#Radiostaticweek2024

[vii-doodles]

RadioStatic Week day 1: first meeting

[hazbinsillynight]

It's the first day of the radiostatic week!!! Have you prepared something for it? Because I did! 😁😁

So, for the first day here, we are with the theme first meeting. Hope you'll like it!

Day 1: First meeting

It’s been 20 years since Alastor fell into this horrible yet entertaining place that people commonly call Hell. Life was always changing here, new people fell every day with all of the particularity that qualified them. There was always something new and funny to watch, but at the top of the big pyramide of the sinners in Pride district, the radio demon was bored.

These new people who arrived every day were nothing more for him than mere food. Not even interesting at all. The deer demon fought with a lot of Overlords, proving his superiority and trapping them inside his radio to have fun. But it’s been 20 years since he started ripping the life of the other Overlords and it had become quite uninteresting.   

A scream of pain resonated in the ears of the radio demon, sorting him off his thoughts. His ears started to twitch at the annoying sound of the prey he caught during one of his lonely walks. On his feet was a red-horned demon, crying and bleeding like a pig at the slaughterhouse. He begged for mercy in tears while Alastor crunched one of the fingers he ripped from the demon when he caught it like it was a common snack. 

Bothered by the screams he decided to kill the demon so he wouldn’t have to hear his horrible screams again. Usually, he quite liked it when a demon was begging him for mercy and from pain but this one must have been the exception. He was insufferably annoying. One last bloody gurgling and the “life” of the demon left his body.

“Well, this was disappointing.” The radio demon said with an iconic smile on his face. “Time to go I guess!”

The red Overlord was about to walk away when a strange rumbling noise came from behind the empty box and garbage of the dark alley where he ate. His ears turned in the direction of the sound and with a curious expression on his face, Alastor moved toward the piles of junk.

There was a humanoid shape behind the boxes, they looked stunned and clearly hadn’t seen Alastor lurking behind their back. The stranger was apparently a man, he had dark skin, sharp blue claws, and the most singular head than the radio demon had ever seen. 

“Urg…Where Am I…?” The new demon mumbled, not clearly seeing his surroundings.

Well, this was interesting! New demons fell every day but it was the first time the red Overlord ever saw one like him. It was as if technology took possession of his body, instead of a classic face he had a TV post. Alastor could even hear some static sound coming from the new guy. It wasn’t really audible for a classic demon but his demonic form was based on the one of an animal. He had a great audition compared to his demon peers. 

“Well in Hell of course!” Alastor exclaimed cheerfully, happy to have found a new source of entertainment.

“AAAH!! Dafuq is wrong with you!” The TV demon screamed before punching the Overlord in the face, clearly surprised to see him.

Alastor stayed still as an uneasy silence invaded the space between the two demons. He had been hit before but the demons that managed to touch him in a fight could be numbered with the fingers of a hand. Oooh this demon was more and more interesting with every second. He would have a lot of fun with this one.

“Shit, I’m sorry! I didn’t want to hit you, you just scared the shit out of me.” The TV demon said, looking sorry at the man before him. 

“Worry not my friend! If you said you’re sorry and that hurting me wasn’t your intention I suppose I can let it pass!” Alastor said with a deranged smile on his face. 

He felt like a child during Christmas, waiting to open a present. This new demon was so strange, unusual, and funny! He couldn’t wait to see the next thing he would do to entertain him.

The stranger looked a bit confused and surprised by his reaction but it was nothing compared to the look on his face when he finally properly saw who or rather what kind of person he had in front of him. 

It was really funny to look at. Alastor could see his pixel eyes looking at his ears, woods, and smile with fear. 

“Oh worry not dear friend! I won’t hurt you or at least not now.” The Overlord said with the same smile he had since he met that new demon. “I never saw anyone like you before, it is quite interesting if I may say!”

“Ah! Uh thanks, I suppose? Look, pal, it's not against you but I need to go…” The stranger said before trying to get up. 

