What Gluttony said has me worried. I told him to shove off, but I later thought about it. What if he wasn't playing some sick 'fantasy roleplay' with his newest favorite food? He's never been one to joke about the Abyssals.

I've seen all kinds of love as the virtue of love. Wanting to 'be food,' strange though it is, isn't non-existent. It's very rare, VERY strange, but as a god of love? It isn't my place to judge them. At least not externally.

I judge them a lot in my own thoughts.

The point of 'love' is not solely to procreate. It's to form unshakable bonds of care and affection for your chosen mate or mates. It's to unequivocally know, deep within oneself, that you will receive the same in return. Perhaps not the same kind of care and affection, but surely the kind you expect. If they love you? They'll know what you want.

Which explicitly means that loving another also means knowing there's a chance they'll love you back. Unrequited love can still technically be love, I suppose, but it isn't pure. It can morph so easily into hate.

So, so easily.

Which is because unrequited love is akin to pining— closer to lust. It's not the same, but it teeters between virtue and sin. It's a gray area where no creature should tread. It's no surprise to me that a sin like Gluttony would have an unrequited love.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/124.png]

He's disgusting!

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The only thing worse, at least in my opinion, is a form of mutual love which is self-destructive. Such as eating each other. That can still be love, but it's hardly a virtue. It's so close to lust and gluttony that it might as well be its own sin. It isn't, though. Even if lovers are attracted to consuming each others' bodies, they aren't always doing it merely to get off or satiate their hunger.

They may, in fact, truly love each other.

That's what I felt from Gluttony. When he mentioned his theory about this new and improved species of Abyssal—

I feel a dark shiver run down my lovely spine.

Ugh. When he did, he clearly felt a lot of pain that he had to say what he was saying. It wasn't enjoyable for him.

I dismissed him at first, but thinking about it myself confirms it: he was being honest. That thing— it can easily kill me. At least, my sixth sense seems to indicate as much.

What the other sins and virtues may not know is that this sixth sense isn't a vague sign of death or chaos. After much testing using my followers, I've determined three conditions:

One, it only happens when thinking about a monster the individual hasn't been in direct contact with. Two, they must be thinking about its capabilities, or an important reference to its form. Three, that monster's power must so far outstrip their own, that it's... Likely hopeless.

It's not something I'm ever supposed to feel. Much less Gluttony. Though I hate to admit it, he's far stronger than any of us virtues. I never felt it when considering the Abyssals, so, why now?

Perhaps this thing is simply too dangerous.

What in our godly names did Gluttony do? Why did he 'feed' such a thing? I know the answer, and yet, I just. I want to deny it.

But I'm not stupid.

[...]

Love » "Hello, everyone."

Deception » "How dare you."

Wrath » "GO DIE!"

Hope » "Yes?"

Greed » "More attention! GIVE ME MORE!"

Commitment » "What need have you, Love?"

Indolence » "Zzzzzz."

Lust » "Oh, an orgy, huh~? Didn't think you would~!"

Pride » "I swear, if this wastes my time..."

Justice » "Take all the time you require. Especially his."

I think they're all here, though many aren't talking. I didn't invite Gluttony; I don't want to cause him heartache.

Love is strange.

Aren't I?