Overflowing With Us (If Only It Was True)
Title: Overflowing With Us (If Only It Was True)
Pairing: Kibum/Ryeowook
Genre: AU!Supernatural
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Even in my dreams, they own me.
Warning: Swearing, Implied sexual situation
Summary: When he agreed to help, it seemed like they started playing a game where they unknowingly participated.
A/N: AU! Seven Deadly Sins now titled as Sinners and Saints. Was originally a request fic from kendayawind before being submitted for miracle______'s Winter Holiday contest here. I fixed it up a bit more since then. Enjoy ^^
He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as he stared outside the window.
The world outside was bare. There was nothing in sight except for the thick layer of virgin snow that seemed to stretch on infinitely. The snow had stopped falling moments after he had arrived to this room and started falling again gracefully as he continued to stare out aimlessly.
A tiny snowflake landed and stuck itself softly onto the window pane. Finger lifted as he traced the vague outlines of the snowflake, gently tapping the window each time he finished tracing a round. Unique and vulnerable. Against the backdrop of the harsh lifeless grounds, it seemed almost sad to tap the window even harder just to send the snowflake on its away.
He smirked.
Just as his fist made contact with the window.
He watched with satisfaction as the shock of vibrations made the snowflake detached itself from the safety of the window pane and into the arms of the harsh wind. Destined to be lost among the piles and piles of white snow forever. Bleeding into it and never be able to find its way out.
The description fit quite well with the lost desperate souls wandering around the barren land. If he strained his ears hard enough, he could almost hear the faint wails and pleas for help of the lost and insane. He almost pitied them if it weren't their destinies to be trapped here forever. Their own fault for being brought and trapped here in the first place. Unless someone had decided to take pity on them and whisked their souls away; away from this never-ending dull nightmare - so devoid of life that standing right there briefly made you question your sanity.
He scoffed. Their fates would be in worse hands if they ever left this place. Better to go crazy here than to suffer at the hands of an indifferent enigma who experimented with pain and repeated death for fun in the afterlife.
Resting his head against the window, his eyes continued to trace the landscape, or the lack of it, outside. Truly, there had never been a landscape more simple, yet so depressing than this.
"Just how long are you planning to sit and wait in the shadows?"
A small man shimmered into the room.
"You seemed so deep in thought. I figured you'd want a few more moments of peace." The newcomer replied.
Turning his head away from the window, he looked at the man that was standing before him in the room, body leaning so casually against the back of one of the seven regal armchairs.
"I was beginning to wonder when someone was actually going to show up." He said with a hint of a smirk.
The man's face showed no surprise. After all, it had been expected that a visit such as this would happened. It always did when this time of the year came around.
"Who did you expect to come this year?" The man asked, arms crossed loosely across his body as he adjusted his posture against the chair.
"Honestly. I wasn't sure. Heechul and Kyuhyun are the only two I know that would never make this visit. There is just so much to feed on and corrupt out there. Sometimes it feels like they barely need to lift a finger to achieve anything. Everything seemed to be handed to them on a silver ornate pain-riddled platter. Perhaps it's the reason why they are both sadistic bastards." He laughed sardonically.
The man cracked a smile. That was true. Heechul and Kyuhyun had always been together; worked well together. Centuries of utter destruction had proven that. Although lately, they seemed to be getting a little restless because there had been nothing interesting for them to toy with. One would think that after a millennia or two, they'd found something to at least amuse themselves for a few decades or so. The unfortunate truth that each one of them had to deal with: humans were predictable, their lifespans too short and their souls too easily reaped.
"Kibum-ah. I need your help." The man said seriously, as he tilted his head slightly to the left, staring intently at him.
Kibum froze. He shifted till his left leg was hanging off the window sill where he sat, half of his body weight leaning against the cool frame of the window, as he turned and faced him, eyes narrowing at the petite man.
"If you need my help, you do not use my name Ryeowook. Formalities are there for a good reason." Kibum scolded lightly, eyes betraying the inner annoyance from the mention of his name.
The man named Ryeowook stiffened at the light chastise, eyes flashing with anger even as he was unwilling to back down from his stance.
Kibum observed the man as he waited for an answer. Petite stature. Not that he was very small, but he was smaller compared to the rest of them. Hair a flaming dark red, contrasting against the smooth pale skin and kohl-rimmed eyes. He was dressed simply in the a pair of black pants, a fitting jacket over a striped shirt, further emphasizing his pale defined features. Ryeowook had certainly changed a lot since the last time they met.
"What was so interesting about the icy wasteland anyway?" Ryeowook asked, evidently decided to sidestep the subject.
"Just composing a little symphony of hopelessness in my head. It's very relaxing." He leaned forward and pulled Ryeowook into his lap. Holding his head lightly, Kibum guided him till he had his left ear pressed up against the window. "Can you hear it? All that pain and misery and confusion? Screaming. Demanding to be heard. Beautiful isn't it?" He said with a soft sigh.
He heard Ryeowook chuckling before he stopped himself abruptly mid-laugh. Kibum grinned mischievously. He knew Ryeowook noticed that he had both his hands resting lightly on his hips, dangerously close to his crotch as his fingers tapped gently to the little melody circling in his head.
Ryeowook stiffened and got up immediately, turning around and glaring accusingly at Kibum. "Formalities my ass. You're not supposed to be using your powers on another Council member."
Kibum merely offered a smirk. "I'm not using my powers. It's just my natural charm. I'm not Lust for nothing you know. You have to able to embody your true nature. I'm sure you remember how you got initiated in the beginning."
Ryeowook merely turned his head aside at his words, eyes staring into empty space at the reminder. His initiation wasn't embarrassing for his position in the Council, but Kibum knew that he sometimes remembered his past life before all of this. That he still carried around the lingering feelings of his soul destruction before being given the ultimate reprieve.
He watched as Ryeowook toyed with the agate ring on his second finger with his left thumb, silently debating with himself before his eyes coloured with resignation.
"As Gluttony, I formally request for help." Ryeowook stated clearly, voice and face betraying nothing.
Kibum nodded in acknowledgement. The time for fun and games were over. It was time to be serious. He waved his hand at the chairs in the room, gestured for Ryeowook to sit down.
He stood up from the window sill, stretching slightly to work out the kinks in his body for sitting so long in the same position. He made his way slowly to the dark blue armchair in the room, fingers gliding ever so softly over the smooth tabletop before sinking in on the chair.
The room they were both in was a complete opposite from the outside. While the outside was cold, unforgiving and unrelenting, the room exuded warmth and comfort. Walls paneled with rich smooth oak, windows draped with maroon velvet; their sills covered in comfortable cushions. Aside from the four fireplaces situated at the four corners of the room, the only furniture in the room was the sturdy round mahogany table with its center missing, its rich colour illuminated gracefully by the light of the flames. Seven armchairs surrounded the table; each chair with its own distinct colour to represent the respective Council members, legs and arms delicately designed with the finest details, trimmed with gold at its edges. More than anything, this room was a home to one of the most powerful people in the Underworld, second only to the Devil.
Sometimes Kibum amused himself by thinking that he was royalty; that the room's regal quality had rubbed its effects off each and every one of them. Most of the time, he wasn't too far off mark.
One hand curling around the end of the chair, the other hand drummed rhythmically on the mahogany table, Kibum waited patiently for Ryeowook to compose his request.
Ryeowook cleared his throat. "I need help. The winter solstice is approaching and I need more power."
Kibum quirked his eyebrow. "Out of all seven of us, I didn't expect you to tell me this. Last I checked, this year would have been a bountiful year for you. What with the sudden spike of gluttony because of the poor economic state of the humans' world."
Ryeowook merely shrugged. "That might be true. But it's never wrong to want more power. Not especially if we are still proceeding with our original plan for this year's ritual."
"I'd say that Greed got to you somewhat but that does makes sense. Especially with the candidate that we finally picked out in the end." He said wryly.
Kibum continued to drum his fingers on the table before sitting up, elbows resting on the table as he leaned forward.
"Why me?"
Ryeowook gave a small smile. "Because you have extra help. That way you can focus on gaining more souls than the rest of us. Your position is the only one that comes along with the privilege of servants. And besides, Envy has been picking up speed lately. I'm sure Lust isn't planning on falling behind Envy now are you?"