Alastor looked at him, trying to get on his legs, he looked like a baby deer with his first steps. It was kinda endearing. Where would he go that could be safe enough for a new demon? It wasn’t the safest quarter of the Pride district and all new demons were fragile and weaker, especially after their death.

If he goes, Alastor would probably lose his new source of entertainment for a while. Or worse the TV demon could make a deal with another Overlord! No that won’t do!

“You shouldn’t leave like that, my friend. It is very impolite. Besides, you’re clearly too weak to survive out there. It must have been a violent death you just had.” 

Barely standing up the TV demon looked at him, a bit out of breath and surprised. His confusion was adorable. 

“Death? I don’t under-”

Suddenly he cut himself in his sentence and passed his hand all over his torso. Tiny mistake here because his hands were what was holding him against the wall. Before he could fall Alastor grabbed him in his arms.

“Now, now, dear friend, I think you should rest, don't you agree?” Alastor said rather than asking, still smiling at the new demon in his arms.

The new demon looked at the strange and scary red guy over him, his vision was starting to get blurry, and black dots slowly invaded it. He didn’t understand, the last thing he remembered was the gunshots and then nothing. He woke up here. 

A shadow with a creepy green smile appeared next to the red guy with sharp teeth and wood, the two of them looked like they just got out of a scary movie or a nightmare. He tried to fight against the urge to sleep that was becoming stronger and stronger as much as the seconds passed, but in vain.

“Sleep well, my dear friend.” Said a cheerful voice before he fell into the darkness once again.

*********

When he woke up in an unknown place for the second time the TV demon wasn’t as shocked as he first was. He just hoped it was all a dream and that someone rescued him from the attack at the studio. The simple thought of what happened earlier frightened him and gave him the beginning of a headache. 

“Urgh…my head is killing me…” He rumbled trying to get his surroundings.

“I see you are awake!” The creepy red guy exclaimed near him, even if he couldn’t see well for now he could distingue the crazy smile on his face. “Do you need electricity? I chose a house that had some in case you might need it.”

The red guy?Deer? Creature? Honestly, he didn’t know what he was, was looking at him as if he was a new specimen and that he wanted nothing more than to dissect him alive. Urg…he didn’t have the strength to deal with this shit… His head was killing him and for an unknown reason heavier than he remembered. His whole body felt so weird right now.

“Why would I need electricity? And where are we? I swear if you lay a single hand on me you’ll have to deal with the cops!”

Why was he in this dream again? Why hadn’t he woke up when the darkness invaded him for the second time? Things weren’t right and the look on the other guy’s face wasn’t reassuring at all.

Alastor looked at the new demon to see if he was serious before bursting into laughter when he understood he was. His new friend was funnier than he first expected, perhaps he’ll keep him as a shadow if he couldn’t survive hell.

“Well for your head of course! I’m not sure if it works with your energy or if you need electricity. It would be better for you if it worked with your energy but who knows what fate has in reserve for you.”

The new demon looked at the man in front of him with apprehension. He was clearly mad. But at the same time wasn’t he to see or dream of such things? He passed a hand on his face when another wave of pain passed into him, and it was only then that the cold shower called reality hit him.

“What happened to my face?!” He screamed in panic as his hands tried to find something familiar on his face and head.

He has no hair, no nose, no ears, no anything! All he could feel was the coldness of the metal and glass, the sound of the guns still vivid in his mind. He felt himself on the edge of a panic attack which only amplified when he saw his hands and how sharp his nails were. It could destroy metal so easily now!

“See? I told you you were an interesting person! I never saw a demon like you my friend, perhaps you’re the first of your kind! There is no need to panic at all.”

Demon. He was a demon. Oh Lord, he was in hell. He died during that gunshot and now he was in hell.

“No need to panic?! I don’t have a freaking face anymore!” 

Just into what had he turned into? He was just stuck as nonhuman with some metallic head that weighed too much to be normal. He wasn’t stupid enough to say he didn’t deserve Hell. Clearly, he wasn’t the best human on earth, and he knew it, but still! Why couldn’t he look a bit more like this creepy red guy?

