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“Can’t believe this.” Mammon huffed, glaring at the screen as he flipped through the channels.
He was stuck in his room. Grounded. Like he was some sorta 7 year old kid or something.
It was all Lucifer’s fault. He ain’t even done anything big! Just some good ol’ fashioned betting on shadow horse racing. He was good for it, totally good! Had the money for it and everything. His favorite was rackin’ up wins–fast.
But somehow…somehow the eldest brother found out, and decided to reprimand him after a three hour scolding. Ugh.
He couldn’t even get out for a quick snack or nothin’ ‘cause Mr. Pride guy warded his damn door shut. So unfair!
He hated this. Hated whoever went and snitched on him. Probably one of his brothers–Levi, maybe. He owed the 3rd born a lot of money still.
So yeah. This sucked.
Lucky for him, there was half a six pack of beer on the coffee table. Couldn’t remember when he got that, or how long it sat there, but who cares? He had something to drink while passing time; didn’t matter if it tasted a little stale.
Eventually he found something to watch too. Some random movie, surprisingly good. Even made him a little, uh…soft.
When the movie ended, he sniffled and dabbed at the corner of his eye. The empty can in his hand was crushed then tossed behind him. By the time it clanked on the ground, he’d already popped the next. Down to one.
The warm beer burned down his throat. Mammon sucked air through his teeth, then sighed out. Wasn’t the best, but it did the trick.
“Hm…” He stared at the still rolling credits of the movie, thinking over the whole plot. It was a happy ending, sure, but it took a lot of twists and turns for the characters to get to that point.
Mammon felt his hand move into his pocket, fishing out his D.D.D. He scrolled through his contacts until he found the one he wanted and tapped to call.
Calling.
Calling.
Calling.
Still calling.
Mammon sighed, about to hang up when it got abruptly answered.
“Hey greedy.”
Elle. He couldn’t help the stupid grin that grew on his lips. It was good to hear her voice.
“Yo. Whatcha doin’?” He asked, leaning back on the couch.
“Just chilling. You?”
“‘Bout the same.” He said. “I kinda, uh…can’t really leave my room right now.”
“Oh?” Her voice sounded intrigued. “Why? Did you do something?”
“Wh–hey! Why ya assume I did somethin’?” He grumbled.
“What was it this time? Did you gamble all your money away? Steal something that didn’t belong to you?” She went on without skipping a beat.
Indignant, Mammon first turned his face away to take a big swig of beer. Then he said, “It was just a lil’ innocent bet, s’all! Lucifer’s totally overreactin’ again.”
“Uh huh,” The woman was hardly moved. “What kind of bet was it?”
“...Shadow horse racin’.”
“Ah.”
Ah? That’s it?
“I swear I was good for it! Gold Flash was on a winning streak, I was gonna win BIG–well–I did win big, but Lucifer confiscated the tickets and donated all away...” That left the Avatar of Greed sobbing while being dragged by the eldest.
“How unfair.” Hard to tell if she was being sarcastic through the phone.
“It is unfair, Elle. He locked me in here with a stupid warding spell!” And it was a Friday night. Mammon didn’t know how long he’d be stuck there. Lucifer could very well extend his punishment for the whole weekend. That’s how much of a hardass he was.
“Okay kinda excessive,” She admitted, “But at least you’re in your room and not somewhere else like, the dungeons or something.”
“..fair point, but still! I’m bored outta my mind right now.” He puffed out a sigh.
“You have some games and movies to keep you busy, don’t you?”
“But I wanna go out." He whined. "Ya ain't s'posed to spend the weekend inside.”
“Levi would disagree.” She joked, making him laugh.
“He’s like a fish out the bowl whenever he’s gotta leave the house.” Force him to interact with others? He might just combust.
Elle chuckled. “I think he got a little better though.”
“Still don’t know how ya did that.” Somehow, she got their most antisocial brother to come out of his shell a little. Yeah he was a work in progress, but at least now he put some kind of effort into going out and socializing.
“I think it was more a collective effort from everyone.” Came her more humble response.
“Sure, sure.” He thought she played the bigger part, though.
There was something about Elle, he couldn’t put a finger on it. She reminded him a little of Lucifer…kinda scary when mad, but definitely more lax with a spark of fun. Drunk Elle was especially fun–ah, but she did get kinda flirty and handsy…that part he didn’t like. Not if he wasn’t the one on the receiving end.
Funny enough, something similar happened in the movie too. The leading lady got drunk off her ass and started flirting with the whole bar, and the leading guy had to drag her off, kinda pissed but also worried she might get herself into trouble. He took her up to her place, even tucked her into bed, and just as he was about to leave she asked him a question.