Kibym narrowed his eyes as Ryeowook finished his explanation with a satisfied grin. He knew Kyuhyun was picking up a lot this year. It just never occurred to him that he would eventually surpassed him. They were always at the same level every year when the Council adjourned for the annual winter solstice meeting. Heechul must be helping him if what Ryeowook said was true. Pride and Envy always did seemed to go together hand-in-hand. Especially in recent years where the humans were suffering from severe depression from low self-worth and the need to emulate. Even if Greed was Envy's main rival, it still would not stop Pride from meddling just because he could.
He clenched his fists. The only person who could surpass him was Heechul and that was it. No way was he letting the brat surpass him ever. He looked up at Ryeowook who was still waiting for an answer, hands folded on the table.
"Just how exactly do you plan on using my little helpers? It's a really fine line you're toying with here. There's a high chance that the soul would still end up being mine if you're not careful." Kibum asked carefully.
Ryeowook grinned. He knew he heard the implied agreement in his question. "All sins overlap in the beginning. All it takes is that one little nudge into the right direction. But to even begin that journey, I need something to help speed up the process. Gluttony is not just limited to the overindulge of food. Frankly, I'm getting a little bored with all the bulimic souls and drug addicts that I've been feeding on. It's time to shake things up a little. Make the process a little more fun." He said with a glint in his eyes.
Kibum smirked. Well this was an interesting twist. He leaned back into his chair, mind already starting to work out the multitude of ways and people he can use with this. If he was to offer help, he should be able to get some fun out of it in the process. Otherwise, the entire venture would be pointless. What was the use of only one person benefiting out of this?
After a little consideration, Kibum made up his mind. He lifted his long shirt sleeves and traced the various small blue tattoos that were littered across his arm. When he finally found the one he was looking for, he tapped it lightly, waiting for a few seconds. The tattoo started glowing with an eerie blue, before the light slowly dimmed and faded away.
A moment later, another man shimmered into the room.
"I was just about to seal the deal when you summoned me. This better be good." The man complained.
"Donghae. You work for me. Do not question me when I summon you." Kibum said, voice heavy with irritation and authority.
"My apologies my lord." Donghae said immediately as he knelt, head bowed down. "I was merely engrossed with my current assignment. She has been an interesting one to break. I do it all to serve you my lord."
"Rise."
Donghae stood up gracefully, head still bowed down. Kibum's eyes roved over Donghae. The man's hair was back to a dark chocolate brown and he was wearing a two-piece black suit that emphasized his boyish features and his broad shoulder. Kibum nodded mentally in approval. This was why he managed to reap as many souls as he did. Appearance was everything when it came to Lust. First impressions always made all the difference.
"Stand up. I want you to meet another member of the Council."
Donghae's head shot up in surprise. "W-What? Isn't that against the rules?"
Kibum scowled. "What did I say about questioning me?"
Donghae hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry my lord."
Kibum rolled his eyes. He could smell the alcohol rolling off him in tiny disgusting waves. He narrowed his eyes. They needed to have a talk about work propriety when this meeting was over.
He shifted his focus back to Ryeowook, who was staring at Donghae unabashedly. He grinned. Donghae had made a fair point though. His servants weren't allowed to meet or interact with the other members unless Kibum himself requested it. But because he had never once requested the presence of his servants ever since he came into his position, it came to no surprise that no one was actually aware of that exception.
"Gluttony. Meet Donghae. My best incubus." Kibum introduced with a careless wave of his hand.
"Excuse me for saying this but I'm under the impression that you would be personally involved in my cause. And don't lie Lust. I've heard of what you've done for the other Sins when they came around asking for your help." Ryeowook tore his gaze away from Donghae, chin lifted slightly in defiance.
"Am I not important enough for you?" He asked mockingly, voice light as his eyes glint dangerously. The orange agate ring began to glow, the intensity slowly growing.
Donghae, whose head was still bowed down, looked up in panic when he noticed the bright orange glow emitted by the ring on Ryeowook's finger. He turned towards Kibum with pleading eyes.
"My lord."
Kibum flicked his wrist, signaling Donghae to keep quiet and stay in position.
"Calm down Gluttony. I'm offering you my best man for the job. I'd picked my best succubus but I think a male would work better for your case." Kibum paused as the bright orange glow faded slightly from the ring.
"And you're right. I do have the special privilege of having servants. But only because there is so much sexual desire to be tap into this world. Sexuality and sensuality. Desires, wants and carnal pleasures that are being discovered every second of the day. So many souls. So much power. My servants are here to help me teach the humans a lesson or two in pleasure. And acting on it."
"Which is why I had the time and luxury to help the others personally. However, now that the year is almost up, my helpers deserve a little break while I exercise my power as Lust personally. That is why I offer Donghae. I am not underestimating you. You are just as important as the rest of us who resides in these chairs." Kibum's words trailing off softly towards the end.
The glow completely faded away this time. Ryeowook gave me an unreadable look as he stared at Kibum, silently contemplating his words.
"The conditions?" Ryeowook asked, emotionless.
"The incubus will not exercise its full power and shall answer to your instructions without questions. In exchange, you do not ask of him to have any sexual relationship with any of your doomed souls. Not even a handjob or fingering. Kissing is fine. Anything sexual has to go through me first. Every situation is unique and even the slightest hint of sex would be detrimental to your plan." Kibum explained.
Ryeowook nodded. "How do I know just how effective your little incubus here is any good? He is not Lust after all. He could be just like any other regular incubus out in the Underworld. Just lucky enough to be part of your little entourage." He eyed Donghae, mistrust radiating clearly to everyone in the room.
Donghae, who had been listening quietly about the trade, spoke up, traces of being insulted obvious in his tone.
"How about if I demonstrate my abilities to you my lord? That is, if I have the permission to of course." He bowed respectfully towards Kibum.
Kibum nodded his approval, lips curling up in faint amusement as he watched Donghae slowly walked up to Ryeowook.
It had been a while since he had last assessed his incubus. Donghae had been personally hand-picked by Kibum years ago. How long ago he did not remember. Time was something that was easily looked over. When you have eternity, time just seemed to cease to exist.
He noticed the sensuality that laid in undertones beneath the confident gait. It seemed like the little soul sucker had gotten better since the last time Kibum saw him. As a human, Donghae had a natural quality that drew both men and women to him like bees to honey. Sweet comparison worthy of a man with a naturally sweet disposition. Donghae was ultimately handpicked to be a full-fledged angel the moment his time came but Kibum saw a different potential in Donghae. It took a while to finally break him but it was all worth it in the end. Donghae was perfect as what he was, subtly enchanting, charming you into seduction; humans so far gone into hell that they never realized that they had even walked past the fiery gates, while demanding for more.
The more tortured the reaped souls were, the more powerful Kibum became. It was what made them all stronger; more powerful. Donghae knew this, and did his utmost best to please his lord; his reason of existence.
Donghae finally stopped at the side of Ryeowook's chair, hand reaching forward to touch the back of Ryeowook's right hand. Kibum watched as Donghae slowly traced Ryeowook's wrist, a light tap before finger tracing random patterns on the back of his hand. It was a soft touch, but one that conveyed deeper feelings that ran soul deep. It reminded the humans that they were revered, loved even, from the tiny comfort present in the touch. Fingers that were getting bolder, running up and down gently the length of Ryeowook's right arm, making Ryeowook shudder slightly. It drew Kibum in, his eyes fixated on Ryeowook's face.
Eyes closed. In ecstasy or contentment he did not know. Head tilting back against the back of the chair, lips pursued tightly. Even though the room was lighted only by the fireplaces, Kibum still caught sight of the light blush that was slowly spreading across his cheeks as Donghae continued his administrations, this time, left hand trailing feather-light brushes over Ryeowook's left arm; right hand tracing tiny circles on the back of his palm as he stood behind the chair.
It was truly a mesmerizing sight. The tinge of red only served to emphasize how much of a porcelain doll Ryeowook looked like at that moment; delicate and breakable. The parted red lips just begging to be kissed as he slowly sank in deeper into his chair, lulled into warmth and false sense of security created by Donghae. Kibum was torn between wanting to watch his expression forever and wanting to ravish him at the same time.
Interesting.
He watched Ryeowook with growing interest until Ryeowook's eyes suddenly snapped open, head whipped around, glaring furiously at Donghae. He groaned inwardly. A sight now ruined.
Donghae merely chuckled softly as he made his way back to his place by Kibum's chair.
"Do I please my temporary master with my capabilities?"
"Are all your servants just as arrogant as you are Lust?"