Suddenly music started to resonate in the room. The new demon turned his head to its source to find a shadow replica of the other demon playing the piano. It was smiling at him while the real red guy was bringing a huge mirror in front of him. The music kinda helped him to calm down.

“Here so you can see yourself. It is quite something when you first wake up here but I’m sure you’ll find your mark very quickly. I’ll be disappointed if you don’t. You look like a strong demon.”

The new demon sighed heavily and looked at the Overlord in front of him a little sorry. This guy looked and clearly was weird, but he wasn’t bad with him. The least he could do was to give him a chance.

“Thanks and….I’m sorry…” He said before nervously walking to the mirror.

In front of him as his reflection was a man with dark skin, sharp blue claws, and a TV for a head. It wasn’t like any model he ever saw back in the living world. It had a big screen and the antennas were shorter. There were two round boutons on the right of the screen, probably for the volume and the channel. On the screen were two huge red eyes and a sharp blue smile, he had no nose or ears but somehow it wasn’t preventing him from hearing or smelling around. 

“This is so weird…” He let out too much shock to look anywhere else other than the mirror.

“I was going to say exciting, entertaining, or original but if you prefer weird my friend then alright. It is weird.” The red demon said with his traditional smile. “I’m Alastor, the radio demon. A pleasure to meet you!” He added before taking his hands to shake them.

“I’m…well I…” 

“You know my friend, one of the good points of starting a new life with death is that you don’t need to bother with old undesirable baggage. So now tell me. What is your name?”

The TV demon smiled for the first time he woke up here and shook the hand Alastor was handing him. Yes, he could do this, he would survive Hell, and perhaps he could do it with his new friend.

“Call me Vox, friend.” 

[iwilleatyourfic]

Radiostatic Week Day One: (First Meeting)/First Confession

[delirium-reflection]

Untitled - seven year gap

Title: untitled

Pairing: Alastor x Vox

Word count: 2067

Warnings: body horror, Canon typical violence and language

Summary: Alastor comes to investigate an injured and bitter Vox.

Notes: Written for radiostaticweek. Late, naturally. Self-edited but likely contains mistakes. We are very tired today. Formatting is questionable. Our favorite thing is tsundere boys being difficult to one another. Enjoy and thanks.

The thing before him wasn't Vox.

Not anymore. The creature was a pulsating, neon mass of wiring and cables haphazardly wrapped around a limber humanoid body. It reminded Alastor of a mound of snakes he found when he was a child in the mortal realm. Each individual PVC cable seemed to have a liveliness of its own, twisting and winding itself into knots among it's siblings.

Vox, what was left of him, was comatose inside the roost of cables. The only real proof he was in the ball of snakes was that occasionally the wires would reveal a small piece of their prize. An arm, a blank and broken screen… swiftly appearing and disappearing.

It was only curiosity that first brought Alastor to this place. What was the ruin of the Vs Tower. It was hastily abandoned weeks ago by it's employees and two remaining overlords. No one in Voxtek was forthcoming on exactly what had happened. Why did they abandon their home and their business associates? Perhaps they thought Vox was dead, after Alastor witnessed the building he imagined that was an easy assumption to make. It wasn't until Alastor heard a rumor that some of the employees of Voxtek found themselves still under contract that Alastor came to investigate. Vox had to be alive if his contracted workers still belonged to him.

But upon entering the building, with great difficulty in no small part to the overflowing cables spilling from it, he wondered exactly what kind of life remained. Alastor was merely curious, he didn't owe anything else to the TV demon. Certainly didn't care if he was gone. This wellness checkup was more concern in case whatever was happening to Vox was dangerous to the rest of Hell. Or his own plans.

“I can't say I like what you've done with the place.” Alastor's voice echoed off the wall of the broken room. The walls were covered in glowing azure cables just like the mass surrounding Vox. He didn't expect an answer. Rather he didn't want one. But something about the eerie room bothered the Radio Demon. His hackles rose with each undulating movement of the cable ball.