There was a moment of quiet, with Mammon contemplating that very question. Opening his mouth, his hand gripped the beer can a little tighter.
“...will ya think of me?” He asked, voice sounding softer than originally planned.
“What was that?”
“...” Mammon hesitated, wondering for a sec if he should repeat himself or come up with something else. But…
“Will ya think of me, Elle?” He asked, more pronounced this time.
“Is something wrong?” He could hear some concern laced in her tone.
“Huh? O-Oh, nah nah!” He laughed it off. “It’s jus’…” Mammon sighed. Why was it so hard to talk all of a sudden?
“Go on. Tell me.”
“I was jus’ watchin’ this movie a lil’ bit ago…'bout these two characters that’re like, childhood friends or somethin’...” He took a sip of his beer. “And that question popped.”
“Was it a rom-com?”
Yep. There was really nothing better to watch, so…
He took another sip, ready to say something when she spoke again.
“And you’re drinking beer, aren’t you.” Her spot-on guess shocked enough to make him choke and cough several times.
Wha–
“H-How d’ya know?!” Was she watching him right now?? Heart drumming, Mammon took a quick look around his room. Just to be sure.
Nah. That was silly. Elle was in the human world, not there.
A little disappointed, he turned his attention back to the call when he heard Elle laugh on the other end.
“Ya laughin’ at me?” He huffed, narrowing his eyes at the phone screen.
“N-no it’s just, you’re kinda predictable sometimes.” She explained.
Predictable? Nah, that was lame! He always thought himself pretty spontaneous.
Sure, most times his spontaneity got him into some little kerfuffle, usually resulting in Lucifer reaming his ass–but still!
“Well, sometimes with those kinds of movies you get choked up, so you drink beer to distract yourself…but really it just makes you more emotional.”
“Does not!” He denied, feeling his cheeks start to burn.
“Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say, greedy.”
What a cheeky girl. He puffed up his chest, but deflated real quick ‘cause what was the point?
…
Mammon was kinda surprised, though. He wasn't even aware he did that. So for Elle to notice something like that was…
He felt something.
She paid attention to him, even the little quirks…?
Warmth spread in his chest, almost making him breathless.
“Hey, still there?”
“Huh? O-Oh, yeah,” He quickly recovered. “Yeah, m'still here..”
“Good, ‘cause I wanted to say…” Elle trailed off, leaving him in suspense.
That made him so anxious.
“Yeah?” He said, trying to coax her into finishing that sentence ‘cause he was hanging on her every word now. What was she gonna say?
“I’ve been thinking of you…every day.”
Mammon swallowed thick, gripping his chest.
Oof, his heart..! It was beating so fast right now.
“R-Really?” He asked, just to make sure he didn’t imagine it.
“Mhm.”
Elle…
“I’ve…I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout ya too. All the time...” He confessed, eyes suddenly getting misty. He blinked several times to hold it back. “I miss ya, Elle.”
There was an awkward pause before she replied. “I miss you too.”
Then he heard a weird snuffling noise on her end. Did she have a cold or something?
Or was it…could it be…?
Mammon frowned. “Elle?”
“Yeah?”
“Are ya by yourself right now?” Had to make sure.
“Yeah, why?”
“Summon me.” He said.
“Huh?” She sounded confused. “What for?”
“Don't matter, jus' summon me already.”
“Mammon, if Lucifer finds out you’re gone he’ll–”
“Screw Lucifer,” He cut her off, standing up. “I don’t care what he does to me, I just need ya to summon me. Right now.”
“...”
Come on, Elle.
“Fine.” She resigned, and he heard the muffled words of the summoning spell.
A wisp of golden magic started to wind around him, spinning faster and faster until–
CRACK!
His surroundings suddenly shifted. He might’ve gotten motion sickness if he wasn’t already used to it. Never before did he feel so grateful for the witches’ constant exploitation of him.
His white hair briefly suspended in the air from a gusting wind, before it fell flat again. Gradient eyes zeroed in on Elle, sitting in front of him on a bench at some kind of park, it looked. It was nighttime in the human world, too.
“Elle?” He called tentatively, because she wasn’t looking at him. Her head was lowered, bangs shadowing her face.
“...” Mammon went down on one knee, reaching with a hand to grip her chin and slowly tilt it up. What he saw made his heart clench.
She was…crying?
Mammon got an odd feeling when he heard the sniffling over the phone. Elle, usually so confident and fearless, had silent tears streaming down her face.
“W-What happened?” He asked, panicking inwards. What made her so upset to the point of–a million thoughts ran through his mind.
Was it him? Did he do it by accident in their phone convo? Shit, he hoped not. It was easier to deal when it was something or someone else. If some other did this to her, he was ready to throw down and kick their ass if he had to.