Kibum laughed. "And this is why I am offering him to you. Even if you don't end up reaping as many souls as you originally planned, their souls will be so far gone that you'll end up feeling that power for a long time."
"Do we have ourselves a deal?"
Kibum stared at Ryeowook, waiting for his response. In truth, he had little expectation of the meeting between his servant and the Sin. But what he had found out today just made him more curious than he should be.
Ryeowook stuck out his left hand, agate ring glowing a soft warm orange colour, little wisps of orange circling his hand.
Kibum smirked as he sat up and clasped his hand, his own lapiz lazuli ring glowing midnight blue and wisps twisting around his hand, as they shook hands. Both wisps twirled and intertwined, masking the clasped hands in a web of blue and orange before sinking into the hands.
Perhaps it was time to mess around a little with the rules.
---
It had been three weeks since Ryeowook had approached him for help.
He slouched in his chair as he twirled a glass of red wine in his hand. He was back in the Council room again. Lately, it felt as if this room was his only refuge from everything else. He had almost forgotten how annoying humans could be. So whiny and so pathetic. All they ever did was talk about themselves and their own selfish needs; as if there was no world outside of their own self-imposed bubble. He felt the sudden throbbing in his temple and groaned. Even thinking about them was giving him pain.
Looking around aimlessly in the room, his eyes eventually fell upon Ryeowook's seat in the council.
Truth to be told, this was the first time that anyone had ask for such a direct favour from him. The few times he was asked, it was only because they needed some creative methods to crack a few troublesome souls. None of them had ever told him outright that they needed more power before.
Though he could understand why Ryeowook had reached out for help. This year's meeting was special. It had taken a while for them to sort out the details and gotten the consent from the Devil.
Kibum took a sip of his wine as he thought about the meeting.
Winter solstice. The longest night.
Each year, the seven Sins would meet in this very room, brimming and radiating raw power, ushering the beginning of the new year. Raw power as a result of a successful soul reaping in the past year; twisting the paths of the misguided humans, souls doomed to wander around in the icy wasteland the room was surrounded by.
Each year, with their combined powers, they would bestow the nature of the Sins upon someone. Man. Woman. Child. Demon. It didn't matter. It need only serve its purpose: entertaining the Sins.
Kibum would never forget the one time Ryeowook had managed to lure a newly christened Angel into their midst. The desperate way the Angel fought the temptations; the way each Sin dominated at every turn when the Angel managed to subdue one. In the end, they took pleasure in watching those pure white feathers burnt and bloody; the Angel withered and clawing at himself, tearing skin and flesh, before ultimately cutting his wings off in a fit of insanity. Usually, the possession of all seven Sins would reduced and destroyed the soul within two weeks. A month if they were lucky. The death of an Angel in eight months was something they all feasted on for a while. Even the Devil had complimented them on a job well done. It was truly a glorious day to be a Sin.
This year, all seven of them had decided to bless a demon at the stroke of midnight of the winter solstice. While it was proven in the past that even demons could not withstand the power of all seven, they were confident that this year would be different. For one, they had decided to train the demon instead of watching him being tortured and driven insane. Although Heechul still wanted to mess around with the demon for a few days before starting the training. Kibum didn't really care either way as long as things ran as they should.
The demon they picked eventually was a high ranking demon, rumoured to be selected by the Devil as second-in-command of the Underworld. Kallien. Going through his profile in his head, Kibum was confident that they would be able to produce an ultimate weapon, a gift of gratitude for the Devil for his patronage and letting them have free reign for as long as the Sins had existed.
As he mused at the possible havoc that they could experiment with, Kibum found his thoughts wandering back to Ryeowook once again. Curious as to how Gluttony was faring since their last meeting, he placed his wine glass on the table and took off his ring.
It was a simple silver ring, set with an oval-shaped dark lapiz lazuli stone; the colour of Lust. Each one of them had their own ring designed specifically for them. While they could control the power they wielded with ease, the ring helped with focusing and channeling their powers. It was also a symbol of who they were to everyone. Almost like an emblem of identification. A mark of royalty.
He placed the ring on the table and focused. A few heartbeats later, the ring started to glow before blue wisps appeared to form shadows above the ring. Kibum grinned. Time to see what his fellow Sinner has been up to.
Ever since the their last meeting, all he could think about was that facial expression Ryeowook had when Donghae was caressing him. While it hadn't gotten to the point where he was obsessing about it, it seemed as if Gluttony had already made its mark on him. An almost overindulgence of a person's presence.
The bluish gray shadow dancing above the ring showed Ryeowook instructing Donghae about something before the incubus shimmered out of the room. He watched as Ryeowook set up the room before pacing around, obviously waiting for someone.
A man entered into the scene and before he knew it, the man had slammed Ryeowook into the wall, ravishing his mouth, one arm locking Ryeowook's hands above his head. Kibum stared at the scene in complete disbelief before bubbles of anger started boiling in him. Just as he was about to reach into the scene and torture the man, the two broke apart, both panting heavily.
Kibum narrowed his eyes, feeling more agitated than before. Especially when he noticed that Ryeowook was wearing the same expression as he did the last time; only so much more lust-worthy. Eyes closed, mouth slightly opened with lips that were thoroughly bruised from the furious kissing. Flaming red cheeks as his body shuddered slightly.
He watched as the man leaned forward and whispered something in Ryeowook's ear. Kibum just knew exactly what was being said with that lecherous look on his face. Fists gripping the end of the armrest so hard that it felt like he was going to break them soon with the amount of effort it took to hold himself back.
Then he grinned maliciously. He just thought of the perfect payback for the unnamed assailant. Kibum released his grip on the chair and reached out into the shadow. Fingers hovering over the man's neck before squeezing it tightly. He watched in amusement as the man started struggling and clawing at his neck, before tripping over his feet and falling off the balcony.
He hummed. Well, that certainly lasted shorter than he expected. The fall off the balcony was a little too quick and convenient for his taste. But no one should be able to see that expression on Ryeowook's face. Especially not now.
Looking back at Ryeowook who seemed to be staring at the ground in surprise, he struggled to keep from smiling manically at a job well done, when suddenly, Ryeowook looked up and seemed to be staring right at him. Shooting death glare was more like it. Ryeowook seemed to realized what was going on and was waving his fists angrily at an invisible Kibum.
He couldn't helped it. He burst right into laughter.
When he finally calmed down, he noticed that Ryeowook was on the phone, gesturing away with frustration. Ryeowook was screaming at the phone, before throwing it away angrily. He gave Kibum the finger before disappearing back into the apartment.
Kibum had seen enough. He waved the shadows away before pressing down on the tattoo on his left arm.
"Uhm my lord? I'm kinda in a middle of something. So if you could just make it quick before Gluttony kicks my ass that'd be nice." Donghae said the moment he shimmered in.
"Progress report. Now."
Donghae scratched his head. "Gluttony decided to aim at perfection and obsession. So basically he's been sending me to entice people into being obsessed with me, having them go crazy on bulimic tendencies and shopping excessively to impress me. Constantly hanging on to my every word just to model themselves into whatever I want to be. Gotta say. It's been interesting not having to have sex with anyone. And his plan seemed to be working really well. He seemed to grow stronger everyday."
Kibum waved his words away. "Is Gluttony participating as well? Or is he just nudging people your way?"
Donghae tilted his head thoughtfully. "Well, he has been asking me if I could teach him a few moves. Said he wanted to impress someone but never mentioned who."
Kibum stiffened and stared coldly at the empty space where he had last seen Ryeowook above his ring. So Ryeowook has been using his servant to teach him tricks then. Two can play this game. He was not Lust for nothing after all.
He nodded his head, dismissing Donghae from his presence. If he really wanted to learn some tricks, he was going to have to learn from the master. Not the lackey.
His lips twisted with a smirk. This was going to be fun.
---
Kibum was out at a club, waiting for his next victim to show up. A man in his early forties whose name he had already forgotten, with a closet fetish for underage boys. Especially if they were unwilling and screaming.
Kibum grimaced as he finished his shot. Sometimes, the souls he had to reap were disgusting souls. Necessary to reap, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. Even if they wanted to mess with the nice souls, collecting the nasty ones were part of the job description. He was getting close to driving the man to the end of his patience with the few meetings that they had. The pathetic thing actually had the nerve to call him a cocktease. He scoffed.