A crackled sound ripped through the room, seemingly a response to Alastor. Or perhaps whatever was in the room was finally acknowledging his presence. The sound was a combination of metal scraping against metal and raw electric current surging. It was followed by intense silence.

Alastor's ears perked up, waiting for any other signs of life. Nothing came so he stepped forward. The intensity flickered rapidly within the cables around the room, a softer electrical sound buzzing through the air.

A voice distorted beyond comprehension, inordinately loud tore through the room. It didn't seem to have an origin point, not one Alastor could locate. A light filtered through the area, behind the mass of cables, from a half-concealed screen on the back wall.

《WARNING! AN ERROR HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS SMART TV. DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE DETECTED. RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT.》

《FAILED TO UNINSTALL.》

《LAUNCHING SAFE MODE.》

《RECOMMENDED ACTION(S): MANUEL RESET…

The words continued on until the bottom of the screen, or at least as far as Alastor could see. Alastor didn't know what most of that meant, but it didn't seem beneficial to Vox's situation.

“KA- KA-ka-C-Coward!” The same origin-less voice roared, this time understandable past the distortion.

“Oh? He speaks.” Alastor's eats flattened against his skull, hearing something rustle in the darkness, “Throwing out accusations already?”

“Ka-KA creeping up-p-p oh-n s-s-someone in IN -n-n thei-ir sah-sleep-ep-ep?” The rustling sound, Alastor noticed was the collective shifting of the cables surrounding Vox. The snakes parted way until the blank flat-screen of Vox's poked through.

“Is that what you call of all this? Sleeping.” Alastor gestured to the room with a click of his tongue, casually pulling out his staff and leaning on it.

“Y-y… -es.” Vox's pitch screen and level voice not holding any of his usual charisma.

“It's been two weeks.” Alastor sighed knowingly, tilting his head to one side. That seemed to spark a reaction from the hollow screen. “One would think you're under the weather. Staying in bed for so long.”

With a shaky flicker Vox's face finally lit up on the screen, right eye wide and swirling with hypnotic power, “An-nd you've c-come to take advantage of that?”

The voice that seemed to come from everywhere shrank to simply come from Vox's monitor.

“Y-y-you are sa-sa-sadly mist-tay-can if you thin-k-k I won't be able to des-tro-y-y you even n-n-” A toothy, deranged grin painting his screen as he watched Alastor closely.

Instantaneously around the room the cables leapt to life, a singular goal to reach the Radio Demon. The wiring sparking with torrid voltage as it spilled like a wave of PVC at the offending demon. Some of the wiring lashing, others trying to enfold the Radio Demon. Alastor sprang to life himself, twisting and dodging to avoid the glowing cords that chaotically seethed around him. Aside from the seer number of the cables it was an easy task for him. But he knew it was a war of attrition Vox was playing.

It wasn't long until one of the tethers found purchase, wrapping around Alastor's right arm. A sudden sting of electric current run through the Radio Demon's limb, it wasn't until he was able to break free that he realized he was bleeding. Droplets of crimson soaking into his jacket as if he'd been stabbed by a dozen needles in a pattern where the cable had been. He was able to catch a glance at the fleeing cable, the one that he'd escaped from. It was just like the others except that now the PVC casing was broken and pieces of sharp copper wiring were peaking through.

Alastor had no second to ponder his discovery before another assault. Two more cables catching him, one on the left leg just below the knee and the other on the same injured arm. The protruding metal biting into his skin, even through the clothes. Much to the Radio Demon's discomfort he watch the rubber covering of the wires peel away of their own volition. The sting of the copper in his skin pushed to a new level of agony as he realized the wire was attempting to burrow into his flesh.

The two cables were rapidly joined by others, latching into a stunned Alastor. One wrapped around his neck, breaking the skin as it hastily began to pry skin apart in a deprived invasion.

“F-fuck!” Alastor gasped as the wires pierced into his throat so much he swore he could taste the metal. “V-Vox! S-top!”

