7 Shades of Sin

Anger

Being the oldest, Anger can't very well lose to his younger siblings. 'If Vanity gets bragging rights, she'll never shut up. Not that she ever does.'

He pushes these thoughts out of his head as he scours the Earth for his victim--ahem, subject. It occurs to him that if he were a human, he would be dazzled by the view he's seeing right then--a magnificently blue ocean glittering under the light--but he's unable to enjoy the beauty.

Instead he only feels a mild irritation that he has to look for a suitable human. His baby sister Envy had said the winner would be the one to have the most influence. That has to mean that he has to choose a person that is the opposite of him.

He feels his mouth turn down into his usual frown. Passive people make him frustrated.

Why does he care about winning this contest again? He doesn't. He cares about not losing. There's a difference.

Anger stops at a university in America, and his eyes catch on a boy who's making his way, alone, through the hallways. He stops and hovers over this human. Perhaps this one could be his.

William Clark is a soft-spoken African-American boy who likes to wear button-downs, has kind eyes, a somewhat nervous smile, and is constantly bullied. He is just what Anger is looking for.

Anger waits until Will is stopped by a tall boy with muscles and white teeth that are bared in a snarl. The boy says something about homework and toilets, and Will answers something in his trembling voice about how he can't keep on giving him the answers and he'll tell the teachers. It's not a smart move; the bell has already rung and no students remain in the hallways anymore.

Anger watches as the boy growls and pushes Will hard into the lockers. He watches as Will's head slams back into metal. He watches as a fist flies into his human's nose, hears the sickening crunch, feels the fear emanating like a beacon.

Then, he slams into Will's mind with brute force, like a wild animal raging through his ringing head. He sees Will gasp out loud as he feels the intrusion of a being unlike any mortal creature.

Then, Will's eyes narrow, and Anger knows the moment he gives in to this feeling, this fury, and he brings his own fists back to pummel at the enemy's chest and shoulders. But he's too weak to do any damage other than infuriate this boy who towers over him.

However, Anger knows that while Will's nose still resembles a waterfall and there's a bruise blooming on his cheek, this human's longterm fear is now coupled with a hatred that can melt skin off bones. Anger grins inside Will's mind. He's proud of his work and he intends on continuing it.

_____

Over the next few months, Anger is a little more low key in Will's mind, only surfacing to spur moments of vexation and irritability that usually leave Will confused. The boy has yet to accept these feelings for his own, most likely because they aren't. They're being forced onto him by Anger, who is growing increasingly frustrated.

Will's lack of aggression is bothersome, and it occurs to Anger that perhaps this contest is harder than he gave it credit for. Things are uneventful, other than the fact that Will has attempted to do a few push-ups due to an increase of demands from the bully, who Anger now knows is called Bryce.

Anger has half a mind to just abandon this weakling, but he doesn't want to break the contest's rules. Not yet.
It isn't until a mysterious girl enters Will's life, does Anger really start to pay attention. This girl's name is Carmen, and with her coppery curls and fiery tongue, she has definitely captured Will's attention since the day he saw her.

This girl has caught Anger's attention as well, but for another reason. He knows Lust's mark when he sees it; what is his sister's human doing around his? The rules are simple: no interfering.