Speaking of cocktease, was that Ryeowook he spotted hovering in the shadows, shooting daggers right at him? Tired of waiting for a man who left a bitter taste at the back of his throat, he got up from his seat and started walking towards corner where he spied Ryeowook when someone grabbed his arm from the back.
Ready to smother the assailant with repressed rage and a biting retort, he whipped his head around and realized that it was his assignment.
"Kibum-ah. You look good enough to eat. Are you sure you're seventeen? You sure as hell don't look like one." The man said with a leer.
Kibum resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If he actually told the idiot how old he really was, he could probably tell him that his ancestor was a better lay than he would ever be. Sadistic fucks with the need for stupid cheap thrills. He sighed inwardly. Was it too much to ask for a little originality these days?
The man, thinking that he was too shy and embarrassed to answer him, pulled him close and breathed lustily into his ear.
"Come on. Let daddy teach you what having a good time really means."
Even his sorry excuse for pick up lines sounded like it came out straight from Porno Gone Wrong. At least he had succeeded in riling the man up sufficiently as he watched the man dragged him into the toilet dispassionately. If the glow of his ring was any indication, he was about to receive quite a power boost from this one.
A quick handjob and a muffled scream later, it was all over. Kibum closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he relished the sudden surge in raw power. The intensity always left him high and wanting more. Worse than any drugs that the mortal world could ever produced, it was what kept him from retching as he washed his hands, rinsing away every traces of his last soul. The size of him was definitely beyond disappointing.
As he exited the bathroom, he debated between taking a short break before his next reap. Or staying around looking for Ryeowook. His choice was made when said man appeared out of nowhere in front of him and dragged him out of the club, towards the dark alley, dimly lit by a neon green light.
"You!" Ryeowook hissed furiously as he shoved Kibum away from him.
"Why the animosity Ryeowook-ah? You're the one who dragged me to some dingy alley." Kibum said with a smirk as he dusted imaginary dust from his shoulders.
"YOU BASTARD." Ryeowook yelled. "I knew it was you. Don't bother denying it! Why do you keep messing with my toys?! I was trying to have fun and you just had to ruin it for me. Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep bringing different pets back and then having them die or paralyzed on you. Every. Single. Fucking. Time?!" Each word punctuated with a sharp jab at his chest.
Kibum winced. Clearly he underestimated Ryeowook's physical strength. The soul reaping must be working out really well then. He had to remember to grant Donghae something as a reward after the winter solstice.
"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!"
Kibum sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Okay. So I might have gone overboard a little. But you had to admit. It was pretty funny. I mean, did you see the way the blood flowed out of the last guy when he impaled himself on a broken pipe?" He chuckled darkly.
Ryeowook merely glared at him and crossed his arms.
"Spill it Kibum. Just tell me exactly why you keep killing my toys."
"They're toys. Why do you care so much?"
"Because you're acting like those stupid kids in school where they bullied you just to get your attention because they like you." Ryeowook shot back.
Silence reigned over the two of them. One with barely restrained fury, the other with an unreadable expression.
Without any warning, Kibum grabbed Ryeowook and slammed him against the grimy wall, arms caging him, towering over the smaller man.
"So what if I am? It's your fault for having that expression that practically begged people to break you." Kibum sneered.
Ryeowook scrunched his eyes in confusion before realization dawned in them.
"Kibum-ah. Are you jealous? You know Kyuhyun would be deliriously happy if he got your soul right? You'll be his prize possession, all locked up in a nice shiny glass jar." Ryeowook purred right into his ear, finger tracing a faint line down his chest.
He scoffed. "I'd like to see him try. You know we have no souls. The Devil has them. It was the price we paid to become Sins."
Kibum brought his face closer to Ryeowook until their lips were a mere breath away from each other.
"I should be telling you to back off and stop using your powers on me right now." Ryeowook said softly, chin tilting upwards in challenge, staring right into Kibum's eyes.
"Ah but you see. It's-"
"My natural charm." Ryeowook finished.
Kibum's smirk grew wider. Brown doe eyes staring at him with a gleam in their orbs as Ryeowook bit his lip, almost tempting, no, daring him to do it.
He moved his face closer to him, watching as his eyes fluttered shut, and closed all distance between them.
It was definitely better than his fantasies. By caging Ryeowook and locking his hands by his side, he was forced to only focus on their lips, the duel between their tongues. It was hot. Wet. Dirty. Both desperately needed to taste and to feel. The texture. The flavours. The moans. Kibum bit his lower lip, forcing his mouth to open up to him. Letting him explore every inch possible of those lips. Of that mouth. He tasted like sweets and smelled like baby's breath; his reaction aggressive and wild.
Kibum pulled back and lips twitching with satisfaction as he drank in the sight of a disheveled Ryeowook, lips swollen and bruised from the intense kissing, the neon green light distorting the fiery blush spreading across his cheek.
"What are you staring at?" Ryeowook demanded in between pants.
Kibum merely growled in response before attacking his lips again. The heady combination of who they were, where they were and what they were doing. It wasn't exactly against the rules. But they were toeing a fine line. The thrill of it teased him; mocked him, clouding his mind as he finally succeeded in dominating over Ryeowook. The whimpers and the moans only served to push him further. Driving him nearer to the point of no return.
It was exciting.
It was dangerous.
It was plain sinful.
When they finally parted for air, Ryeowook burrowed his head into Kibum's shoulder.
"Can you let go of me now? I swear. I can't feel my wrists already."
Kibum reluctantly let go of Ryeowook, taking a few steps back, staring at the mess he just made.
"Well that was an interesting turn of event." Ryeowook finally said, hand reaching out to push his hair back.
"And whose fault is that?"
"Yours you idiot. You're bloody Lust. You should know better." Ryeowook retorted.
"Ah. But you see." Kibum stalked up to Ryeowook again, moving with the grace of a predator towards his hapless prey. "It's your fault too. Overindulgence of a person's presence. I'm sure you taught Donghae a thing or two the last couple of weeks about that. Gluttony is your forte after all."
He took two steps back before turning around to walk away. As he reached the end of the alleyway, he turned his head back.
"I want Donghae back a week before the winter solstice Gluttony." Hands waving as the blue spider webs wrapped itself around Kibum's hand as he shimmered out of the deserted alleyway.
---
Kibum watched Donghae paced around the room dispassionately. They were back in the room, with Kibum lounging by the window sill, enjoying his peace and quiet until Donghae shimmered in and started pacing.
That was an hour ago.
Finally losing patience, Kibum snapped at Donghae.
"Would you stop pacing? Either you say something or you get out." Kibum snarled.
Donghae stopped mid-pace before looking at him guiltily.
Kibum sighed. "I swear. I'm too lenient on you sometimes."
"Did something happened between you and Gluttony in the last 2 weeks?"
"No."
"Oh. He seemed to be acting strangely and being more restless than usual in the last few days."
"It's the winter solstice. We have big plans this year. One that involves Kallien."
Donghae widened his eyes. "Kallien? The arch demon?"
Kibum raised his eyebrows. "Yes. The soon-to-be second-in-command of the Underworld. Why?"
"Nothing." Donghae hesitated before continuing. "It's just that there has been rumours going around about how he fell in love with an Angel and is planning to go on the run with said Angel."
"Hmm... Is that so? I can see why Gluttony is feeling restless than. All the extra power with no proper outlet to destroy." Kibum turned his head back towards the window.
"Tell me." Kibum said without turning his head back. "How was it with him? Did he treat you right?"
Kibum saw Donghae's reflection lighted up with surprise when he heard the question.
"No. Gluttony was alright. He was very nice in fact. And a very quick study too." Donghae answered with a grin.
"Is that so?" Kibum said lazily. Without waiting for a reply, Kibum just waved his hand absent-mindedly, signalling for Donghae to leave.
"Well Ryeowook. I guess we'll just have to wait till next winter solstice to play this game."
"And this time, I won't make it any easier."
The lapiz lazuli ring only glowed brighter.
---
A/N: As mentioned above, this was originally a request from this post that was later submitted for the miracle______'s Winter Holiday contest.
First off, I'd love to take this opportunity to thank everyone who had voted for this fic. It was unexpected and it meant a lot more to me than I initially realized. Because of you guys, I'm utterly inspired to expand this AU, now tentatively titled Sinners and Saints. Masterlist for this AU can be found here.
It's going to be a series of one-shots and whatnot expanded in this AU. I already have several ideas that I'm working on right now to add into this wonderful AU. I hope you guys will love it as much as I do while I work on it.