In no universe did Alastor think simply commanding the other demon would bring any results. But it did. The cables seized up rigidly as if the words spoken had a magical effect on them.

“W-what if I-I don't want to, Ala-stor?” This time the Radio Demon swore he heard more of the other's sardonic personality peeking through. “W-what if I-I wa-wa-want to do this?”

The wires suddenly began to slide into Alastor's flesh, a threat by the TV Demon. Alastor closed his eyes, refusing to cry out, and grit his teeth.

“You…Y-you You wouldn't be-e a-ble t-t-t run away again. W-would you?” Vox cackled darkly, a sound that seemed to resonate inside like he was at the bottom of a metal drum. “N-no, I d-d-don't think you would.”

Alastor was searching his options internally. In a bid for time he decided to press conversation with the mad demon, “You're not still tore up about that are you, old pal?”

The wires quivered inside of his flesh as if he could feel Vox's anger swelling. Perhaps provoking the other wasn't the best of plans either. “S-seven ye-ears! Yo-u son-n-of-f a b-bitch!”

Alastor could free himself, the television-faced demon was weak–he had been the entire encounter–but if he did the mystery of ‘how this happened’ would be unsolved. What would happen of Alastor simply phased out of the room and never looked back? If he retreated back to the Hotel's radio tower to lick his wounds he might not ever understand.

Vox's eyes bore into Alastor with indifference as the cables pushed inside flesh to their limit. Becoming brittle and thin at the base they began to break off into the skin like the barbs of a porcupine. The copper lodged deep side Alastor's flesh stung like an infected wound, reddened and irritated. The cable, spent of it's internal wiring dropped away from Alastor's arm all together, no longer able to cause him harm. Several more of the empty cable shells fell away from Alastor's skin, disappearing into the dark depths of the floor.

“S-so… why bother-r s-s-showing up here… now-w–w? T-to bother me-e?”

“Mere curiosity.” Alastor quickly replied, feeling the cables shift below him agitatedly. The cables writhed on the floor around him, whipping around as if they were a dozen angry eels.

“L-liar.” Vox's face shifted on the screen, the grin faltering into a scrutinizing frown. “Selfish-h prick-k. W-we are are are t-t-the same, don't-t act like-e you you are so h-hard to understand.”

Alastor said nothing. He didn't know what Vox's point was. The statement lead too many places, too many ways to be misinterpreted. It would feel like a confession, of sorts, no matter what he replied with. Silence was better.

How were they alike? Conniving and calculating, always trying to manipulate the world around them into what they needed it to be. Curious to a fault, unable to stand a mystery, and needing to know all the answers. Paranoid–-even if there was no proof--thinking those around them were planning treachery. Pathetic creatures who wouldn't trust anyone because they knew no one could (or should) trust them.

“Y-y-you only exist t-to be-e beheld.” The words slid out into the silence of the room like a knife in the throat. Cutting straight to the point with unusual clarity.

“Flattering! A fancy way to say we are both attention-whores.” Alastor rolled his eyes, painfully crossing his bleeding arms across his chest.

An unexpected, hardy laugh came from the other. Like a dam breaking on the tension in the room, “I-I don't-t hear… d-denial. Narci-i-issistic bastard.”

“Egocentric jackass.” Alastor returned cooly, his grin increasing as looked directly into Vox's eyes.

“Self-f-f-centered di-ick.”

“Miserable–”

“S-Stay.” Vox blurted curtly, once again slicing to the meaty heart of their banter. It was jarring to hear something so open and vulnerable from a creature that did none of that.

He wasn't playing fair, Alastor thought with a sigh. There were rules of engagement to be followed.

“S-stay and I-I… will-l s-see you.”

“Stay and you will exist.” Alastor meant it as mockery. But as soon as the words left his mouth he realized how right they sounded. Symbiotic parasites. It could be mistaken for affection. Alastor didn't know if he could be affectionate. Probably shouldn't be to the likes of Vox the TV Demon.