But if it was him…? The guilt would eat him up inside.
“Nothing.” She sniffled, pushing his hand away, wiping her eyes, and avoiding his gaze.
“Liar.” He wasn’t buying that bullshit excuse. “You’re cryin’ so it can’t be nothin’....was it…was it my fault?” He dreaded the answer, but he had to know.
“...”
And her silence made it worse. Mammon swallowed, trying to ignore the nauseous feeling building in the pit of his stomach.
“I’m sorry if I…I’m–I’m sorry, Elle.” He didn’t know what else to say. He just hated seeing her like that.
“It’s not your fault, Mammon.” Elle reassured with a sigh. “Just me being stupid.”
“Huh?” Well, at least it wasn’t his fault, but, “Stupid how?”
She shook her head. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does. Tell me.” He wanted to know so he could try to make her feel better. He’d do anything, even act like a dumbass clown if that’s what she needed.
“I don’t want to.”
But he kept insisting. “Come on, it can’t be that–”
“I was lonely, okay?!” She snapped, making him almost lose balance and fall back on his ass.
“Wh–” Words died in his throat. What was he supposed to say here?
He didn’t know…
“...Shit.” Elle cursed, running a hand through her hair. “It never used to bother me this much,” She glanced at him. “Being alone.”
He said nothing, just stared and listened. Loneliness wasn’t something unfamiliar to Mammon. He felt it a little bit sometimes, but at least he had his family right there with him. He was never truly alone. Elle carried herself so tall and independent...he didn't think that would be an issue for her. Then again, he kinda forgot she lived by herself.
“Then the whole exchange happened…and I got used to having others around all the time.” She leaned back, bringing up a can of some drink. Mammon didn’t even realize she had it on her until then.
Still, he had a feeling she wasn’t done yet, so he remained quiet.
“Worst thing about it? It’s my own doing. I chose this kind of life.” The can was brought to her lips, with a slight pause before a sip was had. Almost instantly her nose crinkled, like it tasted bad or something.
Wait a minute, was that…?
“Beer?” He blurted, pointing at the can.
Elle looked at him, then held the can into view. “Yeah.”
But she doesn’t like–
“It’s weird, right? I hate beer. It’s bitter and tastes disgusting,” She gave a dry laugh. “But that’s what I picked at the convenience store.”
“Why..?” He asked, softly.
“Why?” Elle echoed, staring at him. “Because I missed you, and it reminded me of you.”
Thump.
His heart skipped a beat. He never…he never thought that…never would’ve figured that…she…
“I was feeling pathetic….but then you called,” There was a crack in her voice. “A-and all of a sudden I…” She bit her lip, eyes watering again. “I felt so fucking happy, Mammon..”
“E-Elle..” Damnit. His eyes stung now.
“Ugh,” Groaning weakly, Elle rubbed her cheeks to clear the tear stains left behind. “I told you it was stupid.”
“You dummy, that ain’t stupid.” He said, taking her hands to firmly hold them in his. “I can’t believe ya think that…”
Mammon didn’t like to see her cry, but he also couldn’t help but feel happy. Happy that she felt that way just ‘cause he called. That she missed him. Many times he stopped himself, had to find some distraction to keep from calling or texting her too many times through the week. He didn’t wanna be overbearing and annoy Elle. Even if he missed her like crazy.
He just never could’ve imagined…
Reaching over, he gripped her shoulders and pulled her down into an embrace.
There was a gasp, the can of beer dropping on the ground, then her arms wound tightly around him. His eyes burned but he didn't care. Being able to hold her, there was no greater sense of relief.
They stayed like that for a little while, and though Mammon hesitated, he did pull back at one point to look at Elle.
“Now listen here,” He gazed earnestly at her. “From now on, whenever ya get lonely ya gotta call or text me, okay? Even if it’s jus' a lil' bit, I don't care. Whatever ya need, I'm game...ya can even summon me up here every time–jus’ sayin’.” He'd face Lucifer's punishments however many times he had to.
Whether he said something funny or not, he earned a chuckle. Elle's lips curled into a small smile, making him grin a little too.
Yeah. That was better.
“Promise me?” He asked, a hopeful need to hear her say it.
Misty eyes stared into his own, and she bobbed her head. "Promise."
"Atta girl." Mammon tugged Elle back, nuzzling his face into her hair. He could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo, honey with some floral stuff.
It was nice.
Elle breathed softly against him, and though he couldn't see her face right now he would bet all the grimm on him that her eyes were now closed, taking in this moment with him.
"I missed you." She quietly whispered, but he heard it loud and clear.
"I missed ya too."