[Akira quietly comes up beside the demon, hands in his pockets. He's wondered about the changing room, actually, but when he thinks to ask Astaroth about it, he's already being spoken to about something else.]
[ A faint smile but there's a lot more amusement underneath the surface. He doesn't hesitate to lean towards the human a little, pressing their arms together. ]
A lot longer than that. My job's kept me down here for the most part. Sometimes you get a summons and humans want stuff from you but that's always temporary. [ Astaroth glances at Akira. ] Plus that counts as work.
My last visit was back during the days when people in Egypt were all into worshipping their gods. I spent a lot of time there as Astarte. They even believed her to be one of their goddesses.
[The contact is nice, and Akira doesn't hesitate to lean back in return. The smiles he makes are still new and fresh and make his heart flutter every time he sees one, and he can't help but smile in return.]
Do you ever get a summons because a person just wants to chat with you?
[It's said somewhat jokingly, but he can't say he likes the idea of Astaroth being summoned only when something's wanted of him. Maybe it's a little silly given their respective species, but something protective flares up in him.
A low whistle.] You were a real MVP, huh? [A pause.] Do you miss it?
[ Ah, he likes that - Akira leaning into him as well. An amused smirk and there's a short laugh at that question. ]
Humans don't tend to contact demons just for a chat. They won't risk their souls for that.
[ Honestly, Astaroth doesn't have hard feelings for not being summoned for something so nice and simple. He leans over to place a kiss on Akira's cheek.
Mock offense: ] Excuse you. I might have only been a minor goddess to the Egyptians but I'm still an MVP in hell, you know. [ Then a thoughtful sigh and then a sense of longing. ]
Yeah, I miss it. The people believed Astarte to be a goddess of war. Also of love and fertility. But just being allowed to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.
Don't mind Akira for a moment— he's completely mesmerized by everything that's Astaroth right now. The small laugh, the expression... it's a side of him he'd never seen before. Hadn't so much as gotten a glimpse of, really...
The smile on his face widens when his cheek is kissed, and he raises a playful eyebrow in response.]
I don't know, actually. [Poking him in the chest.] So get ready for a boatload of questions.
Goddess of fertility, eh? [he's just... waggling his eyebrows, the heathen. And then there's a softening of his gaze.] And of love...
He had a lot of baggage on his shoulders, a ton of weight hanging over him what with Lucifer dying and potentially the end of the world. Which, is still there, but Akira has helped him deal with it when before he was pushing it all down.
A quiet, pleased hum. ]
A boatload sure is a lot, perhaps you ought to start asking now. [ Catching that hand poking his chest and tugging Akira to him, wrapping both arms around his waist.
Astaroth looks amused at the eyebrow motion. ] What is that look for, exactly? Hm? What naughty thoughts are going through your head?
[ Leaning in to give Akira a proper kiss. ] Humans are fond of saying that all's fair in love and war for a reason.
[ After the kiss, he'll spin Akira around so he's facing the balcony with Astaroth pressed behind him. ]
So you know how there's a Holy Trinity - I'm part of the evil trinity. Basically, I help rule hell. While Lucifer was off doing those games, I looked after everything for him.
[ A quiet sigh at that, though his feelings say he's still amused. He rests his chin on Akira's shoulder. ]
I suppose you'll have to find that out for yourself. [ Astaroth's voice is low and flirtatious. ]
[ A thoughtful hum as he squeezes Akira lightly in his arms. ]
I'm not good either. Humans have this way of seeing things in black and white. So if God and his people are good and considered holy, clearly Lucifer and his must be labeled evil.
[ Astaroth has done his job as a demon, has tortured people and set up sessions for others and well... sometimes he enjoys it. Though most people who end up in hell deserve it.
He can't really watch Akira from this angle but he does tilt his head to at least see his profile a bit. There's curiosity tinged with concern. ]
[Since... he's obviously not going to ask Astaroth to list off every sin he's committed in his thousands of years of living. He doubts he even remembers them all.
He relaxes at the answer, and turns his head to nuzzle him gratefully.]
[ If he wants to know, he can try asking. Astaroth may elaborate.
A sigh. ] Yes. I've taken pleasure in torturing people, Akira. Granted, they weren't good either and many of them deserved to be in hell but I still enjoyed it.
No, because they've deserved. We get people who are really terrible like Hitler, Stalin, Jack the Ripper and others who have killed either by the hundreds of thousands or for the sheer fun of it.
Then we have those who just... didn't do the right things to get a better afterlife. I don't deal with those ones too much.
But I enjoy teaching humans lessons who truly deserve eternal torment.
Well, yeah, who wouldn't want a go at those kinds of people? That's like every person's justice fantasy— to knock those down who are corrupted and teach them the meaning of suffering.
[He pokes his arm.]
Not very awful if you ask me. Natural if anything.
Pretty dick move if you ask me— sending everyone to hell for something like that.
But I also know stories tend to get changed with time. I doubt what I've heard is how it all really went down. If I'm perfectly honest, I don't even recall the details...
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Around five hundred years?
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A lot longer than that. My job's kept me down here for the most part. Sometimes you get a summons and humans want stuff from you but that's always temporary. [ Astaroth glances at Akira. ] Plus that counts as work.
My last visit was back during the days when people in Egypt were all into worshipping their gods. I spent a lot of time there as Astarte. They even believed her to be one of their goddesses.
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Do you ever get a summons because a person just wants to chat with you?
[It's said somewhat jokingly, but he can't say he likes the idea of Astaroth being summoned only when something's wanted of him. Maybe it's a little silly given their respective species, but something protective flares up in him.