Once again, Thank You! ♥
Pairing: Kibum/Ryeowook
Genre: AU!Supernatural
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Even in my dreams, they own me.
Warning: Swearing, Implied sexual situation
Summary: When he agreed to help, it seemed like they started playing a game where they unknowingly participated.
A/N: AU! Seven Deadly Sins now titled as Sinners and Saints. Was originally a request fic from kendayawind before being submitted for miracle______'s Winter Holiday contest here. I fixed it up a bit more since then. Enjoy ^^
He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as he stared outside the window.
The world outside was bare. There was nothing in sight except for the thick layer of virgin snow that seemed to stretch on infinitely. The snow had stopped falling moments after he had arrived to this room and started falling again gracefully as he continued to stare out aimlessly.
A tiny snowflake landed and stuck itself softly onto the window pane. Finger lifted as he traced the vague outlines of the snowflake, gently tapping the window each time he finished tracing a round. Unique and vulnerable. Against the backdrop of the harsh lifeless grounds, it seemed almost sad to tap the window even harder just to send the snowflake on its away.
He smirked.
Just as his fist made contact with the window.
He watched with satisfaction as the shock of vibrations made the snowflake detached itself from the safety of the window pane and into the arms of the harsh wind. Destined to be lost among the piles and piles of white snow forever. Bleeding into it and never be able to find its way out.
The description fit quite well with the lost desperate souls wandering around the barren land. If he strained his ears hard enough, he could almost hear the faint wails and pleas for help of the lost and insane. He almost pitied them if it weren't their destinies to be trapped here forever. Their own fault for being brought and trapped here in the first place. Unless someone had decided to take pity on them and whisked their souls away; away from this never-ending dull nightmare - so devoid of life that standing right there briefly made you question your sanity.
He scoffed. Their fates would be in worse hands if they ever left this place. Better to go crazy here than to suffer at the hands of an indifferent enigma who experimented with pain and repeated death for fun in the afterlife.
Resting his head against the window, his eyes continued to trace the landscape, or the lack of it, outside. Truly, there had never been a landscape more simple, yet so depressing than this.
"Just how long are you planning to sit and wait in the shadows?"
A small man shimmered into the room.
"You seemed so deep in thought. I figured you'd want a few more moments of peace." The newcomer replied.
Turning his head away from the window, he looked at the man that was standing before him in the room, body leaning so casually against the back of one of the seven regal armchairs.
"I was beginning to wonder when someone was actually going to show up." He said with a hint of a smirk.
The man's face showed no surprise. After all, it had been expected that a visit such as this would happened. It always did when this time of the year came around.
"Who did you expect to come this year?" The man asked, arms crossed loosely across his body as he adjusted his posture against the chair.
"Honestly. I wasn't sure. Heechul and Kyuhyun are the only two I know that would never make this visit. There is just so much to feed on and corrupt out there. Sometimes it feels like they barely need to lift a finger to achieve anything. Everything seemed to be handed to them on a silver ornate pain-riddled platter. Perhaps it's the reason why they are both sadistic bastards." He laughed sardonically.
The man cracked a smile. That was true. Heechul and Kyuhyun had always been together; worked well together. Centuries of utter destruction had proven that. Although lately, they seemed to be getting a little restless because there had been nothing interesting for them to toy with. One would think that after a millennia or two, they'd found something to at least amuse themselves for a few decades or so. The unfortunate truth that each one of them had to deal with: humans were predictable, their lifespans too short and their souls too easily reaped.
"Kibum-ah. I need your help." The man said seriously, as he tilted his head slightly to the left, staring intently at him.
Kibum froze. He shifted till his left leg was hanging off the window sill where he sat, half of his body weight leaning against the cool frame of the window, as he turned and faced him, eyes narrowing at the petite man.
"If you need my help, you do not use my name Ryeowook. Formalities are there for a good reason." Kibum scolded lightly, eyes betraying the inner annoyance from the mention of his name.
The man named Ryeowook stiffened at the light chastise, eyes flashing with anger even as he was unwilling to back down from his stance.
Kibum observed the man as he waited for an answer. Petite stature. Not that he was very small, but he was smaller compared to the rest of them. Hair a flaming dark red, contrasting against the smooth pale skin and kohl-rimmed eyes. He was dressed simply in the a pair of black pants, a fitting jacket over a striped shirt, further emphasizing his pale defined features. Ryeowook had certainly changed a lot since the last time they met.
"What was so interesting about the icy wasteland anyway?" Ryeowook asked, evidently decided to sidestep the subject.
"Just composing a little symphony of hopelessness in my head. It's very relaxing." He leaned forward and pulled Ryeowook into his lap. Holding his head lightly, Kibum guided him till he had his left ear pressed up against the window. "Can you hear it? All that pain and misery and confusion? Screaming. Demanding to be heard. Beautiful isn't it?" He said with a soft sigh.
He heard Ryeowook chuckling before he stopped himself abruptly mid-laugh. Kibum grinned mischievously. He knew Ryeowook noticed that he had both his hands resting lightly on his hips, dangerously close to his crotch as his fingers tapped gently to the little melody circling in his head.
Ryeowook stiffened and got up immediately, turning around and glaring accusingly at Kibum. "Formalities my ass. You're not supposed to be using your powers on another Council member."
Kibum merely offered a smirk. "I'm not using my powers. It's just my natural charm. I'm not Lust for nothing you know. You have to able to embody your true nature. I'm sure you remember how you got initiated in the beginning."
Ryeowook merely turned his head aside at his words, eyes staring into empty space at the reminder. His initiation wasn't embarrassing for his position in the Council, but Kibum knew that he sometimes remembered his past life before all of this. That he still carried around the lingering feelings of his soul destruction before being given the ultimate reprieve.
He watched as Ryeowook toyed with the agate ring on his second finger with his left thumb, silently debating with himself before his eyes coloured with resignation.
"As Gluttony, I formally request for help." Ryeowook stated clearly, voice and face betraying nothing.
Kibum nodded in acknowledgement. The time for fun and games were over. It was time to be serious. He waved his hand at the chairs in the room, gestured for Ryeowook to sit down.
He stood up from the window sill, stretching slightly to work out the kinks in his body for sitting so long in the same position. He made his way slowly to the dark blue armchair in the room, fingers gliding ever so softly over the smooth tabletop before sinking in on the chair.
The room they were both in was a complete opposite from the outside. While the outside was cold, unforgiving and unrelenting, the room exuded warmth and comfort. Walls paneled with rich smooth oak, windows draped with maroon velvet; their sills covered in comfortable cushions. Aside from the four fireplaces situated at the four corners of the room, the only furniture in the room was the sturdy round mahogany table with its center missing, its rich colour illuminated gracefully by the light of the flames. Seven armchairs surrounded the table; each chair with its own distinct colour to represent the respective Council members, legs and arms delicately designed with the finest details, trimmed with gold at its edges. More than anything, this room was a home to one of the most powerful people in the Underworld, second only to the Devil.
Sometimes Kibum amused himself by thinking that he was royalty; that the room's regal quality had rubbed its effects off each and every one of them. Most of the time, he wasn't too far off mark.
One hand curling around the end of the chair, the other hand drummed rhythmically on the mahogany table, Kibum waited patiently for Ryeowook to compose his request.
Ryeowook cleared his throat. "I need help. The winter solstice is approaching and I need more power."
Kibum quirked his eyebrow. "Out of all seven of us, I didn't expect you to tell me this. Last I checked, this year would have been a bountiful year for you. What with the sudden spike of gluttony because of the poor economic state of the humans' world."
Ryeowook merely shrugged. "That might be true. But it's never wrong to want more power. Not especially if we are still proceeding with our original plan for this year's ritual."
"I'd say that Greed got to you somewhat but that does makes sense. Especially with the candidate that we finally picked out in the end." He said wryly.
Kibum continued to drum his fingers on the table before sitting up, elbows resting on the table as he leaned forward.
"Why me?"
Ryeowook gave a small smile. "Because you have extra help. That way you can focus on gaining more souls than the rest of us. Your position is the only one that comes along with the privilege of servants. And besides, Envy has been picking up speed lately. I'm sure Lust isn't planning on falling behind Envy now are you?"
