I sat facing the Chibi Sloth… he had taken my entire pillow as his own. "I think we should add a pillow to necessary items…" I sighed glancing at the really, really nice bed. Honestly, I'd never had a bed this nice before. It was literally out of a catalogue. The sheets were some weird purple eucalyptus fancy something or other. If I bought another pillow, no way it would be as fancy as the one Dillon left behind.
Greed glanced up at me, then the pillow. "That… is an option."
Lust rolled her eyes as she sauntered to the pillow. "Or, we could remind Sloth that boundaries are a thing." Without preamble she flipped the pillow over, Sloth was sent flying, crashing against the wall.
Sloth raised his head blinking, "Huh?"
Lust and Pride turned to me, like really… she'd sent him flying but now I was the one who had to talk?
"Uh… it's uh, time to uh, sleep." I said lamely. Yeash… could I sound anymore pathetic.
Sloth just stared at me uncomprehendingly. "Oh… kay. Alarms?" Sloth asked before turning his attention to the pillow.
I sighed, "Yeah, the three alarms twenty minutes apart isn't working for me. I just feel… more tired." I sighed as I slid under the covers.
Sloth nodded with a yawn. The nod sent him face first into the bed. I tried to suppress the laugh, managing a very awkward half cough, half snort.
"Let's try a song instead." Envy quipped picking Sloth up by his collar and dragging him toward the pillow. I made enough room for him to fit on the pillow. No idea how I hadn't squashed him in my sleep yet.
"A song?" I asked uncertainly.
"Yeah, something with an upbeat melody. It might help motivate you to get up. Rather than those alarms that sound like the apartment is being broken into." Envy offered squatting near my phone. She was able to find my song playlist.
"Uh, okay." I agreed. "What kind of song? Just… upbeat?"
"Something you'd listen to at the gym. It needs to get your blood pumping." Envy agreed slipping under the covers.
I searched through my playlist… gym… I hadn't been to the gym since… high school.
"Speaking of the gym, Max, my guy… we have got to work on your cardio. No offense mate, but if shit hits the fan… you're going to be torn to bits." Wrath said with a sigh. Everyone else had changed into pajamas but he still looked like he was headed to the gym.
"Like… what kind of shit?" I asked glancing over my phone.
Wrath just shrugged, "Max, like we said, we may be the only paranormals you recognize, but we aren't the only ones around. Most just… hide."
"I've gone twenty four years without realizing you guys were real… what, is having you guys around suddenly going to make others come looking for a fight or something?" I asked half jokingly. My first meeting with them had… well it wasn't the most graceful moment of my life. Denial wasn't just a river in Egypt after all.
Pride sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Yes and no, we aren't lightweights, so fights are unlikely, but, now that the blinders are off, you may notice things you'd have brushed off before. Paranormals have worked hard to stay hidden."
I hesitated, "Am… I in danger?" I asked recalling some strange interactions I'd had after moving in.
Wrath snorted, "No way, never once, since we've been bound to this stupid merit shop, has any of our contractors ever been in danger. Have some made really, really dumb decisions that led to them being in danger? Yeah, but, that's why we're pickier about who we contract."
I stared at Wrath… "I met Dillon once, after seeing a paper flyer about cheap rent. I basically moved in the next day… doesn't exactly scream meticulous screening for candidates." They looked at me, "Dillon said I was the first one to respond to his flyer." I added in disbelief.
Pride coughed as he looked away, "Anyway, cardio would be good for your health Max."
"Yeah, we can start out small. Just some stuff we do at the apartment." Wrath agreed.
"Hey… hey! Was I the first sucker who got roped into this?" I asked sitting up. Envy was suddenly very interested in the sheets, most wouldn't even look at me. Wrath was grinning like the cat who ate all the cream. "Seriously… the first sucker just… gets contracted?" I asked in disbelief. I couldn't even ask Dillon because he didn't remember!
Lust giggled before patting my cheek. "Of course not silly! Not everyone can even see the flyer. It's not like our previous contractors can go around asking, Hey, want to move in with the Seven Deadly Sins?"
I was mildly pacified, but still a bit miffed as I laid down. "Why can't I know how your merit shop works?"
Sloth rolled over, patting my nose. "It's… time… to sleep. Work… tomorrow."
