2

Daniel sighed as he stared out the closed window of his apartment, the thick rain drops flowing down his window. A cigarette rested between his thin lips, suffering from the lack of contact with its owner and resigned to burning by itself. Until the demon decided to take a long drag, feeling the smoke that was harmless to his non-human body flowing down his airways, flooding his lungs and doing its path all over again until it was unleashed to fade away in the air.

He was thinking about what Eddie had told him. Another gig. Another infernal job. Another chance to prove his value to demons that until a few years ago treated him as if he was rat shit. All for what? Loosing who he loved, his friends, even his free will just so he could be considered a full demon.

He tried to push away the thoughts, the memories that now flooded his mind. Memories of that one girl he loved like no other. The girl he'd killed.

Daniel jumped, a little startled, when his phone started ringing. Placing the cigarette between his lips he picked it up, taking another drag before answering “Pryde.” Though contrary to his fears, the voice on the other end actually made him smile. A little bit, at least.

“I did it.”

There was something strange about Eddie's voice, though. Something sad. Which was weird. Then Daniel noticed there had been something strange about the way the demon had looked at the Sin Eater.

“Good boy.” He said, his own voice suddenly a little grim. “Are you okay?”

“I guess. I dunno. It's weird..” He heard Belphegor sighing. “I, um... I felt bad.”

He said it as if it was a taboo, something forbidden. Which was, in a way. Daniel thought for a second, biting his lip before saying.

“Did you like him?”

“I dunno. I guess. Maybe? I'm not sure what people call 'liking' these days. All I know is that I didn't want to do it.” There was a slight pause, and as Daniel heard Eddie's shaky breathing it was as though he was there with his friend. He knew exactly what was going on in the other's head. “Daniel... I shouldn't not want to do anything. We don't have free will!” The last part was a hushed, desperate whisper, and Daniel sighed heavily.

“I know. But I think it's okay to feel these feelings. You didn't want to do it but you did it anyway, right? Because you were told to do it.”

“Yea..” Eddie sighed again. And Daniel heard the question he'd been fearing to hear. “How did it feel? Back with Rhaine?”

The demon sighed again, looking out the rainy scenario outside his place. He hadn't figured out yet. He didn't know how did he come to love that girl as if she was his own daughter. Maybe it was because he was still half demon. So he told Eddie that.

“Yea. Maybe..” The other demon sighed again. “Maybe it's the body, y'know? I'm using a human body, after all. Maybe the brain is getting in the way. Maybe I should just get laid.”

“Maybe.” Daniel forced out a chuckle, though he noticed Eddie's sad tone. “Come over, yea? Maybe I can find a way to cheer you up.”

“Really?” He could practically hear Eddie smiling. “Will I..”

“As long as we both keep our clothes on, it's all good.”

“You're no fun, Aethe.” Eddie said and Daniel laughed before telling the other to come over and bring booze.

In less than an hour Daniel found himself playing a very wicked version of golf that involved crushed aluminium cans and old thin pipes with Eddie. The fellow demon was trying to concentrate in hitting a good shot and talk to Daniel at the same time.

“So..” Eddie said, as he calculated how far he could throw the small can. Daniel raised his eyebrows at him.

“So?”

“I, um...” He bit his lip and took the shot, the can flying far away. “Wow, did you see that? Damn.”

“I believe you came here to get drunk and talk about your situation with the sin eater, no?” The demon interrupted him, his eyebrows still raised. Getting a 17 year old shaped demon to talk about his feeling was not an easy task.

Eddie stopped and sighed, staring ahead of him for a while before sighing again. “I guess I really did like him. He was a good fuck and I dunno.. he just got me, y'know?” He bit his lip for a while before looking back at Daniel. “He didn't mind the fact that I'm a demon. He didn't mind anything. And then I killed him. Why? What for?” Eddie shook his head and stared out in the night again, falling silent for a while. “Because I'm a soldier. Because it's what I do. Because someone in a higher position told me to do it. So I did it, even though I didn't want to.”

“Maybe you can still see him. Down stairs.” He shrugged. “We both know it's not so bad for human souls. So maybe you could meet him.”

Eddie looked at Daniel and gave a bitter laugh, motioning at himself. “Hi, bound to adolescent body for fuck knows how long? I can't go down. Plus, they're already wanting my head anyway.” He sighed, looking away once more.

That last part caught Daniel's attention, and he cocked an eyebrow at the other demon. “What do you mean?”