Kibym narrowed his eyes as Ryeowook finished his explanation with a satisfied grin. He knew Kyuhyun was picking up a lot this year. It just never occurred to him that he would eventually surpassed him. They were always at the same level every year when the Council adjourned for the annual winter solstice meeting. Heechul must be helping him if what Ryeowook said was true. Pride and Envy always did seemed to go together hand-in-hand. Especially in recent years where the humans were suffering from severe depression from low self-worth and the need to emulate. Even if Greed was Envy's main rival, it still would not stop Pride from meddling just because he could.
He clenched his fists. The only person who could surpass him was Heechul and that was it. No way was he letting the brat surpass him ever. He looked up at Ryeowook who was still waiting for an answer, hands folded on the table.
"Just how exactly do you plan on using my little helpers? It's a really fine line you're toying with here. There's a high chance that the soul would still end up being mine if you're not careful." Kibum asked carefully.
Ryeowook grinned. He knew he heard the implied agreement in his question. "All sins overlap in the beginning. All it takes is that one little nudge into the right direction. But to even begin that journey, I need something to help speed up the process. Gluttony is not just limited to the overindulge of food. Frankly, I'm getting a little bored with all the bulimic souls and drug addicts that I've been feeding on. It's time to shake things up a little. Make the process a little more fun." He said with a glint in his eyes.
Kibum smirked. Well this was an interesting twist. He leaned back into his chair, mind already starting to work out the multitude of ways and people he can use with this. If he was to offer help, he should be able to get some fun out of it in the process. Otherwise, the entire venture would be pointless. What was the use of only one person benefiting out of this?
After a little consideration, Kibum made up his mind. He lifted his long shirt sleeves and traced the various small blue tattoos that were littered across his arm. When he finally found the one he was looking for, he tapped it lightly, waiting for a few seconds. The tattoo started glowing with an eerie blue, before the light slowly dimmed and faded away.
A moment later, another man shimmered into the room.
"I was just about to seal the deal when you summoned me. This better be good." The man complained.
"Donghae. You work for me. Do not question me when I summon you." Kibum said, voice heavy with irritation and authority.
"My apologies my lord." Donghae said immediately as he knelt, head bowed down. "I was merely engrossed with my current assignment. She has been an interesting one to break. I do it all to serve you my lord."
"Rise."
Donghae stood up gracefully, head still bowed down. Kibum's eyes roved over Donghae. The man's hair was back to a dark chocolate brown and he was wearing a two-piece black suit that emphasized his boyish features and his broad shoulder. Kibum nodded mentally in approval. This was why he managed to reap as many souls as he did. Appearance was everything when it came to Lust. First impressions always made all the difference.
"Stand up. I want you to meet another member of the Council."
Donghae's head shot up in surprise. "W-What? Isn't that against the rules?"
Kibum scowled. "What did I say about questioning me?"
Donghae hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry my lord."
Kibum rolled his eyes. He could smell the alcohol rolling off him in tiny disgusting waves. He narrowed his eyes. They needed to have a talk about work propriety when this meeting was over.
He shifted his focus back to Ryeowook, who was staring at Donghae unabashedly. He grinned. Donghae had made a fair point though. His servants weren't allowed to meet or interact with the other members unless Kibum himself requested it. But because he had never once requested the presence of his servants ever since he came into his position, it came to no surprise that no one was actually aware of that exception.
"Gluttony. Meet Donghae. My best incubus." Kibum introduced with a careless wave of his hand.
"Excuse me for saying this but I'm under the impression that you would be personally involved in my cause. And don't lie Lust. I've heard of what you've done for the other Sins when they came around asking for your help." Ryeowook tore his gaze away from Donghae, chin lifted slightly in defiance.
"Am I not important enough for you?" He asked mockingly, voice light as his eyes glint dangerously. The orange agate ring began to glow, the intensity slowly growing.
Donghae, whose head was still bowed down, looked up in panic when he noticed the bright orange glow emitted by the ring on Ryeowook's finger. He turned towards Kibum with pleading eyes.
"My lord."
Kibum flicked his wrist, signaling Donghae to keep quiet and stay in position.
"Calm down Gluttony. I'm offering you my best man for the job. I'd picked my best succubus but I think a male would work better for your case." Kibum paused as the bright orange glow faded slightly from the ring.
"And you're right. I do have the special privilege of having servants. But only because there is so much sexual desire to be tap into this world. Sexuality and sensuality. Desires, wants and carnal pleasures that are being discovered every second of the day. So many souls. So much power. My servants are here to help me teach the humans a lesson or two in pleasure. And acting on it."
"Which is why I had the time and luxury to help the others personally. However, now that the year is almost up, my helpers deserve a little break while I exercise my power as Lust personally. That is why I offer Donghae. I am not underestimating you. You are just as important as the rest of us who resides in these chairs." Kibum's words trailing off softly towards the end.
The glow completely faded away this time. Ryeowook gave me an unreadable look as he stared at Kibum, silently contemplating his words.
"The conditions?" Ryeowook asked, emotionless.
"The incubus will not exercise its full power and shall answer to your instructions without questions. In exchange, you do not ask of him to have any sexual relationship with any of your doomed souls. Not even a handjob or fingering. Kissing is fine. Anything sexual has to go through me first. Every situation is unique and even the slightest hint of sex would be detrimental to your plan." Kibum explained.
Ryeowook nodded. "How do I know just how effective your little incubus here is any good? He is not Lust after all. He could be just like any other regular incubus out in the Underworld. Just lucky enough to be part of your little entourage." He eyed Donghae, mistrust radiating clearly to everyone in the room.
Donghae, who had been listening quietly about the trade, spoke up, traces of being insulted obvious in his tone.
"How about if I demonstrate my abilities to you my lord? That is, if I have the permission to of course." He bowed respectfully towards Kibum.
Kibum nodded his approval, lips curling up in faint amusement as he watched Donghae slowly walked up to Ryeowook.
It had been a while since he had last assessed his incubus. Donghae had been personally hand-picked by Kibum years ago. How long ago he did not remember. Time was something that was easily looked over. When you have eternity, time just seemed to cease to exist.
He noticed the sensuality that laid in undertones beneath the confident gait. It seemed like the little soul sucker had gotten better since the last time Kibum saw him. As a human, Donghae had a natural quality that drew both men and women to him like bees to honey. Sweet comparison worthy of a man with a naturally sweet disposition. Donghae was ultimately handpicked to be a full-fledged angel the moment his time came but Kibum saw a different potential in Donghae. It took a while to finally break him but it was all worth it in the end. Donghae was perfect as what he was, subtly enchanting, charming you into seduction; humans so far gone into hell that they never realized that they had even walked past the fiery gates, while demanding for more.
The more tortured the reaped souls were, the more powerful Kibum became. It was what made them all stronger; more powerful. Donghae knew this, and did his utmost best to please his lord; his reason of existence.
Donghae finally stopped at the side of Ryeowook's chair, hand reaching forward to touch the back of Ryeowook's right hand. Kibum watched as Donghae slowly traced Ryeowook's wrist, a light tap before finger tracing random patterns on the back of his hand. It was a soft touch, but one that conveyed deeper feelings that ran soul deep. It reminded the humans that they were revered, loved even, from the tiny comfort present in the touch. Fingers that were getting bolder, running up and down gently the length of Ryeowook's right arm, making Ryeowook shudder slightly. It drew Kibum in, his eyes fixated on Ryeowook's face.
Eyes closed. In ecstasy or contentment he did not know. Head tilting back against the back of the chair, lips pursued tightly. Even though the room was lighted only by the fireplaces, Kibum still caught sight of the light blush that was slowly spreading across his cheeks as Donghae continued his administrations, this time, left hand trailing feather-light brushes over Ryeowook's left arm; right hand tracing tiny circles on the back of his palm as he stood behind the chair.
It was truly a mesmerizing sight. The tinge of red only served to emphasize how much of a porcelain doll Ryeowook looked like at that moment; delicate and breakable. The parted red lips just begging to be kissed as he slowly sank in deeper into his chair, lulled into warmth and false sense of security created by Donghae. Kibum was torn between wanting to watch his expression forever and wanting to ravish him at the same time.
Interesting.
He watched Ryeowook with growing interest until Ryeowook's eyes suddenly snapped open, head whipped around, glaring furiously at Donghae. He groaned inwardly. A sight now ruined.
Donghae merely chuckled softly as he made his way back to his place by Kibum's chair.
"Do I please my temporary master with my capabilities?"
"Are all your servants just as arrogant as you are Lust?"
