Chapter Text
3 years prior
"Let's see... A meeting with Mammon to discuss the next line of sex dolls. Are you sure this is necessary?" Asmodeus grumbles.
"Well… yes, your majesty. He specifically asked for an in-person meeting." His secretary's voice is shaky.
"It's okay, dont worry your pretty head about it, lovely. I'll just deal with him like always." Asmodeus' flirting has become meaningless by now, his dear secretary does not even look up from the pet name he uses on every other hellborn.
Asmodeus makes his way to Mammon's circus, the king of lust would rather be anywhere else, but he needs to keep things nice between his fellow king of sin. 'Good morning Mammon! How are you this hellish day?!"
"Asmodeus! Glad you could make it. I decided I wanted to discuss a new idea for sex dolls with you, based on my star performer. You might have heard about Fizzarolli before, not your type, he's a half robot at this point but he's a great clown."
"Mammon, you know I have no interest in your business, there is no way I know any of your clowns, but as long as I can keep part of the profit, I will gladly arrange those dolls for you. Why not continue this in your office?"
"You know," Asmodeus starts after a while of logistic talking "Wouldn't it be smart for me to actually see the guy we're gonna make dolls of?"
"Great idea, Oz! He's in rehearsal right now, we can take a peek."
When they get to look at the stage they see an imp covered in white makeup and jester horn covers. He soars through the air on the trapeze, doing tricks with his extendable robotic limps. he clearly hasn't noticed the two kings looking at him yet. He gets down and starts joking around with the others about how it went. Asmodeus can't get his eyes off of the imp's smile, and that laugh is music to his ears, it feels weird. He feels attracted to hellborns constantly, he knows how that feels, just that strong desire to fuck their brains out, but why does this smile and this laugh make Asmodeus want to know the imp better, why does he feel like he needs to be the reason for such a laugh, why has he not felt this before?
"So?" Mammon breaks the silence. "Think you can work with that body?"
"Absolutely!" Asmodeus responds without looking away from the imp. "Though, if you want the designs to be accurate I will need to have him model for me sometime. I mean- this is your prized performer, obviously I want to be the one working on it instead of one of my random employees." Asmodeus truly hopes he doesn't sound desperate
"Perfect! Next week, same time?"
"Sounds good"
*********
Asmodeus is early the next week, and every other appointment where he might see Fizzarolli. instead of his hopes of making the clown laugh coming true, the clown has actually made him laugh many times, Asmodeus has grown to like the imp a lot, but eventually the last touches are done, so he likely won't visit Mammon's circus anytime soon again, that thought fills him with dread while he writes his signature on the contract. Time to go.
On his way out, Fizzarolli decided to say goodbye to the King of lust. "Good luck with your work, sir- your majesty. I… I wanted to thank you for being so kind with me when working together." The imp stutters out.
"That's nothing to thank me for. I was just being nice. Though… I assume that's not the way Mammon likes it."
"No, your majesty. So… I well… appreciate it"
A silence falls, Asmodeus knows he should go home and forget all about Fizzarolli, go back to his flings, back to his thoughtless lust, back to his loneliness, but instead-
"Can I ask you for a date?"
Fizz is speechless for a long moment, his eyes wide, his mouth open. "Yes…. yes! You can, and i guess i would really like that…"
"Good!" Asmodeus tries not to let his nerves show. "This Friday? I can pick you up at 6. That's what you're supposed to do for a date, right? What's your address?" Asmodeus is annoyed with himself for not being as composed as he usually is.
"This Friday sounds great!" The clown chuckles. "I'll write down my address, just a moment. But are you sure you want to go out with me? You won't ghost me I hope, your majesty."
"I wouldn't dare not show up for something I promised!" Asmodeus is offended by the assumption he would go that low. "Next Friday it is. I will show up. I'll make a reservation for us. I wish you a great rest of your week, Fizzarolli."
"Thank you. You too, your majesty" Asmodeus hears the imp's excitement shimmering through. It makes him smile on his way out.
*********
Asmodeus is early, He waits a few minutes without Fizzarolli seeing his limo. After 10 minutes he's still early. He makes his way to Fizzarolli's apartment anyway, a cheap small place, the building looks old and miserable, he'd have thought mammon would pay his favorite clown better, but why would that greedy bastard. Before he can even knock, the door opens.