A low whistle.] You were a real MVP, huh? [A pause.] Do you miss it?
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Humans don't tend to contact demons just for a chat. They won't risk their souls for that.
[ Honestly, Astaroth doesn't have hard feelings for not being summoned for something so nice and simple. He leans over to place a kiss on Akira's cheek.
Mock offense: ] Excuse you. I might have only been a minor goddess to the Egyptians but I'm still an MVP in hell, you know. [ Then a thoughtful sigh and then a sense of longing. ]
Yeah, I miss it. The people believed Astarte to be a goddess of war. Also of love and fertility. But just being allowed to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.
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Don't mind Akira for a moment— he's completely mesmerized by everything that's Astaroth right now. The small laugh, the expression... it's a side of him he'd never seen before. Hadn't so much as gotten a glimpse of, really...
The smile on his face widens when his cheek is kissed, and he raises a playful eyebrow in response.]
I don't know, actually. [Poking him in the chest.] So get ready for a boatload of questions.
Goddess of fertility, eh? [he's just... waggling his eyebrows, the heathen. And then there's a softening of his gaze.] And of love...
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He had a lot of baggage on his shoulders, a ton of weight hanging over him what with Lucifer dying and potentially the end of the world. Which, is still there, but Akira has helped him deal with it when before he was pushing it all down.
A quiet, pleased hum. ]
A boatload sure is a lot, perhaps you ought to start asking now. [ Catching that hand poking his chest and tugging Akira to him, wrapping both arms around his waist.
Astaroth looks amused at the eyebrow motion. ] What is that look for, exactly? Hm? What naughty thoughts are going through your head?
[ Leaning in to give Akira a proper kiss. ] Humans are fond of saying that all's fair in love and war for a reason.
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Okay. Question one: What makes you the MVP here?
[And as for the naughty thoughts... He gives an innocent look.] I'm just saying, I'd be surprised if a god of fertility isn't real thirsty.
[He'll return the kiss and think on that love thing.]
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So you know how there's a Holy Trinity - I'm part of the evil trinity. Basically, I help rule hell. While Lucifer was off doing those games, I looked after everything for him.
[ A quiet sigh at that, though his feelings say he's still amused. He rests his chin on Akira's shoulder. ]
I suppose you'll have to find that out for yourself. [ Astaroth's voice is low and flirtatious. ]
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Dude, nice. [He turns his head sideways into him.] I wouldn't call you evil, though.
[O-oh... there's a shiver at that voice, and he turns and brushes a kiss against his temple.]
I...
[But he falters.]
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I'm not good either. Humans have this way of seeing things in black and white. So if God and his people are good and considered holy, clearly Lucifer and his must be labeled evil.
[ Astaroth has done his job as a demon, has tortured people and set up sessions for others and well... sometimes he enjoys it. Though most people who end up in hell deserve it.
He can't really watch Akira from this angle but he does tilt his head to at least see his profile a bit. There's curiosity tinged with concern. ]
What is it?
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[He lets out a tense breath, his tone apologetic.] Can you... give me awhile? I'm— ...still adjusting to the whole clone thing.
[Adjusting to suddenly not being the person with his beloved partners.]
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[ At least, that's what Astaroth believes of himself.
Another moment of silence but at least he doesn't seem mad or upset by this request. Instead, he nods. ] Yeah, take all the time you need.
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What have you done? In general.
[Since... he's obviously not going to ask Astaroth to list off every sin he's committed in his thousands of years of living. He doubts he even remembers them all.
He relaxes at the answer, and turns his head to nuzzle him gratefully.]
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We're in hell, not all the torture is as nice as this place is. Plus I've condemned living souls to eternal damnation, started wars, killed humans.
[ Not to mention the thing that got him kicked out of heaven in the first place. ]
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... fair enough. [A pause.] Do you think you're a bad person?
[It has a different connotation than someone who's "evil".]
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A sigh. ] Yes. I've taken pleasure in torturing people, Akira. Granted, they weren't good either and many of them deserved to be in hell but I still enjoyed it.
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... because it feels good, right? To be able to exercise power when you're feeling helpless in another area of your life.
[Akira knows that feeling all too well.]
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No, because they've deserved. We get people who are really terrible like Hitler, Stalin, Jack the Ripper and others who have killed either by the hundreds of thousands or for the sheer fun of it.
Then we have those who just... didn't do the right things to get a better afterlife. I don't deal with those ones too much.
But I enjoy teaching humans lessons who truly deserve eternal torment.
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Well, yeah, who wouldn't want a go at those kinds of people? That's like every person's justice fantasy— to knock those down who are corrupted and teach them the meaning of suffering.
[He pokes his arm.]
Not very awful if you ask me. Natural if anything.
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Natural for a demon. For humans, too. I... I used to be an angel. Torturing people was never supposed to be what we were about.
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I'm sure you've heard the story. God made man, Lucifer rebelled and tricked the first humans so God punished him - tossed him into hell.
A lot of us were tossed out for siding with Lucifer. Punished to do this job by dear ol' dad.
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[He runs a hand soothingly over his arm.]
Pretty dick move if you ask me— sending everyone to hell for something like that.
But I also know stories tend to get changed with time. I doubt what I've heard is how it all really went down. If I'm perfectly honest, I don't even recall the details...
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Yeah well, that's God for you. He didn't like that someone else played with his toys so he threw a fit and grounded all of us.
[ He shrugs at that. ]
Lucifer and God didn't see eye-to-eye, so Lucifer corrupted humans and God punished him.
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Once he does that, he takes the demon by the hand to lead him over to the bed... and then flopping on it, tugging Astaroth to join him.]
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