Kibum laughed. "And this is why I am offering him to you. Even if you don't end up reaping as many souls as you originally planned, their souls will be so far gone that you'll end up feeling that power for a long time."
"Do we have ourselves a deal?"
Kibum stared at Ryeowook, waiting for his response. In truth, he had little expectation of the meeting between his servant and the Sin. But what he had found out today just made him more curious than he should be.
Ryeowook stuck out his left hand, agate ring glowing a soft warm orange colour, little wisps of orange circling his hand.
Kibum smirked as he sat up and clasped his hand, his own lapiz lazuli ring glowing midnight blue and wisps twisting around his hand, as they shook hands. Both wisps twirled and intertwined, masking the clasped hands in a web of blue and orange before sinking into the hands.
Perhaps it was time to mess around a little with the rules.
---
It had been three weeks since Ryeowook had approached him for help.
He slouched in his chair as he twirled a glass of red wine in his hand. He was back in the Council room again. Lately, it felt as if this room was his only refuge from everything else. He had almost forgotten how annoying humans could be. So whiny and so pathetic. All they ever did was talk about themselves and their own selfish needs; as if there was no world outside of their own self-imposed bubble. He felt the sudden throbbing in his temple and groaned. Even thinking about them was giving him pain.
Looking around aimlessly in the room, his eyes eventually fell upon Ryeowook's seat in the council.
Truth to be told, this was the first time that anyone had ask for such a direct favour from him. The few times he was asked, it was only because they needed some creative methods to crack a few troublesome souls. None of them had ever told him outright that they needed more power before.
Though he could understand why Ryeowook had reached out for help. This year's meeting was special. It had taken a while for them to sort out the details and gotten the consent from the Devil.
Kibum took a sip of his wine as he thought about the meeting.
Winter solstice. The longest night.
Each year, the seven Sins would meet in this very room, brimming and radiating raw power, ushering the beginning of the new year. Raw power as a result of a successful soul reaping in the past year; twisting the paths of the misguided humans, souls doomed to wander around in the icy wasteland the room was surrounded by.
Each year, with their combined powers, they would bestow the nature of the Sins upon someone. Man. Woman. Child. Demon. It didn't matter. It need only serve its purpose: entertaining the Sins.
Kibum would never forget the one time Ryeowook had managed to lure a newly christened Angel into their midst. The desperate way the Angel fought the temptations; the way each Sin dominated at every turn when the Angel managed to subdue one. In the end, they took pleasure in watching those pure white feathers burnt and bloody; the Angel withered and clawing at himself, tearing skin and flesh, before ultimately cutting his wings off in a fit of insanity. Usually, the possession of all seven Sins would reduced and destroyed the soul within two weeks. A month if they were lucky. The death of an Angel in eight months was something they all feasted on for a while. Even the Devil had complimented them on a job well done. It was truly a glorious day to be a Sin.
This year, all seven of them had decided to bless a demon at the stroke of midnight of the winter solstice. While it was proven in the past that even demons could not withstand the power of all seven, they were confident that this year would be different. For one, they had decided to train the demon instead of watching him being tortured and driven insane. Although Heechul still wanted to mess around with the demon for a few days before starting the training. Kibum didn't really care either way as long as things ran as they should.
The demon they picked eventually was a high ranking demon, rumoured to be selected by the Devil as second-in-command of the Underworld. Kallien. Going through his profile in his head, Kibum was confident that they would be able to produce an ultimate weapon, a gift of gratitude for the Devil for his patronage and letting them have free reign for as long as the Sins had existed.
As he mused at the possible havoc that they could experiment with, Kibum found his thoughts wandering back to Ryeowook once again. Curious as to how Gluttony was faring since their last meeting, he placed his wine glass on the table and took off his ring.
It was a simple silver ring, set with an oval-shaped dark lapiz lazuli stone; the colour of Lust. Each one of them had their own ring designed specifically for them. While they could control the power they wielded with ease, the ring helped with focusing and channeling their powers. It was also a symbol of who they were to everyone. Almost like an emblem of identification. A mark of royalty.
He placed the ring on the table and focused. A few heartbeats later, the ring started to glow before blue wisps appeared to form shadows above the ring. Kibum grinned. Time to see what his fellow Sinner has been up to.
Ever since the their last meeting, all he could think about was that facial expression Ryeowook had when Donghae was caressing him. While it hadn't gotten to the point where he was obsessing about it, it seemed as if Gluttony had already made its mark on him. An almost overindulgence of a person's presence.
The bluish gray shadow dancing above the ring showed Ryeowook instructing Donghae about something before the incubus shimmered out of the room. He watched as Ryeowook set up the room before pacing around, obviously waiting for someone.
A man entered into the scene and before he knew it, the man had slammed Ryeowook into the wall, ravishing his mouth, one arm locking Ryeowook's hands above his head. Kibum stared at the scene in complete disbelief before bubbles of anger started boiling in him. Just as he was about to reach into the scene and torture the man, the two broke apart, both panting heavily.
Kibum narrowed his eyes, feeling more agitated than before. Especially when he noticed that Ryeowook was wearing the same expression as he did the last time; only so much more lust-worthy. Eyes closed, mouth slightly opened with lips that were thoroughly bruised from the furious kissing. Flaming red cheeks as his body shuddered slightly.
He watched as the man leaned forward and whispered something in Ryeowook's ear. Kibum just knew exactly what was being said with that lecherous look on his face. Fists gripping the end of the armrest so hard that it felt like he was going to break them soon with the amount of effort it took to hold himself back.
Then he grinned maliciously. He just thought of the perfect payback for the unnamed assailant. Kibum released his grip on the chair and reached out into the shadow. Fingers hovering over the man's neck before squeezing it tightly. He watched in amusement as the man started struggling and clawing at his neck, before tripping over his feet and falling off the balcony.
He hummed. Well, that certainly lasted shorter than he expected. The fall off the balcony was a little too quick and convenient for his taste. But no one should be able to see that expression on Ryeowook's face. Especially not now.
Looking back at Ryeowook who seemed to be staring at the ground in surprise, he struggled to keep from smiling manically at a job well done, when suddenly, Ryeowook looked up and seemed to be staring right at him. Shooting death glare was more like it. Ryeowook seemed to realized what was going on and was waving his fists angrily at an invisible Kibum.
He couldn't helped it. He burst right into laughter.
When he finally calmed down, he noticed that Ryeowook was on the phone, gesturing away with frustration. Ryeowook was screaming at the phone, before throwing it away angrily. He gave Kibum the finger before disappearing back into the apartment.
Kibum had seen enough. He waved the shadows away before pressing down on the tattoo on his left arm.
"Uhm my lord? I'm kinda in a middle of something. So if you could just make it quick before Gluttony kicks my ass that'd be nice." Donghae said the moment he shimmered in.
"Progress report. Now."
Donghae scratched his head. "Gluttony decided to aim at perfection and obsession. So basically he's been sending me to entice people into being obsessed with me, having them go crazy on bulimic tendencies and shopping excessively to impress me. Constantly hanging on to my every word just to model themselves into whatever I want to be. Gotta say. It's been interesting not having to have sex with anyone. And his plan seemed to be working really well. He seemed to grow stronger everyday."
Kibum waved his words away. "Is Gluttony participating as well? Or is he just nudging people your way?"
Donghae tilted his head thoughtfully. "Well, he has been asking me if I could teach him a few moves. Said he wanted to impress someone but never mentioned who."
Kibum stiffened and stared coldly at the empty space where he had last seen Ryeowook above his ring. So Ryeowook has been using his servant to teach him tricks then. Two can play this game. He was not Lust for nothing after all.
He nodded his head, dismissing Donghae from his presence. If he really wanted to learn some tricks, he was going to have to learn from the master. Not the lackey.
His lips twisted with a smirk. This was going to be fun.
---
Kibum was out at a club, waiting for his next victim to show up. A man in his early forties whose name he had already forgotten, with a closet fetish for underage boys. Especially if they were unwilling and screaming.
Kibum grimaced as he finished his shot. Sometimes, the souls he had to reap were disgusting souls. Necessary to reap, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. Even if they wanted to mess with the nice souls, collecting the nasty ones were part of the job description. He was getting close to driving the man to the end of his patience with the few meetings that they had. The pathetic thing actually had the nerve to call him a cocktease. He scoffed.
Speaking of cocktease, was that Ryeowook he spotted hovering in the shadows, shooting daggers right at him? Tired of waiting for a man who left a bitter taste at the back of his throat, he got up from his seat and started walking towards corner where he spied Ryeowook when someone grabbed his arm from the back.
