64 Monster

"So, are you going to tell me what you did?" Arius had just arrived home with Asrael and Dante.

"What do you mean?" Asrael didn't think it was possible for Arius to already know, but when he looked into the his eyes, he felt like an open book.

"You've smelt like death ever since you opened the car door." Arius watched as the teenage boy sniffed his sleeve, and it made him want to laugh. "I don't mean that literally, it's more like an instinct of mine."

"Instinct? What, is that an ability?" Asrael had never actually heard of something like being able to sense death, but he gave up on finding out more when Arius didn't answered and continued waiting. In a tired tone, he said, "Okay, I killed someone today, just don't worry about it, they won't be able to figure out I did I it."

"Asrael, that's not the point. You can't just go killing people, what did they even do?" Arius was exasperated, thinking he had to do something about it, even if was told it would be fine.

"He…" what was he supposed to say? 'The guy made Chrysanthemum uncomfortable so I killed him'? Despite having killed people for less in the past, it was different now when he was talking to Arius who didn't know about the kind of monster he really was. "I just… got really mad at him, alright?"

Arius didn't want to let the matter go, yet Asraels almost unnoticeable anxiousness made him want to drop it. As if that would be enough though. "Do you want to get caught? Or rather, do you understand that it's wrong?"

"I won't get caught." Arsael lowered his voice and averted his gaze.

"But do you understand that it was wrong?" Arius had a calming tone, though he had his arms crossed over his chest, as if trying to mock the stance of a stern parent.

"I get it!" Asrael spoke louder while trying to still sound casual, thinking he could get the problem to go away by simply agreeing.

"I really don't think you do, what would your mom think?" Arius knew about the effect Asrael's mother had on him, however, he didn't anticipate how it really wouldn't help the situation.

Asrael immediately calmed down as he turned to face Arius, staring dazedly up at him in the most disconcerting way. He wanted to laugh at what Arius just said. "It doesn't matter what she would think, she's dead."

And just like that, he walked off to his room, leaving Arius stumped. It was a conceivable thought though, that Asrael was the way he was because his mother wasn't there. There was a lot that Arius had to think about, as for having instinct as an ability stemming from immortality… he had always had that weird feeling, like a sixth sense, and after first meeting Zuna, it had grown stronger. Was that what it was all along? He thought it sounded kind of cheaty.