[Probably. At least a little. He can't remember if there had been the scent of fear or not, two wrapped up in his own need, his own mind. More like the lesser demons than any King. More like an animal than a person.

So it goes.

But he does listen to Makoto. Takes what he says and internalizes it, because the other younger demon knows more. Makoto might be younger, but he's still more knowledgeable than he is, even if their experiences and worlds don't line up 100%. He's an authority figure at best, and still someone to bounce around conjecture with at worst. Either way: Someone important, and who's experience he trusts.

He can't starve it into disappearing. He can't force it down and away, and even if he hadn't been doing that entirely, there'd still been a breaking point where it hadn't been enough and he'd snapped.]

Abel is me, but I'm not him. Those are my feelings on the matter. His soul was shattered and I just happened to be the one to pick up enough pieces to put it back together.

[And now, Abel's soul rests, at least in part, where his own had. He'd given up his to take control of Babel to save everyone, and the united pieces had firmly taken up residence in the hole left behind.

Maybe it hadn't been a bad thing. It's not his, but it is a soul, isn't it?]