Ready to smother the assailant with repressed rage and a biting retort, he whipped his head around and realized that it was his assignment.
"Kibum-ah. You look good enough to eat. Are you sure you're seventeen? You sure as hell don't look like one." The man said with a leer.
Kibum resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If he actually told the idiot how old he really was, he could probably tell him that his ancestor was a better lay than he would ever be. Sadistic fucks with the need for stupid cheap thrills. He sighed inwardly. Was it too much to ask for a little originality these days?
The man, thinking that he was too shy and embarrassed to answer him, pulled him close and breathed lustily into his ear.
"Come on. Let daddy teach you what having a good time really means."
Even his sorry excuse for pick up lines sounded like it came out straight from Porno Gone Wrong. At least he had succeeded in riling the man up sufficiently as he watched the man dragged him into the toilet dispassionately. If the glow of his ring was any indication, he was about to receive quite a power boost from this one.
A quick handjob and a muffled scream later, it was all over. Kibum closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he relished the sudden surge in raw power. The intensity always left him high and wanting more. Worse than any drugs that the mortal world could ever produced, it was what kept him from retching as he washed his hands, rinsing away every traces of his last soul. The size of him was definitely beyond disappointing.
As he exited the bathroom, he debated between taking a short break before his next reap. Or staying around looking for Ryeowook. His choice was made when said man appeared out of nowhere in front of him and dragged him out of the club, towards the dark alley, dimly lit by a neon green light.
"You!" Ryeowook hissed furiously as he shoved Kibum away from him.
"Why the animosity Ryeowook-ah? You're the one who dragged me to some dingy alley." Kibum said with a smirk as he dusted imaginary dust from his shoulders.
"YOU BASTARD." Ryeowook yelled. "I knew it was you. Don't bother denying it! Why do you keep messing with my toys?! I was trying to have fun and you just had to ruin it for me. Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep bringing different pets back and then having them die or paralyzed on you. Every. Single. Fucking. Time?!" Each word punctuated with a sharp jab at his chest.
Kibum winced. Clearly he underestimated Ryeowook's physical strength. The soul reaping must be working out really well then. He had to remember to grant Donghae something as a reward after the winter solstice.
"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!"
Kibum sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Okay. So I might have gone overboard a little. But you had to admit. It was pretty funny. I mean, did you see the way the blood flowed out of the last guy when he impaled himself on a broken pipe?" He chuckled darkly.
Ryeowook merely glared at him and crossed his arms.
"Spill it Kibum. Just tell me exactly why you keep killing my toys."
"They're toys. Why do you care so much?"
"Because you're acting like those stupid kids in school where they bullied you just to get your attention because they like you." Ryeowook shot back.
Silence reigned over the two of them. One with barely restrained fury, the other with an unreadable expression.
Without any warning, Kibum grabbed Ryeowook and slammed him against the grimy wall, arms caging him, towering over the smaller man.
"So what if I am? It's your fault for having that expression that practically begged people to break you." Kibum sneered.
Ryeowook scrunched his eyes in confusion before realization dawned in them.
"Kibum-ah. Are you jealous? You know Kyuhyun would be deliriously happy if he got your soul right? You'll be his prize possession, all locked up in a nice shiny glass jar." Ryeowook purred right into his ear, finger tracing a faint line down his chest.
He scoffed. "I'd like to see him try. You know we have no souls. The Devil has them. It was the price we paid to become Sins."
Kibum brought his face closer to Ryeowook until their lips were a mere breath away from each other.
"I should be telling you to back off and stop using your powers on me right now." Ryeowook said softly, chin tilting upwards in challenge, staring right into Kibum's eyes.
"Ah but you see. It's-"
"My natural charm." Ryeowook finished.
Kibum's smirk grew wider. Brown doe eyes staring at him with a gleam in their orbs as Ryeowook bit his lip, almost tempting, no, daring him to do it.
He moved his face closer to him, watching as his eyes fluttered shut, and closed all distance between them.
It was definitely better than his fantasies. By caging Ryeowook and locking his hands by his side, he was forced to only focus on their lips, the duel between their tongues. It was hot. Wet. Dirty. Both desperately needed to taste and to feel. The texture. The flavours. The moans. Kibum bit his lower lip, forcing his mouth to open up to him. Letting him explore every inch possible of those lips. Of that mouth. He tasted like sweets and smelled like baby's breath; his reaction aggressive and wild.
Kibum pulled back and lips twitching with satisfaction as he drank in the sight of a disheveled Ryeowook, lips swollen and bruised from the intense kissing, the neon green light distorting the fiery blush spreading across his cheek.
"What are you staring at?" Ryeowook demanded in between pants.
Kibum merely growled in response before attacking his lips again. The heady combination of who they were, where they were and what they were doing. It wasn't exactly against the rules. But they were toeing a fine line. The thrill of it teased him; mocked him, clouding his mind as he finally succeeded in dominating over Ryeowook. The whimpers and the moans only served to push him further. Driving him nearer to the point of no return.
It was exciting.
It was dangerous.
It was plain sinful.
When they finally parted for air, Ryeowook burrowed his head into Kibum's shoulder.
"Can you let go of me now? I swear. I can't feel my wrists already."
Kibum reluctantly let go of Ryeowook, taking a few steps back, staring at the mess he just made.
"Well that was an interesting turn of event." Ryeowook finally said, hand reaching out to push his hair back.
"And whose fault is that?"
"Yours you idiot. You're bloody Lust. You should know better." Ryeowook retorted.
"Ah. But you see." Kibum stalked up to Ryeowook again, moving with the grace of a predator towards his hapless prey. "It's your fault too. Overindulgence of a person's presence. I'm sure you taught Donghae a thing or two the last couple of weeks about that. Gluttony is your forte after all."
He took two steps back before turning around to walk away. As he reached the end of the alleyway, he turned his head back.
"I want Donghae back a week before the winter solstice Gluttony." Hands waving as the blue spider webs wrapped itself around Kibum's hand as he shimmered out of the deserted alleyway.
---
Kibum watched Donghae paced around the room dispassionately. They were back in the room, with Kibum lounging by the window sill, enjoying his peace and quiet until Donghae shimmered in and started pacing.
That was an hour ago.
Finally losing patience, Kibum snapped at Donghae.
"Would you stop pacing? Either you say something or you get out." Kibum snarled.
Donghae stopped mid-pace before looking at him guiltily.
Kibum sighed. "I swear. I'm too lenient on you sometimes."
"Did something happened between you and Gluttony in the last 2 weeks?"
"No."
"Oh. He seemed to be acting strangely and being more restless than usual in the last few days."
"It's the winter solstice. We have big plans this year. One that involves Kallien."
Donghae widened his eyes. "Kallien? The arch demon?"
Kibum raised his eyebrows. "Yes. The soon-to-be second-in-command of the Underworld. Why?"
"Nothing." Donghae hesitated before continuing. "It's just that there has been rumours going around about how he fell in love with an Angel and is planning to go on the run with said Angel."
"Hmm... Is that so? I can see why Gluttony is feeling restless than. All the extra power with no proper outlet to destroy." Kibum turned his head back towards the window.
"Tell me." Kibum said without turning his head back. "How was it with him? Did he treat you right?"
Kibum saw Donghae's reflection lighted up with surprise when he heard the question.
"No. Gluttony was alright. He was very nice in fact. And a very quick study too." Donghae answered with a grin.
"Is that so?" Kibum said lazily. Without waiting for a reply, Kibum just waved his hand absent-mindedly, signalling for Donghae to leave.
"Well Ryeowook. I guess we'll just have to wait till next winter solstice to play this game."
"And this time, I won't make it any easier."
The lapiz lazuli ring only glowed brighter.
---
A/N: As mentioned above, this was originally a request from this post that was later submitted for the miracle______'s Winter Holiday contest.
First off, I'd love to take this opportunity to thank everyone who had voted for this fic. It was unexpected and it meant a lot more to me than I initially realized. Because of you guys, I'm utterly inspired to expand this AU, now tentatively titled Sinners and Saints. Masterlist for this AU can be found here.
It's going to be a series of one-shots and whatnot expanded in this AU. I already have several ideas that I'm working on right now to add into this wonderful AU. I hope you guys will love it as much as I do while I work on it.
Once again, Thank You! ♥