“How long?” Alastor canted his head, studying Vox's face from the mess of cables. “I'm a busy demon.”

“N-not sure-e. I've-e been s-sifting th-thr-through my network-k to find-d the p-prob-lem. C-could to-tolerate y-your-r company.” Vox scoffed, a shot of red staining his cheeks as he averted his eyes downward. “A-a another week or or s-o.”

Alastor sighed, making a gesture of annoyance as he abruptly began to search the floor for a place to sit. He collapsed down on a heavily corded bundle of cables that looked sturdy enough to support his weight. “I would ask you to shake on it but I have a feeling you can't move your arms.”

“...I-I can still -ka-kick your ass-s e-even if I couldn't-t.” Vox softly retorted, his flushed screen brightening to an azure glow. “D-don't expe-ect gratitude.”

Alastor felt the brush of a cable, slithering against his fingertips. The same wires that had just caused him to bleed out profusely were now gently pushing against his hand. Wrapping around his finger tenderly as if they were afraid to touch him too tightly, the cables acted like he was suddenly breakable. Alastor let the cable slip into his palm until it rested there. Curling his fingers over the cord as if it were Vox's hand, “I wouldn't dream of it, old pal.”

For someone who's waited seven years Alastor decided he might be able to spare a week or so.

[colonelcheru]

I know Tumblr already had RadioStatic week back in February, but... we didn't have one yet on Twitter! (This is where it's being hosted, but honestly more art of the bois is never a bad thing.) So if you missed out on the first one or would like to participate, here are the prompts! #RadioStatic /#StaticRadio WEEK PROMPTS!

➾ May 13-19 , 2024

➾ Choice between Fluff or Angst for each day (or do both)! ➾ Artists & writers are welcome to join in! ➾ You are permitted one free day of your choosing from the 7, however I'm not your mom, so really just have fun with it! :) ➾ Have fun!

Use the tag #RadioStatic Week 2024 on A03. AO3 collection - https://archiveofourown.org/collections/RadioStaticWeek2024/profile#faq

[mayashesfly]

Currently thinking about the "Rain" Angst Prompt for RadioStaticWeek2024 on Twitter And my two ideas for such a prompt if I ever participate is

One:

A sketch-like black and white close up on Alastor's face in side view. Eyes half lidded, looking up at above as a drop of blue falls on his cheek, as if he was crying. His mouth obscured from view. The next panel is a zoomed out view of the scene, making it a black and white silhouette art in side view. Alastor is still looking up at above, one hand cupping the blue droplets from the sky while the other held his cane stained with blue. His expression unreadable. Above him laid the broken form of Vox. Dripping blue from his face and chest. Suspended in the air by an array of tentacles and long dead cables. "Are you satisfied?"

Or Two:

Sharp blue lightning bolts rained from the sky, coloring the black and white drawing. Before it moved to the next scene, a multitude of blue tvs and red eyes and black cables surrounded and consumed the entire scene like an inescapable dome as electricity continued to rain. Zooming into the middle of the scene laid the slumped over empty form of Vox. Cradling the bleeding red corpse of the radio demon. "Why?"

[vii-doodles]

Radiostatic (or more like radiosilence) week day 5: rain

I was running out of time so I only have this sketchy art for today! I might make this into a full artwork one (or not, who knows)

[iwilleatyourfic]

Radiostatic Week Day three: (Date night)/One sided attraction.

Sorry guys I messed the week up now have what I should've uploaded yesterday 🙃

[delirium-reflection]

Voyeur - radiostatic

Late start to radiostaticweek2024 -- theme: you almost died.

Notes: Perhaps we will go backwards and do the rest. Work has us reeling, no promises. How do we format, especially on mobile? We feel old. We will throw ourselves in the trash bin later over this atrocity.

Title: voyeur

Pairing: Vox x alastor

Warnings: Canon typical violence, Canon typical language, crap formating

Writing time: 3 hours (apologies for errors)

Goddamned voyeur.