"Your majesty! Thank you for coming! I've just finished getting ready!"
Wow, the imp looks even better than usual, the suit looks great on him, he has different horn covers than Asmodeus has seen at the circus, deep blue ones to match his tie. Asmodeus wonders why the imp wears those covers in the first place, just like the white makeup, he gets it for clown stuff, but why on a Friday night? Asmodeus forgets to talk as he just takes all of the imp in, pure perfection, though… almost perfection, he is still bothered by the sunken cheeks and bony arms, that's something Asmodeus has definitely noticed before, working on the dolls, and the sight has not stopped bothering him.
"I guess… you may come in," The imp continues after a long silence. "or we can go already, whatever you wish, your majesty!"
"We can go now, if you're ready, and please, no titles, just my name is perfectly fine, Fizzarolli."
"Of course… Asmodeus. I'm all ready!"
Asmodeus takes the imp's arm as they walk together to the king's limo, and he cant help but feel himself getting warm inside, looking at the imp walking by his side.
*********
"So how long have you worked for Mammon now?" Asmodeus breaks the weird silence that had fallen after he told the imp to order whatever he wanted and not to worry about the cost. The king didn't understand the imp's surprise, why would he not pay for everything, he is a king after all. the imp had quickly pointed out the prices of the food and gone silent when Asmodeus reassured he would pay.
"Few years," Fizzarolli mentions, taking a sip of his wine. "almost three. I've been in the circus bizz all my life, though. I don't know much else, I don't mind. I love being a clown."
"Cool! cool. what else do you love doing? Besides working in the circus of course."
"Well, I LOVE music; writing, singing, listening- it's great! Sometimes my songs are even featured in my performances for Mammon's circus! It's amazing! It's great! anyway I've been into music since I was little -basically every genre- I love metal and rock the most to listen to, but I suck at writing it! what I write is more towards pop but still suitable for mammon's circus! I used to write more… 'real' pop songs… like Verosika does for example, but… that wasn't really what mammon wanted so…. well… I don't really write that anymore…" Fizz shrugs after talking, suddenly very focused on the food that was just brought over. " Aaaaaanyway, what does the great sin of lust do in his free time? Except fucking bitches."
"I really love to cook and bake.And I enjoy watching movies to relax from a long day at work."
"What kinda movies?" Fizz asks between bites.
"Well after a long day at work I quite enjoy some mysteries or crime movies." Asmodeus answers, not mentioning what he watches on his weekends.
They eat in silence for a while.
"Am I going crazy or were you taller when you visited the circus?"
"Fizzarolli, I am a deadly sin, I can choose to change my size anytime, right now I am choosing to be closer to imp height to be less intimidating for you."
"Thank you." Fizzarolli mumbles. "I like this"
"I like this too." Asmodeus answers, aware that he's blushing. "Enjoying the dinner?" He changes the subject.
"Very much! It's great! I love this place! I wish I could afford it for myself. Gotta fast this weekend though, can't have gained weight on monday, Mammon wouldn't like it." Fizzarolli says it like it's normal, to him it probably is, but Asmodeus does not like what it means.
"Fizz…. what does fasting entail for you?"
"Nothing but water for two days, what else could it mean?"
Asmodeus' mane catches fire from anger at his fellow sin, but he reins it back down when he sees the terror in the imp's eyes. "Sorry, I just- I'm mad at Mammon. No one should starve themselves for their job."
Fizzarolli smiles awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the subject he unintentionally brought up.
"Do you have pets?" Asmodeus changes the subject for the imp's sake, with a random question just desperate to get to know the imp, but scared to cross a line. He mentally beats himself up for not going on dates more often, that would certainly have made this all easier, he guesses.
"I don't. I'd love to have a pet, but I ain't got the money for one. Do you have pets? I bet you could afford an entire zoo!"
"I could, indeed. yet, I've never found myself caring for an animal companion." Amodeus just shrugs.
The tension is gone for the rest of the dinner. They have a fun time. Asmodeus pays as promised. They agree to a second date, both blushing like crazy.
*********
The first thing asmodeus does the next day after breakfast, is contacting al hellborns he has a sexual relationship with, calling off the arrangements.