Eddie suddenly looked very, very tired. He sighed yet again and shrugged. “It won't be long until they realize what this body is doing to me, Aethe. I'm thinking like a human, acting like one... And the fucking free will! We've always been told we don't have free will. Ever since Creation. And fuck me, it's true. I slit his throat even though I didn't want to. But still, I didn't want to! I openly didn't want to follow an order! Can't you see how... idiotic this is?”

Daniel frowned for a second after his friend said that, thinking about the matter. Well, he had plenty of free will. He could do whatever he wanted, anyway. Unless when he received orders, but then... he just followed them. That's when it started to make sense. He looked back at Eddie.

“Maybe you're right. I really don't know. But you followed the order, didn't you?”

“And now I'm questioning it!” Eddie whispered, almost as if they could be overheard. “And I'm kinda scared. Am I becoming an human?”

“Of course you're not. You're a demon in a human suit. A girl doesn't magically become a guy if she wears masculine clothes.”

“That's bullshit and you know it.” Eddie spat, his reddish eyes getting brighter. Daniel was a little taken aback, for he realized his best friend had a very good point. “It's just a matter of time until the big guys start noticing this. And fuck, can't you see? I'm scared! Scared, Daniel! Fear is a human feature!”

Daniel was becoming more and more uneasy with all of that, specially with the prospect of losing Eddie. But yet he shook his head and smirked, his fangs showing.

“You are Belphegor. You're related to humans by nature. You helped them make so many discoveries so far. You're like a muse! Of course you'll feel more than comfortable in a human body. You're the Lord of The Opening. So calm down. Your teenage brain is making you stressed. And I'm sorry you won't be able to see your boy in a while. Now, do you want to get smashed? Even if it only works for five minutes?” Daniel grinned at Eddie and pulled him into an unexpected hug. “Just be cool, okay?”

Eddie nodded a little as he hugged Daniel back, and sighed. “Let's get fucking hammered. And if while I'm drunk I try to blow you... try considering it.” He chuckled and Daniel was a little relieved to hear the other laugh.

“In your dreams, kid.” He laughed and let go of Eddie, shoving him playfully. “So tell me about this Sin Eater. Any idea why Hell wanted him dead?” Daniel asked, though he was still a little concerned as to if he should talk about the guy. But Eddie shrugged.

“I told you already. Sin Eaters are considered a cheat from the people upstairs. They can damn or save people according to their own desires. And most of the time they send the souls to Heaven. It could be the worse living person, but if a Sin Eater eats their sins before they die, they go to heaven. Tell me if this isn't cheating?”

“There are no rules in the celestial game.” Daniel said, though he nodded. “But you're right. Though don't most of these people live knowing that you just have to repent and your soul is good as new again?”

Eddie chuckled, looking up at Daniel and showing his own small fangs when he smiled. “Oh, please. I thought you were smarter than that. Humans really, really wanna believe that all they have to do is say a few words, claim they repent and it's all good. But the repent business only goes if the person is madly, desperately, insanely, wanting to kill herself from regret, ya know?”

He nodded a little, thinking about that. Eddie kept talking though, distractedly. “And it's not like we don't cheat either. We're demons, for fuck's sake.” He laughed, and that fact perked Daniel's attention.

“We do? Cheat, I mean? How?”

Then all the sudden, Eddie looked like he had just said too much. Only for a split second, before smiling again with his usual carefree self. Though the other demon noticed that faltering. It was hard for him to miss these things.

“Oh, you know. Tempting and all. Plus, we're obviously winning.” Eddie laughed, throwing his makeshift club away and motioning towards Daniel's container-house. “I still don't get why you live in a junk yard.”

“I like the view.” Daniel shrugged and walked back inside with his friend. “So, what was the assignment they're giving me now?” He asked, going to his kitchen to fetch a bottle of scotch before going back to the living room, laying on the couch and opening the bottle. Eddie was just sitting on the chair, looking at the fellow demon.

“Nothing much. Some halfbreed's been causing some trouble in Cardiff. You know how those can get if they loose control.” Eddie said and Daniel frowned a little, tempted to remind the other that he himself was a 'halfbreed' not too long ago. Eddie kept talking though. “They just want you to go there and see what's the deal. If you can talk to the guy, try convincing him into becoming a pure blood. If he's too damaged already, off him. Kay?”

Daniel sighed and nodded slowly, trying not to remember when it was like when he had to struggle with the beast within himself. Back when he was still half-demon. Halfbreed. He was also not very fond of the idea of killing the guy just because he maybe didn't find a way to live with the demonic side, but orders were orders.

He looked at Eddie and took a large swig of the scotch, grinning. “Fuck, with all the places in the world, did it have to be in Cardiff?” He laughed and handed the other the bottle, hoping they could drown and hide away their frustrations in liquor.

Just like humans did.