Enjoy your show while it lasts. Staggering injured through a rubbish-filled alleyway isn't Alastor's first choice of pastimes. It would be easy enough for him to blame Charlie Morningstar for the newfound frequency at which he finds himself doing it. If it weren't for his deal and his responsibility he could be sitting cushy in his radio tower. The fights he could choose.

Alastor absently notes the camera slowly turning as he limps by it. He's got far too many problems to even give it attention. The coward on the other side of those electronic devices won't be showing his face. Whether to harm or heal. He won't be coming.

Good, Alastor thinks, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. He thinks this as he realizes he is not alone. A straggler from the fighting is barreling towards him like a highly pissed bear. The injured Alastor barely turns on his heels to meet his foe head-on. His staff clashes with horn and claw, more beast than demon, threatening to force the Radio Demon to his knees. The horns of the beast loose a line of sparks against the metal of his staff as they struggle to break free and gore their target. Alastor phases his body out of reality, only able to skip several meters away from the raging devil.

“Feeling weakened?” The demon teases, regaining his balance as his eyes land on Alastor's new position. “The mighty do fall occasionally.”

“I'm afraid you have no luck in that regard, my friend. I'm plenty strong enough still to remove a pest like you.” Alastor boasts, striking his staff on the ground, letting tentacles unfurl from the ground beneath him. The appendages consume the narrow alleyway as they rush the opposing demon. Alastor's smirk becoming toothy as the wave of twisting limbs encircle the other sinner. The now panicking demon raises a hefty blade in defense, trying to slice at as many of Alastor's advancing tentacles as he can. A losing battle if there ever was one. The demon is beginning to realize his folly in fighting off Alastor's appendages. Desperation fills his motions as he continues to jerk out of the way of the writhing organs. His final efforts before being consumed completely are to throw his blade like a javelin at Alastor.

Alastor doesn't dodge it, it's breakneck in speed. More likely he can't dodge it, the tentacles are taking all of his power to control. Even as the blade lands deftly with a thud into flesh, he keeps his eyes on the demon. Or whatever is soon left of the demon as the bellowing appendages ravage its body, all seeming to fight for a piece of flesh to latch on and tear apart. Blood and sinew are all that remains of Alastor's unwise opposition. Now about that blade. He would have done well to dodge it, he surmises as he begins to inspect the damage. Right in the gut. Thankfully, it's not gone entirely through him, and if he keeps the blade in place it will work as it's own tourniquet. He isn't afraid, though it is quite painful. He's a demon after all, and an Overlord. This isn't an idea situation but he's been in worse scenarios. Alastor returns to his long, pained walk back towards the Hotel. It's not until he reaches the end of the alleyway that he hears the approach of another. It's not as obvious as the first demon, no rapid approaching feet pounding against the pavement. It's small but nimble.

As he turns to meet it he is surprised to feel it already grabbing ahold of him. It's claws prying at his jacket and reaching. Reaching for the knife lodged inside him. For something so small how could it have enough power to pull the deeply wedged weapon from of him? Those are the last real thoughts Alastor can register before he feels his body collapse onto the broken concrete.

☆☆☆☆

Alastor knew light again. A dull aching, cobalt light that stung his eyes and gave him pounding headache. He couldn't even conceive the thought of lifting his head at the moment.

And somehow he lived. As light and sound translated to knowledge Alastor noticed he was in a bed with some kind of bandage wrapped around his head obscuring half his vision.

“So, you're awake.” an unexpected voice melodiously called to him. That voice. He hated it. The cadence of that voice was even annoying, like a mockery of all the things Alastor stood for.

“Do shut up, noisy advertisement box!” He groaned, moving his hand up to rake over his face. It caused him great pain in his stomach whenever he moved. “You're stating of the obvious grates my nerves ever so.”

Vox came into view of his singular eye, anger painting his features as he replied, “Ah, yes. And I suppose an asshole like you knows exactly what a decent voice sounds like?”

