up to the man beside him, listening as he spoke. Each sketch that Abaddon showed him was equally impressive, and in a strange way, they were all unlike anything he’d every seen. He wouldn’t normally expect it to feel like something new; he was used to seeing many kinds of art, but it this was different.

“I do like them all… But, I don’t know much about art.” He was sure that he would have to learn eventually, as there was sure to be a lot of time between the two. “If it would be useful, I wouldn’t mind helping you with that.” He’d modeled for his boyfriend before, and though he didn’t really understand it, it didn’t bother him and he knew it had been helpful for his friend. Teruki thought it would be nice to better understand why it was so important to either of them. He was happy to think about this too, but the next thing the man said made him almost completely forget. He stared blankly at the demon for a moment, completely unsure of how to feel about this at first.

“…I understand now.” He couldn’t think of anything else to say, but Abaddon could probably guess at how he felt about this. It was a relief to hear this, though he didn’t think even once that he had much to worry about with this person. If he was supposed to stay here and have any kind of positive relationship with him, then he wouldn’t expect Abaddon to hurt him in any way. But, just knowing that Abaddon wouldn’t have even had he not agreed to come here willingly was another comforting thought. Teruki sighed quietly, staring down at the paper in the demon’s hands, feeling a bit more at home than he had when he’d first realized where he was.

"I'd quite like you modeling for me very much..." He said the words as he noticed that Teruki started relaxing, but then something happened that made him wonder if he was going to tense up again. One of the pieces of paper slipped out of the pile he had in his hands and floated down the floor much like a feather. It was right side up and there's no way that he couldn't have seen it. He was actually planning on keeping this one from him for a long time, but he realized that even though he could have caught it before it was seen that that alone said something else. He was beginning to trust Teruki a lot more with himself and his passions.

"Yes, this one.." He picked it up gingerly and handed it to Teruki. It was a sketch that he had done of a man that looked shockingly like Teruki would have had he been ten years older and had black hair. He had the same shocking blue eyes though. The resemblance was almost uncanny. "He was a French lover of mine." The pose was languid, he was covered in nothing but a sheet, his chest bare and his lips were slightly parted, his long straight hair tousled as if he had been roughed up. His eyes also looked glazed over, as if he were remembering something recent. The painting was just so life-like that it even looked as if he was out of breath. It was one of the best sketches he ever did. The only thing painted though was his hair and eyes. The rest was left unfinished.

((Will type more later.))

(It’s not much, but I figured I should go ahead and post something.))

Teruki didn’t actually look at the picture until he was told to. His face didn’t show any emotion towards the sketch, though he did like it. It was probably his favorite of what he’d seen so far. It wasn’t the kind of thing he expected to see, but he enjoyed how simple it was. The lack of color didn’t stand out to him much, and he simply assumed it was meant to be that way. Eventually, he looked back up to the older man, but only for a quick moment. His tone matched his lack of facial expression.

“I like it…” A smile slowly spread his lips, again admiring Abaddon’s work. It amazed him how well it was drawn. Though he had watched people do things like this before, and once someone had even tried to teach him, he could never understand how anyone could make things look like this. Teru had never really had any desire to do things like this on his own either, so he was still probably better off just observing and appreciating what he could. He liked it that way. As he thought over what the man told him again, another question came to his mind.

“So…” He paused for a moment, unsure at first of how to put this into words. “I should assume that you also like men?” It seemed like such a silly thing to ask. He normally didn’t try to guess, not caring too much at all about that kind of thing, but he didn’t know much about society in Hell, so he had no idea how things worked here. It could have something to do with why there were more men in the demon’s art, but he still had no way of knowing.

((Sorry for the long absence... and for not ever finding anything else to add... I'll try to make sure this post goes over better. XD ))

Abaddon practically beamed when Teruki stated those words. The smile on his face was enough. He was half afraid that it would cause Teruki more distress, knowing this about his new found... friend. But Teruki took the information with a grace that was seldom found in those so young and even seemed to appreciate it. "It took me looking back on it... but I realize now this is exactly who you remind me of..." He said the words quietly, unsure if Teruki hadn't heard him or if he had just chosen to move on with the next question. The one that followed wasn't one that quite surprised him. All he was asking for was confirmation of what had already been said between them. Naturally one wouldn't want to assume something like this as many human males tended to be a bit touchy on the subject.

"Although the words love and lover can sometimes mean different things... and some demons really do rape the unwilling and call them their lovers... I do happen to like men... only on days that end in y. The women are there for their art. Many tried... all but a few failed. Everyone experiments. I just decided... a long time ago. That women are not my thing." He brushed his hair back loosing a strand in his fingers. He wrinkled his nose and got up to toss it in the trash, using the movement to assist him in putting the art back where he found it. He did leave the paper with his former French lover in Teruki's hands. He wouldn't take it from him until he decided to relinquish it. He looked at Teruki then. Eyes serious... still sheltering his real thoughts, but also looking at him with an intensity that meant he was hanging on to every word that came out of the boy's mouth.

"So... how about it? Can I assume the same thing? Or would I be completely off on that?" He had seen and been with enough men in the years he had existed to be able to tell certain traits that ones who were into other men had. Admittedly, he wasn't always right... but the ones he messed up on were usually gracious enough to just laugh it off. He supposed that if he was given an unfavorable reply... he still liked the boy enough to try finding him a suitable she-devil to occupy his time. After all, those who are happy are those who work best... and they still had training to do. He winked at Teruki then, a playful gesture, but one that could be taken with more seriousness if it was wanted. "Because you know how I feel about rapists and I wouldn't want to do anything untoward."

He smiled then, feeling around in his pockets for another cigarette and then remembered he was out of them...frowning at the thought and debating on when his next trip up was going to be. Instead, he did the next best thing... he got out the incense. It wasn't the tar or the nicotine or anything else in it... it was the smell of Clove itself. If he could just keep an incense burner with him at all times and be able to actually make it work like cigarettes could, he would be fine. So he lit the incense and let it fill the room while waiting for Teruki to reply. "You know I'm going to feel terrible if I find out you're actually allergic to smoke and you've been hiding it. Even if you try, there's too much around me at any given day.. I'll find out eventually."

((There.... MUCH better...))