I sighed, all I knew was that at the end of each week they could get merit, like gold coins for personal shops. Each Sin had their own… section? They could buy from each other's section but at an increased rate. Prices also changed… Surprisingly, so far Sloth had earned the most merit. I closed my eyes, sleep was good for the soul. Not to mention… I did tell myself I'd sleep on the idea of giving Robby my new address.
I blearily glanced around. The song wasn't jarring, but it had definitely influenced my dream abruptly. I'd gone from watching a mutant shark with a half human, half shark daughter teaming up with three hybrid mutant dragons to kill a mutant kraken to… the kraken singing a hip-hop song I hadn't heard in forever. I was so confused I'd actually woken up.
I sat up, ending the song prematurely. I wasn't cranky… but two of the dragons were dead… and now I'd never know if the mutant shark and her daughter survived the kraken trying to take over the post apocalyptic city… I wanted closure!!!! What about the last dragon? Ugh!!!!! Now all I could see was the kraken with half it's body eaten or burned away holding a microphone… singing a song from the late 2000s.
Sloth sat up, his brown hair a tangled mess. "That… was weird." I flopped back down. Sloth was able to share my dreams…
"Now… that's one way to wake up." I sighed. Gluttony was staring into my soul, his eyes watering the longer I remained laying.
"It's… not bad." Sloth agreed, his body swaying from the effort to remain sitting up. I scooped him up as I went to take care of my morning needs.
I caught the 6:20 bus, made coffee for me and two others before I clocked in, and started working on the never-ending voice mails. On the bright side, we were down to just over a thousand.
My phone vibrated, drawing my attention. Dreading another message from Robby, I grudgingly checked the message. It was from Jack.
Hey, hitting the gym tomorrow and Friday at six if you're interested.
I blinked, glancing at the Athena training video that still had twenty minutes, I quickly responded.
I have work tomorrow, but Friday is cool, location? I would have to catch the first bus.
Cool, pin location. I opened the pin, the gym was only a mile and half from the apartment… maybe I'd just walk.
"Hot date?" Donna asked looking over her shoulder.
I nearly jumped out of my skin, "Huh?" I asked swiveling in my chair to see Donna's raised brow. I ignored Pride, Lust and Envy grinning from their perch on my computer screens. Yeash, what good were the sins if they didn't even warn me someone was watching?
"You're smiling so wide I could see it with my back turned, text from a hot date?" Donna asked nodding to my phone.
I blushed, "No, uh, some friends, well, invited me to the gym." After the last few days Donna and I chatted about our personal lives. I had embarrassingly told her how I'd basically taken a bus and gotten off at the last stop.
"Oh, that guy who helped you get the interview?" Donna asked as she rotated her wrists.
"Uh, no, the two cousins who helped me move, so Friday I'll see them." I explained. We chatted a bit longer, then returned to our personal tasks. After this video I'd be back on voice mail duty. I tapped on the call logs, over 1500 voicemails… at least I wouldn't be bored. I could also stop flushing from the embarrassment of remembering how I'd met Jake and Jake.
Flashback from the day after meeting Dillon.
I woke up almost panicked as my alarms went off like sirens, if they were this loud… I snatched my phone up to look at the time. Nine forty-eight a.m. Shit! Dillion's gonna be here in ten minutes!!!! How had I slept through the first three alarms?! Half hopping into, half yanking my clothes on as I practically threw myself from the bed. I was just glad they didn't stink since I hadn't been able to do laundry since I'd arrived. I was slipping into Dillion's hoodie as someone knocked on the door.
"Yo Max, you up mate?" Dillon asked from outside the door.
"Yeah! Just a sec!" I called stumbling toward the door as I tried to slip my old sneakers on. How freaking embarrassing!!! I was mortified as I heard light chuckling only muffled by the door. When there was a pause and low murmur my heart sank. Shit! Did Dillon bring that friend with a truck?! I glanced around, using my fingers to brush my hair out of my face as I reached for the door.
Of course, I tripped over my own feet, nearly falling on my face as I stumbled to the door, slinging my backpack over my shoulder, "Ready!" I announced swinging the door open. Dillon had his face turned to the side with a grin, I glanced down the dimly lit hall… but no one was there. Maybe he had headphones in? As Dillon turned his head… empty ears…