“Yes.” Alastor snapped back. A wiser demon wouldn't antagonize their enemy in such a situation. Vox held all the cards at the moment, but for some reason that didn't stop the Radio Demon from being pedantic, “My superior media relies on a perfect voice. Which you are far, far from. You rely on flashing lights and colors, your voice is irrelevant.”

One of Vox's eyes twitched in annoyance, a fissure of anger that dwelled just below the surface threatened to appear. The television instead gave a toothy grin, brightly and mockingly saying, “Oh, well! I'm so happy I stopped that little, ratty demon from stabbing you repeatedly until you were a bloodstain on the cement.”

Alastor furrowed his eyebrows. Now that Alastor thought about it, he did wonder: “Yes… why in Hell did you do that?”

Vox's screen flashed a test screen for a millisecond before returning to normal. A solemn frown but remained silent. Unreadable expression on his monitor.

“You haven't got anything witty as retort? If I enjoyed cameras I'd take a picture to commemorate the–” Alastor's head snapped to the side so quickly he didn't register for a full five seconds that he'd been slapped.

“Fuck you.” Vox snarled, distorting audio. Vox's static illuminating the sides of his anger contorted face and his fist balled up at his side, “You can kindly go fuck yourself. Twice, even!”

It must be Alastor's damaged vision because he swore the edges of Vox's eyes held captive tears. The sort of tears that were threatening to fall at any second.

“Mad you didn't get to me first, then?” Alastor pressed, anything to avoid knowing what the look on Vox's face meant. Pressing the television-faced demon into a rage was at least familiar, safe. Whatever feelings Vox was presenting right now were new and frightening to the Radio Demon. Alastor didn't like new things.

“Do you want me to fucking punch you this time!” Vox's screen glitched as he venomously glared at the other demon, “I will end you, Alastor! Even if it's…e-even if it's just so I don't have to see anything like that ever again.”

Ah, yes the voyeur. Alastor clicked his tongue, remembering the cameras in the alleyway. Though he wasn't sure why Vox wouldn't have just enjoyed his agony like any other day. It made no sense.

Alastor wanted to ask him if he'd run out of popcorn. He wanted to ask if he got his rocks off watching his enemy get his ass handed to him in a back alley. But instead he asked, “Was it that bad, old pal?”

Vox averted his monitor, likely taking notice of the tears forming on his own face, “Y-you know, at least with those exterminators you knew when to run like a pussy.”

“It physically disgusts me that you watch me all the time.” Alastor deadpanned, turning his head in an attempt to relieve the stinging on his cheek.

Vox grumbled something under his breath about Alastor being ‘ungrateful’ but kept his face out of view from the Radio Demon. If it wasn't coming from a disgusting Peeping Tom the next thing he said might have been (at least by Alastor's opinion) cute, “You could've died, you know. Do you even care how that would've made me feel?”

Alastor was definitely not blushing as he noted that Vox's voice had a distinctive whine to it that almost sounded like he was worried.

Another uncomfortable silent fell over the two of them. Alastor finally breaking it with a short fake cough and a sarcastic: “Well, this has been… interesting. I suppose just this once I could be begrudgingly thankful for your… assistance.”

Vox's mood reversed as his head bounced upward. His smile was the usual charismatic, wide toothy display it always was on his TV programs, “Oh, you owe me, big fucking time! But…”

The television demon's smile softened to something more genuine, “... but I'll let you off the hook this time. You know, as long as you don't… ever fucking scare me like that again.”

Alastor gave him a short painful nod, wondering if Vox planned on staying by his side and watching over him until he could move again. He sure hoped not. It was creepy.

[delirium-reflection]

Ophidia in Herba

Human Au. Slow Burn. Written (belately) for radiostaticweek. We took the assignment too seriously, now it's a multi-chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Pairing: Alastor/Vox (Human Au)

Summary: An ex-journalist and a radio announcer walk into a train station. Or is it an information broker and a serial killer walk into a train station?

Jonathan is on the run and doesn't have many options when he accidentally gives his last dollar away. No good deed goes unpunished however when a stranger steps in to help.